Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings

[Rocket Surgeon]

How did you feel about the Crystal Skull Trailer and how did you feel about the movie?

I'm looking forward to a fun game, if it's not, then back to game stop it goes.

We shall see!

 

[lornconner]

Here's where *I* probably get flamed.

I'd been following the development of Indy IV for 10 years, and had copies of all of the script drafts that had been produced throughout that time. (With the exception of the rumored M Night Shyamalon script)

Because of that, I had a pretty good idea of what the movie was going to be about going in, and I was nervous.

The first trailer actually got me excited, but there were scenes that I was REALLY worried about - especially the Nuke/Doomtown scene, and I had misgivings about the artifact. (ALIENS?!)

I was first in line on opening day. I watched the movie, and I enjoyed it far more than I expected to.

I think it has problems. I loved the first half of the movie, but thought that they cut a lot out of the last half of the movie (that was in the Darabont script) that would've made it a lot more coherent.

As it stands, I think a lot of people are left scratching their heads at the end of Indy IV, due to stuff that was cut. My ideal version includes the first half of the movie we got, fused to the last half of the Darabont script. (Minus the weirdness with the President of Peru)

Even so, I enjoyed it...mostly because of lowered expectations, and the scenes I was worried about in the script worked better on the screen than they did in the script. (In my opinion, of course.)

Am I glad we got a fourth movie? Hell yes. Do I think it could have been better? Also yes.

However...if they had announced that they were going to be releasing the movie on VHS after the theatrical run, you can bet that I'd be mad as hell, just as I am about Staff of Kings.

 

[indyjones2131]

Well, a more astute observer might call it sarcasm.
Am I mistaken or were you not being presumptuously arrogant when you employed the vivid description of something you couldn't understand as the writings of someone to whom "English [is] a second language?"

Is this the foundation of a good debate? Fight fire with fire I always say!

You are correct about ONE thing, I do like to argue, and it?s far more engaging than your prattling complaints!

I just really don't know if you are really dense or just really bored to keep insulting me for noting the FUN FACTOR of two games and NOT the style of game play.

Maybe it's just that you're being willfully ignorant, which I agree is unattractive but wildly entertaining reading. More so than your whining about something that hasn't been finished!

I don't expect you to be REMOTELY happy with ANYTHING. I do recognize that you have a very low tolerance for RECEIVING childish behavior and desperate insult slinging, but not DOLING IT OUT.

To your last point, it seems in this day and age that we are fortunate that they didn't just drop it! I am looking forward to judging it based on its own merits ONCE IT'S RELEASED!

I understand, it's a shame you refuse to.

-just my humble opinion!

So then you missed my point yet again. This is getting tiresome. If the "English is your second language" comment hurt your feelings, then toughen up and get over it and let's get back on topic, huh?

Look, it's obvious you just want some company, even a company with a **** poor history to make slap Indy's name on a game and call it day. I want more.

Now, we're both hopeful that it will turn out well. You seem determined that it will despite several signs to the contrary. I am a bit more skeptical given the countless reasons I've now cited a dozen times. If the games does turn out like I fear it will, then GOD I wish they would have just dropped it. Don't you?

Ok. Now let me explain the difference between Tetris and a game like Indy. See tetris is a very simply game mechanic that requires only the most basic assets to get the job done. With a game based on a known and beloved character that you are trying to capture you need a bit more. Right?

Also, this is an action adventure which relies on not only environmental immersion, but also a sense of real danger. These qualities too require a bit more than you'd find in Solitaire.

Indy's also about visiting awe inspiring locales. This requires at least decent graphics to attain and gorgeous graphics to do full justice. DO you see the obvious differences? Do you see the inherent challenges that arise when you are shooting for these cinematic type qualities using aged technology.

So claiming that Solitaire and Tetris successfully accomplish what they set out to and therefore you know far a fact that Indy will as well makes no logical sense to me.

Does that mean Indy will not be fun? No. It could very well be. But a complete, innovative, immersive, gorgeous experience? Nope. You'd have to go back to 2006 for that. And that just plain sucks. But business is business and I have bought other games for my 360 so it wasn't a waste of money. However I admit I did initially buy the system based on the trailers, press releases and screenshots of a game that was said to be coming out in 2007, 08, or 09.

 

[indyjones2131]

How did you feel about the Crystal Skull Trailer and how did you feel about the movie?

I'm looking forward to a fun game, if it's not, then back to game stop it goes.

We shall see!

For me, the movie turned out far worse than the trailer let on. I wouldn't be surprised if that has influenced my outlook on the game as well.

 

[lornconner]

Going back to Tinglers post for a moment -

This is from Exodus 17 -
"8 Then Amalek came and fought with Israel at Rephidim. 9 So Moses said to Joshua, ?Choose for us men, and go out and fight with Amalek. Tomorrow I will stand on the top of the hill with the staff of God in my hand.? 10 So Joshua did as Moses told him, and fought with Amalek, while Moses, Aaron, and Hur went up to the top of the hill. 11 Whenever Moses held up his staff, Israel prevailed, and whenever he lowered his staff, Amalek prevailed."

This just sparked a funny image in my mind. Cue LA marketing:

"Unlock the power of the Staff of Kings using the WiiMote in a fully immersive next-generation experience!

Hold your WiiMote up for as long as you possibly can to win fights! Lower the Wiimote to Lose!

Test your mettle against the might of gravity itself, as you see how your strength stacks up against Moses!

(Stacked Rocks and Friends to hold up your arms sold seperately)"

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

Good Lord! He is willfully ignorant; please help him to see the errors of his ways so that he isn't always caught in his faulty logic loop.

Please, Lord let him understand that he cannot hurt me and that I only mirror his indignance so that he may see himself in me. Please Lord let me stop this so I may be more like you!

Please allow him to grasp that I'm not determined but hopeful, that if he doesn't mind that it were dropped and never released he would release us all from the purgatory of his endless destructive downwards spiral.

That he be unburdened by the corollaries of Tetris, solitaire and third-person action games...and come to realize the point, that it may be possible to become immersed in the game play of any such game.

That I'm claiming to know nothing, (enjoy quoting that!), but instead hope that it can achieve some similar feat, not in material success but in being FUN, enjoyable, diverting and not so serious.

That as long as you will it dear Lord I will never relinquish and he cannot persevere,(excepting with the help of some Thought Nazi on this Board).
That I will spend eternity striking at his head while he bites at my heels!

Amen.

 

[indyjones2131]

Good Lord! He is willfully ignorant; please help him to see the errors of his ways so that he isn't always caught in his faulty logic loop.

Please, Lord let him understand that he cannot hurt me and that I only mirror his indignance so that he may see himself in me. Please Lord let me stop this so I may be more like you!

Please allow him to grasp that I'm not determined but hopeful, that if he doesn't mind that it were dropped and never released he would release us all from the purgatory of his endless destructive downwards spiral.

That he be unburdened by the corollaries of Tetris, solitaire and third-person action games...and come to realize the point, that it may be possible to become immersed in the game play of any such game.

That I'm claiming to know nothing, (enjoy quoting that!), but instead hope that it can achieve some similar feat, not in material success but in being FUN, enjoyable, diverting and not so serious.

That as long as you will it dear Lord I will never relinquish and he cannot persevere,(excepting with the help of some Thought Nazi on this Board).
That I will spend eternity striking at his head while he bites at my heels!

Amen.

Might as well pray for some wit while while you're at it. That wasn't funny in the least bit.
It's sad that you can't have a normal debate. I'd imagine you realize you don't quite know what you're saying at this point.
We're done here.

 

[The Tingler]

However...you probably wouldn't go to see "Tetris:The Movie" would you?

Yes, yes I would.

Others have suggested we can't have an impact by expressing our opinions and altering our purchase habits. None of these people have addressed the Obi-Wan/Jedi Knight situation that occurred a few years ago - a situation very similar to the one we find ourselves in now, and where customer feedback most certainly DID make a difference.

Hmm, I don't know about that. Everyone was looking forward to Obi-Wan on PC, because it looked like a spiritual successor to Jedi Knight and Phantom Menace hadn't actually come out then. Unfortunately the development of the game suffered badly, the PC version got canned and it was tailored (badly) to fit the Xbox in order to exploit the 'only games available on a console' buying rush.

It was then marketed badly, not previewed or advertised at all, and came out with a crap blurry picture of Ewan McGregor on the front. And reviewers universally condemned it. Consequently it sold nothing, and LucasArts gave Raven the Jedi Knight III game.

I see the similarities, but if LucasArts market this they'll still sell it. Don't worry though, I very much doubt the next Indy game will be Wii-only! I also very much doubt that it will be internal.

 

[Billy Ray]

The reason this isn't hitting me as hard as some of you guys, I guess, is not only because I was planning on getting the Wii version anyway, but because I love Indy games and was fully expecting to have to wait until late 2009 at the earliest. While every reason in my mind is screaming at me not to be excited, I can't help it - I am.

That's exactly my take on the whole thing. I am very dissapointed that we won't be getting the next gen version on the 360/PS2. I recently played through Force Unleashed and that doubled my excitment for Staff of Kings. The whole time I was playing it I just kept saying to myself "Man, that Indy game is going to rule if it's anything like this".

At the same time, I have a Wii already and am thankful it is at least coming out for that, even if in a watered down form, because I am just excited about getting a new Indy game. As long as it has the "fun factor" and is true to the Indy spirit, I couldn't care less about how awesome the graphics are. I just recently played Fate of Atlantis for the first time and loved every minute of it, despite the ancient graphics. That is the true mark of a good game. I'm also super excited that they are including FOA with Staff of Kings, because my PC took a dump on me right when I had just reached Atlantis and I haven't had the heart to load it on another machine and start all over again.

So yeah, after all these years in development, all the very promising trailers and hype, it is a virtual kick in the nuts that they dropped the next gen version. I feel like I was strung along all those years, but at least we are getting what we are getting instead of nothing at all. That would be a virtual kick in the nuts and a poke in the eye with a sharp stick. Hopefully SOK will be a fun game at the least. I've played a few games on the Wii like Resident Evil 4 and Metroid Prime that were a lot of fun. Other than the graphics, it still looks promising to me and I am remaining optomistic.

 

[Vance]

HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...That was funny!

Oh, come on, it could be a real blockbuster!

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

Might as well pray for some wit while while you're at it. That wasn't funny in the least bit.
It's sad that you can't have a normal debate. I'd imagine you realize you don't quite know what you're saying at this point.
We're done here.

Aww, come on, don't take your ball and go home!

Come on it was funny a little...

A normal debate would mean you respond to my comments and I respond to yours, adinfinitum. A normal debate is NOT insisting on responding to your own agenda and then arguing THAT. That's arguing, (read playing) with yourself!

I have no idea what you are trying to write, but I guess that just goes with the territiory...

I know you don't want an apology, which is probably why I'm offering one.

I'm sorry.

 

[Rocket Surgeon]

Oh, come on, it could be a real blockbuster!

I laughed heartily at that one, but after all I guess it would all boil down to how they did it! Definitely a Ben Stiller Vehicle!

I expect it will air on Robot Chicken.

 

[Morning Bell]

The LEGO Indy achievements were sooo fun, I liked how they were all Indy quotes. You can see them here. I've got them all!

Those are great! I wish the Wii version had had something similar to that.

 

[EvilDevo]

I wish PS3 did! Why doesn't PS3 have the trophies?

 

[Vance]

I wish PS3 did! Why doesn't PS3 have the trophies?

PSN's Trophies hadn't been finalized yet when LEGO Indy was under development.

 

[Grizzlor]

Technacly the PS3 is a PS2 with the backwards compatibility and what not.

I thought the backward compatibility did not work well, and now Sony has taken it out of the PS3?

 

[EvilDevo]

PSN's Trophies hadn't been finalized yet when LEGO Indy was under development.

A lot of dedicated developers/publishers are adding a downloadable patch to enable trophy support. What's the deal Tt? LucasArts?

I thought the backward compatibility did not work well, and now Sony has taken it out of the PS3?

Correct, sir. PS3 hasn't been PS2 backward compatible for about a year now.

 

[Vance]

I thought the backward compatibility did not work well, and now Sony has taken it out of the PS3?

It currently depends on the version you get. The BIG PS3 has it as a software emulator. The lower-gig hard-drives ones do not. For those who don't have it built-in, SoA has promised to have it as a purchasable download, but that hasn't manifest, obviously.

Truth be told, when my first-run PS3 gives out (someday), I'll probably have to kill someone.

 

[Irfaan]

I wish PS3 did! Why doesn't PS3 have the trophies?

It's a darn shame it doesn't. I actually completed the game 2.5 times just to get them all. Unlike some developers travelers tales really put effort into making the LEGO Indy achievements good with appropriate and witty titles.

I was sooo glad when I got fortune and glory! I don't think I would of personally enjoyed the game as much if it wasn't for the achievements, they really appealled to the hardcore Indy fans, how can you not have those quotes!

It's a shame SoK won't be on Xbox 360 or PS3, I would of like to have known what the achievements/trophies would be like

 

[marshce]

Someone mentioned before that Indiana Jones and the Staff of Kings is being developed by A2M who is known for "sloppy" ports.

I checked out what games they have made for the Wii, and, at first sight, it does seem that they mainly do those throwaway movie games that game critics always hate. I started looking at each of the games released for the Wii. I noticed something positive, I think. Here's a chronological list of their games:

1. The Ant Bully
Gamerankings Avg Ratio: 47%
Highest Score: 65%
Lowest Score: 10%

2. Happy Feet
Gamerankings Avg Ratio: 47%
Highest Score: 65%
Lowest Score: 30%

3. Iron Man
Gamerankings Avg Ratio: 45%
Highest Score: 60%
Lowest Score: 15%

4. High School Musical: Sing It!
Gamerankings Avg Ratio: 68%
Highest Score: 85%
Lowest Score: 60%

5. Kung Fu Panda: Legendary Warriors
Gamerankings Avg Ratio: 62%
Highest Score: 85%
Lowest Score: 50%

Ahem . . . Why did I just waste your time with all those numbers? Well, if you notice, there seems to be a trend with those games. The reviews have gotten better and better with each successive game (except Iron Man). Perhaps they have been perfecting their development of Wii games and have reached a point where they have made their masterpiece.

I may be stretching my argument like warm, sticky taffy, but it could be a positive sign that IJatSoK could be a decent game.



(Re-reading my post, I realize this is a huge stretch, but I'm just trying to inject a little positivity into the forums. I hate the anger and cynicism and pessimism that dominate fan forums. We can be realistic without being angrily negative: The screenshots are disappointing. However, I ask you this: Does this single fact alone make an unreleased game that no one has yet played bad?)