The following is a video feature that we did for the Halo 2 Opening at EB Games in Huebner Oaks. Our very own Pretzel filmed and edited the whole thing. Pickle used his mad skills to build a streaming flash player. You will need the newest Flash Plug-in to play this video. If you don’t have it, you can get it [url=http://www.macromedia.com/shockwave/download/download.cgi?P1_Prod_Version=ShockwaveFlash]here[/url].

Click here to launch the video.

[author]Snowcone[/author][i]The piece you are about to read was originally posted as a [url=http://www.snackbar-games.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=7796]rant in our forums[/url]. I had our editor, Lactose, clean it up and get it ready for us to post with the author’s permission. While many of us see Halo 2 as a great game, far too many people are disappointed with it and I felt FabledGerm’s thoughts expressed this sentiment pretty well. I am personally happy with Halo 2, but it sure hasn’t gripped me like the original and while I don’t expressly agree with all of FabledGerm’s points I believe that many of you will relate to at least some of the issues he brings to light.[/i]

Here is [i]Halo 2[/i]. Of course, we thought it would be [i]Halo[/i] to the extreme-new maps, online play, tournaments, and so forth-but that it certainly wouldn’t lose the great, unique feel of the best game ever made. So like many of you, I watched every [i]Halo 2[/i] video that I could get my hands on; I followed the game daily and waited impatiently. [i]Halo[/i] was such a big part of my life that it almost cost me my girlfriend numerous times. When [i]Halo 2[/i] was leaked a few weeks before release, I didn’t pirate a copy. Now the 9th finally arrived, and after four hours in line I got my copy and drove home. My first reaction to [i]Halo 2[/i] was one of hope that it would be a fun game. I loved the additions, but I couldn’t help but notice the very different feel. At first, I thought it would simply take some getting used to, but eventually I faced the facts: it wasn’t [i]Halo[/i].

[i]Halo: CE[/] was skill-based, accuracy-based, teamwork- and strategy-based-everything that made the game so great seemed to be lacking in the anticipated sequel. No longer did it matter who was the better shot, but rather who could dual wield the quickest and who could crouch while moving. I felt myself having to noob myself down to using vehicles and cheap tactics in order to keep up with online play, basically taking what made [i]Halo[/i] a skillful game out of the picture. I realized Bungie had listened to many people and decided to make the game different to appeal to new players and players of other FPS games rather than appealing to the diehard gamers who worked so hard to promote the game we loved. In other words, I wasn’t just disappointed and let down, I was hurt by what they had done. From the cliffhanger ending down to the new engine the game ran on, everything seemed like it was exactly what Microsoft wanted in order to get more people on XBox Live.

I began to see great players (who once swore off vehicle use and noob tactics) begin to pick these things up in order to keep up with the vehicle/dual wielding-dominated world of XBox Live. With each passing day, I became more and more upset with the game, until finally I took it out of my XBox. For the first time since I had owned my Box, a version of [i]Halo[/i] was not in the disk drive. Despite the fact that I win most of the games on [i]Halo 2[/i], it just doesn’t feel like [i]Halo[/i]. The fact that making sure you can dual wield is more important than accuracy and strafing isn’t just wrong-it’s a blow to every great [i]Halo[/i] player who dedicated their time to the game.

[i]Halo[/i] was a game I could play for 10 straight hours and not get the least bit tired; me, along with other original [i]Halo[/i] elites, can barely stand 10 straight minutes of [i]Halo 2[/i]. The games were noobed down, the engine, everything. Bungie put in things to counter this but watered them down in order to please Microsoft and make the game have more of an appeal to less dedicated players. With the removal of the pistol, it was supposed to open the game up to more of a wide range of weapons. Now all I see is close-range battles or sniper battles, with sniping being so easy that it’s comparable to the beginning levels of Splinter Cell. No longer is accuracy or skill of the essence, but rather who can go grab a weapon of mass noobtasity. The sword, which is easily 10 times more overpowered than the pistol, is the weapon everyone rushes to get. Bungie, in their attempt to balance the game and give it more of an overall appeal, removed everything that I feel made [i]Halo[/i] great. Strategy, timing, and skill with weapons take a backseat to spawning near a better weapon. Tell me, gamers, how is this skill?

On XBC, beating some trash-talking players on their host was a sign of dominance, something to be proud of, but with [i]Halo 2[/i] there is nothing to look forward to. There is an elaborate ranking system with some of the best [i]Halo[/i] players near the top. Why are they there? They are there because they know what it takes to win, so they do it just to prove they are better. They refuse to let some noobs take their spot, while deep down most of them literally hate everything about the game. The Ogres are at the top, and they have said a million times they’d give anything to have [i]Halo[/i] back and would love it if [i]Halo 2[/i] would have never been made. A key example can be seen atop the team skirmish rankings-a guy who came to MLG in Atlanta and got four kills in a FFA in the first round is at the top now. This guy was terrible, but since the game fits his [i]Unreal Tournament[/i] style more than [i]Halo[/i] style, he’s a top player.

Not all is lost. Maybe deep down there is hope, and maybe deep down Bungie cares as much about the truly dedicated players who poured their life into [i]Halo[/i] than they let on. I know this world is about money, and Bungie obviously knew that as well. They made a game for noobs so more copies would be bought; they listened to Microsoft to get their cut of the XBox Live bills; they did it to get richer; and as a result, they lost what they did to make [i]Halo[/i] great.

Bungie, I know you’re out there, and you know thousands of hardcore [i]Halo[/i] players are nothing but disappointed and disgusted. So why not listen to us since we gave so much to a game you made? Why not listen to us when we put faith in your company, only to be slaughtered by the outcome? Why not a [i]Halo 1.5[/i]? Why not bring back the original? XBox Live, a few maps, and a few weapons? Why not give us back the system and tournament style we all loved? We don’t care if the thousands of noobs on XBox Live don’t buy it. We will play it, and it will regain our faith in your company. So many players are canceling their XBL subscriptions on the 9th, the day the two months are up-I know that I am if nothing is resolved. If it’s about money, this is a surefire way you can make more without dedicating months to a new game. It’s called expansion on what was already a great game. It’s called giving thousands of players at least a little bit of what they waited two years on and didn’t get from [i]Halo 2[/i].

I’m sorry if this offended any of you, but you probably don’t see it like I do, and like many others do. You played [i]Halo[/i] on LANs and waited on [i]Halo 2[/i], and we dedicated a big part of our lives to the game on XBC and tournaments, only to have that time ripped away by [i]Halo 2[/i]. [i]Halo 2[/i] is a mix of [i]Unreal Tournament[/i] and [i]Halo[/i], with 75 percent going to the UT side. If you don’t believe me, then go play the games-you’ll see quickly. Accuracy is lost, spraying is now the way. If you don’t believe that [i]Halo[/i] requires more skill and strategy than [i]Halo 2[/i], then that is your opinion, but the obvious is just that: obvious. Many people love the game because it fits them; it allows new players to be good while giving very little experience to the great [i]Halo[/i] players. It makes the vehicle and AR noobs in [i]Halo[/i] much better, while taking away from the elite snipers and dead-eye pistol shooters. Surely many of you love that about the game, but what about the rest of us, Bungie? You know, the ones who promoted your game, the ones who dedicated more time and money to [i]Halo[/i] than anyone else. The true fans. Bungie, what about us?

Here is a question for the gaming community: What is the importance of a local gaming store to you? Most would say that it is not very important to them just as long as they get their desired game. Now I would not go as far as to equate the relationship of your local gaming store to your family doctor, but if you’re a gaming enthusiast and want top-notch costumer service, then the relationship between you and your local gaming store is actually very meaningful.

Our main focus here at Snackbar is [i]community[/i]. We cannot stress that enough as we continue our journey here on the Web. Snackbar began not just as a Web site but also a small fellowship of friends who enjoyed hanging out and talking about random stuff. As the years went by, we soon evolved into a gaming site where we continued our random babbling. Along the way, we built a relationship with the folks from EB Games (Huebner Oaks) here in San Antonio, Texas. We shopped there because we liked the customer service, we loved the staff’s knowledge of games, and more importantly they did not treat us like we were weird geeks who obsessed over orcs and elves. Now you would go as far to say that these employees at EB Games were doing their job; it was their responsibility to treat their customers accordingly. Unfortunately, in today’s society, we have grown apathetic and indolent in going the extra mile. As our relationship grew, the folks at EB Games took care of us in our gaming needs. They made sure we got the best service, the best deals in games, and the most up-to-date news on games and their releases. Now you would also say we are getting special treatment from these folks. Actually, no! The majority of their clientele consists of regulars who shop there more than once a month. Why? Because they treat people like family, and their customers treat them like family.

Because the holiday season is already here, I thought I would interview the Manager at EB Games on how important customer relationships are to him and his staff.

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EB Games is one of many shops that are located in the Huebner Oaks shopping center right off IH-10. Like most contemporary shopping malls, this is an outdoor strip center that is shared with restaurants, clothing stores, bookstores, Starbucks, and a movie theatre. EB Games sits between a jewelry store and stationary store-by the looks of it, you would think it sits in a bad spot. I guess it doesn’t matter when you generate a ton of business and you’re ranked #5 in Texas. As you walk into the store, you are greeted with walls of games surrounding the store and TV monitors displaying gameplay from [i]Halo 2[/i] on the left. Pete Torres (a.k.a. The Wraith) is usually a pretty busy guy, making sure the store is up to snuff with the competition around town. It was a Monday morning, so store traffic was very minimal.

[b]Pretzel:[/b] So tell me, Pete, how do you feel about gaming today, especially with so many consoles and games hitting the market?

[b]Wraith:[/b] Well I’m a gaming enthusiast-have been for quite some time now. It’s definitely not your typical hobby, so the world gaming community has been rapidly evolving into something much bigger. For the most part, I see the gaming today becoming more of a community event. For me especially, with so many games becoming online enabled, it’s definitely much more entertaining when you play with your friends.

[b]Pretzel:[/b] So what do you think about the online gaming community?

[tableleft][b]Wraith:[/b] I think it’s a great medium for games. I think most of today’s games are headed in that direction. Although it’s not a necessity, it should definitely be an option for the gamer. I think it’s very entertaining, and it’s much more efficient, especially if you have friends across the globe. I mean in our case (the EB-SB crew), it rules because we game together at any time of the day. So it definitely is a great way to connect the entire gaming community as whole.[/tableleft][tableright][img]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/features/localgaming/ss03_thumb.jpg[/img][/tableright]

[b]Pretzel:[/b] So what got you here? I know you just didn’t wake up and say, “I want to be a manager for a video game store.”

[b]Wraith:[/b] Actually, I’m a General Manager. And all my life I wanted to work in video games. I mean one thing lead to another, and now I’m here. What I like most about my job is my interaction with the people and making sure they are happy with the service we provide. Most importantly is our attitude towards gaming, and making sure we are authentic and genuine to our customers.

[b]Pretzel:[/b] I know from experience firsthand, but tell our readers how important a customer relationship is to you, putting all business aside.

[b]Wraith:[/b] To be honest with you, in our case the customer makes the store. And that is stating the obvious, but we look at it from a community standpoint. Building relationships with the people who walk into our store is the key. They are gamers just like we are; the only difference is we have to make sure we help them with their gaming needs-giving them the best deals and promotions, accurate information on games, great customer service, and overall just a great environment where people can walk in and feel comfortable.

[b]Pretzel:[/b] Dude, that is exactly what I’m talking about! That’s what we are all about here at Snackbar… except the deals, promotions, and customer service because we are not selling anything, of course. Anyway, so do you have full confidence in your staff when you’re not there to make sure they have the same vision as yourself?

[tableleft][img]http://www.snackbar-games.com/images/features/localgaming/ss06_thumb.jpg[/img][/tableleft][tableright][b]Wraith:[/b] Yes, no doubt! I make sure that my staff has the same vision as I do about our customer relationship. And as a matter of fact, I did not have to stress this on them, because they know how important our relationship is with our customers. They make sure when they walk out that door they say things like: “Man those guys rule! Those guys are so nice!” Why is it that when people walk in, we all know their name and they know ours? And it’s just not a handful either-it’s a variety of folks, including families as well.[/tableright]

[b]Pretzel:[/b] Awesome! As a gamer, what do you think about Web sites that cater to a certain group of gamers? For instance, let’s just say Snackbar.

[b]Wraith:[/b] I love the community that you guys have at Snackbar. It’s a very unique and genuine environment you guys host. It’s not your regular site that focuses on churning out news and updates on gaming. This is a place that allows the readers to debate their opinions, give their take on a certain game, hang out, and just be real about games. I don’t feel like a visitor there. I feel like a part of the community when I hang out at Snackbar. I mean, we game with guys from England, Scotland, Canada, and across the U.S. I think that you guys at Snackbar, the folks at Xtreme Gaming Cyber CafA

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Before I start, I just want to say how much of an honor it was for Snackbar to be invited to the Nintendo headquarters. It was very exciting to be one the first to sample some of their upcoming games and gear. I was lucky enough to have gone (Cone and Dots were the first invited to attend this event, but unfortunately they caught a bug and got sick). Having to step foot at Nintendo-a company that has had an impact on my life as a gamer since I was a child-was really awesome. I will give you my first impressions on the Nintendo DS, which is set to hit the stores in a few weeks.

The Nintendo DS is one of the most impressive handheld systems to come out. With so many features and capabilities, I would pretty much call this the Swiss Army knife of mobile gaming. The Nintendo DS not only comes with loads of features, but it looks really slick with its design. For those of you who think this is the next step of the “Gameboy” handheld systems, you are mistaken. The Nintendo DS is a stand-alone system that has the capabilities of playing GBA games, but it’s entirely an all-new generation of mobile gaming.

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My preconceived notions of the DS were way off before handling the actual device. As attractive as it is, with its sleek and lightweight design, the DS brings a new aspect to mobile gaming. With shoulder buttons, dual screens (one of which uses touch screen technology), the use of a stylus pen, voice recognition, surround sound speakers, and Wi-Fi technology, the DS is a load of pure awesomeness. When you first power on the device, it prompts you to customize your DS settings. As a side note, your DS will have plenty of juice right out of the box, but it’s always good to charge up before taking it out for the day. The DS uses the same power adapter as the GBA; so if you lose it, you can revert to your GBA’s adapter. Once on, the DS will ask you to adjust the time and date, your system’s name, language, and your birthday. All DS systems will come with a demo copy of [i]Metroid Prime: Hunters[/i]-and might I add, the cartridges are much smaller than GBA cartridges. The color and image quality of the DS is absolutely stunning, with a resolution of 256×192. Both screens on the DS house backlit LCD screens.

Being one of the first people to play [i]Metroid[/i] was very exciting. I was actually a little concerned about how I was going to play the game by using the stylus pen. After a few minutes of practicing the movements, it was almost like playing a PC FPS. Another tool they threw in the package was a thumb strap you could use on the touch screen as opposed to the stylus. The screen’s sensitivity can be calibrated if it becomes too sensitive for either the pen or the strap. [i]Metroid[/i] also contains five modes of control setups to choose from, including one for those who like the classic style of mobile gaming. [i]Metroid[/i] looked stunning, with great graphics and awesome multiplayer types. We all participated in wireless multiplayer “LAN” matches of various types over the built-in wireless connection. [i]Metroid[/i] was not the only game we played on the DS; [i]Super Mario 64[/i] was also a pleasant surprise. With new modes and more characters, [i]Super Mario 64[/i] stays true to its roots. The graphics, sound, and controls were all very impressive.

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One of my favorite features of the DS was Pictochat. The wireless chat program allows other DS systems to get together and send messages to one another. Chat rooms are available in order to minimize major traffic. The signal strength of the DS was also very impressive. I literally left the room, walked down the hall, and still had a great signal. The distance of optimal signal strength is 100 feet; anything past that could lose your signal, but it’s worth pushing the limits. Another really cool feature it threw at us were game prompts. If someone is hosting a multiplayer match or chatting within your 100-foot radius, you are prompted to join. This only happens if and only if your DS is powered on and you possess that particular game.

Overall, the Nintendo DS was an all-around splendid system with many exciting features and new technology for mobile gaming. Since the DS will be available in stores at some point next week, I would expect the stores to sell out rapidly. The DS provides a new generation of handheld gaming suited for all generations. I expect Nintendo to continue to dominate the handheld gaming arena for years to come. Personally, I don’t see the PSP standing a chance against the DS. Rock on Nintendo!