The Off Topic Lounge: Wara Wara OTiiverse Plaza Edition

[QUOTE="starwarsjunky"]anybody want xcom:enemy unknown on steam? i got 2 extra copies.wiifan001

Yo! You still have one extra copy?

I'm open for it pretty please!

And I'll throw in my id.

Sandvalanche. the unstoppable force of nature Avalanche of Sand.

Get ready for some big changes on GameSpot! Haziqonfire

[QUOTE="Haziqonfire"]Get ready for some big changes on GameSpot! starwarsjunky

Get ready for some big changes on GameSpot! Haziqonfire

[QUOTE="Haziqonfire"]Get ready for some big changes on GameSpot! meetroid8

Do we think the new forums will have less glitches? :lol:roboccs

For those of you wondering about the redesign, Lark Anderson showed off some of the layout in the Hangouts Session today - and Alexis Gallisa (one of the designers) posted a picture the top of the home page here.

For those of you wondering about the redesign, Lark Anderson showed off some of the layout in the Hangouts Session today - and Alexis Gallisa (one of the designers) posted a picture the top of the home page here.

Haziqonfire

Looks like they took GiantBomb and replaced the logo from what Haz linked

Personally this place is going to hell, the redesign confirms it. No one cares about this site at all, they're too involved in the media side of things and not about the useability of the site. Taking away things that the users use seems wrong to me.

I love the smoke and mirror things though "oh we have so much traffic and unions only make up for a teeny tiny piece"

Well yeah no kidding, that's because most of the traffic you have are people who walk in and out of here and don't care about the site itself. Unions on the other hand care about what's going on here because they BUILT something here.

It doesn't take a marketing major to figure out that if you cater to the users they become loyal to a site

So what are your impressions? Does it seem legit?roboccs

It looks similar to Giant Bomb which isn't surprising since the designer I mentioned is the same as Giant Bomb's.

I think the design is pretty good, plus it looks like there's some meaningful changes coming to the site. Yesterday during the live chat they talked about a few improvements. The "20 point system" is gone now in favour of a 10 point system, meaning only whole numbers now.

They also talked about the reviews now having second opinions from other GameSpot editors. The reasoning behind it was that people play games for different reasons or in different ways so they want to have multiple perspectives. They're also going to be re-reviewing some games, though it seems genre specific - like a MOBA. 

Looks like they took GiantBomb and replaced the logo from what Haz linked

Personally this place is going to hell, the redesign confirms it. No one cares about this site at all, they're too involved in the media side of things and not about the useability of the site. Taking away things that the users use seems wrong to me.

I love the smoke and mirror things though "oh we have so much traffic and unions only make up for a teeny tiny piece"

Well yeah no kidding, that's because most of the traffic you have are people who walk in and out of here and don't care about the site itself. Unions on the other hand care about what's going on here because they BUILT something here.

It doesn't take a marketing major to figure out that if you cater to the users they become loyal to a site

Jaysonguy

Lark addressed this in the Google Hangouts session.

They're firm on not keeping Union's around in their current form but are offering leaders of the most popular unions to keep those unions as their own board. The only difference is that the leaders of those unions will not be given the tools they currently have, meaning you cannot restrict membership and leaders don't have the ability to sticky/close threads.

He also talked about having more boards dedicated to specific lifestyle topics. He mentioned anime and wrestling boards.

So while it might not be the most optimal solution, they're being open about how to handle it. Remember that the current GameSpot system is 15 years old, so transitioning to an entirely new built from the ground up site is going to take a lot of work. 

Second opinions on reviews isn't a bad thing because people look at totally different things and grade down/up for different things. I have no problem with Tom Mc'Shea, it's just that he is so nit-picky and will really kill a game for very minor issues that are mostly personal issues to him. I have no problem with him being tough about giving every game and 8 or 9. And on podcasts he has said that 7.5 is a very good score which I agree with. That way, the 8 and above classification won't be so watered down. It's just on those same poscasts, his nit-picks are just outrageous some times and will kill a game for some stupid crap. If a game isn't life changing or earth shattering it gets a lot of criticism.roboccs

At least Kevin VanOrd Is a smart, level-headed counter to that.

Having a second opinion for reviews is okay, but that's not the most vital improvement they could make with reviews. Looking over the Wonderful 101 reviews from various sites, only ONE of them described the combat system in any kind of detail. Reviewers seem to be drifting away from giving us critical information about a game we're interested in spending money on and trying too hard to offer more artistic criticism. There's a place for that, but it's not in a numbered review, unless the review fully describes how the game works as well. Gamespot seems to want to focus more on social commentary (at least in the way the editors talk about review theory on the podcast), which is fine with me, but it keeps getting in the way of telling us how well a game is put together as a thing we play.

.... and trying too hard to offer more artistic criticism. JordanElek

[QUOTE="JordanElek"] .... and trying too hard to offer more artistic criticism. roboccs

Every once in awhile, they play Metagame on the podcast. McShea wins every time. He's really good at making things up and trying to justify inconsistencies and ridiculous arguments with rhetoric. I think that works against him a lot of the time because he convinces himself that what he's saying is reasonable and true when it's still just as ridiculous even though it sounds good.

That drives me crazy because I used to totally be like that (and still am when I'm not careful) and it keeps you from learning anything. He could be really, really good at his job if he would recognize that.

I think this right here sums it up perfectly; very well put. I do remember at one of the last few E3's Mc'Shea interviewed a big-wig from one of the big FPS developers (can't remember if it was CoD or Battlefield or what) and he was grilling this developer on how disrespectful it was to have regenerating health in a war-sim. I was sitting there thinking "Dude, it's still a video game... getting killed in one-shot would not make for a fun game..." Then I think the developer basically brought up the same thing and Mc'Shea didn't really have a good response... Don't ask me why I keep bringing him up... I really have no huge problem with the guy. I am interested in what he has to say during the Gameplay podcasts... :Proboccs

That was the last Medal of Honor I think.

I remember that, lol.

He posts on NeoGAF too and I remember him posting in the NBA thread during the playoffs. Let's just say his commentary about the games made people quote him a lot and it made me laugh more than it should've. 

That drives me crazy because I used to totally be like that (and still am when I'm not careful) JordanElek

[QUOTE="JordanElek"]That drives me crazy because I used to totally be like that (and still am when I'm not careful) roboccs

And I don't think I'm very good with rhetoric. I meant that I would have an under-reasoned argument then dig in and try to logic my way to a well-reasoned argument and eventually convince myself more than I might convince others. I still do the hasty under-reasoned argument part, but I'm much better now at scrapping it as soon as I see a hole and starting with a different foundation.

So we are all gonna be Level 1 again...?Rod90

[QUOTE="Rod90"]So we are all gonna be Level 1 again...?roboccs

[QUOTE="roboccs"][QUOTE="Rod90"]So we are all gonna be Level 1 again...?meetroid8

I would like to thank Jordan for telling me about The Besties podcast if for nothing else than their opening theme song... It's absolutely an awesome opening theme that gets stuck in my head for the entire day I listen to the podcast.roboccs

[QUOTE="roboccs"]I would like to thank Jordan for telling me about The Besties podcast if for nothing else than their opening theme song... It's absolutely an awesome opening theme that gets stuck in my head for the entire day I listen to the podcast.JordanElek

Woot, got my first new car ever, and got my DKC:TF preorder paid off :)TxTech1923

[QUOTE="TxTech1923"]Woot, got my first new car ever, and got my DKC:TF preorder paid off :)roboccs

How many miles did the old truck have on it? I imagine in Texas there is some good opportunity to pack on the mileage.roboccs

[QUOTE="Haziqonfire"]Breaking Bad is the best show on TV. Yesterday's episode ... omgggggggggg.bob_newman