Nintendo's hiring practices will likely influence the quality of their games in the future - for better or worse, who knows. But, imagine if Miyamoto didn't get hired by Nintendo: he'd just work in his garden, do his own plumbing, swing a sword around and ride on his jet ski (which doesn't sound too bad).
I think this is wide spread thing for games companies in general though. The industry isn't as easy to get into as it once was. The entire 'scape of it different now. Alot of people want to go into the games industry hoping to be the next big Miyamoto, Kojima, Nomura, Schaffer, Cliffy B: but that shit's not going to happen. I think some people have an idea in their head that all these guys went into these companies at the level they are now.
I don't even think degrees are THAT important. They're even redundant in some cases. You need to have a damn good portfolio that puts you on some other level above others. You need to be the baddest programmer. The best animator. The illest concept artist. You need to be on the level with those who are already in the industry and are good at what they do. I remember on a Uni visit to EA, they pretty much told us: you need to have one slick as hell portfolio that makes you look the absolute shit, or nobody will even bother with you.
I'm torn. On one hand the fact that its online and has the track creator is awesome. On the other the lack of splitscreen is bad. I remember playing the original with my brother on the NES all the time.
@excel_excel: Or you are a robot whose brains have been replaced with false memories in order to keep you from going on a killing spree. And in any case you are probably standing over a mound of bodies at this very moment. RUN!
I think that's true for a lot of overnight-success companies. Bill Gates, for instance, never finished college. Let's see if a college dropout can get a prestigious job at Microsoft now.
@RockyRan: Bill Gates is extremely special case. If your dad was a supreme court justice and can hand you $100,000 in 1975 money and your mother knew people on the board of IBM then perhaps you don't really need a degree. The value of education is for little people. Those who lack high profile connections and easy capital.
The value of university is connecting the best and brightest together. The guys at Google met in University as did the people who founded Bioware. Numerous companies start when a few ambitious university students meet and get ideas. The actual degree is more of an endurance test. It shows you can focus and endure for 4-5 years. But it has the very useful side effect of bringing bright ambitious people together.
Paul Allen, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steve Woz all attended university but had enough connections and personal ability to succeed without the degree. But they were bright enough to go to university/college.
Hope to see it soon in Europe. No one talks about it, but we have yet to see any Wiiware game from High Voltage... I REALLY want to play "Gyrostarr". Since "Excitebots" from Monster Games never got to Europe either... I do hope this makes it this week.
@Knoxximus ver. 5.66: I agree. Not that I wouldn't WANT local multiplay but I don't see how it could be implemented very well... What if 3 people are in a tight race but one is sucking? Keep panning out? NO. Then you can't see. Force the back person forward? NO. That limits the consequences of error. Keep the person in back off screen? NO. How are they supposed to catch up or enjoy the game if they can't even see...
While I like the idea of local multiplay I just don't see a simple way to implement it. I can't see splitscreen being a viable option either. I suppose it would be the only mildly functional one, though.
@bwwardiii: They call it split-screen. It works very well for titles like this. Explain, if you will, how it is not viable. Remember four-player split screen FPSs? I've played many a Four-Player split-screen races in PGR.
These are certainly viable options. So... Can you back up your claim that it's not "viable?"
Most gamers nowadays have big ass TV's anyway, so split screen would work lovely. Like I said, Monster Games should program a local multiplay mode and charge like 200 points for it...support up to 4 players. I'd drop 200 points for it in a hearbeat.
@Cochese: Now with moxie.: The race is sidescrolling. I just don't see myself enjoying a screen split into 4 and having 4 different sidescrolling races going on. However that may just be me and I may just have the wrong sort of picture in my head.
I suppose it could sell. And in that sense it would be worth doing, I suppose. I used the word "viable" incorrectly as I'm sure they could do it with their resources. I just felt it wouldn't be fun to play the splits-creen. In both of your examples the camera either IS the player or is behind them. In both games you basically just get to see the most important part, what's in front of you. How sidescrolling games have had split-screen? I always thought that it wasn't many.
In a game where the camera is to the side of the player much more space is needed to allow the player the feeling of freedom of motion while also letting them see enough of the environment to move through the game in a successful and fun way.
Again. I think it COULD be done and MIGHT sell pretty well. I'd enjoy local multiplayer. I just don't see split-screen as a very good option for a sidescrolling racer.
@Knoxximus ver. 5.66: You could do it Micro Machines style. If one rider falls back too far, he gets transported back into the game - but with a penalty of some kind.
Edited by DaiMacculate - impotentnerdrage.com at 11/24/09 6:52 AM
DaiMacculate - impotentnerdrage.com was starred
DaiMacculate - impotentnerdrage.com was unstarred
@(Starman) Starman: Unless I'm some kind of freak of nature, the person doing this can probably take something apart and then put it back together without extra screws and still working...
The greats of the industries are anomalies. Miyamoto, Gates, hell, Einstein. These people were self driven (and lucky) enough to make it where they are. And, in the companies they have led to, by hiring only "top tier" talent, they do miss out on those that went to mid tier schools that are also absolutely brilliant. BUT, the anomalous geniuses are extremely few and far between. Of course they are going to go for the top tier grads, if they can, which have historically, on average performed better. Even slightly better.
Nintendo isn't looking for a new Miyamoto. MS isn't looking for a new Bill Gates.
@Hey_Blinkon: Nintendo most likely is looking for a new Miyamoto, he's nearly 60. Eventually the company will come to a point where they will need a new idea man. I'm not one to bow at his altar, but the man is a genius. When he is unable to continue designing games, someone will have to fill his position. I worry that the people who have headed projects under him won't be able to maintain the standard of quality, and at the same time I hope that, maybe, they will be able to surpass him once he is no longer there to lord over the production of games. ...Here's to hoping.
Edit: "the man" not "he man"... it would be totally bitchin' if He-man were to start developing games.
@Anemone: Well, of course they'd like someone with vision on par with Miyamoto, but I'm saying that is not what they are looking for when they hire someone. Every hire cannot be done with the hopes that this will be the next genius. Nintendo has had it's share (Iwata, Itoi, Gunpei Yoko (spelling?) also come to mind) . But these are rare.
@Hey_Blinkon: It's Yokoi, and Itoi is a writer whose clout enabled him to write a game. Additionally, the level of Iwata's creativity isn't really well known since he has worked on several games, but hasn't really created any games to my knowledge (someone please correct me.) I think his proficiency falls mostly under the realm of business though he's an accomplished programmer/designer. But yea, you can't very well screen every applicant in the hopes of finding the new Sid Meier or what have you. Point taken.
01:32 PM
01:24 PM
I don't even think degrees are THAT important. They're even redundant in some cases. You need to have a damn good portfolio that puts you on some other level above others. You need to be the baddest programmer. The best animator. The illest concept artist. You need to be on the level with those who are already in the industry and are good at what they do. I remember on a Uni visit to EA, they pretty much told us: you need to have one slick as hell portfolio that makes you look the absolute shit, or nobody will even bother with you.
01:22 PM
01:40 PM
02:09 PM
03:10 PM
05:12 PM
05:14 PM
.....
*tries to hide dead bodies under carpet*
06:31 PM
Wow! What mountainous carpets you have! They sure are agreeable with your home-decor!
(But they seem to be seeping bodily fluids)
12:18 PM
01:23 PM
09:38 AM
09:29 AM
11:52 AM
The value of university is connecting the best and brightest together. The guys at Google met in University as did the people who founded Bioware. Numerous companies start when a few ambitious university students meet and get ideas. The actual degree is more of an endurance test. It shows you can focus and endure for 4-5 years. But it has the very useful side effect of bringing bright ambitious people together.
Paul Allen, Bill Gates, Steve Jobs, Steve Woz all attended university but had enough connections and personal ability to succeed without the degree. But they were bright enough to go to university/college.
09:17 AM
02:23 PM
09:17 AM
Nintendo needs to put up the import version: Excitebike VS., the Famicom Disc System exclusive that allowed local multiplay.
Or, they could, for once, put up like a 200 point DLC to allow local play in hindsight. I would buy that.
10:26 AM
While I like the idea of local multiplay I just don't see a simple way to implement it. I can't see splitscreen being a viable option either. I suppose it would be the only mildly functional one, though.
11:19 AM
These are certainly viable options. So... Can you back up your claim that it's not "viable?"
11:57 AM
Most gamers nowadays have big ass TV's anyway, so split screen would work lovely. Like I said, Monster Games should program a local multiplay mode and charge like 200 points for it...support up to 4 players. I'd drop 200 points for it in a hearbeat.
12:22 PM
I suppose it could sell. And in that sense it would be worth doing, I suppose. I used the word "viable" incorrectly as I'm sure they could do it with their resources. I just felt it wouldn't be fun to play the splits-creen. In both of your examples the camera either IS the player or is behind them. In both games you basically just get to see the most important part, what's in front of you. How sidescrolling games have had split-screen? I always thought that it wasn't many.
In a game where the camera is to the side of the player much more space is needed to allow the player the feeling of freedom of motion while also letting them see enough of the environment to move through the game in a successful and fun way.
Again. I think it COULD be done and MIGHT sell pretty well. I'd enjoy local multiplayer. I just don't see split-screen as a very good option for a sidescrolling racer.
#speakup
04:31 PM
06:50 AM
Give me one of those in a nice dark glossy blue and I'm in...although I hate to give up my GBA slot :(
06:46 AM
05:55 AM
*drools*
12:06 AM
Gotta wonder if that whole "prestigious university degree" is really the most important thing.
11/23/09
12:59 AM
01:02 AM
I mean it's already got the green paint on it...
11/23/09
Nintendo isn't looking for a new Miyamoto. MS isn't looking for a new Bill Gates.
12:05 AM
Edit: "the man" not "he man"... it would be totally bitchin' if He-man were to start developing games.
12:52 AM
#speakup
02:02 AM
11/23/09
11/23/09
Whther it be mine or yours. It needs to be done.
11/23/09