Why have'nt we seen THIS as a game?

[SoulBlazer]

How come no one, not even back in the days of shareware for the PC, has ever made a simulation/business game where you control a video game company?

Just imagine how much fun this can be! You could start in 1970, at the dawn of the arcade and console market. Making all the key decisions to try to make sure your products do well and that you surive for a long time to come. Working with your pogrammers to keep them happy and encourge their ideas. Working with marketing to sign good deals and get your name out there. Working with other companies to beat down the competion and get the parts you need for a cheap price. Working with consumers to keep them happy. Working with R&D to see what you can come out with next year to keep your current line going.

It could also include the computer market without being too overly complex. Historical and random events can be included. A video game crash would'nt have to occur, per say. Of course, you could'nt use the real company names or the major designers but the AI could be programed with their likness, their personality, and traits.

Your role would also be best as the President and CEO -- you could'nt design games but you could offer input, chop out things or add things (at the risk of ticking off your programers), ask the programers to look into a certain kind of game, give the green light to releasing a game or console. And you'd also be 'looking over the shoulders' of your marketing and R&D people.

It could also be a great online game -- playing aganist friends.

I don't even think the basic concept would be that hard to program -- set up a string of random and historical events, make it human only, limit it to consoles, and see what happens -- if only I knew programming. :D

With the popularity of all these Tycoon games, plus simulations in general these days, I think this game could do really well! Especily if it was put out by a really old company like EA or Activision that could maybe even include some of their own games in it!

It could be called Video Game Tycoon. :-D

Oh well, if wishes were horses......

[Dire 51]

If I remember correctly, Sega did make a game along these lines - but only for the Dreamcast in Japan. I don't remember the title, but I know your goal was to keep Sega from going bankrupt, or something like that. Apparently several famous Sega characters appeared in it as well. Anyone else know what I'm talking about?

[Ed Oscuro]

Disney had a little project called "Dog Eat Dog." It was sold to Trilobyte -- the folks behind The 7th Guest -- who proceeded to sink yet more money into a game they didn't release.

Bad idea. Don't ever mention "Business Simulator" again on these boards, I beg of you! Please.

[Raccoon Lad]

or you could go in a slightly different direction and make a COLLECTING sim:

Earn enough money to go searching used game stores, fleas, thrifts, and garage sales.
Master teh art of the online auction and snipe your way to better prices.
create the ultimate game cleaning solution
take coursed in electronics repair to increase your console fixing skills.
*includes Virtual NES, now with more blinking blue screen of death!
Become the first person in the world to truely complete an atari 2600 collection, and RULE THE WORLD!!!.....of game collecting.

[gamergary]

If I remember correctly, Sega did make a game along these lines - but only for the Dreamcast in Japan. I don't remember the title, but I know your goal was to keep Sega from going bankrupt, or something like that. Apparently several famous Sega characters appeared in it as well. Anyone else know what I'm talking about?
I remember looking at the game in the Japan Report section of Tips and Tricks like a year or two ago.

[Sylentwulf]

or you could go in a slightly different direction and make a COLLECTING sim:

Earn enough money to go searching used game stores, fleas, thrifts, and garage sales.
Master teh art of the online auction and snipe your way to better prices.
create the ultimate game cleaning solution
take coursed in electronics repair to increase your console fixing skills.
*includes Virtual NES, now with more blinking blue screen of death!
Become the first person in the world to truely complete an atari 2600 collection, and RULE THE WORLD!!!.....of game collecting.

Wasn't this a homebrew for the 2600? Sounds really familiar.

[liquidmetal]

these are really good ideas...i like the collecting one...gotta bribe the mom for a ride to the local flea market..aahahah

[Daltone]

If I remember correctly, Sega did make a game along these lines - but only for the Dreamcast in Japan. I don't remember the title, but I know your goal was to keep Sega from going bankrupt, or something like that. Apparently several famous Sega characters appeared in it as well. Anyone else know what I'm talking about?
I remember looking at the game in the Japan Report section of Tips and Tricks like a year or two ago.

Was that Se-ga-ga? Or called something like that anyways.

[kevincure]

Yeah, it was called Segagaga. I'm not sure if it was ever released, but given the DC performance in Japan, it would have been the hardest game to beat ever made :-).

[Dire 51]

Segagaga! That's it! Thank you!

[liquidmetal]

sounds ike a baby...segagaga

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

How come no one, not even back in the days of shareware for the PC, has ever made a simulation/business game where you control a video game company?

I was lamenting the lack of just such a sim all the way back in one of Anthony's threads (http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=14829) a week or two ago. Actually, I still think it's a good idea - I've been hammering out a little bit of a game play document to see if it's something I could do either by myself (ha! unless you want it as an Apple II BASIC game...), or maybe get with someone much more code-crunching-inclined than myself as a collaborative project.

If anyone wants to do such a silly thing and knows their code, especially in terms of making it an online game, let me know. The ideas I'm coming up with are...interesting, to say the least. To some extent, I'd want it to be equal parts commentary on the industry...and parody. :)

[DDCecil]

I started working on a video game collecting game for the Megazeux program called NES Quest. You go around a town and must collect all 770+ releases. I hope to finish it one day, but it's on my non-working computer at the moment.

[liquidmetal]

nice..please finish it sounds cool

[SoulBlazer]

I happen to LOVE simulation games, thank you very much! Must be the historian in me.... :D

I mean, if we have a upcoming big-budget game from Activision where you can direct and make a movie, every aspect of it, then why not for computers or video games????

And what's the point in a Japanese only game if it never comes out over here? :( Figures, we miss out on all the best stuff......

[zmeston]

If anyone wants to do such a silly thing and knows their code, especially in terms of making it an online game, let me know. The ideas I'm coming up with are...interesting, to say the least. To some extent, I'd want it to be equal parts commentary on the industry...and parody. :)

The commentary/parody angle is absolutely the way to go with it. I can't imagine playing Video Game Tycoon (endorsed by Nolan Bushnell, who as we all know will endorse anything if the money is green) as a straight sim.

So what's the "end" of the game? When you produce the first Holodeck? When you evolve from a lowly PC budget publisher to a console blue-chipper like EA?

And has anyone played Segagaga? I'm curious how Sega approached this.

-- Z.

[GaijinPunch]

I've not played it, but I did own the LE at one time, but wound up selling it to someone that wanted it (came w/ a T-Shrit and some other goodies).

Basically, it's "Japanese" in that it's got chics w/ pink hair and all that jazz. you do run a company, which is the simulation part, but there are also simulation battles (a la Shining Force if I'm not mistaken) thrown in there for good measure.

All in all, it sold pretty well for Japan, given that it was towards the end of the DC days.

[Phosphor Dot Fossils]

So what's the "end" of the game? When you produce the first Holodeck? When you evolve from a lowly PC budget publisher to a console blue-chipper like EA?

The "you win if you get to be EA" thing kinda bugs me - they sure rake in the big bucks, don't they? But do they consistently turn out great games? Seems like "success" or "victory" in this sim would have to be a function not only of financial returns, but - for lack of a better descriptor - "audience appreciation."

I'll think more about the end of the game when I get to it; right now I'm still conjuring up very interesting ideas for the beginning. :D

[klimatron8]

"It's a building..that turns into a robot?"