James

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Juuthena [/i] [B][color=ff00cc] [size=1]Also, there's a pretty large variety of games. I think most gamers would like to see different games, but of a certain genre alot of people seem to enjoy. Like... Mario. ^_^; A Poke-world game would be interesting, but for the moment, Pokemon isn't as large as it used to be. [/color] [/size] [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#808080]Pokemon is as large, if not larger, than it's ever been before. The TV show and such may have died down, the the franchise's presence in [i]game[/i] format (and let's face it, it's primarily a game; the anime is tacked on for marketing purposes) is still incredibly popular. As I said earlier, the sales numbers don't lie. As far as variety...we're seeing a lot more variety on the GameCube than we ever saw on N64. Everything from Killer 7 and Viewtiful Joe to Resident Evil 4 to Mario Kart and Pokemon. I don't think we've had this kind of variety in a while. Really, I don't think most people have much to complain about. The only thing I [i]may[/i] complain about is the lack of RPGs for GameCube. But even that is less of a concern now that it used to be (when you consider that games like the "Tales" series as well as titles like Lost Kingdoms II and Harvest Moon are on the way). It just depends what your priorities are. If you don't have a lot of money to spend, I'd recommend GCN over PS2; if you're not going to be buying many games anyway...you might as well buy a system with the industry's best (as far as certain franchises go). But if you have more money to spend regularly on games, the PS2 might be the best solution for you. And of course, if you have even more money...get more than one system. It just depends on what your priorities are (how much you play games, how often you buy them, what type you like...etc).[/color]

[color=#808080]Fox is a [i]moderate[/i] channel? lol. Fox News is about as right-wing as you can possibly get, unless you tune in to Rush Limbaugh. In Australia, we do get some American CNN programs...but we mostly get "CNN International". I've never noticed a problem with it; it's pretty objective. The problem is that a lot of conservatives see a sign of tolerance or something on CNN (or credible journalistic practices) and instantly label it as being "leftist". And no, I'm not talking about you gokents. The thing is, Fox News tends to practice very poor journalism in some cases. One of their anchors in particular...I forget his name, but he is the [i]worst[/i] journalist I've ever seen. He has no idea how to conduct an interview. I remember that he briefly interviewed Brigette Boisillei (I hope that's the right spelling); the woman who runs CloneAid. She was trying to answer his questions, but he [i]continually[/i] interjected by calling her crazy and such. Now, I [i]do[/i] think that Ms. Boilsillei is pretty nuts. But come on...the woman didn't get a word in. The news anchor continually called her names and didn't practice one iota of fair journalism. I've noticed similar tactics on other Fox programs. And whilst I do enjoy some Fox shows, most of the ones that I enjoy are [i]editorial[/i] based. In other words, they're opinion based. When you have an opinion show, you can spout off whatever you want basically. But when you are covering [i]news[/i], you are supposed to be unemotional and objective. Fox News continually practices poor quality journalism in this regard. CNN International, on the other hand, tends to remain very objective and doesn't make "judgement calls" within news stories. This is the correct way to approach news. More boring, yes. But it's the right way to present factual news. The opinion shows...I don't care much for them generally. CNN's opinion shows don't always interest me. But generally, as I've said...if a media network tries to deal with news in an unemotional way, the right-wingers tend to accuse the network of being leftist. No, that's not the case. The difference is that such networks aren't interested in throwing ideology at you; they're interested in presenting news and news only. I'm saying this in general terms, of course. CNN International is probably different from the "domestic" CNN that the United States receives. But still, the whole idea of the entire media being liberal is pretty alarmist and ignorant. Most of the people who make such accusations rarely [i]watch[/i] such news outlets on a regular basis; they take a soundbite and run with it. If I did that with Fox News, most people would be horrified by what could be uncovered. As long as you view news with some intelligence (and view multiple sources), you'll be fine.[/color]

[color=#808080]Mystic's Knight...please [i]try[/i] to include [i]some[/i] sense in your threads in future. Even the sock thread had more relevance to members than this thread. o_O[/color]

[color=#808080]Me being a fan of the GCN doesn't mean that I'm more tolerant of horrible/sloppy games [i]just[/i] because they're on GameCube, if that's what you mean. I'm the same as you; I want to buy games that will last me a long time. Both Resident Evil and Eternal Darkness pack some serious hours of play. It might interest you to note that my game library for GameCube sits at about 14 right now. My game library for PS2, however, sits at about 26. So in terms of numbers, I'm [i]technically[/i] a bigger PS2 fan. I do feel that GCN has less titles to choose from than PS2...but by the same token, games like ED and RE are really what I'd call "must own" games. No gamer with a GameCube should be without them.[/color]

[color=#808080]Well, I'd say that it's not worth giving up on RE until you play it. Don't ignore it just because it's survival horror; it's a brilliant game. It's very worthy of your attention, if you want a game with a good story and plenty of atmosphere. As for ED...that's not really survival horror. There is really nothing like it. It's more of a "psychological thriller". I know that's a very grey area, but trust me...if you buy it, you'll be thankful that you did. I had no idea how wonderful it was until I'd played about an hour and a half of it...it's truly a masterpiece. It sucks that most people ignored it; they have no idea what they missed.[/color]

[color=#808080]Well, there are two issues there. Firstly, I don't always see IGN as a very reliable source for rumors. Making the assumption that the GCN game will be basically a Pokemon Stadium 3 is no big prediction; it's an obvious assumption to make. Even if that's the case, there is no reason to think that it'll be a bad game. I never like to assume that something will be horrible until I play it; a new Pokemon Stadium may very well be a fully expanded game. Who knows. Either way, if you're a traditional Pokemon fan, there is still plenty to look forward to. The latest GBA editions are just around the corner. I don't see how any traditional Pokemon fan couldn't be happy about that.[/color]

[color=#808080]Well, with regard to SMS...you should play for about an hour or so if you can. A quick period of play won't really get you involved in the game. It's a worthy title. Eternal Darkness; a must own. Everyone should own this game. It's one of the most brilliant video games ever released. Resident Evil -- this one's not as obvious as you might think. Even if you've played the original (like me), you'll REALLY love RE. It deliberately plays on the fact that you've seen the original...which makes for some pretty big surprises. Those are two games that I'm playing now and then at the moment. I'd also recommend Skies of Arcadia if you haven't already bought it on Dreamcast. I could sit here and write you out a list, but I want to [i]try[/i] and keep this thread going in a relevant direction.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by GhostofSalvtore [/i] [B]Yay MGS, up there with the greats, maybe I will get that for my GC and my library will be a total of...*counts fingers* um one, two....three.. YAY three games for GC. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#808080]It looks like you need some advice on games; if you only have three, you're missing out. ~_^[/color]

[color=#808080]Nintendo have not released any information on the Pokemon title for GameCube. Anything you hear is just speculation at this point. There are indications that Nintendo is planning for a GCN-based Pokemon RPG; whether or not that is the next Pokemon title (or one for next year) is questionable. Both a traditional Pokemon game and a "Stadium" game are pretty likely candidates, and we'll probably know something by the time E3 rolls around.[/color]

[color=#808080]There really isn't a market for those games, mostly. When NCL makes a game, for example, Nintendo of America will evaluate it internally. Sometimes they'll even bring in focus groups to analyze the game. I can tell you that Nintendo (and other companies) perform a [i]lot[/i] of evaluation on these games. And believe me, even though people like you or me would like to see some of these wacky games...the mainstream public don't. Most people are happy with their GTAIII or whatever; they don't care about the weirder games like Mr. Mosquito or something. It's a shame, but it's true.[/color]

[color=#808080]Take a look at the sales of Pokemon Stadium. Nintendo did give gamers what they wanted. As for an all-new Pokemon game in 3D...keep your eye on the upcoming Pokemon game for GameCube. It will be unveiled at E3 and will most likely be a fully-3D RPG. We asked for more mature games and what do we get? Metroid Prime, Resident Evil, Product Number 03, Killer 7, Eternal Darkness; the list goes on. I think Nintendo are aware of what fans want. Super Mario Sunshine was a bit of a "black sheep" in the Mario family...but it was still a wonderful game. Nintendo are already making another Mario game, as well. So yeah, I don't think you can take one example (like Pokemon) and say that Nintendo is somehow ignoring the will of gamers. Pokemon is probably Nintendo's most successful modern franchise; so in fact, the opposite is true. If people weren't getting what they wanted, Pokemon would not consistently outsell its competition. Oh and, about the comment that Pokemon is "hated". It's worth pointing out that the two latest editions of Pokemon for GameBoy sold in excess of 1 million units within a ten day period. The idea that Pokemon is somehow less popular (or that Nintendo has made it unpopular) is an absolute myth. The sales figures prove otherwise. Of course, if you don't personally like games such as Pokemon Snap or Hey You, Pikachu!, you don't have to buy 'em. Instead, you can wait for the new GBA and GCN editions of Pokemon.[/color]

[color=#808080]SpyderDragon, I tend to feel that those who preach the position that the world is going to hell in a handbasket are the very same people who contribute to a decline in society. If it were up to certain members of society (who share your beliefs, but are more extreme), we'd all be living under a Christian theocracy. So, as I've said...extremism is dangerous in general, whether it's liberal or conservative.[/color]

[color=#808080]I'm very much a "centerist". I'm not conservative nor liberal. Why? Because I think that both political ideologies have their benefits. Liberalism provides strong and important social freedoms for all people, whilst conservatism provides economic and defensive reassurance. What I [i]dislike[/i] are political extremists. I dislike left wing extremists (ie: extremely naive hippie-type people) and I dislike right wing extremists (ie: religious fundamentalists like Jerry Falwell or Osama bin Laden). The fact is, both schools of thought have their own extremists. And extremism is the biggest danger to the world at the moment. You can be liberal or conservative [i]without[/i] being totally uncompromising in your beliefs and policies. I tend to agree with gokents; I don't really believe that there is going to be a constructive debate here. It's like saying "which color is better?" It's very difficult to determine which personal preference is superior; I think that in reality, a combination of [i]both[/i] is the best you're going to get. Really, debating which political ideology is "better" is like debating which flavor of ice cream is better...not everyone will agree and you're not really going to sway anyone. So, with that said, I'll be watching this thread closely. If a substantive debate doesn't appear, I'll close it.[/color]

[color=#808080]Everyone's pretty spot on. Otaku Lounge is a general discussion forum; it can be used for serious and non-serious discussions about almost anything. If you want to hold a debate, I recommend holding it in there.[/color]

[color=#808080]It's reasonable that Nintendo never released those online technologies outside Japan. Most of them wouldn't have been successful in the United States or Europe. The 64DD wasn't even successful in Japan, so there was no way Nintendo was going to lose more money by releasing it outside that region. You also have to realize that Japan is often a "testing ground" for Japanese game makers; particularly when it comes to online gaming. Just look at the various online arcade games -- most of which have never seen the light of day outside Japan. Whatever is learned from these developments is usually utilized by the developer later on in a more mass-market situation.[/color]

[color=#808080]Churches aren't the cause of athiesm. That's important to remember (although I'm sure they often contribute). But yes, there is one important point to be made here (and I don't want to see anymore unrelated discussion, please). The point is that the thread's creator is asking why people don't go. People will always have their reasons (even very religious people), but the bottom line is that nobody should generalize. I'm sure that there are some very open and liberal churches (I've even heard of churches that have married gay people -- so there you go). And that's the key. Not all churches are stingy and restricted. I think that's what people are trying to get at. And so, I support that point being made. But yeah, let's keep the thread on topic. I'll remove off-topic posts in future.[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by SpyderDragon [/i] [B]Worshiping in Church is what one does to praise God, not what God demands of one. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#808080]I realize that. I don't think you understand what I mean. I mean that people [i]think[/i] they are somehow doing God's work or being better Christians if they go to Church. I don't think God is egotistical enough to care; if you live your life well, if you do your best and if you remain true to yourself and what you think is right...then I think that's what God is actually getting at. So, I'm responding to explain my comments a bit further. But whether that's the case or not, it doesn't matter. Neither you nor I am here to interpret what God does or doesn't want. I'm just expressing why I personally don't go to Church. If you go to Church and you enjoy it, then it's obviously giving you a benefit. And that's fine. I'm not at all trying to cast doubt over those who [i]do[/i] visit Church. Everyone is free to do what makes them comfortable. This thread is questioning those who [i]don't[/i] go to Church. It's not a thread for debate or discussion, as such. I think you and others should bear that in mind. If you want to respond to anything I've said here, you should of course feel free to email or PM me. But let's try not to clog the thread up; the originator of the thread wanted answers to questions, afterall.[/color]

[color=#808080]There is no point predicting when MGS 3 will be out; Konami haven't even confirmed that they're making the game yet. So any predictions on release date are moot at this point. Interestingly, it seems that the original MGS is being remade by Konami (ala RE remake) and will be hitting all consoles (including GameCube).[/color]

[QUOTE][i]Originally posted by Syk3 [/i] [B]My guess is that GameCube online is good ways off, or it may not come at all. Sure, they have things that allow you to go online, and maybe 1 or two games that can, but I mean the Nintendo movement into online games and stuff. What I see hapening is Nintendo sticking with offline games with great gameplay, not with online games with interaction where anything can happen. I don't see any online Nintendo games, and with not as much 3rd party content really leaning on the GC, it's unlikely that we'll see this online movement for them any time soon. [/B][/QUOTE] [color=#808080]Actually, the opposite is true. Nintendo might be conservative when it comes to online technology, but let's not forget that Nintendo have been experimenting with online gaming for well over a decade -- far longer than even Microsoft or Sony. Nintendo [i]knows[/i] the risks involved with online gaming. Having said that, Nintendo themselves have confirmed that they're working on a number of online games (read: more than one). There is some indication that Mario Kart might be online. I know that Shigeru Miyamoto has hinted at it on several occasions. Nintendo has also hinted at the idea that Animal Crossing 2 might have online capabilities (it's probably the biggest candidate for such treatment). So, Nintendo are actually quite bullish about online gaming - at least, conceptually. But unlike Microsoft and Sony, Nintendo are not willing to incur heavy losses just for the sake of building up an online userbase. It's not good business sense for them to do that. PSO is a way for Nintendo and its respective third parties to test the waters, so to speak. If games like Mario Kart are online, you'll find that Nintendo has both the killer aps to make the system successful as well as the fact that it won't be reliant on Internet based gaming. Plus, Nintendo has said that first party online games will be played [i]free[/i] of charge. That will be a very strong lure for many gamers, especially if games like Mario Kart or Animal Crossing take the online plunge.[/color]

[color=#808080]Stryfe, I'm afraid we would not allow you to advertise full episodes to be downloaded. It's illegal and we are strongly against any illegal practices. However, if you're interested in helping me out with the .hack site (which I run at the moment), please email me at [email][email protected][/email] [/color]

[color=#808080]1) Hypocracy...biggotry...I don't know. I don't really see the Church as being associated with love anymore. It's become too political and self-absorbed in general (though I'm sure there are exceptions. 2) If God exists, I don't think he/she/it endorses Church. Being worshipped is a very ego-based, human idea. If God is truly everywhere and if he/she/it created the entire Universe...I really don't think that he/she/it has a sense of ego. Secondly, I really do concur with what Semjaza Azazel said. I have found that many of the people who visit Church (that I've personally known) are extremely close-minded people. If anything disturbs their personal space bubble, they want to burn it or shoot it or something. lol 3) I really don't know. It's not the Church [i]itself[/i], it's the fact that the Church leadership is often so closed and commercialized...the whole thing, to me, just goes against what mankind should be pursuing. If Churches were there simply as relief/charity organizations...and if they [i]truly[/i] preached love for all and such, maybe my feelings would improve. But yeah, I really don't think there is much that can/will be done to dramatically improve the Church system. I guess that basically, I feel that the Church is within onesself. It's not a building; it's a state of mind.[/color]

[color=#808080]JC is right. We've had two seperate attempts to provide a newbie forum (Introduction and then Newbie Lounge). And though both started out well enough, they soon became spam-fests. It was very difficult to moderate these forums over time. So, we've decided that for the sake of post quality, we won't use such forums. It is our hope that people will simply start posting rather than introducing themselves; or that they'll introduce themselves within a thread in which they're already posting. But anyway, I hope you enjoy OB. Please remember to read our rules for a clearer picture of how things work here.[/color]

[color=#808080]To be brief, we've seen both extremes. The boards were pretty mature on v1. v2 was probably the most spammy/immature period for OB. And then, with v3...we've steadily grown into a more mature/prestigeous community. It's all about development, as I said earlier.[/color]

[color=#808080]I don't think that really has anything to do with it; if anything, we've gotten more "immature" members via anime. If you remember our old GameBoy forums, you'll remember that most of the discussions were very mature...no need for much moderation back then.[/color]

[color=#808080]I think part of the reason the site matures over time is because of our rules and the way we enforce them. Over time, if someone makes silly threads constantly...they'll either be banned or leave...or they will remain here and try to improve. It is those members who end up representing the more mature aspects of our community, I think. Sometimes you'll notice that lots of threads get closed in a short space of time. When this happens, I think it reminds people of the quality we expect to see. So, it's how things evolve over a period of time, really. That's how I see it, anyway. You can either get worse...or you can improve.[/color]