Crossplatformificizationramificationcentralization
By vidiot 14 Comments
Sony has recently decided to send me a box. I'm going to talk ad-nauseum about that in just a second.
Bioware seems to be learning on all their past mistakes, specifically Mass Effect 1. To say that ME1's DLC was....underwhelming...would be quite the understatement. Systemic-content rich DLC, has been something that Bioware has said it's wanted to do, but has failed to do since KoToR. Mass Effect 2 seems like the beginning of a grand departure from the mediocre norm. It has a long way to go in comparison to let's say, the Fallout 3 expansions, but the room for improvement and content success is there.
I played through both Kasumi and Overlord DLC, with the Overlord DLC being of course the most expansive and engaging. It's still upsetting that aside from Shepard, no party members have much to say regarding the grand situation that is presented in Overlord. It's also strange that you are still under employ of Cerberus. (Yet to achieve post-Mass Effect 2 story DLC) Regardless, the final sequence and choice was meticulously well crafted. It's not the most difficult choice to make, but it's saying a lot that there seems to be hints of what appear to be sympathy with Shepard if one chooses the renegade option. Yes, renegade Shepard looks and sounds uncomfortable making renegade choice.
Bioware are still phenomenal story-tellers, and the film-ascetic that they apply to their presentation still impresses me. The talks of them considering the next phase of DLC, being a bridge between Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect 3 has my interest piked. A Dragon Age: Awakening style expansion would be phenomenal.
But enough of this praiseworthy garbage. I need to complain about something.
A few days ago this happened. I've now spent well over $150+plus tax to get my 60gig Playstation 3 fixed. It's not that I'm upset, it's that I'm concerned about all the variables that simply do, and don't add up. The last few days have been a whirlwind of information regarding learning about the limitations of Ps3 hardware. It was wrapped up in a very mind-numbing moment when I went to finalize my transaction. A prompt asking whether or not I wanted to upgrade my PS3 to a Slim model at almost half the cost I'm paying for, in this case what's probably just a laser-swap.
As of writing, I have just finished transferring all my saves and information off my PS3 onto an external hard-drive I had to format specifically for Ps3.
An upgrade, to a system that has less features to what I own now.
Good lord, has the hardware in this generation sucked or what?
I read an article about a charred GameBoy that still plays games after being caught in a bombing in Iraq. My Sega Genesis of x-number of years still plays games like nobodies business. Christ, every console I own, is still very much alive and "kicking-it".
I'm on my third 360, I might consider actually upgrading to the new console primarily over fear of the red-ring. (Although it's not 100% confirmed if the new model doesn't break down.)
There's also the big concern over what happens after I get my fixed system. The primary question: Should I continue to play Final Fantasy XIII? I still want to beat this thing.
To take such a long hiatus from playing, to jump back in, and have the game blow back in my face like this has crushed most of my spirits. If I do get it back, there's a part of me that would rather just start over from the beginning (Final Fantasy XIII killed my PS3 at the 30 hour mark.)
Then there's the lawsuit which has me concerned. Sony has gone on record stating that the game is causing the malfunctions, Square points at Sony that it's a hardware problem. Then you have a bunch of people stating that this is a systemic problem with the 60 gig. That sounds more reasonable, but given the wide-spread issue of this happening, and the eerie-replication that people can make of it...It's all very....disconcerting... How long will this fixed Ps3 be able to play without it busting?
What's the culprit? Over-use?! How do you figure that? Is the person who played and got the platinum trophy for Final Fantasy XIII, someone who "over-used" their PS3? What about the person who didn't turn on their PS3 for several weeks?
So it's the laser that failed. Which makes sense. Sorta.
BluRay might be great at fitting a ludicrous amount of information on a disc, but it's laser speed has been criticized. To counter this a large number of PS3 games have mandatory installs. Yakuza 3 probably is the biggest culprit of install file-sizes, just to play the game requires you to have five gigs of data free. I remember several years ago when the Xbox first launched and there was a litany of complaints regarding how it was just a "computer for your TV." Ludicrous complaints to be had this generation, internals of each system almost mirrors gaming PC specs. If PC gaming is in threat of becoming: "too console-ified", with it's rigid matchmaking and stilted online play, then consoles in turn are under threat, if they haven't already: of becoming too "PC-ified".
I don't find this as a hindrance. If the hardware of this generation is going to be so unpredictable in it's quality, then the games in turn demand every possible avenue of customization for hardware and customer stake. Specifically: The ability to install your game.
I only play 360 games that are installed. Period.
The PS3, while has multiple titles with an install feature, needs to have some form of this feature adopted universally.
There's this cringe-worthy feeling that this situation, and others like it, would be completely avoided if this thing was installed somehow. I can understand the want and need for something that is pick-up-and-play. The alternative, with this generations set of hardware, sadly simply does not compute with this concept. Would you rather risk damaging your several hundred dollar system in order to play the game a few minutes early?
Memory is another problematic aspect. Owners of the illusive 20gig PS3, my heart goes out to you guys. I can imagine bouncing against file-size limits is pretty continuous problem.
But the question really needs to be asked: Is installing a game really an affront, or a hindrance against a console still being a console? I keep reading how PS3 developers like to brag over their games having a lack of install. Instead of confidence, I find such proclamations...disturbing.
Better yet: Should we as consumers demand more reliable hardware from the companies that make our systems? I don't find that a terribly controversial statement to agree with. Regardless, I feel like something should change. Whenever the next-generation comes, I hope we will have learned from our mistakes.