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Looking at the games industry braodly, games which sell fuel investment. Publishers who are willing to take a risk are few and far between, and the artificial intelligence, and the challenge offered to experience players is pitiful.
Admittedly, as with everything, there is a learning curve in computer games, but today players are challenged more by poor game design and dodgy camera angles, rather than their ability to think logically through a problem, and for the most part the games industry has always been the same. There are basic flaws in the dynamic of every single computer game in the world, the way to solve every single problem almost always is simply to get a bigger weapon, faster car, super jump shoes or the like. That's the best we have come to expect from games, and that's what the mainstream gamer is buying today.
Now, I feel, things may be about to change. It's time we levelled the playing field and with simple ideas, pit one person against another, or one team against another. Online games now seem to have beenaround for ions to the online PC geekboy fraternity, wether it be Age of Empires, Quake 2 or Unreal Tournament, PC lovers the world over have a knowledge of games which few average Joe Bloggs gamers do, that nothing in a game is more satisfying than knowthing that you beat another person. You just won a match at unreal tournament, where the game doesn't give an advantage to someone who has the biggest gun, if your not very adept at playing the game you wont have the biggest gun for very long.
What I'm trying to say is, tht with the advent of console on'line gaming. The time of lazy and inadequately poor AI is dead, the era of pitting your wits against an unkown force is at hand.
Online gaming had better cause a revolt amongst gamers, experience or not. Gran Tourismo 4 is simply not going to be playable on your own without a network connection if it has the same AI (or lack of) as GT3. If you get the game, but don't have access to the internet, but you get a chance to race on someone else's machine your not going to be content with the lack of any decent challenge, or set path enemies, when you know that there is real thought and actual intelligence out there to pit your wits against.
The Terminatpr may have been an intelligent machine from the future, but if artificial intelligence hasn't become that sophisticated by the beginning of 2004, in a commercial sense at least, the internet will see it dead an buried.
Gaming is moving, at last onto networks, and unless it is scuppered by greedy corporations, or lazy assed gits who think that hacking and cheating to give them that all important street cred and cheap smugness is cool, Actulal Intelligence is about to become the focal point of the games industry.
Admittedly, as with everything, there is a learning curve in computer games, but today players are challenged more by poor game design and dodgy camera angles, rather than their ability to think logically through a problem, and for the most part the games industry has always been the same. There are basic flaws in the dynamic of every single computer game in the world, the way to solve every single problem almost always is simply to get a bigger weapon, faster car, super jump shoes or the like. That's the best we have come to expect from games, and that's what the mainstream gamer is buying today.
Now, I feel, things may be about to change. It's time we levelled the playing field and with simple ideas, pit one person against another, or one team against another. Online games now seem to have beenaround for ions to the online PC geekboy fraternity, wether it be Age of Empires, Quake 2 or Unreal Tournament, PC lovers the world over have a knowledge of games which few average Joe Bloggs gamers do, that nothing in a game is more satisfying than knowthing that you beat another person. You just won a match at unreal tournament, where the game doesn't give an advantage to someone who has the biggest gun, if your not very adept at playing the game you wont have the biggest gun for very long.
What I'm trying to say is, tht with the advent of console on'line gaming. The time of lazy and inadequately poor AI is dead, the era of pitting your wits against an unkown force is at hand.
Online gaming had better cause a revolt amongst gamers, experience or not. Gran Tourismo 4 is simply not going to be playable on your own without a network connection if it has the same AI (or lack of) as GT3. If you get the game, but don't have access to the internet, but you get a chance to race on someone else's machine your not going to be content with the lack of any decent challenge, or set path enemies, when you know that there is real thought and actual intelligence out there to pit your wits against.
The Terminatpr may have been an intelligent machine from the future, but if artificial intelligence hasn't become that sophisticated by the beginning of 2004, in a commercial sense at least, the internet will see it dead an buried.
Gaming is moving, at last onto networks, and unless it is scuppered by greedy corporations, or lazy assed gits who think that hacking and cheating to give them that all important street cred and cheap smugness is cool, Actulal Intelligence is about to become the focal point of the games industry.
The Xbox will be "THE" console to have for online gaming, yes, I did just say that the Xbox is the best if online gaming is your thing. Quite simply, Sony's plans for the PS2 online system have fallen apart, and cannot compete with the all encompasing technology of Xbox Live.
With all the major technologies implemented at server level (such as voice comms), the system holds a massive advantage over the PS2, where developers will have to implement such systems into individual games.
When it comes to playing games online, I really think Microsoft will show that nothing beats experience, and that's something, in this instance, they have in bucketloads.
Nintendo and Sony are dragging their heels waiting to see what will happen, I can safely say that if they don't get their act together, my PS2 and GC will either be replaced or at very least joined by an online Xbox.
With all the major technologies implemented at server level (such as voice comms), the system holds a massive advantage over the PS2, where developers will have to implement such systems into individual games.
When it comes to playing games online, I really think Microsoft will show that nothing beats experience, and that's something, in this instance, they have in bucketloads.
Nintendo and Sony are dragging their heels waiting to see what will happen, I can safely say that if they don't get their act together, my PS2 and GC will either be replaced or at very least joined by an online Xbox.
True intelligence wouldn't make for very interesting games. It would end up like me playing Operation Flashpoint: "If you guys need me, I'll be hiding in the bushes. I'm gonna be pretty busy for the next twenty minutes, though, okay?"
I think artificial intelligence should be based on me.
So instead of bots going to find all the weapons/shields/hiding places, they'll just run towards and try and kill you with anything they can find, spoons/crowbars/fists/tables.
That'll be cool.
So instead of bots going to find all the weapons/shields/hiding places, they'll just run towards and try and kill you with anything they can find, spoons/crowbars/fists/tables.
That'll be cool.
Yeah.
Playing against AI bots is predictable and boring.
They're not intelligent, just elite and super-skilled which makes them annoying rather than an interesting challenge.
Multiplayer against my friends/brothers has always been great fun, only 4 players is never enough.
You CAN link up consoles for larger games, but it's inconvenient getting all those consoles, each with 4 pads and a TV, and all those players at one place which pretty much restricts it down to special occasions.
I've not looked into the PS2's online plans, but Xbox live looks very promising. MS have done everything they can (after years of experience with the MSN Gaming Zone) to make the most reliable online gaming network they can.
And with the likes of Unreal Championship on imminent release, those brilliant team based games aren't too far away.
I'll probably get an Xbox once my household gets broadband.
Playing against AI bots is predictable and boring.
They're not intelligent, just elite and super-skilled which makes them annoying rather than an interesting challenge.
Multiplayer against my friends/brothers has always been great fun, only 4 players is never enough.
You CAN link up consoles for larger games, but it's inconvenient getting all those consoles, each with 4 pads and a TV, and all those players at one place which pretty much restricts it down to special occasions.
I've not looked into the PS2's online plans, but Xbox live looks very promising. MS have done everything they can (after years of experience with the MSN Gaming Zone) to make the most reliable online gaming network they can.
And with the likes of Unreal Championship on imminent release, those brilliant team based games aren't too far away.
I'll probably get an Xbox once my household gets broadband.
Looking at the games industry braodly, games which sell fuel investment. Publishers who are willing to take a risk are few and far between, and the artificial intelligence, and the challenge offered to experience players is pitiful.
Admittedly, as with everything, there is a learning curve in computer games, but today players are challenged more by poor game design and dodgy camera angles, rather than their ability to think logically through a problem, and for the most part the games industry has always been the same. There are basic flaws in the dynamic of every single computer game in the world, the way to solve every single problem almost always is simply to get a bigger weapon, faster car, super jump shoes or the like. That's the best we have come to expect from games, and that's what the mainstream gamer is buying today.
Now, I feel, things may be about to change. It's time we levelled the playing field and with simple ideas, pit one person against another, or one team against another. Online games now seem to have beenaround for ions to the online PC geekboy fraternity, wether it be Age of Empires, Quake 2 or Unreal Tournament, PC lovers the world over have a knowledge of games which few average Joe Bloggs gamers do, that nothing in a game is more satisfying than knowthing that you beat another person. You just won a match at unreal tournament, where the game doesn't give an advantage to someone who has the biggest gun, if your not very adept at playing the game you wont have the biggest gun for very long.
What I'm trying to say is, tht with the advent of console on'line gaming. The time of lazy and inadequately poor AI is dead, the era of pitting your wits against an unkown force is at hand.
Online gaming had better cause a revolt amongst gamers, experience or not. Gran Tourismo 4 is simply not going to be playable on your own without a network connection if it has the same AI (or lack of) as GT3. If you get the game, but don't have access to the internet, but you get a chance to race on someone else's machine your not going to be content with the lack of any decent challenge, or set path enemies, when you know that there is real thought and actual intelligence out there to pit your wits against.
The Terminatpr may have been an intelligent machine from the future, but if artificial intelligence hasn't become that sophisticated by the beginning of 2004, in a commercial sense at least, the internet will see it dead an buried.
Gaming is moving, at last onto networks, and unless it is scuppered by greedy corporations, or lazy assed gits who think that hacking and cheating to give them that all important street cred and cheap smugness is cool, Actulal Intelligence is about to become the focal point of the games industry.
Admittedly, as with everything, there is a learning curve in computer games, but today players are challenged more by poor game design and dodgy camera angles, rather than their ability to think logically through a problem, and for the most part the games industry has always been the same. There are basic flaws in the dynamic of every single computer game in the world, the way to solve every single problem almost always is simply to get a bigger weapon, faster car, super jump shoes or the like. That's the best we have come to expect from games, and that's what the mainstream gamer is buying today.
Now, I feel, things may be about to change. It's time we levelled the playing field and with simple ideas, pit one person against another, or one team against another. Online games now seem to have beenaround for ions to the online PC geekboy fraternity, wether it be Age of Empires, Quake 2 or Unreal Tournament, PC lovers the world over have a knowledge of games which few average Joe Bloggs gamers do, that nothing in a game is more satisfying than knowthing that you beat another person. You just won a match at unreal tournament, where the game doesn't give an advantage to someone who has the biggest gun, if your not very adept at playing the game you wont have the biggest gun for very long.
What I'm trying to say is, tht with the advent of console on'line gaming. The time of lazy and inadequately poor AI is dead, the era of pitting your wits against an unkown force is at hand.
Online gaming had better cause a revolt amongst gamers, experience or not. Gran Tourismo 4 is simply not going to be playable on your own without a network connection if it has the same AI (or lack of) as GT3. If you get the game, but don't have access to the internet, but you get a chance to race on someone else's machine your not going to be content with the lack of any decent challenge, or set path enemies, when you know that there is real thought and actual intelligence out there to pit your wits against.
The Terminatpr may have been an intelligent machine from the future, but if artificial intelligence hasn't become that sophisticated by the beginning of 2004, in a commercial sense at least, the internet will see it dead an buried.
Gaming is moving, at last onto networks, and unless it is scuppered by greedy corporations, or lazy assed gits who think that hacking and cheating to give them that all important street cred and cheap smugness is cool, Actulal Intelligence is about to become the focal point of the games industry.