Extra note for Braehole, Rapala Trophy Fishing got a nasty 3.0 at IGN. I'd steer dad clear

There's no such thing as a California accent! We talk normally; all of you talk funny!

Edit:

Also, you can change your cursor speed in Viva Pinata by clicking the left stick. Also, if you go to a notice and hit X you can see what the notice is about (ie, see the animals that are fighting).

Did someone slip a couple acid tabs into the group's waterbottles before the Viva Piñata segment?

I admit it, I was stoned the whole time. I was eating Sour Pinata Candy and it went to my head. I blame Certis.

No I remember sewer shark. This game was like cartoon FMV and you drove a red car. I remember one spot in particular that we couldn't get past for the longest time involved a big jump.

Remember Base Wars?

That was a fun game...

What were we talking about again?

Oh right. Dead on about killing Rabbit in Gears of War. My girlfriend takes some perverse glee in watching him get chainsawed. I'm not sure what it is about him

Site idea (betcha don't get those very often) - post a dedicated link on the left for your thread of the week.

Thanks Certis for checking on Rapala Trophy Fishing for me. My dad said he would come over and play a fishing game with me but I guess I'll have to wait for someone to put some real effort into making a playable game. Someday you guys will be able to catch big fish on line with me but not this Christmas.

There was a PlayStation 1 Bass fishing game that came with a little fishing pole that was really fun. I can't remember the name though.

Great show guys, Rabbit the dancing unicorn was funny.

I think you were right Certis on the Wii and what games will be picked up on it. I will only buy games on the Wii that have a unique game play element that is different from the norm. Everything else will be picked up on my Xbox360.

For this reason, I was really torn about CoD 3 and ended up leaving it off my Holiday wish list. On one hand I know the 360 version is gonna be beautiful, with unusually strong Live MP(talking team numbers), but on the other hand.. same old gameplay in SP. I was really thinking of the Wii version, the controls seem like enough to make it a whole new game. I dont see such huge difference in visuals on the gametrailers cross platform comparison, but I know I will notice it on an HDTV. There's so much gaming goodness right now, I ended up just leaving it off 'the list.'

I really enjoy these conference calls.
I few points I would've debated a bit include:
#1) I think install base and cost to develop will be a bigger factor than given credit as developers look back on their development investments. Gotta feel for any company who developed a PS3 launch title, seems like a lost battle. I think the impact will be less big budget games and longer development cycles. Maybe that equates to less bad game investments over time, but maybe it will result in even less innovation.

#2) I think microtransactions for additional content beyond the core of a game are good to expand play but a model where you pay little for a core of a game and then can buy additional episodes to expand play, both reminds me of shareware and also causes me concern. HL2 has got to be a 'leader' in this area and look how long it takes to churn out additional content. The additional content seems to remain a design document, and itself goes through pro-longed dev cycles. By the time its released, the market has often moved on. I think the consumer will more likely be charged full prices for half a game, and then get to expand it to what it might've been in friendlier consumer times. I think history shows that episodic content / expansion also end up dividing the very communities they target, look at BF2, GRAW communities examples or any other game where some folks buy the maps and others dont.

#3 Related to microtransactions: As a consumer, I appreciate the retail pressure/inventory space impact on game pricing that discount games over time. A little patience, will result in a much better bargain for the consumer as the retailers move boxes over the lifecycle of a product. I'm talking new, not used. Digital distribution doesnt exhibit this downward pricing pressure, at least I dont see it, there is no imperative to move inventory and discount prices to increase demand. I see that to balance the convenience of downloading, overall it is a loss to consumers, because part of the downward pressure of the market on pricing has been eliminated. It is rare to see a priced piece of microtransaction content become free, unless it is re-released as part of a platinum edition, or the community has begun moving away.

Anyways.. Thank you for a great episode again, it helps brighten my workday as I sit chained to my laptop.

So, is Escapist Radio dead? I thought you were on hiatus.

I think the trend is going toward longer development cycles and bigger budgets, not sure why game budgets would shrink AND take longer to make.

How about developers who made Wii launch titles for Japan? Let's have a look at the numbers:

You won't find me disagreeing that install base and development costs are huge factors in deciding what to develop for, but that's only part of the equation.
Both excellent points!

Russ has been so busy with day to day operations at the Escapist, it just hasn't come together. I'm really not sure what the future will hold right now. I was actually doing both shows on alternating weeks for a while there.

One question for Karla.

Are you considering buying Zelda Wind Waker?

If not, is it because you will have to play with a normal pad, and not the wiimote?

Im thinking myself, maybe its going to be too much Zelda.

That and she rarely plays something if she watches me play it for too long first. If Karla shows any interest in something, I usually have to back off and let her at it

Yes that is exactly the game I was thinking of. Thanks Nimcosi!