You folks 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
110 responses to “Ask Me Stuff”
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Braaains
Thanks for running the Battlefield 3 server story the other day.
Regarding EA’s statement: “EA are aware of the Battlefield 3 PS3 server issue and are working hard to resolve it. We will provide an update as soon as possible. We apologise for the inconvenience this may have caused.”
Do you genuinely believe that:
(a) EA are working hard to resolve it
(b) That EA will actually provide an update as soon as possible and
(c) That EA are genuiniely sorry for the inconvenience this has caused?Or did you read that, as I did, as basically an attempt to fob you/us off by saying they’re doing something about it when they are, in fact, not doing anything and not planning on doing anything?
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Blaghman
I read it as the fob off thing.
I think the relevant question here is why you haven’t asked for more information on The Last Guardian. 😛
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Braaains
This is “Ask Me Stuff”, where the “Me” refers to Mark Serrels.
When Mark runs an “Ask Braaains Stuff” article, then I might consider answering your questions 😛
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Tech Knight
One of the many reasons why I love reading this guy’s comments xD.
Well played, sir
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weresmurf
More importantly. HAS IT BROKEN STREET DATE YETTTTT!!!!!!!
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Mark Serrels
I don’t know. I honestly don’t know. The whole thing about the server company not even being aware of it is worrying.
If I’m being honest, they’re probably working on it. But it might not be the most massive priority for them!
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Blaghman
What are the odds of a ME3 street break, given many aussies are playing thanks to online stuff/possibly mail deliveries?
Pants?
An inciteful question, which makes you consider deep elemen- HAH, got it.
The other week on twitter you said something about not wanting to go to work that day. Do you secretly hate us? 😛
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Mark Serrels
I don’t think there is much chance. It’s getting a bit late now. Typically these things happen between 2-3, mainly because most stores have the stock by then.
I think the window of opportunity has passed!
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Trjn
Can you tell my boss that I need to go home early?
Can you also tell my local JB hifi to sell me Mass Effect 3 right away?
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Brendo
Thought I’d get in early before you disappear and ask if there is any news on whether i’ll be getting my prize by any chance? The Rage competition seemed so long ago: http://www.kotaku.com.au/2011/09/congratulations-here-are-the-rage-winners/ Sorry, but it is a burning question! Thanks in advance.
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Cheyenne
I say Rushmore, so fuck you all. Mainly because I’m a massive Wes Anderson fan. Also Mark, I’m bored and hating my job by chilling in the toilet cubicle, what do I do?
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Braaains
It has to be Rushmore. Although he was great in The Life Aquatic With Steve Zissou, as well.
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Mark Serrels
Man, it’s difficult. Groundhog Day would be my call.
Love Ghostbusters though.
I’m not a huge fan of his character in Caddyshack.
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Brenton
Does Miranda play a big role in Mass Effect 3??? I have barely seen or heard anything about her in the game, and I fear she has become a mere cameo character :'(
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Thom
I suspect the same, which is a shame because I actually liked her. Mostly because she was voiced by Yvonne Strahovski. A little bit because she was a genetically engineered goddess which I thought made her hot enough for my cut man-shep.
That said, I went back to Liara in Shadow Broker because I’m feeling the whole Kirk-thing.
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Angered Catfish
Her voice actress is definitely back, and if you look really closely in the Femshep trailer she is in there. Maybe she’s kept hush for spoilers?
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Brenton
I hope you’re right, I pray to god they haven’t done a ME2 Ashley/Kaiden scenario. Might have to watch the Femshep trailer again.
P.S. I accidented the report button on your comment -_-
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Alinos
Yeah it’s weird they went to all this trouble of saying look at these people you recruit in ME2. And by the sounds of it most of them have become minor characters(Since it was too much work to deal with all the different compilation of dead/alive characters is my guess)
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Hyperthx
Any word on when SEGA will be releasing Wonderboy in Monsterworld and Wonderboy 3: Tha Dragons Trap on XBLA/PSN? Havent heard anything since it was anounced, a fair few months ago. Cheers.
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Mark Serrels
Haven’t heard anything — sorry. These things typically just come out like ‘OH IT’S OUT THIS WEEK EVERYONE!’
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js
Just to add to Mass Effect hysteria: do you think games should be released in retail once it’s leaked online for the pirates?
Can’t help but take it as unnecessary punishment when I’ve purchased the game.
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Thom
It would punish some retailers and distribution channels though. I won’t judge you if you download the pirated version if you actually pick up the game on release.
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Mark Serrels
Thom is right — the supply chains wouldn’t be able to keep up. It would be unfair on certain retailers. There’s other reasons as well, but I’d imagine that would be the main one.
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Kipperton Beaumont
You did not answer my question (29/4) of a certain morality perhaps wound too tight inside a parable of science fiction, modern medicine, and the very real secrets of an electronic & 21st century time travel.
And today a question of life as static projection. Quite simply: What is still-life cinema?
Hi there. I’m Kipperton Beaumont from the Berkley Union Confidential. And you may well ask: “what is the Berkley Union?” Good question. The Berkley Union is a theatre, a museum, a gallery and my private studio where the door is always open. Welcome.
Recently we’ve been doing a lot of screen to stage adaptations; Top Gun is our very latest theatrical production.
In our gallery, behind the theatre, we do what I call “still-life cinema”; it’s almost like a destruction, or a devolution of cinema – a sudden and irreversible rewind, if you will.
I got the idea when I heard author and raconteur George Plimpton explain how you destroy the thing you love, and what you love – in the end – destroys you.
And perhaps it is the cinema: a most destructive love of fools and men who dream in moving pictures – rejected screenplays, failed auditions, unfinished reels lost in the very downward spiral’s of life itself adrift.
Still-life cinema, the static shadow of a moving picture, was created almost as if to imitate Plimpton’s sometimes esoteric and often nihilistic monologue on love bleeding into a chaotic, complete destruction.
Still-life cinema is single-frame isolation. Still-life cinema is the abandoned drive-in theatre. Still-life cinema is my dream and my nightmare together at last.
Still-life cinema is broadcast on projection-screen walls throughout the Berkley Union gallery, different movies screening around the clock.
And, slowly, we are bringing still-life cinema to people electronically via internet powers. People in offices, cafes, warehouses, kitchens, street corners, living rooms and anywhere can enjoy this electric avant-garde future of modern cinema.
The Berkley Union becomes everywhere.
To consume a cinema so broken – to drink it up – as to see into the very heart of love’s most destroying tendrils; for lovers of cinema: this is what it feels like when cinema destroys you.
This is just the very beginning of an electronic Berkley Union. Please – to abandon all hope – enjoy the new wave of still-life cinema.
As simple as to push the buttons for the “Start Presentation” viewing pleasures and maybe to use your arrow keys or spacebar to progress the story like a digital-man of adventure and curiosity.
A modern cinema made static like standing still to stop – only for a moment – time & space and perhaps see something, until now, unseen.
Please enjoy this week’s presentation of Backdraft starring William Baldwin, Robert De Niro and the Kurt Russell.
Perhaps to see cinema, for the very first time, as the abandoned boardwalk on a broken pier,
The Berkley Union Presents: Backdraft
Kipperton Beaumont.
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Pixel the Ferret Viking
*sniffs curiously at Kipperton*
…
*pokes*
you do smell awful…ly familiar…
i’m on to you kipperton! -
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Mark Serrels
I googled Still Life Cinema and this is what I got.
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Glenn
Trying to plan a wedding for October, is $125 per head, not including anything other than the tables, chairs, linen and food expensive?
I have no idea. For the amount of guests I’m planning that comes to about $10,000, which is affordable for me, but I still worry that’s still expensive… I have no idea, I don’t get married often 😛
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Michael
That sounds pretty reasonable, though I don’t know the number of guests you’re having (a quick calculation suggests 80). I had about 120 at my wedding and it cost somewhere around that $10,000 mark (don’t remember exactly but my wife would know).
Having said that, $125 a head does seem a little expensive, but it depends on the reception place, where it’s located, quality of food and service, reputation, surrounding scenery for photo opportunities, etc.
It’s really a question of how long is a piece of string. It really depends on what you want (read: what your future wife wants) and whether you’re willing to pay for that.
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Braaains
That sounds pretty much in line with what my wedding cost a few years back. Of course it depends on what sort of venue you’re talking about as to whether or not that’s good value for money. Ours was in a nice restaurant, which tends to cost a little more than a hotel or convention centre type venue. But on the plus side, the food tends to be a lot better – we still have people mentioning the food at our wedding reception to us to this day, nearly 6 years later!
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Mark Serrels
Weddings are mad expensive — watch out for all those mad hidden costs that just sneak up on — like the Wedding Dress, make-up, clothes, venue hire (for the actual ceremony), etc.
Mine’s was relatively cheap because we only had about 80-90 guests. Also, my wedding was almost five years ago now…
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Anson
I downloaded Final Fantasy VII (PSP) on my PS3 but I can’t seem to transfer it to my VITA. Any word when the larger PSP catalogue will all be playable on the VITA?
Thanks!
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Strange
Did you get that Mass Effect gun out and start making “pew pew” noises whilst pointing at stuff?
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Shane
I know this one! What is the reason that Mark was forced to give it away in a competition?
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Mark Serrels
I’m too scared to take it out of the box in case I can’t get it back in! Man, the iCade was a pain in the arse!
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Lone Wolf
Do you think you’ll end up regretting running a week-long competition which is already onto its seventh page of entries only two hours after it started?
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Effluvium Boy
Do you find the lack of patience displayed by the Australian gaming community in regards to release dates unsettling?
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McGarnical
Ordinarily I’d be quick to call gamers entitled whingebags, but worldwide release dates isn’t a big ask.
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Neo-Kaiser
I do, it means we might become as impatient as Americans who think a game is “too slow” unless you can kill the other player within a second.
😛
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Mark Serrels
Nah, I understand it. I think I’m too old and jaded to feel that same excitement about new releases though. I can wait a couple of days for new games. That’s just me though.
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Effluvium Boy
Maybe I’m the same. I get excited for releases, but I accept the release date as it is.
People’s insistence on street dates breaking demonstrates a lack of maturity, in my opinion.
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Raardvark
Am thinking about getting a Vita and have heard that there is supposed to be only one network for all regions now (i.e. anyone can get games from the Japanese region if they wanted).
If true, does that mean that we can get stuff that is usually only in the US store/network?
There are some PS1 classics I’d love to get if possible (like IQ Final) -
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Manchuchu
EA must be putting some serious testicle cuffs on that all these major Aussie retailers are toeing the street date line.
#surrendermonkeys #I’mStartingToScabLikeAJunkie
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masha2932
What do you think is the general age of the people who complain about review scores? In my mind I always assume that if your over 20 years old you should have the mental maturity to understand that it’s one persons opinion and that it’s usually better to read through a number of reviews instead of complaining about one review. Also I’d like to think that an adult would understand that putting a numerical value to a piece of ‘art’ seems odd and the content should speak for the review not the number.
Anyway at the moment my running theory is that it is a bunch of teenagers or even tweens who are constantly complaining. When one group of teenagers grow up and stop needless complaining another group moves in and as a result comment threads are robbed of their discussion potential. That or it’s a group of adults who put too much weight on reviews I don’t know.
That been said it is still important to call out a reviewer when the review is poorly written. Unfortunately most reviewers lump this +ve feedback in the same pile as the trolls etc. and they don’t make any necessary changes or at least acknowledge their mistakes. It is one man’s/woman’s opinion but it should be a well communicated opinion that fosters discourse on the subject matter. The latest poorly written review I’ve seen is IGN’s review of I am Alive (http://au.xboxlive.ign.com/articles/122/1220061p1.html)- the review is really short and it just feels like the writer gave up and wrote what he could. He talks about a problem in one sentence without explaining its faults. I was really disappointed in the quality of the review. Comparing that review with reviews in the same score range(Gamesradar and UGO) their reviews are just as short but they explain their issues with the game succinctly and are better written IMO and as a result I’ll be waiting for a sale before buying the game.
Anyway I seem to have been rambling on. sorry about that. My main question was review score ‘controversy,’ is it an age thing or is there something more?
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Thom
I think your talking about complaints about specific review scores, but I’ll try to field this. I’m 26 and I bitch about them all the time. Why? Because I’m a statistician and I hate that they are way too weighted to one end of the scale. It suggests:
1. We have too many fan reviewers and publications need to start dumping enthusiasts and start hiring real journalists, much like Rolling Stone did.
2. We have a lot of informal bribery. Trips, freebies, etc. A few blogs have an editorial policy of not playing to this (i.e. destructoid), but most don’t.
3. We have fans that accept bribes.
I’m telling you right not that its number 3. Not necessarily cash, but a lot of reviews are conducted in circumstances that would generously be described as a conflict of interest. Freebies, trips, hotels etc. If I reviewed a Government tender under such circumstances, I’d go to gaol. No if or buts. Jail. I think its eroded any credibility, and real journalists are right to look down their noses at gaming publications.
End rant.
I don’t bitch much about individual scores. I can only think of one time – the Escapists review of DA2. They gave it 5/5, but the write-up didn’t mention a myriad of issues. Something was really up with it, beyond subjectivity.
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Mark Serrels
It’s such a big question. People have a lot of weird reasons for reading reviews, and some people are just way too invested in certain products. That’s my view.
I’m been in similar boats — I’ve been a fan of franchises to the point that I’ve been rooting for them to review well. I think that’s strange, and I’ve sort of grown out of it.
I do think it’s an age thing, or a maturity thing. It’s also a little bit tribal! I think people like to be on the team for something. That’s part of it too.
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masha2932
Thanks for the reply Mark, I hadn’t really considered the tribal angle. The odd thing though is after complaining about a game getting low scores the same fanbase will turn around and bash the game. The world is weird.
@Thom nice to get your feedback on the issue as well. I’ve always thought that companies waste a lot of money flying out members of the press just to see their games when they could easily post a video on Youtube or have events in cities that majority of the press are based in. I’m sure it’s all part of the marketing budget but I can bet it runs into the millions and I feel the money is better spent elsewhere in the chain.
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Jordaan Mylonas
What is the complete process for nominating someone for Community Kudos? Who do we email?
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The Cracks
Just send an email to Mark or Tracey stating who you want to nom and why.
I’d give you their emails, but I’ve forgotten them.
Might be something like mark.serrels@allure.com.au and tracey.lien@allure.com.au
Not too sure, though. -
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weresmurf
So any word on ME3 street date breaking? Any? Or are we looking at an actual date release for once???
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number.30.five
beef > lamb > chicken > pork
but damn… the local butcher does weekly specialaity sausages. they > anything
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Mark Serrels
Lamb>Beef>Pork> Chicken
Just me, but I don’t think chicken belongs in sausage form. I’ve never eaten a good one!
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welbot
I never have anything to ask, but I’ve been asking about this elsewhere for ages, so I might as well put it here in the hopes you’ll notice! Where the hell is the video footage of you running around the office harassing people with your WWE Megaphone?! :0
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Jim
I hear Mario Party 9 is out very shortly. Never mind that it’s been forgotten about because a certain Shepard and his/her alien friends are saving the universe (or so I hear). Any idea when MP9 hits Australian shores?
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Brendoge
It looks like it might actually be out. I personally can’t wait for some sort of greatest hits Mario Party game. All the best mini games, levels and extras. In one awesome package, Mario Party 10?
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chris
Why is there not an article on cheapest place to buy me3? 🙂 i need know where i will be driving at 9am. So far dick smith seems cheapest at 69.94 for pc and 79.94 xbox/ps3. Now shall i get 360 version to import character and have use of 360 controller, or pc for smooth pretty visuals? Got demo on pc but ppl say 360/ps3 is choppy….such a big decision… if they had native 360 control support i’d be all over pc version.
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