Talking Games Podcast 09/04/14

Enjoyed the show as always, but the listener questionnaire part at the end really threw me for a loop. It's a great idea and one that I hope gets a lot of people participating. For those that can't remember the questions from the show, here they are (along with my answers below):

Question 1 (from Justin): If there was one thing about gaming that you could change, what would it be?
The focus on competitive multiplayer aspect for most AAA titles. I know this is a big draw for people who play Call of Duty and Halo, but as someone that just can't devote the amount of time it takes to get good at being competitive in a shooter (or any game for that matter), this is a real big downer for me whenever I see it in a new release. It also usually indicates a sort of diminished quality in the single-player experience since so much development is used to satisfy the needs of the multiplayer majority. Competitive multiplayer is fine and in fact preferred, but competitive multiplayer is something I wish wouldn't be such a huge focus in gaming.

Question 2 (from Bobby): What's the one genre of gaming that you've never been able to get into?
Being that I haven't had a PC in over 10 years, I've really missed the boat on MOBAs and MMOs. I've never played one and likely never will, mostly due to the fact that I can't devote the amount of time necessarily to get good at either type of game (see above).

Question 3 (from Rob): When you create a character and are able to name that character, do you have a default go to name for that character?
No, but I do always name my save files "Johnny" for some reason, even though my name is John and I generally dislike being called Johnny. I don't know when it started but it's just something I've continued to do to this day. As for the characters themselves, lately I've just been coming up with snarky names depending on the game and type of character. For instance, in Dragon's Crown, my female archer was named Legolass.

Question 4 (from Jacqui): What's your favorite and least favorite console controller?
Favorite controller has to be the Xbox 360 controller with the caveat that I do not have a PS4/Xbox One yet. I agree with the entire cast that the N64 controller was bad, but I have to give it some credit for the wide array of controllers that it came in. Remember the transparent one? That was awesome! But I digress. I actually think the Sega Genesis controller is my least favorite controller. The three-button scheme confused me even as a kid and the controller itself always felt like it was going to break even in my adolescent hands.

Totally gonna borrow John D.'s formatting.

Question 1 (from Justin): If there was one thing about gaming that you could change, what would it be?

Answer: I feel like you guys answered this so well. The general climate in gaming is so toxic, it's a contributing factor why there are certain genre of games I just never got into or online aspects I never engaged because the communities attached to such games (I am looking at you Halo, Call of Duty and Street Fighter).

But in addition to what you guys said, the one thing I would like to change is that there is no Battle Royale game. How has this not happened? Picture it: A 30 player campaign with either online support for multiple player, or single player where the other players are CPU, last one standing wins. Player creates their own character or plays established characters with pre-set skills and mental health parameters. The island is randomly generated as well as the starting player locations and weapons. Seems like this writes and programs itself. The player's skills could increase and expand depending on how many kills are tallied, but as a balance the player could have a mental health bar that becomes worse the longer the game goes and also along with the number of kills that are tally. So that's what I want to see changed. I WANT THIS GAME!!

Question 2 (from Bobby): What's the one genre of gaming that you've never been able to get into?

Answer: For the longest time I told myself I wasn't into First Person Shooters, but I think that's unfair. I would say I am uncomfortable with war simulators set in a contemporary setting.

Question 3 (from Rob): When you create a character and are able to name that character, do you have a default go to name for that character?
It really depends. In Elder Scrolls (since Oblivion through Skyrim to ESO) I have been using the same name for my High Elf, Melmoth. He's an Elf and due to his vampiric affliction is cursed with eternal life and is cast aside by his people and must live an exiled life. Not feeling at ease amongst other vampires, he is honed by the Thieves Guild for a time, but eventually his pleasure of poisoned daggers and soul-snaring arrows leads to his exodus from the Thieves and into a pact with the Night Mother herself and becomes brethren of the Dark Brotherhood.

Also in Skyrim I have Rhiannon of Ulfheim, she's a Nord Warrior whose been blessed with lycanthropy. She does not steal nor does she murder unjustly. Indeed, when she was approached by the Dark Brotherhood she slew them to their final numbers. She is, as a true and right Nord, racist towards the Elves, the High Elves in particular.

In JRPGs, I tend to use the name Konnor Ikari. Konnor because it's my favorite male-person name and Ikari is for my favorite character from anime, Shinji Ikari.

Question 4 (from Jacqui): What's your favorite and least favorite console controller?
Favorite controller was the Dreamcast controller. That might change this coming Tuesday when I get my Destiny Bundle PS4. My least favorite controller is the original Nintendo controller. Edit: Sorry for having no explanation at first. Even as a young kid I thought it was a bland controller, especially compared to the shape of the three-buttoned Sega Genesis controller. I am willing to admit that this bias might have a purely emotional rather than logical justification. My first system was the Genesis and the Nintendo was my older brother's console, so I was much more attached to the Genesis.

Great idea about the questions... here are my answers.

If there was there one thing that you could change about gaming, what would it be? Bring back the split-screen co-op!! I loved getting together with a friend of mine and grinding through Legendary on Halo, but the rise of “online only multiplayer” in games this last generation was a big disappointment to me. In my opinion, it’s still more fun getting together with friends, getting some beer and pizza, and playing rather than sitting alone and doing it online. Online multiplayer is awesome, but it just doesn’t capture that same magic.

What’s the one genre of gaming that I’ve never been able to get into? MMOs. I’m always put off by the idea that I’ll have to sink enormous numbers of hours into the game in order to keep up with other players, and now that’s I’m an adult with pesky responsibilities, that’s harder to do than ever… though I’ll make an exception for Destiny. There are genres like fighting, RTS, sims, and sports where I’ve gotten into them before but it’s extremely rare. I do love racing and sport games but ONLY if they are very fantasy or arcade-like. Loved Burnout, hated Gran Turismo. Loved Deathrow (xbox), hate Madden. Speaking of which, there’s a genre that’s sorely devoid of games… the futuristic/fantasy sports titles.

Do you have a default “goto” name that you name your characters? Not anymore. I try to select names that I think will be funny within the context of the game and it changes all the time. Loved the idea of using Buffy characters from Bob. Can’t believe I’ve never done that.

Favorite and least favorite console controller over the years? My current favorite is the 360. Great triggers, solid analogs. Too bad that D-pad was garbage, but fortunately, that wasn’t used for anything critical. Though the N64 controller is much maligned, I actually didn’t have any problem with it. The Gamecube controller is my least favorite. It was too small, the tiny D-pad was too hard to use consistently, the triggers were thick and mushy, and what was up with that yellow stick that wasn’t quite a thumb stick? Hated it. I just got the Destiny bundle PS4 so we’ll see where the PS4 controller stacks up once I’m used to it.

The cynic in me says that developers offer online-only multiplayer in order to force everyone to buy a copy. It's gotten to the point now that I'll suck it up and bring my console over a friends house, even if it's an online-only game that we could play separately from our own homes, just to play together in person.