What Game Can't You Wait To Play?

[Lenny]

Saying that, though, EA are the biggest developer in the world, so they can afford to have a lot of projects on going at once. At least count I think they had something like 5,000 developers, with Ubisoft next biggest, and the Sony in-house developers third.

If you think about it, 5,000 developers is huge! Take Insomniac. For Resistance: Fall of Man they had a team of around 120 permament members, maybe hitting 200 when they had specific things to do. LAIR (Factor 5) had a team of about the same. I reckon I'm safe by going out on a limb and saying Squenix teams have about the same number, and I'm pretty sure that the team making Killzone 2 at Guerilla Games again have a similar number. I could list more, methinks. An nth one that springs to mind is the folks at Bethesda who created Oblivion.

Obviously, these figures are just vague rememberings from months back, but that's about the size we're looking at for a game development team. If you think how many games EA are producing (a number of which they'll only be publishing, rather than developing - that is, they'll outsource the game creation to smaller teams around the world and then publish the game under the EA brand) and then think how many dev's they have - 5000/200 gives 25 games at a time. Maybe more if the teams are smaller. They can afford to have a lot of ongoing projects at once.

Recently Peter Moore left Microsoft (he was Corporate Vice-President of Microsoft's Interactive Entertainment Business division - a posh way of saying high-up from the Xbox division) and is now head of EA Sports. He has gone on record saying that from now on, EVERY EA Sports game will run at a minimum of 60fps. Even PS3 games (a nice change from the abysmal 30fps of the latest Madden, compared to the 60fps of its 360 brother).

However, unlike EA, Squenix take their time. Look at how many times KH2 was delayed, but also look at the final product. Fantastic!

You know what? I've forgotten the point I was going to make.

Meh. I'll leave it as it is.

Oh, stop me if I start babbling about things, by the way. I can easily get carried away in discussions like these!

[Overread]

Ture about EA - and its not to say that I do not like what they produce, but most of the games always have that feeling that little bits have been left out which when added together detract from the game and prevent it from being a top rate game that will last decades.

On topic now - eagerly awaiting the release of Final Fantasy tactics for the DS.

[Lenny]

They also seem to be only about the franchises, don't they? And mostly film or Sports franchises at that. Gets old soon.

On topic? Awww. I was having fun, too!

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I might as well add FFXIII and Versus XIII to my earlier list. And the new Kingdom Hearts (there's definitely going to be one. When and what on is an entirely different question!).

[Sephiroth]

Originally Posted by Overread

better make sure you and your friends write up a detailed contract for this - or it the simpson comic fight all over again -

*laughs at the image in his head*

It's a good point.

I, too, am waiting for the PS3 to drop significantly in price.

I'm also hoping that Square and Enix will de-merge. Things were better when it was just Squaresoft. FFXII was a big disappointment for me.

And all these different games for different formats are really bugging me. I can hardly keep up anymore!

Fabula Nova Crysallis: interesting title. Let's hope it has the substance to match!

[Lenny]

It's just pure speculation at the mo, but various industry analysts reckon that Sony will drop a pricing bomb at TGS, lowering the price of the system in all territories.

I haven't played FFXII yet... in fact, I have to admit that the only FF I've played was FFX. Suffice to say, though, I really liked it. And if there is an FFVII remake some time, I'll pre-order it as soon as it's announced.

There's a mistake I've noticed from an earlier post - Nomura is only directing FF Versus XIII. He's the Character Designer on all FNC games, though, as well as a million and one other Squenix games.

[Sephiroth]

Well, if I may be forgiven for rambling a little more (maybe I should start a thread, I'll have a look, see if there's been one recently)...

FFX was an excellent game. It's my joint second-favourite alongside VI (the last one to be released on the SNES). The fighting in X was particularly good, brilliant battle system and amazing optional bosses!

Did you beat Penance, Lenny? (you had to beat all the Dark Aeons first)

I can't imagine not having played FFVII, since that game has since become an integral part of my soul. There hasn't been another story quite like VII.

Playing it for the first time remade on the PS3 would be amazing, although the 10-year-old original has its charm. Anyway, I'll shut up about Final Fantasy before someone bops me on the head...

[Lenny]

Nope. I borrowed it off a friend, took a few months, and gave it back at the point where one can buy Yojimbo. Never got past that point.

Though I did watch the same friend playing it from that point until the point where one has to fight Yunalesca in Zanarkand. Haven't a clue about the ending, sadly. And no-one tell me!

Rambling is good! By all means start a nice rambling thread. I'll be sure to help populate it.

[Sephiroth]

I won't tell you, all I'll say is that by the time I went to do the end, I was soooo hard that all of the end fights were one-hit wonders.

*is among a very small minority who have beat Penance*

Anyway, enough! I have to go out for a short while, but later, when I return, I shall start a thread where all of us FF-heads can ramble to our hearts' content.

Soooo......what game can't you wait to play?

[Lenny]

Well, there are bout five I mentioned at the start:

I'm looking forward to Asassin's Creed and Two Worlds, as well as Grand Theft Auto IV, but especially Killzone 2 and Metal Gear Solid 4.

Oh, and I mustn't forget LittleBigPlanet.

So, yeah, only a few.

The two FF's I mentioned a post or two ago:

I might as well add FFXIII and Versus XIII to my earlier list. And the new Kingdom Hearts (there's definitely going to be one. When and what on is an entirely different question!).

And I'm going to add another - Half Life Orange Box. Whe it's out, I'll buy it. For PS3, obviously.

[Tilion]

Starcraft 2, but of course! Should be yummy, and one of the bestselling PC games as well.

Aside from that, I'm quite looking forward to Heroes of Might and Magic V: Tribes of the East.

[Overread]

The heorso f might an magic series - personally I think they lost the plot after number 3 - a great classic and I speak from the view point of a recent player.

Another to add to the list is Disciples III - they're reducing the number of armies in the game to three, however it is strongly hinted that the others will be added in later expansions - I only hope they manage them better than they did for Disciples II

[Joel007]

Awesome, I loved both Disciples games and had no idea there was a new one

[Patrician]

Can't wait to get my hands on Kingdoms, exspansion for Medieval 2 Total War. Teutons, teutons...

[Aerandir]

My PS2 crapped out on me nearly a year ago, and my PC can't run any new games but I still have a wish list.

I haven't played God of War 2, and am very anxious to do so. The first one was hands down one of the best games I've played.

I'm very excited about Star Craft 2. I've been playing Blizzard RTS games since the first War Craft came out.

Spore. Check it out, it looks like good fun.

SPORE: A Closer Look at SPORE

I'm also wanting to the play the latest installments in the Resident Evil series.

I guess I know what I'm asking Santa for this year.

[Overread]

Spore - a great idea for a game though I think they are taking longer to produce for two main reasons; firstly there is the diversity of play that they have promised and that is probable taking a long time to balance out right. Secondly there is the power of current gaming machines owned by the average player, supreme command got caught out by this as it required more power than most people own, and thus sales and customer satisfaction went down, thus spore might just be waiting for better direct X10 cards and the general level of computer power to increase before releaseing.