In Other News...May 7

[DoctorFinger]

- The dead walk. Huxley, the long gestating MMOFPS is now taking applications (http://huxley.ijji.com/cbtApply.nhn) for a closed beta.

- To the surprise of no one, Nintendo will be remaking Pokemon Gold & Silver for the DS (http://www.joystiq.com/2009/05/07/nintendo-chooses-to-announce-pokemon-gold-and-silver-remakes/). Pokemon Heart Gold and Soul Silver will be out in spring 2010.

- Move over WoW. Nexon's six year old Maplestory (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23532) has an announced user base of 92 million worldwide. Only six million of which reside in the US.

- E3 and LA Convention Center officials want to assure attendees that Swine Flu will no longer be an issue (http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/lacc-hopes-swine-flu-will-be-a-thing-of-the-past-by-e3) when the show rolls around in a month. But to be on the safe side they're sponsoring a "Outbreak/Andromeda Strain Cosplay" contest.

- The top 10 game design pitfalls (http://www.gamasutra.com/view/feature/4017/10_game_design_process_pitfalls.php). It's a fairly inside industry read, but fascinating nonetheless.

[Xerxes]

I think some one said it best on the pokemon link.

Those udders must be really sore from all that milking.

I mean really? Aren't all pokemon games a rerelease.

[Wraith]

Nexon's MapleStory will celebrate its fourth anniversary in the U.S. on May 11 -- the service has been running for six years globally -- and Nexon America has announced that the game is up to 92 million users worldwide, six million of those in North America.I wonder how many active users they have? I know I installed it once and played for all of a couple hours.

But I guess isn't not so terribly surprising to see a basic, free-to-play game MMO with a huge number of users.

[Zabyx]

I must be the only one happy about the Pokemon announcement. I mean, Silver and Gold, easily the best in the series, and I haven't been able to play them (well, I did when I had my gamecube and a Gameboy Player three years ago or so) in awhile.

[LongStepMantis]

I wonder how many active users they have? I know I installed it once and played for all of a couple hours.

But I guess isn't not so terribly surprising to see a basic, free-to-play game MMO with a huge number of users.

I also tried MapleStory...I quickly found it to have the worst user base of any massively online game I've ever played. Maybe it isn't always that way, but that was all I needed to see.

[Kelegacy]

I think some one said it best on the pokemon link.



I mean really? Aren't all pokemon games a rerelease.

If you've played more than one, than yeah, they all feel like the same thing.

[Ancalagon]

I'm burned out on Pokemon at the moment so it doesnt really excite me. However, someone at that newspost made an interesting comment:

If they're even cooler, they'll add a way (DSiWare program?) to upload your Pokemon from Diamond/Pearl without having to trade with another DS.

DSi integration and Pokemon. I predict no integration, not because it cant be done but because Nintendo just cant do it. They will release a Pokemon clock, a Pokemon chat, Pokemon mini games, but nothing that would let your DSi act as a storage box for your pokemon, to be shared by Platinum and later games. Heck, given when Platinum was released it could have, nay should have used DSi features. Heck, it would have been the perfect flagship title.

But no, that would have been actual innovation, Nintendo doesnt like that.

Sorry I'm burned out on nintendo at the moment.

[ThievesAmongUs]

I must be the only one happy about the Pokemon announcement. I mean, Silver and Gold, easily the best in the series, and I haven't been able to play them (well, I did when I had my gamecube and a Gameboy Player three years ago or so) in awhile.

Nope, count me in on the excitement too.:D

[Narradisall]

I think I played 2 Pokemon games, a few years apart, and I was playing the EXACT same game but with a graphical update and some different pokemon.

Im not shocked so many people shovel down the same tripe time and time again.

[TrackZero]

- Move over WoW. Nexon's six year old Maplestory (http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=23532) has an announced user base of 92 million worldwide. Only six million of which reside in the US.

Users != revenue in Maple Stories case. Heck, PSN and XBL have proven that. (Still, interesting data.)

[TrackZero]

DSi integration and Pokemon. I predict no integration, not because it cant be done but because Nintendo just cant do it. They will release a Pokemon clock, a Pokemon chat, Pokemon mini games, but nothing that would let your DSi act as a storage box for your pokemon, to be shared by Platinum and later games. Heck, given when Platinum was released it could have, nay should have used DSi features. Heck, it would have been the perfect flagship title.

But no, that would have been actual innovation, Nintendo doesnt like that.

Sorry I'm burned out on nintendo at the moment.

Mmmmmmm. You sound like me oh so many years ago, when reality set in. ;)

[Ancalagon]

Mmmmmmm. You sound like me oh so many years ago, when reality set in. ;)

Care to share your pearls of wisdom?

[JayVe]

I'm psyched about the Pokemon announcement. I've played the series since its GBA days, and missed out on the Gold / Silver games. Pokemon is a series with one of the deepest systems I've ever encountered, and I love exploring it.

[ThievesAmongUs]

I'm psyched about the Pokemon announcement. I've played the series since its GBA days, and missed out on the Gold / Silver games. Pokemon is a series with one of the deepest systems I've ever encountered, and I love exploring it.

To true. Plus, Gold and Silver are the highest examples of this, as they balanced out the types (by adding dark and steel) and adding new elements such as the breeding, the radio, day and night, berries, etc. They also added a rival who was worth hating (for stealing his pokemon and generally being a jackass), and to top it all off they allowed you to journey back to the original gyms from R/B/Y and fight those gym leaders all over again.

[JayVe]

To true. Plus, Gold and Silver are the highest examples of this, as they balanced out the types (by adding dark and steel) and adding new elements such as the breeding, the radio, day and night, berries, etc. They also added a rival who was worth hating (for stealing his pokemon and generally being a jackass), and to top it all off they allowed you to journey back to the original gyms from R/B/Y and fight those gym leaders all over again.

I always name my rival something like "Douche" or "Loser". Gives me a chuckle. :D

[DoctorFinger]

I know Maplestory doesn't have 92 million paying users, but it's still an impressive number.