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If gamers were classified into groups or generations I guess I would be in the second generation of gamers. My first platform to play games on was a Spectrum and it was a fair while ago, probably 13 years or so but I can't remember exactly. As computer games are a fairly new thing I was, as many of you probably were, among the first people to start playing games. Looking back it seems that games and consoles have grown up as I have grown up. The games industry is moving forward at a fast speed and constantly innovating and improving on old formulas for games. Year upon year new games are released that push the boundary further, games like Halo, Rez, MGS2 etc. Anyway, its not just the games that have changed, prices have too, so has the audiences that games are made for, the type of games and even the type of consoles.
Back when I was a young child playing on my Spectrum games were simple in the main, probably most of them were designed for kids rather than adult gamers. They came on cassettes and cost a few quid each second hand. This was good, as I didn't have any money and all my games were bought for me. As times went on graphics improved, games changed from cassettes to cartridges to CD's to DVD's and the price of games got ever higher. Didn't bother me as I had more money to spend and the prices of games and consoles, even now, seems reasonable to me. Games are now close to film quality in graphics, there are thousands to choose from and if you like games the likelyhood is that there will always be something new that you want to play on.
With the release of the Gamecube and X-Box in Europe gamers now have more choice than ever and many people, myself included will buy two different consoles. Soon, probably when the next generation of consoles is released, it may be normal for an avid gamer to own two or more consoles of the same generation. This will be beacuse, as the average age of gamers increase we have more collective money to spend on luxuries like games consoles. At the moment, the big console manufacturers are to some extent ignoring the people who want to buy a second console, favouring saying why their console is better and why people should sell their PS2s, for instance, in order to buy an X-Box or a Gamecube. At the moment, the X-box is selling by the existence of killer aps that are exclusive to the console like Halo, PGR, and to a lesser extent Amped. But if you own a PS2 you probably already have GT3 and SSX if you like these type of games so the only game that you really really want on the X-Box at the moment will be Halo.
Nintendo do a better job of attracting people to buy the gamecube with exclusive, totally different titles like Pikmin and Super Monkey Ball and the low price. But will the console makers ever begin to think about how their console is going to appeal to people who already own another console and will they start to demand their first and second party developers to make the sort of games that are not yet seen on other consoles. If this does happen and Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft start thinking about two-console gamers then new, innovative games will come flooding in. Originality will no longer be moaned about. These sort of games can be made, but at the moment, developers would rather make a shoddy football game or a below-par racer as it would make them more money. By now if, you're still reading you're probably bored so I will crawl back into my nicely decorated hole and do some much needed maths revision. Your views on anything I have rambled here, greatly appreciated.
Back when I was a young child playing on my Spectrum games were simple in the main, probably most of them were designed for kids rather than adult gamers. They came on cassettes and cost a few quid each second hand. This was good, as I didn't have any money and all my games were bought for me. As times went on graphics improved, games changed from cassettes to cartridges to CD's to DVD's and the price of games got ever higher. Didn't bother me as I had more money to spend and the prices of games and consoles, even now, seems reasonable to me. Games are now close to film quality in graphics, there are thousands to choose from and if you like games the likelyhood is that there will always be something new that you want to play on.
With the release of the Gamecube and X-Box in Europe gamers now have more choice than ever and many people, myself included will buy two different consoles. Soon, probably when the next generation of consoles is released, it may be normal for an avid gamer to own two or more consoles of the same generation. This will be beacuse, as the average age of gamers increase we have more collective money to spend on luxuries like games consoles. At the moment, the big console manufacturers are to some extent ignoring the people who want to buy a second console, favouring saying why their console is better and why people should sell their PS2s, for instance, in order to buy an X-Box or a Gamecube. At the moment, the X-box is selling by the existence of killer aps that are exclusive to the console like Halo, PGR, and to a lesser extent Amped. But if you own a PS2 you probably already have GT3 and SSX if you like these type of games so the only game that you really really want on the X-Box at the moment will be Halo.
Nintendo do a better job of attracting people to buy the gamecube with exclusive, totally different titles like Pikmin and Super Monkey Ball and the low price. But will the console makers ever begin to think about how their console is going to appeal to people who already own another console and will they start to demand their first and second party developers to make the sort of games that are not yet seen on other consoles. If this does happen and Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft start thinking about two-console gamers then new, innovative games will come flooding in. Originality will no longer be moaned about. These sort of games can be made, but at the moment, developers would rather make a shoddy football game or a below-par racer as it would make them more money. By now if, you're still reading you're probably bored so I will crawl back into my nicely decorated hole and do some much needed maths revision. Your views on anything I have rambled here, greatly appreciated.
At least having constant access to many major consoles at any one time allows you to make correctly judged decisions on which is better.
For me...
I have a PS2, am happy (Not going to trade it in for another console), have games I enjoy and don't care about other consoles. I won't slate them or praise them just to jump on the current bandwagon (At the moment.. GC. Big surprise there)
For me...
I have a PS2, am happy (Not going to trade it in for another console), have games I enjoy and don't care about other consoles. I won't slate them or praise them just to jump on the current bandwagon (At the moment.. GC. Big surprise there)
That's just greedy!! ;-)
I know, why not give some of them to me. The Gamecube and GBA sound fine. Thanks a lot mate ;-)
See Ya ;-)
PinkPig
I know, why not give some of them to me. The Gamecube and GBA sound fine. Thanks a lot mate ;-)
See Ya ;-)
PinkPig
My house is full on consoles...between me and my siblings we collectivly have: a Playstation, PS2, Sega Master System, MegaDrive, Dreamcast, 2 Gameboy Colours, Gameboy Advance, GameCube, N64.
Oh and 2 computers...
Tis' true though, competition is a good thing because it always means there will be good choice and reason for games companies to get off thier fat butts and make some decent games.
;0)
Oh and 2 computers...
Tis' true though, competition is a good thing because it always means there will be good choice and reason for games companies to get off thier fat butts and make some decent games.
;0)
If gamers were classified into groups or generations I guess I would be in the second generation of gamers. My first platform to play games on was a Spectrum and it was a fair while ago, probably 13 years or so but I can't remember exactly. As computer games are a fairly new thing I was, as many of you probably were, among the first people to start playing games. Looking back it seems that games and consoles have grown up as I have grown up. The games industry is moving forward at a fast speed and constantly innovating and improving on old formulas for games. Year upon year new games are released that push the boundary further, games like Halo, Rez, MGS2 etc. Anyway, its not just the games that have changed, prices have too, so has the audiences that games are made for, the type of games and even the type of consoles.
Back when I was a young child playing on my Spectrum games were simple in the main, probably most of them were designed for kids rather than adult gamers. They came on cassettes and cost a few quid each second hand. This was good, as I didn't have any money and all my games were bought for me. As times went on graphics improved, games changed from cassettes to cartridges to CD's to DVD's and the price of games got ever higher. Didn't bother me as I had more money to spend and the prices of games and consoles, even now, seems reasonable to me. Games are now close to film quality in graphics, there are thousands to choose from and if you like games the likelyhood is that there will always be something new that you want to play on.
With the release of the Gamecube and X-Box in Europe gamers now have more choice than ever and many people, myself included will buy two different consoles. Soon, probably when the next generation of consoles is released, it may be normal for an avid gamer to own two or more consoles of the same generation. This will be beacuse, as the average age of gamers increase we have more collective money to spend on luxuries like games consoles. At the moment, the big console manufacturers are to some extent ignoring the people who want to buy a second console, favouring saying why their console is better and why people should sell their PS2s, for instance, in order to buy an X-Box or a Gamecube. At the moment, the X-box is selling by the existence of killer aps that are exclusive to the console like Halo, PGR, and to a lesser extent Amped. But if you own a PS2 you probably already have GT3 and SSX if you like these type of games so the only game that you really really want on the X-Box at the moment will be Halo.
Nintendo do a better job of attracting people to buy the gamecube with exclusive, totally different titles like Pikmin and Super Monkey Ball and the low price. But will the console makers ever begin to think about how their console is going to appeal to people who already own another console and will they start to demand their first and second party developers to make the sort of games that are not yet seen on other consoles. If this does happen and Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft start thinking about two-console gamers then new, innovative games will come flooding in. Originality will no longer be moaned about. These sort of games can be made, but at the moment, developers would rather make a shoddy football game or a below-par racer as it would make them more money. By now if, you're still reading you're probably bored so I will crawl back into my nicely decorated hole and do some much needed maths revision. Your views on anything I have rambled here, greatly appreciated.
Back when I was a young child playing on my Spectrum games were simple in the main, probably most of them were designed for kids rather than adult gamers. They came on cassettes and cost a few quid each second hand. This was good, as I didn't have any money and all my games were bought for me. As times went on graphics improved, games changed from cassettes to cartridges to CD's to DVD's and the price of games got ever higher. Didn't bother me as I had more money to spend and the prices of games and consoles, even now, seems reasonable to me. Games are now close to film quality in graphics, there are thousands to choose from and if you like games the likelyhood is that there will always be something new that you want to play on.
With the release of the Gamecube and X-Box in Europe gamers now have more choice than ever and many people, myself included will buy two different consoles. Soon, probably when the next generation of consoles is released, it may be normal for an avid gamer to own two or more consoles of the same generation. This will be beacuse, as the average age of gamers increase we have more collective money to spend on luxuries like games consoles. At the moment, the big console manufacturers are to some extent ignoring the people who want to buy a second console, favouring saying why their console is better and why people should sell their PS2s, for instance, in order to buy an X-Box or a Gamecube. At the moment, the X-box is selling by the existence of killer aps that are exclusive to the console like Halo, PGR, and to a lesser extent Amped. But if you own a PS2 you probably already have GT3 and SSX if you like these type of games so the only game that you really really want on the X-Box at the moment will be Halo.
Nintendo do a better job of attracting people to buy the gamecube with exclusive, totally different titles like Pikmin and Super Monkey Ball and the low price. But will the console makers ever begin to think about how their console is going to appeal to people who already own another console and will they start to demand their first and second party developers to make the sort of games that are not yet seen on other consoles. If this does happen and Nintendo, Sony and Microsoft start thinking about two-console gamers then new, innovative games will come flooding in. Originality will no longer be moaned about. These sort of games can be made, but at the moment, developers would rather make a shoddy football game or a below-par racer as it would make them more money. By now if, you're still reading you're probably bored so I will crawl back into my nicely decorated hole and do some much needed maths revision. Your views on anything I have rambled here, greatly appreciated.