Newsgroup: it.comp.console.playstation
Titolo: METAL GEAR SOLID... all the secrets

To all those Metal Gear Fanatics,
  I'm happy to report the OFFICIAL METAL GEAR GUIDE is on sale (full
saturation by October 10th). I won't harp on about the quality, but with
stunning official maps, a forward by Hideo Kojima, all the artwork you'll
ever need and even a SEALED secrets section with ALL GAME SECRETS, I hope the
work sepaks for itself. Look for the white cover with red logo, and for
detailed information, please feel free to contact me (the author) with any
questions about the guide (the only one endorsed by Konami).  I look forward
to your feedback...
David S J Hodgson
Editorial Director,
Millennium Publications, Inc.
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In case anyone is interested, The Completely Unauthorized VERSUS BOOKS Metal
Gear Solid Perfect Guide is out now (written by Casey Loe). VERSUS BOOKS
previously published The Completely Unauthorized Final Fantasy VII Ultimate
Guide and The Completely Unauthorized Resident Evil 2 Perfect Guide (both
also written by Casey Loe). Both of our previous guides were rated by game
magazines and readers alike as superior to the official guides for those
games. (Honestly, not making that up...we got a pretty hefty stack of posts,
emails, and letters for both of those guides stating exactly that, and
reviews from EGM, Next Generation, and GamePro concurred.)
Anyway, we're really hoping our track record for producing the best guides
has continued with Metal Gear Solid. We'd like to know, what do you think of
our guide as compared to the official guide? Here is a list of features
you'll find in our guide and how we stack up at first glance, but take this
with a grain of salt - after all I am the publisher of the VERSUS BOOKS guide
so I can't exactly claim not to be biased....
€ Free Giant Poster inside every copy € Only $9.99 ($5 less than the official
guide) € Incredibly in-depth strategies for every area in the game and every
boss encounter, such as the secret way to win the second Sniper Wolf showdown
using Nikita Missiles without getting hit (note that the official guide is
missing key strategies such as this one) € Easy to follow walkthroughs and
page layouts (the official guide's layouts, by comparison IMO, are less
understandable - just compare our VR Training section to the official guide's
and you'll see what we mean!) € Interesting, informative, well-written,
humorous text (compare this to the official guide's IMO stuffy and rambling
text) € Exclusive Full-Color Maps (the official guide claims to have
"official full-color maps," but the maps are monotone one-color...i.e. all
blue or all grey, etc.) € Absolutely NO Story Spoilers (unlike the official
guide which has numerous screenshots of the cinema cut scenes throughout the
guide) € DETAILED Descriptions of 41 hidden ghosts (compare this to the
official guide's incredibly vague descriptions of the hidden
ghosts...admittedly the official guide lists 2 ghosts not found in our guide
due to the fact that these ghosts apparently were added at the last second to
the English version of the game, however, our descriptions are precise and
accurate whereas the official guide's descriptions are impossibly vague and
nebulous; I doubt it would be possible to find more than three ghosts using
the official guide's descriptions, whereas all 41 of our descriptions are
clear and to the point!) € Real World of Metal Gear Solid section featuring
ten pages packed with detailed descriptions of the real-life technology found
in the game plus brilliant photos (do you REALLY want to read an enclopedic
history of the state of Alaska? If you do, I guess the official guide is
right up your alley...)
While I have to say that the interviews in the official guide are well-done
and the official artwork is nice, it is my firm belief that when it comes to
actual gameplay strategy, useability, page layouts, and writing quality, our
guide is the best choice. But don't just take my word for it, however; please
compare the VERSUS BOOKS Metal Gear Solid guide to the official guide and let
us know what you think. Please send email comments to 
m...@vsbooks.com
 and
check out our web site at 
www.vsbooks.com
Our guide is available now nationwide and you should at least be able to find
it at Electronics Boutique, Babbages, and Software Etc. Thanks for your time!
Matt Taylor, publisher
VERSUS BOOKS
Empire 21 Publishing, Inc.


***WARNING!! HANDBAGS AT DAWN CONFRONTATION!!  AND METAL GEAR SPOILERS!!***
Matt Taylor rambled on…
Here is a list of features you'll find in our guide and how we stack up at
first glance, but take this with a grain of salt - after all I am the
publisher of the VERSUS BOOKS guide so I can't exactly claim not to be
biased....
Perhaps a mountain of salt would best be removed…  At this point it’s worth
mentioning that we’ve been fans of Mister Taylor’s (or should that be
Casey’s?) guides in the past, the Tekken 3 guide was great, as was the
Resident Evil 2 book (note Millennium Publications had "ex GameFan editor
Ryan Lockhart" helping us with the Official MGS guide), but this blatant
attempt to slag off our guide and sell more copies of his book isn’t really
on.  If Taylor had just ‘advertised’ his guide, we’d have no problem, but as
he poo-poos our guide, we have to reply.  Here’s our take, for anyone who
actually cares…
o Free Giant Poster inside every copy
Of course, Mister Taylor fails to mention that this "giant poster" is
one-sided, features an amalgamation of images copied and pasted from the
internet, but does include the silhouette of the infamous and hilarious "Bart
Simpson Snake" that adorns the cover (yes, that is meant to be Solid Snake). 
This is the cover. I’m not a big fan of the art.  Personally.
o Incredibly in-depth strategies for every area in the game and every
boss encounter
The first example of the excited Mister Taylor being a little bit of a
fibber. Note that the Versus guide doesn’t feature take-down tactics for the
LAST THREE battles, rather important for finishing the game, I would say. 
Don’t believe everything Mister Taylor claims…
o such as the secret way to win the second Sniper Wolf showdown
using Nikita Missiles without getting hit (note that the official guide is
missing key strategies such as this one)
The Sniper Wolf second battle take-down is alluded to in the text, but left to
the gamer to figure out (we hinted pretty strongly).  Using Mister Taylor’s
logic, here’s another, just as important strategy than Messers Taylor and Loe
FAILED to include; sniping the three Nuke Building guards with the PSG-1.
o Easy to follow walkthroughs and page layouts (the official guide's layouts,
by comparison IMO, are less understandable - just compare our VR Training
section to the official guide's and you'll see what we mean!)
Hmmm, day-glo purple and yellow design might have worked in the heady days of
GameFan, but this makes the Versus guide terribly difficult to follow in
parts, IMHO.  Instead of a cold "A to B with sarcasm in between" style of
walkthrough, we included Techfiles, maps with correct item placements and
loads of extra information to make the book enjoyable, not a routine
exercise.  Training sections?  Well, let’s look at those fastest times for
Time Attack… the Official Guide beats the Versus book eight out of ten times,
and proves the times with a screenshot.  Otherwise, I’d say the VR Training
sections are about the same.
o Interesting, informative, well-written, humorous text (compare this to the
official guide's IMO stuffy and rambling text)
This obviously is some sort of joke, which did amuse me nevertheless. 
Sarcastic belittling of the game isn’t what I’d call humorous, and Casey made
no bones about mentioning his dislike of Metal Gear Solid to Gamers’ Republic
staff.	He also makes this pretty clear in the text, which is not only
offensive (to those who’ve forked out $50 for the game and want a ‘good
read’), but also unprofessional.  But I guess Versus books aren’t bound by
the same restraints or morals…	Remember this has been the life of a number
of talented developers in Japan for over four years.  Now read on, as Casey
demolishes their efforts in a snide and tedious fashion… Case in point number
1 (actual Versus guide text):  "Maybe I can dump a picture or two here, kill
some space…. Decoy Octopus?  My GOD! Okay, I guess it’s not any more lame
than, say, Revolver Ocelot…  I thought of better superspy names when I was
playing Top Secret SI in the schoolyard in 5th grade…" Case in point number 2
(actual Versus guide text):  "Time for a freestyle diatribe about how much I
hate some of the supporting characters in this game…"  I can’t tell you how
disappointed I was with this, especially as Casey’s books have been
entertaining in the past.  The words "quick" and "buck" springs to mind. 
Write with a little bit of respect in the future!  Please!
o Exclusive Full-Color Maps (the official guide claims to have
"official full-color maps," but the maps are monotone one-color...i.e. all
blue or all grey, etc.)
These maps were officially commissioned by Konami, taken from the game, and
inserted with the correct items placement, and obviously one-color, like the
actual graphics of the game.  Your maps were nice.  Ours were exact.
o Absolutely NO Story Spoilers (unlike the official guide which has numerous
screenshots of the cinema cut scenes throughout the
guide)
Except for the spoilers you put in, in the form of actual walkthroughs!  You
didn’t hide Sniper Wolf’s death, did you?  Vulcan’s death?  Thought not.
Revealed Decoy’s attempt at espionage?	Yep!  Show the start of the Metal
Gear final battle?  How could you?!  We simply had the correct English
version of the game, understood all plot discrepancies and provided an
entertaining accompaniment to the game in the form of the cinema.  Check the
contents pages or my introduction if you’re having problems with plot
revelations; the real hidden stuff was SEALED.
o DETAILED Descriptions of 41 hidden ghosts
Yep, your ghost descriptions are excellent.  Ours have the correct names of
those present, and we hinted at their whereabouts for those with enough time
on their hands to locate them all.  This is the only real advantage of the
Versus book.  Obviously, you DIDN’T INCLUDE ALL THE important SECRETS. 
Where’s your TUXEDO code?  Opening cut-scene secret?  Demo mode secret?  Real
Wolf urination secret?	Main theme secret?  Torture secret?  Reheating
Rations secret?  Yep, Versus has none of these.  What about the CORRECT
ranking explanation?  In the official guide!  Enough said.
o Real World of Metal Gear Solid section featuring ten pages packed with
detailed descriptions of the real-life technology foundin the game plus
brilliant photos (do you REALLY want to read an enclopedic [Note to Matt – I
assume you mean ‘encyclopedic’?  If so, two pages on Alaska isn’t really that
much text to ‘wade’ through, but provides a nice little segue into the game]
history of the state of Alaska? If you do, I guess the official guide is right
up your alley...)
Or, alternatively, those seeking this Versus ’extra’ info could look on the
internet for a couple of hours and achieve the same results.  I know, because
a similar section was going to be included in the official guide at one
point, and every single vehicle and item in the game IS INCLUDED in the
walkthrough. However, because of our official status, we weren’t able to
detail real-life versions of the weapons.  Heckler and Koch, for example, sue
ruthlessly for unofficial use of their brand name without proper credit. 
Whoops!  Now where’s my H&K address?  J/k
  To end this extremely tedious debate, I’d like to put forward the key
problem with the Versus guide.	It doesn’t take into consideration the
ENHANCED DIFFICULTY levels of the American version.  The walkthrough is based
on the Japanese copy of the game (which is the EASY version), has no
strategies for dealing with the enhanced difficulty, and adds PURE
SPECULATION on whether the American game will use the strategies.  The lame
excuse of "we’ll update our web-site" once the rest of the game is uncovered
isn’t really on, and shortchanges the reader.  Note that in addition, the
Versus guide DOESN’T feature any information on the characters themselves
(Casey probably thought the characters "too lame" to warrant this sort of
attention), any of the plot, which is sometimes confusing, no Forward by the
game’s creator, no art, no interviews, and NO STRATEGIES for the FINAL
BATTLES!!  Your past guides may have been excellent, and certainly, your
attempt at a MGS guide is almost commendable, but lacks the enthusiasm and
information of the official guide, which is a walkthrough and a collectable
companion to the game. But don’t take my word for it, I’m also biased!	I
assume the tedious debate is now at an end?
Fond regards
David Hodgson
Author, The Official Metal Gear Solid Mission Handbook
Millennium Publications, Inc.
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take my word for it, I'm also biased!"
Lack of enthusiasm? Lack of information? Well, you beat us to the punch with
the dissertation on Alaska, but we like to think we've got you beat with
gameplay strategies, which last time I checked is the most important part of
a strategy guide. However, you have a good point, it's up to the readers. So,
readers, what do you think? Which Metal Gear Solid guide do you prefer,
official or Versus Books?
Matt Taylor, publisher
VERSUS BOOKS
Empire 21 Publishing, Inc.
email: 
m...@vsbooks.com
web site: 
www.vsbooks.com


Ah, for a free week to respond to the Taylor ramble...
Mister Hodgson, I'm afraid you are wrong. Page 63 of the VERSUS BOOKS guide
clearly states: "Of course, the three blue-clad super soldiers he left behind
are only effective when they get the jump on you... you can blow 'em away
with your sniper rifle before they even notice you." To further illustrate
this strategy, it is outlined with screenshots on this page's left-hand
sidebar.
Before your march against Millennium continues, let me again allow you to calm
down, read the post I wrote, and correct you.  Nuke Building soldiers.  You
know, the ones with the ORANGE suits on?  Them?  Not the Comm Tower guards.
They've got blue suits on.  I'll let your fevered imagination figure out the
rest.  Again, I'd love to spend five hours picking apart every nuance of your
rant (loved your antics about the final strategies not being necessary), but I
can't.  I have work to do.
  Bottom line:	Buy the game, it is thoroughly enjoyable, then buy the guide
of your choice, either a disposable 100 page sarcastic strategy with hard to
follow walkthrough with INCREDIBLY MESSY and UNSTRUCTUED design with hideous
color-schemes  (yep, I've a difference of opinion to Mister Taylor's), or a
companion to the actual game.  I have no more time to clog up these
newsgroups with rebuttals... but let's "go there" on a couple more
outpourings of claptrap from this video game "politician".
BTW, disguising sarcastic gibes as "Comic Relief" is offensive, and by far
the most damaging part of your guide.  Constant digs at the gameplay aren't
to be expected by a guide whose duty it is to inform gamers who actually
bought the game.  And your rather racist take on the "Eskimo" Olympics also
offended. Whether it offends the general reader is a different matter. 
Offending other people's culture is funny, is it?  "Kooky" and "whacked" may
be your interpretation, but that's because it's unlike visiting the "mall"
and watching "the game"  Treat individuality and belief systems with a little
more reverence.
  You're joking about the cover and poster, though, right?  Scanned images
and Bart Simpson's shadow?  And there's NOTHING in the Versus guide that
allows a gamer to complete the game any more easily... In fact, why bother
with a guide at all?  The final battles are too easy for strategies (tried it
on Extreme?) according to Mister Taylor, so why bother with strategies for
the rest of the game?  And don’t bother looking for item placement in the
Revolver chamber or Octacon’s lab… Versus forgot to put them in.  Oh how I
wish I could go on, but I don't have a spare day to bring up minute
differences between the guides. :)
Our guide?  Better and more screenshots, more additional information, a
COMPLETE Walkthrough (pretty important, yes?  Despite plot revelations and
poor overall design, Brady’s FFVII guide outsold Taylor’s) with ADDITIONAL
information on the difficulty settings and a number of other factors waffled
about in my previous post make the official guide.  You turn to a guide when
you have a problem with a section of the game.	Unfortunately, if it’s the
final mech battle, hand-to- hand combat or the Jeep exit, you’ll be looking a
long time in the Versus book. A lot more people want to see EVERYTHING a game
has to offer.  So we hid the best stuff, and wrote a warning in the Ed zone. 
Taylor’s point here is moot.
  Casey wrote the Versus guide for one thing only... cash.  We wrote it out
of respect and love for the game. Check my other post for the skinny on the
plot discrepancies Taylor thought I made up.  Again, this shows his lack of
knowledge of the game's history.  People who like Versus books will buy the
Versus guide.  People who like Metal Gear Solid will buy the Millennium
guide.	Nuff said.
I'll leave the newsgroups to chat about games now, as that's what they're for.
News, rather than two biased gamers throwing their handbags at each other.  I
think that's more than enough for anyone to take.
David
For a taste of the Official Metal Gear Solid strategy guide, visit our guide
sampler at 
www.gamersrepublic.com/mgs


>People who like Versus books will buy the Versus guide.  People who like Metal Gear Solid will buy the Millennium guide.	Nuff said.<<
People who want a guide that enhances their gameplay experience but doesn't
ruin it, and who also enjoy humor with their guide, will buy the Versus Books
guide. People who want to read long-winded, rambling and at times completely
invented text, that misses several key gameplay points, but features some
nifty interviews with the designers, official artwork, and lots of story
spoilers, will buy the official guide.
I have no doubt whatsoever that when Hodgson responds to this post, he will
prattle on about how he's "too good for this discussion," but in the same
breath he will again lie about our guide and offer more personal attacks
against us, our authors, and our work.


 breath he will again lie about our guide and offer more personal attacks
ÿ against us, our authors, and our work.
After a forehead massage, I suggest you don’t put words in my mouth, don’t
call me a liar, and if I have personally attacked you in any way, this was
meant as fun.  Joshing.  You can take a joke now, can’t you?  You know, the
same sort of wacky stuff you let past in your guide.  I don’t think I was the
one coming off as pompous…  I’ll end this ‘handbag roundhouse’ by suggesting
that anyone not put off by these posts and who still want a guide, should
compare and contrast ours and his.  Again, I’ll end on the one matter we can
agree on; the Brady and Prima efforts are nothing short of abysmal.
David S J Hodgson
Editorial Director
Millennium Publications inc.
Visit the official Metal Gear Solid strategy guide sampler at
http://www.gamersrepublic.com/mgs
PS: And finally, those kerazy Eskimos don’t pull the WHOLE EAR off. 
Otherwise, like, how could the guy win three years in a row?


to us (
http://www.gamersrepublic.com/mgs
) on this matter.
Amusement! Mister Taylor said nothing of the sort! Read his post more carefully, as I said above.
And please, don't attempt to deny you embellished the bios with extra details in your book. This is
a Hambleton trademark... you even admit to it in the Gaming Age interview.
Now, as for Mister Kojima's comment, I REALLY can't parse his statements, but, you know, he's not
fluent in English. All he can do is view the fantastically great Official Guide design, which he
mentions over and over... I really must wonder what he'd think of the ommissions and text-based
spoliers.
Now, don't get me wrong, Hambleton... let's make it clear, you've crafted one of the best official
American guidebooks of all time. (But no, you can't use that quote in promotional materials!) I'm
just responding to some finer points of this rambling dialogue.
Also, a word to Mister Harrod and Mister Abraham: This book is absolutely gorgeous. It inspires me
to design with greater skill.

What, like the Japanese guides do that you revere so highly?
Touche!
Note that Japanese FFVII strategy guides did show Aerisí deathÖ
Well... it certainly DOES have that potential. The average gamer has no clue
that Meryl gets sniped... but there it is, in four-color glory on page 103 of
the Official guide. Of course, this is not to say that the Versus guide does
not technically have the same potential of ruination, albeit reduced since
the information is text based.
ExactlyÖ rather like the Aliens and Aliens Special Edition filmsÖ er, sort
ofÖ You still know Merylís been shotÖ but I (and others in the ëspoilerí
camp) wanna see it all!  Remember that point about self-control and having it
in there if you want it and having the ed zone sending a message that the
game stuff is revealed?  Exactly what a walkthrough is supposed to be, in my
opinion.
Ho ho. Clearing an entire area? It's cleared long before you ever get the
PSG-1.
Wrong Nick.  You return to the area once Meryl dies, once you get the level 6
key, so thereís at least two other occasions where you have to run through the
Nuke Building.  Pretty major strategy there, wouldnít you say?  No hiding,
running from gas, leaping into the truck, watching your footstepsÖ and youíre
able to fire off high-powered weapons in a volatile environment!!
As for the color of suits...semi-ridiculous, but I'll provide my unsolicited
opinion nontheless. ANY gamer would call the Nuke Building guards green. Come
on; they're green. Even if they're greenish-yellow in Mister Shinkawa's art,
and orange in the Blast Furnace, they're green in the Nuke Building. I invite
anyone to dispute this with confidence.
Look on the screenshot on the back cover of our guide.	Move a guard into the
light near the nukesÖ yellowy orange hue, offset by the lighting.  Are you
saying that Solid Snake turns green too?  He switches to Chameleon mode?  If
the suits are green, why arenít they green in the Blast FurnaceÖ the guards
are wearing the SAME suits thereÖ  Letís agree to call the suits YELLOW,
shall we? I believe theyíre a little more orange though :)
I can vouch personally that, going into the book, Mister Loe was doing it for
more than cash. Whatever his alleged final opinion of the game is is
meaningless... he went into the project with much "love" for the game.
However, this is a topic I shouldn't touch since any comments I have about
Mister Loe could be seen as bias; I would have given almost anything for the
oppurtunity to write and design a Metal Gear Solid book.
Therefore this point is moot.  I was suggesting his comments to us (both
verbally and in the book itself) meant that he disliked the game, and the
hefty Taylor payment sweetened the burden of rushing the guide out (which we
all did, otherwise itíd never be finished)
Please read the original post a little closer. Mister Taylor's mention of plot
points (Ninja is Fox, Fox is Naomi's older brother) were simply brought up to
illustrate plot twists you inconsiderately revealed in your bios. Did you
actually believe he thought YOU invented these plot points?
[Taylor text] You invented lots of background details about the characters,
not to mention the fact that you inappropriately included spoilers in the
bios. Don't get me wrong; your embellished storylines would certainly be
entertaining if it wasn't for the fact that much of what you made up is
simply inaccurate and/or contradicts plot points in the game.
I lost interest in Taylorís ramblings about two posts ago.  So, letís get
this straightÖ the ONLY plot discrepancy was the Ninjaís nose?	Whoa, pretty
steamed up for a minor point like thatÖ  What other "lots of background
detail" was "invented" by me?  What??  Innacurate plot points please form a
queue...  No takers?? Nothing contradicts the game.  All part of the official
text that neither you, Matt or Casey were privy to.  This was officially
blessed by the team, checked by Scott Dolph, Konami US and I rechecked it
with them.
I find it very hard to believe an American guide would receive more plot
information that even Konami's Japanese MGS guide... written by Konami! Are we
to believe special plot information was written specifically for the American
market?
What special plot information?	Please donít do a Taylor on us, Nick!  Again,
refer to my earlier points about Spoilers.  The Frank Jaegar text was
purposely vague, and NO ONE who hadnít played the game would have been any
the wiser until the plot was revealed (in the sealed section)Ö of course,
until Matt revealed everything on this newsgroup!!
And as for your claim that there are ten Japanese
strategy guides, you are wrong.
I didnít claim there were ten strategy guides, I said there were ten guides.
GUIDES.  Any book with extra information on a game can be considered a
companion volume or guide.  A book with artwork in is, in my opinion, a guide
to Shinkawa's pictures, yes?
I also find it very, very hard to believe that Ninja/Fox/Jaeger's nose was
EVER cut off. Even if you received information referring to his "deprival" of
eyes, ears and nose, perhaps this was merely a poor translation referring to
him being deprived of his senses for more terrifying torture.
Or perhaps not (an interesting	and completely wrong hypothesis).  I chose
not, and was backed up by Konami.  Iíll back this up even more, as the next
line (from the official plot) says "the scars all over his face are from this
incident".  So, he was tortured and lost his entire face.  The reconstituted
face from the torture (along with the scars) is what you see in the game.
Happy?	Thought notÖ  you can argue this until the cows come home, deliver
milk, return to the fields, trample a fox, move under a tree, wait out a
storm and return home againÖ  I was  USING  APPROVED  KONAMI  TEXT!!!
A plot hole as large as Jaeger's Magic Disappearing and Reappearing Nose would
NEVER go unexplained by Mister Kojima. And, if the modern miracle of plastic
surgery DID fix his face, why did his other facial scars, such as his mangled
left eye, go unfixed?
Because, the mangled left eye couldnít be saved and fixed?  Because itís
really a special genetically superior eye to help aim his Vulcan cannon?  The
reconstituted face procedure was undertaken, and scars were left there. 
Simple. Believable.  Correct.  Your last question is also answered
previously.
Donít attempt to deny you embellished the bios with extra details in your
book. This is a Hambleton trademark... you even admit to it in the Gaming Age
interview.
[Rox notes my old GameFan character name].  Yep, thereís embellishments, but
none are plot altering.  Please find any that are.  I do not invent any old
crap and fill space (ahem, p73, Versus guide)Ö but hey, I could have just
copied out the Japlish text!  That would have been GREAT!!  No, it was
reworded and restructuredÖ the "embellishments" I referred to was stuff like
the Sleigh race, PTSD, some character quotes, that sort of thing.  To accuse
me of fabricating any plot or character history is completely inaccurate and
not a little offensiveÖ I would never do that, and didnítÖ as I proved by
quoting the ONE point you brought up.  Any more "inaccurate  extra details"
youíre aware of?  Or is the "ninja nose" your only champion?  Taylor is
clutching at straws over this, and misconstruing comments I made in the same
way as a politician would.
Now, as for Mister Kojima's comment, I REALLY can't parse his statements, but,
you know, he's not fluent in English. All he can do is view the fantastically
great Official Guide design, which he mentions over and over... I really must
wonder what he'd think of the ommissions and text-based spoliers.
Yes, but I believe his personal translator and Scott Dolph are fluent in
English.  And, oddly enough, he can look at pictures!  He didnít have a
problem with the "spoilers" as the Japanese guides do this all the time, or
he (and the rest of Konami Japan) would have said something in my regular
correspondance with them.  He also wouldn't have specifically asked for 50
copies of the guide (for his team and even his own mother!) if he wasn't more
than happy with the results.  Remember that this is also a companion volume
rather than just a simple strategy guide.  I believe strongly that the Versus
guideís omissions are more frequent and include the final battle areas;
instead of insignificant points, thereís entire areas of the game missing
strategy.  Hence my problem with Matt using the word "complete" in his
walkthrough.
Now, don't get me wrong, Hambleton... let's make it clear, you've crafted one
of the best official American guidebooks of all time. (But no, you can't use
that quote in promotional materials!) I'm just responding to some finer
points of this rambling dialogue.
Remember this was all written (with the exception of the history of MGS and
the interviews) by myself.  Bibble!  And not one mention of the word
"pantaloons"! I thank you for the compliment.  Of course I won't quote you,
as you asked me not to :)
Also, a word to Mister Harrod and Mister Abraham: This book is absolutely
gorgeous. It inspires me to design with greater skill.
All the designers also extend their thanksÖ except Jeremy CorbyÖ :)
Again, Iím hoping this mass-debate (ahem) will now halt.  Shall we free up
the bandwidth for others?  Iím only posting on this newsgroup from now on (as
no other freaks except us tired hacks are using it), and unless thereís some
major crap issued forth from Taylor, Iíll call this handbag swinging to a
closeÖ
And thanks for actually being civil in your opinions... a first for this
thread!
David Hodgson
Editorial Director
Millennium Publications Inc
Visit the official Metal Gear Solid book sample at
http://www.gamersrepublic.com
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 the bandwidth for others?
Chief, the net can handle a few thousand k of handbag-swinging with nary a
hiccup!
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 Any more "inaccurate extra details" you’re aware of?
Yes, plenty. Inaccurate as in they were never revealed in any Japanese
materials for Metal Gear Solid.
Ah, so they wouldn’t be inaccuracies then, would they?	As we had access to
information not employed in Japanese strategy guides.  You’ll have to take up
this with the Japanese press.  And just because the Japanese didn’t use the
"extra details", it doesn’t mean they’re not real, approved, or invented by
the Kojima team (which seems to be your point, yes?)!  As with the game
itself, it seems that Americans have a more extensive version… a first
double-hitter  in video games history, wouldn’t you agree?
Then I must ask why he didn't reveal Ninja's identity and the Naomi twist, et
al, in his character bios. My guess is that he's a master storyteller that
wants a player to be excited and thrilled at each new plot point as revealed
IN THE GAME, revealed in the way he intended... not as throwaway information
in the companion guide's bios.
Again, refer to my earlier points… this was one plot spoiler that was a rumor,
according to ‘official military sources’, with the truth revealed in a sealed
section.
Whoa, should have paid more attention to the staff page! Let me rephrase:
Also, a word to Mister Harrod, Mister Abraham and Mister Corby: This book is
absolutely gorgeous. It inspires me to design with greater skill. Speaking of
design, I beg anyone still reading this thread to check out the packaging and
manual (and of course the game) of the PS title Guilty Gear, which will be
out this week. This game features what is known as a "respektable manual."
Can anyone find the hidden "NRX?"
We heard about that, and look forward to a manual with actual design
implemented!  As for the legendary lateness of Des Barres, this is a real
shame, as I need someone of EXTREME SKILL to write up a 16 page feature on
all the past Castlevania games (Gameboy, Saturn, PS verisons et al) for our
upcoming Castlevania 64 book.  Again, a deadline not to be deviated from
would be in effect.  Alas, I’d love you to write and grab the project, but
the lateness aspect is the wrench in the works.  Email me for further info if
you’re interested, but I fear the strict deadline may curtail doing this
series Roxian justice!
Chief, the net can handle a few thousand k of handbag-swinging with nary a
hiccup!
Ay, of that there is no doubt!	But, what concerns me are the posts from
folks who don’t give a crap about this waffle… selling guides or discussion
is a fine line.  But, again I urge you to locate plot discrepancies for me to
witness and rebuke!
A fond fare thee well
David
Visit the official Metal Gear Solid Handbook sampler at
http://www.gamersrepublic.com
