On Thu, 14 Dec 2006 13:51:51 -0500, Rob Browning
<pluvius3@hotmail.com> wrote:

>On Thu, 14 Dec 2006 03:06:12 GMT, Abraham Evangelista
><daken@verizon.net> wrote:
>
>>On Wed, 13 Dec 2006 16:08:26 -0500, Rob Browning
>><pluvius3@hotmail.com> wrote:
>
>>> and an unergonomic design at home when a 
>>
>>Woo.  Tried one lately?  Nintendo and friends have been spending
>>serious dollars on ergonomics.  I'd argue that the video game industry
>>on the whole score better on ergonomics than almost any other
>>industry.  Certainly better than big box PC retailers.
>
>Sorry, but it's physically impossible to make a system that's both
>portable enough to fit well in a pocket and at the same time is as
>comfortable to manipulate as a console controller or keyboard/mouse

You don't NEED anything as complex as a keyboard/mouse combo for most
portable games, or even for most console games.  And really if it
comes to that, comfort in the ergonomic sense is subjective at best. I
at least have never found a handheld's control system to be so onerous
as to spoil the experience, but I'm a single datapoint, and I'm sure
there's plenty enough out there who don't like them.  (You for
instance.)  Of course Nintendo has sold millions of these things,
which does lend more than a little weight to their design prowess.

Of course Nintendo has gone through countless revisions (Oh, I'm
lying... What, 3 versions of the GBA, and two of the DS now?) of the
gameboy platform.  What they have works more than well enough to
ensure more than healthy acceptance.

But I've got to give it to you on customization.  At least with a
PC/Console you can pick your controller. :-)  

>setup or as easy on the eyes as a moderately sized TV or monitor. I've

I've no more difficulty with my DS than I do with my TV or Monitor,
and my eyes are TERRIBLE. :-)  (Or is that perhaps why?  I mean, my
prescription is up to date...)

>tried the DS and it doesn't break those rules.

IF it doesn't work for you, it doesn't work for you.  

>>But barring a Notebook, your PC or Console is where you put it.  Your
>>portable is where you put YOU.  Wanna game in the kitchen?  How about
>>sitting in the sunroom?  Back porch?  In the bedroom?  On the can?
>
>What makes you think I'm talking about the location?  That's only one
>part of the comfort equation, and a relatively minor one at that.  If

Maybe for you.  Location is HUGE for me.  More so than just about any
other factor really.

>I have to hunch over the thing and contort my hands to play it, 

...it means you're holding it wrong. :-)  

>it
>doesn't matter if I'm in a frigging meadow; it's still not going to be
>comfortable.
>
>>>Because of this, portable
>>>games are supposed to be quick to play and enjoy during the time you
>>>spend on the subway or a ten-minute coffee break.  
>>
>>To a lesser extent I agree with you.  Some games are a little bit time
>>consuming, which might hurt their viability on a portable platform. 
>>
>>But that's nothing that a save file can't fix.   
>
>It is if you don't allow the player to save where ever he wants, which
>is the case with console RPGs.  

Is the case with POORLY PROGRAMMED console RPGs which won't fare any
better on a handheld than they will on a console.  This is why ports
often don't fare as well.

If you're going to put a game on a portable, make the concessions
necessary to make it work on that format!  Thankfully, most RPGs are
pretty good about that.  Classic arcade, and platformers sadly, fare
less well.  But games designed with intent for a portable format
rarely make that mistake.

>And besides that, save files still
>don't fix the problem of not feeling like you've accomplished anything
>after your ten minutes of play.  Not many console RPGs can give you
>that sense of accomplishment in that short amount of time.

That's more a question of pacing, and obsessive behavior.  If you're
the type that likes to grind levels, I suppose longer sessions work
well.  Personally I hate to grind, so a battle or two here and there
keeps the monotony down, and the game mostly fresh.  I'd probably
never have finished Golden Suns if I had been able to play it straight
through.  :-)

Of course in contrast, if a player is the type looking for quick
gratification, RPGS are probably not the best choice in genre anyway,
right?
--
"Lyrical Tokarev!  Kill them All!" - Touge Chan
Abraham Evangelista