Breaking away from Dobs off-topic post... :D

[Wrage]

Dobs and Stubbs got me thinking...what's the deal with games lately? I beat Dragon Age a couple times but that was the last game I played and haven't played any game in prob a month - I just don't see any good titles or games that even look interesting. Maybe it's old age kicking in about the 'good old days' when there wasn't enough time to play all the games cuz there were so many good ones.

But does it seem that way to other people as well? If so, what's the deal? Do people lack the creativity to make a good game now - are companies over-doing it and making games too complex so development takes a long time? What do you think it is?

I mean I would love to play even some old games (Diablo 2, Starcraft, Battlefield 1942, even Wolfenstien or Doom for crying out loud...) with new maps or new areas to play - it doesn't have to be a completely new game or for that matter or even have to be upgraded graphics. It just seems to me that newer games have lost the 'magic' of old games. I mean Diablo2 - I played that game literally for years!

Anyway - maybe it's just me, or maybe times have changed and I'm stuck in the digital pixelized past...what do you think?

Anyway, I'm off for a bite of milk-toast and a nap after I find my walker, my glasses, and my dentures...ah drat my depends are full - gotta replace those first I guess...

[Llama8]

Originally Posted by Wrage

But does it seem that way to other people as well?

Yes.

I think the "problem", has several aspects to it.
1) Back in the old days games were fairly simple & so we were impressed with whatever we could get our hands on (side-scrollers, vector graphics, text-based adventures, etc).
2) Due to the lack of umph (a technical term) in our PCs back then, the developers had to focus on gameplay & story rather than use fancy graphics.
3) Because games were much simpler, they cost a lot less to make so the companies were risking a lot less which meant they were happier to be more innovative. It's less of an issue if you've invested 10-20k in a game which flops than if you've invested a couple of million.
4) People who game now have either grown up with games, or they're used to more complex games so their "gaming palates" are more sophisticated.
5) Having said that, I think there's a trend towards simplifying games so they appeal to a broader market (see #3, spread the risk) & if you're going to be selling games to young gamers with their nanosecond attention spans, why bother pulling out all the stops on gameplay when you can put in some pretty gfx instead.

[ten76]

Well I have to agree. Except for the old age part. I feel exactly the same way and I haven't even managed to grow up yet.

In the old days the games seemed to last much longer. If I have to list my top 10 games that I played the most then all of them were released before 2000. Of course back then you actually had to solve the games on your own. These days if you get stuck for more than 5 minutes then you just pay a visit to www.gamefaqs.com.

I still miss the good old days before the age of despair and the rise of Darth Gates and his evil Microsoft Empire, playing the Sierra Adventure games, SSI Gold box, Bards Tale (Original) Pirates (Original), Civilization 1, Dungeon Master, Eye of the Beholder, Dune 2 and so on,

[purringcat]

Agree completely.

Plus games have changed from Strategy and RPG to Violence and Racing. Games like Civilization and the first round of Age of xxxxx games were fun and challenging. The Sid Meier games were some of my favorites. Now he just remakes the old games and they're just not as good. And if you're not into MMO's forget playing any of the few strategy games.

[Raul]

Don't know if you missed that game or not - check out King's Bounty : The Legend. It's not as new and I know it's not very popular on the west but it's a good adventure, 'brewn' on old recipe. Got nice scores from critics aswell (especially the expansion) if that matters for you.

[pevil]

Completely agree. I would agree with all Llamas points but also blame working in a game store for making me incredibly picky as I of course get first contact with all those gamers who bought x game on Friday and finished it in 6 hours. If it doesn't last more than 20 hours it's not worth it to me.

[Stubbie]

I agree that games these days in the main don't have the same impact on me as they did in the past.
I don't think its because the gameplay has diminished. There are many games released these days that have fantastic gameplay.

I still love playing games.....these days its practically my only diversion in life.

I think its because I have played hundreds and hundreds of games over the years and I'm just very particular what I want to spend my time playing.
I can remember when a red D was the scariest thing you could ever see in a game.
Now a days I need a graphically correct big dragon.

But I still enjoy gaming. I have lots of games still to play.

Raul is on the money too. Kings Bounty is a great game and so is the expansion.
Also I am currently playing Divine Divinity again (in glorious widescreen) after getting it for a couple of bucks off Steam. Speaking of which I just got the X-Com series and the Freedom Force pack for $4 this weekend from Steam.

So even if no new games grab my interest I still have heaps of retro gaming up my sleeve.

My one gripe is that there is currently no online game that has got all the clan members playing.

[Llama8]

Originally Posted by Stubbie

Speaking of which I just got the X-Com series and the Freedom Force pack for $4 this weekend from Steam.

Xcom (or rather UFO: Enemy Unknown as it was called in the UK) was awesome. I can still remember getting PC Zone & it's review. I might even have the "gold" pack that they released a while ago with all of the games on CD. Slowly creeping through an early city/urban Terror mission at night only to hear a Chryssalid sneak up & Zombify half your squad. Or try to leave your Skyranger & an enemy snapfires at you with a rocket launcher & takes out most of your squad...

[sinclsw007]

I loved the two sequels to XCOM too; great times .

[RPM]

Wow X-Com games now that bring some memories, i tend to play only one game at time (to perfection) if i pick three at the same time i get bored and end up playing none l