What did the 3DO need?

Post by **3DOKid** » Sun May 29, 2011 1:31 pm

Vance wrote:Back to subject, do define the 3DO's AAA titles for me. The irrefutably quality titles.

This was the problem right? Even NFS (which I adored) was a poor cousin to Ridge Racer, Daytona and Sega Rally. It's a damn fine game, but AAA? It pains me to say it, but there was little compelling reason to buy a 3DO other than brazen technology lust.

knightintosh · Post by **knightintosh** » Sun May 29, 2011 1:49 pm

3DOKid wrote: This was the problem right? Even NFS (which I adored) was a poor cousin to Ridge Racer, Daytona and Sega Rally. It's a damn fine game, but AAA? It pains me to say it, but there was little compelling reason to buy a 3DO other than brazen technology lust.

I kinda know where you're coming from in terms of "killer app" games that people just HAD to buy a 3DO for. But once I already had the 3DO there were plenty of what I'd personally call AAA games, or 5-star games, so that's where I was coming from. But yeah, I agree with you both on that one. (Pains me too!)

NikeX · Post by **NikeX** » Sun May 29, 2011 1:53 pm

ok! More games like StarFighter! Freedom, 3D, no time limit if you want so.
Saturn version, PlayStation / DOS Version - were not as impressive as the 3DO Version. But what happened? Even 3DO fans forgot this jewel! In my opnion technical the best 3DO game, along with Need For Speed and Dr. Hauzer. I mean, look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QLXK8xubtic
By one of our forum members.

Dr.Enceladus · Post by **Dr.Enceladus** » Sun May 29, 2011 3:01 pm

ok NikeX...that music playing on your StarFighter youtube link is the exact tune i was talking about that made me want to end my life.

NikeX · Post by **NikeX** » Sun May 29, 2011 3:24 pm

But the 2nd part of the clip has an other tune.

This would have been perfect for the 3DO:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yvbiowQhjxc

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sun May 29, 2011 3:37 pm

3DO Kid and NikeX said it best. I should have said system sellers.

I never played NFS (Not a racing fan until Gran Turismo's insane detail levels let me drive and tweak old musclers in lurid detail) but I thought NFS was surely a big title?

Okay, being brutal and using the unreliable brain 'o mine, here's AAA:

SSF2T
WC3 (If it was released close enough)

That's IT for stuff that'd move a console on rep. I include WC3 because it was huge at the time and a 3DO actually cost less than the computer needed.

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sun May 29, 2011 3:52 pm

If 3DO had bundled SSF2T with the console they would have had a stampede of customers. Also they'd probably go bankrupt, but no plan is perfect.

Okay, let's look at games that might be system sellers with the right push:
NFS
Road Rash
Samurai Shodown
Star Control 2
Studio 3DO releases as a whole

I agonized over the exclusion of a few items, so I'll explain. Thingr like the animation games. Alone in the Dark, and Myst were left out because I feel they were past due even at the time. I lumped the

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sun May 29, 2011 4:00 pm

Studio 3DO releases together because that's probably how they'd need to be marketed to push consoles. As for Flashback and EA Sports, they were too saturated on consoles people already owned.

I even debated taking SC2 off the list, but as an exclusive and cult hit kept it.

So notice that there are only two third party titles exclusive to 3DO here, and I count SSF2T as exclusive on quality grounds (Could the 3DO have done Alpha or KoF as well? The PS1 ports lacked)

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sun May 29, 2011 6:00 pm

Also to your question: Yes. I loved the 3DO, but I often find myself playing devil's advocate more than most. Somebody has to go around smashing the rose-colored glasses.

knightintosh · Post by **knightintosh** » Sun May 29, 2011 6:12 pm

Vance wrote:Also to your question: Yes. I loved the 3DO, but I often find myself playing devil's advocate more than most. Somebody has to go around smashing the rose-colored glasses.

Lol, well mine are lead lined so unbreakable... not great health-wise though. Then again my recent 3DO purchases weren't exactly great bank account-wise either!

I understand though, there weren't really any games that screamed "this should be a pack-in game 'cause it would sell loads of machines". But then again, when I see Mario Kart packed in with the Wii I think "wah'?" Sure it's Mario, and it's a brilliant game, but it doesn't exactly show off the systems unique capabilities. Bit like the pack-in games we had with 3DO.

At the end of the day I think, yes there were plenty of crap games for 3DO, but same can be said for PS2 and Wii, and were plenty of good-to-great games on 3DO for people who bought one anyway, and they're all there now to keep me busy

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Sun May 29, 2011 6:13 pm

I'd say 3DO has (depending on tastes) a good 20 - 30 games that could be considered AAA.

knightintosh · Post by **knightintosh** » Sun May 29, 2011 6:15 pm

Trev wrote:I'd say 3DO has (depending on tastes) a good 20 - 30 games that could be considered AAA.

#blubber# #cry# #sob#

(That was the sound of my bank account again.)

Post by **3DOKid** » Sun May 29, 2011 7:20 pm

Trev wrote:I'd say 3DO has (depending on tastes) a good 20 - 30 games that could be considered AAA.

I agree but it's like now if you went into the store with $40 burning a hole in your pocket, Wii, 360, PS3...

In '95 only the keenest of all die-hard 3DO fans bought 3DO.

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sun May 29, 2011 7:24 pm

20-30 AAA titles. 20-30 system sellers. Not even in Japan, but dare to dream.

EDIT: AAA means a game that can push tin on its own merits due to near universal appeal within its genre. It's NOT just stuff YOU like. I think Battlesport should sell systems, it's an awesome game. It didn't, so it ain't AAA.

Maybe you really liked Bladeforce. Same story, plus you're stupid. Don't turn a business discussion toward your preferences.

knightintosh · Post by **knightintosh** » Sun May 29, 2011 7:39 pm

Vance wrote:Maybe you really liked Bladeforce. Same story, plus you're stupid. Don't turn a business discussion toward your preferences.

That's why I said I agreed on your points, but in my own personal views I'd say there were that many games I'd class as AAA. Maybe I should've made myself clearer, but yeah there's a difference between what I'd class as a stunning 3DO game (and would simply call "AAA" as a kind of score for the game), and what would be classed as an "official" AAA game that would sell machines.

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sun May 29, 2011 7:42 pm

I was more addressing Trev on that one, a man who hopefully didn't dig Blade Force.

knightintosh · Post by **knightintosh** » Sun May 29, 2011 7:45 pm

Vance wrote:I was more addressing Trev on that one, a man who hopefully didn't dig Blade Force.

Ah right - oops!

Only ever played the demo of BF, thought it was brilliant... take it the full game isn't really up to scratch...?

NikeX · Post by **NikeX** » Sun May 29, 2011 7:50 pm

The question is: What needs Trip Hawkins?

http://blogs.forbes.com/williampbarrett ... -shelters/

http://3do.cdinteractive.co.uk/viewtopi ... ght=#21408

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sun May 29, 2011 7:56 pm

Paid five bucks for it and still felt ripped off. The terrain was a soupy mess of mediocre 3D repeat tiles, the gameplay sulked somewhere below adequacy, and the objectives were cleverly hidden from the player... what they were as well as where. This turned the game into some Mad Max fuel-rationing exercise from hell. I gave the game at least five chances to be interesting. It wound up at the bottom of a box. PaTaank was more worthwhile.

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Sun May 29, 2011 8:05 pm

Not too big on Blade Force myself, although I did admire its ambition back in the day.

I think the way you define a AAA title may be a bit rigid. An amazing game could wow the critics and only have so so numbers. Lots of stuff could factor into it (timing of release, which console it is on, etc...) On the opposite end, a game can be only okay, and still sell like hotcakes.

Is every yearly update of Madden a AAA game?

I still consider BattleSport a AAA game regardless of how many copies it might have sold.

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Sun May 29, 2011 8:16 pm

I am being rigid, I stated that at the top of the list. Because this isn't a thread for our top five lists, it's about why the system failed!

Somebody mentioned there's a lot of crap on other systems as well. But they sure had more than two killer apps. That's the meat of the discussion.

Trev · Post by **Trev** » Sun May 29, 2011 8:20 pm

Fair enough. I just don't think you, me, or anyone should confuse "killer app" w/a "AAA game" They are not always one in the same, imho.

Vance · Post by **Vance** » Mon May 30, 2011 3:33 am

You can go telling me how to define things and I can care, but it's really likely that only one of these things happened today.

3DOKid: That's the only time I've heard "suck it and see" outside a Smith & Jones sketch.

Post by **3DOKid** » Mon May 30, 2011 6:53 am

Vance wrote:You can go telling me how to define things and I can care, but it's really likely that only one of these things happened today.

3DOKid: That's the only time I've heard "suck it and see" outside a Smith & Jones sketch.

Core Blimey Gov'ner, tickle me cockles and t'pence a bag. You see, I can do it.