MechAssault Upgrades announced in OXM (1 Viewer)

[Scott Simonian]

Also, did you catch the rumor in OXM that Bungie is working on some serialized game for the XBOX?

???
:frowning:
I hope games wont be registered over live now. That would suck. Is that what you mean? What do you mean by serialized?

 

[CaptDS9E]

Serialized as in each game leads into another like a serialized tv or radio show. Im all for them.

As for the new stuff for Mech Assault. Im all for it. Mech Assault has been a excellent gaming experience and the new stuff is just a bonus

capt

 

[Adam Nixon]

Serialized as in each game leads into another like a serialized tv or radio show.

Are you sure? My understanding on "serial" installments was that you paid a fee to download each new level, or something to that extent. This idea absolutely blows, IMHO -- it's akin to MS renaming their service "Divx Live."

 

[Scott Simonian]

Serialized as in each game leads into another like a serialized tv or radio show.

Oh I remember now, there was a game that was supposed to be like that. I dont remember what it was called...

 

[BrianB]

Serialized as in each game leads into another like a serialized tv or radio show. Im all for them

Serialized in the brave new world of online gaming means "episodic" - games split up into seperate chunks that you need to download (and pay for), ie you get a new "chapter" every month with paying for it.

I guess it can be compared to a serialized TV show, but it's more like paying for (and downloading) your regular full price game over a matter of months instead of all upfront.

A few PC companies have tried it already - notably Origin - with little real success. Eidos, at one point, were discussing making the new Tomb Raider game serialised, so the rumours go. It's the "next big thing" - Sony have been pushing it for a while.

 

[Dave F]

As long as it is priced accordingly, I'm all for serialized games. I usually get bored with a game before I finish it, so paying for chunks of it would save me money in the long run.

But.....I hate downloading content. I like to have a hard copy of everything.

-Dave

 

[Ben Seibert]

Well the first of the content is supposedly out today, but I still don't know when.

 

[Adam Nixon]

The masses will not accept a "pay-to-keep-playing" model with downloadable games as your only option. You're totally screwed if your X-box HD dies, and forget about taking the game to a friend's house. It saddens me to hear that Bungie is considering going this route -- I sincerely hope this isn't the future of X-box live, but I imagine that this is what MS had in mind all along.

I guess some companies haven't learned their lessons from Circuit City's Divx disaster.

 

[Joe michaels]

This is not even comparable to Circuit City's DIVX.

Think about it like this, why would companies keep pumping out free downloadable levels and just release a sequel with all new levels instead?

How is this any different than Video On demand? This is subscription based gaming.

Eventually you have to know that media is going to take this form as downloading gets faster and faster.

The question is how this downloadable material will be accessed. Do you get it permanently? Can you save a back up to a memory card? Can you download it again?
Were not talking about Pay-Per play like Divx here so before we start to jump the gun lets at least ask questions before we start shooting.

 

[Adam Nixon]

"Pay-per-use" is the absolute Holy Grail for the entertainment industry. As soon as some company figures out the magical formula required to seduce customers to jump off of the "fair use" bandwagon, it will end media ownership as we know it.
I hope there's balance in their future plans, but it would be incredibly naive to believe that MS built X-box Live solely to create a Mecca for gamers -- it's the forerunner to a content distribution system with hopes of huge profit potential. Why else would they sink a billion dollars into development? Granted, there are certain to be some amazing innovations in store down the line, but I don't think anyone wishes to whip out their wallet each time they turn a console on.
All that being said, Live is still the best online experience in the short history of gaming. It's terrific that a company follows up on their initial promise of adding new content to an already great game. I just hope we'll still be offered "free" stuff a year down the line -- whenever MS decides to tell us what the monthly subscription rate is.