PixlBit

I'm definitely going to be working some of the music from Fire Emblem in soon. Really loving that game, and some of the battle music really gets the blood pumping.

Really need some feedback on this one, PixlBits. It's a short show, so even if you're not a podcast listener, please check it out and let us know what you think.

At this point, Nintendo products are the only ones I truly trust at launch. Even the Wii U issue was a minor one that was quickly fixed. But I'm torn, because I want to get in on the launch excitement, but the Wii U isn't for me. I barely played my Wii, and it'll probably be years before there's enough software on the Wii U that I'm interested in.

I'm probably buying an Xbox or PS4 at launch. But you better believe I'm getting a protection plan. Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me. Fool me three times, I need therapy.

*slow claps*

Well done, sir. I'd like to add the "Bro five" button from Double Dragon Neon to the list.

Wow, this is exactly what I was talking about on the latest episode of Nerds Without Pants. Everybody needs to slow their roll and calm down.

As far as I'm concerned, the Xbox One is still pure potential, because Microsoft didn't actually show anything yet. Was it a bad reveal? Yes. Should they have been more aggressive? Hell yes, especially since it seems like Sony is spoiling for a fight. But we haven't seen much of the games yet, and I'm going to seriously disagree with Nick here, because Ghosts looks a helluva lot better than Modern Warfare 3. That underwater level made my jaw drop. Sure, it's Call of Duty, and I'm not a Call of Duty fan, but it looked great.

Basically, before you all start dropping to your knees and tearing your robes in anguish, remember that the next generation isn't here yet. At least wait until E3, and if they really screw that up, then you can make with the rage and frustration. If you really must.

Here at PixlBit, we're not trying to compete with the 24 hour news cycles. Just like I did with the PS4 announcement, I'm working on an editorial that's related to, but not exclusively about what was shown yesterday. I'd rather do something meaningful and armed with more information than a quick reactionary news post.

Also, expect tons of reactions on our podcasts. The next Nerds Without Pants is all Xbox.

Thanks! We're getting another screening of Zero Charisma here in Austin around July, so I'm going to be sure to catch it then. I've always liked John and Sam when they act together.

You flatter us, sir! I'm really happy to hear that. We put a lot of love into this show.

And I realize that some gamers need that extra push. This is exactly why something as simple as telling the game "I'm really experienced with games" or "I play games, but not all the time" could help.

Of course, developers have been working with things like sliding the difficulty of encounters on the fly for quite some time now. You'll notice sometimes you'll scrape by a battle by the skin of your teeth after getting slaughtered five times in a row? Likely that was the game easing up on you just a bit. This should be applied to navigating the environment or solving puzzles, as well. I remember Batman: Arkham City using Batman's inner monologue to guide players in the right direction. Problem was, he'd do it the instant he entered a room. I'd rather see this happen after a player has been wandering around for a good amount of time.

And the worst thing devs can do is have a partner AI tell you what to do next EVERY 30 SECONDS. This was one of the big problems with Enslaved, for example.

Thanks! I know that's what me and Patrick did with our PS4 episode, and I think our next episode is going to be about the Xbox reveal. I'd love to get Erika back for that one, because I have a feeling there will need to be some positivity to combat the general internet hating.