Bethesda developer calls Wii a “toy”
Saturday, February 7th, 2009 at 9:38am by Jack
Now, I like Bethesda games, especially Fallout 3 (until I got slightly bored after reaching about level 15 or so), but when developer Todd Howard says the Wii is a toy not worthy of his development time I can’t help but think how buggy Bethesda games are for the Xbox 360 and PS3.
They’re good games, mind you, but I think all that storage space and horsepower has led Bethesda to become a developer synonymous with buggy, needs-to-be-patched software. Fallout 3 could have used a little more, well, color too, although I imagine that idea was nixed during the early stages or being too “toy-like.”
Perhaps they’d be free to spend a little more on QA if they developed some slightly less ambitious titles for the little white moneymaking machine, the Wii? Regardless, it’s evident that not every developer feels the need to grovel at Nintendo’s feet these days, a la EA.
February 7th, 2009 at 10:19 am
I don’t like the idea of Howard calling the Wii a toy, but how does him saying that make you feel the need to call Bethesda out for their games being buggy? I don’t see the correlation. There needs to be developers out there pushing the technological boundaries of what is possible this generation and you just can’t do that on the Wii. If you want to write a piece about how his statement reflects on the industry, or on you personally that seems fine, but to attack their games just seems a little juvenile. It is the kind of writing you would expect to see in the comments section, not from someone writing for this site.
February 7th, 2009 at 10:46 am
/Sigh
The Wii IS a toy. And so is Xbox 360, PS3, DS, they’re all TOYS. I consider a toy something you play with, and that’s exactly what they all are.
I think it’s dumb not to call an Xbox a toy, because it’s primary function is for play. The only reason people hate it when they call Wii a toy is because the word is associated with children. I think it’s completely normal for older people to use toys.
All this really does is head back to the argument that was presented way back in the days of Sega Genesis. Nintendo is kiddie. But, I don’t think Nintendo is kiddie, because kids and adults can both enjoy the system.
And the honest truth is, I simply don’t think the Wii could handle Fallout 3. And that’s sad! ‘Cause I’d love to see it on the system. I still love my Wii.
February 7th, 2009 at 10:48 am
Well, it is a toy, isn’t it? I mean, so was the NES, SNES, Playstation, Playstation 2 etc. It’s a device you play games on. PLAY GAMES. PLAY. GAMES. The odd things abour his comments are the sense this man has that the PS3 and Xbox360 are somehow elevated beyond this status. The PS3 might qualify for its media functionality, but this really shouldn’t concern him from a developer standpoint. The Xbox flat out is a toy. I’d say the internet functionality of the Wii qualifies it as less of a toy than the 360.
But what’s the real issue here? It’s that somehow he feels that he is somehow ‘beyond’ the status of a toymaker. His games aren’t ’simply’ a game. This is the real problem. ‘Next Gen’ game developers are so far up their own arses that they think such ‘passé’ descriptions are beneath them. To sum up, they’re pretentious gits. They need not lower themselves to the ‘casual’ masses… no, their games are art! In the ACTUAL artworld, plenty of artists starve for years before they gain recognition and an income of any real sort. Imagine if the entire movie industry had these illusions of grandure. There would be no blockbusters of any sort and every film would be silent, black and white, film about the melancholy of drug use in the netherworld, or some such existential whatever… The difference here is that making these ‘art pieces’ costs $20+ millions, and the ’sell out’ games cost <$7 million.
February 7th, 2009 at 10:51 am
All video game consoles are toys. If you like video games, then you like playing with toys. Get over it.
February 7th, 2009 at 11:27 am
Yeah Bethesda games are great if you can somehow look past the bland, ugly, generic character designs and bad voice acting. But hey, it was developed in America, where apparently textures and scenery take the highest priority with character design and convincing animation taking the backseat. Dark, gritty post-apocalyptic FPSes FTW and all that.
February 7th, 2009 at 11:48 am
Hey, let’s take an unrelated potshot at a dev because they vaguely insulted my favorite console! Classic Jack.
And if you knew anything about Bethesda, you’d know their games have always been buggy, horsepower or no. Go check out Daggerfall, their best game, especially in its initial form. It’s bugtastic.
February 7th, 2009 at 12:03 pm
@Richter
- Exactly what I came to say. I can’t begin to count the number of tile seams I fell through.
I don’t recall the original Fallouts (didn’t play but saw a friend play a fair amount) having a lot of color either.
February 7th, 2009 at 12:41 pm
The Wii is a great system because it is cheap and fun. Period. Nearly everyone wants the Wii because of it, and any developer who at least doesn’t try to cash in on the Wii’s success (or at least the DS’s success) is stupid.
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, graphics do not make a good video game. I admit its nice to see a life like look in the games, but if the gameplay is buggy and sucks then whats the point? I’ll stick with Mario and Zelda, at least I know that I am getting my money’s worth.
I’m not trying to say that developers should drop the XBOX and PS systems, but they should expand to the Wii as well, even if it means they need to pull back on their graphics a bit just for the Wii version. That extra amount of work will pay off in the end simply for the fact that more people on a Wii then other systems, and more people who cannot afford a XBOX or PS will spend their money on the Wii. Hence more money for the developer.
February 7th, 2009 at 12:46 pm
Jack, when someone hits you, hitting them back doesn’t always solve the problem. There’s nothing wrong with a developer choosing an alliance. Many of them do it. And I think it’s pretty unrelated to the quality of Bethesda’s games. Insulting reputable developers and publishers because they don’t bow down to Nintendo is taking credibility away from your arguments, and you’ve done this many times before.
I can certainly see how his statement could be taken as offensive. Sure, as others have noted, all gaming consoles are technically toys. They are to be played with and enjoyed, and I have no problems admitting that I play with toys often if we look at it from that perspective. But his statement is basically to say that the Wii shouldn’t be taken seriously, which I disagree with.
But oh well. I guess not every developer wants to work on Wii, and I accepted that a long time ago.
February 7th, 2009 at 2:00 pm
I welcome his comments about the Wii being a kid’s toy. If this is how the “harcore” gamers/developers view the console then good, it’ll keep them from ruining my online Wii gaming experience.
Has anyone played Xbox Live? These gamers are critical of the game they’re playing and the people they’re playing with. The game’s voice chat is filled with cursing, racial slurs, insults and singing. Gamers play as cheap as possible and exploit the game’s glitches to win the game.
Compare that with the Wii. Games were designed to be fun, not based on violence and graphics. Online play isn’t a high stakes competition… I don’t really care if I finish first or last in Smash Brothers of Mario Kart, either way it’s fun.
February 7th, 2009 at 2:28 pm
To Jack:
Your criticism of Fallout 3’s color palette was the first indicator that your opinions are a little skewed. Its a post-apocolyptic wasteland, not Bowser’s friggin’ Castle. There is no place for purple in Fallout… Jack and I dont know why you dont get this. You are definitely a fan-boy who got his feelings hurt. Bethesda is right to call the Wii a “toy” because the system simply cannot handle the depth and visuals of the kind of game that the Oblivion team puts out. Is the Wii fun? Absolutely… but it will NEVER run a game half the size of Oblivion or Fallout 3.
I doubt very seriously Ill see a post from Jack criticizing the lack of color from Madworld.
To Craig:
Really? Have YOU played Xbox live? You can mute the voice of obnoxious players. I do care what place I finish in Mario Kart, why play otherwise? Not to mention that SSBB doesnt even work half the time. They are fun games, but you cant just run around forgiving the shortcomings of any game. All I see you doing is defending Nintendo and defeating Microsoft, which makes no sense. Competition and criticism are good for the industry.
February 7th, 2009 at 2:42 pm
It’s disappointing to hear them say that, although yes – many things about the definition of “toy” comes to mind – - as David reminded us in the Podcast last week, the NES was marketed as a “Toy” to avoid the slump associated with gaming consoles of the time.
Still, i wish Bethesda would give Nintendo hardware more credit – in the end all three systems are just computers of various specifications – and a good developer can make a good game on any of them. I’m not looking for a Fallout on the Wii, but I do think the DS is perfectly suited for a throwback to previous fallout games.
February 7th, 2009 at 3:11 pm
hehehehehehehee
(i agree with him.)
also
develop less ambitious titles? so many things wrong there.
February 7th, 2009 at 3:14 pm
@John I was an Xbox Live beta tester for the original Xbox. I’ve payed my $50 a year since the service came out and I got both Xboxes on their launch days. Back when the service first came out there was a sense of community. People would ask questions and have conversations. You’d talk about what’s coming out and what you’re looking forward to getting. Today, the community is much different for the reasons I’ve stated above. That was never an issue on the original Xbox. Yes games have mute, but I don’t want to have to mute my teammates, if they decide to yell out an instruction or ask for help.
I’m not defending Nintendo or attacking Microsoft. I’m just stating the community on Xbox Live isn’t there anymore. It’s become a hate/bash fest. Maybe gamers on Nintendo games play the same way, I just can’t hear them, but I feel like it’s a more civil community. Again, note I’m complaining about the specific players, not the services, games or hardware. Xbox Live IS superior to the other networks, but it’s the players that I have the problem with.
Why play Mario Kart if I don’t care about winning? Because it’s a fun game. There isn’t a sense of perfectionism required to play the game. I’ve played games where I’ve been in 1st for 2.5 laps and gotten blue-shelled, red shelled and run over and ended up finishing in 12th. I’ve had games where I’ve been in 8th place, been bumped off a cliff to drop to 12th place and gotten a Bullet Bill to finish in 2nd place. I’m always amazed at what happens in the races and their outcomes and that’s what keeps me coming back.
February 7th, 2009 at 5:15 pm
i like the comparison of wii to a toy, so it stuck in my mind and i was thinking about it. i’d like to take the analysis further than Todd probably intended.
i’d like to first note that i do not believe it to be an inherently derogatory comment. i think it is only taken as much where wii gamers find the comment dissmissive of their chosen hobby console as something less than other hobby consoles. but i find this interpretation to be overly sensitive, especially given the context provided in the article.
i would never hesitate to consider most mario games as “toys.” but this does not diminish how entertaining they are. it simply distinguishes them from games which may require a larger investment from the player, through complexity of play, storytelling, emotional investment in the characters, or other methods. it’s distinguishing the game as simpler, which is fair. it is not distinguishing the game as less fun. however, i believe it is fair to distinguish mario glaxy from, say, gta4 in terms of content the way we distinguish james joyce from dragonlance.
next, there are several ways i readily see to to interpret this statement. it may apply to 1) the purpose of the wii 2) how the wii is used by the majority of users 3) what games have been developed for it or 4) the wii’s capacity for handling games of depth
1) as far as purpose, for the large blue ocean, it is fair to equate the wii more to a toy than other consoles. it was designed to be simpler and provide a more approachable level of interactivity. it’s biggest hits are wiisports, mario galaxy, wii fit, mario kart. there is an inherent element and focus on accessibility and pure play, as opposed to entertainment content driving a message or emotional connection, for instance. this is not to say some games don’t aim for more, but for the blue ocean’s purpose, tennis simulator is plenty. this also is consitent with nintendo’s percieved focus away from the hardcore.
2) majority of use is contentious. but i largely see wiis being used for strict play, not immersion in story or character, so i find this version applicable.
3) it is clear that many gamers have been turned off by the type of game available for the wii. this is more inherently a preference of games being displayed, but most of the people i know who are turned off by wii software do state it’s dimplicity and focus on play over immersion as a significant point.
4) this is the most contentious point i’m sure. many have interpretted the statement as indicting the wii’s ability to handle non-toy games. to me, this is fair, especially if you read the statement as a measure of relative platform abilities. the wii cannot handle some of the most sophisticated and immersive games of this generation. while no more heroes is a good game, it’s clearly does not provide the level of detail of gta4, fallout3, or farcry2. inasmuch as the wii cannot generate the type of worlds that developers are trying to create on more powerful platforms, it does seem like a “toy”. it is something of greater simplicity and less capability than much state-of-the-art game developing demands.
to say that, “yes the wii is a toy because all consoles are toys” is a semantic argument which relies on redefining his terms and ignoring the content of his statement, which is to distinguish between the wii and ps60pc in one or more of the ways described above.
to attack him as pretentious seems more a reflection of insecurity about how he has portrayed the wii, and what such a portrayal says about you, the wii user. i definately believe that many game designers dream up such schemes that push the envelope of available technololgy, and to suggest that they are pretentious for dreaming big should not be encouraged inasmuch as it discourages them to dream big.
finally, the offtopic maligning of xbox live raises a reasonable criticism of the service, but only one that has not developed on a nintendo platfor given the system’s limitations on online interaction. also, given the buggy derision directed at bethesda, it’s funny to see nintendo’s online service placed on any platform.
so there are some quick thoughts that were brewing in my brain. now…. back to studying… blargh
cheers
February 7th, 2009 at 6:16 pm
It isn’t storage space and horsepower that makes Bethesda games buggy, it’s the size and scope of their games. Too much area to cover. So, I guess it [i]is[/i] storage space.
February 7th, 2009 at 7:08 pm
Every gaming console on the market is a toy. They’re all used for entertainment.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:10 am
@ John:
Yes it is a post-apocalyptic world; however, the browns and greys really do get old. I’m playing Fallout 3 on the PC right now, and I’m already sick of it, whether it’s contextually correct or not.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:37 am
I’m also wondering how post-apocalyptic worlds got so brownish-grey. Is there some new variety of neutron bomb that only destroys things that are stylish? It must be a really obvious answer because every teenager or college kid who refers to games played by actual adults as “kiddie”, while oblivious to the irony inherent to such a statement, seem to accept it as a matter of course.
I felt a little bad when Capcom said the Wii didn’t have enough graphics-fu to handle RE5 or when whatshisname who developed Katamari Damacy dismissed the Wii out of hand. I’d have liked to see those games on the Wii. But Oblivion was not to my taste at all and Fallout 3 I’m only interested in trying a few times to find out how dumbed down it is compared to its magnificent predecessors. And I really think staying away from the Wii makes sense for Bethesda because the Wii’s user base wouldn’t really buy a lot of their games. I’m not even sure the eventual Wii GTA game is going to do that well, and those are actually kind of entertaining rather than merely long.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:54 am
All video game systems are toys. I don’t understand this guys point. They are game machines, you’re supposed to PLAY with them. How could any game console NOT be a toy? I mean, the NINTENDO ENTERTAINMENT SYSTEM was an entertainment system right? No. Toy.
Same goes for the multimedia entertainment devices or whatever they want to be called now. Toys, all of em. And to that I say good. I like toys. Toys are good.
February 8th, 2009 at 1:42 am
No, what he’s trying to say is that, umm… Lemme make an analogy here.
By calling a video game system a toy, he’s saying, that like, a giant flamethrower is like a BB gun. Or something. You get what I mean?
February 8th, 2009 at 4:45 am
Well, they couldn’t really have added more color to Fallout 3 because then all the fans would have freaked the fuck out, need I remind you what happened with Diablo 3? Especially since Bethesta didn’t make the two original games they had to really get the same feel as in those two.
February 8th, 2009 at 11:24 am
ok, so i realize that no one read my long post, so here’s one relevant part:
to say that, “yes the wii is a toy because all consoles are toys” is a semantic argument which relies on redefining his terms and ignoring the content of his statement, which is to distinguish between the wii and ps60pc in one or more of the ways described above.
basically what Lite said
February 8th, 2009 at 11:57 am
Ha Ha @ deepthought
Everyone seems pretty intelligent on this site.
February 8th, 2009 at 12:14 pm
“to say that, “yes the wii is a toy because all consoles are toys” is a semantic argument which relies on redefining his terms”
No, in order for it to be a semantic argument, the guy who said that has to be redefining EVERYONEs terms. Why? Because the Wii IS a toy. Its not debatable. Saying the Wii is a toy is like saying the Wii is a game console. Its a redundant statement. Thats why it makes no sense. For it to make any sense whatsoever, one must assume that this guy has redefined the PS3 and 360 as NOT being toys, when in fact, they are and it’s obvious they are. Only a gamer would have ANY idea that there is even a distinction between the two.
The Wii is a toy. The 360 is a toy. The PS3 is a toy. If you find that idea offensive, you shouldn’t be gaming (if you are an adult). If you play video games as an adult, who cares? It’s only the immature adults who are afraid of their hobby being called childish. Well guess what, video gaming IS childish. I don’t care. I enjoy it.
February 8th, 2009 at 1:47 pm
@ used- he’s making a point by using words in a literary and comparative manner. that’s not quite the same thing as just making it up. saying his statement is tautological is ignoring the distinction he is clearly drawing. i’d say look to author’s intent here, not just the first definition in websters, to understand him.
also, agreed on enjoying games irregardless of what others call them
@ john
cheers! and welcome to the site if you’re new!
February 8th, 2009 at 7:36 pm
This was easily the worst article I read on the internetz today.
February 8th, 2009 at 10:18 pm
“i’d say look to author’s intent here, not just the first definition in websters, to understand him.”
That’s the whole point. What IS his intent? Words have meaning. When you go outside that meaning, even subtly, you risk being misunderstood. You can defend his comments all you want, but that’s irrelevant. I think we can agree, no matter what he meant, that his comment was misunderstood by a lot of people. It’s irresponsible to blame those who misunderstand someone when that someone is using words outside the generally accepted meaning.
February 8th, 2009 at 11:07 pm
But, to me, the Wii is not a BB gun. It is a WMD. Don’t agree with me? Then forget you.
February 8th, 2009 at 11:27 pm
@ deepthought:
I don’t think anyone but you payed attention to ME either. So let me say this one more time:
By saying a video game console is a toy, he is making a (poor and redundant) comparison to something worse. The comparison I made, saying a flamethrower is like a BB gun, makes sense. A flamethrower burns at around how many degrees and has been used effectively in many a war movie, WWII, shooter games, and comics as not a WMD, but the next best thing. A BB gun might leave someone alive. In pain. With a flesh wound.
See the difference?
So let me put the Wii on the same scale. Let’s imagine the Wii as a standard-issue GI submachine gun. To say, “The Wii is a toy” evokes the imagery of bringing said submachine gun down to the level of, maybe, a rubber prop gun used in movies. That shoots blanks. Paper blanks. Like, spitwads. Get it now?? That’s what we were trying to say.
And the metaphor of “the Wii is a toy” doesn’t make sense because toys don’t do much. What do toys do? Nothing. They entertain you. You play with them for a while, then they get boring. Same with video games. If you are an ultra-awesome gamer who happens, JUST HAPPENS, to unlock every single thing in Brawl, then Brawl, too, will bore you after a certain amount of time. (Hard to imagine that.) Video games entertain you. You play them for a while and you get bored. So what? YOU MOVE ON TO THE NEXT GODDAMN GAME!!!!!!!! If what the Wii offers doesn’t impress, or you don’t think there is enough, then try playing third-party games! Trust me, THEY EXIST!!!!! I have a few!! And if you don’t believe me, then you are in for a big suprise this year!!!!
February 9th, 2009 at 12:16 am
@ used
sorry man, but… you’re wrong. also, never try to read anything by shakespeare, melville, joyce, cs lewis, etc… you’ll be horrified by how much they misuse (?) language… all those hidden meanings…. and for god sakes never EVER read TS Elliot. your mind might melt from rage at his abuse of language. for that matter, someone should tell Harold Bloom that literary criticism is BS.
His intent is pretty clear in the context of the interview. it just… is. honestly, sometimes communicating takes a little more work than a lexicographer like yourself would admit.
protip: read the source article and not just out of context quotes.
@ Lite
love the passion. i think his comparison is largely to emphasize the relative technical limits of the wii vs ps60pc, not just malign the wii as simply something worse.
February 9th, 2009 at 1:16 am
@deep,
You’ve got to be kidding me. Get off your high horse. This guy isn’t writing a book, not even a sonnet. He sure as F$*& isn’t James Joyce. Did you really compare this guy to Shakespeare? You’re out of your mind. And your melodrama disappoints. I realize this is the internet and you can play at what you feel, but c’mon. There’s no shakespeare in “it’s a toy”. Not even close. Sorry, there just…..isn’t. Weak man. Just weak.
Protip.
Change your handle to shallowoverlymelodramaticthought.
February 9th, 2009 at 2:13 am
@ Used Cisco, ditto. Calm down deepthought, this is a gaming website. If you feel the need to impress people with your language skills go somewhere else, please. And do change the name, I imagine most of us see it and automatically disregard whatever you say.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:03 am
alright- well i thought my post was funny.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:06 am
that is, sry if it was too much.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:08 am
also, anyone remember the scene in jerry macguire where he calls the other agent a “child”? i don’t think anyone was confused by that. this is similar.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:16 am
ok and here’s webster’s on toy:
1obsolete a: flirtatious or seductive behavior b: pastime ; also : a sportive or amusing act : antic
2 a: something (as a preoccupation) that is paltry or trifling b: a literary or musical trifle or diversion c: trinket , bauble
3: something for a child to play with
i think “trifling” fits his use well. ok i’m done. and apologies again to used if my post was too aggressive.
February 9th, 2009 at 12:02 pm
“also, anyone remember the scene in jerry macguire where he calls the other agent a “child”? i don’t think anyone was confused by that. this is similar.”
See there, you still don’t get it.
This example would only be applicable if EVERY agent was already a child. That’s not the case. When every agent is actually an adult, calling them a child to make a point makes perfect sense. If every agent was already a child, then to call one particular agent a child would be equally confusing. Even for Shakespeare or Jerry Macquire.
February 9th, 2009 at 4:00 pm
@ deepthought:
I know he was talking about the techs of the Wii versus the PS360. I understood that as a statement saying that the Wii is worse than the other two. I get where you’re coming from too, though.
@ used:
He’s telling you not to read literature from genius playrights, authors and such, for the fear of making you brain hurt.
February 9th, 2009 at 4:10 pm
And, Jerry MacGuire? I need some kind of, like, movies references book to keep up with cultural references.
February 9th, 2009 at 5:50 pm
By the way, I realize that no one ever makes any arguements about the DS versus the PSP. Why’s that? We all have vivid discussions about the Wii versus PS360 but never have we touched the subject of everyone’s favorite handheld.
…Oh. That’s why. It’s everyone’s favorite.
February 9th, 2009 at 6:26 pm
@ Lite,
I don’t need to read a genius playwright to make my brain hurt. I have your post!
Seriously though, I think you ask a good question about the DS. I think you’re right about the “everybodys favorite” part. But that leads to some other interesting questions.
1. Why is it everyones favorite?
2. Why hasn’t the gaming hardcore decided to hate on it they way they do the Wii?
I mean, the graphical capabilities of the DS are further behind the PSP than the Wii is behind the 360/PS3. The DS interface is just as gimmicky on a lot of games as the Wii Remote. There is a TON of bullshit shovelware on the DS. I mean, people will actually hold games like “Babyz” against the Wii, while giving the DS a pass for having the same shit games like “hamsterz” or whatever.
I think the Wii is honestly the console version of the DS. It does a lot of stuff right but many things wrong. Lots of fun to be had on either console.
February 9th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
@ Used:
I was joking! Jeez. You can’t take a joke? At least I achieved my goal to bring out a handheld discussion.
Well, this is the point I wanted to bring up. We’ve repeatedly gone around and around flaming the Wii, when we should move on to something else. I only said everyone’s favorite to tick someone off, or get someone’s attention. Looks like it worked. Now we can get something going here…
I guess maybe the DS…appeals…? Or something? I mean, I like it. But there needs to be some more games on it, though.
I don’t really know how to answer this question. I’ll finish by saying that maybe most hardcore gamers play on consoles more than they do handhelds, although there are some exceptions. And maybe because major developers ignore the DS’s potential (except for maybe Atlus and Activision-I mean, the Transformers game based on the movie plays a lot like GTA!!), we’ve shoved all news regarding it under the carpet.
And I have this to say about these gimmicky controls. All the games that try to take advantage of them too much end up being pieces of crap!! Seriously! Brawl has very little motion control, and the gameplay ended up being smooth!
February 9th, 2009 at 7:42 pm
I agree with Bethesda. All consoles may be toys, but the Wii is moreso. But that is also its appeal. It is not all things to all gamers like past #1 consoles like PS2 and SNES.
February 9th, 2009 at 7:47 pm
You have a point about those games, Used. All I ever see when I go out looking for DS games is Babyz 3000…shiver…jibblie…and no one mentions anything. But my friends and other people at school only focus on the crap for Wii. If I see anothe Imagine: Dinosaur Doctor or something at GameStop, I will jump off a building.
February 9th, 2009 at 8:00 pm
I’ll do it. Metaphorically, as always, but I will.
February 9th, 2009 at 8:51 pm
hahaha- i think lite wins this thread for at least achieving his goal.
i always thought that both the ds and psp were gimped in different ways when it came to hardware. one with power, the other with serious control issues. honestly, that nub is really awkward. also, despite some overlap, i think lite is right about the type of gamer who uses handhelds. i know i game at home and on the road very differently. and i never use my ds at home.
there you go, i’m helping along the handheld thread. you’re welcome.
also used…. from your response it looks like you agree that the movie’s context is required to understand the comment. you’re exactly right. it’s not the rugrats movie. so i def feel the context (and content) of the source article is likewise important, and definitive.
also, yeah, jerry maguire?? i really have no excuse…
also, kindle 2 is totally sweet.
February 9th, 2009 at 9:03 pm
@Lite,
“I was joking! Jeez. You can’t take a joke? ”
Are you serious or joking again?
My response was obviously in good humor.
“I don’t need to read a genius playwright to make my brain hurt. I have your post!
”
Note the winking smiley at the end?
@deep,
With regard to context. I apologize if I minimized context. Obviously that’s always important. But even given the context, I think the guy could and SHOULD be more clear. You make great use of words above as you describe what this guy LIKELY meant, but still, we shouldn’t have to guess about some ambiguous statement and even though the context is important and revealing, given the use of words, I think he simply needs to elaborate. If it were me, I would ask him flat out if all 3 consoles are toys. Does he think so? I can’t tell. And what specifically about the Wii makes it a toy? Etc.
February 9th, 2009 at 9:32 pm
@ Used:
I was joking again! And I guess I totally confused you in the end. So, yeah.
And lookie here! I calmed an arguement between you two, deep and used! You guys actually agreed on a quarter of the conflict!
Now that I brought up a new discussion, I hope we can all stop arguing about Wii vs PS360 and all that. Now if you excuse me, I have some nooblets to own on CoD 5. For Wii!
(i’d play it on DS, but I have no wireless outlet to link to…)
February 9th, 2009 at 9:40 pm
@ deepthought, I was a little rude when I insulted you (and your name) up there. We all have things we want to say sometimes and you are just speaking your mind. So sorry if I was too abrasive. At least you keep a discussion interesting.
February 9th, 2009 at 10:54 pm
fair enough used and no worries jinjo- these conversation are what makes this site for me
have fun gaming… i’m stuck in the library for the night…. booo….
February 10th, 2009 at 1:03 am
@lite,
Don’t get too excited. Deep and I go round and round all the time on here, and it’s generally pretty friendly and well-meant. Even though we often disagree, I think we respect each others right to our own opinions. If we all thought the same way, this would be a pretty boring world.
February 10th, 2009 at 6:55 pm
@ Used:
I know. I said only a quarter. And this was fun, so your point is proven.
And ooh! Looks like I gots another person to apologize!…Or I have a big head. Probably the big head. Yeah. The large skull is my problem. Gotta go read some Zen books or something…
February 10th, 2009 at 7:04 pm
Lite,
You and me both. I can barely squeeze into a 7 and 3/4 ball cap. Sucks. Hard to wear hats with a giant egg for a head!
February 10th, 2009 at 11:16 pm
I’m having fun from what was supposed to be a discussion on whether or not the Wii was to be treated as something unworthy of Bethesda’s development, guys! (Used!) I guess I can turn around anything by stepping in the discussion with big words and jokes about my bodily appearance.
So I’m-a let people continue discussing topics. I’m apparently so entertaining, we can’t get anywhere on this issue. I’m out!!