Wunder dringt lokalen komischen Speicher ein

Dieses Sommer Wunder stieß sein ehrgeizigstes Projekt in den Jahren aus, Geheime Invasion. Ursprung dieser Geschichte können bis zu den sechziger Jahren mit Einleitung des Skrulls, eine ausländische Sorte Formschieber zurück verfolgt werden, die zuerst zurück in der zweiten Ausgabe von erschienen Fantastische vier. Lesen Sie mehr

Pachinko: Japans spielende Neigung geht zum Gamers

Populär über Asien aber im Westen kaum gewußt, ist das Spiel von pachinko die vorderste Methode des gerade-bloß-zugelassenen Spielens in Japan.? Eine videoschlitzmaschine mit den Elementen von Pinball kombinierend aufgewickelt in einer Vielzahl der berühmten Marken (reichend vom japanischen kostümierten Held Ultraman bis zu westlichen Ikonen wie Popeye oder James Bindung), hat pachinko (und sein Schlitzmaschine-nur Bruder, pachislot) nicht nur eine Multi-Trillionyen Industrie aber sogar ein Multi-Milliardeyen Videospiel subgenre gelaicht: die pachinko/pachislot Simulation.

Pachinko zu spielen ist. einfach? Der Spieler setzt Geld ein und empfängt mehreree hundert BB-Art Kugeln.? Turning the handle causes the balls to shoot up into the machine, where they tumble down a complex series of pins and levers, hopefully reaching a specific hole in the center of the machine.? This begins a video slot-type sequence, in which the player hopes that three of a kind line up in a row.? A variety of mitigating factors (what the background video is, whether any characters appear on-screen, etc) known as ?reaches? determine whether or not the player wins (rarely) or loses (frequently).? If the player wins, they exchange their pachinko balls for medals, which can be exchanged at special shops (usually around the corner from pachinko parlors) for filthy lucre.

The videogame simulations (most of which are made for the PS2 or PSP) allow the player to adjust various conditions of a pachinko machine.? For example how ?difficult? or ?easy? the machine is set to be, how many ?spins? it goes through, and any number of other variables may be modified in order to determine the difference between a string of jackpots or a wasted evening.? In true Japanese culture, everything must be customizable.? One can even adjust the location of the pins - for better or for worse -?depending on how scrupulous one feels their local pachinko parlor is.

Although one cannot get the most out of?these games without having advanced Japanese language skills, basic knowledge of katakana and some guessing is all that?s really needed to play.? First is a menu where the player configures various aspects of the machine.? Once configured, the actual ?machine? appears (complete with background images, sounds, and any moving parts).? Using the PS2 controller the player manipulates the handle of the machine to shoot the balls into play.? Then the player sits back and waits (odds are they can more than afford a PSP or DS to pass the time).? Physical machines can take roughly 600-700 spins before they hit a jackpot, which can take a couple hours to reach.? When one assumes the value of 100 spins to be approximately 10,000 yen ($80-85), it?s very obvious why players eager to learn the tricks of these machines would opt for a virtual version beforehand.

Other standard features include galleries with videos from the game, a ?reach scenario generator?, and the ability to save one?s progress.? It?s easy to view charts that display, in detail, the player?s success (or failure) rate.

This niche genre is growing.? The recent release Certain Victory Pachinko/Pachislot Capture Series Volume 10: Neon Genesis Evangelion ~The Value of a Miracle Is…~ sold over 80,000 units its first week on the shelves, hitting the top of Media Play?s sales charts for the week.? The Fist of the North Star pachislot game, another fan favorite, has spawned almost a dozen simulators across the PS2, PSP, DS, and Wii.? As such games are easy to produce (requiring only a replication of the engine used in the machines themselves), their allotted shelf space will only continue to expand as pachinko companies cash in with their less-famous titles.? ?Professional? pachinko players will continue to buy in droves.? After all, when your hobby involves spending hundreds of dollars a day on the off-chance you?ll win it all back, what?s another $50?

The Great Disconnect

?Well, this is going to be a long journey,? I said aloud as the music died without warning.

The batteries died on the ol? portable gaming console in the middle of my daily rounds, which meant a couple of hours on the city bus without Me & My Katamari to keep me company.? When this happens, I am forced into experiencing things I would be much happier without.

We all have pet peeves which we don?t mind being distracted, if not completely shielded, from.?I wholeheartedly offer?? the following arguments and scenarios in support of electronic disconnect.

1. People asking the driver of the ?northbound? bus if he?s heading south.? When did they decide that reading the bus marquee (which plainly states the destination) is unnecessary?

2. The noise made by the crappy music coming from the earphones of the guy in the back of the bus.? Yes, I?m actually saying this… turn that noise DOWN!? When did they start making headphones with speakers facing outward?? I don?t care what you?re listening to, thanks anyway.

3. ?Anyone got change for a dollar??? They knew they were taking a bus.? They know what the fare is.? There is a store mere steps away from the bus stop.? How difficult is it to make change before boarding?

4. Anyone sitting together, speaking in elevated volumes.? Did the batteries in their hearing aids go out?? Sometimes, the yelling drowns out what I?m trying to listen to, even with the volume pushed to the max.

5. One-sided cell phone conversations.? Need I say more?

Yes, it?s a big, irritating world out there with little way to change it.? It?s reasons like the aforementioned which necessitate the need for a disconnect such as a handheld gaming machine.? It might result in the occasional missed bus stop, but you still have something to do while walking back to where you were supposed to get off.

Sure, an mp3 player might be easier to carry than a handheld gaming device, but on long crosstown commutes it pays to have a visual distraction as well as aural.? At the very least, you can control what the characters do (unlike the guy behind you who has his window open in spite of the air conditioner attempting to cool the elevated temperatures). You can also pause when you have to change your real-life environment.

There are those who will argue that modern technology provides us with nothing more than ways to avoid the ?human experience.? At the end of any long day, however, I butt heads with the human experience.? It is? only when surrounded by that which annoys me the most that I am distinctly reminded of what a worthy investment disconnection truly is.? At times like this, a round of GTA: Liberty City Stories isn?t such a bad idea.

The End of Gamer TV

Few things are as painful in life as seeing a good friend change for the worse. That?s exactly what?s happened to the G4 network. For those who aren?t aware, the once-loved cable channel created for gamers has currently only two programs fully devoted to gaming ? the remaining lineup consists of trashy syndicated shows. Legions of disgusted gamers have expressed their outrage at G4?s radical format change by launching everything from anti-G4 websites to YouTube videos.

The trouble surrounding G4 can be traced back to its controversial dissolving of TechTV, a channel G4 merged with in March 2004. Following the network?s bizarre relocation of its headquarters from San Francisco (arguably the center of American videogame production) to Los Angeles, a new CEO took the helm in 2005. This new man-in-charge, Neal Tiles, decided to eliminate videogames as G4?s focus and concentrate on a more male-oriented lineup ?peppered? with videogame culture. This saw the acquisition of many shows of questionable appropriateness like Cheaters, Cops and The Man Show as a means of competing with networks such as Spike.

?We?re going through a change. Guys like to play games, but not necessarily watch a bunch of shows with games on the screen,? Tiles told a reporter for Variety in 2005. ?So what we?re doing now is expanding G4 from a network solely defined by videogames to one inspired by them.?

Yes, Mr. Tiles. We all know that The Man Show is truly inspired by videogames.
Despite its bold claims of being the fastest growing network on television, an article published in TG Daily in June 2006 reported that G4 was the least watched basic cable network in America. G4 has also been criticized for poor E3 coverage and having too cozy a relationship with advertisers.

The network more or less sealed its fate in January of this year when it debuted a Laguna Beach-style reality show called The Block which was panned by critics as a quagmire featuring a bunch of stoned-out white kids drinking and lusting after each other. This debacle on behalf of G4 was followed by the network changing its slogan from ?Videogame TV? to ?TV That?s Plugged In? this past March ? officially acknowledging a new direction.

Alterations or not, though, we mustn?t forget that G4 is still the TV station that represents videogames. As if we don?t have enough trouble convincing parents and politicians that all gamers aren?t nerdy, drugged-out losers, this network certainly doesn?t help. Is there any chance of salvation for G4? The recent debut of Code Monkeys may be a baby step towards a revival, but for now ?TV for Gamers? remains worm food.

Puzzle Quest

Combining two video game genres in an effort to create something fresh isn?t a new concept. Some developers add spice by switching play styles mid-game, while other, more adventurous souls have sought to meld two or more genres into something playable but which often results in a train wreck. Once in awhile, a combination of established gameplay conventions arises that just seems to click. Puzzle Quest is one. Read more

Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales

A general rule in the entertainment industry is if you have one successful product then you develop as many side products as possible. Final Fantasy Fables: Chocobo Tales is another twist of Final Fantasy?s not-so-final path. Read more

Super Paper Mario

Though not the Mario game most gamers are anticipating on the Wii, Intelligent Systems? Super Paper Mario is a spectacular way to pass the time until Super Mario Galaxy finally arrives. Read more

Spaceward Ho!

Long ago in the early 90?s, in the summers spent at home during my undergraduate years, a group of friends and I would while away summer evenings together. Some nights we would play cards, some nights miniature golf. On some nights, however, we would gather every Macintosh we could and play Spaceward Ho! at the home of the only one of us that had struck out on his own and gotten his own place. Read more

The PTD Guide to Emulation

You know the drill:

Take the cartridge.
Blow into it until your lungs bleed
Use a Q-Tip to paint it with alcohol.
Blow into the control deck.
Stick the cartridge in.
Turn it on–to no avail. Read more

10 REM: Werewolves and Wanderers

I?ve always loved adventure games. From Zork to Space Quest and Sam & Max to Hotel Dusk, I?ve lost track of the number of them I?ve played and loved. So why is it that the one I have the strongest memories of is an antique text adventure called Werewolves and Wanderer? Read more

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