Back in a routine? - April 2nd, 2000 - Andrew Kaufmann
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this column are those of the participants and the moderator, and do not necessarily reflect those of the GIA. Waaaazzzzzzzzzzup? There is coarse language and potentially offensive material afoot. Don't say we didn't warn you.
I think it'd be rather foolish to start writing this column and pretend
it's been rather inconsistent lately, not including this past week
where Chris took over. I must say, Chris is doing a crackerjack job,
and I am back as weekends person. So, with that little bit out of the
way, let's hit some letters.
| That nagging FFXI thing again |
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Is it just me, or is Square taking the completely wrong direction with
Final Fantasy. Not only does PlayOnline have a fee, but FF11 has a fee. Plus
your going to have to buy FF11. Thats too much money for something like
Everquest. I think Everquest is boring, mostly because its not an RPG
really, more just a chat room you can walk around in. Sure, it has some RPG
elements, like battling, but when it comes down to it its quite lame. To be
honest I think Sega's Phantasy Star Online will be the greatest online game
for awhile, due to the fact that you'll only have to pay one small fee (for
the DC Network), and it's an actual RPG you play with your friends and
people across the world. It's gonna be sweet. Plus, if Sega decides (and you
know they will) to make Panzer Dragoon Saga 2, Shining Force 4 and the long
awaited and prayed for Phantasy Star 5, Dreamcast beat out PS2 as far as
RPGs go. Who knows if Square will screw itself over?
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Square announcing that you have to pay for both PlayOnline and Final Fantasy
XI (alongside the initial game purchase) was definetely a large disappointment,
and I'm hoping that the policy will change by the time the game arrives in
the U.S. I think (or maybe hope is a better word) that Square would
realize that people don't mind one expense for a game, and maybe even two
is tolerable, but that three would be asking for trouble.
I do strongly disagree with calling FFXI "something like Everquest." We
have no idea what the game will consist of; assuming that it would be
exactly like Everquest is forgetting that Square has been a trailblazer
in every way for years and assuming the worst. For the very least, until
more concrete details come out about the game, I'd hold off on saying it
will be a bad game. A bad business venture, possibly, but a bad game,
no.
On the topic of Phantasy Star Online, though, that game looks pretty
splendoriffic. I'd love to see it in action, see how the online thing
works out. I don't know if I'd go as far as to say the Dreamcast will
be THE system for RPGs, but it will definetely be stronger than it is
now. That's not saying much, but it gives hope.
| More Final Fantasy fears |
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FFXI is *not* a good thing, ladies and gentlemen, and I'll tell you why:
I'm not against having an online Final Fantasy game, but does Square
absolutely *have* to call it Final Fantasy XI? Does this mean that FFX will
be the last single player Final Fantasy game? (I point you towards Ultima
IX as an example of a company switching focus towards multiplayer only).
If FFXII is a single player game, that'll be great. But if not...then
frankly, I'm going to be really annoyed. I don't *like* online RPGs. I like
my storytelling dammit. And I *love* single player Final Fantasy games.
Square needs to take their head out of their collective ass and rename the
game Final Fantasy Online instead.
-jason
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Well, you make a good point in saying that this represents a change in
direction -- and I think Square is aware of that by calling it FFXI instead
of FF Online. It seems to me that they're confident enough in their product
that it will succeed. Again, I'll repeat my usual stance: I'm against
disliking FFXI based solely on the fact it's an online game. I can understand
the worry (heck, I worry about it myself at times, when I have nothing
better to worry about), but to write it off when it's in such an early
stage of development is jumping the gun. I'd at least wait until you
read some specific reviews of the game and the system, if not waiting until
you actually play the game. You can come over to my place, we'll have an
FF Online party!
| You see my shining face pop up in the craziest of places |
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A.K.
Man, it's seems like it's been forever since we last heard from you. How are you? First I need to know, was that really you in the March 2000 issue of Official Dreamcast Magazine. Because the picture kind of looks familiar, though I couldn't check the DA Archives to be sure, from that time you posted your pic to be put on other's faces. Another thing hat game me this idea was that itsaid that Andrew Kaufmann also liked RPG's and wrote for a gaming site.
I would like to add anyone who has a Dreamcast needs to buy Resident Evil: Code Veronica. I got mine on Thursday and I must say it is awesome. It has probably the best graphics I've seen, it has that cool Resident Evil feel to it, and it has a story that makes you want to play right through. I played for over 5 hours a did not even realize that that much time had passed. Unfortunately it also has some problems. First, to shoot you have to lift your finger off of the firing button for every shot, you can't just hold it down like in the other RE's. I know it's small but it tends to be very annoying. The zombies seem very stiff when they fall and that is also annoying. Other careless things that should have been changed are: you should NOT have to press the action button every time you go up stairs, I thought that was a thing of the past when RE: 3 came out, and they should have left some sort of the dodging in from the third Resident Evil.
Other than that it is awesome. On a scale from one to ten it gets a 9 and a half, losing that half of a point for those small and bothersome things that I mentioned. I just thought everyone would like to know how it was. I would tell some of the story but, I don't want to ruin it.
-E
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Sorry about my absence, but there were a lot of things going on. Drew
can attest to that. But any rate, it's all about the present which is
right here right now.
Yup, that was me in the two most recent Official Dreamcast Magazines! I
do some freelance game reviews for them. Fun stuff. That, and I get my
picture in a magazine. What a treat! Every time I go to malls, people
recognize me and ask for my autograph. Well, maybe that's a bit of a lie,
but I like to pretend, anyway.
I haven't had the chance to play RE: Code Veronica yet, but I hear it's
an awesome title, especially if you're a fan of the adventure genre.
I'd give it at least a rental, I plan to. Thanks for your two cents on
it!
| An FF that a few more people are excited about
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Hi AK -
I know you and Mister Jones (who, by the way, is doing a splendid job with
the column...) are probably sick of seeing blokes like me write about how
much they love/hate the ideas behind the next 39 Final Fantasies recently
announced, but I got more of that for youse.
I can't frickin' wait for FF9. Can I get a woe-superdeformedcharacters?
I'm a strange breed...I'm an old-skoolish but nice looking RPG fan who
started with the genre with...brace yourself...FF7. Before that it was
nothing but platformers and sports games...now if it 'aint gonna take me 60
hours to beat, then screw it. I mean, I'll take the occasional deviation
and rock a game of GT2, CTR, RE2, or any other acronym-laden titles, but
I'll take FF6 or old-skoolish games like Xenogears or LUNAR any day over
those. And yes, I thought FF8 kinda sucked. Shoulda ended halfway through
the third disc...game wasn't too bad, but characters were boring and
uninspired. Hopefully Square can learn their lesson and bring back some
good storytelling along with the weird looking characters. I don't know,
maybe the series has lost its flare, but they have three more games to get
back on track with, so let's all join hands and pray the get the frickin'
thing right.
My message to Square: Slick visuals = good. Shit storyline because of them
= bad. FF7 was great...keep it real.
Pikafoo
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Final Fantasy IX has me more and more excited every day. I feel like
I'm about 10 years younger, eagerly anticipating every shred of information
I can get my hands on about a game. It's a great feeling. What makes it
even better is that every scrap of information I find just strengthens
my eager anticipation. Square is saying everything I want them to
say about the game. Let's just hope it pans out, because I for one
really cannot wait for this game.
I also agree on your point about the storytelling, in part. I thought
Final Fantasy VII had the weakest storytelling in the series, but I don't
feel that storytelling was Final Fantasy VIII's strong point. It was
solid, for sure, well above par. But I think Square is capable of more.
I hope that they'll show off their capabilities in FFIX.
| Be careful where you put that! |
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AK! so good to see you!
in a fit of drunken rage, i just put my fist through my stereo. Now i
have a really bloody fist and a totally decimated $400 stereo. And on
top of that, my dad will be coming home tomorow from Tokyo where he
picked me up the Xenogears soundtrack, and i have no way of listening to
it. So please print my letter or i'll put my fist through my computer
screen and won't ever be able to read your column again.
thank you.
opul-kun (Map Man Extraordinaire)
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Not to be judgemental, but I don't think you're very bright. I heard
a rumor though that if you spin a CD around your finger really fast and
point one of those handheld laser-pointers at it, then it'll play music.
Worth a try!
| The bottomless pit |
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Hey AK
When I buy a $50 game where does all that money goto? I guy I talked to
at EB said they make $10 off of each game. Who gets the rest of the
money?
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Why, the companies that make the games of course. How else could Square
have grown into the huge conglomeration it is now?
Closing Comments
Chris is going to be back tomorrow. Be nice to him. Remember, he
loves each and every one of you for who you are, not for what you
look or smell like!
-Andrew Kaufmann
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