'I'm a little worried about the direction gaming is going'

[erocker]

Not to simply repeat what everyone else here is saying but the days when a relatively small team of people could put together a computer game are gone. Now to release the sort of games which appeal to us gamers en masse, it generally takes millions of bucks of investment. This means the money men have the control and they want maximal returns for their investment.

Having said that, the best games around today are far better than the best games have ever been. Battlefield 3, The Witcher 2, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012, Deus Ex HR all surpass anything that has went before in thier respective genres. The problem is that these days there is not so many great games to choose from as there was in the past which is perhaps what makes all the unimaginative bland games which simply attempt to clone each other stand out a lot more. I have been an avid gamer for around 25 years and can vouch that there has always been a shed load more mediocre games than truly excellent games in circulation.

Thanks for posting this. Seriously good stuff, and true.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

the days when a relatively small team of people could put together a computer game are gone

Not at all - they just call them 'Indie developers' - there are hundreds of games from Indie developers on steam. sure they wouldnt be anywhere as polished compared to say BF3 or CoD4 etc etc but some do get pretty close. some of the more simpler or platform'ish style games are made by one person.

there are many genre of games from indie devs that range from platform games to MMO/RPGs and FPS games.

check them out

 

[MatTheCat]

Not at all - they just call them 'Indie developers' - there are hundreds of games from Indie developers on steam. sure they wouldnt be anywhere as polished compared to say BF3 or CoD4 etc etc but some do get pretty close. some of the more simpler or platform'ish style games are made by one person.

there are many genre of games from indie devs that range from platform games to MMO/RPGs and FPS games.

check them out

Say the world had never heard of Sensible Soccer (Amiga original) and this game was released today in a polished up but essentially identical form by some Indie developer on STEAM. Sure, many gamers would be well pleased with thier little find and glean quite a bit of enjoyment from it. Many more would check it out but not have the ability to give it a proper chance due to the allure of their ultra high spec super advanced PES/FIFA installs. By and large this game would pass unnoticed by the gaming public even though I and many others can safely couch that this game oozes playability and offers cracking multiplayer fun.

So what in the early 90's was an out and classic and one of the most famous games around at the time (at least in Europe), would today go largely unnoticed and remain outwith the gaming collective conscious.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

I quite like Golden Axe and MicroMachines on the sega megadrive - Infact there are a fair few indie dev games that look or feel very similar to micromachines.

 

[Drone]

Not to simply repeat what everyone else here is saying but the days when a relatively small team of people could put together a computer game are gone.

Now they have giant teams because one team works on multiplayer, other on dlc, and the rest on consoles, and maybe with other part of the team already working on the next title. It's got nothing to do with game quality tho. Back in the day teh interwebz was slow and expensive, people didn't give a shit about multiplayer or dlc.

The best games around today are far better than the best games have ever been. Battlefield 3, The Witcher 2, Pro Evolution Soccer 2012, Deus Ex HR all surpass anything that has went before in thier respective genres.

This is quite subjective.... Anyway couldn't disagree more.

The problem is that these days there is not so many great games to choose from as there was in the past which is perhaps what makes all the unimaginative bland games which simply attempt to clone each other stand out a lot more.

Many games today use the same engine and physics, this reduces the good choice, it's like playing the same game just with different textures and models, especially if it's just fps. It's not the quantity. It's quality, masses love dumb and easy games hence there's a lot of them.

 

[JustaTinkerer]

I'm buying stock in Milton Bradley...Tried and true board games are makin' a comeback baby!!! My cheap wooden table can play all the best board games life has to offer.


I'm probably not serious.. But maybe I am? I sure do love the internet.

I play board games to this day, I have and age range of friends, not all even know how to put on a computer....the days of the board game are coming back hugely, Articulate is by far and away the best age range board game I have ever played

To keep up with the thread....Games now a days don't need to be block buster...I thought it was so, but its not....I know robot are a big out fit but if anyone played "orcs must die" if was very, very simple and has stolen 30 hours of my life, ...I got it for £2.99 and I have spent more time with it than MW3, A.C 4, Uncharted 3, Gears 3 ....the list goes on.....12 months in development...I have another 30 hours for high scores......and folk say gaming is dying????

 

[RejZoR]

In the past every game was unique and interesting. These days they only look at how much money it will make. And the end result is clear. Most of games are bland and boring. And just a rehash of already existing things, just with better graphics.

 

[JustaTinkerer]

In the past every game was unique and interesting. These days they only look at how much money it will make. And the end result is clear. Most of games are bland and boring. And just a rehash of already existing things, just with better graphics.

unique and interesting....this is true....I played predator for the ZX spectrum.....it was not that good...as not were 100's of other games

Games evolve round the fans.... this is what the masses founded.

 

[FreedomEclipse]

unique and interesting....this is true....I played predator for the ZX spectrum.....it was not that good...as not were 100's of other games

Games evolve round the fans.... this is what the masses founded.

and the companies found fans = money, so they ignored us when we said we wanted dedicated servers for MW2 (and the other CoD titles that dont have dedicated servers)

 

[JustaTinkerer]

MW series to the side....are you paying for the years of server upkeep?...I think not (pay for a game once and support will always be there) you ask to much

I am on no side...I truly enjoy games, I have moans, as we all do....the question begs can I do better...well I wouldn't know where to start.

I stopped moaning when I tried to make a simple platformer....so much hard work i didn't imagine.

Let dev's do it the way that makes sense to them.....or try yourself.

 

[jgrahl]

The price hasn't been a problem. I have paid $50-60 for games long ago. The game producers won't lower a game's price because they think they will sell more. They know they will sell more so, they leave the price where it's at. What is usually apparent is that independent developers are the only ones making changes in pricing because they know they need to do that to sell their obscure game no one has heard of and no one knows of that developer.

Am I missing something on the pricing of games? Considering inflation, if a game costs roughly $50 in 1995, then it would cost around $75 now. Is this person only looking at the top tier games costing $60 or the limited edition of Skyrim which costs $150? There are free games out there and many cheap games.

the only direction of gaming that I don't like is:

-time released energy to do actions in a game (all Zynga games - the scourge of facebook)

-paying real money for more content like coins, exclusive gear to wear, and in-game character upgrades in nearly every game. (all Zynga games - the scourge of facebook) I have more free time than free money.

-requiring you to have neighbors and requiring them to interact with you to advance in a game. (all Zynga games - the scourge of facebook) they are now implementing building buddies, that's odd.

These top 3 are mainly facebook spawned. the masses want free games(hence the person complaining about price increases)

-Releasing a game on a schedule to a new version with little change to just make sales.

-developers "balancing" games. I really hate it. Let a game be unbalanced. It causes players to think on how to beat a given strategy. Most of the time it seems they balance only to lessen people from complaining. Something that was unbalanced from before that never got changed - instant rocket kills.

-large producers creating games very similar to the best sellers.

Downloadable content - I am split on this as of right now since only a few games are sickening in their pricing and frequency of add-ons. One game that comes to mind is Railworks 3 Train Simulator 2012 on Steam. It is pretty sickening. There are 90+ add-ons totaling over $1500. It even has a Trains vs. Zombies add-on. Zombies are currently being overdone.

Another part of DLC that isn't cool; releasing DLC too soon after a game's release or the same day as release.

My current favorite game, Battlefield 3. It may be a series 3rd or 11th depending on how you look at it but, it is all new. It doesn't have time released energy. I can't put more money into it in the game to get perks or whatever. There is a new storyline for singleplayer campaign to play. Excellent multiplayer. Things that are done better, the knife animation. I knifed at least 2 people today. New graphics engine which required me to upgrade my rusty old video card. Added new game modes that weren't in BF2. Cinematics in the gameplay, even in multiplayer. A larger range of weapons than previous games. More interesting weapons or equipment to use.

I still like old games of the past. Classics Like The Legend of Zelda, Goldeneye, Sim City, Crystalis, Duke Nukem 3D, Altered Beast, Tetris, Command and Conquer the original from 1995, Everquest, Half Life and more.

 

[NinkobEi]

Indie PC games are great. A nice break from the super high budget games. Of course the major titles are going to be expensive. There will always be quality games as long as Steam is around for them to be sold on, IMO

 

[JustaTinkerer]

The price hasn't been a problem. I have paid $50-60 for games long ago. The game producers won't lower a game's price because they think they will sell more. They know they will sell more so, they leave the price where it's at. What is usually apparent is that independent developers are the only ones making changes in pricing because they know they need to do that to sell their obscure game no one has heard of and no one knows of that developer.

Makes sense....but $50-$60 years ago was the system it was played on for me.

Am I missing something on the pricing of games? Considering inflation, if a game costs roughly $50 in 1995, then it would cost around $75 now. Is this person only looking at the top tier games costing $60 or the limited edition of Skyrim which costs $150? There are free games out there and many cheap games.

Mainly true.... I paid $60 for new COD: MW3

t

he only direction of gaming that I don't like is:

-time released energy to do actions in a game (all Zynga games - the scourge of facebook)

I hate FB games....But since given away free add ons make money....its OK due to choice

-paying real money for more content like coins, exclusive gear to wear, and in-game character upgrades in nearly every game. (all Zynga games - the scourge of facebook) I have more free time than free money.

I dont play I dont know why, but I do understand certain ways of DEVs

-requiring you to have neighbors and requiring them to interact with you to advance in a game. (all Zynga games - the scourge of facebook) they are now implementing building buddies, that's odd.

All I can say at this point is...stop playing FB games mate...it pisses you off.

These top 3 are mainly facebook spawned. the masses want free games(hence the person complaining about price increases)

-Releasing a game on a schedule to a new version with little change to just make sales.

Yeah 2........3.....4.......5 its getting a habit for DEVs who like money

-large producers creating games very similar to the best sellers.

I have no feedback here....I have thanked you right enough..so true.

Downloadable content - I am split on this as of right now since only a few games are sickening in their pricing and frequency of add-ons. One game that comes to mind is Railworks 3 Train Simulator 2012 on Steam. It is pretty sickening. There are 90+ add-ons totaling over $1500. It even has a Trains vs. Zombies add-on. Zombies are currently being overdone.

It is true..... some of if us poor saps want right enough

Another part of DLC that isn't cool; releasing DLC too soon after a game's release or the same day as release.

My current favorite game, Battlefield 3. It may be a series 3rd or 11th depending on how you look at it but, it is all new. It doesn't have time released energy. I can't put more money into it in the game to get perks or whatever. There is a new storyline for singleplayer campaign to play. Excellent multiplayer. Things that are done better, the knife animation. I knifed at least 2 people today. New graphics engine which required me to upgrade my rusty old video card. Added new game modes that weren't in BF2. Cinematics in the gameplay, even in multiplayer. A larger range of weapons than previous games. More interesting weapons or equipment to use.

Its a fine game as most will agree......but has its faults.

I still like old games of the past. Classics Like The Legend of Zelda, Goldeneye, Sim City, Crystalis, Duke Nukem 3D, Altered Beast, Tetris, Command and Conquer the original from 1995, Everquest, Half Life and more

.[/QUOTE]

Im a massive fan of just about every game you mentioned, my thanks goes out to you....

 

[jgrahl]

All I can say at this point is...stop playing FB games mate...it pisses you off.

I only play them when my friends encourage me to gift them. I do it as a charity/ability to gift. It doesn't piss me off, it just makes me like other games more.