The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
Zealotism.....a real word? I’m not sure, but with regards to the games industry, the word Zealotism exists, and love it or loathe it, zealotism and gaming zealots are here to stay.
In the dictionary, the word zealot means an “immoderate, fanatical or extremely zealous adherent to a cause, especially a religious one”. Well seeing as some people treat games like a religion with their extreme dedication and mind-boggling displays of knowledge, I suppose that description fits the bill.
There are loads of gaming zealots around, but are they good or bad??
The word ‘zealot’ has been mentioned quite a lot regarding the games industry over the last few years, and whenever you start a ‘mine’s better than yours’ topic/argument is when all the zealots come out of the woodwork. If you look around these forums I’m sure you’ll find half a dozen of these topics with the various consoles good & bad points mulled over by loads of zealots arguing their cases. But in the end they get absolutely nowhere because they can’t change other equally strong minded zealots opinions.
There are many different breeds of gaming zealots; there are the Nintendo fanatics, the Sony supporters, the Xbox enthusiasts and the PC devotees. Each of these people will swear blind that XXX company/console is best, and that you must be stupid if you think otherwise. They have an extremely one-sided and biased viewpoint and refuse to listen to facts.
But are they bad? Well I don’t think that they’re necessarily too bad, it’s just that they need a bit more objectivity and impartiality. It’s nice that people have a strong loyalty to a company/system but they must be willing to accept certain facts and others opinions and not be so pig-headed about other consoles, and agree that some games on other systems do look good.
I suppose zealotism is basically a by-word for a brand loyal person, someone who will stick with a company through thick and thin, but doesn’t like it when their chosen brand is dismissed by others.
Brand loyalty is important for companies to establish a user base and a fan following. Like many others, I have brand loyalty to Nintendo, whilst others have brand loyalty to the Playstation, Xbox etc.
Did the PS2 sell so well because it’s a great console? No, it’s because of the loyal fans and the ‘cool’ brand name associated with the PS2 guaranteed that it would sell. In short, the PS2s success is partly due to the PSone & the Playstation brand name, and not its own merits.
But zealotism is not just good-natured faith and loyalty in a company; it does have a darker side, being a distinct lack of tolerance towards other consoles or just a lack of knowledge about the rivals.
For example, how many die-hard Sony/Xbox zealots dismiss Mario Sunshine & Zelda etc as being "just kids games"?
The answer is “many”, which is a shame.
So what qualifies you as a gaming zealot?
There are many signs to look for, including hairy knuckles, bad breath, fuzzy bum-fluff ‘beards’, burning sensations in-between the toes, but mostly it’s 100% devotion to a single company/console and disregarding others, and dismissing cast iron facts when trying to hype up your chosen console in a console war ‘debate’.
I love Nintendo, I have a Gamecube, N64, SNES, GBA, used to have a NES, and have basically grown up with the Nintendo gaming ethics. However, I also have a Dreamcast, PS2, PSone, and will probably one day get an Xbox when there are a few more decent games worthy of my purchase, and I enjoy playing many great PC games. Despite the fact that I like Nintendo so much, I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself to be a 100% Nintendo zealot as I enjoy other gaming platforms and respect those consoles for the great games they have. But my main gaming loyalty rests with the big N because they have provided me with so much joy down the years, and have always been at the forefront of classic gaming experiences and make the best games.
I stick up for Nintendo when other people dismiss them with a blasé attitude, such as when people sneered at the new Zelda style cel shaded look, I would defend Nintendo’s decision till I’m blue in the face because they know what they’re doing, and the doubters will be proved 100% wrong when Zelda comes out and is pronounced a classic.
Lets look at an example of a zealot: ‘Mr. A’, a self confessed Playstation zealot writes propaganda articles for ‘Sony Fanboy Weekly’.
He claims that Nintendo copied the ideas for the GC control pad from the Sony pads, even though Nintendo invented the many functions on the modern control pad with their NES & SNES systems years before the PSone came along.
He then goes on to write about the new Zelda looking crap because it’s cartoony and that all Nintendo games contain elves and fluffy clouds and that all PS2 games are “Kool kos thay ‘ave blood in ‘em”.
Then he writes about the new Gamecube Resident Evil titles, saying that he doesn’t care that they’re not on the PS2 as they’re rubbish anyway, so he doesn’t want them on the PS2, and prefers Silent Hill & Devil May Cry instead.
Unbelievably, he even dares to mention Jak & Daxter and Mario 64 in the same breath, when they’re not even in the same league.
We pity Mr. A.
Is there any cure for zealotism, or any hope for sufferers such as Mr. A? As of yet there isn’t a cure for extreme zealotism, but doctors and researchers are working on an ointment and even a spray, which might relieve some of the symptoms.
In the dictionary, the word zealot means an “immoderate, fanatical or extremely zealous adherent to a cause, especially a religious one”. Well seeing as some people treat games like a religion with their extreme dedication and mind-boggling displays of knowledge, I suppose that description fits the bill.
There are loads of gaming zealots around, but are they good or bad??
The word ‘zealot’ has been mentioned quite a lot regarding the games industry over the last few years, and whenever you start a ‘mine’s better than yours’ topic/argument is when all the zealots come out of the woodwork. If you look around these forums I’m sure you’ll find half a dozen of these topics with the various consoles good & bad points mulled over by loads of zealots arguing their cases. But in the end they get absolutely nowhere because they can’t change other equally strong minded zealots opinions.
There are many different breeds of gaming zealots; there are the Nintendo fanatics, the Sony supporters, the Xbox enthusiasts and the PC devotees. Each of these people will swear blind that XXX company/console is best, and that you must be stupid if you think otherwise. They have an extremely one-sided and biased viewpoint and refuse to listen to facts.
But are they bad? Well I don’t think that they’re necessarily too bad, it’s just that they need a bit more objectivity and impartiality. It’s nice that people have a strong loyalty to a company/system but they must be willing to accept certain facts and others opinions and not be so pig-headed about other consoles, and agree that some games on other systems do look good.
I suppose zealotism is basically a by-word for a brand loyal person, someone who will stick with a company through thick and thin, but doesn’t like it when their chosen brand is dismissed by others.
Brand loyalty is important for companies to establish a user base and a fan following. Like many others, I have brand loyalty to Nintendo, whilst others have brand loyalty to the Playstation, Xbox etc.
Did the PS2 sell so well because it’s a great console? No, it’s because of the loyal fans and the ‘cool’ brand name associated with the PS2 guaranteed that it would sell. In short, the PS2s success is partly due to the PSone & the Playstation brand name, and not its own merits.
But zealotism is not just good-natured faith and loyalty in a company; it does have a darker side, being a distinct lack of tolerance towards other consoles or just a lack of knowledge about the rivals.
For example, how many die-hard Sony/Xbox zealots dismiss Mario Sunshine & Zelda etc as being "just kids games"?
The answer is “many”, which is a shame.
So what qualifies you as a gaming zealot?
There are many signs to look for, including hairy knuckles, bad breath, fuzzy bum-fluff ‘beards’, burning sensations in-between the toes, but mostly it’s 100% devotion to a single company/console and disregarding others, and dismissing cast iron facts when trying to hype up your chosen console in a console war ‘debate’.
I love Nintendo, I have a Gamecube, N64, SNES, GBA, used to have a NES, and have basically grown up with the Nintendo gaming ethics. However, I also have a Dreamcast, PS2, PSone, and will probably one day get an Xbox when there are a few more decent games worthy of my purchase, and I enjoy playing many great PC games. Despite the fact that I like Nintendo so much, I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself to be a 100% Nintendo zealot as I enjoy other gaming platforms and respect those consoles for the great games they have. But my main gaming loyalty rests with the big N because they have provided me with so much joy down the years, and have always been at the forefront of classic gaming experiences and make the best games.
I stick up for Nintendo when other people dismiss them with a blasé attitude, such as when people sneered at the new Zelda style cel shaded look, I would defend Nintendo’s decision till I’m blue in the face because they know what they’re doing, and the doubters will be proved 100% wrong when Zelda comes out and is pronounced a classic.
Lets look at an example of a zealot: ‘Mr. A’, a self confessed Playstation zealot writes propaganda articles for ‘Sony Fanboy Weekly’.
He claims that Nintendo copied the ideas for the GC control pad from the Sony pads, even though Nintendo invented the many functions on the modern control pad with their NES & SNES systems years before the PSone came along.
He then goes on to write about the new Zelda looking crap because it’s cartoony and that all Nintendo games contain elves and fluffy clouds and that all PS2 games are “Kool kos thay ‘ave blood in ‘em”.
Then he writes about the new Gamecube Resident Evil titles, saying that he doesn’t care that they’re not on the PS2 as they’re rubbish anyway, so he doesn’t want them on the PS2, and prefers Silent Hill & Devil May Cry instead.
Unbelievably, he even dares to mention Jak & Daxter and Mario 64 in the same breath, when they’re not even in the same league.
We pity Mr. A.
Is there any cure for zealotism, or any hope for sufferers such as Mr. A? As of yet there isn’t a cure for extreme zealotism, but doctors and researchers are working on an ointment and even a spray, which might relieve some of the symptoms.
Zealotism.....a real word? I’m not sure, but with regards to the games industry, the word Zealotism exists, and love it or loathe it, zealotism and gaming zealots are here to stay.
In the dictionary, the word zealot means an “immoderate, fanatical or extremely zealous adherent to a cause, especially a religious one”. Well seeing as some people treat games like a religion with their extreme dedication and mind-boggling displays of knowledge, I suppose that description fits the bill.
There are loads of gaming zealots around, but are they good or bad??
The word ‘zealot’ has been mentioned quite a lot regarding the games industry over the last few years, and whenever you start a ‘mine’s better than yours’ topic/argument is when all the zealots come out of the woodwork. If you look around these forums I’m sure you’ll find half a dozen of these topics with the various consoles good & bad points mulled over by loads of zealots arguing their cases. But in the end they get absolutely nowhere because they can’t change other equally strong minded zealots opinions.
There are many different breeds of gaming zealots; there are the Nintendo fanatics, the Sony supporters, the Xbox enthusiasts and the PC devotees. Each of these people will swear blind that XXX company/console is best, and that you must be stupid if you think otherwise. They have an extremely one-sided and biased viewpoint and refuse to listen to facts.
But are they bad? Well I don’t think that they’re necessarily too bad, it’s just that they need a bit more objectivity and impartiality. It’s nice that people have a strong loyalty to a company/system but they must be willing to accept certain facts and others opinions and not be so pig-headed about other consoles, and agree that some games on other systems do look good.
I suppose zealotism is basically a by-word for a brand loyal person, someone who will stick with a company through thick and thin, but doesn’t like it when their chosen brand is dismissed by others.
Brand loyalty is important for companies to establish a user base and a fan following. Like many others, I have brand loyalty to Nintendo, whilst others have brand loyalty to the Playstation, Xbox etc.
Did the PS2 sell so well because it’s a great console? No, it’s because of the loyal fans and the ‘cool’ brand name associated with the PS2 guaranteed that it would sell. In short, the PS2s success is partly due to the PSone & the Playstation brand name, and not its own merits.
But zealotism is not just good-natured faith and loyalty in a company; it does have a darker side, being a distinct lack of tolerance towards other consoles or just a lack of knowledge about the rivals.
For example, how many die-hard Sony/Xbox zealots dismiss Mario Sunshine & Zelda etc as being "just kids games"?
The answer is “many”, which is a shame.
So what qualifies you as a gaming zealot?
There are many signs to look for, including hairy knuckles, bad breath, fuzzy bum-fluff ‘beards’, burning sensations in-between the toes, but mostly it’s 100% devotion to a single company/console and disregarding others, and dismissing cast iron facts when trying to hype up your chosen console in a console war ‘debate’.
I love Nintendo, I have a Gamecube, N64, SNES, GBA, used to have a NES, and have basically grown up with the Nintendo gaming ethics. However, I also have a Dreamcast, PS2, PSone, and will probably one day get an Xbox when there are a few more decent games worthy of my purchase, and I enjoy playing many great PC games. Despite the fact that I like Nintendo so much, I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself to be a 100% Nintendo zealot as I enjoy other gaming platforms and respect those consoles for the great games they have. But my main gaming loyalty rests with the big N because they have provided me with so much joy down the years, and have always been at the forefront of classic gaming experiences and make the best games.
I stick up for Nintendo when other people dismiss them with a blasé attitude, such as when people sneered at the new Zelda style cel shaded look, I would defend Nintendo’s decision till I’m blue in the face because they know what they’re doing, and the doubters will be proved 100% wrong when Zelda comes out and is pronounced a classic.
Lets look at an example of a zealot: ‘Mr. A’, a self confessed Playstation zealot writes propaganda articles for ‘Sony Fanboy Weekly’.
He claims that Nintendo copied the ideas for the GC control pad from the Sony pads, even though Nintendo invented the many functions on the modern control pad with their NES & SNES systems years before the PSone came along.
He then goes on to write about the new Zelda looking crap because it’s cartoony and that all Nintendo games contain elves and fluffy clouds and that all PS2 games are “Kool kos thay ‘ave blood in ‘em”.
Then he writes about the new Gamecube Resident Evil titles, saying that he doesn’t care that they’re not on the PS2 as they’re rubbish anyway, so he doesn’t want them on the PS2, and prefers Silent Hill & Devil May Cry instead.
Unbelievably, he even dares to mention Jak & Daxter and Mario 64 in the same breath, when they’re not even in the same league.
We pity Mr. A.
Is there any cure for zealotism, or any hope for sufferers such as Mr. A? As of yet there isn’t a cure for extreme zealotism, but doctors and researchers are working on an ointment and even a spray, which might relieve some of the symptoms.
In the dictionary, the word zealot means an “immoderate, fanatical or extremely zealous adherent to a cause, especially a religious one”. Well seeing as some people treat games like a religion with their extreme dedication and mind-boggling displays of knowledge, I suppose that description fits the bill.
There are loads of gaming zealots around, but are they good or bad??
The word ‘zealot’ has been mentioned quite a lot regarding the games industry over the last few years, and whenever you start a ‘mine’s better than yours’ topic/argument is when all the zealots come out of the woodwork. If you look around these forums I’m sure you’ll find half a dozen of these topics with the various consoles good & bad points mulled over by loads of zealots arguing their cases. But in the end they get absolutely nowhere because they can’t change other equally strong minded zealots opinions.
There are many different breeds of gaming zealots; there are the Nintendo fanatics, the Sony supporters, the Xbox enthusiasts and the PC devotees. Each of these people will swear blind that XXX company/console is best, and that you must be stupid if you think otherwise. They have an extremely one-sided and biased viewpoint and refuse to listen to facts.
But are they bad? Well I don’t think that they’re necessarily too bad, it’s just that they need a bit more objectivity and impartiality. It’s nice that people have a strong loyalty to a company/system but they must be willing to accept certain facts and others opinions and not be so pig-headed about other consoles, and agree that some games on other systems do look good.
I suppose zealotism is basically a by-word for a brand loyal person, someone who will stick with a company through thick and thin, but doesn’t like it when their chosen brand is dismissed by others.
Brand loyalty is important for companies to establish a user base and a fan following. Like many others, I have brand loyalty to Nintendo, whilst others have brand loyalty to the Playstation, Xbox etc.
Did the PS2 sell so well because it’s a great console? No, it’s because of the loyal fans and the ‘cool’ brand name associated with the PS2 guaranteed that it would sell. In short, the PS2s success is partly due to the PSone & the Playstation brand name, and not its own merits.
But zealotism is not just good-natured faith and loyalty in a company; it does have a darker side, being a distinct lack of tolerance towards other consoles or just a lack of knowledge about the rivals.
For example, how many die-hard Sony/Xbox zealots dismiss Mario Sunshine & Zelda etc as being "just kids games"?
The answer is “many”, which is a shame.
So what qualifies you as a gaming zealot?
There are many signs to look for, including hairy knuckles, bad breath, fuzzy bum-fluff ‘beards’, burning sensations in-between the toes, but mostly it’s 100% devotion to a single company/console and disregarding others, and dismissing cast iron facts when trying to hype up your chosen console in a console war ‘debate’.
I love Nintendo, I have a Gamecube, N64, SNES, GBA, used to have a NES, and have basically grown up with the Nintendo gaming ethics. However, I also have a Dreamcast, PS2, PSone, and will probably one day get an Xbox when there are a few more decent games worthy of my purchase, and I enjoy playing many great PC games. Despite the fact that I like Nintendo so much, I wouldn’t necessarily consider myself to be a 100% Nintendo zealot as I enjoy other gaming platforms and respect those consoles for the great games they have. But my main gaming loyalty rests with the big N because they have provided me with so much joy down the years, and have always been at the forefront of classic gaming experiences and make the best games.
I stick up for Nintendo when other people dismiss them with a blasé attitude, such as when people sneered at the new Zelda style cel shaded look, I would defend Nintendo’s decision till I’m blue in the face because they know what they’re doing, and the doubters will be proved 100% wrong when Zelda comes out and is pronounced a classic.
Lets look at an example of a zealot: ‘Mr. A’, a self confessed Playstation zealot writes propaganda articles for ‘Sony Fanboy Weekly’.
He claims that Nintendo copied the ideas for the GC control pad from the Sony pads, even though Nintendo invented the many functions on the modern control pad with their NES & SNES systems years before the PSone came along.
He then goes on to write about the new Zelda looking crap because it’s cartoony and that all Nintendo games contain elves and fluffy clouds and that all PS2 games are “Kool kos thay ‘ave blood in ‘em”.
Then he writes about the new Gamecube Resident Evil titles, saying that he doesn’t care that they’re not on the PS2 as they’re rubbish anyway, so he doesn’t want them on the PS2, and prefers Silent Hill & Devil May Cry instead.
Unbelievably, he even dares to mention Jak & Daxter and Mario 64 in the same breath, when they’re not even in the same league.
We pity Mr. A.
Is there any cure for zealotism, or any hope for sufferers such as Mr. A? As of yet there isn’t a cure for extreme zealotism, but doctors and researchers are working on an ointment and even a spray, which might relieve some of the symptoms.
Just to add to your point on the PS/GC control pad rip-off issue, the original Playstation was actually Nintendo's idea originally, with the CD technology being provided by Sony - so you can bet your bottom dollar it was actually Nintendo who originally designed Sony's control pads. Really means anyone who argues the GC controllers are a rip-off of Sony's work, pretty much don't know what they're talking about. As both companies have as much right to the design as each other. ;)
Pointless Babble,
Although Sony and Ninty originally worked together on the CD based console, it was only after the 2 companies split that the PSX controller was designed BY Sony.
Even so, the original pad didn't have analogue sticks anyway- it was only after the N64 popularised the analogue sticks that Sony incorporated them into their controller.
That said, years before the N64 came out, Sega released a pad for the Saturn with the game NiGHTS! that had an analogue stick (the pad was nearly identical to the Dreamcast's standard pad).
That said, analogue control developed first in the arcade anyway- especially with steering wheel controllers. Indeed, it was Sega who made the first 3D racer in Daytona.
Simply put, ALL the ideas we see are derived from somewhere. Take, for example, the rumble pack. This was NOT Ninty's idea. For before Nintendo did rumble, Sega had created force feedback in the arcades. However, this was actually based on multimillion pound industrial remote controls that allowed operators to feel that the robot they were controlling was doing.
Sonic
Although Sony and Ninty originally worked together on the CD based console, it was only after the 2 companies split that the PSX controller was designed BY Sony.
Even so, the original pad didn't have analogue sticks anyway- it was only after the N64 popularised the analogue sticks that Sony incorporated them into their controller.
That said, years before the N64 came out, Sega released a pad for the Saturn with the game NiGHTS! that had an analogue stick (the pad was nearly identical to the Dreamcast's standard pad).
That said, analogue control developed first in the arcade anyway- especially with steering wheel controllers. Indeed, it was Sega who made the first 3D racer in Daytona.
Simply put, ALL the ideas we see are derived from somewhere. Take, for example, the rumble pack. This was NOT Ninty's idea. For before Nintendo did rumble, Sega had created force feedback in the arcades. However, this was actually based on multimillion pound industrial remote controls that allowed operators to feel that the robot they were controlling was doing.
Sonic
Sonic Rav, an unashamed Sega Zealot! :-)
How biased do you have to be to become a Zealot?
If it means dismissing anything other than your favourite company then there aren't so many zealots around (or atleast they don't last long...)
If it means favouring your own favourite company then everyone has a touch of zealotism in them somewhere.
Still even the most hardcore Zealot is breakable.
Did anyone else know that Turbonutter accidently admitted to being a Pokémon master? ;-D
How biased do you have to be to become a Zealot?
If it means dismissing anything other than your favourite company then there aren't so many zealots around (or atleast they don't last long...)
If it means favouring your own favourite company then everyone has a touch of zealotism in them somewhere.
Still even the most hardcore Zealot is breakable.
Did anyone else know that Turbonutter accidently admitted to being a Pokémon master? ;-D
Strafex wrote:
> Did anyone else know that Turbonutter accidently admitted to being a
> Pokémon master? ;-D
Ha, there I was thinking he was the biggest anti Nintendo person here!
> Did anyone else know that Turbonutter accidently admitted to being a
> Pokémon master? ;-D
Ha, there I was thinking he was the biggest anti Nintendo person here!
Totoro wrote:
======================
I have a Gamecube, N64, SNES, GBA, used to have a NES, and have basically grown up with the Nintendo gaming ethics. However, I also have a Dreamcast, PS2, PSone, and will probably one day get an Xbox when there are a few more decent games worthy of my purchase, and I enjoy playing many great PC games.
======================
OMFG YUO CAL URSLEF A NITNENDO FAN AND YOU BORT A GAYSTATIon??????????///////
Nice post, I was thinking the other day about exactly why I felt so compelled to diss Playstations in my day when it was as clear as the balls on a dog the platform played host to numerous classics. I came to the conclusion that the only way to avoid playground console wars was for all children to be given one of each kind of console, as the need to be derogatory about other peoples kit diminishes somewhat when you own it all anyway. Sadly when I wrote to Sony demanding that everyone in the country be sent a free Playstation, they politely told me where I could shove my ideals.
======================
I have a Gamecube, N64, SNES, GBA, used to have a NES, and have basically grown up with the Nintendo gaming ethics. However, I also have a Dreamcast, PS2, PSone, and will probably one day get an Xbox when there are a few more decent games worthy of my purchase, and I enjoy playing many great PC games.
======================
OMFG YUO CAL URSLEF A NITNENDO FAN AND YOU BORT A GAYSTATIon??????????///////
Nice post, I was thinking the other day about exactly why I felt so compelled to diss Playstations in my day when it was as clear as the balls on a dog the platform played host to numerous classics. I came to the conclusion that the only way to avoid playground console wars was for all children to be given one of each kind of console, as the need to be derogatory about other peoples kit diminishes somewhat when you own it all anyway. Sadly when I wrote to Sony demanding that everyone in the country be sent a free Playstation, they politely told me where I could shove my ideals.