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the most interesting gaming news
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With Nintendo soliciting feedback before finalizing the design of its new flagship portable, here are the top five reasons why the 3DS needs two analog sticks: 1. Two sticks are the BEST way to navigate 3DAs the worlds first 3D portable gaming console, the 3DS is a revolutionary piece of hardware that deserves the most effective control scheme to match its 3D capabilities. Using two sticks is the most natural way to navigate 3D worlds, with one stick controlling the players movement while the second aims or pans the camera. It’s a system that feels great to use and intuitive to learn. There’s a reason why the two most capable 3D consoles (360 and pS3) both use dual stick controllers — because it’s the best we’ve got. Until something better comes along, it’s the most natural control method for use on a hand-held controller.
2. Gamers already know how to navigate 3D worlds with dual sticksThe reason so many gamers clamor for dual analog sticks is because we’ve grown up navigating 3D worlds with them for the last 10 years; the PS2 for ten, the original Xbox for eight, and both the 360 & PS3. That’s an entire generation of gamers who already know and understand the dual stick interface. Why re-learn a new interface for the 3DS when dual sticks are so perfectly suited already? 3. Adding it now is easy. Adding it later splits the market.Take a close look at the PSP Go design: The right circular indention looks perfectly designed for a second stick. I’m guessing they designed it to have dual sticks but at the last moment- fearing splitting their market- pulled that model and played it safe instead. Had they only had a little more guts and released the 2nd stick version, it would have breathed new life into the PSP, yet its online-only nature is perfectly suited to handle dual stick software versions for a PSP Dually. Nintendo should learn from Sony’s mistake and add a second stick to the 3DS now while the market is still new and intact.
4. Give some love to the LeftiesTwo sticks may be a nice addition for us righties, but it means the world for left-handed gamers since they can use their right hand on a stick and their most dominant hand- the left- for the stylus. Admit it, how many of us righties would enjoy using the stylus with our left hand? Come on Nintendo, give some love to the lefties! 5. Some games aren’t fun without themThere are many games which simply aren’t as much fun without dual sticks. First Person Shooters: Yes, the touch-screen does an admiral job but requires stable footing to be effective. FPS are best with two sticks. Sports Games: Many of today’s sports games depend on two sticks; NHL, Fight Night, UFC, FIFA, Madden (Check out this dual stick Madden video), table tennis- all are better with two sticks. 3D Platformers: All the best 3D platformers use two sticks as default: Ratchet & Clank, Jak & Daxter, Sly Cooper – they are all great with two sticks. Racing Games: Mario Kart aside, racing games are better with two sticks. GT3, GT4 GT5:P and Forza all use the second stick as their default controls. Dual Stick Shooters: These games are so good with two sticks, we name the genre after them. Galaxy Wars, Shadow Complex, Super Stardust HD are all examples of games designed around two sticks, all would be fantastic on the 3DS! Why neuter the types of games for 3DS right out of the gate? Unlock its full potential by including two sticks and open up all the gaming genres right from the start. Do you think the 3DS should have dual sticks? Vote in the poll on the top-right. 6. Why not add two sticks?Need a some more reasons? The 3DS is the most desireable electronic gadget since the iPhone. It’s going to poop gold for Nintendo for many wonderful years. Therefore the expense of adding a second stick is virtually none. Do a quick redesign and add one additional part from the existing parts list. Also, developers will offer alternate control schemes, which they already do. So why not add two sticks? 7. Dual Sticks are UptownThe two most powerful and expensive consoles today both have dual stick controllers. If the 3DS launches sporting its own pair of beautiful sticks, Nintendo sends a subtle message that this portable is not like the PSP, but uptown like the 360 slim and PS3. People tend to pay a little more to go uptown. Ever since Sony removed OtherOS from systems which were previously capable of running it, hacking attempts to restore the original functionality have increased dramatically. Last week the good folks over at StreetskaterFU were able to run a custom script loaded from a USB drive. Although the script is confined to a restricted area of the PS3, many are excited just to get a foot in the door in order to poke around and learn more. This is but a small step in the progress needed, but Thanks to everyone who helped make it happen.
This article is the beginning of our commitment to keep you informed on any significant progress to restore OtherOS functionality to the PS3. When a comprehensive solution becomes available, we will publish a complete tutorial on how it’s done. It’s ironic that by removing OtherOS under the false pretenses of preventing piracy, Sony has sent hordes of legitimate linux hackers into the realm of PS3 security – something they had no interest in doing before. Seems clear to me this line of interest will lead to a fully compromised PS3 – the exact thing Sony wishes to prevent. Sony should restore OtherOS functionality ASAP and put and end to this nonsense before Pandora’s Box is opened for good.
My nephew and I laughed during Microsoft’s keynote when they announced the “Built-in Kinect Port” as one of the 360S features. We made jokes at the time that they color-coded one of the USB ports just for Kinect’s ‘family friendly’ target audience. Turns out the joke’s on us! (UPDATE: Turns out the jokes on me!) That’s because Kinect doesn’t use a standard USB port but a specially designed connector just for Kinect. Listed as the 6th major bullet point on the 360S specifications is the Kinect-Ready port. Microsoft went through the trouble and expense to design Kinect so it won’t plug into the original 360 or any other standard Windows computer. Why would they do this? Don’t they want to sell Kinect to the 40 million existing 360 gamers? They do not. Read on to find out why.
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As much as we’d love to report our experience with the New Xbox Experience (NXE), our 360 RRoDeathed when starting up after trying it out for the first time. So off to the Microsoft repair shop it went. This is our third – the previous two also RRoDied.
While the semi-official failure rate is only 16%. Any impromptu poll on Xbox Live reveals nearly everyone in the room citing at least one failure. My stance has always been: As long as they replace them on Microsoft’s dime, I’m willing to put up with the replacement process since the games are so great.
However, this time, I was told the system will only be covered under warranty for 90 days after receiving the repaired system. Excuse me?!
My confidence in the new replacement lasting over one year is 0%. They are simply not engineered to last. The 360 never moves from its cool airy spot. I clean its air vents periodically. It plays games sometimes and then fails. There’s nothing 360 owners can do to prevent it from happening.. it’s seemingly designed to (mal) function this way. The PS3 continues working after 2 years, and trusty PS2 phat still runs like a champ after 6 years so it seems clearly a 360 problem and not its environment.
Microsoft addressed the issue with a new revision of the hardware designed to run cooler and solve the disastrous failure rate. Great for the new buyers, but what about the rest of us who’s 360s will surely fail after the 90 day warranty expires?
Will you pay to have it ‘fixed?’ Will you take it like a gay man and pony up for a new system? Or will you switch to the PS3?
This is the question millions of 360 owners will soon have to answer for themselves over the next two years as Microsoft refuses to fix their dead 360s under warranty. What will you do?
Here’s some additional reading on the issue.
The latest character in the upcoming Street Fighter IV, launching Feb. 3rd, 2009.