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...someone has finally thought the same thing I have been thinking for a while now about games that could last forever! Well in fact, it's more somepeople than someone, as a group of American scientists are trying to develop the idea of a never-ending game. Looking at SR's upwire article of this amazing story, a sudden shiver of hope creeped up my spine at the prospect of this, making me wonder how the hell this can be possible?
The article mentions about how programmers won't have to script events in games anymore, and how certain decisions in the game may have a long-lasting effect, but it still doesn't explain in true detail how this can be possible. I'm sure many developers before have tried this before(except for the greedy ones that just like churning out sequels to make money), but how is it that it's now 'Scientists' that had to figure this out. I thought science was all about nature and the human organisms and stuff, not gaming!
I'm still trying to think of what this technology would be like. Would it be an input device for only one game or would it be some kind of chip instead, that will allow all games to be never ending. Now there's an idea!
If this is the same technology used for robot navigation like in those expensive dog robot toys that adapt to their surroundings and express different emotions and things, then why not create a chip so all games could share in this revolutionary discovery? Well, it is after all a revolution, just like when games could go online and consoles maintained much more realistic graphics, but only this is REALLY something big...that's if it works out, which I thoroughly hope it does.
So, back to this idea of a chip being made rather than a programme, which can only be used in one game. If these scientists do make a chip for their programme, they would be confronted with many beneficial options. Either sell it to the highest bidder (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo), who could then place it inside their console, duplicate this chip and sell it for all consoles/PCs or they could just simply leave it as a program in which only a couple games could use.
I know it sounds a bit unlikely, but surely something like the chip could be made to enhance this technology, but those scientists just don't know it yet...or maybe they do. It would be hard though if it was made because there are certain genres that wouldn't be able to comply with the chip, like beat'em ups and soccer sims. The whole idea from the scientists was built upon the basis of a world being existent, which is good news for adventure and RPG fans, but not for those Bond(FPS) and Max Payne kind of people. With action titles like Splinter Cell, you find that you can’t really avoid the linear plot otherwise the game wouldn’t be as good and involving, but for RPGs like Phantasy Star online and Final Fantasy, this program would be perfect for them.
This just goes to show that not every game can last for as long as you would like, that is until something greater is discovered. This development by scientists is only designed for games that contain a specific world, which means it's more based upon sci-fi and fantasy titles. They always contain objects and things to be destroyed, so the program could allow a long-lasting effect, but for games that make you constantly dispose of enemies it wouldn't work. This shows that some games are best left the way they are. The ability to progress and accomplish in games is a good one, and I just can't see that happening with the use of this program. I mean, what would it allow us to do? Will it still let us progress very gradually, or will it just continue to spit new things out at us? If it does, that would be great! But I'mnot sure everybody would like it.
The funny thing is, it feels brilliant once you've completed a game, but once the feeling of accomplishment settles down, the side-effects start to kick in and you suddenly feel like you want or deserve more from the game. This has happened to me countless times, so I think the solution would really be if a game could have many different storylines and routes, so repetition wouldn't be a factor. This would obviously be a mountain to climb for developers, and it would also mean that we wouldn't receive our games as frequently as we do, but if some developers make such a game like every five years, it could work and we'll be assured to see more landmark titles for our pleasure. It would still mean that sport titles would not be involved, but at least this time racing and beat'em ups would. The thing with fighting games that restricts them from being everlasting is the limited amount of moves, characters arenas and storylines for fighters (some don't even have storylines). With this, I think that a program similar to the one just discovered that remembers past moves and develops new ones, would be good, but what about the arenas and storylines? Well, it would have to be a really powerful program that could think for itself, creating its own surroundings, but it still doesn't solve the situation with witnessing the same storylines for the same characters. This is where faults would set in with the software because it cannot develop its own storyline, it can only avoid linear ones. This would be where my previous idea for landmark titles would work, having a huge range of storyline for each character.
Racing games would also miss out on this new technology because they too have repetitive gameplay and limited abilities with race tracks and so on. But games like TOCA Race Driver have shown that racing games with a plot are a good partnership. Only, once again, unless the plot is ridiculously long, you're bound to soon reach the end and from then on you have to depend on what extras the game has to offer. Like the above, such racing titles could be made ever so often with many different storylines, characters or whatever. And if the developers are kind enough, they could even throw in different vehicles and locations in each different plot, so the game really repels the feeling of repetition. But where these scientists technology could come in is with the different race tracks. If it could monitor how many times you've used the same track it could then build on this to create new things on the same track like more or less traffic, changing from day to night (or vice versa) and even showing people doing their everyday jobs on the sidewalk, with the addition of spontanious reactions to the hi-octane action going on, on the streets.
So really, it won't just be action/adventure/RPG titles that can benefit from this program, but also the unexpected beat'em up and racers. With the added light of thorough development for more storylines and things, it really could work.
If only GTA3 and Vice City were made after this discovery then I'm sure we would have been able to witness the true potential of this program. What both titles did was give an incredible amount of aims to be completed, but it still remained limited, whereas this technology would have allowed it to be never ending. Like robbing certain shopkeepers or killing certain gang members could result to acts of revenge maybe. Something like that. Even Mario Sunshine as well. This is a game based in a world of many creatures and things, so this program could also have made it never ending, adding new things never seen in the game.
I don't know about you, but I've really been taken in by this newfound technology, even if science played a part. Still, it does have its bad points because really, although some may never admit it, finishing a game is a very good feeling. However, I do like the idea of suspence and unexpectancy, not knowing what's going to happen next. And if such a good experience goes on forever, who can really complain?!
I'm waiting in anticipation for these scientists' next move with their program. I just hope they don't doddle about and keep me waiting too long! I want to be part of this never ending experience.
Thanks for your time
The article mentions about how programmers won't have to script events in games anymore, and how certain decisions in the game may have a long-lasting effect, but it still doesn't explain in true detail how this can be possible. I'm sure many developers before have tried this before(except for the greedy ones that just like churning out sequels to make money), but how is it that it's now 'Scientists' that had to figure this out. I thought science was all about nature and the human organisms and stuff, not gaming!
I'm still trying to think of what this technology would be like. Would it be an input device for only one game or would it be some kind of chip instead, that will allow all games to be never ending. Now there's an idea!
If this is the same technology used for robot navigation like in those expensive dog robot toys that adapt to their surroundings and express different emotions and things, then why not create a chip so all games could share in this revolutionary discovery? Well, it is after all a revolution, just like when games could go online and consoles maintained much more realistic graphics, but only this is REALLY something big...that's if it works out, which I thoroughly hope it does.
So, back to this idea of a chip being made rather than a programme, which can only be used in one game. If these scientists do make a chip for their programme, they would be confronted with many beneficial options. Either sell it to the highest bidder (Sony, Microsoft, Nintendo), who could then place it inside their console, duplicate this chip and sell it for all consoles/PCs or they could just simply leave it as a program in which only a couple games could use.
I know it sounds a bit unlikely, but surely something like the chip could be made to enhance this technology, but those scientists just don't know it yet...or maybe they do. It would be hard though if it was made because there are certain genres that wouldn't be able to comply with the chip, like beat'em ups and soccer sims. The whole idea from the scientists was built upon the basis of a world being existent, which is good news for adventure and RPG fans, but not for those Bond(FPS) and Max Payne kind of people. With action titles like Splinter Cell, you find that you can’t really avoid the linear plot otherwise the game wouldn’t be as good and involving, but for RPGs like Phantasy Star online and Final Fantasy, this program would be perfect for them.
This just goes to show that not every game can last for as long as you would like, that is until something greater is discovered. This development by scientists is only designed for games that contain a specific world, which means it's more based upon sci-fi and fantasy titles. They always contain objects and things to be destroyed, so the program could allow a long-lasting effect, but for games that make you constantly dispose of enemies it wouldn't work. This shows that some games are best left the way they are. The ability to progress and accomplish in games is a good one, and I just can't see that happening with the use of this program. I mean, what would it allow us to do? Will it still let us progress very gradually, or will it just continue to spit new things out at us? If it does, that would be great! But I'mnot sure everybody would like it.
The funny thing is, it feels brilliant once you've completed a game, but once the feeling of accomplishment settles down, the side-effects start to kick in and you suddenly feel like you want or deserve more from the game. This has happened to me countless times, so I think the solution would really be if a game could have many different storylines and routes, so repetition wouldn't be a factor. This would obviously be a mountain to climb for developers, and it would also mean that we wouldn't receive our games as frequently as we do, but if some developers make such a game like every five years, it could work and we'll be assured to see more landmark titles for our pleasure. It would still mean that sport titles would not be involved, but at least this time racing and beat'em ups would. The thing with fighting games that restricts them from being everlasting is the limited amount of moves, characters arenas and storylines for fighters (some don't even have storylines). With this, I think that a program similar to the one just discovered that remembers past moves and develops new ones, would be good, but what about the arenas and storylines? Well, it would have to be a really powerful program that could think for itself, creating its own surroundings, but it still doesn't solve the situation with witnessing the same storylines for the same characters. This is where faults would set in with the software because it cannot develop its own storyline, it can only avoid linear ones. This would be where my previous idea for landmark titles would work, having a huge range of storyline for each character.
Racing games would also miss out on this new technology because they too have repetitive gameplay and limited abilities with race tracks and so on. But games like TOCA Race Driver have shown that racing games with a plot are a good partnership. Only, once again, unless the plot is ridiculously long, you're bound to soon reach the end and from then on you have to depend on what extras the game has to offer. Like the above, such racing titles could be made ever so often with many different storylines, characters or whatever. And if the developers are kind enough, they could even throw in different vehicles and locations in each different plot, so the game really repels the feeling of repetition. But where these scientists technology could come in is with the different race tracks. If it could monitor how many times you've used the same track it could then build on this to create new things on the same track like more or less traffic, changing from day to night (or vice versa) and even showing people doing their everyday jobs on the sidewalk, with the addition of spontanious reactions to the hi-octane action going on, on the streets.
So really, it won't just be action/adventure/RPG titles that can benefit from this program, but also the unexpected beat'em up and racers. With the added light of thorough development for more storylines and things, it really could work.
If only GTA3 and Vice City were made after this discovery then I'm sure we would have been able to witness the true potential of this program. What both titles did was give an incredible amount of aims to be completed, but it still remained limited, whereas this technology would have allowed it to be never ending. Like robbing certain shopkeepers or killing certain gang members could result to acts of revenge maybe. Something like that. Even Mario Sunshine as well. This is a game based in a world of many creatures and things, so this program could also have made it never ending, adding new things never seen in the game.
I don't know about you, but I've really been taken in by this newfound technology, even if science played a part. Still, it does have its bad points because really, although some may never admit it, finishing a game is a very good feeling. However, I do like the idea of suspence and unexpectancy, not knowing what's going to happen next. And if such a good experience goes on forever, who can really complain?!
I'm waiting in anticipation for these scientists' next move with their program. I just hope they don't doddle about and keep me waiting too long! I want to be part of this never ending experience.
Thanks for your time
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i think we are confusing forever gameplay with complete freedom game play i mean TS2 is in a way neverending because of the deathmatchs and fighting games are played though countless times by gamers but with freedom maybe more could be in a game like you walk around a continent sized map with thousands of things to do and the option of exploring everywhere and have a reason for doing so.
Sports titles do tend to "end" though because it's the same thing over and over again. The developer's ideas are limited therefore events could only be scripted, but with this new program (somehow), things won't be scripted and the game won't be totally limited.
The Sims doesn't last forever either because there are only a certain number of things you can do in the game. Updates would simply add extra abilities, whilst this new technology would supposedly generate its own.
All this sounds too good to be true, but I have the feeling the makers of this gaming-changing device will not disappoint us after all the hype.
The Sims doesn't last forever either because there are only a certain number of things you can do in the game. Updates would simply add extra abilities, whilst this new technology would supposedly generate its own.
All this sounds too good to be true, but I have the feeling the makers of this gaming-changing device will not disappoint us after all the hype.
agent under fire wrote:
> There are already games that have no point or goal and
> therefore will last forever.
Although this may sound like a good idea, the game lasting forever, but with no goal or point, there i don't think i would enjoy playing this game. So far, i feel that there are already games that last for ever, like PES2. Because it's a sports sim, then there's no storyline, and it can't end.
> There are already games that have no point or goal and
> therefore will last forever.
Although this may sound like a good idea, the game lasting forever, but with no goal or point, there i don't think i would enjoy playing this game. So far, i feel that there are already games that last for ever, like PES2. Because it's a sports sim, then there's no storyline, and it can't end.
There is already a game that lasts forever: The Sims so maybe all these games will be like that in that they have no point or goal and therefore will last forever and perhaps they would just bring out an update evry now and then to add new stuff to it.
But if a game went on for ever, you'd never finish it.
And finishing a game - seeing the ending, especially in FFs, is the best bit.
And you'd never get to do a game 100% - which I always do.
It'd still be damn good, don't get me wrong.
*Note*
I didn't actually read the topic, so what I just said has probably already been answered.
And finishing a game - seeing the ending, especially in FFs, is the best bit.
And you'd never get to do a game 100% - which I always do.
It'd still be damn good, don't get me wrong.
*Note*
I didn't actually read the topic, so what I just said has probably already been answered.
Thanks for the comments!
That's quite an interesting point FM. This is where I think that these never ending games will have to lack in something to keep the business running. Maybe being in the same world or killing the same bad guys may get boring after a while, but then again, the ability to continuously create new things in the world still stands, so some may never get bored of it.
Nevertheless, I sure wouldn't stick to just one game, and rather see what else is lagging about.
Oh, and I have nothing against science...seriously
That's quite an interesting point FM. This is where I think that these never ending games will have to lack in something to keep the business running. Maybe being in the same world or killing the same bad guys may get boring after a while, but then again, the ability to continuously create new things in the world still stands, so some may never get bored of it.
Nevertheless, I sure wouldn't stick to just one game, and rather see what else is lagging about.
Oh, and I have nothing against science...seriously
Great post Bonafire :)
If you are a fan of action RPG's then check out Morrowind is excellent.
It's massive and you have complete freedom of the world. (no plot forceing you to a location with no option of going back for a while)
Trouble is the quests are only doable once so you can run out plus once you explore a dungeon thats one less dungeon to explore.
I think if developers want to make a game that is almost neverending but is a single player game (Good old Everquest is neverending but it as monthly costs and the servers will be shut down one day) then they need to focus on essential elements like:
-Respawning enemies so there is always someone to kill
-Random generated dungeons so the feeling of exploration is always there
-Some quests are always avalible even if you complete them
-No level cap for your charactors so if someone wants a level 20,000 mage they can
-Enemies level must stay simular to the players so for example a level 77 warrior can fight level 77 enemies rarther then slaughter the same level 2 enemies they were fighting when they were level 2.
i'm sure there are more so feel free to add them.
If you are a fan of action RPG's then check out Morrowind is excellent.
It's massive and you have complete freedom of the world. (no plot forceing you to a location with no option of going back for a while)
Trouble is the quests are only doable once so you can run out plus once you explore a dungeon thats one less dungeon to explore.
I think if developers want to make a game that is almost neverending but is a single player game (Good old Everquest is neverending but it as monthly costs and the servers will be shut down one day) then they need to focus on essential elements like:
-Respawning enemies so there is always someone to kill
-Random generated dungeons so the feeling of exploration is always there
-Some quests are always avalible even if you complete them
-No level cap for your charactors so if someone wants a level 20,000 mage they can
-Enemies level must stay simular to the players so for example a level 77 warrior can fight level 77 enemies rarther then slaughter the same level 2 enemies they were fighting when they were level 2.
i'm sure there are more so feel free to add them.
I can only see one problem for developers. If a gamer buys an everlasting game, the chances are they'll never need to buy another one...
Yep, ive been thinking and wanting this for ages.
Sounds very interesting, hope they get something going.
:-)
Sounds very interesting, hope they get something going.
:-)
Sounds good especially for games like GTA. I'll definatly be looking out for more info on this.
p.s. what you got against science playing apart in this?:D
p.s. what you got against science playing apart in this?:D
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