Radd

Any word on why, though? Simple asthetics, or something more, flaws with the toy itself?

No, the worst controller, by far, is the Jaguar controller. At least, the worst controller I'm familier with. And I still believe no controller is good for every sort of game. You really want to enjoy a game, you need the controller that works best for it.

Just because something is said that does not praise Sony does not instantly make it fanboy garbage.

I want the hands that fold into the arms for perfect transformation, however I certainly wouldn't begrudge those who want larger, fixed-pose, hands as an option. It would be best if they included a set of varying fixed-pose hands, including a set in fists that would fit inside the arm for transformation. Best of both worlds, I say. I've never really understood the idea that it must be one way or the other.

Personally, I think the controller should fit the game. Arcade sticks for fighters, flight sticks for flying sims and the like, something like the keyboard and mouse arrangement for FPS games, and so far something like the Gamecube pad for most everything else (but please, better parts, better construction!) Personally, I love the Gamecube pad's button arragement. The large centre button and the three uniquely shaped buttons around it. Thumb always knows right where it is. Give it just one more shoulder button/trigger and it'll be at least as good at Fighting games as the Dual Shock. Better, even, due to the button layout. But I agree, the Dual Shock should have been replaced a generation ago. People cling to it because it's what they know, and they fear change. Unfortunately, to force change, companies need to go against what gamers want 'right now', and provide them with something that will prove itself once the gamers have it in their reluctant hands. Then gamers will act in exactly the same manner when something comes along to replace that, which at the time they will consider the pinnacle.

I think Chewie was replying to yellowlightman's comment that the majority of gamers hate the Dual Shock and would embrace change if it were good.

Whenever a controller design comes out that appears even slightly different from what the majority of gamers are used to, most gamers will get all up in arms about it. Are you seriously forgetting the debut of the SNES pad, and the "it's got to many buttons!" cry that stirred up? The N64 pad has it's faults, but not nearly so much as many would have you believe. What about the Gamecube controller? Sure, once we got it in our hands we could tell the materials were cheap, but as for the design itself, many people still insist the button layout won't work for fighting games, and other such nonsense. It's lead right up to this generation, with the Wii controller. Sure, that's died down since it has been recieving almost universal praise from every gamer info source, but the kneejerk reaction was one of "that can't possibly work", and you still have many people insisting it's the powerglove part 2. Then there's the boomerang. So, they took the Dual Shock design and made it more ergonomic. This garnered much derision and outrage from the gaming community. So what did they do? They're releasing a controller that is much more close to the DS design that you've stated as being so flawed. Now people are thankful! Gamers are thankful that Sony has changed their mind on the one thing they had changed. Gamers are happy with the new PS3 controller, that right there throws out your idea that most gamers hated that the Boomerang remained so close to the flawed layout of the previous controllers. Have they changed the layout with the most recent PS3 controller design? Not that I've seen. Looks like a wireless Dual Shock to me.

Unfortunately the rampant gamer phobia of any sort of controller change has cemented the fact that Sony will do as little as possible to change their controller.

We're in 100% agreement. The MP-01 truck is nothing special, but at least it doesn't have that huge gap. I'm of the opinion that this was a concession to the size of the toy, though. I'd be surprised, and dissapointed, if Hot Rod didn't make it to the West in the Alternator's line. Remember the Asterisk line in Japan? Sunstreaker came from that. On the other hand, I don't think the other Asterisk repaints came out here. Meh. We can still hope, right?

Anyone else checked out the 'Heroes' trailer for the Wii? Made by the Killer 7 crew. Graphically stunning, then the characters open their mouth.......then it becomes pure, albiet unintentional genius. The voice acting is so terrible, it's fantastic. It's like an ultra stylistic sci-fi hong kong cinema dub. I can't wait for this game! XD

It's entirely possible this will be fantastic. Of course, there's also the possibility that they'll waste every scrap of potential and churn out some absolute garbage.

Racing games are so much fun to watch when they're pushing new hardware. It's so easy to get the most out of them graphically, since there's so much opportunity to cheat. All you need to model is the car, the track, and the immeadiate surroundings. Even then, things race by so fast, you can cheat with those. But unless you're looking for them, you don't see the cuts, and the results are gorgeous. It helps that the one thing you do see constantly, your car, took...what did they say? Six months to model? No wonder the cars will be so expensive. Expect more of that, if developers are going to take advantage of the PS3 hardware. Heh, cute. I'm still watching the videos and in the comparison between the first game, and GT4, they use the track and dashboard only view, the minimalistic view you'd see in both games. Then comparing those to the new game, they use the cinematic view you'd never use when actually playing.

Ack. Those pictures really make me wish Kawamori's designs had been done in MP-01 scale.

I would not be opposed to a fantastic Macross game for the PS3. I'd rather they made one for the PC, though. One that worked with my flightstick, and could be modded down the road.

I hope so, that's the one dissapointing part about Mirage, that the chest piece refuses to lock with the side pieces. Plus, this Hot Rod looks fantastic, can't wait for an Alt version to be released in the States. Any word on the other Binaltech police car? Red Alert, wasn't it? I've seen Binaltech versions of him at conventions and on websites, but I've been holding off for an Alternators release.

I have mine and it's all stickered up. Fantastic piece, a great addition to my collection. I hated the bland look and colours of the regular GBP, but considered getting one anyways because I do like the design, this one however looks fantastic, the colours are perfect, and it convinced me to grab a Low Vis.2, which I was going to pass on (It looks a lot better in person, all decaled up, than it does in the online pictures I'd seen).

You know, before I went to bed this afternoon (crazy third shift schedule, and family visiting) I noticed that in both the artwork, and the toy photos on the Alt Prime box, they left the grill up under the hood, facing down. The only place it has the grill fold down into an ugly crotch plate is in the transformation instructions.

The models look terrible, but I saw a trailer for the game on YouTube, and it looked pretty swank in motion. The characters seemed to be very fluid, and the attacks were flashy on a level I don't think I've even seen in a Capcom fighter.

You know, I just realized that leaving the grill facing down from the front of the hood in Prime's robot mode, drastically increases the visual appeal of the toy. The tiny bits of upper leg that peek over his too-long lower legs are no longer hidden, the unpainted, cheap looking pelvic plate is gone, and it lends him some oldschool Transformer vibe, such as a lot of the other Alternators have. I still wish he were Ironhide and they'd just left the MP Convoy as the defacto Binaltech/Alternators leader.

I am reminded of, way back, when the internet forums were abuzz with the "fact" that the Gamecube had the worst tech specs of all the, then, new consoles. How it would not even match the PS2s capabilities. We now stand in an age where Capcom's Resident Evil entries for the Cube, as well as many other notable titles, have proven that to be entirely, completely, and undisputably wrong. So much so that anyone who took the above position will vehemently deny they ever posted any such opinion. If you believe the hype, the PS3 will be the, undisputed, most powerful console. The $600 price tag lends some credit to that belief, afterall, what sort of company would release a console so expensive if the hardware couldn't produce graphics to justify that? The Sega Saturn was certainly a behmoth of power, but for various reasons, many considered it to have inferior graphics to the underpowered Playstation. Predicting the potential graphics power of new consoles has about as much credibility as a fortuneteller reading your palm. For all we know the PS3 could be on equal footing with the 360, in terms of graphics, and then within a year we suddenly start seeing surpsingly good graphics from Nintendo's underdog console.

I can believe that, and I agree on Starfox. It was really dissapointing, since we have been seeing more games on the DS that either make good use of the touch screen, or rightfully ignore it rather than taking a forced approach. And I do expect Zelda is being used to sell the Wii, though it may play better on the Cube. It was designed for the Cube, and the Wii controller was added later when the decision to release it for both consoles was made. However, I did hear through Edge I believe it was (a rarity of a videogame magazine, in that it is actually reputable, smart, and well written), that Nintendo had taken Zelda back to the drawing board yet again, and is now boasting much improved gameplay on the Wii. We'll see if that's true or not once the Wii launches in November. I'm hopeful, but also glad there are plenty of other games I want for the syste, games designed with that console in mind.

Well, we've all seen the screenshots for PS3 trailers and demos, but it remains to be seen how many of the more flashy looking titles will retain that polish for their final release. I've seen plenty of PS3 "trailers" that have made much less impressive showings in the time since their first pre-rendered appearances. I've heard conflicting reports, some say the PS3 will prove the more powerful console in the longrun, while others say that the PS3 is not significantly more powerful than the 360 and the additional cost of the PS3 comes more from the extras like BluRay. As gorgeous as a lot of the screenshots recently posted in this thread are, I am forced to remain skeptical by past experience. Also, considering how gorgeous the Resident Evil games for the Gamecube were, I'm not entirely conviced we couldn't see a game as equally impressive as these Devil May Cry shots on the 360, or even the Wii (though lacking hi-def resolution in that case). There is some incredibly smart use of texture maps in those screenshots. The Virtua Fighter 3 shots I'd wager are definitely do-able on the 360. While there will remain heated debate both ways, time will well. The PS3 is still expected to be out this Holiday season (it is, isn't it? If I recall there were no playable games at E3), and the world will have many of its answers then.

I'll be entirely too impatient to break out Wii sports and try the new controller hands-on. Hearing all the gaming journalists rave is one thing, but none of us can really speak with any authority on the matter of how well it works until we've had a chance at it ourselves.

Well, I don't mean to sound entirely negative, I'm ecstatic that the line is continuing.

I'm iffy on the new Ravage mainly because we already have a Ravage. I want a different character. I also hope the rumours of Megatron as a car are false, and he comes with the military vehicle line I'm fairly certain I recall Hasbro announcing. I know they promised jets sometime in 07. Well, either way, as long as there is a decent MP Megatron (gun, tank, or artillery) I'll be pleased.