I wasn't addressing the Capcom issue... I meant how is the Metal Gear 3 on Xbox first for 6 months different from the Sony and Nintendo deals. You're right about Capcom - once they get with Microsoft, it'll be awhile until we see a Capcom game on anything but an Xbox.

Sorry (again) for the confusion. You're right, it's not any different. In fact, it's only a temporary delay...PS2 will still be getting the game, so in that aspect it's better for gamers than most exclusive deals.

If it wasn't going to the PS2 but only to the GCN after that, would it be a bad deal for gamers? Do you consider Resident Evil on GCN to be bad for gamers?

Gallant, I agree with what you're saying. Any third party game that doesn't go to the PS2 is bad for casual gamers because they are most likely to own only a PS2.

But regardless of what system a game is exclusive to it's going to be bad for some gamers.

The best case scenario is for developers to port the game to all three consoles AND take the time to optimize each port.

That's unlikey to happen though, as developers mainly care about the bottom line and can get more (or as much) money by pocketing a bunch of cash to make the game exclusive to one system, or by designing it for the PS2 and half-assing the GC and X-box ports.

It's basically a lose-lose situation for any gamers that don't have the cash to buy, or free time to justfy owning, all three systems.

Maybe the best solution is for either Sony and Nintendo, or MS and Nintendo to team up. I really wouldn't be opposed to it if which ever system Nintendo teamed up with put out a $199 gaming only machine, either instead of or inaddition to the more expensive set-top boxes they seem to be going toward.

Yeah it bugs me when people act like a game has to go to PS2 or else it's betraying some sort of universal unwritten pact with the majority of gamers.

Sorry but if the majority of gamers wants to play *every* good game out there, they can buy another console. Josh, if you buy 2 consoles and aren't out of college, I'm not sure why most people couldn't, at least in the span of 2 years or so. I have no empathy for the majority of gamers (which is PS2 only owners).

I hope GCN and Xbox do have lifetime exclusivity on MGS3 and Kojima forgets about the lowest common denomintator and tries to make the best graphics possible with the best gameplay possible.

MGS2 certainly pushed the limits of the PS2 in the graphics department... I can't imagine how jaw-dropping a MGS game would be if it was designed to take advantage of the Xbox.

I don't even have a PS2. But since most gamers don't have all the consoles, it would be best for the gaming community as a whole if every game came out for every console, so if there's a game they wanted to play they wouldn't have to buy a console to do it.

Back in the real world, however, there are sound business reasons to go exclusive with one console or another. Not to mention that competition breeds better games (theoretically), which is in of itself best for all gamers.

In terms of multi-console games, I would much rather have games built for the Xbox and then ported to GCN and PS2, rather than built for PS2 and ported to GCN and Xbox (which seems to be the norm). That way, each system's version of the game looks and plays the best that it can for that system, rather than being stuck at the lowest system specs.

The question will be if there is anything besides the jaw dropping graphics. The problem with MGS2 was lack of game playing. Hopefully, they will fix that first in MGS3.

Well aside from there being less gameplay than movies, my biggest problem with that game was that the story was sooooo stupid. I couldn't even believe how stupid it was. I also couldn't believe how many people thought this was the best game ever. No accounting for taste I guess. (no offense to anyone who liked the game )

Well for some, it's because they're isn't enough games they want on the system(s) they don't own to justify buying them. For instance, I know a couple people in addition to myself that really want Halo, but there's not enough on the X-box other than it that's not available on the system(s) they already have.

It's even worse, IMO when the game is a third party game.


Like I said, the best possible situation for gamers would be for companies to make the game on all three systems, and take the time to optimize it for all three systems. There's not that much difference in power between the three consoles that developing for all 3 is going to make some versions not as good as they could be. The only reason multi console games end up being underwhelming is the developers half ass the port. They know they will make a killing on the PS2, and just rush out GCN and X-box versions to make a few bucks off the few gamers that don't on a PS2.

They could easily take the time to make the GCN and X-box ports take full advantage of the hardware. It's just not worth their time business wise, due to how far MS and Nintendo are behind Sony.

What do you "IF"? Your first chance is coming in 1 month ...

Metal Gear Solid 2 Substance

Just imagine if the number of polygons were to be tripled in the game. Now stop imagining and go buy the game. :-)

There are a lot more variables than "the developers half ass the port." Pressure from publishers to finish for the launch date, for instance. Less time to work on a port than the original. There are a lot of things that happen business wise and I'd say it's never the developers "know they will make a killing on the PS2."

A-Freakin'-MEN!

MGS2 was a preachy, incoherent mess IMO.

I'm still a little pissed about X-box getting the better version of MGS 2.

Well I was planning on getting a gamecube, but if this rumor turns out true...

I would still buy the GC for Animal Crossing alone based on the excitement it is generating

As far as the XBox getting an exclusive- great news for XBox owners.

as far as the Capcom possible buyout- well everyone knows what I think about that

Substance is coming out on PS2/PC just a little later, calm down, man, you're gonna get through this.

I liked the game a lot, getting the dog tags was addicting as hell. Plus just doing various stupid crap in the game logged in a lot of useless but enjoyable hours. I didn't mind the short amount of time to beat the game; I expected that since MGS had a lot of cut scenes and about 3 hours of gameplay.

Gaming is a GOD GIVEN RIGHT!

Anyway, expect MGS3 to be more of the same. I thought a lot of the gameplay in MGS was fresh and incredibly fun, but the story was dookie (has everyone forgotten the "love on the battlefield" speech?). Unfortunately, the gaming press harped on the Hollywood-esque nature of the game, and I knew that MGS2 was just going to be worse. And I was right: less gameplay, more incoherent drivel.

Well certainly other factors go into it. The launch dates are a major factor. Developers, if they are focusing on the PS2 version, should just make the game exclusive to that system for a while, and take the time to optimize the GC and X-box version.

I have to disagree with the last part. Sony has shipped 40 million PS2s worldwide, while Nintendo and MS are somewhere around 4-5 million in the most recent numbers I've seen.

I'm sure many developers don't put nearly as much effort in the PS2 and X-box ports as they do in the PS2 version. Especially on games that they know aren't going to be huge hits.

It would not surprise me at all to find that, if Konami is doing another MGS in this generation, that it would be an Xbox game.

If Kojima wants to show any sort of visual leap that casual gamers will notice, he pretty much has to go with Xbox.

However, given how long it takes him to make a game, I doubt we'd see MGS3 before Christmas 2004. Xbox will be $99 by then, and If anybody wants to play MGS, it won't be a huge expense to just buy one.

I want Hideo to make a new Policenaut/Snatcher game and translate it to English. Then we have something noteworthy to talk about.

Just release the first two in English and we will have something to talk about. Snatcher is my favorite game, but since it was only on Sega CD most people never got to play it. Policenauts never got a US release.