You guys have any burning questions? About anything? This is Ask Me Stuff, which does exactly what it says on the tin. Leave me a question in the comments below and I’ll endeavour to answer it before the day is out.
Ask Me Stuff
Comments
85 responses to “Ask Me Stuff”
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Mark Serrels
I honestly think it could have happened to anyone. I think consumers have a right to be pissed, but I don’t think Sony has necessarily put a foot wrong since the whole thing happened. They have to be careful with what info they release.
At the same time, though, personal details are out there, and that’s a scary thing.
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Steven Green
The big news atm is the PS3 online service.
What are your/Kotaku’s thoughts on this?
Why on Earth did Sony take over a week to let us know our CC details ‘could’ be compromised?-
Glenn Taylor
Agreed, I’d like to hear your thoughts on this… More specifically, i’m seeing comments where people are saying Sony is overexaggerating how much was taken, they’re saying no credit card details were actually taken. Do you believe Sony, or do you believe conspiracy theorists?
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Mark Serrels
I believe this will answer your question.
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Rod
How many different copies of Angry Birds can you own before losing all credibility as a serious gamer? I’m only up to ‘two’ and I feel guilty already…
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Jimu Hsien
NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!
Not AP…NOT AP! It got enough bad press, let it live on in our Ask Me Stuff…
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Mark Serrels
We’re actually working on custom pics for all of the regulars as part of the redesign.
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Jamie What?
there’s a lot of talented peeps here in the Kommunity (I just made that up! Fired it out of my brain from my mind’s word cannon!… what was I saying?) How about running competitions for people to contribute designs? That way we can each stamp our own little mark (haha) in to the redesigned site.
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Dean
Hey Mark,
Hoping you have played Portal 2 or if not you can apply this to games in general.
Loading screens nearly ruined Portal 2 for me. For such a fantastic script and enjoyable game these interuptions after each puzzle really detracted from my immersion in the world. I understand that there technical limitations but for me it just felt like watching your favourite movie and pausing every two minutes. Do you see a fix to this in the future? Or am I just getting old and whinging and should shut up and enjoy the ride?
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Jason Oliver
The Orange Box (on 360 at least) contantly pauses for loading – as in you’ll be walking down some corridor (in Portal or Half Life 2) into a new area, the image will freeze and an orange loading bar appears on the screen!
Fading to black on Portal 2 was much better I think, though still amazing that they can’t hide the loading like some games these days!
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Ross Moir
It’s party due to the game engine, which processes big, beautiful environments that have a fixed space.
Sometimes it’s an area, like the approach at the end of HL2:Ep 2, other times it’s basically a long corridor.
If Valve is taking this long for the next HL installment, odds are it’s going to be running a new engine.-
Alinos
doubtful.
More likely to come with Half Life 3 than Half Life 2:EP3
my guess is that the issues with HL2:Ep3 come from where the future of the franchise is
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Trjn
Loading screens were normally masked by the elevators in the first Portal. It was only when you went outside of the test chambers that you actually encountered interruptions from loading. That happened in the PC version as well, it just loaded faster so you barely noticed.
My theory is the frequent loading screens in Portal 2 is a way to separate the maps and prevent sequence breaking. Masking it would require some sort of progressive loading which would still allow for the sequence breaking. Just a theory though, like gravity.
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Mark Serrels
I agree with you – the loading screens are annoying. My favourite integration with loading screens was with Metroid Prime. Considering the fact you actually go into elevators, don’t really understand why they don’t use that to mask the loading times.
Regardless – awesome game.
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Mojo
What are your thoughts on the new Nintendo Console?
I personally don’t get it. I think Nintendo will find out very quickly that the casual market are not overly concerned with having the latest and greatest and will not upgrade to the new console readily. From the limited reports – the controller sounds quite complex/intimidating which seems to be moving far away from the Wii philospohy.
Do you see the new console being a replacement – or something that Nintendo will support in parallel with the Wii?
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Mark Serrels
I think Nintendo will find the next gen a little tricky. I’m hoping for something really fresh and spectacular from them. Something unexpected. I hope I get it.
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Mojo
I’m concerned Nintendo will be making the Gamecube HD. (i.e. Hardware that will be quickly outdated, small console install base, poor 3rd party support).
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masha2932
Would Kotaku ever have a licensed game? what genre would it occupy and what would it be called?
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Stevorooni
Kotaku Kred Kredemption
You play as Mark Serrels in an open world city and must traverse the streets on foot and public transport, completing missions for various people to be rewarded with a 3DS street pass.
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AmbroseIV
Probably for the ‘KKK’ abbreviation.
At least, that’s the only thing I can see that stands in the way of this being a hit.
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dzc12
I asked this in TAY, but you’re an owner and in the know.
Can the 3DS play movies from the SD card yet? From what I’ve seen not yet, but just wanted to check if it has come up after launch.
Also if not, has Nintendo indicated when/if it will be able to?
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Mark Serrels
Ashamed to say that I don’t actually know – will try and check up on this for you.
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Aidan Dullard
On consoles again, when do you expect the new Sony/Microsoft to be released? Will they try to chug along with the 360 and PS3 for a few years?
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Chris
Microsoft has said 10 year cycle for their console. So 2015 for new 360 but Sony probably will aim for about the same time
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Adam Grabda
Have you imported Mortal Kombat, and has anyone else here received their import copies?
I ordered mine from game.co.uk and and it was dispatched on April 19th, hoping it arrives today or tomorrow.
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jamesmacusedmyhandle
I read this as
“Hi Mark, have you done something illegal that you would like to admit to on the internet? Oh, and has anyone else? I sure have, here is my facebook profile”. ***knock on door***
“What…wait..how did you find me, what do you intened to do with that baton…nooooooooo!”🙂
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Adam Grabda
I’d like to hope the AFP’s budget is being spent more proactively then chasing people down for importing a $60 game. If they do come knocking I’ll be sure to let you know.
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Stevorooni
It’s like a parody of The Ring
When you buy something on PSN, the phone rings and a creepy voice says “Your data will be stolen in 7 days”
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Fenixius
Hey Mark,
Did you see that article about Valve’s intent to discontinue production of isolated singleplayer experiences? What’s your opinion on that? Do you think it’s wise? Do you think that the lack of clarity on that issue might damage Valve’s reputation? And finally, most interestingly, do you have any ideas or insights into ways that they might go about achieving this goal of breaking down the isolation of solo-player games?
http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/04/valve-probably-done-with-single-player-games/
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Mark Serrels
I get the feeling that Gabe might have been a bit misquoted on that. I expect it’ll be part of some sort of integrated online experience ala Demon’s Souls.
That’s what I’m hoping for at least. I agree that most games should have some sort of social aspect to it. The ubiquitous nature of social media sort of demands it.
I don’t, however, think that means the death of the single player experience. Not at all.
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Scott Heald
why is it when Luke Plunkett post’s he doesen’t have a aussie flag next to his name like you do mark?
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Braaains
So, following on from last week’s announcement of a delay, when do you think we can expect to see a release date for the Ico/Shadow of the Colossus Collection?
I’m not going away! 😛
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Mark Serrels
I don’t know. 🙁
I’m equally as gutted because The Last Guardian is my most anticipated game and I want to play SOTC with a solid frame rate!
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Jo
Have you played Brink or do you know exactly how the multiplayer works?
Is it playing through different campaign levels and teams taking sides or is there traditional deathmatch/ objective game modes?
Is it more of a persistent open world mmo war kinda thing?
Is there even separate single/multi player modes?Also I heard a rumor ages ago about there being a possible subscription involved for some features, do you know anything about that?
I tried the site but there was little solid info on how it all works.
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lambocreeper007
It’s already been classified, I don’t think it had to be edited
http://www.classification.gov.au/www/cob/find.nsf/5c2433d416948a0bca25759f00820d25/5aed2ea32b6af758ca2578300057efbb?OpenDocument -
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Blaghman
In my continued attempts to make you doubt every single thing you do here at KotakAU, until your spirit is crushed and you become a quivering wreck… Uhhhh… Where was I?
Oh yes. In the vein of what I was asking last week, you mentioned that you loved the feeling of a months magazine, the feeling of triumph when you get it, and all that jazz, but you always knew you’d have to go online. Do you feel that companies like Game Informer can work? If you had unlimited resources, would you want to set up a KotakAU magazine in the same style? Or do you think that something would get lost in the transition (not to mention that if you remained as editor your role would completely change).
Thanks in advance, and thank you for the great answer last week!
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Mark Serrels
Game Informer can work because it has multiple means of distribution – EB, subs, newsagents.
It’s different from other magazines. Also it has a huge subscription base in the US which means it has the power to gain exclusives. If game mags ever die out, Game Informer will undoubtedly be the last one to go.
I don’t know what a Kotaku magazine would look like. My favourite issue of a magazine I ever edited was issue 17 of Australian 360. A Kotaku mag may look a bit like that, with more focus on features.
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Fenixius
Hey Mark,
Why is Witcher 2 still not on the Australian Steam store?
What have Namco-Bandai, the local distributors, had to say about it?
I’m still very concerned about this.
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Marathon
Would love to know this to. I got no response last week so I’m assuming there was no news.
Still no rating on the Classification website which is a bit odd this close to release. But it does look like the Splinter Cell HD re-releases have been modified? I think I’m reading that right.
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Mark Serrels
I asked Namco Bandai about this (local distributors) but they know nothing about it.
Most likely it’s a pricing issue. Which sucks.
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Fenixius
So… the local distributor doesn’t know anything, the primary international distributor doesn’t know anything, and Valve, who run the service, don’t know anything.
Someone here is lying, methinks.
Thanks for your help up to here, Mark. Guess there’s not much more we can do.
Ah well, they won’t see my money.
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Mark Serrels
Hey dudes – will get round to these. Just got the call to go and talk about the PSN situation on ABC News 24. So have to head off to that. Will answer when I get back!
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James Mac
Bring your trophies and sneak them into every shot.
See how many times you can say meow.
Blame it on scams and spams coming through the portals.
Wear Seamus’s wig.
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Bish
On a scale of 12 to Rainbow Unicorns, how happy are you going to be if you get to go to E3 this year and manage to pick up Shiggy Miyamoto’s StreetPass?
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jamesmacusedmyhandle
Knowing you preference for mid 90’s hip hop, when you sing along, do you rap with your accent?
(Ever since the Mobb Deep posts i keep hearing the chorus to “Shook Ones Pt 2” in a thick scottish accent in my head)
Do you think we will get Detox this year?
Not gaming related i know, but not as many questions as usual this week 🙂-
Mark Serrels
Solid questions.
Sometimes I try and rap in a Scottish accent when I sing along. If you can imagine Susan Boyle collaborating with Prodigy you’ll be about half way there.
Man, dunno about Detox. Sort of past caring about it.
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chris
i saw a recent interveiw with you guys and you said you were looking for game ideas. i have an idea but don’t know how to submit it to you to see if you would be interested. could you please email me and give some advice. cheers.
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