PSPGo, and the merits of downloadable games
This is something I posted as a comment on 1Up.com’s news story about a Dutch retailer boycotting the PSPGo. Copy/pasting for posterity —
I’m glad PSP’s ‘go’ing pure download. It’s about time. I think digital distribution will be a great boon for the games industry, provided they can simultaneously keep pirating to a minimum. And I agree with whoever said that digital distribution will make the cost of doing business much cheaper, thus encouraging more independent developers and, hopefully, more quality niche games. Downside is that we’ll lose the used games market. I like to be able to pick up old games on the cheap as much as anyone, but I’d much rather have the convenience and variety afforded by widespread digital distribution. And, ultimately, I’d rather see game publishers and developers, rather than GameStop, get money for every game bought. That’s healthy for the industry, pure and simple. This download model and the coming “cloud gaming” model are what’s coming, and I welcome them. Think of all the petrochemicals we’ll save by not pressing, packaging and shipping all that crap.
Sci-fi suggestions
Recent email exchange with a co-worker turned to “what sci-fi movies do you like and think maybe should be remade?” Because it’s so easy to copy-paste, here’s what I told him —
I thought AvP was a fun idea, but they don’t even come close to the original Alien. So far removed from what appealed to me about that movie. Alien, for me, wasn’t centered around the action, but the suspense, the mystery, the horror of discovering the awful “truth” of the situation. It was cool to see the xenomorph/Alien skull on the Predator ship, the same way it was cool to see E.T. in Star Wars. The idea that those things exist in the same universe is fun. Just don’t think the stories were that great. Though as videogames, go for it!
One of my other favorite sci-fi/horror films is The Thing (John Carpenter’s remake). Also, The Day the Earth Stood Still is awesome. Don’t think they should remake Blade Runner, though I think they could explore that world even more. On the cheesey, but beloved, side are Buckaroo Banzai and Tron. Tron sequel is coming out next year, but I doubt they’ll ever revisit Buckaroo Banzai. I’d like to see some kind of cross-over between the Blade Runner and Max Headroom universes. That’d blow my mind. I like all the Mad Max movies. It doesn’t age all that well, but I liked the space-vampire movie Lifeforce.
Right now, my wife and I are watching The Day of the Triffids… which reminds me of recent sci-fi/horror I’ve liked… Blindness and 28 Days Later.
Did you see Moon? That’s my most recent favorite sci-fi. Sam Rockwell.
Looking forward to The Road.
2 years ago • Notes
