[Predictions for 2010]

On 1/5/2010 at 5:09 PM, Christophero Sly said:

The gap there is too small. I don't see a device like that being successful, at least not in the immediate future. If the tablet is indeed the relatively prosaic device described in that article, then it strikes me as unwise for Apple to dilute the iPhone and Mac brands by wedging a tablet in between them. Obviously, this device will have to create its own market, so at what price is the device described in that article attractive? Over $500-$600, without a killer gimmick, and I think it's dead on arrival.

Ha! This comment aged like milk.

[Lode Runner level 2 is impossible.]

You can't dig down to them?

 

Also, that's not the original Lode Runner.

[It Must be Lung Trouble Season]

Maybe you pulled a muscle in your back or ribcage.

[Dear Japan,]

Thoughts and prayers.

 

And a donation to the Red Cross.

[An incomplete history of portable racing games - part 1]

I adore these old handhelds. I really should start a collection. Auto Race sounds like my kind of game (I love timed games).

 

I had Mattel's Football II when I was a kid. I played that game constantly until I lost it somewhere. I received the Coleco version years later, and played that until the buttons got flakey.

 

I found Mattel baseball at a thrift when I first started collecting videogames. That's another classic handheld and quite addicting. I played it just about everyday for a month after I found it. I was kind of happy when the battery finally died, so I could put it down.

[R.I.P. Kotaku]

Agreed. The redesign is a disaster.

[I fell on the ice and got temporary amnesia]

You know, you should turn this experience into a batari Basic game. You could call it "Kersmack!"

 

The player is tasked with breaking up ice that continually forms on the road and pushing it off to one side with a shovel while he simultaneously avoids being hit by cars that drive by at random ( ) intervals and speeds, all while maintaining his balance as he slips and slides across the frozen surface. The more ice he piles up before pushing it off the road the more points he scores, but at a higher chance that he will get hit by a car. If he slips and falls down, then he goes in to slow-motion and has to roll off to one side of the road or the other to avoid being hit by a car (that is now moving much faster because of the slow-motion) before he can get back up and in the game again, and each time he falls and hit his head, he has to pass a test of reflexes before he can continue. Each time he hits his head, the reflex test gets harder (think Cosmic Ark and the asteroid field).

 

I'm serious.

 

 

Oh, and yeah, I hope you're all right and haven't sustained any permanent damage.

[Goodbye SMS and 5200]

I got rid of my SMS stuff years ago. Never could get into that system. Getting rid of my N64 stuff as I write this. My Atari 8-bit, CV, and 5200 stuff hasn't been used in years, so I'm taking a hard look at those as well. Getting rid of things you don't use and have no sentimental attachment to is a good thing, IMO.

[which iPod shuffle?]

Evidently recognizing the error of their ways, Apple has returned to the 2nd generation form factor for the 4th generation Shuffle. They're even using the 2nd gen. shuffle's form factor as inspiration for the new Nanos.

[which iPod shuffle?]

A no-brainer as far as I'm concerned. 2nd generation, all the way.

 

Control-on-headphones is retarded. 3rd Gen

Built-in clip is essential. 1st Gen

 

This reminds me that I need to pick up a few backup 2nd gen shuffles in case mine ever goes kaput.

 

I'll never understand why Apple replaced the 2nd gen form factor. It was as perfect a design for it's intended purpose as you could ever hope to achieve. Apple has always been extremely adept at balancing form and function, but in the case of the 3rd gen iPod shuffle, they simply took the design a bridge too far.

[How do game tastes change with age?]

I agree with you Roberto that for busy, "older" gamers like ourselves, it's time constraints that are the primary consideration, so being able to save often, or even better, whenever I want, is something I really appreciate. However, I find myself in a bit of a catch-22 these days because most of the games that I'm drawn to are games with engrossing storylines, and to really enjoy those sorts of games to their fullest, they need to be experienced over 2-3 hour sessions, at least. Breaking up these types of games into the short 30 min. sessions that I most often have time for, makes these game feel like little more than a list of tedious chores to be completed. There's simply no continuity in the experience, and without that continuity, the immersive experience I sought when I originally set out to play the game, goes missing. It's like watching a movie in single, 15 min. blocks, every other day; the purpose has pretty much been defeated.

[I gotz da bongos!]

Saw a set of these in the thrifts this week. Passed on them.

 

Saw some 5200 games too. Haven't seen any of those in the wild for years.

[I have forgotten to feed my fish...]

I've nothing to add really. Just echoing what's already been said about looking forward to whatever you come up with.

[Night Driver (Atari VCS, 1980)]

recorded a short video off my Atari:

Thanks! That illustrates the difference nicely.

[Night Driver (Atari VCS, 1980)]

I haven't gotten even close to 80!

 

And I agree about the emulated version of the Arcade. It's been quite a while since I've seen the original and I thought the difference between the two videos was stark enough that showing it was as useful illustration. Don't get me wrong, I think emulation is an awesome wonderful thing and I'm really glad it exists, especially for the rares or popular, but damn, there is a difference!

 

Actually, I was referring to the video of the 2600 version. In comparison, the MAME version doesn't look half bad. The MAME version lacks the distinctive phosphor glow of the arcade, but it manages to at least preserve a sense of forward motion. Conversely, that sense of forward motion is completely absent from the emulated VCS version.

[Night Driver (Atari VCS, 1980)]

I love this game. But, wow, does it ever look terrible under emulation!

 

It wasn't until I got back into classic gaming that I realized I was looking at a hood ornament and not some futuristic, three-wheeled automobile.

 

BTW, has anyone ever scored above 80 on game 1, diff. A? I've heard rumors that it's possible, but I've never done it myself.

[So... it's a big iPhone]

Since Job's return, this is the first major product from Apple that is below my expectations, and significantly so.

[Shigeru Miyamoto and Forced Time Travel]

I agree that too much forced backtracking can break the flow of a game. I've certainly experienced that frustration many times. However, I definitely want a challenge in my games, and I expect to die a few times before I figure out a working strategy for a particular level or boss or whatever. Most of the time, that's an enjoyable process. When it's not, it's usually because the game itself is flawed or unbalanced, or really not that fun to begin with.

 

I don't want to play a game that essentially clears the path for me by adjusting itself to my skill level. Like I said, I want a challenge, and I enjoy the process of improving at a game and eventually mastering it. However, I don't get a whole lot out of the "sense of accomplishment" some people cite as a motivation for playing games.

 

If you're having trouble beating a game, there's almost always the option to play it on the "easy" difficulty.

 

All of that being said, as I get older my time is more valuable to me, and, consequently, my threshold of tolerance for that type of gameplay is lessening. Spending the time required to master a game like Thunder Force III is simply out of the question anymore.

[Predictions for 2010]

You know, this tablet thing might make a really slick gaming device.

[Circus Atari (Atari VCS, 1980)]

Another great entry. Circus Atari is the best breakout-style game on the VCS. My only complaint with the game is that it only has a 4 digit score counter.

 

Looking forward to your impressions of 3-D Tic-Tac-Toe. I've never given that game an honest playing.

[Predictions for 2010]

I'm looking forward to an official announcement of the Apple tablet and the revelation of it's killer gimmick(s) (virtual keyboard?). At the moment, I don't understand where a tablet computer successfully fits in to Apple's lineup, let alone the market at large.

See Ars Technica for an op-ed on the tablet which sounds reasonable - i.e. a distinct device between the iPod Touch and the MacBook lines. Take the media and online abilities of the Touch and ramp them up to a larger screen and add in eBooks.

The gap there is too small. I don't see a device like that being successful, at least not in the immediate future. If the tablet is indeed the relatively prosaic device described in that article, then it strikes me as unwise for Apple to dilute the iPhone and Mac brands by wedging a tablet in between them. Obviously, this device will have to create its own market, so at what price is the device described in that article attractive? Over $500-$600, without a killer gimmick, and I think it's dead on arrival.

[just buy a Dell?]

I'd look at Macs too if I didn't have a bunch of Windows only software. Macs are great if you can stay inside the box of available software. Unfortunately, I tend to wander off that trail.

Macs can run Windows software. You can boot straight into Windows, or run a virtual machine using VMware or Parallels.

[Predictions for 2010]

I'm looking forward to an official announcement of the Apple tablet and the revelation of it's killer gimmick(s) (virtual keyboard?). At the moment, I don't understand where a tablet computer successfully fits in to Apple's lineup, let alone the market at large.

[NHL Hockey (Intellivision, 1980)]

Still this blog.

[I finally know what 'sky squiggles' are!]

I always wondered what I was seeing. Thanks for the info.