What do you want out of next gen?

[finalark]

Well, 2011 is over. It brought it a ton of great titles such as Skyrim, Mortal Kombat, and Skyward Sword. As we look forward to 2012 its time to accept that the current generation of console is in its twilight years. The Wii U is being released, Microsoft is currently working on the next Xbox and I'm sure that Sony is soon to follow.

Lets examine what Nintendo is up to. The Wii U is yet another gimmick console, something that Nintendo has been rather fond of ever since it released the DS in 2005. Most people seem to agree that the only one of Nintendo's gimmicks that ever actually made games better was the two screens of the DS. With the novelties of the Wii's motion controls and the 3DS' glasses-free 3D quickly fading. This time the gimmick is a touch screen in the middle of the controller, which, in my opinion, makes the controller look uncomfortable and difficult to use. However, I also believe that this may have potential to actually improve game play is used the way the DS' second screen was. Other than that the Wii U's goal seems to be the bring Nintendo up to speed with the rest of the world. The console finally has HD, possibly a better networking service and what might be somewhat controversial among some circles, a more western library with games like Darksiders, Arkham City and Battlefield as planned titles.

Because there is no official information on Microsoft and Sony's new project we're mostly left to guess work, which this paragraph will be. Since we have no official names for their projects I will refer to them as the 720 and PS4, respectively. Now then, the first thing I think we'll notice with the 720 and PS4 is the lack of Move and Kinect support. Motion control is generally seen as a joke amongst most gamers. Chances are both peripherals will be discarded by their companies and thrown into the same bin as the Power Glove and the 32X in the memories of most I believe. Some possibilities are cloud storage, which would be useful for MS if their goal for the 720 is to finally connect consoles and PCs together via windows 7 or whatever new operating system they release might be. Or we might possibly see the 720 and PS4 try to abandon the disk-based model the industry has used since the PS1/SAT/N64 era. This is doubtful, however, since Sony attempted this with the PSP Go and many gamers were no happy that they couldn't have a physical library.

With the next generation on the horizon, what do you look forward to the most? What do you hope for?

 

[Ryu Shimazu]

I care for Wii-U due to IPS, and ps4 has some interest, but all this is lulz to me. PC pwns all in Specs, these new consoles will barely hold their own in power lol.

 

[Deleted member]

720 and PS4 is the lack of Move and Kinect support.

eh I think I read somewhere the 720 will have kinect support.

a steam like interface to buy games would be awesome, but abandoning discs would be bad because it means people with no-so-fast internet would have trouble ever buying anything.

what I'd really wish would be some sort of built in capture card, but I doubt something like that will happen.

I don't really care for consoles that much though. PC masterrace may be a joke sometime but even when a new console arrives PC will blow it out of the water in every aspect (graphics, peripherals, steam, and actually being a PC). I mean look at the wii U. "it now supports HIGH DEFINITON". gee that would have been nice 5 years ago. We already know playstation isn't gonna go for the biggest system with the biggest price because that put them behind terribly last time. I'm not expecting much from MS either.

 

[Ryu Shimazu]

Newegg + You tube Videos + ~800 dollars you can create something that will rival the next gen, and own this one. I love IP, which is why im excited for ps4/wii, but I still say its meh to pc.

How I tend to work now is IP for respective consoles, rest for pc. And for people with slow internet, buy the game upload it to steam for achievements/community.

 

[Browny]

wow i disagree on practically everything.

You seem to miss the part where nintendo are in a business to make money. their latest business strategies are pure genius. they went from distant third in the console race, to streaming far ahead in #1 spot for consoles, doubling the PS3 and the DS/3DS isnt even fair in how much it dominates the handheld market.

You may not like the quality of games that comes along with such a broad market catering for all sorts of ages, but nintendo wont abandon it, and its perfect. the larger the install base, the better developers they can entice. thats what ****ed the GC over with no 3P developer support. now devs know that the wiiu will easily be the most popular console, you will see A LOT more support for it than nintendo has ever seen before. These gimmicks work, an I am ok with them. Its not about what the console is capable of, we all know the joke of how the PS3 has 'no game' despite raw processing and graphics power. The games are what makes a console worth buying, thats it.

Similarly, M$ and Sony arent total idiots, adding motion control opens up a very broad range of game possibilities and entices devs to get creative which can often result in amazing, but rare, games. They both lost a very significant portion of market share and tried to recoup that loss by blatantly copying the Wii's success, and they wouldnt DARE take the risk of trying to go against a proven success, even if their current attempts havent gained the ground they would have liked. Its just too free a market to let go.

I still believe that the PS4 and 720 will be out considerably earlier than they claim, they wont allow the WiiU to have an entire year head start. Expect both of those consoles to be out before maybe... September 2013.

 

[finalark]

wow i disagree on practically everything.

You seem to miss the part where nintendo are in a business to make money. their latest business strategies are pure genius. they went from distant third in the console race, to streaming far ahead in #1 spot for consoles, doubling the PS3 and the DS/3DS isnt even fair in how much it dominates the handheld market.

You seem to assume I think the Wii U won't succeed. Of course it will. Everyone on this forum will buy one once smash bros is announced and millions more will buy it because of the Wii name. I'm just saying that the Wii U revolves around a gimmick just like the DS, Wii and 3DS do.

You may not like the quality of games that comes along with such a broad market catering for all sorts of ages, but nintendo wont abandon it, and its perfect. the larger the install base, the better developers they can entice. thats what ****ed the GC over with no 3P developer support. now devs know that the wiiu will easily be the most popular console, you will see A LOT more support for it than nintendo has ever seen before. These gimmicks work, an I am ok with them. Its not about what the console is capable of, we all know the joke of how the PS3 has 'no game' despite raw processing and graphics power. The games are what makes a console worth buying, thats it.

You assume I don't know this already, and you also assume I don't know **** about the industry. I just made a comment about how some people, namely the more nostalgic and japanaphilic circles, might not like the fact that Nintendo has a western focus with the very small line up the Wii U has at the moment.

Similarly, M$ and Sony arent total idiots, adding motion control opens up a very broad range of game possibilities and entices devs to get creative which can often result in amazing, but rare, games. They both lost a very significant portion of market share and tried to recoup that loss by blatantly copying the Wii's success, and they wouldnt DARE take the risk of trying to go against a proven success, even if their current attempts havent gained the ground they would have liked. Its just too free a market to let go.

I still say that both companies will probably drop support for their motion controls. If you recall, everything you just said could have been said for the SEGA CD or the N64DD and we know how both of those worked out. I say that we'll see them dropped by the end of 2014 at latest.

I still believe that the PS4 and 720 will be out considerably earlier than they claim, they wont allow the WiiU to have an entire year head start. Expect both of those consoles to be out before maybe... September 2013.

That sounds about right.

I also want to point out the reason why consoles are looking less and less fantastic next to PCs are because they're loosing the two things that made them different. Things such as console exclusive franchises and more convenient local multiplayer.

 

[Fuelbi]

All I want for next gen is for the developers to stop ****ing us over with **** like online passes and unlock codes for **** already on the disc

I also want CoD to die in a fire already, but we all know that that isn't dying next gen and by that time there'll be CoD10 or something

 

[F8AL]

a steam like interface to buy games would be awesome, but abandoning discs would be bad because it means people with no-so-fast internet would have trouble ever buying anything.

what I'd really wish would be some sort of built in capture card, but I doubt something like that will happen.

I agree, physical media will always be better than digital. For one, I can lend the games to a friend or re-sell them. DRM plagues a lot of digital copies of games these days. Physical media is also often cheaper and good for people who have bandwidth limits.

Having a built-in capture care would be great so people w/o HDPVRs or other recording equipment can upload their clips to YT or something.

I also want a feature where your friends can watch you play (sort of like a XBL party) and also, every game should have some sort of co-op and split-screen online features to them.

All I want for next gen is for the developers to stop ****ing us over with **** like online passes and unlock codes for **** already on the disc

I also want CoD to die in a fire already, but we all know that that isn't dying next gen and by that time there'll be CoD10 or something

You know that's not going to happen. I expect more BS next gen. You'll prolly have to pre-order the game in parts from different retailers or something like that.

 

[SwampertTheGreat]

Online passes will die when gamestop dies.
A.K.A never.

 

[Claire Diviner]

Probably petty, but I'd like the Wii U to have some sort of achievement system. It's wishful thinking, but I don't know if Nintendo will ever go with such a thing. Who knows?

 

[SwampertTheGreat]

Probably petty, but I'd like the Wii U to have some sort of achievement system. It's wishful thinking, but I don't know if Nintendo will ever go with such a thing. Who knows?

I also really want that

 

[GunmasterLombardi]

I want more Sony platformers.

Those are the best.

 

[jbro]

The Wii U touch screen is definitely a gimmick, but if used correctly could be cool. I saw early talk of a Ghost Recon game possibly using the screen to direct squadmates/target air strikes/etc.

 

[finalark]

The Wii U touch screen is definitely a gimmick, but if used correctly could be cool. I saw early talk of a Ghost Recon game possibly using the screen to direct squadmates/target air strikes/etc.

Its possible that if used correctly the Wii U controller may actually enhance games. The DS' two screens and touch screen were a gimmick and yet when used in smart and innovative ways they made games better.

I want more Sony platformers.

Those are the best.

Seconded. Bring back Jak and Sly, Sony.

I think I'd also like to see more genre diversity. FPS', WRPGs and fighting games were pretty much the biggest games on the market this gen.

Probably petty, but I'd like the Wii U to have some sort of achievement system. It's wishful thinking, but I don't know if Nintendo will ever go with such a thing. Who knows?

Its possible. Nintendo seems to want to play catch up to their competition with the Wii U.

I agree, physical media will always be better than digital. For one, I can lend the games to a friend or re-sell them. DRM plagues a lot of digital copies of games these days. Physical media is also often cheaper and good for people who have bandwidth limits.

I agree. From a business standpoint the idea of shifting to full digital media makes sense. Companies can charge a full $60 for a game without worrying about paying for manufacturing and shipping costs. However, for people with poor internet connections this is just a reason to walk away from games. I think downloadable games have a place, small and less fancy games like Super Meat Boy or Castle Crashers should be downloadable. But large, triple A titles that require well over a gig to download? Those should be left to disks.

You know that's not going to happen. I expect more BS next gen. You'll prolly have to pre-order the game in parts from different retailers or something like that.

Probably. The only thing I miss from previous generations was that corporate bull**** didn't directly effect the consumer the way it does today.

All I want for next gen is for the developers to stop ****ing us over with **** like online passes and unlock codes for **** already on the disc

IMO this could easily be fixed if people just boycotted. Don't like unlock codes for content you should already own? Don't buy 'em. Don't like paying for overpriced DLC? Don't buy it. If something is no longer profitable companies will stop what they're doing.

I also want CoD to die in a fire already, but we all know that that isn't dying next gen and by that time there'll be CoD10 or something

I think that CoD's time is coming to a close. Most people I know (online and off) hardly talk about MW3, and most I know are kind of getting tired of the franchise.

 

[Crimson King]

I care for Wii-U due to IPS, and ps4 has some interest, but all this is lulz to me. PC pwns all in Specs, these new consoles will barely hold their own in power lol.

Skyrim proves you wrong. It was designed for consoles as evidenced by its ridiculous menu system.

 

[Serris]

Skyrim proves you wrong. It was designed for consoles as evidenced by its ridiculous menu system.

What he's trying to say is that PCs will continue to evolve and best any console in terms of performance and power. This has always been true because visual processing and computing technology is constantly evolving. Look at the 360 and the PlayStation 3. Both are over half a decade old now. Think of the things we could have achieved if developers weren't constantly restrained by the capabilities of old hardware.

 

[Crimson King]

Right, but you miss my point: game developers are focused on consoles. It doesn't matter how great a PC can be (speaking from someone who built two gaming computers) because they can sell better on consoles.

 

[Fuelbi]

IMO this could easily be fixed if people just boycotted. Don't like unlock codes for content you should already own? Don't buy 'em. Don't like paying for overpriced DLC? Don't buy it. If something is no longer profitable companies will stop what they're doing.

Nah not gonna happen. Too many 12 year olds are buying the game with the money from their parent's pockets.

I think that CoD's time is coming to a close. Most people I know (online and off) hardly talk about MW3, and most I know are kind of getting tired of the franchise.[/QUOTE]

Same reason as the above. Little kids who use the money from their parent's wallets in order to get DLC and all that other stuff which makes the rest of us look bad.

I am seriously tired about all this because when I DO decide to boycott, ultimately my 15$ which I may or may not have spent wouldn't even make a dent in the millions that devs make on marketing to the children that spend money on everything at the rest of our expense

 

[Deleted member]

Right, but you miss my point: game developers are focused on consoles. It doesn't matter how great a PC can be (speaking from someone who built two gaming computers) because they can sell better on consoles.

pretty sure skyrim sold better on PC. also WoW, SC2, everything by Valve and a bunch more are designed for pretty much only PC.

 

[finalark]

pretty sure skyrim sold better on PC. also WoW, SC2, everything by Valve and a bunch more are designed for pretty much only PC.

Hell, the entire RTS genre is borderline impossible on consoles.

 

[F8AL]

Hell, the entire RTS genre is borderline impossible on consoles.

Halo Wars would like to have a word with you.

 

[finalark]

Halo Wars would like to have a word with you.

Can't comment, since I haven't played it. I've heard its pretty lackluster compared to PC's offerings.

 

[Deleted member]

halo wars was a pretty bad console RTS. there have been a couple RTS games that were well designed for consoles though.

The problem RTS games face on consoles is pretty much the same as in FPS games (mouse vs stick) but in RTS game there can at least be worked around it a bit.

 

[Ryu Shimazu]

Fire emblem gets no loveeee

 

[finalark]

Fire emblem gets no loveeee

FE is turn based, not real time. I'm talking about games like StarCraft or Age of Empires.

 

[Fuelbi]

Spore is the greatest RTS ever

 

[Crimson King]

pretty sure skyrim sold better on PC. also WoW, SC2, everything by Valve and a bunch more are designed for pretty much only PC.

Of course it sold better. The console version was inferior to PC, but that doesn't stop developers from focusing on consoles.

Blizzard hasn't released a console game in years, and Valve prefers PC. That's about it, though. A lot of developers are moving to consoles.

RTS as a genre has long since been dead, anyway.

 

[ZIO]

What do I want out of next gen?

More gameplay.

I'm tired of seeing this focus on graphics. As far as I'm concerned, graphics were completely fine with the PS2/GCN/XBOX. The new tech that came from the 360/PS3 brought us some inadequate lighting effects like an enhanced Bump mapping. I'm not going to lie and tell you there are no impressive looking games today, but I feel that great art direction can outlast an attempt at realism. Besides, due to the limited tech we have from current consoles, when devs focus all their time on visuals, the other subjects that make a game a game take a nose dive. Length of game, quality of said game.

If the consoles coming are better, I want them to be taken advantage of. Better collision detection. True 1080, 60 frames per second, extended draw distances, etc. These things would not take so long to work with and developers won't take years to develop a game.

 

[Ryu Shimazu]

I thought FE was rts, my bad. That reminds me that I wanna try Starcraft 2. XD

 

[Deleted member]

What do I want out of next gen?

More gameplay.

I'm tired of seeing this focus on graphics. As far as I'm concerned, graphics were completely fine with the PS2/GCN/XBOX. The new tech that came from the 360/PS3 brought us some inadequate lighting effects like an enhanced Bump mapping. I'm not going to lie and tell you there are no impressive looking games today, but I feel that great art direction can outlast an attempt at realism. Besides, due to the limited tech we have from current consoles, when devs focus all their time on visuals, the other subjects that make a game a game take a nose dive. Length of game, quality of said game.

If the consoles coming are better, I want them to be taken advantage of. Better collision detection. True 1080, 60 frames per second, extended draw distances, etc. These things would not take so long to work with and developers won't take years to develop a game.

outside of the shooter genre (which has been about graphics for a while now), which games focus on visuals over gameplay?

oh btw, threeeeeeee deeeeeeee. they're gonna do it, I'm sure of it.

 

[finalark]

tl;dr moar gameplay less graphics.

Just so you know developers have used graphics as a selling point since the very beginning. Actually, I rarely see games use graphics as a selling point these days. Usually its the multiplayer.

 

[ZIO]

I'm pretty aware of what the industry going ons have been.

 

[Deleted member]

Just so you know developers have used graphics as a selling point since the very beginning. Actually, I rarely see games use graphics as a selling point these days. Usually its the multiplayer.

that's because back in the day you could actually do things "for the first time" with graphics. now it's just "look we added even more polygons!"

 

[finalark]

that's because back in the day you could actually do things "for the first time" with graphics. now it's just "look we added even more polygons!"

I feel like that "back in the day" regarding graphics only really applies to the PS1/N64/SAT Era or near the very end of the GEN/SNES era. Aside from that, before it was "MOAR POLYGONS" it was "MOAR PIXELS."

 

[Spire]

Kinect and Move will further evolve based around the adoption and cooperation with advancing forms of AI. They will be built in, assimilated with cloud programming. Seamless voice and motion control will be used to navigate menus while traditional controllers will be used for gaming, which will be subordinate to the overall scope of these consoles. The next Microsoft console won't feature gaming as a priority because it's going to primarily be a DVR. Our media is converging and the advancement of such consoles will near the merge of gaming, movies, and TV. They'll all transform into virtual reality in about a decade, further merging with whatever the internet becomes until the road is paved towards a completely digital life.

 

[F8AL]

I want cross-platform gaming to exist. Like, with Portal 2 and PCs/Macs.

XBL needs to be less restrictive and open but M$ won't bite. =/

 

[finalark]

I want cross-platform gaming to exist. Like, with Portal 2 and PCs/Macs.

XBL needs to be less restrictive and open but M$ won't bite. =/

Sadly they've always been that way. Like in the early 2000s when Phantasy Star Online was still fairly popular the GC/DC/PC versions could all connect together but if you played on Xbox you could only play with other Xbox players.

I think they might have allowed FFXI players to connect to the PC/PS2 versions but I don't know for sure.

That's another thing I want for next gen. A console based MMO that isn't terrible. Well, DCU isn't too bad but compared to what the PC has its pretty forgettable. Plus PSO and FFXI have aged pretty horribly even if they are still playable online.

 

[Rubyiris]

i want games to stop sucking complete ***. why do games from 1990's consistently outshine current-gen technology?

nostalgia goggles notwithstanding.

 

[Ryu Shimazu]

Sadly they've always been that way. Like in the early 2000s when Phantasy Star Online was still fairly popular the GC/DC/PC versions could all connect together but if you played on Xbox you could only play with other Xbox players.

I think they might have allowed FFXI players to connect to the PC/PS2 versions but I don't know for sure.

That's another thing I want for next gen. A console based MMO that isn't terrible. Well, DCU isn't too bad but compared to what the PC has its pretty forgettable. Plus PSO and FFXI have aged pretty horribly even if they are still playable online.

FFXI can play with anyone, yes. For all that it's worth.

i want games to stop sucking complete ***. why do games from 1990's consistently outshine current-gen technology?

nostalgia goggles notwithstanding.

I love older games, more than newer ones, but not all are so bad. This Gen had some good ones, infact I'd say Assassin's Creed was a good series to give birth too. I really enjoy that.

It's funny you say that though, atm I'm playing:

FF1(Ipad)...old game
MK7 -They are basically reincarnations
Monster Hunter Freedom Unite - Fairly old game, new by your standards I'm sure, but it's not fresh at all lol.
Assassin's Creed Brotherhood - K that's new.
Portal - Idk when that came out.

Also planning to go through 7/8/9 FFs and probably 5 on the psp XD.

 

[Deleted member]

portal is from '07. and AC started out great but the last 2 instalments added way too many padding and dumb features.