Good things about gaming

[davepesc]

I felt we needed this, based on all the "sky is falling" threads about gaming going to hell in a bucket.

Surely, with video games making gobs of money and consolees in a huge percentage of homes, there must be something good about gaming in the modern landscape... so what is there?

Online gaming? I have never done this, but at least in theory, it would be great to be able to find a human opponent at any time. I think chat is a must, or else I figure it would be more or less like playing against the computer.

Choices? For the first time, there are 3 successful current gen game systems. Each one caters to a particular demographic, whether they like to admit to it or not. Sure, a lot of games hit 2 or all 3 consoles, but the exclusives make each one different.

Graphics? Face it, good graphics are better than bad graphics. Yes, gameplay is king, but all things equal, I'll take the pretty thing, please.

So, quit bitching for a minute and tell me why you STILL play games, even if they do suck.

[smokehouse]

I don’t view it as all doom and gloom for the gaming market. Sure, as a retro and mainly 2D gamer, I don’t like many of the games out today (hell, I probably dislike 95% of them) BUT there are some nuggets of gold amongst the garbage.

Current gaming has become a dumpster dive of sorts. You have to wade through piles of crap just to get that one great item. Games like Paper Mario 2, Windwaker, Final Fantasy X (X, NOT X-2 or XI), the Resident Evil titles, Metal Gear, Gran Turismo and many others would not be possible on older systems. Sure, gaming has gone full mainstream and with that comes a lot of crap. Poser gamers (Yep, they exist), stupid gimmicks, MTV specials and Bill Gates rambling about gaming (who really gives a crap what that hack thinks?).

Worst of all you get the “new” retro collectors who are competition for us.

One true positive is that I no longer feel the need to rush out and get the new systems on release day like I used to. I just sit back patiently and wait for not only the prices to drop but for the decent titles to trickle out.

All-in-all I’m glad to say that I was alive and aware during the golden time of gaming (1987-1994). Now, depending who you’re talking to, this may be different but to me, it’s spot on. On the other hand, I’m looking forward to the next gen consoles.

[stalepie]

I play games mainly for the graphics and music. And the graphics and music were better in the old days, say the 8-bit days, than they are now. I mean they had more vitality and intrigue and character; they had more heart and soul. New games are just made by dull, adolescent jerks.

I do like the King's Field series. Haven't gotten to the PS2 version yet, but the old Playstation ones were very mysterious and interesting. They moved so damn slow, but you could really feel immersed in them, and you could tell the designers were sincere about their work, and didn't care so much about winning the awards.


(by the way, I'm new in town. Sorry to sound like such a grouch in my first post. Hah. But the name's Matthew. Mike at OPCFG knows me. Nice place you got here...)

[Kid Ice]

Griping about the sorry state of modern console games is sort of a tradition here in the classic gaming community (even six or seven years ago when the games were still good)

So I'll choose a rather unlikely "positive" here...retrogaming compilations. Individual comps are getting more and more games, and we're getting further and further into the old archives. Sure, these titles are old news to us who have been MAMEing it up for years now, but it's still nice to have them out in the mainstream.

[stargate]

well, here is my input:

1. system and game prices have stayed about the same for the past 25 or so years. that's pretty amazing considering the price of everything else has skyrocketed.

2. online gaming. pretty amazing to play with hundreds of other gamers from the comfort of your bedroom 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week. this should be a staple on the next gen systems from now on and will soon be an option on every game.

3. 3D graphics FINALLY coming around. I have always hated 3D graphics, mainly because of the blocky textures and horrendous camera angles. But, the technology is finally getting to a point where I am starting to believe there is hope. and it's only going to keep getting better.

4. IMO game developers are starting to push the envelope a bit and we are seeing games that try to offer something unique and different. there was a time when all we saw were fighters, shooters, platformers, and sports games and they all seemed like carbon copies of something else. Things appear to be changing and I have a feeling we will see some interesting games along with the next gen systems.

I have been a gamer since the mid-late 70's (or whenever the first batch of home pong systems came out) and I still love it. If anyone wants to complain about the current state of gaming, just be thankful you weren't around when the Atari 2600 was the only game in town.

[Slimedog]

Overall, I like the current state of gaming. From my current gen systems (all 3) I've played around 100 games. Of those, I found 4 bad ones, 10-15 average and the rest were quite fun and easy to recommend. I love my NES and I play my older systems frequently and I have to say that this market is less tolerant of bad games than back in the NES days.

I even like the way the genre themes have been evolving. In platformers, I like pointless collecting more than just running to the right. I prefer unlockables to button codes and in the grand scheme, unlockables are a fairly recent game mechanic. In RPGs I'm seeing fewer random monsters and more robust combat mechanics. I honestly like having more options than (F)ight, (M)agic and (R)un. While I do wish we had more of them, I really am loving the modern day shmups.

The graphics and sound are indeed improved by hardware and this unshackle the artists. Do you really think game artists who have been in the industry for years would go back to the 8 bit days? No, because current tools allow them to more accurately convey their artistic vision.

Well, thats my two cents.

[smokehouse]

I have to say that I’ve neglected the never platform titles. As a matter of fact I’ve neglected many newer titles. I had a PS2, I sold it, I had an Xbox, I sold it as well. The only system I’ve been able to hold onto is my Gamecube. I guess I simply don’t have the patience to sort through the crap anymore. What amazes me is the fact that the next gen consoles are already coming out. Possibly it’s my age but it seems like it was just yesterday that the Dreamcast and the PS2 were coming out. I will say that I’m still impressed by the GC and the Xbox, they both still look amazing at time. The Xbox running at full bore and with full Dolby Digital is a sight to behold. What the next generation holds is simply more than I can imagine. Gaming at full 1080p?! I can’t wait to see what it looks like.

Something that I am excited about is what Nintendo has in store for us all. I think they’ve seen the writing on the wall when their competition is concerned. They simply can’t compete against Sony and Microsoft in this next round. They seem to be taking gaming to a different level, not a higher on per say, just a different one. Kind of a step sideways. Being able to download classic titles at any time would be great although we’ll have to see won’t we?

[boatofcar]

So I'll choose a rather unlikely "positive" here...retrogaming compilations.

Ding ding ding! We have a winner!

[MrRoboto19XX]

Amen to that!

How about how so many great games can be had for cheap because theyre on cd/dvd. No more $40 cartriges being a good buy!

[Haoie]

It's good that video gaming still exists after all these years. From history, it seems a lot of people considered it a fad, not unlike the digital watch.

Let the good times roll?