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[Mephisto]

I know I started this with a bit of light ribbing but it was in jest. I get it. <explanation removed; go read Flying Dice's post for a much better version>


So, regarding games, discounts, and actually buying stuff:

I know it's only 30-something percent but I've been considering picking up the newest Monster Hunter. Given how new it is, that discount is probably the best we can expect for a while and I'm kind of itching to play something like this after getting rid of my Wii and PSP versions.

[scriver]

Monster Hunter is one of those games that really makes me wish demos was still a business commonplacity

[nenjin]

Is it still that bad?

[Nighthawk]

commonplacity

I don't think this is a recognized word in the English language, but damn if I'm not going to use it as often as possible from now on.

Is it still that bad?

If you mean the lack of demos, yeah, they're still near nonexistent. You need only look through Steam or any other gaming platform at all to see just how uncommon demos are (This is by no means backed by any kind of science, but I'd venture to say less than 5% of released games on Steam have demos). The main reason I've seen cited is that demos aren't a worthwhile investment for a lot of developers. For AAA developers, demos are often more likely to lead someone NOT to buy a game (this is probably due to the fact that a low-effort demo leaves a terrible impression, but it's also true that developers that make sales off pure hype benefit from their playerbase knowing less about a game). For indie developers, a demo is more work you have to put in for something that people may just categorically ignore.

That said, demos can be extremely helpful for indie developers who want people to try their game, and in certain cases have worked wonders (see Defender's Quest, which is getting a sequel after being more successful than the developers anticipated, partially because of their demo).

With Steam's new refund policy, however, there's even less incentive for developers to make a demo for their game if it's going to end up on the platform, since a lot of people who want to "demo" a game will buy it and get a refund if they don't like the first 2 hours.

... If your "Is it still that bad" was directed at Monster Hunter, however, the answer is no. It's still pretty good. 

[Parsely]

commonplacity

I don't think this is a recognized word in the English language, but damn if I'm not going to use it as often as possible from now on.

It's our responsibility to use it until it reaches commonplacity.

[nenjin]

... If your "Is it still that bad" was directed at Monster Hunter, however, the answer is no. It's still pretty good.

More what I was getting at. When people are like "this should have a demo" months after it's been out, the implication is the product has such deep flaws even now that it should have a try before you buy option.

[Kagus]

Didn't it kinda have issues with marketing itself as something it wasn't? Like the "open world" mention.

But yeah, I miss demos... And the thing about Steam refunds is that you won't necessarily get a proper feel for the game inside of two hours.

[Yoink]

I miss demo discs. Man, those were the shit.
Especially those PS1 ones, where the creators would get all artistic with the menus and music and stuff.



Sale-related: I think looking at my Steam wishlist to refresh my memory of something just now may have been a mistake - there's page upon page of heavily-discounted stuff. Like, 80% or more. Goodness me. I might have to make... some... purchases. D:   

[Frumple]

Demo discs were fun, but more the old PC ones that had like a hundred demos on them. Only half might work but by gods that half let you really feel sturgeon's law on a visceral level.

They stand (well, lay cracked and non-functioning these days, probably, but whatever) as testament that no, no games weren't better back in the old days

[Nighthawk]

... If your "Is it still that bad" was directed at Monster Hunter, however, the answer is no. It's still pretty good.

More what I was getting at. When people are like "this should have a demo" months after it's been out, the implication is the product has such deep flaws even now that it should have a try before you buy option.

Well, the PC version of MHW has been receiving more and more positive reviews as of late, so I assume it's on the up and up, though there are still plenty of complaints, so I assume Capcom's team was not and probably won't ever be fully prepared to deal with the issues that cropped up on PC.

As said before, though, Steam refund policy means that if you're going to be spending the game's price on anything ever in the foreseeable future, buying the game, trying it, and refunding if it doesn't work out is a viable option if you really want a "demo."

tl;dr - The game itself is pretty good. The way the port has been handled isn't.

[Retropunch]

Regardless of the issues with tonality in the game (super kawaii annoying weebishness and then super serious monster hunting) I thought MHW was fantastic. No issues at all in the port (zero bugs other than some issues with internet drop out which were probably my end in fact).

I'm not sure what the complaints were, but I honestly thought it was great and I'm usually very tough on ports and this sort of game. Definitely worth buying on sale in my opinion.

[Parsely]

Regardless of the issues with tonality in the game (super kawaii annoying weebishness and then super serious monster hunting) I thought MHW was fantastic. No issues at all in the port (zero bugs other than some issues with internet drop out which were probably my end in fact).

It's a Japanese video game, mostly developed in Japan... Not just that, in fact they made changes to the game that they perceived made it more "Western" in order to appeal to the global market.

Tokuda: But, additionally, there are some changes we'll be making to the slightly more arcane aspects of the series. I don't think it hurts to address them. We always need to be ready to evolve. For example, Monster Hunter has never shown the health bars on the monsters. That's something you have to understand yourself, by watching the monster's behavior, or reading a guide. This time around, we've added damage numbers. There's no health bar, but now you know when you're doing slightly more damage. It's a small change, but it will help newbies tremendously. For veteran hunters, you can just turn this off. A lot of these examples involve the controls, which are totally optional changes. You can now click the thumbstick to run instead of holding a trigger, which most players in the West are used to, and you can use a radial menu to pick out items, instead of scrolling. Aiming with the bowguns is now more like a traditional third-person shooter. It's nothing major, but it goes a long way. We don't want to discard the series' tremendous legacy, of course. That's why it's an option.

So calling the game weebish is the weirdest thing ever. But I guess if you mistook it for a Western produced game imitating Japan then they kind of succeeded.

[GiglameshDespair]

Regardless of the issues with tonality in the game (super kawaii annoying weebishness and then super serious monster hunting) I thought MHW was fantastic. No issues at all in the port (zero bugs other than some issues with internet drop out which were probably my end in fact).

It's a Japanese video game, mostly developed in Japan... Not just that, in fact they made changes to the game that they perceived made it more "Western" in order to appeal to the global market.

Tokuda: But, additionally, there are some changes we'll be making to the slightly more arcane aspects of the series. I don't think it hurts to address them. We always need to be ready to evolve. For example, Monster Hunter has never shown the health bars on the monsters. That's something you have to understand yourself, by watching the monster's behavior, or reading a guide. This time around, we've added damage numbers. There's no health bar, but now you know when you're doing slightly more damage. It's a small change, but it will help newbies tremendously. For veteran hunters, you can just turn this off. A lot of these examples involve the controls, which are totally optional changes. You can now click the thumbstick to run instead of holding a trigger, which most players in the West are used to, and you can use a radial menu to pick out items, instead of scrolling. Aiming with the bowguns is now more like a traditional third-person shooter. It's nothing major, but it goes a long way. We don't want to discard the series' tremendous legacy, of course. That's why it's an option.

So calling the game weebish is the weirdest thing ever. But I guess if you mistook it for a Western produced game imitating Japan then they kind of succeeded.

Those damn Japanese weeaboos

[Kagus]

So what should it be called, exactly? It's a particular style, and not one all Japanese people are ethnically obliged to prefer or contribute to.

[Parsely]

So what should it be called, exactly?

Japanese? It's a Japanese video game, it has Japanese tropes, so calling it Japanese is accurate. "Weeb" isn't a Japanese trope, it's a derogatory term for Western people who are obsessed with Japanese culture. What he probably meant was that the Japanese video game was very Japanese.