Jazzy - In the Well!

[L31mr0d]

Time to start hitting the forum regulars to see what makes them tick!

Jazzy - you're up (and you get to pick a victim candidate next week!)

1. Earliest memory of gaming?
2. Longest time spent on a game?
3. If you could stop time in terms of gaming gernerations, what would it be?
4. Recommend 1 game to a person who has never played computer games (PC or console) that will instantly get them to understand what it's all about.
5. What is the best gaming system in your opinion?
6. What do you think of the introduction of 'achievements' / 'trophies'?
7. Can you go back and play through old games without them (or would you buy them from the arcade store now just for the glowing feeling when you hear that sound)?
8. What are your top 5 games at the moment (can be all-time or currently playing)?
9. What system do you currently do most of your gaming on and why?
10. What's the worst game you've ever played that you seen through to completion?

[Xyo]

Favourite gaming hero and villain.

[Kiith]

Favourite piece of music from a game? (Was supposed to ask this to Retr0 and L31mr0d as well)

[Kinetic^]

A choice of being the best in the country at UT or HoN?

[Retr0gamer]

Why are you afraid of taking me on in Street Fighter?

Favourite videogame boss?
Hardest videogame boss?
Hardest game you've finished?
Worst game you've gotten to the end of?

[Winters]

Whats your favourite pad? (Always, Bodyform etc?)

[Jazzy]

Asked by L31mr0d

1. Earliest memory of gaming?
Getting killed by the first goomba in Super Mario Bros. on the Nes. my friends laughed at me saying "no one gets killed by the first goomba!"

2. Longest time spent on a game?
Probably DotA at this stage. a lot of my friends play it and when you are playing with people you know you can play almost indefinately. same thing happened with UT2004. there was a good scene and people we all knew on servers every night.
edit- in one sitting it would have to be my all in one playthrough of final fantasy 7. 36 hours in total at a friends free gaff. i did the same with crono trigger and secret of mana. im currently looking to do that again with another game. maybe try and do it for meningitis charity or something

3. If you could stop time in terms of gaming gernerations, what would it be?
tricky this. Id be tempted to say right at the end of the 16 bit era as there was so many games i loved from then, but in reality it would have to be now. thats simply because of online play and the ability to hop on a ventrillo server and chat and play the same games as your friends. As good as a 4 player super bomberman is, it can't compete with the social aspect thats so a part of gaming today. in that regard id also be tempted to say christmas of 97 when my friend bought goldeneye, that game took up a good year of our lives

4. Recommend 1 game to a person who has never played computer games (PC or console) that will instantly get them to understand what it's all about.
Megaman X or Megaman 2. bosses, guns, platforming, irritation, satisfaction, music, challenge... these games have all the basics down so well that it would be very easy to get into and understand. all those sidescrolling shooters from the 8 and 16 bit era really shaped how games are played mentally and are deeply embedded in the evolution of the industry.
for a multiplayer game im going to have to go with Quake 3. easy to understand, fun and rewarding. again, this game (some would argue Quakeworld and they might be right but QW is too hard for noobies) has really shaped how online games are played. its a good entry level game for playing with friends

5. What is the best gaming system in your opinion?
The PC by leaps and bounds. it does everything and can push the limits of gaming and skill far higher then anything else. look at starcraft in korea, you cant do that on a console.

6. What do you think of the introduction of 'achievements' / 'trophies'?
I can see the attraction but I barely care for them. I much preferred getting secret levels and other easter eggs in older games. the achievements probably stretch out games far too much and I think they ultimately dont add much to the actual game itself. bosses like the Weapons in the final fantasy games add far more to the experience then gamer points ever would. I see peoples 'score' on xbox live tags and i think "why bother?". i think the gamer has to find the challenges, not be told what they are.

7. Can you go back and play through old games without them (or would you buy them from the arcade store now just for the glowing feeling when you hear that sound)?
Easily. Ive got a hankering for Super Metroid right now and since I brought up Megaman back there I think I might just load them up!

8. What are your top 5 games at the moment (can be all-time or currently playing)?
Ill go with 'currently' as Ill malfunction and blow up if asked for my definitive top 5.
in no order:
-Heroes of Newerth (DotA but with a lemon twist)
-Quakelive
-Street Fighter IV
-Starcraft
-UT2004

9. What system do you currently do most of your gaming on and why?
PC. to play the same games as my friends and because you cant play HoN anywhere else. as the old saying goes, you dont make friends with salad!

10. What's the worst game you've ever played that you seen through to completion?
Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2. dull combat, dull bosses, dull movement, dull atmosphere. I just played for the story and at the end of it none of it really added anything to the series. Quite annoyed at that.


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Asked by Xyo


Favourite gaming hero and villain.
Favorite hero has got to be Samus. Me and her have been through a lot over the years and she always pulls through in the end. possibly Guile too... you could eat your dinner off that hair! special mention for Zlatan Ibrahimovic in Pro Evo 6 too, old reliable

Favorite villian is tough. I could give the blanket "Sephiroth" answer but retr0gamer will eat my face if I said that. I really liked Andrew Ryan in Bioshock but i dont know if you can class him as a villain. the man built a city under the sea but still practices golf with a tea cup. Gman is spooky, bowser is heavy and mother brain is a b1tch. i hated her more for killing the giant metroid baby then i did when sephiroth you know what. I havent come across a really good bad guy in a game for a while, any recommendations?


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Asked by Kiith

Favourite piece of music from a game?

very tough. ill pick one for now anyway

so epic. still gives me chills

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Asked by Kinetic

A choice of being the best in the country at UT or HoN?
UT without question. Id like me and my friends to be the best HoN team in the country, but as an individual id have to go with UT. the skill required to be that good at a deathmatch game is insane and the satisfaction you get from beating really good players is next to none. One of my favorite moments in games was the Quarter final match I had with Chosen at Gamecon. the match went into overtime and it was one of those real nail biters. it was on the big screen and there was a big crowd watching us from behind too. getting that kill after 3 minutes of overtime and knocking out the man who dumped me out of the previous tournament was amazing. we were sitting right beside each other too and were good friends so the match meant a lot. i havent really won anything with the team in HoN/DotA yet but I would imagine that winning with a team at a lan would be just as good.
also if im the best at UT in the country it means Im better then Kronic and thats all that matters

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Asked by Retr0gaymer

Why are you afraid of taking me on in Street Fighter?
look above ^^ when the pressure is on retr0, you'll crumble.

Favourite videogame boss?
I do love a good boss fight. Ill go out on a limb here and say the Spider Gaurdian from Metroid Prime 2 bottom of the page here. A really awesome boss fight and also quite unique.
The Cyberdemon is still one of my all time favorites. the noise it makes when it walks is frightening.

Hardest videogame boss?
Im tempted to say Penance from FFX but thats just a slog untill you are powered up enough to do it.
oh, i know actually.
Sephiroth from Kingdom Hearts in the battle arena. The only boss I ever gave up on. hes just a cheap c*nt. ill go back and get him someday!

Hardest game you've finished?
Kronic on ironic in UT2004 :/
more really though, Im gonna go with Viewtiful Joe on the second highest difficulty (highest was too hard). it was tough, but satisfying. Kid Icarus on the Nes was also sh1t hard. I was a master of it as a kid and when i got it on the Wii I couldnt complete it for love nor money

Worst game you've gotten to the end of?
as i said above, Legacy of Kain: Blood Omen 2


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Asked by Winters
Whats your favourite pad? (Always, Bodyform etc?)

Always with the wings ofc.

The Gravis X-Terminator is truly the king of gamepads

[jonnybadd]

Whats your opinion on the looming trend of free online games with MicroTransactions to give players that are willing to pay advantages over those who can't? (BF Heros for example)

Are you still as good at Fight Night now they have taken out the cheap button mashing option?

Do you still have those American Flag Pants of Gaming Godness?

[raycaulwell]

1.) whats your favourite gaming developers?

2.) what are you looking forward to in the next 12 months in gaming?

3.) street fighter, soul caliber or mortal combat?

4.) why are you hiding from retrogamer? (its rumored he lost to a kid in street fighter) i think you will be safe lol

thanks and good luck!

[Kiith]

As your obviously a pc man, what would you suggest to deal with the piracy problem?

[noodler]

Originally Posted by raycaulwell

1.) (its rumored he lost to a kid in street fighter)

I am afraid thats no rumour!

Seeing as you played Kingdom Hearts (dunno if you played the 2nd one) I would like to ask you what made it work for you. I have to say that I was put off for years by the cartoony graphics and Disney aspects but just wondering what helped the whole thing work as a whole for you.

[Retr0gamer]

It's a lie. I was beaten by a 4 year old at Soul Calibur 2 and a girl at street fighter IV

[noodler]

Originally Posted by Retr0gamer

It's a lie. I was beaten by a 4 year old at Soul Calibur 2 and a girl at street fighter IV

I apologise for not making the distinction.

[raycaulwell]

Originally Posted by Retr0gamer

It's a lie. I was beaten by a 4 year old at Soul Calibur 2 and a girl at street fighter IV

sorry retro didnt know it was soul calibur 2!

[Jazzy]

Asked by Jonnybadd
Whats your opinion on the looming trend of free online games with MicroTransactions to give players that are willing to pay advantages over those who can't? (BF Heros for example)
Well, Im liking the idea of free online games atm. Quakelive is free as can be and its incredible. I havent dabbled in BF Heroes but any game that gives a player an advantage because they pay for it is a bit stupid. It is EA after all and anything they do doesnt surprise me. You could argue that all the expensive gear we buy for our systems also gives us an advantage. I mean, does everyone I play Quake against have a €120 Headset, a €50 Mouse, a €15 mousemat and a €150 sound card? probably not in the short of it. at the same time, the game is still the same and there is no difference I can make to the actual software that will give me an advantage which the other person cant do anyway.
Any game that will be taken seriously and that will have leagues & cups won't be interested in this sort of system but then again, developers don't really care for them anyway. Microtransactions are just new ways of making money and I personally wouldnt be interested in any game that uses them to give players any sort of advantage.

If I was to be perfectly blunt, I believe these microtransactions are quite poisonous to games in general. I saw a conversation on IRC where people where paying €3 to change their xbox live avatar to a jedi or something. Its sorta like "would ya f**k off microsoft, we bought the console, the game, the pads, the cables, the subscription already... let us have a free avatar". Then there is "DLC" which you have to pay for too. Some would say they are expansion packs. I dunno, when I bought exapnsion packs they had far more to em then what you are getting now.
I do like the idea of the virtual console and xbl arcade and being able to buy full games there. Thats it really though

Are you still as good at Fight Night now they have taken out the cheap button mashing option?
I havent played much of Fight Night Round 4 but I know I like 3 a hell of a lot better. And I never mashed in Fight Night! I just didnt like using the stick to do all the punches. Call me traditional, but I like to press buttons when I play games.

Do you still have those American Flag Pants of Gaming Godness?
Indeed I do, but they are currently in Wills gaff. They may be brought to a SFIV event some time though.

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Asked by raycaulwell
1.) whats your favourite gaming developers?
Nintendo for all the good they did when I was young. Zelda, Mario World, Samsh Bros etc.
Capcom for Megaman, Street Fighter and the ability to make some really kick ass bosses. They are quite a traditional developer for me and I always pay attention to what they are at.
id Software for Quake & Doom. Quake 3 is such a masterful game and probably the peak of online First Person Shooters. There has yet to be an FPS game that is better then it multiplayer and it has been out for 10 years. That says something. I also like their style when they make games. A lot of tongue in cheek stuff and absolutely brilliant monsters / badguys. I mean the Mancubus from Doom 2... what an enemy.
Rare were a big favorite for a long time. Killer Instinct, Starwing & Goldeneye were all amazing games. Pity they went to MS and did not very much at all after their golden years.
and Icefrog & co. for making DotA of course.

2.) what are you looking forward to in the next 12 months in gaming?
Rage looks really really good and so far up my street we might as well be neighbours. Im a massive id Software fan and Im a huge mad max fan so I really cant wait to get this.
Starcraft 2 as well because, ya know... its the daddy.
Bioshock 2 as Im curious to see if it will be as good as the first one. I hope it is as I really liked the setting, that said I have a bad feeling :/
Alan Wake because at this stage its getting a bit silly
Alien Versus Predator and Aliens: Colonial Marines because I f**kin love Aliens and the whole universe they are in.
Heroes of Newerth because I need to feed the addiction
Aside from that, anything that impresses me. I couldnt give 2 hoots about the new control systems we saw at E3. As I said Im a traditionalist, I like buttons.


3.) street fighter, soul caliber or mortal combat?
Street Fighter just about pips Soul Calibur but Im only putting that down to how long me & guile have known each other. Soul Calibur 2 is still one of the best fighters ever and one of the few games I know of without flaws.
Mortal Kombat has, and always will suck. Poor mans Killer Instinct


4.) why are you hiding from retrogamer? (its rumored he lost to a kid in street fighter) i think you will be safe lol
Well now that its all clarified above I think it might be safe to come out and play. Question should be, why is retr0 hiding from me? I've been to a zillion LANS and events around the country and he hasnt showed once. cowardice I tells ya!

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Asked by Kiith

As your obviously a pc man, what would you suggest to deal with the piracy problem?

Tough one this. Piracy is always going to exist and I think publishers have come around to that a long time ago. The first thing I can think of is to make games cheaper If people really like the game and its being sold at a fair price I dont believe they'd download it. Problem is they are so expensive and there is so many sh1t games out there that get rammed down our throat that people turn to piracy as it just becomes easier. I think the recording industry missed a trick by not reducing the prices of CD's earlier but alas, that is too nice a thing to give the general public so instead we have to pay €15 for a CD made by some clown who won a reality show or some sh1t. then there is iTunes but I firmly believe that Hitler is alive and well and is programming iTunes as we speak.
At the end of the day, Price & Quality talk so if there wasnt so much sh1t games and being sold for a frankly ridiculous price then piracy wouldnt be as widespread. The things they are doing now to irritate gamers and pirates software wise will only ever get them so far and it seems more like an arms race then anything else. Make better games for cheaper and you won't see people talking nearly as much about piracy as they are now. (and yes it is possible to make good games without a staff of 200 and a hollywood voice over cast)

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Asked by Noodler
Seeing as you played Kingdom Hearts (dunno if you played the 2nd one) I would like to ask you what made it work for you. I have to say that I was put off for years by the cartoony graphics and Disney aspects but just wondering what helped the whole thing work as a whole for you.

Cartoony Schmartoomy. I never really cared if a game looked cartoony or not and graphics were never really that important to me. I saw it was made by Square and that it mixed Disney in with Final Fantasy so how could it not be good? It was challenging, it was different, it was daring, it had a hollywood cast voice over and it seemed like a good yarn. Disney and Square wouldnt have put up a lot of their most valued ip's without the game being top drawer so you could have a bit of faith in the quality of the game. The game itself worked for me as it was just pleasant to play. Sure it wasnt perfect but you would always want to see what happened next.

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good god retr0. have a little pride man