Disruptive Technology - PS3, the Wii, and Coasters

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Lord Gonchar said:Got that Wii, by the way. :)

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You and I both! :)

I now have a 360 and a Wii. The PS3 doesn't represent a compelling value to me right now. Computing-power wise, it's roughly on the same level as the 360 (the PS3 is better at some things, the 360 is better at others, but from a developer's perspective the 360 is MUCH easier to deal with, both in the architecture and in the amazing tools Microsoft makes available to developers). The Wii is cute, inexpensive, nestles in next to my 360, and plays all my old Gamecube games, so it was almost a no-brainer. The fact that it wasn't that hard to get one without a preorder on launch day was just a bonus.

Some people argue that the PS3's BlueRay drive makes it worth the price of admission, but I'm fundamentally opposed to using any of my consoles as a primary media playback device (it was also one of the contributing reasons for the extremely short supply, but that's a topic for another forum like HDTVArcade or AVSForums). The cheap plastic gears and wormscrews used in these drives wear out, and putting the extra wear on them by using your "game" system as your "movie" system just isn't a worthwhile tradeoff to me. I'll eventually get a standalone HDDVD or BluRay deck when the market settles down, or possibly a combo player if they become comercially viable.

To put this back towards coasters, I completely agree that overreaching expensive coasters are analagous to overreaching expensive consoles.

I read an online article that said a technology group took a PS3 apart and figured it's worth about $800 (or more). So I can definitely see an analogy with the coaster world.

Buy a whole lot of multi-million-dollar coasters and hope that everyone will buy the overpriced food (software) to make up for your loss.

The Wii seems more aimed at getting everyone involved in playing the game, not just hardcore gamers (from the Time Magazine article from several months ago). So, I could see the Holiday World analogy.

Call me crazy though, $250 still seems like a lot of money to pay for a gaming console. The best console I ever owned was an Atari 7800 (I know Greg will appreciate that as he owns almost every console! I also had the 5200).

Don't these game developers know that the real game market is now in cell-phones anyway? I downloaded Zuma and it keeps me happy.

One of the former id Software guys (Doom, Quake, etc.) is doing mobile phone stuff. I'm pretty sure he's not getting rich doing it.

So which system is better? This is really coaster related, well done. All I see is really poor examples for why six flags and gaming systems are related. As far as I'm concerned, this is a cheap way to talk about the new gaming systems. Actually, very well done.

*** Edited 11/20/2006 4:17:43 AM UTC by CoasterDiscern***

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Intamin Fan said:
I read an online article that said a technology group took a PS3 apart and figured it's worth about $800 (or more). So I can definitely see an analogy with the coaster world.

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And they're actually taking a BIGGER loss on the "cheaper" version! The added components in the $599 version don't really cost them $100 more than the components in the $499 version. So from a certain point of view, the $499 version is an even better deal ;)

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The best console I ever owned was an Atari 7800 (I know Greg will appreciate that as he owns almost every console! I also had the 5200).

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Both my 5200 and 7800 still work, in fact :) And I agree, the 7800 was a great, underappreciated system.

I think Jeff will agree with me that part of the subtle brilliance of the 360 is Live Arcade. $400 game system, and we're playing games like Zuma on it. Nintendo and Sony appear to have caught onto that model, but Microsoft has a good year's head start (more, really, since there was an early version of Live Arcade available on the original XBox well before the 360 launched)

And yes, this HAS drifted away from coasters a bit, but at least it's still a geeky hobby that's loosely connected via the original discussion.

^I just wish I would of kept ALL my systems, although most of them died a LONG time ago. ;) The only one I still have is the Sega Genesis and a Jaguar. :)

Greg, you remind me of my friend's brother. He also has every console known to man since the original PONG, and they are all in great working condition and has them all set up side by side. Pretty cool!

The Wii looks amazing!

-Tina

*** Edited 11/20/2006 11:08:44 AM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

I picked up my Wii yesterday and I have to say that Nintendo got the motion-sensitivity perfect. It is easily the most intuitive game system that I have ever played.

I applaud Nintendo for going out on a limb with changing gameplay rather then just going the graphics route.

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coasterqueenTRN said:
^I just wish I would of kept ALL my systems, although most of them died a LONG time ago. ;) The only one I still have is the Sega Genesis and a Jaguar. :)

Greg, you remind me of my friend's brother. He also has every console known to man since the original PONG, and they are all in great working condition and has them all set up side by side. Pretty cool!

The Wii looks amazing!

-Tina

*** Edited 11/20/2006 11:08:44 AM UTC by coasterqueenTRN***

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WOO!! Someone else has the Jaguar out there! I have it as well as the CD-rom ad on, sadly the eye I think is in need of repair for it, but the cartridges still work great and I hope to get the eye back up sooner then later. I love my Jaguar, and they still continue to pump out games for the thing. Theres even an online adapter now called JagBox. I have about 20 games for it cartridge and cd. I also agree about the Wii, im *hopefully* picking mine up tomorrow :)

I don't agree about the future of gaming or whatever being cell phones. N-Gage anyone? Biggest waste of money I ever spent... *** Edited 11/21/2006 1:17:52 AM UTC by P18***

My brother got the Wii (actually pre-ordered it, and we didn't wait in any line. Pulled into the Game Crazy parking lot after church, walked in, bought it, walked out). I must say that I do indeed enjoy it quite a lot. The unique gameplay with the motion controller in the Wii Sports (especially the Bowling, Baseball, and Golf) is very fun, and I can see it being a LOT better for college parties when everyone is drunk than a PS3 (plus it's not as much lo$$ if it gets destroyed).

Likewise, Holiday World and Knoebel's are infinitely more fun because of the unique atmosphere in the parks.

Oh, and for the record, the Atari 2600 was *THE* system. The 7800 was good, except the taunting 'pause' button only worked on the newer 7800 games, not the 2600 games. That and some of the Coleco games we had for the 2600 didn't play on the 7800. ;)

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(The Wii)..is very fun, and I can see it being a LOT better for college parties when everyone is drunk...

Likewise, Holiday World and Knoebel's are infinitely more fun...

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When you're drunk! ;)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061117/ap_on_hi_te/playstation3

I guess an independant company took a PS3 apart and is estimating it cost Sony about 840.00 bucks apiece to make. 600 < 840, sounds like Six Flags to me.

People are idiots. Seriously, what difference does it make if you get one now or two months from now? Is that worth thousands of dollars?

And Sony is screwed. I think it was Greg who told me that for every console sold, only 0.9 games were sold with it. Seeing as how the games are supposed to recover the loss on the hardware, that's not good. Most console launches see two to three games sold with each console.

360 and Wii are gonna kick Sony's ass this holiday. How very sad that Sony has made so many ridiculous mistakes in the last ten years.

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coasterqueenTRN said:
^I just wish I would of kept ALL my systems, although most of them died a LONG time ago. The only one I still have is the Sega Genesis and a Jaguar.

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I've done a great job of keeping my old gaming systems alive. My collection doesn't include a Jaguar (I've actually never met anyone that owned/owns one) but I do have my Sega Genesis with original Sega CD, Sega Saturn and 3DO, along with about a dozen others.

I have to agree with what Jeff said... I don't think the PS3 is going to sell like Sony thinks it is. Once the hardcore gamers get their units, $500 & $600 is a lot to expect the casual gamer to shell out for a system that is a bit more powerful than the cheaper 360 but without Microsoft's so-simple-it's-genius Live service, which has established itself as the undisputed online gaming medium outside of the PC market. There are practically no games for the system, and the great-looking upcoming games will also be available on the 360. Where's the PS3 advantage?

The Wii, on the other hand, is a great idea. I wouldn't call it revolutionary although it evolves home gaming a lot more than any other system in the past. While graphic and audio capabilites of gaming systems have constantly improved since Pong, the input device has pretty much stayed the same with the exception of analog thumbsticks and dozens of additional buttons. Wii is the first system (Nintendo DS notwithstanding) that really changes the way people are going to play games, and that is going to open a ton of doors for Nintendo that weren't open before. The fact that they skimped on processing power for affordability is also worth noting because if Nintendo (as a game developer) has proved anything since Mario Bros., it's that great gameplay will trump great graphics any day of the week.

I'm sure I'll eventually buy a PS3- I was pretty sure I wasn't going to buy a PS2 but I ended up with one six months later- but it's the Nintendo Wii that I'm really excited about. And how could I forget my 360? Have you seen and played Gears of War? Amazing.

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Jeff said:

I think it was Greg who told me that for every console sold, only 0.9 games were sold with it. Seeing as how the games are supposed to recover the loss on the hardware, that's not good. Most console launches see two to three games sold with each console.

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Not good news when Sony is banking on software sales to help recoup the $840 they spend building a $500 gaming system!

I decided to get the Wii instead of PS3 and couldn't be happier. Playing Zelda is great. The joy of actually slashing at your enemies has boosted the gameplay greatly.

Plus another bonus is that I will free up some shelf space putting away the older systems. The idea of selling the older game catalog online is outstanding.

To bad Nintendo can't get Rare to make a updated version of Goldeneye for this system:(

Hopefully, these systems will have spelling games available. :)

RGB, who has zero gaming systems now and never had one. Just call me a non-conforming rebel.

^ Rebel!

As a kid I had Pong and later Intellivision. Now there's a Dreamcast I got as a gift sitting on the entertainment center collecting dust...under the TV. The South Park Rally game was cool....for a couple weeks (Wiiks?)

Maybe someday I'll get into all that again...or more likely I'll wait until after Bell's signs a new lease with the Fair Expo people.... ;)

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Jeff said:
People are idiots. Seriously, what difference does it make if you get one now or two months from now? Is that worth thousands of dollars?

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You mean you can put a price on love from your own child?!?!?!

You don't really think people are bidding on eBay for their kids, do you?

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Jeff said:

360 and Wii are gonna kick Sony's ass this holiday. How very sad that Sony has made so many ridiculous mistakes in the last ten years.

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While I agree that the PS3 isn't worth the price, I am confused on you saying they have made mistakes in the past 10 years. The PS2 has dominated the game console market (70%) and it's been around 5 or 6 years old.