History Repeats

Walk down memory lane as readers summon ghosts from gaming?s past. Also, a reader examines your grammar, we muse on a hypothetical GamePro game, and we see how complex a ?simple? PC gaming solution could be.

What is it that?s so awful about the present that we have to keep looking to the past? This week I got a number of letters that essentially read, ?Games today suck. Remember [some old game from the past]? That was a great game. They should make that again for the [system].? If you?re like me, you enjoy thinking back to the way games used to be, but when you actually go back and play those games, you find them nearly unplayable. I was just talking to Dan Elektro the other day about how hard it is to go back to the first Tony Hawk?s Pro Skater after having played THPS3. Try playing Joust, or Popeye, or Moon Patrol for any length of time; after the goofy nostalgia factor is used up, the games are simply boring.

I think that nostalgia is a yearning for a past that didn?t really exist. In that vein, here are a bunch of letters about things that don?t really exist?things like a simple PC gaming operating system, attention to good grammar in email, and even a hypothetical GamePro game, by the GamePros, for GamePros. If you?re looking for a little wistful thinking, read on; someday we?ll all look back on this week?s column and laaaaaaugh?.

Strunk and White Roll Over in Their Graves
Ok, I?ve been reading the letters page for a while now, and I quite like your responses to the multitude of idiotic questions you get every week. My question is, do they teach English in school anymore? I mean, I?m not the greatest speller in the world and I?m not that great with grammar either, but great Jebus! Learn to proof read! The amount of simple 3rd grade errors that make it into people?s letters is amazing. Do these gamers

realize how stupid they look? I mean, I play games?GTA 3 being my personal favorite right now?but I also took the time to do my homework in school. I don?t like looking like an idiot. I love games, but maybe some of your readers should put down the controller and pick up a book every once and a while. Can they even read you magazine, or do they just look at the screenshots? I?m thinking the latter, with the amount of questions that get repeated week in and week out. Now this letter might not get an A+ from Strunk and White (if you don?t know who they are, find out) but I hope it at least gives gamers some idea of how embarrassing they are making themselves look. MO< Oh, and Canadian?s are crazy. Any Canadian who tries to tell you different is, well, crazy.
Benjamin Merrell

D-PAD DESTROYER: Okay, I don?t know if Strunk and White are dead, but they wrote a guidebook on English grammar called The Manual of Style, which is often considered the ultimate guide to the language. Anyone who wants to know how English is supposed to read should find their book and check it out.

I agree with you, dude. A lot of people don?t care how they come across in text. As someone who communicates for a living, though, I understand how important it is to be clear and precise with meaning. It bugs me a bit that some people can?t seem to learn anything in school as far as communication goes. It?s like math; you spend most of school wondering what you?ll ever use it for, and then in real life you realize that your upward mobility is limited because you never learned it.

Actually, you?ve given me a good idea. Maybe we should publish a version of the magazine with bigger pictures and smaller words. Or maybe a pop-up version.

What?s Zombie Up To?
Ok, i have heard this over and over again, and now i have turned to the pros for the answer. Is GC going online? I have seen something on the box for some kind of online thingy, but im not completely sure. If this is true, will ssb melee and other games be on there? I would love to kick my friends another people, seeming how my friend across the street still can't find the start button.

Also, i noticed in your april issue of GP, on page 58, you we're named "death star destroyer"! I also noticed in your 160th issue that ahab was named "extremely forcefull ahab!" i can't remember which page. and a whole bunch of issues ago, where we said adios to jake and dust, jake had a major mike keychain on his backpack? Is doctor zombie up to something again?
larry croft

D-PAD DESTROYER: GameCube is the only system without an announced online plan. We can assume they will have one, but then Nintendo?s never been one to jump on trends when they?re happening (like CD-ROMs, DVDs, and now online). We?re more likely to see Nintendo realize the importance of online in their next generation system, in which they?d likely come up with some way to make it proprietary so that it only works with their box.

As for the different names, we sometimes like to toss in little jokes when we review certain titles. For example, I used ?Death-Star Destroyer? in my Jedi Knight II preview. Whenever Major Mike reviews an RPG, he uses ?Mage-or Mike.? In fact, look for a brief return of an old-school D-Pad in an upcoming issue. It?s just something we have fun with from time to time. Unfortunately, I came up with ?D-Day Destroyer? way too late to have it go on my Medal of Honor: Allied Assault review.

Simply Dual-Boot the OS
It has always been an idea and a wish of mine to see gaming on the PC become a common interest of all gamers. Most people in my high school play strictly console games. Why? Computers have brought up themselves such a bad reputation for being so advanced - that is, people think they can't handle playing games on computers because computers are for "smart" people (a.k.a. NERDS).

My idea for fixing this flawed opinion has always been for someone to develop an operating system specifically designed for playing games. Just as the operating systems for all consoles all automatically detect and run games upon startup, it would be nice to have an OS on the PC to dual-boot to that is that simple also, or at least in some way that simple. The OS would be light-weight, consuming little CPU speed unlike the massive hog that is Windows, and with this the power of PC games would skrocket.

With the announcement of the GeForce4 video card, PC gamers can once again bring the power of their systems past that of any of today's top consoles. And, with the GeForce4 Ti series selling at an amazing price of $199, far cheaper than any of the GeForce3 series, the time is now to make a move (well, at least in my opinion). It would be perfect to ship a gaming operating system that a consumer could install along with the new video card, wouldn't it?

If people want things simple, why can't we get simple?? That's what made consoles top of the line! I really don't want to see PC games fade into the distance - and this whole running-on-Windows thing with current PC games just doesn't work out.

These are my thoughts, hope you like them.
-Richard

D-PAD DESTROYER: Those are good ideas, but they would fail for a few reasons. First, There already is a simpler OS out there that uses less system resources and still manages the computer?s functions well (some say better than Windows). That system is called Linux, and is a favorite of computer geeks everywhere. It?s fast, easy, and, most of all, absolutely free of cost, but it still has a very, very small market share, because Microsoft is dedicating entire legal departments to finding a way to destroy it. Sony will be releasing a Linux kit for PS2 in the near future, making your PS2 into a Linux-run Internet box.

Secondly, no OS other than Windows has captured enough of a market share to lure game companies to develop for it. There are a handful of games written for Linux, but these are even fewer than games made specifically for Macintosh. After all, every single PC you buy from places like Dell, Gateway, CompUSA, and the like all come packaged with the latest version of Windows installed, whereas you have to find Linux, download it or buy it in a package with other software, and have the certain level of expertise needed to install and configure it. No large PC seller has the pebbles to try to sell a PC without Windows.

Third, even the simplest PC gaming setup is tons more complex than any console. With PS2, GameCube, or Xbox, you just pop the game in and turn on the system. With a PC, you have to install a game, boot the computer, find the game?s *.exe file or shortcut, and double-click. From there you?ll often have to reconfigure the keyboard controls (because game developers never seem to use the same configuration that everyone else uses), fiddle with graphics options, etc. Back in the day you could make a boot disk with a batch file that would configure the PC properly and automatically boot the game, but even then you had to know how to make batch files and boot disks.

It?s a great dream, but I can?t see it happening?not unless Microsoft makes this OS themselves, and I doubt they?d be willing to compete with their own Windows product.

Square and ?Cube Together At Last
I think that SquareSoft coming back to Nintendo is just wonderful. I think the reason is for the GBA. WonderSwan Color can only sell so much by being dominated by the GBA. SquareSoft needs to make some money and Nintendo won't give GBA rights without them making GCN games. It'll just be stupid to make bad GCN games because they lose money, so something good can come out of it. I'm hoping for a Vagrant Story sequel and some ports of fav SNES games to the GBA. A lot of people don't like the new FF so to have a brand new FF on the GBA would be wonderful or should I say, Will be wonderful. To just finish asking my question, How do you feel about this recent news? What are you hoping out of all of this? Do you get dandruff with all of that fur?

The mind boggles me.......questions........questions......questions....
GohanCubed

D-PAD DESTROYER: My opinion on the Nintendo/Square news boils down to two things: Final Fantasy III and Final Fantasy Tactics, both on GBA. I don?t know if they?re on the list of future releases, but for crying out loud, they should be. They?re my all-time favorite Final Fantasy games, and playing them on GBA would be amazing. That?s essentially why I?m excited.

And no, I don?t get dandruff with all the fur, because I use medicated monster shampoo. The tingle means it?s working.

A Game By GamePros, For GamePros
Hey this kid once asked you all that why dont you make a game. If you all had, what would it be about ,what would it's name be, and for what system?
DVD263

D-PAD DESTROYER: Well, I think a GamePro game would be great. I think it would feature fully interactive 3D environments, many lines of dialogue, and heart-stopping, butt-stomping action. You?ll walk to the right and beat up bad guys, race against time in tricked-out vehicles, and test your mental might with mind-busting block-and-jumping puzzles. There would be a lava world, an ice world, and even a mine-cart level, in which you have to flip switches to keep the mine cart on the right track. Also, whenever you met up with another main character (say, one of the other GamePros), the game switches to a fighting-game engine with a whole different set of controls, just to make it more annoying. You can collect tons of new weapons, and you can mix and match jewels to give yourself new powers. Also, in order to get the best weapons in the game, you have to spend upwards of 90 hours doing your characters? taxes.

Wow? Ring King?
What's up D-pad? I say screw all of those people who write in criticizing you. Those people don't seem to realize that you and your office mates are providing us with a free web service in which you read thousands of letters weekly, maybe daily, and try and provide answers for us. Be more appreciative people. Anyway, I have a few questions, and I figure I might as well place those questions in the same letter rather than write in multiple times.

1.With Square and Nintendo reuniting, I read on a web site that, besides money, one possible reason for Square and Nintendo coming back together was to limit Microsoft's success in Japan. Have you heard this rumor, or do you think it's true or plausible? We know why Nintendo would want to limit Microsoft's success, but why in the world would Square be against Microsoft? If Square were to develop for Xbox, it would only provide Square with more money.

2. This may seem like a strange question, but I've been wondering about games like this for a long time. Do you know if the companies who made the games Ring Kings and The Legend of Cage for the NES still exist. Those were fun, unique games, and although highly unlikely, I would love to see remakes of those games.
Michael Williams

Two, two, TWO screenshots in one! D-PAD DESTROYER: It wouldn?t surprise me at all if the two companies banded together to fight Microsoft, but I don?t think it?s their number one reason. Keep in mind that, being Japanese companies, Square and Nintendo both have a stake in seeing Microsoft?s Japanese efforts fail. It?s sorta like if you had siblings you couldn?t stand; you fight all the time and don?t get along, but if someone else attacked either of you, you?d defend each other until the newcomer was gone.

I remember Ring King and Legend of Kage. Ring King was made by Data East, which we suppose has gone out of business since. That was a great boxing game that had special moves you could use to send your opponent flying out of the ring. Data East?s last game that I know of was Zombie Revenge for Dreamcast, but back in the day they made such classics as Bad Dudes, Karate Champ, and Karnov. Legend of Kage was by Taito, who also made Operation Wolf, Elevator Action, and the Bust-A-Move series. Note: the screenshots here are for the arcade versions.

Prejudice of the Gaming ?Elite?
Hey do you think that the games might be going to the Xbox over the PS2 because its 3x as powerful, already has a modem, and a hard drive, and you can ask any developer and they will tell you the PS2 is a #itch to design for. Sure Microsoft gives game company's money but no less or no more then any other console company. And the computer games go to the Xbox because Microsoft has a strong, and long standing relation with computer games making some of the best ones out there i.e. Age of Empires, Mechwarrior, etc. The prejudice of the gaming "elite" in mags against the Xbox and Microsoft in general is getting silly, you guys(mags) did the same thing to the PS when it first came out.
Alildokn

D-PAD DESTROYER: I see what you?re saying, but you missed my point. It?s not PS2 games going to Xbox that gets me, because that makes sense for the reasons you gave. My problem is with PC developers who have been quoted as saying, ?This game is a PC game and PC-only,? and then announcing months later that an Xbox version will be out three months earlier than the PC one. The thing that gets me is not that the game will come out on Xbox, because that?s cool. What bothers me is that these games, which have been in PC development for years (like Morrowind, Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic, and Deus Ex 2) are suddenly announced to be Xbox-first, leaving their hardcore PC fans (who have been following the games for years) to wait until after the Xbox version is out. There?s nothing wrong with it, per se, but there?s a dirty feeling about it.

Here, think of it this way. This is my ?new Zelda.? Think about how cheated people felt when they first saw the new Link design, and that?s how many PC gamers feel about these ?Xbox-first? shenanigans.

Maniac Mention
Dpad, do you remember a game for the NES called Maniac Mansion? It was one of the best games for the system, in my opinion. I was curious to learn why a sequel never came out, or why no other system picked up the game. It was a fun game, although not as long as it should've been, thats was playable for hours at a time. I think that now, since a lot of companies are bringing back old concepts and updated titles, it could be a very fun game with endless possibilities due to the capabilities of the fab. 3 that are out now. Just curious to see what you thought and know. Keep up that good work.
Foxfire0105

D-PAD DESTROYER: There seems to be a lot of these ?Hey D-Pad, do you remember blah blah blah?? letters lately. Of course I remember Maniac Mansion. I remember reading a strategy guide for it in early issues of Nintendo Power. I also remember that it had a sequel, called Day of the Tentacle. They?re both regarded as some of the finest adventure games ever, but they?re very dated now (though now that Broken Sword is out on GBA, we know potable ports of these are possible). Still, I could see a remake or a new sequel doing pretty well on GameCube or Xbox, or even PC. LucasArts? adventures do very well on PC, so maybe it wouldn?t be such a bad idea to revive the Mansion.

Ah, the heyday of inventory-based adventure.

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