The VG Resource

Mii Swordfighter, preferably wielding the pickaxe.

Is Minecraft a thing in Japan?

(12-07-2015, 11:48 PM)Jermungandr Wrote: [ -> ]Is Minecraft a thing in Japan?

I remember seeing Minecraft PS Vita sales figures for Japan in an article once, so I think yes.

Terraria should be getting this kind of attention too :C. It's already on consoles and stuff like Minecraft, but it's like the counterpart and foil of Minecraft.

Minecraft (sans mods): 3D Builder with minimal adventure, treasures, abilities and combat and customization options.
Terraria (sans mods): 2D Adventure with large amounts of adventure, treasures, abilities, and combat and customization options, providing moderate building.

The Final Fantasy aesthetic is already making its way into Smash. It'd just be awkward with FF5 sprites in it.

(12-08-2015, 02:02 PM)Koh Wrote: [ -> ]Terraria should be getting this kind of attention too :C.  It's already on consoles and stuff like Minecraft, but it's like the counterpart and foil of Minecraft.

Minecraft (sans mods):  3D Builder with minimal adventure, treasures, abilities and combat and customization options.
Terraria (sans mods):  2D Adventure with large amounts of adventure, treasures, abilities, and combat and customization options, providing moderate building.

While I definitely enjoy Terraria, I don't think it has as much potential as Minecraft. Minecraft has so many notable unique monsters, like Creepers, Endermen, that kind of stuff. Terraria, on the other hand... I can't really think of many monsters (or NPCs, for that matter) that stand out, aside from the bosses. Well, there ARE the jungle monsters, but they're not memorable in a very good way. Not to mention there's a lot more you can do in a 3D world than a 2D world.
Terraria does have an advantage in that there's a hard mode where you get to do a lot more things, but the transition from normal to hard is very unforgiving, as the monsters are considerably stronger and you have to break altars (which also spawn enemies that can go through walls once broken) in order to get access to the better ore. And that's only if the monsters don't kill you before you can reach them. It's very frustrating if you don't have the patience to just keep trying until you get to that ore.
So, yeah, I don't think Terraria would be able to gather as much attention as Minecaft has.

When's the last time you played? There are plenty of standout enemies and items in Terraria, not to mention the biomes. Terraria offers a lot more in the ways of an adventure game than Minecraft does, but Minecraft offers a lot more in the ways of a building game. This is why they're foils of each other. Different dimensions and focuses, but both excel far more in their focuses, than in their additions. Minecraft is a builder with adventure as an afterthought, and it shows. Terraria is an adventure with building as a bonus, and it shows.

The thing about Minecraft's monsters, though, is that they're really well-characterized in just the right ways to garner mass appeal. They're not just monsters NPCs... they're mascots.

So what? That doesn't have any bearing on the actual gameplay. Bubsy was designed to be a 90s gaming mascot like the rest, but his games suffered from mediocrity in just about all areas, except maybe the graphics, compared to his competition. Minecraft's adventure mode is about the same thing compared to its competitors like Terraria and Starbound. It doesn't offer as much, and is just okay compared to them.

You kind of answered your own question within your statement. Bubsy being "designed as a mascot" is an instant of trying too hard to do something with a property almost destined to fail.

In the case of Minecraft, the gameplay and design came first and mascot pandering came later after the characters became more recognizable and beloved.

(12-08-2015, 04:43 PM)Koh Wrote: [ -> ]So what?  That doesn't have any bearing on the actual gameplay.  Bubsy was designed to be a 90s gaming mascot like the rest, but his games suffered from mediocrity in just about all areas, except maybe the graphics, compared to his competition.  Minecraft's adventure mode is about the same thing compared to its competitors like Terraria and Starbound.  It doesn't offer as much, and is just okay compared to them.

So Monorobe was talking about unique and identifiable characters/monsters. And oh hey, I was supporting that point.

Don't you hate it when you're flying around in a game, and this happens?

Maybe someone should put a sign up or something.

I can't be the only one upset that Sony ported a handful of PS2 games to the PS4 instead of actual backwards compatibility like they said.

Is it really all that shocking though? I mean, it basically means they get more money. Rather than spending who knows how much money to setup a DLC emulator and software that lets people pop in the PS2 discs, why not just make them buy them again?

It sort of reminds me of this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jyTA33HQZLA

Yeah, but if they hadn't used the term "backwards compatibility" I wouldn't have even cared. I would have just ignored the PS2 ports on the shop just like I am now, but without the anger that comes with being lied to.