It makes perfect sense. Clay pigeons are shot into the sky and shot at from the ground. Duck hunt keeps the pigeons confined to the space of the television screen. If he became a "master" or even mediocre at real life pigeon shooting, I would be surprised. Then again, I can see how it would potentially help one focus on the pigeon if they weren't scared of the gun. #duckhunt
@Cochese: Now with moxie.:
I always wondered what the most difficult distance was. Sure, if you hold the gun barrel right to the screen, all you have to do is ride it on a duck and pull the trigger. But if you're standing all the way across the room, in theory the gun should pick up a greater percentage of the screen as "on target", due to spread.
I've only actually played the game once, on someone else's system, and I had already passed the local high score when the little kid who was about to be bumped from the top of the leader board shut the system off to prevent me from besting him. I didn't have a perfect score at that point, but I was doing well enough that I probably could have posted enough points to beat all the high scores combined.
Then again, I also had killer aim when playing Lazer Tag (_real_ Lazer Tag, not that mall/strobe light/fog machine crap). The one time I shot an actual firearm (22, in Cub Scouts), I didn't do so well... #duckhunt
@Purple Dave: I did okay with the .22 cal rifle and the .44 cal wasn't so bad (way too much kick for a single handed weapon), but I was also shooting at still targets most of the time. I've played a lot of duck hunt in my day and I don't feel it has helped in my aim.
That being said, I don't think there is much "spread" with the duck hunt gun. I certainly do better when I'm farther away from the screen though, but I think has more to do with that being what I'm used to as far as the game goes rather that any kind of "spread" as it took a bit of practice before I could score a perfect score. Though, I prefer the clay pigeon shoot. I love the sound of the exploding pigeons! #duckhunt
This is a good answer/rebuttal to any hobby elitist who say, "If you're good at Guitar Hero/Rock Band, you should just pick up a real instrument and play." #duckhunt
@Handsome Al: No one says that. Anyone who's ever seen a guitar and isn't certifiably retarded can tell you that guitar hero won't make you able to pick up a guitar and play.
However, if you're going to pour 20, 30, 40 + hours and 200$ into learning to play those songs on expert - you may as well dump 120$ on a Squier Bullet Strat, 70$ on Doug Mark's Metal Method DVDs (you don't need an amp to learn) and play for real. And it isn't like that stuff is mostly shit you can't do - once you know how to handle a guitar most of those songs are easier on a guitar than they are in the game. #duckhunt
@Koztah: I think the only thing "easier" in real life is that you don't have to be spot on each note to have it sound good but in the game you have only a very small portion of time to hit the correct note. I know it may seem odd but I can think of cases where real guitar is harder than guitar hero. #duckhunt
@XODIS: Sure, barre chords. :P When I meant real guitar was easier, I was referring specifically to most songs in the games - at least that I've played - and that after you've gotten used to the dynamics of picking and built some muscle memory. #duckhunt
@Koztah: More importantly: What the hell do you care what somebody else does as a hobby? It's their money and their free time. If they get their kicks doing it, so what?
Hobby elitism in nearly any form pisses me off. and hell, I can't stand Guitar Hero, but even I get a little riled up whenever anyone starts in on that.
Learning to play a Guitar is a hobby thing for most people: If they don't have a drive to do it, but really like Guitar Hero--well, who cares? Why does it matter? #duckhunt
@Handsome Al:
I thought it was pretty much accepted that the _only_ stuff you can actually learn to play with those rythym games are percussion instruments, like drums, bongos, or marracas. And even then it's really only a beginner-level lesson. #duckhunt
Who ever cheated by holding the gun an inch away from the screen? You're not fooling anyone at that distance. May as well close the gap and push the gun right up against the screen.
Point blank is the manliest way to play. #duckhunt
@StoveBot: Only losers cheat by holding the gun up against the screen. Real men cheat by holding the gun up against a light bulb. It works better. #duckhunt
I remember when I was 13, my dad's hunting buddy let me shoot his 12-gauge, and we did a make-shift skeet shoot by getting my 11 year old brother to stand behind an tree and toss beer cans into the air.
Yah, the joys of growing up in small-town Alberta. #duckhunt
@dahaka: Get the brother to simply hold up the can in his hand. Then it'll be as safe as mining a comet hurtling through Los Angeles at rush hour. #duckhunt
Nice... but really, the only thing I really need on Duck Hunt needs no fantasizing... it's already available on an arcade version of Duck Hunt, believe it or not: [xspblog.com]
@NecronomiconUK: I absolutely expected the dog to pop up right at the end after he'd already walked off the screen. And then have a blast come from off screen and kill the mofo.
10/26/09
Damn it!! #duckhunt
10/27/09
No, that one actually does work. #duckhunt
10/26/09
You know what is missing, right?
The proper stress of being mocked by a dog for not hitting the ducks... #duckhunt
10/26/09
That was a very early lesson for me. Sometimes you fail...and people (or dogs) laugh. #duckhunt
10/26/09
QUACK QUACK #duckhunt
10/26/09
10/27/09
I always wondered what the most difficult distance was. Sure, if you hold the gun barrel right to the screen, all you have to do is ride it on a duck and pull the trigger. But if you're standing all the way across the room, in theory the gun should pick up a greater percentage of the screen as "on target", due to spread.
I've only actually played the game once, on someone else's system, and I had already passed the local high score when the little kid who was about to be bumped from the top of the leader board shut the system off to prevent me from besting him. I didn't have a perfect score at that point, but I was doing well enough that I probably could have posted enough points to beat all the high scores combined.
Then again, I also had killer aim when playing Lazer Tag (_real_ Lazer Tag, not that mall/strobe light/fog machine crap). The one time I shot an actual firearm (22, in Cub Scouts), I didn't do so well... #duckhunt
10/27/09
That being said, I don't think there is much "spread" with the duck hunt gun. I certainly do better when I'm farther away from the screen though, but I think has more to do with that being what I'm used to as far as the game goes rather that any kind of "spread" as it took a bit of practice before I could score a perfect score. Though, I prefer the clay pigeon shoot. I love the sound of the exploding pigeons! #duckhunt
10/26/09
10/26/09
However, if you're going to pour 20, 30, 40 + hours and 200$ into learning to play those songs on expert - you may as well dump 120$ on a Squier Bullet Strat, 70$ on Doug Mark's Metal Method DVDs (you don't need an amp to learn) and play for real. And it isn't like that stuff is mostly shit you can't do - once you know how to handle a guitar most of those songs are easier on a guitar than they are in the game. #duckhunt
10/26/09
10/26/09
10/26/09
Hobby elitism in nearly any form pisses me off. and hell, I can't stand Guitar Hero, but even I get a little riled up whenever anyone starts in on that.
Learning to play a Guitar is a hobby thing for most people: If they don't have a drive to do it, but really like Guitar Hero--well, who cares? Why does it matter? #duckhunt
10/27/09
I thought it was pretty much accepted that the _only_ stuff you can actually learn to play with those rythym games are percussion instruments, like drums, bongos, or marracas. And even then it's really only a beginner-level lesson. #duckhunt
10/27/09
What does it matter if I post about what someone else does as a hobby?
What does it matter if "hobby elitism" pisses you off?
What does it matter if you get riled up?
What does it matter if a journalist in Alberta can't skeet shoot for shit?
What does it matter if he played duck hunt?
It doesn't. At all. But this is the part of the blog where we comment. :) #duckhunt
10/26/09
Point blank is the manliest way to play. #duckhunt
10/26/09
10/26/09
Yah, the joys of growing up in small-town Alberta. #duckhunt
10/26/09
Just like mining a comet hurtling through space at a thousand miles an hour.
Safe. #duckhunt
10/26/09
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[xspblog.com]
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[xspblog.com]
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