The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Would you agree with me?
I think, that today, and for the best part of the last few years, PC games have gone from charismatic masterpieces, to dull, gloomy masterpieces...
I mean, lets compare some of the games to console games... We have Commandos 2, which despite being a great war RPG almost lacks that certain kick that might attract gamers... I know for the older gamers it's almost perfect, but in general it doesn't have that aura about it that say another RPG/Strategy like PIKMIN might...
Now I know what you're thinkning... yuo're doing that stupid 'Uhhhh!' thing that people did about 6 years ago... so stopiit ouy look stupid - I know PIKMIN is a different game for a different audience, but you have to see where i'm coming from...
A lot of PC graphics look faded and seem to lack colour... I mean compare a PC game like Tomb Raider to Jak and Daxter (Ulgh! - Talking about PS2 games :D) and you can see just how big a contrast there is between the formats...
I know I might not make much sense, but do you understand what I mean? PC games to me seem to lack the body that a lot of console games have... it isn't all about colour, but to me, a console gamer, what the PC offers seems a litte mundane... Yes I know there are a lot of ports (Red Faction, Tomb Raider, Fifa), but a lot of the time the graphics do seem faded, in comparison to the games Nintendo and Playstation counterparts.
PC gaming, as you may have heard, has never really hit out at me... nothing on the PC/Mac has even said, "...look at me.. i'm a great, new and exciting game..." I've looked at boxes and i've read reviews, even played demo's, but there is something so different about PC games that makes them seem so reserved and urbane (well-to-do), but at the same time lacklustre... and it makes console games seem so much more attractive...
I liked age of Empires II and the football games look quite polished, but there's something about PC games that makes me stay away...
I just don't know what it is....
Anyone else feel like this?
Game
I think, that today, and for the best part of the last few years, PC games have gone from charismatic masterpieces, to dull, gloomy masterpieces...
I mean, lets compare some of the games to console games... We have Commandos 2, which despite being a great war RPG almost lacks that certain kick that might attract gamers... I know for the older gamers it's almost perfect, but in general it doesn't have that aura about it that say another RPG/Strategy like PIKMIN might...
Now I know what you're thinkning... yuo're doing that stupid 'Uhhhh!' thing that people did about 6 years ago... so stopiit ouy look stupid - I know PIKMIN is a different game for a different audience, but you have to see where i'm coming from...
A lot of PC graphics look faded and seem to lack colour... I mean compare a PC game like Tomb Raider to Jak and Daxter (Ulgh! - Talking about PS2 games :D) and you can see just how big a contrast there is between the formats...
I know I might not make much sense, but do you understand what I mean? PC games to me seem to lack the body that a lot of console games have... it isn't all about colour, but to me, a console gamer, what the PC offers seems a litte mundane... Yes I know there are a lot of ports (Red Faction, Tomb Raider, Fifa), but a lot of the time the graphics do seem faded, in comparison to the games Nintendo and Playstation counterparts.
PC gaming, as you may have heard, has never really hit out at me... nothing on the PC/Mac has even said, "...look at me.. i'm a great, new and exciting game..." I've looked at boxes and i've read reviews, even played demo's, but there is something so different about PC games that makes them seem so reserved and urbane (well-to-do), but at the same time lacklustre... and it makes console games seem so much more attractive...
I liked age of Empires II and the football games look quite polished, but there's something about PC games that makes me stay away...
I just don't know what it is....
Anyone else feel like this?
Game
Page:
Well most games these days do have excellent graphics and advances are being made in leaps and bounds. I'm sure we all remember the time when a decent excuse for a turnip was a funny shaped white blob on our screens (well no we maybe don't). Nowadays you can not only have the purple bit at the top but all sorts of lines, textures and contours that look ultra realistic. You might hurt your nose in the confusion of whether the turnip is real or not. Anyway, that doesn't mean that anything is lost in gameplay. in the old days typing in a couple of words could be considered a big advancement in gameplay, and the more words the game understood the better. Yes that's right text adventures, but then they got pictures too and this didn't take anything away from the hours of fun you could have typing in rude words and seeing if the game responded. Oh, or trying to complete the adventure of course.
With gameplay advancing all the time people are generally going to expect an improvement in every new game and this probably wouldn't work without graphics improving as well. For example, would you be happy with a game that is entirely text with no pictures? You'd probably rather have a book and save the extra money (What's a book you ask? I really am old fashioned). The improvment of graphics is entirely a good thing and doesn't do anything to the detriment of the gaming industry. Now it is possible that a game with good graphics will be bad but this is most likely down to bad design or something similar. Top of the range graphics aren't necessary to make a good game but there is a bottom of the range and some games could be unplayable because of bad graphics.
It is true that graphics aren't the most important thing in games. There are plenty of games that bring whole new methods of gaming to the gaming table and some don't make any progress in graphics at all. More often than not though you'll see that games try to make advancements in all areas at the same time, graphics, gameplay, level design the lot. This is not a bad thing and we can't really complain. Recent RPGs are a good example of all ahead advancement. Baldur's Gate made a big mark with it's new style, good graphics and brilliant storyline. Then the creators of Baldur's Gate just kept improving everything through Planescape: Torment, Baldur's Gate 2, Icewind Dale and some others. Every one brought some improvement and/or new experience. In the future we will see Neverwinter Nights which brings with it the promise of excellent 3D graphics and the ability to make your own adventures. If all goes well it should be another super smash hit and we should all be happier for it.
With gameplay advancing all the time people are generally going to expect an improvement in every new game and this probably wouldn't work without graphics improving as well. For example, would you be happy with a game that is entirely text with no pictures? You'd probably rather have a book and save the extra money (What's a book you ask? I really am old fashioned). The improvment of graphics is entirely a good thing and doesn't do anything to the detriment of the gaming industry. Now it is possible that a game with good graphics will be bad but this is most likely down to bad design or something similar. Top of the range graphics aren't necessary to make a good game but there is a bottom of the range and some games could be unplayable because of bad graphics.
It is true that graphics aren't the most important thing in games. There are plenty of games that bring whole new methods of gaming to the gaming table and some don't make any progress in graphics at all. More often than not though you'll see that games try to make advancements in all areas at the same time, graphics, gameplay, level design the lot. This is not a bad thing and we can't really complain. Recent RPGs are a good example of all ahead advancement. Baldur's Gate made a big mark with it's new style, good graphics and brilliant storyline. Then the creators of Baldur's Gate just kept improving everything through Planescape: Torment, Baldur's Gate 2, Icewind Dale and some others. Every one brought some improvement and/or new experience. In the future we will see Neverwinter Nights which brings with it the promise of excellent 3D graphics and the ability to make your own adventures. If all goes well it should be another super smash hit and we should all be happier for it.
I think that you are looking too deep in to the graphics and visual content of games. But I do agree on a distinct lack of originallity. When i was younger and i had my Spectrum 48K+ (not the +, i upgraded it myself from rubber to plastic!) i had a game called Skool Daze. Quite an original game where you had to steal your school report, fire catapaults, punch kids, and generally be unruley. The graphics compare to todays games were terrible but the playability was there. It was a hard game, it took about 3 hours to complete and there was none of this saving malarky you had to be consistently good for three hours.
Last year a guy decided to remake the game on PC, I can't remember exactly what he called it but he made it with lovely graphics and sound, new characters etc but it lost the verve that made it what it was.
I personally don't care if a game looks terrible as long as it plays well and has something of a challenge to offer me. The only exception i make to this is GTA3. The original was not exactly graphically amazing but hugely playable and the introduction of the 3D world has vastly improved the game.
Therefore i will contradict myself and make my comment null and void but will still say it's all about the gameplay. Look at Tetris - the worlds most popular game, it's hardly graphically superior now is it?
Last year a guy decided to remake the game on PC, I can't remember exactly what he called it but he made it with lovely graphics and sound, new characters etc but it lost the verve that made it what it was.
I personally don't care if a game looks terrible as long as it plays well and has something of a challenge to offer me. The only exception i make to this is GTA3. The original was not exactly graphically amazing but hugely playable and the introduction of the 3D world has vastly improved the game.
Therefore i will contradict myself and make my comment null and void but will still say it's all about the gameplay. Look at Tetris - the worlds most popular game, it's hardly graphically superior now is it?
2 wins in one topic.
This must be the lucky topic!
:-)
This must be the lucky topic!
:-)
I'm sorry, but I have to say this, Half Life is what, 2/3 years old? Thats a long time in gaming, and Half Life is still far better than 90% of console games. I wouldnt change my PC for anything. Its far more powerful than any console, can do far more things, is sooooo much more fun and you dont have to keep shelling out for a new one, just upgrade when you can. The PC will never die. People will always release games on it because new, upcoming companies can program for the PC much easier than they can for a console. As 1 company dies, another is born. And why is everyone going on about Lionhead not making PC games anymore??? That isnt what they said, and they only ever made one dcent PC game anyway.
The Game wrote:
> Out of all those games only 2 were non-FPS games... i'm talking about games in
> general... not the games you decide to pick out to argue with me!
Didn't I cover a wide enough range? I got RPGs, MMORPGs, MMOFPSs, FPSs and everything but RTSs apparently. The thing is that there are an awful lot of PC Games, more than any other format I should think and a lot of them don't come up to the high standards PC Gamers expect. Like Big Brother, that's rubbish and various attempts at Dracula games. It's the good games like Black & White that matter because they are the ones we buy.
> Out of all those games only 2 were non-FPS games... i'm talking about games in
> general... not the games you decide to pick out to argue with me!
Didn't I cover a wide enough range? I got RPGs, MMORPGs, MMOFPSs, FPSs and everything but RTSs apparently. The thing is that there are an awful lot of PC Games, more than any other format I should think and a lot of them don't come up to the high standards PC Gamers expect. Like Big Brother, that's rubbish and various attempts at Dracula games. It's the good games like Black & White that matter because they are the ones we buy.
Bonus wrote:
>>>The Game wrote:
>>>*...Dreams of a world full of Ninties......*
>>>:D
>Keep it real sonny.
Okay....
*...Dreams of a brightly coloured world, with lots of flowers, full of Ninties...*
:D
>>>The Game wrote:
>>>*...Dreams of a world full of Ninties......*
>>>:D
>Keep it real sonny.
Okay....
*...Dreams of a brightly coloured world, with lots of flowers, full of Ninties...*
:D
The Game wrote:
> *...Dreams of a world full of Ninties...... *
:D
Keep it real sonny.
> *...Dreams of a world full of Ninties...... *
:D
Keep it real sonny.
Out of all those games only 2 were non-FPS games... i'm talking about games in general... not the games you decide to pick out to argue with me!
I only read the title, so I thought this thread was about dodgy PC lighting effects...
What a load of cobblers! "PC games lack flair" HA! Anyone heard of Max Payne? The greatest action game since half life, easily, and frankly one of the best games ever created. I also don't agree that PC gaming began with Half Life. Anyone played Doom? how about C&C, Dune 2, Wolfenstein 3D, even Secret Agent for crying out loud. All years before half life and all classics.
My question is this: What is it that you want from PC games? If you want great presentation, try Max Payne. If you want accuracy, simulation, and hence immersion, try Operation Flashpoint. Great plot and depth? Deus Ex, or maybe Arcanum or Fallout.
In fact, why am I writing this when I could be playing games like Max Payne right n...
My question is this: What is it that you want from PC games? If you want great presentation, try Max Payne. If you want accuracy, simulation, and hence immersion, try Operation Flashpoint. Great plot and depth? Deus Ex, or maybe Arcanum or Fallout.
In fact, why am I writing this when I could be playing games like Max Payne right n...
Page: