I'm practically looping the movie over and over again and watching it while I work on the computer, watch TV, and sleep.

Multitasking is bad for productivity. Just focus on the videos, and forget about work and sleep.


I also have to comment about how clueless the players look playing this game. Game developers use affordances and metaphors to implicitly teach players what to do in their games, e.g. how someone playing a first-person shooter who sees barrels automatically knows that shooting the barrels will make them explode. Or if a door is locked, one probably needs to backtrack and find a key somewhere. If a menacing NPC starts attacking the player, nobody wonders if that character is somehow an ally. And with very few exceptions (like Call of Duty), there are always going to me more bad guys in the game than good guys. These kind of things often come across as cliché, but it's the reason why developers don't have to put huge text boxes on the screen saying, "That white box with the first-aid symbol on it can be used to replenish your health," or in multiplayer games, "Those players who spawn right next to you and who are wearing the same colors as you are also on the same team as you are!"

My point is that floating rings in flying games aren't anything new. They've been around probably as long as flying games themselves have been around. It's a common metaphor: if one is playing a flying game and sees rings suspended in the air, it's probably the objective of the game to fly through the rings. Most games will reward you for flying through multiple floating rings in a row. Not only that, but the floating rings probably serve as an affordance as well, leading the players in the direction that they're supposed to go in the game. It's not like NiGHTS is the first game to do this.

Things like the trick ribbon, paraloops, and catching the giant flying bird will probably need explanation from the game's developers to those unfamilar with NiGHTS, but even the giant bird uses a convienant affordance: there's an NPC flying through the exact same path that I'm supposed to fly through, except he's flying a little bit faster than I am. I bet it's my goal to overtake him somehow! Yet there was this big dialog box on screen that probably said something like, Hey! Moron! That bird's flying through the same path you're supposed to fly through! You're supposed to catch up to him, dimwit!

Struggling with the game controls is one thing, but I can't believe that these players couldn't even figure out what they're supposed to be doing.

So..now its the fish bosses turn to get a name. Since he reminds us of Gulpo yet his movement patterns seem to represent that of Gilwing we have dubbed the new fish boss GulWing. ...do you see what we did there?

Yup. Welcome to portmanteaupia!

The problem with making a word out of Gilwing and Gulpo is that it sounds a lot like one of the original names no matter what you do. Still, I prefer the alternate name Gilpo. Edit: I just thought of this. What about Gulpwing?

Also... uh, I joined the community a bit late. What was the etymology of the name Phuckle?

Also, has the boss level changed at all? It seems different somehow. o.o?

I think it has, although I don't feel like doing an in-depth analysis.

LOL!!! It almost looks like the boss was trying to manifest sex appeal...

How can NiGHTS fly under water?

I've observed in my own dreams that I'm always able to breathe underwater.

On the other hand, it is possible that NiGHTS' "Mermaren" form from the first game is returning, but that that detail simply hadn't been implemented yet.

Hey there! Come over and view my webcam!

[spoiler]Please don't ban me! : (

I was going to make a Super NiGHTS Galaxy logo but failed.

Anyway, we need another image!

OLYMPICS 2008 — NiGHTS is disqualified from the long jump event. (Photo: IGN)

NiGHTS once entered a spitting contest, creating what we now call the Pacific Ocean.

NiGHTS once won a game of Connect Four with only three moves.

One day NiGHTS decided to play a game of Dance Dance Revolution while vacationing on an ocean liner. During a particularly upbeat portion of one of the songs, he accidently triggered the Sumatra-Andaman earthquake of 2004.

NiGHTS's fighting record is one billion seven hundred fifty-four million four hundred fifty-three thousand four hundred twenty-three wins and only one loss. I am the only person ever to successfully kick NiGHTS's ass.

-If you Google search "NiGHTS getting his ass kicked" you will generate zero results. It just doesn't happen.

Oh really?

Just wanted to comment on Reala's coloration. The outfit will have much better color saturation and contrast than is shown. IGN's video was either recorded or encoded with too much brightness and not enough contrast, resulting in a muted, washed out look uncharacteristic of the original material.

We should probably withhold final final judgement until we have better source material.

Besides, all of the discussion so far ignores the far more important question: how effective is Reala as a character? That in itself is another good reason to withhold judgement.

New Screen Shots!
http://kotaku.com/photogallery/nights104/

Can we get a translation of what the owl is saying in one of the pics?

Even something primitive would be helpful.

I think the delay is a good thing; the evidence so far shows that the game could not have been properly completed by November, 2007.

I am concerned, however, that the first quarter release date could cost the game quite a lot of publicity and sales, which – let's face it – is what we need for SEGA to continue making NiGHTS games.

For me, the best news to hear would be that the game has been delayed to the third or even forth quarter of 2008. In addition to perfecting the existing design, SEGA would have time to expand the game with additional content; ideally, the quality of the game would then generate positive press buzz and sales, motivating SEGA to continue making NiGHTS sequels.

On the other hand, it is possible that the first quarter release of Journey of Dreams could intentionally heighten the surprise of a subsequent "special" forth quarter release...

But seriously, I want a holiday release for Journey of Dreams, even if it's the holiday of 2008. With the amount of mainstream press that this game has received so far, I wouldn't be surprised if SEGA weren't motivated to release a third NiGHTS game until 2019.

<< >> I think it's stupid that there's a release date difference. Besides, Europe, this means if there's a ZOMG FATAL BUG with our games you guys might be able to get a fix. You luckies. xD; . I'm not gonna be happy if Europe gets it first. Not happy if US gets it first. Not happy if Japan gets it. I don't think there's any reason the US, Japan, or Europe should get it before any other country does, but SEGA has a financial chart like they always do, and that's basically what it is >>...

I'm not convinced that this is because of financial reasons. Releasing a game in the first quarter of the year instead of the fourth quarter of the previous year is a poor strategy in any market.

The delay might have something to do with the technical differences between European and Japanese/American television formats. Japan and America use NTSC, which runs at 59.94 Hz (or 29.97 full frames per second) with 486 scanlines visible out of 525. Europe uses PAL, which runs at 50 Hz (or 25 full frames per second) with 576 scanlines visible out of 625. Although this is a programming problem that should have been solved a long time ago, it's possible that adapting the game for PAL televisions is the reason for the delay in Europe.

Here is a video that shows what happens when a developer doesn't correct for the differences between PAL and NTSC: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=b0llsb77Esc

I have observed also that it flaps in the wind, but only a little bit. If the whole thing were more than a hat, we would expect considerably more variation of motion, especially if there was nothing or only hair underneath.

I'm certain that this has been suggested before, but what about the possibility of horns beneath the hat? The Japanese title DREAMDEMON suggests the possibility of horns, and while it is true that not all artistic rendetions of demons possess horns, it is common enough for serious consideration.

It is true that some of SEGA's concept art sketches show the "hat" standing upright. As far as I know, however, this never happens in the actual game; those drawings thus have no more canonical authority than the super skinny or midget NiGHTS designs considered for use in Journey of Dreams. Of course, however, a definite conclusion cannot be reached without authoritive evidence of the intentions of the design team, but I feel that a hat over horns stands as a substantial possibility.

Thoughts?

They don't blow just a little in JoD...his hat is almost never in it's usual position while he's flying.

That would certainly rule out horns... but I never noticed that. I'll have to pay more careful attention from now on.

...wait, what?

That's exactly what I was thinking about what you wrote.

I got GREEN. I know that I'm quite the contender for blue, intelligence, but I'm flattered to receive green instead. Wisdom is a synergy of knowledge and intelligence, elevated above both.

Wisdom is praticaly born with the knowledge they have.
And Intelligence is learned by studying and hardwork.
(Thats how I view it.)

I respect your opinion, Ekairi. But I disagree substantially.

I think that it's more accurate to say that knowledge and skill are learned by studying and hard work, since these attributes are hardly inborn but must be accquired and trained.

At the risk of oversimplifying, intelligence would be more like a clock speed measurement of the brain, specifically, of the brain's ability to learn and process information. Take two children in a classroom. One of them might learn and solve problems quickly, the other might need to take a little more time. While both are studying toward the same knowledge and skill, intelligence is responsible for the ability to do mental work quicker and more efficiently. Researchers speak of "multiple intelligences", or different measurements of intelligence for different cognitive functions, and this is probably accurate. Overall intelligence is believed to remain fairly constant throughout one's life, although I personally believe that intelligence can be voluntarily increased, albiet only with very hard work, and only marginally.

I've always view wisdom as knowledge and intelligence applied towards practical value and towards the greater good. The difference isn't particularly clear, because, for example, a person who does something wise is often (perhaps incorrectly) said to be acting "intelligently". But there are plenty of examples of intelligent persons committing foolishness, which is the opposite of wisdom. For example, a person might have knowledge of what could happen if the bills are not paid, and with intelligence may even be able to reckon how difficult life would become under those circumstances. Yet if this knowledgable, intelligent person decides to stay at home playing NiGHTS into Dreams all day, he's acting very foolishly. This is still an intelligent person, but one who is making stupid choices, and is certainly not wise.

Perhaps a better example: emotional intelligence is the ability to infer another's thoughts and feelings in interpersonal situations, much as rational intelligence applies to learning and problem solving (and I must admit to not being very emotionally intelligent). Someone who uses emotional intelligence (along with knowledge) to help another person and save a friendship is acting with wisdom.

This is why I believe that wisdom synergizes knowledge and intelligence, and is also a step above either of the other two.

It's a neat quiz, and I like the discussion it produces.

I always saw wisdom as knowledge about things you couldn't study in books, if that makes sense. "Lessons of life" and all that...

Indeed. One cannot go to school to study wisdom (so-called "wisdom literature" is NOT the same thing), and life lessons are both the primary and most effective means of aquiring it.

green
hmmm.....

My intelligence tells me that you were expecting blue.

Try my other color quiz.
(In my sig)

Jonathan is red, Deep Loner is green. Interesting...

By the way, did you want us to try to crack the name color quiz? It's probably not that difficult...

Don't quote me on it, but I THINK you have almost 2 weeks.

Yes. DiGi said the same thing to me in a private message, which was three days ago at the time of this writing.

That doesn't mean that you should wait two weeks if you want to be in the show, however...

Reason for edit: because i'm a busy bunny man
Reason for edit: because i'm a very busy bunny man
Reason for edit: because i am a VERY busy bunny man
Reason for edit: because i am a VEEEEEERY busy bunny man
Reason for edit: because i am a VERY bloody busy bunny man
Reason for edit: because i am a VERY BLOODY busy bunny man
Reason for edit: because i am a very bloody stupidly busy bunny man
Reason for edit: because i am a very bloody stupidly impossibly busy bunny man
Reason for edit: because i am... *dies from being busy*
Reason for edit: *is dead*
Reason for edit: *died 5 minutes ago*

You know, "bloody busy" sounds to an American like two adjectives (e.g. I'm a very bloody, busy bunny man.), rather than one adjective preceeded by an adverb. I was a bit worried there for a second.

Anyway, DiGi's not dead. He has merely collapsed from dehydration, exhaustion, and low blood sugar.

Yes.

Edit: I think sending private messages would work better than editing posts; that way we can also be notified by e-mail.

--EDiT--
DiGi - You're in. You'll get a PM from me shortly. Sit tight.

I'll post this here just in case somebody has this problem.

If you're using Windows and your microphone is otherwise working correctly, except that your recorded voice is just too soft to be able to hear, try this:

• Open the Control Panel
• Select Sounds and Audio Devices
• Select the tab labeled Voice
• In the section labeled Voice recording, make sure that your microphone is selected, then click the button labeled Volume
• In the Recording Control window that appears, open the Options menu and make sure that the Advanced Controls option is selected
• Click the button at the bottom of the window labeled Advanced
• In the Advanced Controls for Microphone window that appears, look for a section labeled Other Controls and make sure that the option labeled Microphone Boost is selected

If you're slapping your forehead at this point, don't fret. Microsoft did a good job of burying that necessary option under many mouse clicks. People have actually sent in software bug reports for not knowing how to configure their microphones, so don't worry about it.

Anyway, enjoy your recording, and feel free to post here or PM me if you need any help!

Status update:

I was wrong about not being home over the weekend, so I'll have my clip in tomorrow.

!

P.S. Get well, DiGi.

Send everybody an e-mail when the show is finished and online.

I need to create a "How Loud Did You LOL" topic about my segment; not that I don't stand by my predictions (I'm being absolutely serious), but I know that at least some people are going to ROTFL for hours on end, and they'll need an outlet here.

But don't you DARE give out any spoilers before then, DiGi!

Edit: Or TRiPPY!

Yeah! Beat the crap out of that window! ...er...