Gaming Roundup 9/5/08: Segagaga

Posted 09/05/08 at 08:30:12 PM | by Nathan Grayson

I'd like to think that I'm a fairly well-adjusted person. I'm generally jovial, well-versed in a range of topics, and only fly into embittered, cursing rages when people really deserve it, or when they speak to me between the hours of 9 AM and 3 PM without having submitted the proper paperwork. Overall, though, I'm a circular peg in the round hole that is our society.

But it wasn't always this way.

As a wee lad, I was quite the little nerdling. I wiled away my time basking in the glow of a computer monitor, sending tiny green orcs to be trampled into tiny green puddles against insurmountably immense forces.

But that wasn't enough for me.

When I wasn't playing, I was drawing. Covered in construction paper scraps and the glue I didn't ingest, I'd emerge from my lair looking like a Swamp Thing pinata. There was a purpose to my demented sciences, however. In essence, I created the ultimate fan art. Towering paper monuments to my favorite videogame characters, they were. Four feet in height, and crafted with the utmost care. They were at once my greatest friends, yet also my only friends. (Note that I was, like, eight. It was perfectly normal, right?)

So, has gaming ever busted down the doorway into your day-to-day life? Any stories you'd like to share? Art projects? Fan fiction? Halloween costumes?

Regardless, today's Roundup is right up your alley. Boiling in the belly of this monstrous site are stories about a console developer decrying consoles, a PC developer spitting in the face of piracy, and Peter Moore dropping a big, bad F-bomb right on top of Sonic The Hedgehog's creator.

Journey into the depths after the break.

PC Dev: Piracy Crisis 'Overblown'

"Rampant piracy is no longer the catch-all excuse it's often employed as," rebutted Penumbra (PC) game writer Tom Jubert in a blog for Edge.

"Amongst other fascinating data, The GameShadow Metrics service detects the version of games installed, based on things like the executable file. Every so often the software finds an unofficial game version (i.e. an install that's been cracked, or uses a No-CD)."

"What that means is I can tell you the ratio of legal vs illegal Crysis installs in GameShadow's UK customer base is more like 7:3, while in the US it's closer to 5:1 - a far less bleak scenario."

Earlier this year, Crytek's Cevat Yerli claimed that for every one genuine copy of Crysis sold, 15 were pirated. Obviously, Jubert's statistics paint a significantly less bleak picture, though he acknowledges that piracy is still definitely a problem.

'Consoles Are a Problem,' says Lorne Lanning

"Personally, I think the consoles are a problem," said the man behind Oddworld. "Years ago I was excited about consoles, but anything that makes development more expensive, rather than better, faster, cheaper, I think is a step backwards. When I look at what's happening, it's a bit disappointing because the consoles are running into a place where affordable games are having a rough time getting out there."

However, while Lanning has now jumped ship from Sony, Nintendo, and Microsoft's armada, he won't be doggy-paddling back to shore.

"...I'm more excited about what I see happening on PC because I see it allowing for more smaller games to be sold that can be delivered to anyone who's connected at much lower price points," he commented. "PC games also allow people to build their game as they chose."

"Oh," I imagine he added. "Unfortunately, I won't be here to see the glorious advent of PC gaming's golden age." Then, turning with a cocky smirk, revealing his gold-encrusted choppers, he probably stated, "I'm making movies. Peace."

When Peter Moore said "F*** you" to Yuji Naka

When Peter Moore is old(er) and not clinging to his comb-over with all of the strength Rogiane will lend him, he'll huddle his grandchildren together and tell them this tale: "Once upon a time, I told Esquire Magazine a story..."

He'll then take them on a journey, back to a time when Sega still existed, and even before that -- back when Sega still made game consoles! Bright eyes will focus on Moore's wrinkled features as he speaks of a focus group recording, and how the big, mean Sonic The Hedgehog creator Yuji Naka accused him of tampering with the dialogue. ""I lost it," he'll admit. "I turned to the interpreter and said, 'Tell him, "F*** you"."

And that'll be the end of his babysitting days.

Microsoft Banks On Second-Place Finish For Xbox 360

"We will sell more consoles this generation than Sony," said Don Mattrick, senior vice president of Microsoft's interactive entertainment business. "I'm not at a point where I can say we're going to beat Nintendo."

Take it away, Sony.

Sony questions long term effect of 360 price cut

“We’ll obviously see the natural lift [in sales] with the price cut, but how sustainable is that in the long term?” Julie Han of Sony’s corporate communications asked.

Han then backed up her tough talk with Sony's promising holiday line-up.

So, Microsoft or Sony? Who ya got?