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I had never really realised why I liked gaming so much. What was so special about grabbing hold of a control pad, watching a TV screen and pressing buttons to handle a character or object. It didn't occur to me how much I loved games until I looked at all the consoles and games I acquired over the years. It’s not something that I can explain in a few sentences to give someone a real idea as to why I like gaming, so if you would like to see then read on.
In the beginning.
To be honest, I can’t even remember such things as Tetris and Pong or even PacMan. The first thing I remember was the Amiga. I thought it was a computer, and I thought that a computer could only organise files and such things. At first I wasn’t really interested. Surely but shortly, I noticed it wasn’t just a file organiser but a game computer also. The first game I can remember was 'Rainbow Islands' - A brilliant platform game that I was addicted to immediately. I don’t know what attracted me though. The bright colours? The cute characters? The fun? The action? I’m really not so sure.
I think my parents noticed my love when they couldn’t get me off the Amiga when I was playing Rainbow Islands. It was the first game that I fully completed, and I loved every minute of it. I remember the time I completed it first, a monumental occasion in my gaming life. I must have been around 6 years old so the feeling of completing a task you set yourself was immense. My happiness, relief and such proud feeling only fuelled my desire.
Even after completing the game a few times, I still went back to play it. Maybe it was because I didn’t have anything else or was it because the game was that good? Why did I like it that much?
I was rewarded, by my parents, with a new game every so often. I was taken to a small shop, with a distinctive smell, where I could choose a single game from a massive collection of boxes. Not knowing what they were all about I had the shopkeeper to tell me a little about them. As time went on my collection of games grew. Games such as ‘Zool’, ‘Cannon Fodder’, ‘Exile’, ‘Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters’, ‘Emerald Mines’ and so on, all sneaked their way into my collection. For some reason, I didn’t have any dislikes to any of these games that I chose myself. The only games that I didn’t like were the ones that my dad played. And that still applies today. I loved each and every one of them up to the point where I completed them on many occasions. Even after this I would still go back to them and play. Maybe this was a reason I enjoyed those games so much. I could continue to play over and over without getting tired, even though I knew what would happen.
Personally, I don’t like to do things more than once. Like watching a film. If I watched it once and found it to be alright I still wouldn’t want to watch it over and over. Back then, the games I played kept me addicted and I had no problem do the same levels more than once. I actually even wanted to do this.
Could this be the reason? They’re so addicting. Nothing specific special about them but just as you start, you can’t stop.
It couldn’t have been anything to do with the visuals. I wasn’t to bothered about graphics back then. Afterall, the 2D sprites that were in all games didn’t seem to challenge eachother, it was the story and objective that addicted me and many others that counted the most. Just as long as I knew what something was supposed to be it was good enough for me.
Then came the next generation… for me.
Being all wrapped up in my Amiga games, the consoles such as the MegaDrive and Super Nintendo didn’t catch my eye. Therefore, the next generation of gaming, for me, was the Sony Playstation. Even then I didn’t know what a Playstation was until my next door neighbour got one as a Christmas present. I was really stunned to see the graphic changes and even the disks. CD’s were a whole new thing to me. A new gaming experience opened up. I started to consider graphic quality but it still didn’t hold so much power over my decision as to what games were good or not.
Knowing all the terms of each of the game genres, I knew a little of what I could expect from each game. Having a little more money aswell I could afford to spend more. I particularly liked sports simulation games. They gave me an experience true to life. Watching things on TV like sports I saw all the little tricks, turns, results and sheer excitement brought by every match. To reproduce these small things in a game put a smile on my face. Doing things like taking a ball around David Beckham, running 30 yards and then shooting a ball into the back of the net were such things people couldn’t do in real life. So the alternative was games. That’s a good enough reason for me to turn to games.
Up to now, the gaming market has gone mad. We’re in a situation where there are more consoles out that the decision is long and hard. And even that choice doesn’t go down well with most people. You would have to look back at your gaming roots to see which console you think you would prefer the most from what games they all have to offer. For me, it was the PS2. Owning a Playstaion previously and not knowing that the market would explode a year later… it was the only choice.
These new consoles all seem to have something I might like. From my original roots 10 or so years ago, owning one computer with a few games I played to death to a very wide market of giant consoles each having hundreds of games. I don’t know what to think anymore. I know I can’t have them all so what the developers give us these days must be good to stand out from the crowds and persuade me to purchase. Like all the old games on the Amiga, I want something that will challenge me. However, I feel that some game developers these days aren’t putting the time and thought into their games to give us gamers what we deserve. I can’t help but think that gaming will never be the same again, which it won’t. It’s hard to change from one thing to another. I just hope I’m not going blind on the gaming front and can’t see the good titles from the bad, without considering the hype that surrounds each game these days.
So, that’s what it is.
I enjoy a challenge. Something with a good storyline that lets me recreate natural things that happen in real life. An addictive element has to be implemented somewhere in the game, just to keep me playing. I do enjoy stunning visuals, nice effects and everything else but that’s not a definitive area for me. Putting me in the shoes of a game character to complete an objective so that I feel good and proud of myself. Yeah, that’s it.
Thanks for sharing my thoughts, feel free to show your own gaming roots and thoughts.
In the beginning.
To be honest, I can’t even remember such things as Tetris and Pong or even PacMan. The first thing I remember was the Amiga. I thought it was a computer, and I thought that a computer could only organise files and such things. At first I wasn’t really interested. Surely but shortly, I noticed it wasn’t just a file organiser but a game computer also. The first game I can remember was 'Rainbow Islands' - A brilliant platform game that I was addicted to immediately. I don’t know what attracted me though. The bright colours? The cute characters? The fun? The action? I’m really not so sure.
I think my parents noticed my love when they couldn’t get me off the Amiga when I was playing Rainbow Islands. It was the first game that I fully completed, and I loved every minute of it. I remember the time I completed it first, a monumental occasion in my gaming life. I must have been around 6 years old so the feeling of completing a task you set yourself was immense. My happiness, relief and such proud feeling only fuelled my desire.
Even after completing the game a few times, I still went back to play it. Maybe it was because I didn’t have anything else or was it because the game was that good? Why did I like it that much?
I was rewarded, by my parents, with a new game every so often. I was taken to a small shop, with a distinctive smell, where I could choose a single game from a massive collection of boxes. Not knowing what they were all about I had the shopkeeper to tell me a little about them. As time went on my collection of games grew. Games such as ‘Zool’, ‘Cannon Fodder’, ‘Exile’, ‘Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters’, ‘Emerald Mines’ and so on, all sneaked their way into my collection. For some reason, I didn’t have any dislikes to any of these games that I chose myself. The only games that I didn’t like were the ones that my dad played. And that still applies today. I loved each and every one of them up to the point where I completed them on many occasions. Even after this I would still go back to them and play. Maybe this was a reason I enjoyed those games so much. I could continue to play over and over without getting tired, even though I knew what would happen.
Personally, I don’t like to do things more than once. Like watching a film. If I watched it once and found it to be alright I still wouldn’t want to watch it over and over. Back then, the games I played kept me addicted and I had no problem do the same levels more than once. I actually even wanted to do this.
Could this be the reason? They’re so addicting. Nothing specific special about them but just as you start, you can’t stop.
It couldn’t have been anything to do with the visuals. I wasn’t to bothered about graphics back then. Afterall, the 2D sprites that were in all games didn’t seem to challenge eachother, it was the story and objective that addicted me and many others that counted the most. Just as long as I knew what something was supposed to be it was good enough for me.
Then came the next generation… for me.
Being all wrapped up in my Amiga games, the consoles such as the MegaDrive and Super Nintendo didn’t catch my eye. Therefore, the next generation of gaming, for me, was the Sony Playstation. Even then I didn’t know what a Playstation was until my next door neighbour got one as a Christmas present. I was really stunned to see the graphic changes and even the disks. CD’s were a whole new thing to me. A new gaming experience opened up. I started to consider graphic quality but it still didn’t hold so much power over my decision as to what games were good or not.
Knowing all the terms of each of the game genres, I knew a little of what I could expect from each game. Having a little more money aswell I could afford to spend more. I particularly liked sports simulation games. They gave me an experience true to life. Watching things on TV like sports I saw all the little tricks, turns, results and sheer excitement brought by every match. To reproduce these small things in a game put a smile on my face. Doing things like taking a ball around David Beckham, running 30 yards and then shooting a ball into the back of the net were such things people couldn’t do in real life. So the alternative was games. That’s a good enough reason for me to turn to games.
Up to now, the gaming market has gone mad. We’re in a situation where there are more consoles out that the decision is long and hard. And even that choice doesn’t go down well with most people. You would have to look back at your gaming roots to see which console you think you would prefer the most from what games they all have to offer. For me, it was the PS2. Owning a Playstaion previously and not knowing that the market would explode a year later… it was the only choice.
These new consoles all seem to have something I might like. From my original roots 10 or so years ago, owning one computer with a few games I played to death to a very wide market of giant consoles each having hundreds of games. I don’t know what to think anymore. I know I can’t have them all so what the developers give us these days must be good to stand out from the crowds and persuade me to purchase. Like all the old games on the Amiga, I want something that will challenge me. However, I feel that some game developers these days aren’t putting the time and thought into their games to give us gamers what we deserve. I can’t help but think that gaming will never be the same again, which it won’t. It’s hard to change from one thing to another. I just hope I’m not going blind on the gaming front and can’t see the good titles from the bad, without considering the hype that surrounds each game these days.
So, that’s what it is.
I enjoy a challenge. Something with a good storyline that lets me recreate natural things that happen in real life. An addictive element has to be implemented somewhere in the game, just to keep me playing. I do enjoy stunning visuals, nice effects and everything else but that’s not a definitive area for me. Putting me in the shoes of a game character to complete an objective so that I feel good and proud of myself. Yeah, that’s it.
Thanks for sharing my thoughts, feel free to show your own gaming roots and thoughts.
Hey thanks Rocko for the feedback and Grandprix, its kinda like what we were talking about, but only at the beginning where I stated how I started playing games and the ones I did on the good ol' Amiga.
:o)
:o)
The reason I'm still playing games is purely because of how enjoyable I find them. To this day, I'm amazed at how far technology has come, being able to create another similar life-like environment in which I actually get to control and alter occurences projected. The graphics keep getting better, along with gameplay and as long as this trend continues I don't think I'll ever stop playing games. Time is of the essence nowadays, which means my spare time for games will cut down significantly, but they're always good fun, anytime.
Good post.
Good post.
Was this anything to do with the conversation we had? :)
Yay! Fellow Zool lovers!
Zool rocked!
*goes all nostalgic*
Zool rocked!
*goes all nostalgic*
Hey, thanks Russ :o)
You got that exactly right.
Were all big kids arent we :oD
Nice one.
You got that exactly right.
Were all big kids arent we :oD
Nice one.
That was a good read. :D
For me, gaming is escapism - with games, I can score a thirty yarder against Brazil to win the World Cup, take out space aliens with some heavy duty weaponry, lay the smackdown on somebody's candya$$(:D), battle dragons and go on wild adventures, simply stuff that takes you to another world and makes you feel like a kid again. For me, it boils down to giving you opportunities to do stuff you never get to do in real life.
Oh, and Zool rocked.
For me, gaming is escapism - with games, I can score a thirty yarder against Brazil to win the World Cup, take out space aliens with some heavy duty weaponry, lay the smackdown on somebody's candya$$(:D), battle dragons and go on wild adventures, simply stuff that takes you to another world and makes you feel like a kid again. For me, it boils down to giving you opportunities to do stuff you never get to do in real life.
Oh, and Zool rocked.
I had never really realised why I liked gaming so much. What was so special about grabbing hold of a control pad, watching a TV screen and pressing buttons to handle a character or object. It didn't occur to me how much I loved games until I looked at all the consoles and games I acquired over the years. It’s not something that I can explain in a few sentences to give someone a real idea as to why I like gaming, so if you would like to see then read on.
In the beginning.
To be honest, I can’t even remember such things as Tetris and Pong or even PacMan. The first thing I remember was the Amiga. I thought it was a computer, and I thought that a computer could only organise files and such things. At first I wasn’t really interested. Surely but shortly, I noticed it wasn’t just a file organiser but a game computer also. The first game I can remember was 'Rainbow Islands' - A brilliant platform game that I was addicted to immediately. I don’t know what attracted me though. The bright colours? The cute characters? The fun? The action? I’m really not so sure.
I think my parents noticed my love when they couldn’t get me off the Amiga when I was playing Rainbow Islands. It was the first game that I fully completed, and I loved every minute of it. I remember the time I completed it first, a monumental occasion in my gaming life. I must have been around 6 years old so the feeling of completing a task you set yourself was immense. My happiness, relief and such proud feeling only fuelled my desire.
Even after completing the game a few times, I still went back to play it. Maybe it was because I didn’t have anything else or was it because the game was that good? Why did I like it that much?
I was rewarded, by my parents, with a new game every so often. I was taken to a small shop, with a distinctive smell, where I could choose a single game from a massive collection of boxes. Not knowing what they were all about I had the shopkeeper to tell me a little about them. As time went on my collection of games grew. Games such as ‘Zool’, ‘Cannon Fodder’, ‘Exile’, ‘Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters’, ‘Emerald Mines’ and so on, all sneaked their way into my collection. For some reason, I didn’t have any dislikes to any of these games that I chose myself. The only games that I didn’t like were the ones that my dad played. And that still applies today. I loved each and every one of them up to the point where I completed them on many occasions. Even after this I would still go back to them and play. Maybe this was a reason I enjoyed those games so much. I could continue to play over and over without getting tired, even though I knew what would happen.
Personally, I don’t like to do things more than once. Like watching a film. If I watched it once and found it to be alright I still wouldn’t want to watch it over and over. Back then, the games I played kept me addicted and I had no problem do the same levels more than once. I actually even wanted to do this.
Could this be the reason? They’re so addicting. Nothing specific special about them but just as you start, you can’t stop.
It couldn’t have been anything to do with the visuals. I wasn’t to bothered about graphics back then. Afterall, the 2D sprites that were in all games didn’t seem to challenge eachother, it was the story and objective that addicted me and many others that counted the most. Just as long as I knew what something was supposed to be it was good enough for me.
Then came the next generation… for me.
Being all wrapped up in my Amiga games, the consoles such as the MegaDrive and Super Nintendo didn’t catch my eye. Therefore, the next generation of gaming, for me, was the Sony Playstation. Even then I didn’t know what a Playstation was until my next door neighbour got one as a Christmas present. I was really stunned to see the graphic changes and even the disks. CD’s were a whole new thing to me. A new gaming experience opened up. I started to consider graphic quality but it still didn’t hold so much power over my decision as to what games were good or not.
Knowing all the terms of each of the game genres, I knew a little of what I could expect from each game. Having a little more money aswell I could afford to spend more. I particularly liked sports simulation games. They gave me an experience true to life. Watching things on TV like sports I saw all the little tricks, turns, results and sheer excitement brought by every match. To reproduce these small things in a game put a smile on my face. Doing things like taking a ball around David Beckham, running 30 yards and then shooting a ball into the back of the net were such things people couldn’t do in real life. So the alternative was games. That’s a good enough reason for me to turn to games.
Up to now, the gaming market has gone mad. We’re in a situation where there are more consoles out that the decision is long and hard. And even that choice doesn’t go down well with most people. You would have to look back at your gaming roots to see which console you think you would prefer the most from what games they all have to offer. For me, it was the PS2. Owning a Playstaion previously and not knowing that the market would explode a year later… it was the only choice.
These new consoles all seem to have something I might like. From my original roots 10 or so years ago, owning one computer with a few games I played to death to a very wide market of giant consoles each having hundreds of games. I don’t know what to think anymore. I know I can’t have them all so what the developers give us these days must be good to stand out from the crowds and persuade me to purchase. Like all the old games on the Amiga, I want something that will challenge me. However, I feel that some game developers these days aren’t putting the time and thought into their games to give us gamers what we deserve. I can’t help but think that gaming will never be the same again, which it won’t. It’s hard to change from one thing to another. I just hope I’m not going blind on the gaming front and can’t see the good titles from the bad, without considering the hype that surrounds each game these days.
So, that’s what it is.
I enjoy a challenge. Something with a good storyline that lets me recreate natural things that happen in real life. An addictive element has to be implemented somewhere in the game, just to keep me playing. I do enjoy stunning visuals, nice effects and everything else but that’s not a definitive area for me. Putting me in the shoes of a game character to complete an objective so that I feel good and proud of myself. Yeah, that’s it.
Thanks for sharing my thoughts, feel free to show your own gaming roots and thoughts.
In the beginning.
To be honest, I can’t even remember such things as Tetris and Pong or even PacMan. The first thing I remember was the Amiga. I thought it was a computer, and I thought that a computer could only organise files and such things. At first I wasn’t really interested. Surely but shortly, I noticed it wasn’t just a file organiser but a game computer also. The first game I can remember was 'Rainbow Islands' - A brilliant platform game that I was addicted to immediately. I don’t know what attracted me though. The bright colours? The cute characters? The fun? The action? I’m really not so sure.
I think my parents noticed my love when they couldn’t get me off the Amiga when I was playing Rainbow Islands. It was the first game that I fully completed, and I loved every minute of it. I remember the time I completed it first, a monumental occasion in my gaming life. I must have been around 6 years old so the feeling of completing a task you set yourself was immense. My happiness, relief and such proud feeling only fuelled my desire.
Even after completing the game a few times, I still went back to play it. Maybe it was because I didn’t have anything else or was it because the game was that good? Why did I like it that much?
I was rewarded, by my parents, with a new game every so often. I was taken to a small shop, with a distinctive smell, where I could choose a single game from a massive collection of boxes. Not knowing what they were all about I had the shopkeeper to tell me a little about them. As time went on my collection of games grew. Games such as ‘Zool’, ‘Cannon Fodder’, ‘Exile’, ‘Escape from the Planet of the Robot Monsters’, ‘Emerald Mines’ and so on, all sneaked their way into my collection. For some reason, I didn’t have any dislikes to any of these games that I chose myself. The only games that I didn’t like were the ones that my dad played. And that still applies today. I loved each and every one of them up to the point where I completed them on many occasions. Even after this I would still go back to them and play. Maybe this was a reason I enjoyed those games so much. I could continue to play over and over without getting tired, even though I knew what would happen.
Personally, I don’t like to do things more than once. Like watching a film. If I watched it once and found it to be alright I still wouldn’t want to watch it over and over. Back then, the games I played kept me addicted and I had no problem do the same levels more than once. I actually even wanted to do this.
Could this be the reason? They’re so addicting. Nothing specific special about them but just as you start, you can’t stop.
It couldn’t have been anything to do with the visuals. I wasn’t to bothered about graphics back then. Afterall, the 2D sprites that were in all games didn’t seem to challenge eachother, it was the story and objective that addicted me and many others that counted the most. Just as long as I knew what something was supposed to be it was good enough for me.
Then came the next generation… for me.
Being all wrapped up in my Amiga games, the consoles such as the MegaDrive and Super Nintendo didn’t catch my eye. Therefore, the next generation of gaming, for me, was the Sony Playstation. Even then I didn’t know what a Playstation was until my next door neighbour got one as a Christmas present. I was really stunned to see the graphic changes and even the disks. CD’s were a whole new thing to me. A new gaming experience opened up. I started to consider graphic quality but it still didn’t hold so much power over my decision as to what games were good or not.
Knowing all the terms of each of the game genres, I knew a little of what I could expect from each game. Having a little more money aswell I could afford to spend more. I particularly liked sports simulation games. They gave me an experience true to life. Watching things on TV like sports I saw all the little tricks, turns, results and sheer excitement brought by every match. To reproduce these small things in a game put a smile on my face. Doing things like taking a ball around David Beckham, running 30 yards and then shooting a ball into the back of the net were such things people couldn’t do in real life. So the alternative was games. That’s a good enough reason for me to turn to games.
Up to now, the gaming market has gone mad. We’re in a situation where there are more consoles out that the decision is long and hard. And even that choice doesn’t go down well with most people. You would have to look back at your gaming roots to see which console you think you would prefer the most from what games they all have to offer. For me, it was the PS2. Owning a Playstaion previously and not knowing that the market would explode a year later… it was the only choice.
These new consoles all seem to have something I might like. From my original roots 10 or so years ago, owning one computer with a few games I played to death to a very wide market of giant consoles each having hundreds of games. I don’t know what to think anymore. I know I can’t have them all so what the developers give us these days must be good to stand out from the crowds and persuade me to purchase. Like all the old games on the Amiga, I want something that will challenge me. However, I feel that some game developers these days aren’t putting the time and thought into their games to give us gamers what we deserve. I can’t help but think that gaming will never be the same again, which it won’t. It’s hard to change from one thing to another. I just hope I’m not going blind on the gaming front and can’t see the good titles from the bad, without considering the hype that surrounds each game these days.
So, that’s what it is.
I enjoy a challenge. Something with a good storyline that lets me recreate natural things that happen in real life. An addictive element has to be implemented somewhere in the game, just to keep me playing. I do enjoy stunning visuals, nice effects and everything else but that’s not a definitive area for me. Putting me in the shoes of a game character to complete an objective so that I feel good and proud of myself. Yeah, that’s it.
Thanks for sharing my thoughts, feel free to show your own gaming roots and thoughts.