Comments 231

Re: Poll: Will You Pay the PSVR2 Launch Price?

Ogbert

Not interested in VR myself, find it uncomfortable and nausea inducing after a while even on the better headsets. Plus I just don’t feel it improves the games all that much, but that’s personal preference.

Interesting to see how many are super into it though, though I suspect there is a degree of many not interested just didn’t click the article. Anyway, good luck to everyone trying to get one at launch!

Re: First Impressions: SEGA's Multiplayer FPS Hyenas Is Baffling, But Maybe in a Good Way

Ogbert

@Abeedo There are many involved in the final visuals of a game.

Concept artists will create proposals and eventually final visual designs for characters and environments and weapons etc. But they are working to both the guidelines and needs set by the Design team, and the art style that is set and enforced by the Art Lead.

But it doesn't stop at the Art Lead either. Depending on the size of the company there may also be a Studio Art Lead / Art Director and the company executives that require input (for better or worse). Larger companies also tend to have Marketing and BI departments that do research into what is and isn't doing well at the moment and how people react to reveals and Betas etc and things can change as a result of that too.

You also have the other people under the Art Lead, the 3D artists for one have to take the concept and model it well and they often have a bunch of technical limitations on them even now. And then that model isn't going to look any good unless the Tech Art and Lighting teams can back it up. All of that is dependant on the target platforms too. You've also got UI Art that have their own set of challenges and technical limitations trying to match the same brief and feedback too. We've not even got into the Animation department.

On top of that Producers have to keep everything running smoothly and on time, so you'll have them sometimes having to make the hard call to cut something or call it done. And they're often only having to do that because of budgets which are again set by both the executives and the results of marketing data and such. Oh and any additional deadlines that might come from things like GamePass or external investors and such.

You can have the best piece of concept art in the world reduced to a generic and muddy looking game through no fault of one individual.

So let's not blame individuals.

Re: Soapbox: I'm Sorry, But Your Cute Cat Game Isn't That Great

Ogbert

So it's great playing as a cat but if you didn't play as a cat it would maybe not be so great...but you do play as a cat so the point is moot.

Hey what is The Last of Us didn't have clickers and the same atmosphere but instead was just shooting at paper targets, would it still be that good you guys?

Re: MultiVersus Founders Pack Suggests at Least 19 New Characters Will Join the Fight

Ogbert

@Milktastrophe Nope. the tone so Smash is different (and of PSASBR). It's a celebration of gaming and it's icons and they're all meant to be toys being battled in a child's imagination anyway. And it lets us all fight out the age old playground question of in a fight between Mario and Sonic who would win?

Multiversus doesn't feel that way to me. Sonic vs Pac-Man vs Cloud, yeah they're a bunch of video game icons that shaped the industry that's fun watching them duke it out. Gandalf vs Jake the Dog? Why? What's that a celebration of? It's just WB desperate to keep all it's IP relevant. And it's called multiversus, it's saying all these IP exist together in the same multiverse. American Chavez could punch a star portal in Middle Earth and end up in Ooo.

It's not done for the love of the characters (though the devs are clearly doing their best), it's done to establish a multiverse because they are an in thing. And nobody has ever asked who would win in a fight between Shaggy and Godzilla.

Re: MultiVersus Founders Pack Suggests at Least 19 New Characters Will Join the Fight

Ogbert

The more crossovers this gets...the less appealing I find it. which is unfortunate as it's the entire concept. It just feels WB really wants to push all it's IP into a multi-verse and they don't need to be. Gandalf and Batman side by side is already too much for me, let alone Gandalf, Batman, Jake the Dog and Scorpion.

I hope those that are into it though enjoy it, it looks well made and I do like the idea of the co-op moves that buff your teammates.

Re: PS Stars' Digital Collectibles Are 'Definitely Not' NFTs, Sony Stresses

Ogbert

@AndyKazama It's not NFT's because it's nothing to do with blockchain and crypto, as they have stated. An NFT is a specific bit of technology reliant on and entrenched in these technologies.

Sure it sounds like it's doing all those things NFTs claim to magically grant the ability to do, so you might wonder how it's not an NFT? Well that's because everything that NFT pushers claim NFTs enable, is actually 100% doable already and has been for some time. Sony could even implement a system to let you sell and trade these digital collectable already without them being NFTs. The only thing NFTs add is a way for crypto currencies to scam you.

So in this case, if it looks like an NFT and it sounds like an NFT...it's actually just that NFTs are useless and add nothing to anything.

Re: Poll: Do PS Plus Premium's Classic Games Need Trophies for You to Play Them?

Ogbert

I play games for their gameplay. Not to tick off a checklist … unless that is the game.

Trophies are fun but at this point I have so many they’re meaningless. I’ve not checked a friends profile since the PS3. It’s a shame they’re not something more useful like a profile icon so I could show them off. I get that some people enjoy chasing them and they can extend the game, but to not play a game because it doesn’t have any, especially one that was made before they existed, well you’re just doing yourself a disservice there.

Re: Hands On: Sifu's New Difficulty Settings are a Superb Addition

Ogbert

@JB_Whiting You've already beaten the game on the regular difficulty the easier difficulty is not for you.

Adding options to make the game less difficult is a matter of accessibility first and foremost. Yes some people just prefer an easier game or don't have the time to master a tough game so they benefit from things like this too (as does the studio who will get more sales). But there are people who are physically unable to do certain things many of us take from granted in games. It's not a case of getting good, practicing or even grinding levels, they physically cannot do certain things. Easier difficulties are not the sole solution, but they are able to alleviate a lot of the issues for many.

Re: Unfortunately, Ubisoft Isn't Also Abandoning NFTs

Ogbert

@Lup Please watch at least the first 20 mins of this documentary on NFTs and crypto as a whole:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YQ_xWvX1n9g

Ideally watch the entire 2 hours (it weirdly doesn't feel that long), but at least the first 20 mins should give you an idea of why crypto is very bad indeed and why we should not be supporting it from the likes of Ubisoft.

It's waaaaaay worse than microtransactions and loot boxes.

Re: Unfortunately, Ubisoft Isn't Also Abandoning NFTs

Ogbert

@Korgon "Which story do you want before bed son?"

"The one about how you blew my college fund on items with unique barcodes on that were too small to even see and had zero impact on anybody during play, in that game that nobody liked and ultimately failed because you were tricked into thinking it was some kind of revolutionary tech and not a zero-sum, ponzi scheme"

Re: Rumour: PS Plus PS5, PS4 Games for April 2022 Leaked Early

Ogbert

I might give Slay the Spire a go, honestly I've heard nothing but praise but I've not been able to get past it's visuals. I'll maybe use this as a demo and if I like it, buy it on Switch.

I'm actually excited to give Spongebob a go! Never played the original and sometimes I like a nice light-hearted platformer. honestly PS+ caters to the 'serious' and 'grown up' all the time, it's actually nice to have some variety there.

Re: Poll: Did You Buy Sifu on PS5, PS4?

Ogbert

I was excited for it until I heard about the difficulty. I don't have the time for that anymore, I'd rather enjoy it at my own pace and be impressed at other people completing it on super-ultra-turbo-hard mode with a blindfold on and using only the Donkey Konga Bongos.

It is a lot of work to balance such things, but it makes the game much more accessible and doesn't take away from the default hard mode. If they do an accessibility patch with it in, I'll probably pick it up.

Re: These Are the Franchises PS5, PS4 May Lose to Activision Blizzard Buyout

Ogbert

So many of these have been dead so long it seems weird to list them.

It's like saying if you don't buy a Switch you could be missing out on F-Zero, Geist, Chibi Robo, Kururin, Doshin the Giant, Sin & Punishment.

Or more on topic maybe, if you don't buy a Sony console you'll be missing out on Patapon, Loco Roco, Jak and Daxter, Vib Ribbon, Ape Escape, WipEout (ok maaaybe that one?).

Maybe Xbox will bring some back. I doubt it though. Honestly I wouldn't be entirely surprised if they auctioned some off.

Re: Poll: Would You Still Buy PlayStation Consoles Without Activision Blizzard Games?

Ogbert

CoD - don't care
Overwatch - oh well
Diablo - a shame but I didn't buy a PS for it
Crash Bandicoot - well Activision killed Toys For Bob and made them CoD support. I wouldn't not buy a PS without Crash, but I might buy an Xbox for it as well, eventually.

I fully expect all these to be timed exclusives anyway. Personally I don't actually want game pass. Like I actively do not want it. I have a huge backlog of games that I already feel bad for not playing I don't need all the flipping games giving me that. I'd rather just actually buy the ones I'm interested in, when I'm interested in them and play them at my own leisure.

Re: Random: Love or PlayStation, This Viral TikTok Asks

Ogbert

Would be interesting to see a not staged version, not during a continuing global pandemic, where you have to show some love to earn a Playstation.

I mean really if this weren't staged who is going to take some "love" from a random man in the street who may or may not have Covid. Reminds me of the end of the comic con where all the people would stand with 'free hugs' signs as people walk past avoiding eye contact. I'll never know why they didn't just hug each other.

Re: Video: Is KartRider: Drift PlayStation's Answer to Mario Kart?

Ogbert

It looks cute and fun, I'd give it a go but it's no Mario Kart killer.

Mario Kart has the known and loved characters and environments, now from a whole bunch of Nintendo IP. It's also on a system that's cheaper and more family friendly. Any game that tries to take it on is immediately up against those two major hurdles. And if they're on a Nintendo system, thus negating the second hurdle, all they actually do is replace it with the much bigger hurdle of "well, why wouldn't I just buy / why would I get this when I already have Mario Kart?". Not saying they're all doomed to fail, just they can't take the crown, it's unreachable.

This all being said, I echo every sentiment here of bring back Modnation Racers! I loved that game and on PS5 the loading times shouldn't be an issue anymore!

Re: EA Believes Blockchain Based Games May Be Industry's Future

Ogbert

You can make play-to-earn games (if you really must) right now without any blockchain or NFT nonsense.

They’re seeing an unregulated market and new revenue source is all. Dollar bills for pupils and all that. It’s nothing to do with innovation or new ways to play, just greed.

Re: Poll: Are You Happy With Your PS Plus Games for November 2021?

Ogbert

I don't own PSVR so half the games are not for me. I thought Knockout City was free to play anyway but it turns out not! Might give that one a go. Kingdoms of Amalur looks maybe more fun if you played it the first time around? And I already have Among Us to fill the gap First Class Trouble sits in.

But it's ok because the Animal Crossing update is out this month so I won't have time to play any of it anyway!

Re: Studio Led by Amy Hennig Making a Marvel Game

Ogbert

An Ant-Man & The Wasp game where you could grow and shrink at will would be amazing! Though realistically you’d probably have to be much more restricted in your use of that power or it’d be utter chaos. Commanding ants would also be fun.

Re: Feature: The Best Super Smash Bros. Clones on PlayStation

Ogbert

Adding a game you gave 2/10 to the 'Best Smash Clones on Playstation' list? Is it even worth adding that "out of politeness"?

I've not played the Nickelodeon one, it looks solid but I've not that attached or excited by the characters, even though Toph just got announced. PASBR I also skipped, mainly because half the roster were not that appealing to me as characters in this sort of game. I mean I love Nate but he's not an exciting prospect in a fighting game for me.

Brawlhalla I just found the main issue with was all the characters were samey, not helped by them all having the same base rig. Though it was well made and by no means a bad game at all. I'd happily play it with friends who wanted too, I just wouldn't pick it myself.

Brawlout was pretty solid! It's the only one that came close for me it's just a lot smaller in scale.