skuld1

Yes, they do. If I ask 5 different people what their expectation of a sequel is, I'll likely get 4 or 5 different answers. For some, continuity of setting/timeline/storyline/etc. is enough. For others, it's not a sequel unless it's turn-based and isometric. Which definition is correct? It's no surprise that some people look at FO3 and decide it is not for them. I've looked at plenty of game previews over the years and decided those games weren't to my liking. What did I do? Strangely enough, I didn't post vile, obnoxious stuff across the net. Nor did I make plans to attempt to sabotage sales of those games. I also did not claim bizarre authority to control the direction of the games even though I did not own the IP. You know what I did? I looked for other games more to my liking. I understand that some of these people have a multi-year emotional attachment to the series and whatnot, but they had to understand that (outside of taking steps like purchasing the rights to the next numbered Fallout or buying the IP) this could happen. Some folks (not anyone posting here) have lost the ability to think sensibly and objectively when it comes to Fallout. Bethesda did what any good company does: build brand awareness and name recognition through advertising. I don't hold that against them. That does sound annoying (I'll take your word for it as I haven't read all the previews) but that sounds like the fault of the preview writers, not Bethesda. If I read a horribly written movie review, I think "Wow, what a bad review" not "Wow, what a bad movie." I'm a bit confused by this statement. Can you point me to some examples of 'slobbering over Bethesda' that you feel completely outbalance the "rabidness" of the NMA / etc. crowd? From what I've personally seen, I can't agree with you at the moment.

It's nice to say this after the fact... but from the wording you used, I think that most people would read your initial post as targeting Bethesda. Bethesda is the only company you mention, you mention Oblivion... edit: spelling errors

Those designs are the facts of what FO1/FO2 were per the developers themselves. I don't agree with the premise that the design documents, etc. from Fallout 1 must carry over to ALL future games in the series, regardless of developer, current owner of the IP, etc. The hardcore fans don't have to agree with this and they are free to make suggestions and lodge complaints, but they are hardly in a position to make demands (which is what quite a few of them do... strange sense of entitlement there, unless they recently acquired the IP and I didn't hear about it). Also, the manner in which some of them communicate is extremely vile and distasteful... this doesn't exactly help their case. When I read posts on how they want FO3 to fail, it makes me think of a brat who, after tasting his/her ice cream cone and finding he/she hates the flavor, runs around and knocks everyone else's ice cream cone to the ground (the "If I can't enjoy it, NO ONE CAN!" sentiment).

(a) Please share with us the actual, correct %. Oh, please include figures from the studies you conducted and their methodology as well, thanks. (b) Yes, yes, some pharmas protect their IP to the detriment of some afflicted with malaria... so that makes it okay for people to pirate video game software??!! If you truly believe this, you have some serious problems.

Part of the reason piracy is so widespread is that there is a (correct) perception that you have an extremely small chance of being caught and facing adverse consequences. A highly publicized world-wide sting (of say several tens of thousands) of pirates, with stiff punishments (something along the order of a fine dependent on amount of pirated software, 500-1000 hours of community service, and a 1-2 year ban on obtaining broadband internet service) would be a good start. Changing the perception that you'll never get busted for piracy certainly won't eliminate it, but it would certainly help. ...Or do I get to hear some absurd comment like "Rawr, that is so evil, that would cause people who buy games to start pirating in protest!"

I used to buy my games from **** Smith when I lived in Wellington. Is there an EB games in town??? if you mean the **** Smith on Manners st, then yep, there's an EB just round the corner on Cuba seriously, only like 15m away from eachother haha Alright, what is this store name that is keeps getting asterisked out?? Or is it really **** Smith??

Finally! Not that the bad dice poker AI ruined the game or anything... but the AI was absolutely horrendous!

There's more to marksmanship than lining up the sights. Of course it's debatable whether other factors should be considered, and how they would be modeled if included. I have no problem with slight random 'inaccuracy' added to the game. I never had nice, neat quarter-sized groupings when I fired at the range... and that was at the firing range, with stationery targets that were not firing back at me!

? I'm fairly sure that there's plenty of talking in Square-Enix games...

I'm pretty sure that just about every AAA title is mostly about the profit...

Personally fund the development of the sequels Otherwise, it ain't happening ;p

I don't think Beth really cares what a few grumpy folks say anyway. We can look at what happened recently with Mass Effect. After Bioware released info on the game, grumpy hardcore RPG folks popped up and started mocking various aspects of the game (the EXTREME, let's go grab some collars attitude, among other things)... Bioware basically ignored them. Result: In three weeks, Mass Effect has sold more copies than FO1 and FO2 combined have in 9+ years.

It's as senseless as the folks who've already declared F3 a complete piece of crap.

LOL!

Maybe I'm missing something, but couldn't everyone in Sweden just not buy the overpriced games and make the same point? In your example, I don't see why the pirating is necessary.

In what ways do you feel piracy is defensible now?

I think you might be thinking of Suikoden I, which is considerably shorter than II. I would be amazed if a 'first-time player' (no prior knowledge, no walkthroughs) could finish S II in 20 hours (no way in hell they do it getting all 108 Stars of Destiny... I'd still be amazed if they did it while getting only 80 or so SoD...)