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Late Night Consoling

by Alec Matias, Dec 08, 2004 8:00pm PST
Related Topics – Electronic Arts, LucasArts, Nintendo DS, Games: Console, Pandemic

When I picked up KOTOR II yesterday, the guy in front of me purchased both the game and the strategy guide. While I was completing my purchase, the clerk mentions, "I'd ask if you'd want the strategy guide, but that last guy just bought the last one." I replied that I'm not the kind of guy who uses strategy guides but it got me wondering... how many people do use strategy guides? The game had only been on sale for a couple hours and they were sold out of strategy guides? Are they something people only use for RPGs or is it much more widespread? In my entire life, I have only purchased one strategy guide; it was for Final Fantasy XI months after I owned it as an attempt to keep me interested in the game so I wouldn't feel like I wasted my money. But to buy one before I even played the game? I don't think I could ever do that. So I ask the question, how often do you buy a strategy guide and what's the motivation behind it?

Xbox Xbox 2: What the PS2 Was Supposed to Be Chief Xbox Officer Robbie Bach recently talked with Business Week and made a few choice comments about what is being explored for the Xbox 2. There was a definite theme going on, as if Microsoft is looking to turn the Xbox 2 into something akin to a Media Center Edition PC. He discusses the possibility of sharing "digital memories" and broadcasting video. Communications may be a crucial focal point, such as "chat, messaging, blogging, telephony." Bach concludes, "All those things are important scenarios, and there will be things that Microsoft will be doing to deliver those. All of these scenarios I've just talked about require some hardware and some very cool software to enable them."
NDS DS Doing Well in US, Japan The Nintendo DS is off to a very hot start with most of its inventory selling out in both the United States and Japan. The DS has sold over 500,000 copies in the United States and 460,000 in Japan, with 50,000 more on hold for people who pre-ordered it. That said, Nintendo has basically sold a million units of the Nintendo DS and demand is still high in the United States as many stores are sold out and won't expect a restock until sometime next year.
PS2 Xbox Mercenaries Dated The third-person shooter coming from LucasArts, Mercenaries, now has an official release date: January 11, 2005. The game is being developed by Pandemic Studios, the same studio behind Full Spectrum Warrior, and will release on the PS2 and Xbox. The official website for the game has been launched and can be found here.
Xbox Xbox Modders Arrested Two people were arrested in Washington, D.C. for selling modded Xbox systems. Federal officials stormed three Pandora's Cube locations and the two were arrested on charges of conspiracy to commit copyright infringement and conspiracy to traffic in a device that circumvents technological protection measures. The stores sold what were called "Super Xboxes" which had larger hard drives, game copying software, and around fifteen games pre-loaded on the HD.
PS2 Xbox GCN Game Dev School Round-up A couple things to mention; first, the joint-venture academy between the University of Central Florida and Electronic Arts will officially be named the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy. A week or so ago, it was announced it'd be called the Keva Advanced Academy for Interactive Entertainment at the University of Central Florida, but that seemed to confuse people already used to calling it by the former name. At the same time, the Art Institute of California - San Francisco will allow Chinese students from the Xi'an International University to transfer their credits to pursue a Bachelor of Science degree in Media Arts & Animation and Game Art & Design.
PS2 Xbox GCN Misc. Q&As/Features GamerFeed has a discussion with the director of Tekken 5, Katsuhiro Harada.
  Misc. Media/Previews
PS2 59 shots of Devil May Cry 3 are at GameSpot. GameSpy sticks up some screenshots of Kessen III.
Xbox GameSpot has an update on Oddworld Stranger's Wrath. IGN sticks up four streaking videos of Forza Motorsport.
GCN More Resident Evil 4 goodness with this look at one of the bosses (IGN) and this hands-on (Game Informer).
GBA NDS A good look at one of the potentially "must-haves," Band Brothers (NDS), is at IGN along with video goodness of Yoshi Universal Gravitation (GBA).
PS2 Xbox GCN 1up takes a long look at Mortal Kombat: Shaolin Monks (PS2, Xbox). GameSpy has a few new bits of media for Far Cry Instincts (PS2, Xbox, GCN). IGN infiltrates Area 51 (PS2, Xbox) in this preview.
Console Game of the Evening: Metal Storm for the NES. "You can, get this, jump up and reverse gravity, WALKING ON THE CIELING! Groundbreaking." (submitted by nuknuk).


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59 Threads | 145 Comments
  • #140
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    By: NERodgers x
    Reply
    I've found strategy guides very useful in the past. In the end, I think it all boils down to how you want to play a game. For example, not long ago I was attempting my very first speed run of Super Metroid. It is essential to have a good map and your route planned out for a Metroid speed run, and there are no better maps around than the ones found in the Player's Guide. They also tend to be helpful if you want to get 100% completion in a game.

    I sort of collect strategy guides. I have a ton for games that I can beat easily without them (Star Fox, Zelda: Ocarina of Time, etc.), but they are great if you just need a quick reference for something. And they look so nice. :P
    Dec 09, 2004 2:22pm PST
  • #91
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    By: kungfusquirrel x
    Reply
    Hmm. Couldn't figure out which strat guide post to respond to.

    I got the HL2 guide in the Steam Gold edition, and it has made me want very much to purchase more strategy guides - not to use while playing the game, but to use afterwards as quick reference for map layouts, game flow, etc. etc. The top down views are great, and you can get good outlines of how things were put together without running the game, opening the map, running around, etc. etc.

    Though I'd still much rather see more art books like Raising the Bar. Imagine something like that for Knights of the Old Republic or some other equally sized or larger game. :)
    Dec 09, 2004 4:46am PST
  • #71
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    By: SilverSnake x
    Reply
    I've bought one strategy guide in my life and that was for Shadowgate. Back in those days I could only get help with games from friends with the same games (and nobody I knew completed that game without my help, and that's after I bought the guide). I also got a guide for Quake with some magazine, but never used it...

    Nowadays I use guides online at times, most commenly is when I've completed it and wanna check how I find the last few secrets (when I've grown bored of looking myself) or when I get horribly stuck. Looking up tactics and strategies I very rarely do.
    Dec 09, 2004 1:45am PST
  • #69
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    By: Kryn x
    Reply
    I was going to buy a strategy guide for SimCity 4 because it had a ton of useful information regarding individual building stats and city planning strategy, and SC4 was way way way too different from the traditional SC formula to figure out on my own (i.e. throw enough money at education and build enough schools and you can wipe out all crime and not need to build one Police building. What the? This wasn't so in past SCs, and isn't nearly as realistic.)

    I ultimately wound up deciding the game was pretty but completely vapid in the gameplay department from SC3K thanks to these changes.
    Dec 09, 2004 1:28am PST
  • #62
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    By: SolrFlare x
    Reply
    Strategy Guides these days are like buying snacks at the movies:

    "For 50 cents more you can upgrade to the big gulp. Come on, you know its a deal *nudge nudge*

    Then you buy the big gulp, only drink a large worth, and end up realizing all they really did is put more ice in to water it down. So you feel like an idiot, drink the nasty soda flavored water, and end up having to get up to take a wiz all night when you try to sleep.

    That is what strategy guides are these days. They are the big gulp for your games. The rare exceptions would be the once in a million guides that are more like an art piece than a guide.
    Dec 09, 2004 12:16am PST