I would think a game that was a milestone of its genre, such a Mario, Doom, Tetris or anything else famously retro.
To be a gamer, you MUST play...
- Thread starter DoctorWhat
- Start date
Meh, a gamer is more than just somebody who plays video games. Any soccer mom can turn on her kids wii and play wii resort fitness or some other BS spaztastic game like that. She is not a gamer. Your jock friend who only owns the madden games from 2001-2010 is a little bit closer, but not quite there yet.
It's a matter of degree. Gamers have the tendency to either buy the strategy guide with the game or copy the faq onto their desktop. Gamers regularly check sites so they know all the release dates and latest videos about their favorite games. Gamers show up at midnight to get the new expansion or camp out overnight to get the first copies of a new game. The guys at gamestop know us by heart and don't bother asking us for ID for M rated games. Hell, most of the guys that WORK at gamestop are gamers themselves.
Gaming is a culture. Just like you can immerse yourself with anime, you can immerse yourself with gaming as well. You don't have to go to a gaming convention to be a gamer, but it helps. Midnight LAN parties are a thing of the past, but many gamers remember those days.
Saying that you MUST play any single game is kinda ridiculous. As an RPG gamer, I enjoy some FPS and other games, but I generally don't care about racing games, sports games or sandbox games. If you were to tell me that I MUST play GTA: San Andreas I would tell you that the GTA games are piss-poor shooters with horrible car controls. I would probably suggest Morrowind, but most people would point out that it's graphics are dated, looks rusty as crap, and the cliff racers are so populous that you are constantly turning around to smack the eight or nine chasing you at all times. It's all a matter of taste. Although I'm pretty sure that everyone enjoys the Orange box.
It's a matter of degree. Gamers have the tendency to either buy the strategy guide with the game or copy the faq onto their desktop. Gamers regularly check sites so they know all the release dates and latest videos about their favorite games. Gamers show up at midnight to get the new expansion or camp out overnight to get the first copies of a new game. The guys at gamestop know us by heart and don't bother asking us for ID for M rated games. Hell, most of the guys that WORK at gamestop are gamers themselves.
Gaming is a culture. Just like you can immerse yourself with anime, you can immerse yourself with gaming as well. You don't have to go to a gaming convention to be a gamer, but it helps. Midnight LAN parties are a thing of the past, but many gamers remember those days.
Saying that you MUST play any single game is kinda ridiculous. As an RPG gamer, I enjoy some FPS and other games, but I generally don't care about racing games, sports games or sandbox games. If you were to tell me that I MUST play GTA: San Andreas I would tell you that the GTA games are piss-poor shooters with horrible car controls. I would probably suggest Morrowind, but most people would point out that it's graphics are dated, looks rusty as crap, and the cliff racers are so populous that you are constantly turning around to smack the eight or nine chasing you at all times. It's all a matter of taste. Although I'm pretty sure that everyone enjoys the Orange box.
i think to be a gamer you must've tried atleast one game from all genres. But nowadays i consider anyone that play videogames consistently to be a gamer. I'm not smug enough to "Oh only (insert genre) playerz haz gamer statuzes" Its moronic.
I think that the answer to your question lies in whether you consider computer gaming* an artform, a hobby, a sport, an entertainment or just a way to pass the time.
Personally, I regard the making of computer games as an artform. Whatever you want to say about the end results, a great deal of thought goes into developing a computer game so it's safe to say that the act of making 'Game Product' at least starts from a higher artistic standpoint than whatever comes out of it. (Like say, the nine-millionth 'Bubble Bobble' clone.)
Anyway, if you take this position - and you don't immediately start acting like a culture snob - you come to appreciate the milestones in the culture of computer gaming.
And consequently, you come to appreciate just how time bankrupt** your life has suddenly become.
No arts lover could study every single masterpiece painting. Nor sculpture, opera or performance art show. You just catch whatever you can and enjoy them as much as possible. Same with us gamers, especally when you stop and think about the massive time-sink our art/hobby/whatever really is.
I played Ultima VII parts 1 and 2 for six months. SIX MONTHS!
And I totaly recommend everyone go and get a copy right now
*(I HATE the term 'video games'. We don't play games on VHS or Betamax.)
** Time Bankrupt - when you literally couldn't spare the remaining hours of your life to catch up on every book, film, game or album you've crammed the shelves of your home with.
Personally, I regard the making of computer games as an artform. Whatever you want to say about the end results, a great deal of thought goes into developing a computer game so it's safe to say that the act of making 'Game Product' at least starts from a higher artistic standpoint than whatever comes out of it. (Like say, the nine-millionth 'Bubble Bobble' clone.)
Anyway, if you take this position - and you don't immediately start acting like a culture snob - you come to appreciate the milestones in the culture of computer gaming.
And consequently, you come to appreciate just how time bankrupt** your life has suddenly become.
No arts lover could study every single masterpiece painting. Nor sculpture, opera or performance art show. You just catch whatever you can and enjoy them as much as possible. Same with us gamers, especally when you stop and think about the massive time-sink our art/hobby/whatever really is.
I played Ultima VII parts 1 and 2 for six months. SIX MONTHS!
And I totaly recommend everyone go and get a copy right now
*(I HATE the term 'video games'. We don't play games on VHS or Betamax.)
** Time Bankrupt - when you literally couldn't spare the remaining hours of your life to catch up on every book, film, game or album you've crammed the shelves of your home with.
weeell, we gamers have a certain aura of awesomeness that makes ordinary mortals obey us. So, you could theoretically become a gamer if you managed to replicate/duplicate it. Though, it would be easier to play an RTS and join our ranks as elitist jerks destined to conquer the universe.
To be a "real gamer" I believe one should have to diversify, and no, that doesn't mean you have to go out and play "Bratz: the video game"; but if you say you are a gamer and you only play "bro" games (CoD:MW2, Madden anything, etc...) then I personally will shun any and all proceeding conversation about games. Yearly, mass produced steaming hunks of crap do not count as viable video games when they are only played on their own, they must be supplemented with the proper vitamins and minerals of a healthy gamer diet.
The games of the past weren't better, age and distance has allowed us to remember the good games whilest forgetting the crap.
The indie games are where it's at right now, they are going to be the games that drag us out of this funk that is dlc stagnation.
The games of the past weren't better, age and distance has allowed us to remember the good games whilest forgetting the crap.
The indie games are where it's at right now, they are going to be the games that drag us out of this funk that is dlc stagnation.
Games right now seem a dime a dozen. You see so called AAA title games releasing left and right with 9 and 10 scores right now, not giving you a clear message at what you should buy. 5 and 10 years ago you could spot the cream of the crop, like Halo and Halo 2, or even Half-Life series (sorry for using the FPS genre for a reference) but right now everything seems "good" while you've only got a small wad of cash to spend it on. Thats probably whats contributing a little to people pirating games, but I wont get into that. Thats a whole 'nother subject.MrBacon said:
if your into FPS games, halo; games with great story, final fantasy (or kingdom hearts); MMOs, WOW (can be 10 day free trial); great for role playing and all around depth with fantasy or sci-fi, any game by bioware; puzzle games, portal; platformer, any good mario game or spyro or crash bandicoot; horror, silent hill (as long as it's one from japan, it's good).
Then I might just stop my daily showers now. JRPGs will never ever come inside my four walls.MrBacon said:
OT: At least one retro game. Doesn't matter if it is Doom, 16-bit Zelda or whatever, at least one retro game, then you are a gamer.
Super mario world in original gameboy
Baldur's Gate 1&2
Beyond Good & Evil
TES Morrowind
Psychonauts
Fallout Both
Knights of the Old Republic 1
Icewind dale Both
Commandos both
Soldier of Fortune both
Half Life both
Mafia
Jedi knight 1 2 3
Arcanum
these are the historical games...
exhaustive list...
Baldur's Gate 1&2
Beyond Good & Evil
TES Morrowind
Psychonauts
Fallout Both
Knights of the Old Republic 1
Icewind dale Both
Commandos both
Soldier of Fortune both
Half Life both
Mafia
Jedi knight 1 2 3
Arcanum
these are the historical games...
exhaustive list...
I like to think I can somewhat be considered a gamer, even though I really only ever play simulation and NES games. That being said, I play A LOT of the above. I don't like FPSs (maybe because I'm bad at them, or I don't care enough.. I could never tell), I get bored and annoyed with RPGs because of the dialogue and cinematics like through Final Fantasy, and MMORPGs just aren't for me. Gaming's a personal experience for me, so I don't like having a bunch other people a part of it. Maybe that's why I've always hated 2-player mode on anything... hmm.
Stop right there,MrBacon said: