Games People Play...
By ParaTed2k
@ParaTed2k (22940)
Sheboygan, Wisconsin
January 1, 2008 3:42pm CST
What is the shelf life of a good video game? 6 months, 2 years... maybe?
Nothing against Stardock, Microsoft, Apoge or anyone else, but video gaming has a problem, and I don't know if they will be able to work out. I don't even know if the problem lies with video game makers themselves, but with gamers.
I've been a gamer most my life. Book Case Games, Card games, Board games, table games, RPGs, and video games; there is something in each of them I like. While playing Apples to Apples the other day, I got to thinking. There are board games, card games, table games..etc that have been popular for decades now. Generations have sat down and made memories together doing little more than rolling dice, picking cards, and strategizing against those we love the most.
Then I think about the video games I've played over the years. They don't seem to hold up as well.
After collecting dust for a year or so, I loaded Delta Force up on my system.. and lost interest after a mission or two. The same with Conflict: Desert Storm. I remember, just a few years ago spending hours on end, having a great time with these games. Even after I'd solved the missions, I had a lot of fun finding different, more daring ways to complete them. The thing is though, there are only so many ways and not much difference between a virtual mine, C4 load and satchel charge.
I have some of the classic Atari games on one of those joystick sets. I only hook it up to my TV about 4 times a year, but I do have fun playing those retro games for awhile, but again, only if I limit my sessions to a few a year.
Maybe if I got into MMORPGs, I'd find a video game with a longer shelf life for me, but well, those games remind me of some of the reasons I chose to be an NCO instead of Commissioned Officer. Besides, even the most popular of them have to have new versions or patches to hold player interest.
Every successful game is upgraded and "improved" every so often. The thing is, how many of the "improvements" improve the play of the game (or even change it that much). Yes, all the other types of games have upgrades, new editions and such, but those only happen once or twice a decade... and unless you are a die hard, you probably have just as much fun with the older editions as the latest one... how many people still play Civ1 compared to how many people still play AD&D Edition 1?.. or Risk.
If we weren't fed an almost continuous diet of patches, cheat codes and easter eggs, would we stay interested? If we need all that to hold our interest, how great was the game in the first place?
Or is it just me?
3 people like this
6 responses
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
2 Jan 08
Okay to put it in another perspective in terms of gaming, I still play the following old or semi-old games from time to time (but I'll admit it can be far and few in between at times).
Super Mario Bros 1
Super Mario Bros 2 (Japan one)
Super Mario Bros 3
Bahamut Lagoon (Japan Only)
Castlevania IV
Chrono Trigger
Columns
Disgaea 2
Final Fantasy IV
Final Fantasy VI
Final Fantasy VII
Final Fantasy Tactics
Front Mission 1 (Japan only)
Front Mission 3 and 4
Galaga
Hotshots Golf Fore
Marvel vs Capcom 1 or 2
Ninja Gaiden Trilogy
Phantasy Star IV
Phantasy Star Online
Ranma 1/2 (Japan Only)
Seiken Densetsu 2/Secret of Mana
Seiken Densetsu 3(Japan Only)
Shining Force 1
Sonic 1
Sonic CD
Star Ocean 3
Super Double Dragon
Super Monkey Ball 2
Super Smash Brothers
Terminator 2: Arcade Game
Tetris
TMNT 2, 3, and 4
Wave Race 64
For me, its occasional but I still play them. Note that many of these games have no patches and only a few cheat codes. I still play them, just because I think they are great. As for games themselves yes they are "improved" by sequels, but there are plenty of times, the companies reinvent the wheel too much and the game ends up worse than before. For PC and MMORPGs, they are evolving games and it does seem to be a significant part of gaming future (though not the entire thing). On the console side it seems that bombarding or expansion of sequels and even now the "revival" and revamping of existing games is the future of the industry. With the latter, older games are brought back on new platforms but not as a collector item. They are brought back with extra items, plots, dungeons, levels, characters, things like that (Final Fantasy Advance and DS series for example).
1 person likes this
@theprogamer (10534)
• United States
2 Jan 08
I forgot Goldeneye, Perfect Dark, Doom 64, Starfox 1, 2 and 64. And others. :D
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Jan 08
Ah the memory lane I just rode shotgun down with you there! Galaga was a favorite back in the 80s... but then I worked at an arcade when Pong came out. ;~D
Super Smash Bros, TMNT, Zaxxon, Qix... and of course, all the early sims, digital D&D wannabes and (my personal favorite) FPSs. I can't say I grew up on them, since I was in high school when the whole video thing started, but they have become part of my 20 somethings on. ;~D
@zivko_lazarov (2)
• Macedonia
2 Jan 08
I used to play lots of games and now i only play counter-strike and some flash games from time to time.
@devilsangel (1817)
• United States
2 Jan 08
I guess for me I buy games that I know no matter how long I have them I won't get tired of playing. I have a few PC games that I play randomly and even the ones that I can beat the game I'll start over with someone new. I also have an X-box and there are tons of games on there that no matter how old they get I'll always love playing. Like Fable.. man I love that game.. I also play my X-men game quite a bit. Now that we have a Wii... once I find games on there that actually hold my intrest the situation will probably be the same.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Jan 08
We'll see you in ten years and see if you still have any interest in those games. Not saying you won't, but video games just don't seem to have that kind of staying power.
1 person likes this
@devilsangel (1817)
• United States
4 Jan 08
I don't know.. I still love playing tetris and that game is old as hell LOL. That will always be one of my favorite games.. That and mrs Pac-Man.
@ESKARENA1 (18261)
•
2 Jan 08
well, i got hold of age of empires 11 a couple of years ago and I still havent got bord of it yet. Infact, ive just invesdted in 3 of the same game, but im sure there are those who buy games that do not sufficiently challenge anyone, but surely that is a case of buyer beware?
blessed be
@darkness01 (1300)
•
1 Jan 08
i have played pc games for about seven or eight years and my most favourite games are the older ones because i feel they were a more rounded gaming experience overall with more care and development out into each game. Granted, the graphics of todays games is brilliant but i feel this sometimes takes away the attention from what the game is like to play and for me thats the most important thing.
One of my favourite online games of all time is a shooter called Soldier of Fortune Double Helix. It was released about 5 years ago but i still have it installed and i play it everyday. And because i play it everyday and i improve i have become one of the worlds best players at the game and i have never got bored of playing the game because its action packed. But more than being action packed is that its simple, and i feel thats where modern games fall down is in their simplicity. Games are supposed to be fun, a pastime and are not meant to require you to have a degree just to understand them and play them.
Another instance of this is reflected in one of my favourite games of all time, Command and Conquer Red Alert 2. There have been many Command and Conquer games since RA2 but none of them grabbed my interest and held it for as long as RA2 continues to do.
I think in the modern times graphics are much much better but that sometimes detracts from the overall feel of the game and i think developers need to look at the success of older games and combine graphics and gameplay to make the games of today better than those of yesterday.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Jan 08
I agree, if the only difference is the graphics, it isn't much of an "upgrade". I also agree that games shouldn't be so complicated that they require homework. ;~D
@betsyraeduke (2670)
• United States
2 Jan 08
Well, first of all, I'm sure that you are probably not the only person who feels that way.
Personally, when it comes to video games, I am way out of date, lol! I don't know the first thing about patches or cheat codes; this is the 1st time I have ever even heard the term, "easter eggs", as something that applies to video games so I am really clueless about that one, lol!
As for playing video games; the only ones I like are the old ones; and I mean OLD! I like pac man, mario brothers, donkey kong, frogger...well, you get the picture. hehe
On the flip side of this, my brother is a total...I believe the term I have heard used for it is, "vidiot", lol. He buys practically every new video game system that comes out and has hundreds and hundreds of video games. Unlike me, he knows all about those cheat codes and whatnot that you mention. I am not sure how quickly he tires of any one particular game or how often he plays any game in particular. What I do know is that he spends the majority of his free time playing video games.
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Jan 08
Don't let it bother you Betsy, if I had my way every mall arcade would still have a wall of nothing but pinball games. :~D
@morphina (51)
• United States
2 Jan 08
I think it depends on the game. For me I tend to play a game once, then get rid of it and buy a new game if its something on the play station or something on my gameboy advanced. I really like MMORPG's a lot because there is so much to do. I have been playing secondlife for a really long time. The possiblities of what you can do are endless so I am thinking thats why I like it so much. Granted I do take breaks from it.
I think a lot of video game companies count on the fact that a gamer will get bored with the game, and then go out and buy another one. Thats why they come out with three or four versions of the same game. Its big money as well with a lot of kids growing up on sitting in front of the tv playing video games instead of going out and playing games.
++++++++++
1 person likes this
@ParaTed2k (22940)
• Sheboygan, Wisconsin
2 Jan 08
Yes, there is a lot of short term money to be made from constantly releasing new games and "improvements", but there is a lot of cost to that too. Marketing 101 says that a product with long term life is much more profitable than a long list of short term successes.
Look at how many board games, card games, table top games and other more traditional that have been around for generations. Every decade or so they come up with a new look (which would be the equivalent of a video game update), but the basic games never change... but continue to sell in the millions.
I don't know if there is a single video game with that kind of record.
