old games are hard to describe

[joemagiera]

My son is playing really lame game on xbox 360 and I mention that this game is even worse than Space Zap. After watching a little more to be sure I maybe just saw a bad part of the game, I remarked this game is even worse than Tunnel Hunt. He asked me to describe the game play on those two games. I had a hard time doing it to give him an idea. Then I realized, there are a lot of games from the golden age of arcade days where the game play is hard to describe (to the point that someone really gets it). Unlike today's console or arcade games where they are all easy to describe (driver, scrolling vertical or horizontal shooter/fighter, sports).

Sure we had stuff like Pong and Space Invaders which are easy to describe.

But how do you describe games like Tac Scan, Boxing Bugs, Phoenix, Tempest (harder to descibe than you think if the other person has never seen one), Reactor, Wacko, I, Robot?

I think a lot of creativity was lost when the console games and one-control-panel-fits-all took over.

 

[modessitt]

That's why you have MAME on your PC. Pull it up and have him try it out...

 

[Hyde]

Just imagine trying to describe Tron! 4 different stages and all.

 

[thebman80]

That's why you have MAME on your PC. Pull it up and have him try it out...

Just what I was thinking why explain when the answer to the question can be downloaded in less than 5 min.

 

[jehuie]

Ok I guess I'm one of those old guys that Hyde was referring to in another thread....but.....do 90% of the new console games (everything since, say, 1995) basically seem like the same game to you? Here's how I would describe nearly all of them:

"You are this guy who runs around in a 3-D world looking for power-ups and collecting (insert your own item here). And you pretty much have as much time to wander around as you want and you never really die or lose or anything."

......of course it could be that I just never took the time to figure out these things. Can you tell I'm not really a console game kinda guy?

 

[peeloutbozo]

My son is playing really lame game on xbox 360 and I mention that this game is even worse than Space Zap.

Unacceptable Quote!

 

[thebman80]

Ok I guess I'm one of those old guys that Hyde was referring to in another thread....but.....do 90% of the new console games (everything since, say, 1995) basically seem like the same game to you? Here's how I would describe nearly all of them:

"You are this guy who runs around in a 3-D world looking for power-ups and collecting (insert your own item here). And you pretty much have as much time to wander around as you want and you never really die or lose or anything."

......of course it could be that I just never took the time to figure out these things. Can you tell I'm not really a console game kinda guy?

I would say your spot on 3d games like this are basically the same thing for consoles as street fighter clones where to arcades.

 

[jehuie]

I would say your spot on 3d games like this are basically the same thing for consoles as street fighter clones where to arcades.

Well, except that fighter clones at least required some skill to become good at them right? I never really played them much (although I have a SF II in my room right now) but they still required some skill.

 

[thebman80]

Yeah remembering all those button combos and what not definitely takes some skill compared to today's 3D style games. Probably why I wasn't never good at any fighting game.

 

[jehuie]

I just don't understand what the point of the games is since it seems like you just wander around until it's over. But I didn't mean to hijack the thread. Back to the regular scheduled program. Carry on.

 

[gutsman004]

Lots of games,young and old,are hard to describe.One play is worth a thousand words.

 

[modessitt]

I had to get some help to find it, but here ya go...

http://www.videosift.com/video/1970s-video-game-designers-were-pretty-much-high-247

 

[Brick Top]

I just don't understand what the point of the games is since it seems like you just wander around until it's over. But I didn't mean to hijack the thread. Back to the regular scheduled program. Carry on.

As a former FPS PC gamer, I will give you my perspective on "modern" games.

Its more of an interactive movie. As you wander around you see cool things. The better the hardware and software, the better and more realistic the "things" are. There is usually a storyline in the better games to keep you interested untill the end. There are new skills to be learned along the way, usually in the form of new weapons or vehicles with tricky controls.

The skill really comes into play when you go online, and are now competing with other game players. Its all for one as you run around and shoot people in the face before they do the same to you. Reflexes must be quick, and you must memorize the "maps" inside and out. You also need to be a master of complicated control schemes.

I like games.

 

[Deadly]

Suprised no one has mentioned the fact that MAME catalog is ginormously repetitive!?
Side scroller space ship shoots oncomming enemies - chew chew chew
Side scroller little dude run,jump, hit, kick - wooooo yah!
Fighter games - how many thousands of those are there?
Lets' face it there's only so many subjects to base games on. At this point and time all we ever do is reinvent the wheel. Consoles are no different. I don;t see new ideas - I see new technologies making the old ideas look better

 

[Hyde]

Ok I guess I'm one of those old guys that Hyde was referring to in another thread....but.....do 90% of the new console games (everything since, say, 1995) basically seem like the same game to you? Here's how I would describe nearly all of them:

"You are this guy who runs around in a 3-D world looking for power-ups and collecting (insert your own item here). And you pretty much have as much time to wander around as you want and you never really die or lose or anything."

......of course it could be that I just never took the time to figure out these things. Can you tell I'm not really a console game kinda guy?

Heh, I actually don't like modern games at all. Granted, Guitar Hero is pretty cool... but I'd rather play a nice game of Assault over something like World of Warcraft anyday!

 

[Ghostlyguy]

Wize man once said. no describe. Do.

My son is playing really lame game on xbox 360 and I mention that this game is even worse than Space Zap. After watching a little more to be sure I maybe just saw a bad part of the game, I remarked this game is even worse than Tunnel Hunt. He asked me to describe the game play on those two games. I had a hard time doing it to give him an idea. Then I realized, there are a lot of games from the golden age of arcade days where the game play is hard to describe (to the point that someone really gets it). Unlike today's console or arcade games where they are all easy to describe (driver, scrolling vertical or horizontal shooter/fighter, sports).

Sure we had stuff like Pong and Space Invaders which are easy to describe.

But how do you describe games like Tac Scan, Boxing Bugs, Phoenix, Tempest (harder to descibe than you think if the other person has never seen one), Reactor, Wacko, I, Robot?

I think a lot of creativity was lost when the console games and one-control-panel-fits-all took over.

 

[jehuie]

Heh, I actually don't like modern games at all. Granted, Guitar Hero is pretty cool... but I'd rather play a nice game of Assault over something like World of Warcraft anyday!

You, my friend, will go far in this world.

 

[Ghostlyguy]

Heh, I actually don't like modern games at all. Granted, Guitar Hero is pretty cool... but I'd rather play a nice game of Assault over something like World of Warcraft anyday!

Yeah people have been pushing me to buy a X-box 360 or PS3 for years.. but I'm staying with my old games..

 

[SterlingRush]

I never really got into too many console games either. I do have a few though for various reasons.
- PS1: I own maybe 8 games like Disc World II, Castlevania Symphony of the Night, & Risk.
- N64: I maily bought it to continue my Zelda game play, loved Goldeneye 007, and Rogue Squadron wasn't too bad.
- Gamecube: Another purchase for Zelda, Rogue Sqaudrons, and that's about it.

I was actually having this conversation with a friend last night, she was asking me why I wanted to start owning my own arcade games and why not just buy games for these consoles. I found it very difficult to find a place to start describing, if a person hasn't really had the experience of the upright, cocktail, cockpit games, they don't know what they are missing. For us, you always feel like you're missing something with those consoles. It's nowhere close to the same feeling, and maybe some of it's more a nostalgic feeling for us. Either way, I like the idea of having my own "neighborhood arcade" in the house.

It is very difficult to describe what it was like to play those stand up games, plunking quarters, and just having that sheer rush while doing it. I don't get that with the consoles, it's almost like a true brain drain with those. Just my 2 cents.