Love and Respect for Oct 6th Podcast
Added 2023-10-03 02:17:16 +0000 UTCGreetings, it's time to get your submissions in for this week's podcast. Type your question, topic, or game in the comments below. Be sure to include your preferred name, if it's different from what's listed on your Patreon profile. Please submit your entries by Wednesday at 5:00 PM.
If your entry is not selected, feel free to submit it again the following week. We appreciate your support and are grateful for each and every submission, if we're able to include them in the podcast or not.
L&R
Bloodworth
Comments
Hey Chris, I emailed you about this one last week. Check your messages for my reply, and thanks for submitting. -Bloodworth
Easy Allies
2023-10-05 08:36:58 +0000 UTCHey Allies. I recently beat Lies of P. Loved it, thought it was amazing, but when I was done I was glad to never go back to it again. The reason? I personally dislike perfect guard / parry based combat; it just doesn't do anything for me. So my question is this: are there any examples you can think of of games you liked with integral game mechanics you disliked, but that you still finished regardless and had an overall good time?
Your Mother
2023-10-05 00:01:02 +0000 UTCHi Allies, Did you know that next month will mark Dragon Age Inquisition's 9th anniversary? The gap between Inquisition and Dragon Age 4 seems huge, right? Now, did you also know it's been 8 years since The Witcher 3: Wild Hunt released? The next Witcher is probably not due until a few more years, yet we don't see people all that frustrated about the long wait. Why do you think there is this difference in perception when it comes to these two upcoming titles and the wait for them? Is there like one big factor that differentiates these two cases or are there a number of small things that make people more frustrated at Bioware and Dragon Age compared to CDPR and Witcher? Thank you for picking my question if you do. Love & Respect, Cheers
Son of Sparda
2023-10-04 18:19:43 +0000 UTCAs part of the megalithic Xbox leaks, Phil Spencer detailed in an email the unsustainable cycle of modern game development. Games have become so expensive and time-intensive to create that many studios cannot afford to take risks with new IPs or ideas, as evidenced by the recent shuttering of Ascendant Studios after one game. Instead, studios are relying more on more on existing properties, such as infinite Assassin's Creed games, or borrowing IPs such as Marvel and Star Wars. Essentially, the middle class is dead. Not just that, but publishers are demanding more money from the users they have to keep games coming out. Sony is planning 10 upcoming games as a service titles to help fund single player experiences. For every Tears of the Kingdom, Nintendo is selling you Super Mario World for a fifth time. Call of Duty doesn't just have a Battle Pass every season, but a $30 premium battle pass you can upgrade to where the REALLY cool stuff lives. Raw units sold is no longer enough, even with millions of copies shipped. ARPU, or average cost per user, has to go up or the games we love don't come out. Allies, this feels bad and I don't like it. But it happened. I'm not asking how we as consumers can go back to the good old days... they're gone. My question is, what is a way publishers can increase ARPU that doesn't nickel and dime its users? How can publishers make more money in a way that doesn't feel so bad?
G the Finger
2023-10-03 16:04:06 +0000 UTCLet’s Play a Game! Hey Allies. Last week, you mentioned that you were interested in some completion trophies, so I thought I’d present this game to you that I call “Trophy Drop Off” to highlight the drop off of players from starting a game, to finishing it. Below are some games sorted by release order. Your job is to guess how many players earned the first story trophy for the game, how many players beat the game, and for fun, how many players got the platinum. (Don’t feel the need to use all the games) The numbers are as of 9/5/2023, taken directly from PSN Fallout 4 First story trophy: War Never Changes - Enter the Wasteland a. 95% b. 88% c. 76% Answer - b. 88.2% Final story trophy: Prepared for the Future - Beat the Game (Spoiler description: Decide the Fate of the Commonwealth) a. 8% b. 15% c. 21% Answer - c. 21.4% Platinum: Platinum Trophy a. 0.1% b. 0.8% c. 1.9% Answer - c. 1.9% Stats for fun 66.9% dropoff of players from starting the game to beating the game How long to beat times Main story - 27 hours Main + Extra - 81 hours Completionist - 158 hours Marvel’s Spiderman (PS4 version) First story trophy: Knocking Down Kingpin - Defeat Fisk a. 96% b. 89% c. 81% Answer - b. 89.7% Final story trophy: End Game - Beat the Game (Spoiler description: Complete Act 3) a. 25% b. 32% c. 49% Answer - c. 49.2% Platinum: Be Greater a. 2.5% b. 5.9% c. 8.4% Answer - c. 8.4% Stats for fun 40.5% dropoff of players from starting the game to beating the game How long to beat Main story - 17 hours Main + Extras - 25.5 hours Completionist - 35 hours Red Dead Redemption 2 First story trophy: Just a Scratch - Complete ‘Enter, Pursued by a Memory’ (looking for John in the mountains) a. 85% b. 79% c. 70% Answer - b. 79.0% Final story trophy: Endless Summer - Beat the Game (Spoiler description: Complete the Epilogue) a. 8% b. 15% c. 26% Answer - c. 26.5% Platinum: Legend of the West a. 0.1% b. 0.9% c. 1.5% Answer - a. 0.1% Stats for fun 52.5% dropoff of players from starting the game to beating the game How long to beat times Main story: 50 hours Main + extra: 81.5 hours Completionist: 180 hours Persona 5 Royal (PS4 version) First story trophy: Spirit of Rebellion - Obtained Arsène a. 90% b. 83% c. 78% Answer - a. 90.0% Final story trophy: The Path Chosen - Watched the ending (important note: can be obtained by unlocking the extra semester or also by missing the extra semester) a. 25% b. 32% c. 41% Answer - c. 41.7% Platinum: The Phenomenal Phantom Thief a. 3.8% b. 10.3% c. 17.7% Answer - c. 17.7% Stats for fun 48.4% dropoff of players from starting the game to beating the game How long to beat times Main story - 101 hours Main + extra - 123 hours Completionist - 143 hours Final Fantasy VII Remake (PS4 version) First story trophy: Warming Up - Win a battle a. 96% b. 91% c. 85% Answer - a. 96.4% Final story trophy: Destiny’s Crossroads - Beat the Game (Spoiler description: Complete Chapter 18) a. 23% b. 35% c. 48% Answer - b. 35.2% Platinum: Master of Fate a. 2.7% b. 8.5% c. 12.3 Answer - a. 2.7% Stats for fun 61.2% dropoff of players from starting the game to beating the game How long to beat times Main story - 33 hours Main + extra - 41.5 hours Completionist - 86 hours Humanity (PS5 version) (the one that inspired this game) First story trophy: UP, UP, AND AWAY - Lead the people into the light a. 88% b. 82% c. 76% Answer - a. 88.1% Final story trophy: RED IS DEAD - Beat the game (Spoiler description: Defeat the Red Core) a. 4% b. 15% c. 23% Answer - a. 4.9% Platinum: WHO’S A GOOD BOY? a. 0.1% b. 1.9% c. 3.2% Answer - c. 3.2% Stats for fun 83.6% dropoff of players from starting the game to beating the game How long to beat times Main story - 11.5 hours Main + Extra - 15 hours Completionist - 16.5 hours
Aidan Strite
2023-10-03 13:14:43 +0000 UTCLet’s play a gaaaaaaame! It’s called: Guess from your own reaction. I’m gonna give you things you guys said/did during conferences, and you have to guess which game you were reacting to. It’s always several Allies speaking unless I specify it: ► “Is it Cyberpunk? … Oh!! Out of all of the things! Is it coming to Switch?“ Clue if they’re struggling: The Game Awards 2018 Answer: Joker from Persona 5 in Super Smash Bros. Ultimate. Sudden lights out during Keighley speech, that’s why you thought of Cyberpunk. ► After a specific sound effect: –Huber wriggling on the chair: “There was!“ –Brandon laughing hard and asking for a fist bump to Huber: “Right there!” Clue if they’re struggling: It’s a Huber game Answer: Resident Evil 3 Remake, State of Play 2019. The «picking up an item» sound effect at the start of the show had replaced the starting sound of a PS4. ► “Videogames! Yeah what a surprise. Oh my god finally! Goosebumps on my whole body right now. I’m in! It’s a Shenmue 3.” Clue if they’re struggling: Ubisoft E3 2017 Answer: Beyond Good & Evil 2 reveal trailer. ► “Xenoblade Chronicles again? No. Monster Hunter? Turok?” Clue if they’re struggling: –Kyle saying: “I think it’s a regular T-Rex though.” Answer: Super Mario Odyssey, release date trailer, Nintendo E3 2017. ► “Wow good guess Blood! Blood on point! Bloodhound! He sniffed it.” Clue if they’re struggling: Remedy Answer: Control, PlayStation E3 2018. Bloodworth called it (the Remedy production). ► –Isla: “You can’t put Castlevania music on f*ing [name of the game]! Great song though.” Clue: –Isla: “Don’t be using Castlevania sh*t for a f*ing Porsche.” Answer: Gran Turismo 7, PlayStation Showcase 2021. It was using like a Toccata & Fugue theme. Last one ► –Kyle: “That moment would’ve been so huge!” –Ben: ”What if it said like «RL style»” Everyone laughing. Clue: FromSoftware Answer: Elden Ring, Xbox E3 2019. Kyle was referring to the leaks for the George RR Martin collaboration. Thank you L&R
ChrizAkai
2023-10-03 11:10:17 +0000 UTCHey Allies, With the upcoming release of Hot Wheels Unleashed 2 and the subsequent DLC roadmap, Mattel is continuing to tease me with the existence of the Acceleracers IP. In only a few words, Acceleracers is what you get if you took a Mortal Kombat style story, toned it down a little so that it's appropriate for young teens, and then applied it to street racing. The main cast travel "racing realms" to earn power, and in the process, some end up in prison, some are killed, and some are even turned into cyborgs with robot body parts against their will. The franchise was cancelled in 2005 after 5 movies, due to a new marketing team at Mattel that were worried Acceleracers was becoming more popular than the Hot Wheels brand itself, but that hasn't stopped them from milking the fanbase. The previous Unleashed game had a lot of DLC cars from Acceleracers, and Unleashed 2 is set to have an Expansion DLC, which will feature cars, as well as an environment from the movies to race in. In my opinion, Acceleracers is primed for a videogame that retells or continues that original storyline, it would be a day one buy for me personally, and the team at Milestone and Mattel are clearly aware of the existing audience for that franchise. For the panel, are there any shows, movies or more that you would love to see come back or re-explored in a video game format? Love and Respect, Harrison
Harrison Holt
2023-10-03 09:44:46 +0000 UTCHello allies. Lot of great games were already released in 2023 with even more coming soon. Luckly, all of them are pretty short, at least if you consider their Any% speedruns (finish the game by any means necessary from a fresh save). Can you guess which game in each pair can be completed faster? All times were taken from speedrun.com this Monday; if there are multiple subcategories of Any% speedruns (different platforms, different difficulties, etc.) the fastest time was selected. Dead Space - 1h 44m 05s Resident Evil 4 - 1h 36m 26s Armored Core VI: Fires of Rubicon - 1h 47m 55s Hi-Fi RUSH - 2h 01m 41s Starfield - 39m 07s The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom - 43m 41s Star Wars Jedi: Survivor - 25m 40s Xenoblade Chronicles 3: Future Redeemed - 1h 29m 09s Octopath Traveler II - 2h 32m 18s Sea of Stars - 8h 09m 23s Humanity - 1h 11m 06s Metroid Prime Remastered - 1h 32m 42s Baldur's Gate 3 - 3m 31s Final Fantasy XVI - 7h 26m 48s
Alexander Zyryanov
2023-10-03 09:42:22 +0000 UTCIf you didn't know, the Overwatch League (OWL) is likely dead this year. Esports is largely laughed at by the the EZA crowd on whole, and I don't know how best to put this into a Patreon post, but I just want to highlight the OWL production team. The game is hated far and wide, the studio fights with mismanagement and sexual assault allegations (likely true), but just like at Defy, there were talented individuals who gave their all to do this job. Please give this one watch, and respect the individuals who put their heart and soul into making the product (OWL) at the highest point they could. Look at how the desk as they are on the verge of tears, across the board, because they know it is all over. Can we just appreciate them, and the talented players who made the league a fun product to follow for one last time before it evaporates. https://x.com/overwatchleague/status/1708651763207917726?s=20
Eric Crone
2023-10-03 06:27:52 +0000 UTCHello everyone! With the recent release of Separate Ways a couple weeks back for RE4, I find myself in a cyclical argument about whether or not I should get the game and its DLC side-story. For every aspect that appeals to me, there's one or two others that are significant turn-offs, thus the internal debate. As of now, I think the tipping point would be if Capcom would do what they did for both the remakes of Resident Evil 2 & 3: Add an 'All-unlock' DLC option, granting instant access to things like an infinite Rocket Launcher, greater inventory space and so on. By no means is this a guarantee (especially considering they already have a micro-transaction-like system of purchasing weapon upgrade tickets), but it would still do the trick for me. Because of this quirky condition I've put onto myself, I'm inspired to ask: Has there ever been an instance where you saw a game you were conflicted to try but made you think, "if it only had THAT, then I would dive in?" Thanks for taking this submission if you do and stay Easy fellow Allies!
Brandon K Gann
2023-10-03 03:34:16 +0000 UTCHey Allies, Have you ever had a major disconnect with a game where you had high expectations and thought for sure you were going to love it or at least enjoy a game but when you played it, you had the exact opposite reaction? I finally got around to playing the Witcher 3, my first Witcher game, earlier this year and I was really shocked I did not enjoy it like I thought I was going to. I like RPGs, I thought the world and characters were interesting, but when it came to the combat I was sorely underwhelmed. It felt unsatisfying and flimsy to fight enemies and there was little reason for me to strategize in fights. Pretty much mashing light attacks got me through everything. And since combat is such a major component of the game and it wasn't fun for me, it really dragged down the entire game overall for me. I was not expecting to be as let down by this game as I was, especially since the game got such incredible reviews ,(which brings up a different issue I found, where several reviewers called out the combat as not being great but still gave it a high score) and I'm not saying people who enjoyed it are wrong, but I guess I'm just lost on the fact I expected to enjoy the game more than I did. Have you had any similar experiences? Love and Respect, Chris Eyerly
Chris Eyerly
2023-10-03 03:14:53 +0000 UTC
