BlogGlue

Greetings!

Here are a few of my favorite things: Nintendo, Penny Arcade, The Legend of Zelda, Mario, Pokemon, Harvest Moon, Fallout, Dungeons and Dragons, books, dice, Professor Layton, Shadow of the Colossus, Minecraft, and so much more. I'm going to talk a lot about video games, I sincerely hope you don't mind.

Newest paper sculpt project!

Sonic Screwdriver trio for my friend's birthday.

An interview with Adam Harum of Transolar Galactica.

They achieved their Kickstarter goal, and now the world gets more of their award winning sci-fi comedy!

Doctor Who themed lip balm!

Brought to you from Earthtastic! and A Bit of Geek.

Minecraft paper sculpt!

My submission to the Mojang community art contest. Watch the video!

A TARDIS desk lamp!

Instructions and babbling on how to make a TARDIS lamp from foam core!

Showing posts with label digital distribution. Show all posts
Showing posts with label digital distribution. Show all posts

Friday, August 10, 2012

How Do You Take Your Mario: Tangible or Digital?

New Super Mario Bros. 2 releases for the 3DS on Sunday the 19th. Will you be picking it up from stores, or grabbing it digitally?
Nintendo is offering simultaneous in-store or download purchase of New Super Mario Bros. 2
It's a first for the company and the 3DS system.

I've been asking myself this question ever since the digital distribution was announced. I like tangible, hard copies. Something I can see, touch, smell and taste, if I really wanted to. I like having a physical copy of things that I can lend to friends if they're on the fence about a purchase, or if they don't have the funds but they still want the experience.

Digital distribution is undeniably popular because of the ease of access. Games beamed directly to me without leaving the house? I can't deny that that's appealing. The cost of gas, the potential stress of traffic, and sometimes even the hunt to locate a copy are all eliminated when downloads come into play.

Of course, in the case of Nintendo, there's a seriously murky area when it comes to downloaded titles for the 3DS or Wii. Since Nintendo doesn't have traditional online accounts like one would find on the PS3 or 360, anything someone downloads will be tied to the console/handheld in question. So, theoretically, if the 3DS or Wii breaks, chances are you'll have to pay for every purchased download all over again.

Nintendo is offering extra Club Nintendo incentives for those who purchase NSMB2 digitally.

Once Club Nintendo arrived on U.S. soil, Nintendo integrated the ability to link Wii and 3DS systems with a person's Club Nintendo account, and that does create a visible history of all downloads and purchases. All the same, my research online hasn't included anything conclusive either way. Some places say that if the 3DS or Wii breaks, then you're out of luck. Other places say that Nintendo has a way of transferring data. I just know that I'd hate to lose my downloads and then have to pay for them all over again.

It's that sort of factor that comes into play as I continue to kick around the idea of downloading NSBM2 come the 19th. There's also the fact that initial launch numbers from Japan showed hour plus long download times, as well as server lag and other issues. That's a gamble that I'll have to take if I choose to grab it digitally.

What will you be doing? Download, or physical copy? Let me hear your thoughts!

Monday, March 12, 2012

Blurring the lines: Gaming in a single genre is a thing of the past.

Gaming as a hobby offers practically unending possibilities. One may choose to stick within genres and dedicate their time solely to racing games, and the complete dominance thereof, for instance. Most gamers have a type of game that they prefer above all else, be it FPS, RTS, platformer, puzzle, action/adventure, etc. But the real joy of the hobby comes from our ability to seamlessly shift into a new area.
super mario world screenshot
Super Mario World and Limbo are both side-scrolling platformers.
You're halfway to a whole new game!

Steam is an amazing service that whole-heartedly encourages new and unique experiences to all gamers. In addition to offering triple A big hitter titles, it's also an avenue for indie games to break into the scene. After making a free account, users can browse all that Steam has to offer and click to purchase and download games on the spot.

Digital distribution may create a disadvantage for traditional distributers, but it's certainly a blessing for gamers. Steam allows users access to gameplay trailers and, most of the time, a downloadable demo for each game. With this business model it seems likely that gamers will soon forget the days of purchasing a game on a whim, only to be left disappointed and lighter in the wallet.

Many of the games available for purchase on Steam exist under twenty dollars, and even more of them hover at ten. The accessible prices, combined with available demos, eliminates almost all uncertainty and ultimately leads to new gaming experiences. This encouragement (and assistance via a 'Recommended' section) to branch out is a welcome change from my usual method; assuming that I'll like a game because I'm partial to its genre.

There are a plethora of fresh games awaiting my eager exploration, and I am so thankful for the technological advancements that make such a situation possible. My Steam account is far from robust, but it's serving as an important gathering center for games that I hope to play in the very near future. I believe I'll be starting with Orcs Must Die, an amalgamation of tower defense and third person shooter. How unusual, and certainly not my normal fare.

It's time to change lanes from Mario and Zelda and explore the realm of indie, spooky side-scrollers and titles off the beaten trail.

-MJ

This was written in part for the blog carnival hosted by Into Geek!

Into Geek

Twitter Facebook Stumbleupon Favorites More