Game publishers, and vicariously, developers are constantly after our dollars with the (perhaps cliched) AAA title on home consoles and PC. One need only look at videogame sales over the last 10 years to see that they certainly know how to use these releases quite profitably. But increasingly we’ve seen developers, publishers, and (mostly) game hardware manufacturers tout the future of gaming as the delivery of the AAA game experience on all platforms regardless of delivery. But is that what we’re looking for as gamers? Today the Commodore talks about your responses to this question and provides a few thoughts of his own on the subject. And then it’s off to a fan-submitted question for next week about nostalgia, hipster chic, and enjoying stuff that was around long before you were born. It’s the Weekly Wringer!
Echo Screen Live #24: Star Trek Megacast! (5/15/13)
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A new Star Trek movie hits theaters this weekend, so what better time for a multi-pronged debate on the franchise?
Who’s the best captain?
How has JJ Abrams handled the series?
How does the new Star Trek compare to older versions?
What would Gene Roddenberry think of Star Trek if he were alive today?
All this and your questions on this episode of Echo Screen Live!
Weekly Wringer #95: Is gaming better today than ever?
Many of us have been gaming for most of our lives. In that time we’ve seen plenty of change in the industry. Generation after generation of consoles have come and gone, PC hardware that would’ve been a pipe dream in the early 90s is now commonplace, and mobile devices have grown in leaps and bounds to become a huge force in gaming. But is there a “best” age for gaming? A moment where the the good games far outweighed the bad and gaming creativity shined brightest? Today the Commodore takes some time to ponder the epochs of gaming past and present as led by the community. After offering his own take on the best, he asks a question about the experiences of mobile gaming… of the future! It’s the Weekly Wringer!
Echo Screen Live #23: The Future of Adventure Games (5/1/13)
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With the recent closing of Lucasarts – one of the pioneers of adventure gaming – now seems a great time to look back on the genre and see how much of a future it has. Is Lucasarts’s end an omen, or just a blip on the radar?
Indie Games Searchlight: To the Moon
Mark Carr of Indie Games Searchlight shines the light on a great independent game that I recently tried out and absolutely loved – To the Moon.
In reality, more of an interactive story, To the Moon is one of the greatest examples I’ve seen in the Pro-”Are Games Art” debate… but I digress. Watch the review and decide for yourself:
To The Moon is available here: http://freebirdgames.com/to_the_moon/
Weekly Wringer #94: The Worst Movies We Own
Long before the crappy movie movement propagated by the immense reach of the interwebs, most of us were buying movies. And let’s face it folks, we’re not proud of all of those purchasing decisions. Fact is, most of us have a movie we bought that sucks big time or, at least, embarrasses us when our friends see them in our collection. But what movie is the absolute worst in your collection? Today the Commodore looks at the community’s answer to just that question and offers a few nominees of his own. Then it’s a question for next week that’ll surely have you checking gamespot for classic game release dates. It’s the Weekly Wringer!
Weekly Wringer #93: Watching games vs. Playing games... Fight!
Have you noticed that watching games has become a big part of gaming culture? Between let’s plays, live internet gaming sessions, pro-gaming leagues, and of course, good old fashioned waiting for your turn in the hot-seat, gaming has become a spectator pastime almost as much as it’s an interactive one. So can games be as much fun to watch as they are to play? Hear what the community has to say as the Commodore talks about his own experiences today on the Weekly Wringer. And then you’ll need to re-categorize your whole DVD collection to answer next week’s question. Apologies in advance for the poor video quality as the sun was not cooperating in the first week of spring. Even if you only listen, rather than watch, it’s still the Weekly Wringer!
Weekly Wringer 92: It's so hard to say goodbye
We love the games we do because we’re invested in them. They bring us in, tell us a story, and maybe even teach us a few things in the meantime. It’s no wonder that it’s so damned hard to say goodbye once we’re through with them. This week, the Commodore looks into the worlds we all hate to say goodbye to while asking just what makes them stick with us so strongly. So many great games, so little time. And then, it’s a question that’s about not playing games for next week. It’s the Weekly Wringer!
Echo Screen Live #22: DRM - Is it Really That Bad? (3/6/13)
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Unable to log into SimCity’s servers and play your single player game? Then hop on by the Echo Screen Live, where we’ll talk about the increasing specter of DRM and how much it’s really handicapping our gaming experiences. But please but sure to enter the 128-digit code before logging into the chat…
Weekly Wringer 91: Stream a little (PS4) stream
Finally, we know about the PS4 thanks to Sony’s announcement last week. Well ok, we don’t know how much it will cost, when it’ll actually launch, or even what it actually looks like. But we do know that Sony has promised to make good on their acquisition of Gaikai by streaming PS3 games to the PS4. But what role will streaming play for the PS4? Will we be able to stream PS2 and PSX games at launch? Will native backward compatibility ever arrive on PS4? Conjecture abounds today on the Weekly Wringer as the Commodore talks about the role of backwards compatibility, streaming, and physical vs. digital in the next console generation.