Viva Pinata video

[pipo]

Obviously, aeh..., "inspired" a bit by the wind waker.

Say what? I can't follow that logic...

Do you mean the graphics? In that case I don't agree at all. And it's not like WW was the first cell shaded title anyway.

 

[PiNkY]

Say what? I can't follow that logic...

Do you mean the graphics? In that case I don't agree at all. And it's not like WW was the first cell shaded title anyway.

Yeah art direction (espacially the UI) and sound, imho.

 

[DeathKnight]

Did I hear correct when the presenter said this game is aimed at chilren, casual gamer and female gamers?
They still have a lot to learn about the female gamers if they think female = children

I don't see how you can derive "female = children" out of a list of three groups of people this game is targeted at. Obviously there are going to be overlaps, but "female = children" is not insinuated in the original statement.

 

[standing ovation]

Don't count on it. Her two favorite games right now are Kameo and Tomb Raider, and she plays both regularly. Playing a game with the same characters and similar graphics to the TV show that she loves will be something she rarely puts down.

Kameo and Tomb Raider ... those are action games aren't they? Not exactly the passive panorama that Piñata has set before us.

Seriously, wanting a TV tie-in is one thing, but enjoying it is another.

You don't have kids, do you? My daughter will spend an hour arranging her room so that she can play with her dolls in just the right way. She'll go so far as to put on costume dresses before she plays, just so she can be wearing clothes similar to her dolls.

In otherwords, kids that age enjoy being in control of their environment as it's something they have little control over in real life. Being in control of every minor detail is an attraction to them, not a deterrent.

Let's face it: If your daughter is going to relish a digital dollhouse (that's what Viva Piñata is isn't it?), it only makes sense that she be able to manipulate her dollies -- clothe them, feed them and take them with her as she moves about the virtual landscape.

But instead of carrying players to a make believe realm (where toys can become friends), Piñata smothers them with all the worries and obligations of a virtual reality. It seems to be about enticing wild animals to become livestock that must be tended lest they flee to greener pastures.

I am betting kids like your daughter will not find utility in its unimaginative game play, particularly when it is their imagination that brings dolls to life.

 

[nintenho]

But instead of carrying players to a make believe realm (where toys can become friends), Piñata smothers them with all the worries and obligations of a virtual reality. It seems to be about enticing wild animals to become livestock that must be tended lest they flee to greener pastures.

you attract the animals by making a spot for them, watch them change colors, and eventually they explode into candy.

 

[archangelmorph]

you attract the animals by making a spot for them, watch them change colors, and eventually they explode into candy.

explode = death right?

or am I missing something?

Personally I think the whole idea of "creatures filled with candy" alone would get little kids blood boiling in anticipation for this game..

When I was young I used to love playing Robocod on the amiga not because I enjoyed the gameplay per say, but because I could sit all day and induldge myself, running around a world made out of bassets sweets.. mmmmm..

 

[Powderkeg]

Kameo and Tomb Raider ... those are action games aren't they? Not exactly the passive panorama that Piñata has set before us.

Seriously, wanting a TV tie-in is one thing, but enjoying it is another.

Yes, they are somewhat action games but she spends most of her time wandering around and exploring. Plus they feature girls.

Let's face it: If your daughter is going to relish a digital dollhouse (that's what Viva Piñata is isn't it?), it only makes sense that she be able to manipulate her dollies -- clothe them, feed them and take them with her as she moves about the virtual landscape.

But instead of carrying players to a make believe realm (where toys can become friends), Piñata smothers them with all the worries and obligations of a virtual reality. It seems to be about enticing wild animals to become livestock that must be tended lest they flee to greener pastures.

It seems that Viva Pinata is all about creating and manipulating a virtual world, or at least a virtual garden, where she can do pretty much whatever she wants, and make whatever changes she feels like. That's a lot of power for someone who still isn't allowed to pick out her own clothes for school or go outside alone.

I am betting kids like your daughter will not find utility in its unimaginative game play, particularly when it is their imagination that brings dolls to life.

I'm betting you won't understand kids until you have one of your own.

 

[standing ovation]

It seems that Viva Pinata is all about creating and manipulating a virtual world, or at least a virtual garden, where she can do pretty much whatever she wants, and make whatever changes she feels like. That's a lot of power for someone who still isn't allowed to pick out her own clothes for school or go outside alone.

That's just it -- you can't do whatever you want. There is a litany of things that must be done before you will be able to attract one of the TV species to the garden, let alone make it a resident there. What we've seen is the tip of the iceberg: a thriving worm population helps plants grow, so that herbivores can snack on their fruits and vegetables, so that carnivores can binge on herbivores ...

By the time you and your daughter finally coerce a Horstachio or an Elephananilla to the garden, both of you will be juggling so many chores on the back forty (yes, by then you'll be ranch/farm hands) that neither of you will have time to befriend them.

Remember SimCity? Well, this sounds like SimRural, a Starbucks Breakfast Blend of Animal Crossing and Nintenddogs.

I'm betting you won't understand kids until you have one of your own.

Well, I certainly don't want to argue with the expert!

But promise me one thing: that you'll start a review thread (or dredge up this one) and give us your family's impression of the game. And for my part, I'll promise not to poke fun at you when you find peanut butter & jelly fingerprints on Kameo and Tomb Raider while Viva Piñata appears to be as clean as if it had just been unwrapped.

 

[scooby_dooby]

That's just it -- you can't do whatever you want. There is a litany of things that must be done before you will be able to attract one of the TV species to the garden, let alone make it a resident there. What we've seen is the tip of the iceberg: a thriving worm population helps plants grow, so that herbivores can snack on their fruits and vegetables, so that carnivores can binge on herbivores ...

By the time you and your daughter finally coerce a Horstachio or an Elephananilla to the garden, both of you will be juggling so many chores on the back forty (yes, by then you'll be ranch/farm hands) that neither of you will have time to befriend them.

Remember SimCity? Well, this sounds like SimRural, a Starbucks Breakfast Blend of Animal Crossing and Nintenddogs.



Well, I certainly don't want to argue with the expert!

But promise me one thing: that you'll start a review thread (or dredge up this one) and give us your family's impression of the game. And for my part, I'll promise not to poke fun at you when you find peanut butter & jelly fingerprints on Kameo and Tomb Raider while Viva Piñata appears to be as clean as if it had just been unwrapped.

it should work well with the TV show I think, liek last weeks episode showed how crocodile tears would help a garden grow, but to get a croc to cry you have to get him to laugh first. I think kids would have a great time watching the show, and then using what they've just learned to try to attract a cocoadile or chewnicorn to their own garden.

The biggest problem I see with this game is what exactly do you DO with the animals? At least in other collect em all typesz of games you can usually fight, I just don't see what the payoff is for drawing in all these creatures, especially for older gamers. I think RARE has problems straddling the line between adults and children, for example Kameo would've been much betetr if it was as difficult as Zelda, but instead they completely held your hand which really detracted from the experience for older gamers.

 

[standing ovation]

I think RARE has problems straddling the line between adults and children, for example Kameo would've been much betetr if it was as difficult as Zelda, but instead they completely held your hand which really detracted from the experience for older gamers.

This is the publisher's fault -- they are trying to target everybody. :neutral:

 

[scooby_dooby]

This is the publisher's fault -- they are trying to target everybody. :neutral:

Don't games like Zelda target everybody? it's a matter of doing it right imo, and Rare just slightly misses the mark, or at least they did with Kameo (which was still a great game, but could've been so much better).

 

[aselto]

Explain me something - when I was a child I had a gaming PC. I was playing stuff like Jazz Jackrabbit or Putt Putt, but I was playing Dune 2 when I was 7 years old and Settlers 2 when 9 years old. How the heck Viva Pinata is more complicated than Settlers 2? I think you're underestimating children.

Children have patience for games and if a game has strong appeal to them, they can spend weeks learning this game's mechanics. And I think Viva Pinata can have a strong appeal to children. The other problem is if a 60$ game on a 400$ system can sell well, if its target audience are children,

 

[nintenho]

Explain me something - when I was a child I had a gaming PC. I was playing stuff like Jazz Jackrabbit or Putt Putt, but I was playing Dune 2 when I was 7 years old and Settlers 2 when 9 years old. How the heck Viva Pinata is more complicated than Settlers 2? I think you're underestimating children.
Children have patience for games and if a game has strong appeal to them, they can spend weeks learning this game's mechanics. And I think Viva Pinata can have a strong appeal to children. The other problem is if a 60$ game on a 400$ system can sell well, if its target audience are children,

I never got this either. I've seen kids play hard strategy/RTS games and even post normally on the forums.

explode = death right?
or am I missing something?
Personally I think the whole idea of "creatures filled with candy" alone would get little kids blood boiling in anticipation for this game..
When I was young I used to love playing Robocod on the amiga not because I enjoyed the gameplay per say, but because I could sit all day and induldge myself, running around a world made out of bassets sweets.. mmmmm..

yes, it'll be a cash cow. I have no doubts about that because a little kid sees in some xbox magazine bright colors and customizable environments and they'll be excited for it.

 

[Shifty Geezer]

This article reminded me of something I was wondering...
http://www.next-gen.biz/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=3853&Itemid=2

Microsoft has announced a Viva Pinata Special Edition for the game’s launch in November.

Has this game much relevance at all outside the US? It sounds as though it's tightly integrated with the TV programme, and as that appears to be only in NA (perhaps Pinata culture isn't prevalent enough elsewhere to matter?) it seems much of the game's worth doesn't travel.

 

[Powderkeg]

The other problem is if a 60$ game on a 400$ system can sell well, if its target audience are children,

There are a LOT of 360 owners who are parents and are just dying for something appropriate for their kids to play.

I'm one of them.

 

[pipo]

Has this game much relevance at all outside the US?

As long as it's a good cross between Animal Crossing, The Sims, Harvest Moon and Pokemon I can't see why not.

 

[Johnny Awesome]

I'm very excited by this game. It looks like loads of fun.