It’s no secret that I do not like mandatory installs for my game systems. I don’t mean to focus on the PS3, but it’s currently the only game console that does this so, here we go again…

Let’s forget the fact that installs suck for people with smaller hard drives. And let’s forget the fact that requiring said installs completely negates the benefit of having the massive storage capacity of Blu-Ray disc (if I have to install a third of the game anyway what does it matter if it’s off of one third of the br-disc, or one out of 2 dvds?). And let’s forget the fact that most of these games do not require installs on “other” game consoles for some mysteriously magical reason. The biggest thing I personally hate about mandatory installs is the feeling I get when I can’t actually get instant entertainment from my game disc.

Whether it’s 5, 10 or 30 minutes to install it drives me bonkers that I can’t begin my adventure from the moment I hit start. Some game makers have tried to put distractions in, but watching an old dude smoke for twenty minutes or some anemic slide show for DMC4 is hardly entertaining.

But Tecmo’s Team Ninja has upped the ante and decided those who held out for the PS3 version deserve some love too. Not only did they give us more gameplay, but in exchange for seven minutes of install their treating us to a digital version of a Ninja Gaiden 2 Sigma comic book, complete with sound effects that acts as a prequel to the game. Well hell, if all mandatory installs game with real entertainment as a trade off I could probably be swayed to stop bitching about them so much… Nah, prolly not.

Honestly, if the makers of Rock Band and Guitar Hero didn’t see this coming they should have their market research teams go back to school. With the glut of “Band” and “Hero” spin offs, expansions and sequels, combined with all the knock off wannabe rhythm games being passed on to less savvy consumers it was simply inevitable.

Now while I may be content to keep strumming away with my Rock Band 2 disc and all the myriad of songs I’ve spent Micro$oft monies on, these publishers are still insisting that I should spend more of my real world monies on their next sets of plastics and song packs.

Personally I find the lack of cross compatibility of Rock Band’s Beatles edition to be complete and utter bullshit, and I’m of a strong notion that 5 is too many numbers for the Guitar Hero franchise for what little improvements they’ve made. Don’t get me wrong, I have no doubt that they will be quality products for new entrants or Beatles loyalist, but for me the continued support with new song releases is where they’ll keep getting my money.

But take heart faux rockers of the digital world as our horizons are about to be opened up theoretically to infinity and beyond with the new Rock Band Network community site. This new upload system will allow bands both big and small to create and sell playable game content from their recordings using the tools allegedly used by Harmonix themselves. Initially this will be available for Xbox 360 users, with the hopes that it could expand to PS3 and Wii as well. As Apple and Microsoft have shown, user generated game content can work in today’s world outside of the PC arena. Let’s just hope they have a better system for ratings and quality assurance save us from an onslaught of crap to sift through.

p.s. Caramel Pollock!

Truth be told this is a good deal for budding talent with out the connections to get signed by a big publisher, or maybe for any defunct former PC development teams looking to regroup and keep doing what they love. Bottom line is, there is no good reason for you amateurs not to be making me some killer new games to play on the cheap. Now get crackin’… cracky!

They announced a new color for Japan:
Satin Silver.

Curse you, dyslexia!

Link

Final Fantasy 13 probably, maybe, most-likely, my sources point to no, won’t be making it into the year of our lord 2008.

Link

The only country that has even that slim chance of playing it is Japan and its still a very minisucle chance. No new trailers, a few pics, no demo or word of a demo all of these things point to nothing in 2008. “So when will it be out?” you ask? No I don’t know, except not 2008. Going by the last generations Final Fantasy release schedule I would guess Feb/March 2009 in Japan then November 2009 for the U.S.