Crimbo presents

It's almost that type of year again, Christmas.

For the record I'm a firm believer in Christmas is 25th December. People with decorations up in October? Sorry I just don't get it, surely by having them up for so long you actually detract from the 'special-ness' (not a word) of them through over exposure. Companies with really early Christmas adverts... same to you, and people counting down 'sleeps'etc from about 150. Yes that is why I stopped following you on twitter/hid your facebook posts.

Oh and the to anyone who posts 364 sleeps til Crimbo on boxing day. Words can not describe how swiftly you shall vanish from my timeline(s). That includes retweets.

But this blog isn't to rant about premature festivities (my staff Crimbo party was in November this year, and was good!), I may do that separately, in fact I'm pretty certain I will. This is about myself, me, moi. I have no idea what I want for crimbo, and times a wasting.

The good wife asked me a good while ago what I wanted her to buy for me, I didn't know, which isn't uncommon but generally I think of something (to give to Santa in case Gracie is reading this, fat bastard gets all the credit) sooner or later. But this year I'm struggling.

I'm 30 year old so if I get not much, especially after being a pain in the arse about it, I'm not going to cry. But I'm a blank. It's me and I like gadgets so something electrical is an awesome idea. Do I wanted a tablet, the Kindle Fire and Google Nexus 7 are both pretty awesome little machines (wouldn't want to carry a 10" one round) and let's face it my 3 year old netbook is feeling it's age. But would I use it? I think so, especially as I do love my kindle and either could replace/upgrade that on everything except battery life. Possibility.

I did ponder the idea of splitting a Wii U between us (and my birthday) but jesus they're so expensive, even the games are £50 (in Game who you should know my opinion of by now). Cut the price Nintendo, one of the selling points of the original wii was the accessibility and affordability, at least of the basic pack. They still bummed you hard for a remote. So probably not a great idea.

Batman blu-ray set, check.

Ummm apart from that, I could ask for a 360 game, there's a new cheap PS3 out, but I don't really want another console. Something retro? An N64 would rock, but I haven't played the SNES as much as I thought I would, so it could be a dust gatherer. The wife has a 3DS but I can't see me getting the use.

So any ideas anyone, I have gadgety friends, who may or may not read this tripe. What's good?

Wii 2 (Wii Wii?)

So Nintendo have announced the latest in their quick turnaround machine upgrades, next year the Wii will be replaced by the Wii 2 (I'm assuming a more creative working title will follow). The Wii itself always disappointed me, the concept was good but the follow through? It's had a few good games, the usual Nintendo staples such as Mario, Mario Kart were good. The Wii Silent Hill is supposed to be excellent (never played it) and some games such as Resi 4, Eledees, Mad World, got through, even games like Conduit tried, but for the most part the software support has been poor.

Firstly, Nintendo share an ethos with Apple, they like upgrading their machines so people have to pay full price to have the latest. Hand-held wise since the EU launch of the DS in 2006 there has been DS, DS Lite, DSi, DSi XL, 3DS, each more expensive than the last while just offering enough to make it a viable new product. Console wise 5 years between Gamecube and Wii is quite short for this kind of thing and it'll be 6 between Wii and Wii 2. For comparison the 360 is a year older than the Wii and has no plans to be replaced any time soon (although to be fair xbox to 360 was a REALLY short turnaround).

But what does this announcement mean for the Wii? Who's going to develop software for it now when it's days are already numbered? It was a great opportunity that never got the chance to get going, suffocated by casual gaming and shovelware to put it nicely. Apparently the Wii 2 (I like Wii Wii... Nintendo can you hear me?) will be easy to write for and port, but the Wii has a reputation for being a 'casual' console and that rep could be hard to shift.

Kinect - a gaming revolution?

The time is quickly approaching that Microsft will be releasing their XBOX 360 peripheral, Kinect.

Aint it perdy?

Now Kinect (I preferred Natal) is billed as something that will fully revolutionise the way everyone games, removing controllers from the mix. I have a mate who managed to get is backside on the Beta testing program (jammy b*stard) and he can't stop raving about how good it is, how responsive how accurate etc. This is a guy who as a rule knows his stuff and his opinion can be very much trusted.

However, I'm far from convinced.

I've been through this 'new way of gaming stuff before' I picked up a Wii on launch day and was memorised by the way things played. Wii Sports was accurate, responsive and all those things, but after not a hell of a lot of time, it felt gimmicky. Third party titles came out that the developers had either not grasped how to program for the Wii, leading to difficult to play games, or were just lazily adding motion controls to existing titles to shift a few dozen more units.

I have a horrible feeling Kinect will do the same for me. For the first 3 or 4 weeks, it'll be amazing. I wont be able to believe I ever had to push a button to play stuff, what a fool was I! But then I wont feel like standing up, or some new games will arrive, as immense cost and be plainly rubbish and I'll long for my 360 pad again.

Plus there's the cost, these 'controllers' will not be cheap, in fact they will laugh in the face of cheap and mock just how cheap it is. Weighing in at £130 (you can get them cheaper but this is the RRP so Game/Gamestation will charge that at least, and probably a little more just cos people will pay it) you can actually guy an 360 for less. For your £130 you get the controller (at least you only need one) and 1 piece of software, Kinect Adventures. Any further games are full price, pocket destroying.

I have a preorder in place in Game in Swansea. It's not mine but when my (same) mate (I have more than one, I'm just only referring to him at the mo) found out his Beta testing kit was his, I inherited his preorder, but the closer I get to the day, the more I'm thinking, do I really want it? Can I really justify the outlay for something which seems to gimmicky? The more I think about the the more I'm thinking not.

Now, at this point I can add I've never actually played using it. It could be what I've been looking for all these years, I just don't know it yet. But chances are it's not, it'll be fun for a bi then gather dust. Actually I think writing this has just made my mind up!!

I read something perfect on the GamesTM forum yesterday, it basically said what will people prefer in the long run, playing with a invisible steering wheel, or feeling the rumble and feedback from a real one/controller. Well when you say it like that... (sorry can't find post again to link too!)

Microsoft know one thing, Kinect will be a success, it will sell millions and be impossible to get hold of (now thinks about keeping preorder and selling for Christmas... hmmm <evil laugh>) but it may not be one with people like me (I'm pretty sure there's not many people wanting to be put into that category) but the Wii inspired casual market and kids, and after all kids are the future. The Wii captured a market, that very market and it's understandable Microsoft want a chunk of it I suppose. I just hope it doesn't become compulsory on too many games.

I think I'll get Fable 3 instead, wait that's Kinect compatible... here we go again...