Nintendogs vs. The Real Deal

[Fivespot]

And now for something completely different...

I am in admiration of the DS and all its new gaming capabilities. Nintendogs seems like a great starting point (in addition to Meteos). However I cannot justify a purchase at this time and its not for the typical reasons: can't afford one, already have too many games, don't like Nintendo, etc....

A little background is required in order to make my point - my wife and I own a Chow/Golden mix named Zoe. She is 8 years old and recently completed obedience training. I spend at least 30 minutes with her each day reinforcing the training.

Unfortunately she was abused as a pup and has some severe behavioral issues as a result (kind of reminds me of a few folks around here) :D I never thought in a million years that the obedience training would work - but it did. She is a completely different dog now-a-days to our friends and families comfort (they now can visit w/out feeling threatened or nervous). On a positive note, she is one hell of a guard dog!

Here's my deal. How can I justify playing with a simulated dog when my real deal requires a lot of attention? If given the choice between spending time with my Ndog or real dog - I'll have to take the real thing as she really needs the attention. If I had a normal dog, maybe I would have a different approach.

This thought process opens up a whole can of worms in addition to the example I gave. For another example, if given a choice between sex and simulated sex, which would you choose?

As games become more realistic and lifelike will we eventually start to choose the real thing? Of course I'm only referring to legal and realistic acts here. Obviously you can't act out Grand Theft Auto regardless of how realistic the game eventually becomes. Plus, I'm not sure the Packers would let me take a hand-off from Favre - so I'll still need Madden for that :(

Any thoughts on this one?

[trebor]

Personally, if I had a dog, I wouldn't really see the need for Nintendogs either way, so in your case, I wouldn't suggest you go out of your way to aquire the game. Since I'm a cat person, and don't want to deal with the extra care that dogs require, Nintendogs is perfect for me - I get to have a cute little dog in small and simple doses.

You bring up an interesting topic, though. To me, the game that encapsulates the concept of what your talking about is The Sims. Personally, I can't stand this game, but my wife gets addicted to it every so often.

I mean, if you think about what The Sims actually is, it's a virtual simulation of every mundane aspect of real life - right down to taking out the trash. I don't like taking out the trash in real life, nor do I like mopping the floor, or even scrubbing the toilet, yet there it is in The Sims, ready to be micro-managed.

I've actually heard of people who get so addicted to the Sims that they'll let their own social lives go down the drain in order to play it more, and thusly, nuture their virtual social lives. Sex -vs- simulated sex...hell we're talking life -vs- simulated life. I believe it's the virtual devil, for all the good that game has wrought. It's actually pretty sad if you think about it.

To me, videogames should be about escapism - I want to do things I could never do in real life.

[Fivespot]

Personally, if I had a dog, I wouldn't really see the need for Nintendogs either way, so in your case, I wouldn't suggest you go out of your way to aquire the game. Since I'm a cat person, and don't want to deal with the extra care that dogs require, Nintendogs is perfect for me - I get to have a cute little dog in small and simple doses.

You bring up an interesting topic, though. To me, the game that encapsulates the concept of what your talking about is The Sims. Personally, I can't stand this game, but my wife gets addicted to it every so often.

I mean, if you think about what The Sims actually is, it's a virtual simulation of every mundane aspect of real life - right down to taking out the trash. I don't like taking out the trash in real life, nor do I like mopping the floor, or even scrubbing the toilet, yet there it is in The Sims, ready to be micro-managed.

I've actually heard of people who get so addicted to the Sims that they'll let their own social lives go down the drain in order to play it more, and thusly, nuture their virtual social lives. Sex -vs- simulated sex...hell we're talking life -vs- simulated life. I believe it's the virtual devil, for all the good that game has wrought. It's actually pretty sad if you think about it.

To me, videogames should be about escapism - I want to do things I could never do in real life.

Great point, forgot all about the Sims in this regard. I also hated that game for the same reasons.

I guess you won't be picking up Nintendcats for similar reasons? Gadfly convinced me when he said his dog was looking at his wife all confused when she was telling her DS to "sit, sit" (or whatever command it was).

My dog would probably go ballistic if we started giving doggie commands to inanimate objects. I'd come home to shards of broken DS only to find pieces laying in the backyard after she did her business :rolleyes:

[trebor]

Hehe, as much as I have professed my desire for Nintencats, it would be really hard to justify owning it. If I wanted to play with a cat, I've got 2 at home, big ones, who never seem to get enough attention as it is. Plus, cleaning one litter box is enough for me, thank you very much.

Which I guess sums up succintly the real life -vs- virtual life debate - if you can do it for real, it's a waste of time to do it virtually.

[Mochan]

Well, I got Artificial Girl 2 and I am choosing it over real sex. The girls are just so much more luscious and caressable and beautiful and cute and their skin is so perfect like porcelain and the way they smile is so sweet it melts me up inside.... oh real women just can't compare. I mean hey whenever she becomes to much of a handful I can just turn her off instead of listening to her incessant whining, and I don't even have to worry about unwanted pregancies!!!


<ahem>

[BeMore]

And now for something completely different...

I am in admiration of the DS and all its new gaming capabilities. Nintendogs seems like a great starting point (in addition to Meteos). However I cannot justify a purchase at this time and its not for the typical reasons: can't afford one, already have too many games, don't like Nintendo, etc....

A little background is required in order to make my point - my wife and I own a Chow/Golden mix named Zoe. She is 8 years old and recently completed obedience training. I spend at least 30 minutes with her each day reinforcing the training.

Unfortunately she was abused as a pup and has some severe behavioral issues as a result (kind of reminds me of a few folks around here) :D I never thought in a million years that the obedience training would work - but it did. She is a completely different dog now-a-days to our friends and families comfort (they now can visit w/out feeling threatened or nervous). On a positive note, she is one hell of a guard dog!

Here's my deal. How can I justify playing with a simulated dog when my real deal requires a lot of attention? If given the choice between spending time with my Ndog or real dog - I'll have to take the real thing as she really needs the attention. If I had a normal dog, maybe I would have a different approach.

This thought process opens up a whole can of worms in addition to the example I gave. For another example, if given a choice between sex and simulated sex, which would you choose?

As games become more realistic and lifelike will we eventually start to choose the real thing? Of course I'm only referring to legal and realistic acts here. Obviously you can't act out Grand Theft Auto regardless of how realistic the game eventually becomes. Plus, I'm not sure the Packers would let me take a hand-off from Favre - so I'll still need Madden for that :(

Any thoughts on this one?

Basically, as an owner of two Pugs that I love dearly and the Nintendogs game, you hit the nail on the head. I bought the game because I heard all of the talk about it, and I played it at Walmart before it came out. I really thought that I would play it more than I have, but it has really started to be like a chore for me. Obviously the AI is cool and all, but the reward that you get is just not as great as with my real dogs. That is the bottom line. Plus, my dogs cannot stand when I am home and spend my time playing videogames, much less one in which I am giving an inaminate object voice commands. Really I am just playing the game about 15 minutes every other day( just long enough to have some obedience training, care for the dog, and walk it). Now what surprises me is that my fiancee has not taken to the game--she has not even played it once. Ski, I can recommend the game highly for the AI and the graphics. The game is amazing, but there are no guarantees that you would play it alot. If you want a reason to get the DS it is definately for Meteos and Advance Wars.

[BeMore]

The best selling point imo for Nintendogs is that it is probably the best game to show off the DS to to non-owners. It is perfectly suited for the DS, so I don't regret a purchase.

[Gadfly2317]

If you are in training with a real dog, it really would be hard to justify using some of your game time to train an AI dog. Nintendogs is sweet as hell. We have a real dog, and my wife is playing Nintendogs. It doesn't really take much time away from our dog since she plays it while watching TV (during stupid TV that is, not during gripper stuff like HBO's original series'.)

Your wife might not mind the redunancy of having "two" dogs, depending on her gaming taste. I would get a second copy for myself but I'm consumed by Advance Wars, and by doing experimental recordings with Electroplankton and Meteos "sound" mode.

There really is a game aspect to it. If you are a dog lover, you would probably love the game.

[Gadfly2317]

I guess you won't be picking up Nintendcats for similar reasons? Gadfly convinced me when he said his dog was looking at his wife all confused when she was telling her DS to "sit, sit" (or whatever command it was).


That was the first day. He doesn't seem to take any notice of it at all know. And he still sits when and responds to his own name. It really was funny as hell though watching him watch her play Nintendogs the first time. :)

[Pandarbock]

If you are in training with a real dog, it really would be hard to justify using some of your game time to train an AI dog. Nintendogs is sweet as hell. We have a real dog, and my wife is playing Nintendogs. It doesn't really take much time away from our dog since she plays it while watching TV (during stupid TV that is, not during gripper stuff like HBO's original series'.)

Your wife might not mind the redunancy of having "two" dogs, depending on her gaming taste. I would get a second copy for myself but I'm consumed by Advance Wars, and by doing experimental recordings with Electroplankton and Meteos "sound" mode.

There really is a game aspect to it. If you are a dog lover, you would probably love the game.
has she managed to get the piano or the jump rope yet? the piano is freaking sweet and the jump rope well is just adorable as hell :P

[Gadfly2317]

has she managed to get the piano or the jump rope yet? the piano is freaking sweet and the jump rope well is just adorable as hell :P

She's slacking at this game; unlike Meteos which she tore up with a vengeance. I've been hearing about unlockables and I'm like "why haven't you got that yet?"

Pressure, you know? Nope. No jump rope. I went to buy my own copy and EB games (I hate EB, but it happened to be a store I passed by while wandering around town) and they told me it was sold out and might be two months before they get more because "nintendo is all out."

I think they are full of bull, but I'm curious. Anyone else seeing Nintendogs around?

[Fivespot]

I think they are full of bull, but I'm curious. Anyone else seeing Nintendogs around?

Yeah I see it around. A few Gamestops have copies, Best Buy has copies, & I'll also spotted a few and Target.

Those EB dorks don't know sht from shinola. Must be a global problem as I experience the same difficulty when talking with or asking questions of EB employees. Seriously - it’s a strange but consistent phenomenon :D

For some reason the Gamestop scrubs are usually good for some better/more valuable and accurate information. Must be something in the recruiting, training, or hiring process :confused:

[Gadfly2317]

Yeah I see it around. A few Gamestops have copies, Best Buy has copies, & I'll also spotted a few and Target.

Those EB dorks don't know sht from shinola. Must be a global problem as I experience the same difficulty when talking with or asking questions of EB employees. Seriously - it’s a strange but consistent phenomenon :D

For some reason the Gamestop scrubs are usually good for some better/more valuable and accurate information. Must be something in the recruiting, training, or hiring process :confused:

Gamestop employees are almost ALWAYS far and away better than EB Games in my experience; if I see a game store, its almost as compulsive as going to sys wars. . .I like to go in, see what they're stocking, and ask a question to see if the staff knows its stuff. I can't understand how it can be so hard to find some dork kid who knows his stuff about gaming to work at these places. Hell, this particular EB Games still had Metroid Hunters pre-order boxes out marked "October Release."

Another game I haven't seen on shelves is Nanostray. I don't understand; repeatedly at these stores I see games stocked for PsP, but key titles missing for the DS. And the DS displays are often half hidden compared to the prominently placed PsP, which already has a more impressive looking display due mostly to all the movies.

[trebor]

Meh...the difference I've noticed between Gamestop and EB employees is negligable at best.

I've met some really cool EB employees, who are Nintendo fans and quite knowledgable regarding the goings on of releases and such. But I've also met Gamestop employees who are pretty smart as well. Hell...I know a local Gamecrazy employee who was on G4TV (as a caller) who was talking about sales and impact of San Andreas during the height of the Hot Coffee fiasco. It's all six of one, half dozen of the other, IMHO.

Back to Nintendogs - I've seen it everywhere I go, Gads. Best Buy, Target, EB, Gamestop...the only place it was sold out at was Gamecrazy, which I managed to snag the last copy of Lab & Friends.