Poll: Chess: best video game ever?

[AC Medina]

The question speaks for itself.

Discuss.

edit: Because it seems like people are missing the point...

a. I'm talking about an "alternate reality" in which chess is never invented before being created as a video game in the last few decades.

b. The more accurate question is if it would *eventually* be considered the best video game of all time, after going through those centuries of refinement and development.

c. When it was created is mostly irrelevant for my argument's sake. I said a couple of decades ago just so people would assume a couple of decades of history and refinement of the game, which would hopefully provide some perspective. But we can assume it was created yesterday, for the sake of eliminating the "consoles/computers weren't ready to handle chess" argument. Don't get me wrong, it's a totally valid argument and I concede the point, just not really what I'm trying to get at.

 

[Hobo Joe]

Hmm; perhaps it would have been - it is a superbly crafted strategic game that can be played for hours on end. I personally find it very fun; however I much prefer actually playing with a board and pieces to say, on a screen over the internet.

 

[FactualSquirrel]

Nope.

Noone would have played it through the ages, it's rules would not have been refined, and it would not have the traditional values it does now.

 

[Alives242]

Hmmm quite possiable but it seems today the smartest computers on earth get put up one an other so it could already be the best ?

 

[Wanocorc]

are you implying that one of the earliest games like pong is considered one of the greatest games made? I also believe that chess was played as far back as the 16th century, so it wouldnt really make a very original video game.

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[AC Medina]

Ok, here's my argument.

I think chess is easily the most *important* game in human history. It's the most complex, it's older than any sport, and it has...shall we call it "mainstream" acceptance as a measure of intelligence, creativity, memory, and skill. Also, chess is perfect. There's really no other way to describe it, though only other chess players will appreciate exactly what I mean by that.

If it had originally developed as a video game, I think it would have done one thousand times more than all of actual gaming history combined to elevate video games to a higher place as a medium.

Nope.

Noone would have played it through the ages, it's rules would not have been refined, and it would not have the traditional values it does now.

You're right, of course. The more accurate question is if it would *eventually* be considered the best video game of all time, after going through those centuries of refinement and development.

 

[Loves2spooge]

No, it would still be Tetris, because Chess isn't as instantly accessible. Chess' popularity lies in its heritage.

 

[AC Medina]

are you implying that one of the earliest games like pong is considered one of the greatest games made? I also believe that chess was played as far back as the 16th century, so it wouldnt really make a very original video game.

Perhaps I wasn't very clear, I'm talking about an "alternate reality" in which chess is never invented (by the way, it's much older than the 16th century -- some version of chess was being played 1500 years ago) before being created as a video game in the last few decades.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

No. By 1990 the NES had a large array of titles already available.

If you want to get paradoxal, then many could claim it was just a lame Archon rip-off.

 

[Heart of Darkness]

are you implying that one of the earliest games like pong is considered one of the greatest games made? I also believe that chess was played as far back as the 16th century, so it wouldnt really make a very original video game.

Try fifth century. In India.

OT: Nope. As factual squirrel said, without the refinement, it would be a mediocre strategy game at best. Instead, we got things like Battle Chess. Fuck yeah. (I need to find that...)

 

[BlindMessiah94]

Chess is a simple game of strategy (simple in it's design and win condition anyhow). It can be played either as a video game or on a board. It's hard to say it's the best video game of all time because of the simple fact that it ISN'T a video game by original design. Sure it can be made into one, but so can pretty much every other board game, and it will be almost identical in every way.
Now try doing the reverse.

Turn Resident evil 4 into a board game and have it be almost identical. Impossible no? Still, I would play that board game.

Plus I would rather play Resident Evil 4 than Chess most days. Mainly because I suck at chess

 

[AWAR]

I dont like chess mainly because I always lose


'Tis for the autistic people!

 

[FactualSquirrel]

- snip-

See, that's the problem.

Let's say that chess was designed mid-80s.

Now imagine how simple it would have to be to fit on the hardware.

Now realise that only 3 or so franchises have survived since then (not counting remakes), and they were all amazingly popular.

Now realise that it could never have survived those years, which is when you're seemingly suggesting it would have been created.

 

[Caradinist]

No, because it would not have been simple, like pong.

 

[Kukakkau]

Twenty years ago? Em even though I wasn't born I'd say no since that was when consoles had taken shape and started to improve rapidly

 

[PhiMed]

This is actually an interesting question. I think it would not, however. Video games as a competitive or cooperative pass time have always been a side benefit. The real value lies in solo entertainment (or at least that's where video gaming got its following for most of its history).

If you look at it from a solo perspective, computers in 1990 would not have presented enough of a challenge for a good chess player to be consistently fun. This being due to a lack of spontenaity and innovation on the lack of your virtual opponent.

So I think chess would not have gained the popularity and prestige it now enjoys without the benefit of a human opponent. It simply would not fit the medium as it existed 20 years ago.

 

[Mushroomfreak111]

Nah... Pacman was brilliant, you don't see people play that a whole lot anymore =(

 

[AC Medina]

- snip-

See, that's the problem.

Let's say that chess was designed mid-80s.

Now imagine how simple it would have to be to fit on the hardware.

Now realise that only 3 or so franchises have survived since then (not counting remakes), and they were all amazingly popular.

Now realise that it could never have survived those years, which is when you're seemingly suggesting it would have been created.

When it was created is mostly irrelevant for my argument's sake. I said a couple of decades ago just so people would assume a couple of decades of history and refinement of the game, which would hopefully provide some perspective.

But we can assume it was created yesterday, if that helps the argument. Also, see the edits to my OP.

 

[FactualSquirrel]

- snip-

See, that's the problem.

Let's say that chess was designed mid-80s.

Now imagine how simple it would have to be to fit on the hardware.

Now realise that only 3 or so franchises have survived since then (not counting remakes), and they were all amazingly popular.

Now realise that it could never have survived those years, which is when you're seemingly suggesting it would have been created.

When it was created is mostly irrelevant for my argument's sake. I said a couple of decades ago just so people would assume a couple of decades of history and refinement of the game, which would hopefully provide some perspective.

But we can assume it was created yesterday, if that helps the argument. Also, see the edits to my OP.

Ok.

In that case, the only thing that I can see happening (this is extremely pessimistic btw) is that they make it into a real life game, and forget it was made as a video game.