Computer Game Nostalgia:

[andrewducker]

Reposting something that octopoid_horror posted elsewhere, because I think it deserves more attention:

I don't think games have gone to shit (a lot of old games were just rubbish when the nostalgia-goggles come off or cruelly unfair and not in a fun way or just as derivative as modern games, but of earlier things) but if you've been playing games for years, as most in this thread have, then you will have played a precursor to many games before. Some of the games in the last few years are ones that I think look absolutely amazing, but I just can't face playing them because I know it'll be just like playing an updated version of something I might not even have liked the first time round.

I've played Sim City and Sim City 2000 to death, for example - I don't /want/ another game that's like that but shinier with a couple of new mechanics. On the other hand, while I've played almost all the Command & Conquer games and got bored of the repetitive mechanics and playstyle, I really enjoy World In Conflict because it gets away from the same shit you do in every C&C game - it's just another RTS, but one that's different /enough/. But I /can/ see that some recent games are damn near perfecting these mechanics and people who haven't been playing games since they were a teenager can properly appreciate them.

A game that /is/ different can capture my attention still, but other ones? I've done it before. In theory I like FPS games, but they all start to blend into one so I tend to put on invulnerability and ammo cheats then wander round just having fun and admiring the graphics and level design without having to actually worry about doing things properly. Some of them still stand out (Far Cry 2, as an example, which I am making an effort to play properly) but most of the others don't do anything for me because I've played so damn many.

It's like your dad or grandad - they were with it, back in the day, and bought all sorts of pop music, but if they were still buying pop music you might think they were a bit odd because it's music for teenagers. Now I'm over thirty, /are/ all games being aimed at me? Probably not, because I'd suspect (with nothing to actually back this up, I admit) that late teenage and early to mid twentysomethings are the core gaming market, so of course the games will be aimed at them, and I'll be nostalgic for the games I played when I was that age and square in the sights of the manufacturers. Now, I play Prototype and much as I love it, I think "hmm, this is pretty violent actually, but still really good fun" rather than going "wooooah so much blood, this fucking rules! Holy shit I cut that guy in TWO"

I absolutely loved Dungeon Master. I played through it so many times. I honestly think no fantasy game I've played since has had that much atmosphere. On the other hand, I also had a disk box full of fifty other Atari ST games that were mostly crap, and the few others that I did enjoy, I certainly didn't play as long as I played Dungeon Master. But looking back, I couldn't tell you the names of most of those fifty games, because it's the good ones that have stuck.

Slight derail, but relevant - it's kinda strange... If you're around thirty (or started gaming early), you'll probably have played the start of most of the genres. I remember the release of Doom, Populous, Sim City, Dune 2 and Dungeon Master and others as well as playing at a time when Carrier Command, Pole Position, Outrun and Elite were still popular - I mean, these are the games that pretty much set down the genres and became the foundation stones for vast slews of games since. It's strange looking at Spore or The Sims and remembering that I once thought Populous and Little Computer People were amazingly advanced.

Comments

[momentsmusicaux.livejournal.com]

Is Far Cry 2 as good as Far Cry?

I *do* want a shinier Sim City 2k, with amazing graphics that actually look good. Just without the extra shit they felt they had to pile into SC3K and SC4 -- SC3K was pretty good; with SC4 I could never get a damn city off the ground.

I loved Dungeon Keeper.

I still like an FPS, but the last one I played was Half Life 2 Episode 2. Nothing since has captured my attention sufficiently to warrant upgrading my kit. Well, maybe UT3 but it'll have to wait.

[recycled-sales.livejournal.com]

SC4 is a much better game than the previous, but that's mostly because of the scope for tweaking that you can do. Something as simple as reducing individual building costs as you expand or building neighbour cities as suburbs or industrial parks.

Far Cry 2 however is nothing like FC1, but that's mostly because there's no annoying monster levels (should that be capitalised? It's like a Crytek staple)

[momentsmusicaux.livejournal.com]

The tweaking control was good. But somehow none of my cities made it past a few thousand pop :(

I turned cheating on in a few FC1 levels that were full of monsters.

[recycled-sales.livejournal.com]

Like I say, best thing is to have multiple cities beside each other and expand like crazy from the beginning.

[meaningrequired.livejournal.com]

I struggled with SC4 too, but it has to be a slow process, you build a low density city first, which has no *immediate* need for garbage removal (but will eventually), and low density cities don't need water! No pumps! All they need is a little medical centre and primary school, eventually a high school. Also, they don't need police or fire, until there is a fire.

I can't make money on cities that I don't start with low density. I've made a few cities where I've zoned medium and high and I just cant profit.

[recycled-sales.livejournal.com]

Zone massive areas of low density, build about 4 pumps, 2 power plants and lots of commercial along your main roads (one of which should extend off the side of the map) then exit to the world view and build a city at the joining edge. You should have a city with requirements that are the opposite of your original city, and can buy all the surplus energy & water as well as have lots of residential. From there just continue to balance the two - you'll have a city that's got the dirty industry and power together so no unhappy residents, and a city filled with nice commercial and residential.

[momentsmusicaux.livejournal.com]

I suppose that's more realistic, but I want TOWER BLOCKS damn it!

(And arcologies. I remember SC2K cities that ended up being NOTHING but arcologies.)

[recycled-sales.livejournal.com]

It's so strange to find someone else who's played WiC. Have you downloaded the NoHope mod? Anything that adds MIRV nukes, Tsar Bombas and the like is worth it for the visual yum. If you enjoyed it then I'd thoroughly encourage you to play Ground Control 1 & 2 (1 is freeware now) and Supreme Commander.

Fancy some other suggested material?

[soon_lee]

I mean, these are the games that pretty much set down the genres and became the foundation stones for vast slews of games since.

System Shock

Arena

XCOM/UFO

[broin.livejournal.com]

There's a few games recently that have given me a new experience.

First off, there's a bunch of indie or 'art' games that pop up on PlayThisThing.com. Some suck, some rule, most have craploads of enthusiasm and vision. They're auteur games.

Casual games have given me a different game-playing experience. Because immersion or the story isn't so important, I don't have to devote a weekend to playing them through.

There's also a few games that have tested my brain in a way I haven't had before, and where part of the enjoyment comes from challenging myself in a... well, anyone who's played Scribblenauts knows how limited their imagination turned out to be. I'd throw in Portal and Braid, perhaps.

[andrewducker]

Yup - I agree. There are definitely occasional games which use a new mechanic, or approach things in an odd way, and bring new things to light.

And even games which are just incremental improvements over old games can bring new things to the mix which you wouldn't have expected.

[broin.livejournal.com]

Yeah. Max Payne wasn't a great FPS, but it had a stronger narrative than some, and the time-footering was enjoyable. Call of Duty had genuine a emotional kick. Serious Sam had a lot of guys with bombs for heads.

[andrewducker]

Prince of Persia's Time Rewind was a great gameplay mechanic that tied into plot.

[ayia.livejournal.com]

Yay - I used to play Pole Position and Outrun. As well as Bubble Bobble; Chuckie Egg; and Nebulus. My dad wrote a few popular adventure games back in the day too..

[andrewducker]

I remember Chuckie Egg on the BBC B. Now there was a game...