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NOTE: Due to the overall size of this post, I may have missed some typos, spelling mistakes and grammatical errors. If anything I wrote doesn't make sense, just ask.

Well, Maia and I have been watching E3 on G4 and we're less than impressed. The majority of coverage seems to be of EA, Ubisoft, Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft. Although the schedule says Valve is there, whenever we watch it's never about Valve. Instead there's repeats of previous displays.

Motion Controls
Probably the most pathetic part of the show is Sony and Microsoft's "new" technology. What's that, you say? It's motion control. You know... the same stuff Nintendo's been doing since 2005.

What's laughable about this (aside from the obvious) is that the games getting released alongside the Sony PlayStation Move and Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect are extremely similar to the original Wii games. For instance... one of the new Kinect games, called Kinect Sports, involves motion control sports, such as bowling, boxing and tennis. Wii Sports, a game packed with the Wii, did the same thing (including the same sports) years ago.

Granted, the visuals are far more impressive on the PS3 and Xbox 360, but that's not the main message sent to the audience. Sony and Microsoft are acting as if none of this technology had ever existed before (despite Sony's Sixaxis control pad involved some degree of motion control already) and to any gamer, console or PC, that's obviously a blatant lie.

3D Games
Most games today claim they are 3D. Even the early Sierra games said this and we all know NONE of these games -- then or now -- are really three dimensional. The graphics simply provide an illusion of 3D.

But now Sony is showing off Killzone 3D which supposedly works in 3D so long as you have 3D TV and a pair of $150 3D glasses. A standard 52" 3D TV will cost somewhere around $5000. Considering the fact people are still in the process of moving to LCD television sets and to HD format, I don't think 3D TV will take off anytime soon.

Nintendo displayed a new DS series hand-held system called the Nintendo 3DS. It's supposed to be a 3D game system that doesn't require 3D glasses. How this works is beyond me since you need to see it in person.

Hand-held sales have been dropping on both the Nintendo DS and Sony PSP since mobile phones started having games. The iPhone and other assorted Blackberry and Android phones, have done terrible damage to normal hand-held system sales. Since most people have a "smart phone" that's capable of playing games, many people feel it's more economical to play games on their cell phones, which they always have with them.

Actual Games Shown
There wasn't a whole lot. They showed a new Assassin's Creed game (which looked and presumably played a lot like the previous two), another Driver title and a new Crysis game. There were a few other FPS games as well, but they all blended together. Here's an image showing three entirely different FPS games from three different developers. Can you tell the difference?

Even BioWare's one showcase was disappointing. All they showed was a trailer of Star Wars: The Old Republic. That's the very same trailer you can see here on YouTube. That's it. They didn't even show any in-game footage.

There was no information about any other game. Not even Mass Effect 3 or Dragon Age 2, both of which are being worked on right now.

Nintendo didn't fare any better. All they had to show were sequels involving their own franchises, such as Metroid, Donkey Kong and Zelda. A new game called The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword for the Wii is being released and oddly enough, it doesn't look as good as The Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess, which was originally released for the Gamecube (the system that came before the Wii) in 2006.

Stuff Not Related to Games At All
For some reason or another, there were live dance videos and people singing songs at E3. Maia and I witnessed (much to our horror) a group of older teens/young 20-somethings, dancing like idiots while singing along with a recorded copy of Michael Jackson's "Beat It."

There was no purpose to this at all. They weren't even talking about dance games, like Dance Dance Revolution. It was simply filler material and nothing more.

Microsoft also showed off a "kitten simulator" on the Kinect by having Cirque du Soleil perform some sort of interpretive dance. They also rode animatronic elephants.

In addition, Microsoft touted the Xbox 360's ability to perform other functions beyond gaming. These include downloading TV shows and movies and then playing them. The idea is to use motion control and voice activated commands to control all of this. Somehow I can't see it working all that well and even if it does, most of us have products that already do this and probably much better.

Conclusion
The gaming industry has become stagnant and is now attempting to rely on gimmicky devices. All companies seem to do is churn out sequels to already established game series, which while it probably gets them sales, it hardly provides any motivation to be creative.

The one good point to all of this is that it's likely gamers -- at least those who're tired of the same games year after year -- might be more inclined to give different genres a try. Out of all this, Adventure games might once fight a foothold in the mainstream gaming industry, if for no other reason that the other genres have been beaten to death.

DeadPoolX wrote:Here's an image showing three entirely different FPS games from three different developers. Can you tell the difference?

This image is priceless. And yes, they look absolutely the same.

I was hoping for some BioWare announcement on ME3 and DA2 too, but David Gaider (DA's lead writer) told the fans over the official forum to "stay tuned." I guess the announcement is near, otherwise I doubt he'd have said that.

That image (of the three FPS games) doesn't load for me...

Here you go.

How pathetically funny!

You forgot to mention GoldenEye 007 Wii.

It's really sad that you see Xbox 360 gamers complaining (and insulting) the Wii simply because the GoldenEye 007 remake is for the Wii. So what? There are a ton of games that're on the Xbox 360 or PS3 that you'll never see on the Wii.

Different consoles get different games. Considering how the Wii gets shunned so often, I don't have a whole lot of sympathy for the other two consoles.

Of course... you'll always see people complaining about something or another. Most of the gamers who're making a ruckus seem quite immature.

Here are two examples of criticism regarding this game's launch on the Wii:

Random Internet Moron wrote:"what do you expect? their making the goldeneye game for nintendo, which obviously sucks ass, they havent made anything good since the n64 and their shit..... if it werent for nintendo being an ass and blackmailing activison, this would have been on the 360 as well, and well, it will? be alot better.. nintendo wants it exclusively cause they are dying for money"

Random Internet Moron wrote:"they should of jus taken the original and updated the? graphics, m aybe add a few multiplayer levewls but ya.... and its gay microsoft doesnt get say in it.. they do in fact own rare and activision holds the license... and if it werent for rare wanting to release it on 360 in the first place, this wouldnt even be here on wii... fuckin nintendo has to blackmail everyone to get what they want"

My response? Tough luck. If you want to play this game, I guess you need a Wii, just like anyone wanting to play MGS4 needs a PS3.

DeadPoolX wrote:It's really sad that you see Xbox 360 gamers complaining (and insulting) the Wii simply because the GoldenEye 007 remake is for the Wii. So what? There are a ton of games that're on the Xbox 360 or PS3 that you'll never see on the Wii.

I hope you're not talking about me. I'm excited about it! But yes, 360/PS3 gamers can really be a bunch of whiners. I own all three systems so I could care less. Actually, I'm glad it didn't end up on the 360 because all it would have gotten was a slight resolution update for models and textures like Perfect Dark HD. Now 8-player multiplayer would have been nice but that's what it got anyway with GoldenEye 007 Wii. And the result is something way better! I just hope they keep some of the better multiplayer levels intact or enhanced like Complex, Library, or Temple. But whatever happens, I'm going to be happy.

DeadPoolX wrote: Motion Controls
Probably the most pathetic part of the show is Sony and Microsoft's "new" technology. What's that, you say? It's motion control. You know... the same stuff Nintendo's been doing since 2005.

What's laughable about this (aside from the obvious) is that the games getting released alongside the Sony PlayStation Move and Microsoft Xbox 360 Kinect are extremely similar to the original Wii games. For instance... one of the new Kinect games, called Kinect Sports, involves motion control sports, such as bowling, boxing and tennis. Wii Sports, a game packed with the Wii, did the same thing (including the same sports) years ago.

Granted, the visuals are far more impressive on the PS3 and Xbox 360, but that's not the main message sent to the audience. Sony and Microsoft are acting as if none of this technology had ever existed before (despite Sony's Sixaxis control pad involved some degree of motion control already) and to any gamer, console or PC, that's obviously a blatant lie.

You're a Wii fan, eh? Talk about one sided...

That said - you're knocking them because they're using motion controls and saying it's new? I do believe, technically, what they're doing is new - as the motion controls (for the X360, anyway - not looked at the PS3, as I don't have one and don't care for the PS3) - is indeed different than how the Wii Remotes work. So it is technically newER technology than the technology used by the Wii.

But really - does it surprise you that they're doing this? Or that they're making their version of Wii Sports? The whole Wii/Mii thing took off amazingly well - so why wouldn't other console games do the same? It's like saying, "Did you hear that the ________ is going to use a CD/DVD ROM to put their games on?" If it takes off, and it does well, of course it gets mimicked. The Wii did it first, yes, but as you said X360 (as well of the PS3) are doing it now, and doing it better (graphically, anyway).

RTS games were big back in the day, Command & Conquer, and such - then it seemed like everyone made one - Warcraft made one - then even EverQuest made one. MMO's took off after EverQuest, so World of Warcraft made one, Star Wars made one, Warhammer made one, etc etc, FPS games took off, so there was Halo, Gears of War, Call of Duty, etc etc... It's just the way it goes. I hardly see this as disappointing or surprising... These motion controllers are "new" to these systems, so why wouldn't they be hyped and play it up?

I am looking forward to it. My Wii, in the meantime, continues to collect dust, because I can't recall the last good Wii game I got... (ironically my favorite Wii game was Wii Sports... which ya know, came with the Wii). My X360 library of games is probably about 40 deep, while my Wii library is about 10 deep. So I am personally quite excited about these controls for the X360 and hope that X360 can deliver good motion controlled games.

MusicallyInspired wrote:I hope you're not talking about me. I'm excited about it! But yes, 360/PS3 gamers can really be a bunch of whiners. I own all three systems so I could care less. Actually, I'm glad it didn't end up on the 360 because all it would have gotten was a slight resolution update for models and textures like Perfect Dark HD. Now 8-player multiplayer would have been nice but that's what it got anyway with GoldenEye 007 Wii. And the result is something way better! I just hope they keep some of the better multiplayer levels intact or enhanced like Complex, Library, or Temple. But whatever happens, I'm going to be happy.

No, I didn't mean you at all.

I was referring to comments made by people I've read on other message boards.

Tawmis wrote:You're a Wii fan, eh? Talk about one sided...

I have a Wii, but I'm not a "Wii fan" or a "Nintendo fan boy." In fact, the last Nintendo console I bought before the Wii was the SNES. Besides, I prefer playing on the PC and you know that.

On the other hand... I could easily say that you're an Xbox 360 fan based on your previous (and highly subjective) posts.

Tawmis wrote:That said - you're knocking them because they're using motion controls and saying it's new? I do believe, technically, what they're doing is new - as the motion controls (for the X360, anyway - not looked at the PS3, as I don't have one and don't care for the PS3) - is indeed different than how the Wii Remotes work. So it is technically newER technology than the technology used by the Wii.

Actually... the type of motion control or interaction the Xbox 360 is doing isn't new at all. In fact, it's older than the Wii's motion controls.

The Sega Activator (for the Sega Genesis) attempted similar motion controls. The Activator required no hand-held peripherals. Your body was the controller and the Activator was supposed to translate your movements into actions in the game.

The Activator wasn't very successful. Technological limitations made the control somewhat inaccurate, plus very few people actually felt like getting off the couch and using their body.

While the Kinect may be far more advanced than the Activator, Microsoft still faces the same problem Sega (and currently Nintendo) have had had with every motion controller they developed: You have to get players off their asses and interact beyond using a game pad.

Tawmis wrote:But really - does it surprise you that they're doing this? Or that they're making their version of Wii Sports? The whole Wii/Mii thing took off amazingly well - so why wouldn't other console games do the same? It's like saying, "Did you hear that the ________ is going to use a CD/DVD ROM to put their games on?" If it takes off, and it does well, of course it gets mimicked. The Wii did it first, yes, but as you said X360 (as well of the PS3) are doing it now, and doing it better (graphically, anyway).

No, it doesn't surprise me. However, it does sadden me that neither Sony nor Microsoft could come up with anything better than to jump on Nintendo's bandwagon. That seems rather pathetic, especially this late in the current console generation.

I'm also disappointed in that Sony and Microsoft are releasing sports games so similar to the Wii's earlier titles. It seems to me that that since both the PS3 and 360 are technologically superior to the Wii, they could've come up with something different or at least use different sports.

Tawmis wrote:RTS games were big back in the day, Command & Conquer, and such - then it seemed like everyone made one - Warcraft made one - then even EverQuest made one. MMO's took off after EverQuest, so World of Warcraft made one, Star Wars made one, Warhammer made one, etc etc, FPS games took off, so there was Halo, Gears of War, Call of Duty, etc etc... It's just the way it goes. I hardly see this as disappointing or surprising... These motion controllers are "new" to these systems, so why wouldn't they be hyped and play it up?

We differ there, I suppose. I do find it disappointing that so many games copy one another. The entire point of playing different games is to experience something different. Most of today's games (especially the FPS genre) copy each other to such an extent that the games seem nearly identical.

For instance... if I see another WW2 FPS game, I think I'll snap. That horse has not only been beaten to death, but it was filleted and served up at McDonald's. In other words, it's time to find something new.

Tawmis wrote:I am looking forward to it. My Wii, in the meantime, continues to collect dust, because I can't recall the last good Wii game I got... (ironically my favorite Wii game was Wii Sports... which ya know, came with the Wii). My X360 library of games is probably about 40 deep, while my Wii library is about 10 deep. So I am personally quite excited about these controls for the X360 and hope that X360 can deliver good motion controlled games.

Well, I wouldn't count on any motion controlled games (besides sports titles) to end up all that good. Most games are best played with a game pad or a mouse/keyboard setup.

DeadPoolX wrote:Most of today's games (especially the FPS genre) copy each other to such an extent that the games seem nearly identical.

I'd even say all of today's genres copy everything that has come before, with scarcely anything new. The adventure genre is a perfect example: if you put aside some bold experiments, like Dreamfall or, more recently, Heavy Rain, adventures are still relying on mechanics old like the genre itself. And this is the top reason why, in my opinion, the genre is so little successful nowadays.

DeadPoolX wrote:

Tawmis wrote:You're a Wii fan, eh? Talk about one sided...

I have a Wii, but I'm not a "Wii fan" or a "Nintendo fan boy." In fact, the last Nintendo console I bought before the Wii was the SNES. Besides, I prefer playing on the PC and you know that.
On the other hand... I could easily say that you're an Xbox 360 fan based on your previous (and highly subjective) posts.

Oh hell yeah! And that's why my X360 gamer tag is on my signature on the forums! I probably announce how much I love my XBOX - and not just X360, but the standard XBOX too. I have the standard XBOX in my office and whenever the wife's watching television on the big tv in the living room - I am usually in my office, either on the computer, or more recently going through and replaying various Burnout games, as well as Mortal Kombat, Thief, Star Wars Legos, Toejam & Earl III, etc!

DeadPoolX wrote: While the Kinect may be far more advanced than the Activator, Microsoft still faces the same problem Sega (and currently Nintendo) have had had with every motion controller they developed: You have to get players off their asses and interact beyond using a game pad.

I think the Wii showed that people are willing to get off their arses and row with rapid forward motions, do those NUMEROUS dancing games that are out now on the Wii that require all kinds of movement, etc.

Besides, if they pull this off, they can officially begin saying that playing videos games isn't bad for you because you're actually - get this! - getting off your ass and doing a considerable amount of movement! They showed a Demo of Star Wars: Lightsabre... and it requires quite a bit of motion... but I see that game doing VERY well, giving people the feeling that they're swinging a lightsabre, especially since so many people have huge TV's these days... it's very easy to pull you into the game.

DeadPoolX wrote: No, it doesn't surprise me. However, it does sadden me that neither Sony nor Microsoft could come up with anything better than to jump on Nintendo's bandwagon. That seems rather pathetic, especially this late in the current console generation.

We shall let the sales of it see how pathetic it is.

DeadPoolX wrote: I'm also disappointed in that Sony and Microsoft are releasing sports games so similar to the Wii's earlier titles. It seems to me that that since both the PS3 and 360 are technologically superior to the Wii, they could've come up with something different or at least use different sports.

What fix what isn't broken? Why branch into something new that may not work? There's a tested formula (Wii Sports) that appears to be very successful - you dive into that first, build up a user base, then branch out.

DeadPoolX wrote: We differ there, I suppose. I do find it disappointing that so many games copy one another. The entire point of playing different games is to experience something different. Most of today's games (especially the FPS genre) copy each other to such an extent that the games seem nearly identical.

See the reason I don't find it all that disappointing is... I hate Modern Warfare and such... those FPS don't interest me... too realistic... and yet I didn't like Halo (all that much, I mean probably at the time the only FPS I can say I enjoyed, but still wasn't what I was hoping for)... then, because of all this FPS hype, "Gears of War" was developed, and suddenly I found my dream FPS game. So I enjoy it because so many different versions of the same idea come out, that one is bound to appeal to you.

Tawmis wrote:We shall let the sales of it see how pathetic it is.

Big sales doesn't mean it isn't pathetic. It just means that the consumers are just as pathetic to eat it all up. Or, more accurately, the whole gaming market is pathetic for not creating anything but the same old regurgitated thing which people are used to now and don't expect anything better. If you ate raw noodles all your life you'd think eating different kinds of raw noodles = variety. But, truly, it isn't.

What fix what isn't broken? Why branch into something new that may not work? There's a tested formula (Wii Sports) that appears to be very successful - you dive into that first, build up a user base, then branch out.

It's not about fixing what isn't broken, it's about innovating and creating new and fun experiences. It's about creativity. Not cashing in on everybody else's idea. Of course, we're headed into a "games are art" discussion now...

See the reason I don't find it all that disappointing is... I hate Modern Warfare and such... those FPS don't interest me... too realistic... and yet I didn't like Halo (all that much, I mean probably at the time the only FPS I can say I enjoyed, but still wasn't what I was hoping for)... then, because of all this FPS hype, "Gears of War" was developed, and suddenly I found my dream FPS game. So I enjoy it because so many different versions of the same idea come out, that one is bound to appeal to you.

And Gears of War isn't even an FPS game...but see, they kind of showed a bit of creativity there, even though it's been done already.

Tawmis wrote:They showed a Demo of Star Wars: Lightsabre... and it requires quite a bit of motion... but I see that game doing VERY well, giving people the feeling that they're swinging a lightsabre, especially since so many people have huge TV's these days... it's very easy to pull you into the game.

Well, I hope it works better than motion controllers have in the past.

Often the controls aren't very accurate. In some games the Wiimote and nunchuk work remarkably well, but in most it doesn't. Maybe some games are simply translated poorly to work on the Wii. I don't know for sure.

I will say that sports, racing and flight games work amazingly with motion controls. I love the fact I can actually steer cars and planes using the Wiimote (and sometimes the nunchuk as well). That works so much better than tapping an analog stick.