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As we move further on into a more technologically advanced environments the "Concept of Gaming" changes, but in a market worth £2 billion a year in the United Kingdom what exactly is it that we want from games today?
Remember 'Alex Kidd' on the Sega Master System; gaming was just starting to take off and with a game where gameplay was the biggest aim for developers arguments between power didn't exist. Nintendo and Sega were just starting their gaming empire, Cartridges were the biggest method of storing information, CD gaming was unheard of in a era where to pause the game a button from the consoles unit needed to be activated in order to stop the game. Sega's Master System was revolutionary; the pads contained 2 buttons and an 8-Way D-Pad, what has happened to the good old days of gaming? What do we expect out of games today? The questions I just asked were rhetorical but I would like you to think about them as I explore what is required today in order for a game to sell.
In an era where Dolby 5.1, 2GHZ processors and hard-drives dominate the way we game, are we placing too much emphasis on power over gameplay? Its all about proportions and what is available at the time, back in 1992 Dolby 5.1 systems were un-heard of, Stereo systems were being introduced into more and more of our every day appliances. Computer processors were under 20MHZ, but the enjoyment was still there. The "Concept of Gaming" was "gaming", we are spoiling a good tradition and for what? Market domination.
Sega, Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Nike, Adidas, Reebok are all dominant companies in our every day lives, names sell, it is a fact that a product with the Nike Swoosh on will sell if put up against a similar item and the same is happening to our computer games. The emphasis is no longer just on Gameplay, other factors come into the equation and the result...
Sega's 'Master System' had 9 channels of Synthesised sound compared to today’s language it doesn't even compare! Microsoft's first giant leap into gaming launched on March 14th 2002 with the latest innovation of computer technology, the console has 256 separate sound channels boasting the most advanced gaming system to date, but where are the games? With one of the most successful launches in terms of great games, but the console has hit a production slow down and with today’s market slow down with games will eventually lead to an unpopular response from the gaming public.
Sega have decided to stop making consoles and concentrate on producing games across multiple formats, isn't this telling us something? Sega's last console was greeted with very mixed opinions which have eventually lead to a console failure long before its intended life span of 6 years. Do we emphasise too much on graphics and sound? Is gameplay left aside or put to the bottom of the pile when developing games because with the current state of gaming I think it has.
The modern market has changed the way I feel about gaming, in the past if a game has been fun to play then I would add it to my collection, but now it is quite the opposite! When researching a game I always look to see what score it receives in both the graphical and sound departments and then finally check to see how the game does actually play. Modern marketing has influenced the way in which I embark upon choosing a title, for me graphics and sound are more important than gameplay and with a company like Sega who are renown for the games they produce pulling out of the console production market should we reassess the current situation and revise what can be done in order for gameplay to once more dominate the way we game.
'The Concept of Gaming' has moved on, this is understandable as there is only one way to go and that is forward, but with this acceleration are we loosing out on what made gaming what it is today? What can be done about the modern gaming market? I am used to seeing games look good and sound great but I can count on the fingers of one hand games which have contained a well balanced mixture of graphics, sound and gameplay whilst still delivering a title which offer replay value and great playability.
I for one hope that one day we will see the essence of gaming return once more, I am not saying make games look horrible, sound poor but play well, but can't we strike a line between this and bring back the fun factor into gaming? In my life-time I have witnessed one of the biggest changes of the technological market and most of it has been for the good, medicines have been improved dramatically, escaping the law is almost impossible in a day and age where Helicopters and tracking devices can be activated within minutes, but with this good can be turned into bad quite easily, it may be brutal to compare this with the modern gaming market but this is how it is turning, 'The Concept of Gaming' has changed, we are using the good but turning it into bad, the powers at our disposal are being relied on too much, old-school methods need to be re-addressed before the industry completely focuses on what looks good over what plays good! In the end that is all it boils down to, the question is who will make the first move?
Thankyou for reading
Remember 'Alex Kidd' on the Sega Master System; gaming was just starting to take off and with a game where gameplay was the biggest aim for developers arguments between power didn't exist. Nintendo and Sega were just starting their gaming empire, Cartridges were the biggest method of storing information, CD gaming was unheard of in a era where to pause the game a button from the consoles unit needed to be activated in order to stop the game. Sega's Master System was revolutionary; the pads contained 2 buttons and an 8-Way D-Pad, what has happened to the good old days of gaming? What do we expect out of games today? The questions I just asked were rhetorical but I would like you to think about them as I explore what is required today in order for a game to sell.
In an era where Dolby 5.1, 2GHZ processors and hard-drives dominate the way we game, are we placing too much emphasis on power over gameplay? Its all about proportions and what is available at the time, back in 1992 Dolby 5.1 systems were un-heard of, Stereo systems were being introduced into more and more of our every day appliances. Computer processors were under 20MHZ, but the enjoyment was still there. The "Concept of Gaming" was "gaming", we are spoiling a good tradition and for what? Market domination.
Sega, Nintendo, Sony, Microsoft, Nike, Adidas, Reebok are all dominant companies in our every day lives, names sell, it is a fact that a product with the Nike Swoosh on will sell if put up against a similar item and the same is happening to our computer games. The emphasis is no longer just on Gameplay, other factors come into the equation and the result...
Sega's 'Master System' had 9 channels of Synthesised sound compared to today’s language it doesn't even compare! Microsoft's first giant leap into gaming launched on March 14th 2002 with the latest innovation of computer technology, the console has 256 separate sound channels boasting the most advanced gaming system to date, but where are the games? With one of the most successful launches in terms of great games, but the console has hit a production slow down and with today’s market slow down with games will eventually lead to an unpopular response from the gaming public.
Sega have decided to stop making consoles and concentrate on producing games across multiple formats, isn't this telling us something? Sega's last console was greeted with very mixed opinions which have eventually lead to a console failure long before its intended life span of 6 years. Do we emphasise too much on graphics and sound? Is gameplay left aside or put to the bottom of the pile when developing games because with the current state of gaming I think it has.
The modern market has changed the way I feel about gaming, in the past if a game has been fun to play then I would add it to my collection, but now it is quite the opposite! When researching a game I always look to see what score it receives in both the graphical and sound departments and then finally check to see how the game does actually play. Modern marketing has influenced the way in which I embark upon choosing a title, for me graphics and sound are more important than gameplay and with a company like Sega who are renown for the games they produce pulling out of the console production market should we reassess the current situation and revise what can be done in order for gameplay to once more dominate the way we game.
'The Concept of Gaming' has moved on, this is understandable as there is only one way to go and that is forward, but with this acceleration are we loosing out on what made gaming what it is today? What can be done about the modern gaming market? I am used to seeing games look good and sound great but I can count on the fingers of one hand games which have contained a well balanced mixture of graphics, sound and gameplay whilst still delivering a title which offer replay value and great playability.
I for one hope that one day we will see the essence of gaming return once more, I am not saying make games look horrible, sound poor but play well, but can't we strike a line between this and bring back the fun factor into gaming? In my life-time I have witnessed one of the biggest changes of the technological market and most of it has been for the good, medicines have been improved dramatically, escaping the law is almost impossible in a day and age where Helicopters and tracking devices can be activated within minutes, but with this good can be turned into bad quite easily, it may be brutal to compare this with the modern gaming market but this is how it is turning, 'The Concept of Gaming' has changed, we are using the good but turning it into bad, the powers at our disposal are being relied on too much, old-school methods need to be re-addressed before the industry completely focuses on what looks good over what plays good! In the end that is all it boils down to, the question is who will make the first move?
Thankyou for reading
Page:
GAD hasn't been announced yet for this post so I am not doing it to double my chances, I just didn't know that the other one was the proper forum.
Nomad_Soul wrote:
> I predict a GAD win.
I wouldn't have thought you could win for a topic you've already posted before. I mean, if you didn't win one day, could you just post it the next day and the next, etc. until it does win?
Nomad_Soul wrote:
> Not necessarily, but in here posts can drop down and off the list very
> quickly.
I've noticed this first hand...
> I predict a GAD win.
I wouldn't have thought you could win for a topic you've already posted before. I mean, if you didn't win one day, could you just post it the next day and the next, etc. until it does win?
Nomad_Soul wrote:
> Not necessarily, but in here posts can drop down and off the list very
> quickly.
I've noticed this first hand...
I have posted it in FOG Prime now! Thanks Nomad!
Not necessarily, but in here posts can drop down and off the list very quickly.
Do you have more chance of winning if you put it in prime then?
cheers Nomad I'll do that now!
You should post this FOG Prime. I predict a GAD win.
Nomad_Soul wrote:
> Playability is everything.
> Graphics are just froth'n'bubble.
>
> Now that we've arrived at the "every-game-has-good-graphics"
> point, bring back and improve on the fun and addictive playability of
> the "older" games.
My point exactly!
> Playability is everything.
> Graphics are just froth'n'bubble.
>
> Now that we've arrived at the "every-game-has-good-graphics"
> point, bring back and improve on the fun and addictive playability of
> the "older" games.
My point exactly!
Playability is everything.
Graphics are just froth'n'bubble.
Now that we've arrived at the "every-game-has-good-graphics" point, bring back and improve on the fun and addictive playability of the "older" games.
Graphics are just froth'n'bubble.
Now that we've arrived at the "every-game-has-good-graphics" point, bring back and improve on the fun and addictive playability of the "older" games.
garbe123 wrote:
> Remember 'Alex Kidd' on the Sega Master System
What an excellent game...
> Remember 'Alex Kidd' on the Sega Master System
What an excellent game...
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