Does Nintendo really care about the ‘hardcore’ gamers?

See, now hearing things like this worries me. There’s rumors floating around (apparently started by IGN who credit those wonderful “anonymous internal sources” we all know and love) that Nintendo has quietly axed Project H.A.M.M.E.R. It’s an easy rumor to believe since Nintendo hasn’t given us one single sliver of info since the game was shown at E3 last year. But at that point, a demo of the game was playable. At E3 2006, it ceased to be a concept and became a living, breathing game. It’s odd to think that after so much had been done, they could just let it quietly drift away.

Iwata had promised that ‘hardcore’ gamers would be satisfied with what Nintendo puts out in 2007. But all he’s talking about are the same franchise sequels we have been expecting all along: another Metroid, another Mario, and another Smash Bros. While I’m eagerly anticipating all those titles, what about new, quality IP?

I had expected games like Project H.A.M.M.E.R. to fill a void in Nintendo’s portfolio. Use the brand new control scheme to entice third-party developers to the idea that the Wii can still handle intense, ‘hardcore’ gamer action and gameplay. Games like Project H.A.M.M.E.R. and Disaster: Day of Crisis were going to be revolutionary; not just in the direction Nintendo was taking with their system, but in the direction they were taking their games.

The worrying part of Project H.A.M.M.E.R.’s rumored disbandment is the most believable: that the development group has been moved to a new project, working on an “expanded audience” style of game. This translates to a casual game, something along the lines of Brain Age, Big Brain Academy, Wii Play, etc. It’s painfully believable. And if true, demonstrates that Nintendo really has abandoned their true ‘hardcore’ base.

Because while their base has obviously already purchased a Wii, so has everyone else, now. Nintendo doesn’t need the hardcore gamer anymore. They can toss out a few more games they consider ‘hardcore’ to appease the dedicated few, but then shell out nothing but casual “expanded audience” games to the masses.

I’m hoping this rumor doesn’t turn out to be true. Not necessarily because I expected big things from Project H.A.M.M.E.R., but because I worry about the future of the quality of games we will receive should Nintendo’s focus shift this drastically in such a short span of time.

Good weekend ahead

Hopefully! A nice, relaxing weekend is in store for me and mine. Father’s Day means getting pampered! And along the way, pampering my own father. We’re planing a gigantic family outing Sunday. We’re all getting together for our once-every-five-years family photo, and then treating dad to dinner at Champp’s. Since the house is all clean waiting for people to take a tour (and possibly buy it!), we don’t have to be concerned about cleaning. Also, the wife thankfully has the entire weekend off, so we can actually be together as a family! Imagine the possibilities. This is a rare situation.

Also, lots of Godfather will be played.

Have a great weekend.

Godfather: Blackhand mini-review

It could definitely be considered an uphill battle to get me to even think about playing a game like The Godfather: Blackhand Edition for the Wii. It has a lot of negative history stacked against it.

First of all, I ordinarily strive to avoid any and all Electronic Arts games like the plague, and have for years. EA has built up a solid reputation of shunning Nintendo and its systems. And when they have chanced to turn their gaze towards Nintendo, it’s only to unceremoniously toss a shoddy, haphazard PS2 port its way.

Second, it’s a movie-licensed game. The plus here was that it wasn’t a quick buck movie license, something EA would have to rush out the door in order to be on shelves at relatively the same time the movie was in theaters. No, instead it’s a game based on the license of a fantastic, classic 35-year old film. Still, licensed properties are generally guilty until proven innocent.

Third, it’s a Wii “forerunner”. It wasn’t a launch title, mind you, but it showed up in March, during the early days of the Wii lifecycle, which held some quality titles, and some decidedly NOT quality titles.

But with EA’s surprisingly well-received Madden 07, it looked as though they were finally starting to take Nintendo seriously. Could EA actually be trusted to create a quality game for a Nintendo system again? It looked hopeful.

I have no problem saying that it is definitely true. EA can be trusted to create a quality licensed product, and let me sing the praises of the Godfather: Blackhand game in every way imaginable.

Blackhand very simply does everything right. Everything you think the game should do, it does, and well. I’ll start with the most obvious element for any Wii game: the control scheme.

What does a good gangster in 1940’s New York need to be able to do? Run his businesses, and take over new ones. How does one do this? By using the Wiimote and nunchuk to intuitively harass the citizens of New York for his enjoyment. Target a shopkeeper that just won’t pay up with the Z button on the nunchuk and then grab him by the collar with the B button on the Wiimote. With these actions, it actually feels like you’re grabbing someone. Thrust the controllers forward to slam the shopkeep against a wall. Tilt them to the side to thrash their cantaloupe-shaped head into the counter. Swing either controller independent of the other to start jabbing. It works effortlessly. You don’t even need to think about it for a second. You just do what comes naturally, and before you know it, you’ve taken over an entire city block of Little Italy. Congratulations! Oh, by the way, the cops are looking for you.

Need some more firepower? Just hold the C button on the nunchuk to bring up your firearms selection menu. In a method very similar to selecting surgical implements in Trauma Center, simply tilt the analog stick in the direction of your weapon of choice, let go of the C button, and you got it. Once the gun is out, hit C to quickly holster the weapon when the cops show up. Hit C again, and the last gun you had selected will pop into your hand. Just like that.

Hold Z to target an enemy and a reticle shows up. At this point, Blackhand sort of “auto-aims” the weapon, allowing you to easily target specific parts of the body. Take out a gun-hand to disarm, take out a kneecap to incapacitate, blow off the head to…well, you know. Hit the + button to free aim and shoot at whatever strikes your fancy. Might be helpful in getting some stubborn shopkeeper to see just why they might require your protection.

There’s a part of me that wishes driving were handled ala Excite Truck, by tilting the Wiimote side to side to steer. With a nunchuk attached, that’s a level of complexity the game simply doesn’t need, but I still long for that control for driving. Let’s just say, the way you drive in Blackhand (using the analog stick to steer, and the B button as your accelerator), I’m not actually an excellent driver. It’s not a complaint, just an inevitability.

Aside from the controls, the game itself pulls off some excellent gameplay maneuvers. In true Grand Theft Auto fashion, you’re essentially free to roam the entire city. Go into any shop on the map that’s run by a rival family, and take over the business in whatever way suits your personality. Get access to their racket upstairs and take that over as well. Each new business lines your pocket and increases your influence. Just watch out for businesses that have a heavy rival family presence, you may find taking over a shop becomes pricier than it’s worth. Watching the story of The Godfather unfold through your character’s eyes is truly astounding. You feel almost as if you’ve supplanted a major character in the film and are actually participating in the movie itself.

Overall, Blackhand is an exquisite and remarkable title. It’s enormous, rich, innovative, and engrossing. Any Wii owner is doing themselves a disservice if they haven’t touched this game yet. I strongly encourage you to pick it up.

Just remember: leave the gun, take the cannolis.

Google Reader down?

I’m hoping this isn’t just me. Just a couple of minutes ago, Google Reader said I had 37 updates waiting to be poured over, and when I clicked “refresh”, everything disappeared. It now claims I have absolutely no RSS feed subscriptions, which is patently false.

A quick Technorati search shows I’m evidently not alone.

Please fix this, Google. I’ll even look away as you give everyone access to my personal search logs.

Update: a quick look at the Google Reader discussion boards tells me there’s some issues they are working to resolve. Nearly everyone is having the same problem with disappearing feeds. Hurry up, Google! There are people that have completely forgotten how to visit webpages anymore! We need those RSS feeds working!

Streaming video game music: Rainwave

Courtesy of a friend at Evil Avatar, a home-grown sexy website that streams original video game music from decades of systems via an ogg vorbis stream. The site itself is a quick-moving, gorgeous work of genius. And the music is even better than listening to OCRemix (which has been my station of choice for the past couple of years).

I highly encourage you to check it out, because currently there is no one there, and that is a god-damned shame.

UPDATE: I should clarify that I’ve been using Ormgas to listen to the remix library at OCRemix. I haven’t been listening to OCRemix, because, well, it isn’t an internet radio station at all.

Homeowners (again)

Well, we did it. We signed our lives away once again. My wife and I signed the papers to purchase a brand new townhome in Waukee last night.

The deal is obviously contingent upon us selling our current home. But in order to pull that off, we need to get in gear and get the place cleaned up and ready for showing. Amanda has been working her
butt off for the past couple of weeks getting some stuff packed away and out of the house to clear up some of the clutter, but it’s a huge job, and I haven’t been contributing as much as I probably should.

The plus side is that our current neighbors are interested in buying the property already. They purchase houses as renovation projects, and they are looking for a new investment. We’re hoping to show them the house this weekend, and maybe we can get this all taken care of in short order and without the need of a realtor.

Happy birthday, Kevin!

My wonderful friend Kevin–one of only two groomsmen at my wedding–finally turns 30 today, several months after me. Kevin has been living the high life out in LA, working hard at becoming a struggling actor/producer.

Uh, no, that’s not him. No, not him either. Ah, there he is!

Well, anyway, he’s my friend, and today’s his birthday. So I send wonderful birthday wishes in the general direction of LA (where is that, west? right?). Happy birthday, Kevin! Cumpleaños feliz! Alles gute zum geburtstag! Otanjou-bi omedetou gozaimasu!

And for a special present, here’s a shitty photo of us I took with my cellphone camera back in December 2004. Remember how we (and pretty much everyone that knows us) refer to us as the poster children for ADD? Well, now it’s official (Kevin is on the left, I’m on the right):

Okay, that’s actually not your present. You should be getting a free month of WoW in the mail sometime soon, Mr. Addict. Hopefully your address hasn’t changed. It’s still the cardboard box in the alley behind Grauman’s Chinese Theater, right?

What would you do as CEO of Mahalo?

I’m not much for Facebook discussions, myself, but if you are, then I suggest you check this out. Jason Calacanis is wondering what you would do next if you were CEO of Mahalo. My suggestion? Look for a way to generate some revenue. Oh, yeah, and change the logo. I like the name “mahalo”, but I really just don’t like that flower.

I’m not incredibly helpful or insightful, I know.

The (possible) future look of Firefox version 3

Via Lifehacker, I’ve been pointed towards Alex Faaborg, a user interface designer working on the upcoming Firefox 3, who has posted some screenshot mockups of some of the experimental designs they are working to incorporate into the updated browser. Alex adds the usual disclaimer, about how the designs may change or potentially not even make it into the final release. But the concepts are slick.

Included in the “advanced screening” are such excellent features as tagging bookmarks (which appears to look and act almost exactly like the bookmarking feature included in Flock), saved searches, and improved webpage content handling options (of which, there are currently NONE in FF2).

There’s also the possibility of support for microformats, an entirely new concept of which Alex has been a vocal supporter, advocate, and general champion. If you want to know more about how microformats work, you should really read Alex’s blog posts on the subject. When you talk about streamlining web information and consolidating personal data for easy distribution and sharing, I’m already completely on board. And microformats look to do just that.

Up to this point, I’ve been slathering with anticipation for FF3. The rest of the proposed features leave me a bit more cautious with my optimism.

Such as the possible dynamic change to the location bar. The idea is that most the URL of the website you are visiting becomes greyed out, and the domain.namespace become prominently featured. Here’s an example of what it would potentially look like:

I do not approve of this idea, but maybe I actually need to see it in action in order to judge the level of annoyance it might cause me.

The last item Alex discusses is the “private browsing” feature. Yet another thing I have no need of, but I can see its usefulness nonetheless. Basically, FF3 could contain a feature where you can browse (for porn) in a “private” session where none of your (porn) browsing data is stored locally (you know, with your porn). It’s a porn shield, making your visit to various sites during the “private” session cleared from any local cache. I have FF2 setup so that every time I close the browser, all my cache, history, saved passwords, etc. are cleared automatically. It isn’t because of porn, but because I surf on a work computer, and don’t necessarily want my browsing history available should anyone want to take a look at what sites I visit. Like I said, I have no use for this particular feature, but I can see why some (porn surfers) would like it.

All in all, I have to admit, I love to see new features more than I like to hear or read about them. I’m a visual person, and seeing some screenshots of new concepts being introduced–even if they are “not final” mockups–is refreshing, and keeps my interest in a product higher than just reading a bullet point list of potential features.

I’ll definitely be watching Alex’s blog in the future.