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It seems a little pathetic that I'm going to carry on writing when you probably already know exactly what this discussion is about, just from the two word topic heading...
Anyway, here we go. My thoughts.
Technically speaking, games are getting better all the time. Better graphics, better sound, better user interfaces (control systems and pads, menus), more possibilities, and whether you like to admit it or not, better gameplay.
Are they getting more fun to play? If so, will they continue to become more and more fun as they get more and more advanced? Could they become the ultimate addiction device? If not, why not?
On the surface of it, despite my liking for the games I grew up with, I'd have to concede that yes, games are getting more fun to play. From an unbiased point of view, Soul Calibur is clearly better than Street Fighter 2. Sega Rally 2 is undeniably more fun than outrun. Zelda: Majora's Mask, is obviously more fun to play than mystic quest. You get the idea.
Why am I not in ectasy now then, seeing as I really enjoyed those older games when they were first out?
I used to think that this was to do with being younger, and more easily entertained, but now I've a diffeent take on it.
I think it comes down to experience. Like it or not, humans are driven by the need to experience new things. When I first started playing games, the amount to experience was overwhelming. No matter what games are released now, they can't offer me what those older games used to. A game may be good, but if you play it long enough you'll get bored of it, and go in search of a new experience.
As the 'fun' curve (shaped rather like a learning curve) slowly levels off, as the leaps in technology become less significant, are we heading towards the point where there won't be anything much new to experience? It's all fine for the novice gamer who has it all to learn, but what keeps the rest of us playing?
I could mention sequels, and how their keeping the same characters and plot lessens their impact, but I won't.
I could mention multiplayer games, and how their evolving nature keeps the experience new and the game appealing, but I won't.
I could mention several things, but I've made my point, and I want to leave things open to discussion.
Thoughts?
Anyway, here we go. My thoughts.
Technically speaking, games are getting better all the time. Better graphics, better sound, better user interfaces (control systems and pads, menus), more possibilities, and whether you like to admit it or not, better gameplay.
Are they getting more fun to play? If so, will they continue to become more and more fun as they get more and more advanced? Could they become the ultimate addiction device? If not, why not?
On the surface of it, despite my liking for the games I grew up with, I'd have to concede that yes, games are getting more fun to play. From an unbiased point of view, Soul Calibur is clearly better than Street Fighter 2. Sega Rally 2 is undeniably more fun than outrun. Zelda: Majora's Mask, is obviously more fun to play than mystic quest. You get the idea.
Why am I not in ectasy now then, seeing as I really enjoyed those older games when they were first out?
I used to think that this was to do with being younger, and more easily entertained, but now I've a diffeent take on it.
I think it comes down to experience. Like it or not, humans are driven by the need to experience new things. When I first started playing games, the amount to experience was overwhelming. No matter what games are released now, they can't offer me what those older games used to. A game may be good, but if you play it long enough you'll get bored of it, and go in search of a new experience.
As the 'fun' curve (shaped rather like a learning curve) slowly levels off, as the leaps in technology become less significant, are we heading towards the point where there won't be anything much new to experience? It's all fine for the novice gamer who has it all to learn, but what keeps the rest of us playing?
I could mention sequels, and how their keeping the same characters and plot lessens their impact, but I won't.
I could mention multiplayer games, and how their evolving nature keeps the experience new and the game appealing, but I won't.
I could mention several things, but I've made my point, and I want to leave things open to discussion.
Thoughts?
It's usually a case of older games not being as good as you remember...
Other than that, it's probably down to hype.
back in the old days, you picked a game off the shelves and played it and liked it for what it was.
There was no big deal about style.
If it was something new then you liked it.
If it was like the other games you had then you liked it.
Every game was a new experience.
Nowdays you probably plan to buy a game long before it's released. You already have expectations for it.
Because games cost about 30 quid and you're paying yourself, only buy one game at a time to last you rather than just get new games when you feel like it.
Also, you have more ambition to play a game right through.
You play it until you finish it.
When you were younger, you probably left game incomplete and came back to them for the fun of it, not simply to complete them.
You now play games until you're bored with them.
It's mainly down to the fact that you finish them with you gaming skills much more easily and there's not so much to learn in terms of gameplay.
And when you finish one game, you start hyping yourself over the next, long before it even hits the shop's shelves.
Other than that, it's probably down to hype.
back in the old days, you picked a game off the shelves and played it and liked it for what it was.
There was no big deal about style.
If it was something new then you liked it.
If it was like the other games you had then you liked it.
Every game was a new experience.
Nowdays you probably plan to buy a game long before it's released. You already have expectations for it.
Because games cost about 30 quid and you're paying yourself, only buy one game at a time to last you rather than just get new games when you feel like it.
Also, you have more ambition to play a game right through.
You play it until you finish it.
When you were younger, you probably left game incomplete and came back to them for the fun of it, not simply to complete them.
You now play games until you're bored with them.
It's mainly down to the fact that you finish them with you gaming skills much more easily and there's not so much to learn in terms of gameplay.
And when you finish one game, you start hyping yourself over the next, long before it even hits the shop's shelves.
This new experience you talk about, well I'll have to agree with you on those terms. No longer am I over the moon to play on a new game, I no longer care about release dates and I'm not too bothered about all the publicity about it. What I do want though it something that is new and offers a challenge.
Sequels aren't a bad thing, you just need to give them something new that hasn't been seen before and that is what most of them do and films can't do. Racing games are the hardest to improve on as there is not a lot you can do, add a few tracks, make it more realistic and a some more options and thats about it.
What we now need is too concentrate on these things that we want and grow them into something far better....
Nice post and keep it up.
Sequels aren't a bad thing, you just need to give them something new that hasn't been seen before and that is what most of them do and films can't do. Racing games are the hardest to improve on as there is not a lot you can do, add a few tracks, make it more realistic and a some more options and thats about it.
What we now need is too concentrate on these things that we want and grow them into something far better....
Nice post and keep it up.
They way I see it, is that there will be plenty of games to come... we won't get bored of games ever. There are new franchises replacing the old ones every month.
One major aspect of the gameplay is the genre.... we've seen quite a few top games see a change in the way their played. I don't really know how to put this, because i've only had about 6 hours sleep... but what would you say to a First-Person PokÈmon adventure? - A Skies of Arcadia Platform game... how about a Final Fantasy 3d adventure? The games around today have so much potential, and the developers know it... this is why I think we'll be seeing more changes to the genre and graphics - a la 'The Legend of Cel-da'
The main reason gaming will never die is because there is a fresh batch of people who will be gaming mad - like us!
But as you've said, that isn't the problem... us getting bored of gaming -could- be a danger, but I don't think it will be. There are two many decent developers out there and even people like Bonus and Aliboy (?) who'll bring new ideas to gaming when they get into proper development...
To be honest I don't think we have anything to worry about, people must have throught this when the Dreamcast came out - mind you, some of the DC stuff is the best stuff around!
Game
One major aspect of the gameplay is the genre.... we've seen quite a few top games see a change in the way their played. I don't really know how to put this, because i've only had about 6 hours sleep... but what would you say to a First-Person PokÈmon adventure? - A Skies of Arcadia Platform game... how about a Final Fantasy 3d adventure? The games around today have so much potential, and the developers know it... this is why I think we'll be seeing more changes to the genre and graphics - a la 'The Legend of Cel-da'
The main reason gaming will never die is because there is a fresh batch of people who will be gaming mad - like us!
But as you've said, that isn't the problem... us getting bored of gaming -could- be a danger, but I don't think it will be. There are two many decent developers out there and even people like Bonus and Aliboy (?) who'll bring new ideas to gaming when they get into proper development...
To be honest I don't think we have anything to worry about, people must have throught this when the Dreamcast came out - mind you, some of the DC stuff is the best stuff around!
Game
It seems a little pathetic that I'm going to carry on writing when you probably already know exactly what this discussion is about, just from the two word topic heading...
Anyway, here we go. My thoughts.
Technically speaking, games are getting better all the time. Better graphics, better sound, better user interfaces (control systems and pads, menus), more possibilities, and whether you like to admit it or not, better gameplay.
Are they getting more fun to play? If so, will they continue to become more and more fun as they get more and more advanced? Could they become the ultimate addiction device? If not, why not?
On the surface of it, despite my liking for the games I grew up with, I'd have to concede that yes, games are getting more fun to play. From an unbiased point of view, Soul Calibur is clearly better than Street Fighter 2. Sega Rally 2 is undeniably more fun than outrun. Zelda: Majora's Mask, is obviously more fun to play than mystic quest. You get the idea.
Why am I not in ectasy now then, seeing as I really enjoyed those older games when they were first out?
I used to think that this was to do with being younger, and more easily entertained, but now I've a diffeent take on it.
I think it comes down to experience. Like it or not, humans are driven by the need to experience new things. When I first started playing games, the amount to experience was overwhelming. No matter what games are released now, they can't offer me what those older games used to. A game may be good, but if you play it long enough you'll get bored of it, and go in search of a new experience.
As the 'fun' curve (shaped rather like a learning curve) slowly levels off, as the leaps in technology become less significant, are we heading towards the point where there won't be anything much new to experience? It's all fine for the novice gamer who has it all to learn, but what keeps the rest of us playing?
I could mention sequels, and how their keeping the same characters and plot lessens their impact, but I won't.
I could mention multiplayer games, and how their evolving nature keeps the experience new and the game appealing, but I won't.
I could mention several things, but I've made my point, and I want to leave things open to discussion.
Thoughts?
Anyway, here we go. My thoughts.
Technically speaking, games are getting better all the time. Better graphics, better sound, better user interfaces (control systems and pads, menus), more possibilities, and whether you like to admit it or not, better gameplay.
Are they getting more fun to play? If so, will they continue to become more and more fun as they get more and more advanced? Could they become the ultimate addiction device? If not, why not?
On the surface of it, despite my liking for the games I grew up with, I'd have to concede that yes, games are getting more fun to play. From an unbiased point of view, Soul Calibur is clearly better than Street Fighter 2. Sega Rally 2 is undeniably more fun than outrun. Zelda: Majora's Mask, is obviously more fun to play than mystic quest. You get the idea.
Why am I not in ectasy now then, seeing as I really enjoyed those older games when they were first out?
I used to think that this was to do with being younger, and more easily entertained, but now I've a diffeent take on it.
I think it comes down to experience. Like it or not, humans are driven by the need to experience new things. When I first started playing games, the amount to experience was overwhelming. No matter what games are released now, they can't offer me what those older games used to. A game may be good, but if you play it long enough you'll get bored of it, and go in search of a new experience.
As the 'fun' curve (shaped rather like a learning curve) slowly levels off, as the leaps in technology become less significant, are we heading towards the point where there won't be anything much new to experience? It's all fine for the novice gamer who has it all to learn, but what keeps the rest of us playing?
I could mention sequels, and how their keeping the same characters and plot lessens their impact, but I won't.
I could mention multiplayer games, and how their evolving nature keeps the experience new and the game appealing, but I won't.
I could mention several things, but I've made my point, and I want to leave things open to discussion.
Thoughts?