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Back in the days, before we had hyper-realistic graphics and Digital surround sound integrated into our games, what were videogames like? Before Splinter Cell wowed players with it's shadow effects or before Resident Evil on the Gamecube stunned us with zombies so picture-perfect you could almost smell the rotted skin, what were games like? Take for example, my two favourite videogames of all time. Before you find out what they are, I shall just express that I am not an old-fashioned grandad who is stuck in the past - i have a PS2 and a Gamecube and massively enjoy games like Zelda, GTA, Pro Evo Soccer etc. But my two favourite games of all time? Pong, and Tetris.
What? Am I insane? I prefer those 2D black and white simple games over the epicness of Metal Gear Solid or the sheer realism of Full Spectrum warrior? Never!
No, it's true. Tetris, the classic game in which you assort falling shapes so they form lines at the bottom of the screen, a full line scoring points and fading away to allow more on-screen room; Pong, the simple game where you take control of a small rectangle and must return a 'ball' (white square on the screen) to your opposing rectangle with the aim being to get it past them and score points, kinda like tennis.
But why? Why prefer these simple, repetitive games over games of mass proportion and depth like Final Fantasy 10? One simple reason. They are fun.
It would seem the obvious reason to play a game, fun. And that is exactly what Pong and Tetris were. Simple games that were totally irrelevant to the world around them, that just allowed a means of quiet entertainment for a while, a kind of means of escapism of simple fun. And what makes them better than todays games? I have two examples to give, Final Fantasy X and Full Spectrum Warrior.
Technically Final Fantasy X isn't realistic as it's set in a fantasy world but the idea is that the world it creates is realistic so I think you can let me get away with it. Final Fantasy X, then, is not a game. It's an experience, in the same way a film is, and this comparison to films is highly relevant considering Final Fantasy X revolves 95% around its storyline and progressing in the tale.
But think back to the reasons I played Pong and Tetris - simple fun. Name one moment of FFX that is simple fun? Don't get it confused with engaging moments in the storyline, because whilst they do hold your attention they aren't fun , more... interesting. Some people might try and argue that the battles are fun - no, they aren't. Again, they hold the interest and require thought and deliver a feeling of satisfaction upon your success, but they aren't fun. Other people might argue that the mini-games are fun. Er, since when was Blitzball fun? I agree in the case of Final Fantasy 9 the cards game was simple, rewarding fun, so maybe there are exceptions to the rule.
Second example, Full Spectrum Warrior. It's so realistic you might actually convince yourself that you were once in the war and spend your retirement years lecturing uninteresed grandkids about it, but is it fun? Again, it's an engaging experience, but there's no element of fun.
But why is this such a bad thing? Sure, it's not all fun, but maybe it's just cool to immerse yourself in these worlds? True yeah, this is a solid point, in fact this counts for the same reason that people watch films or read books and in fact may help video-games become a respected franchise if they are on the same level as books and films. And I'm not saying I don't benefit either. One of my favourite game/experiences ever is ICO (PS2), and that game was totally an experience. There was no element of simple fun, but it delivered warmth and a storyline you really cared about. I also really love Final Fantasy 10, one of the games I used as an example against these type of games.
Well, the reason I bought it up is not because I haven't benefitted from the new style of 'games'/experiences, but just because I miss the old games. The last truly gamey game I bought was the wonderful Bishi Bashi Special, and I've had that since like 2000 so it's been 4 years cold turkey and I'm not so happy. There are examples of fun games that get released, the example that sprang to mind when i typed this was, strangely, Big Mutha Truckers, but these are all average titles that don't deliver the quick, simple fun of Pong.
The thing is, with Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid, Legend of Zelda, etc etc etc, you have to totally engage your brain into it, you have to concentrate on it, and when you get at that point it starts to affect you. You start to care about the game and the characters - I know I'm not the only one who was saddened by Aeris dying in Final Fantasy 7. And this is all wonderful, it's a beautiful thing, it's just with games like this getting all the sales and popularity, there's never any room for simple fun games, and I'm starting to think I may never see a simple, fun game be released ever again.
What? Am I insane? I prefer those 2D black and white simple games over the epicness of Metal Gear Solid or the sheer realism of Full Spectrum warrior? Never!
No, it's true. Tetris, the classic game in which you assort falling shapes so they form lines at the bottom of the screen, a full line scoring points and fading away to allow more on-screen room; Pong, the simple game where you take control of a small rectangle and must return a 'ball' (white square on the screen) to your opposing rectangle with the aim being to get it past them and score points, kinda like tennis.
But why? Why prefer these simple, repetitive games over games of mass proportion and depth like Final Fantasy 10? One simple reason. They are fun.
It would seem the obvious reason to play a game, fun. And that is exactly what Pong and Tetris were. Simple games that were totally irrelevant to the world around them, that just allowed a means of quiet entertainment for a while, a kind of means of escapism of simple fun. And what makes them better than todays games? I have two examples to give, Final Fantasy X and Full Spectrum Warrior.
Technically Final Fantasy X isn't realistic as it's set in a fantasy world but the idea is that the world it creates is realistic so I think you can let me get away with it. Final Fantasy X, then, is not a game. It's an experience, in the same way a film is, and this comparison to films is highly relevant considering Final Fantasy X revolves 95% around its storyline and progressing in the tale.
But think back to the reasons I played Pong and Tetris - simple fun. Name one moment of FFX that is simple fun? Don't get it confused with engaging moments in the storyline, because whilst they do hold your attention they aren't fun , more... interesting. Some people might try and argue that the battles are fun - no, they aren't. Again, they hold the interest and require thought and deliver a feeling of satisfaction upon your success, but they aren't fun. Other people might argue that the mini-games are fun. Er, since when was Blitzball fun? I agree in the case of Final Fantasy 9 the cards game was simple, rewarding fun, so maybe there are exceptions to the rule.
Second example, Full Spectrum Warrior. It's so realistic you might actually convince yourself that you were once in the war and spend your retirement years lecturing uninteresed grandkids about it, but is it fun? Again, it's an engaging experience, but there's no element of fun.
But why is this such a bad thing? Sure, it's not all fun, but maybe it's just cool to immerse yourself in these worlds? True yeah, this is a solid point, in fact this counts for the same reason that people watch films or read books and in fact may help video-games become a respected franchise if they are on the same level as books and films. And I'm not saying I don't benefit either. One of my favourite game/experiences ever is ICO (PS2), and that game was totally an experience. There was no element of simple fun, but it delivered warmth and a storyline you really cared about. I also really love Final Fantasy 10, one of the games I used as an example against these type of games.
Well, the reason I bought it up is not because I haven't benefitted from the new style of 'games'/experiences, but just because I miss the old games. The last truly gamey game I bought was the wonderful Bishi Bashi Special, and I've had that since like 2000 so it's been 4 years cold turkey and I'm not so happy. There are examples of fun games that get released, the example that sprang to mind when i typed this was, strangely, Big Mutha Truckers, but these are all average titles that don't deliver the quick, simple fun of Pong.
The thing is, with Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid, Legend of Zelda, etc etc etc, you have to totally engage your brain into it, you have to concentrate on it, and when you get at that point it starts to affect you. You start to care about the game and the characters - I know I'm not the only one who was saddened by Aeris dying in Final Fantasy 7. And this is all wonderful, it's a beautiful thing, it's just with games like this getting all the sales and popularity, there's never any room for simple fun games, and I'm starting to think I may never see a simple, fun game be released ever again.
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If these are the best games in more than one person's view then why don't designers just spend like a couple thousand developing a new game just like Pong or Tertris?
(supporting people who disagree with you, Asher)
a) people wouldn't enjoy them as much because they don't have any nostalgia behind them and so would be judged against current standards.
(supporting you)
b) games companies know that if they throw enough money at it they'll come up with some good graphics and a wicked marketing scheme and a fancy box cover. Where as a brilliant game idea like Tetris is actually alot harder to come up with and can't be bought.
(supporting people who disagree with you, Asher)
a) people wouldn't enjoy them as much because they don't have any nostalgia behind them and so would be judged against current standards.
(supporting you)
b) games companies know that if they throw enough money at it they'll come up with some good graphics and a wicked marketing scheme and a fancy box cover. Where as a brilliant game idea like Tetris is actually alot harder to come up with and can't be bought.
Simple fun is good, but it only lasts a short time. I could play pong for ten minutes and it'd be fun, but would it really hold my attention for twelve hours and more as does Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid etc? No, not really. These are games I can play until my legs are so seized up that I physically have to stop playing. Sod long haul flights, I'm more at risk of DVT from FFVII.
Maybe there is a joy in the simple things, and that's partly the selling point of Ico, but this simple fun you speak of from games like Pong only gets you so far. It's shallow. I like a great storyline. I like a game that can move me. A game that can sum up the human condition. Make me care.
Pong stinks, hence the name. So what if modern day games deliver a different kind of enjoyment? Why does that make them any less valid?
Maybe there is a joy in the simple things, and that's partly the selling point of Ico, but this simple fun you speak of from games like Pong only gets you so far. It's shallow. I like a great storyline. I like a game that can move me. A game that can sum up the human condition. Make me care.
Pong stinks, hence the name. So what if modern day games deliver a different kind of enjoyment? Why does that make them any less valid?
I'm all for older games, but Pong? Tetris?
Good grief.
Old games are great (SNES era and just before).
Really old games are sh*te.
Good grief.
Old games are great (SNES era and just before).
Really old games are sh*te.
I think you could never have to better graphics, but of course it depends what genre you are playing. But can you imagine a fps with 3d goggles on it owuld be like wearing glasses as you would see life like graphics if you shot someone it would be liek real life. Which thinking about could cause a little problem not only with protestors but i could see murder rates go up. But yeh i do belive that games can never realy have to better graphics.
I want Excitebike mainly, then maybe Mario or Zelda.
They're quality - Though so far I rate Ice Climber as the worst (out of those I've reviewed on here anyway)
yeah gotta get those classic nes gba games
Games have evolved. It's because of this Nintendo and Midway are able to cash in on classic games.
Edgy wrote:
> Just for the record - games haven't even come close to life-like
> graphics.
Yeah they do. They're intending to look like real-life, yeah technology can't create things that look like real life but they're close enough to it. Pong was two lines and a dot, it didn't need trees or weather effects to be good.
>
>
> It's not so much the graphics, but the styles of the games that have
> changed.
Exactly. And they aren't games any more.
> Just for the record - games haven't even come close to life-like
> graphics.
Yeah they do. They're intending to look like real-life, yeah technology can't create things that look like real life but they're close enough to it. Pong was two lines and a dot, it didn't need trees or weather effects to be good.
>
>
> It's not so much the graphics, but the styles of the games that have
> changed.
Exactly. And they aren't games any more.
b (sorry my computers messed up i can only see replies if i post in the thread otherwise its jst the original message)
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