Where have all the good games gone...

[stompy]

Have you tried playing another genre?

 

[shatnershaman]

The problem here is that the FPS is obviously very easy to create since they make up the majority of any season of gaming releases (especially on the XBOX). I just wish that there were more WITCHHAVENS and PAINKILLERS than HALO's and CALL OF DUTY's.

Majority? As in 51%? I think that's a wii bit off.

http://www.metacritic.com/games/xbox360/scores/

Then there's the PC with Bejewled Supreme Crazy Monkey Edition 500.

 

[Pietho]

and "Rainbow Six" is where?
(or atleast explain what a)wasn't innovative about it b) what came first in the tactical shooter genre.)

on that note:
At least most genres are getting rehashes, I can't think of a single real tactical shooter unless you're counting war-sims like OFP.

I apologize, but I don't play tactical shooters and stay away from "war-sims" of all kinds. Having been in "real combat" I have no desire to relive those scenarios. That's why there aren't any in my list.

 

[Pietho]

Majority? As in 51%? I think that's a wii bit off.

http://www.metacritic.com/games/xbox360/scores/

Then there's the PC with Bejewled Supreme Crazy Monkey Edition 500.

Thanks for the correction, What I meant to say and what came out of my fingers were two different things. What I should have said was this:

"The problem here is that the FPS is obviously very easy to create since they make up the majority of any season of GAME RELEASE MARKETING (especially FOR the XBOX)."

Good eye for catching it... it sure changes the shape of the paragraph.

As for the statement about Bejeweled... I completely agree. I like bejeweled on my Palm because it gives me an option that isn't solitaire, but we need a new version of that like we need "Mine Sweeper: Turbo Edition".

This is clearly the MADDEN marketing policy in action; remaking a game every year when all the changes and additions could be released in an expansion (which consoles can take advantage of now thanks to the upgraded technology and the addition of hard drives). The net result is a slew of people purchasing a new game every year as if they didn't realize that the game they're playing hasn't had a significant rules change in the last 20 years.

 

[shatnershaman]

Thanks for the correction, What I meant to say and what came out of my fingers were two different things. What I should have said was this:

"The problem here is that the FPS is obviously very easy to create since they make up the majority of any season of GAME RELEASE MARKETING (especially FOR the XBOX)."

Good eye for catching it... it sure changes the shape of the paragraph.

How does marketing (LBP is everywhere) affect how easy it is to create. Wouldn't the marketing be done to increase sales for the big expensive projects. Halo: Combat Evolved's sequel Halo 2 took 3 years to make while Patapon and Locoroco (innovative and done very well) took only 1 year for a sequel to be made (well patapon 2 is technically only in Japan).

 

[Pietho]

Marketing determines who knows about the game, who pre-orders it and who eventually buys it. With the glut of FPS games on the market, naturally more money goes to supporting them (I guess tactical shooters fall close enough to this category for our purposes) in the various media. It's a self-perpetuating cycle of sameness.

 

[Samurai Goomba]

"Where are all the good games dead? In the heart, or in the head?"

I've been thinking about this since I first read the topic title.

 

[shatnershaman]

Marketing determines who knows about the game, who pre-orders it and who eventually buys it. With the glut of FPS games on the market, naturally more money goes to supporting them (I guess tactical shooters fall close enough to this category for our purposes) in the various media. It's a self-perpetuating cycle of sameness.

Not necessarily, (short answer:LBP) just look at bejeweled, it doesn't run TV ads but still sells like crazy http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3169428 . Besides how are shooters all the same? Like all puzzle games are? Or how about RPGs? Saying Left 4 Dead is the same as Gears of War 2 is a bit a of a stretch.

EDIT: Does this mean you not buying Diablo 3?
EDIT2.0: That article is from August... woops.

 

[Pietho]

Have you tried playing another genre?

With the exception of "tacticle shooters" and "War-Sims" I try to play as many different games as I can. The problem is that different isn't easy to come by. I'm not saying that the problem resides within a given genre (I remember when video games were their own genre of entertainment), only that some genre's show the lack fresh ideas more than others.

The FPS shows it because of the limits of the genre, but how many Ultima Clones can you name? (Diablo, Sacred, Akuma, Darkstone, Divine Divinity. I know I've played others, but that's what pops readily to mind.) The mark of innovation doesn't mean that it defies a genre, but it should DEFINE one.

 

[coldfrog]

Actually, what makes FPS's easy to create for game companies with a big budget is that there are so many easily taken physics engines available.

 

[not a zaar]

Another one of these threads huh? All it boils down to is that you're cherry picking great games from the past while forgetting that there was a deluges of shit games back then too. Only a few games can be great, so while it takes a while for them to come out in the present, there's already a library of great games from the past, and that makes you think that all games back then used to be great.

 

[Thoric485]

Good games are becoming rare, not something unexpected. Costs for developing games become bigger and bigger and the men in suits who manage the whole thing don't want to waste their money on mindless stuff like "innovation" and stick to a cookie-cutter mold. While i'm happy when i find a game which is like "that other game which i liked", but slightly touched with a different setting i'm happy. But not when there's a plethora of bland clones and someone calls it a "genre".


However there are still good companies who's overall work is good for gaming. CD Projekt for example, which start off as a publishing company which also releases fully translated to their naitve language hit games. (a good initiative that was picked up in my country too)

After becoming Poland's number one publisher they open a game development division and release The Witcher - a great RPG which's gameplay isn't everyone's cup of tea (i loved it). Even though it was relatively buggy and unpolished it faired really well. And unlike many other companies they didn't leave their game like that, but released a free Enhanced Edition which improved gameplay tenfold and added a custom scenario editor.

But what i'm most happy about is that they opened http://goodoldgames.com , a site selling classic games, made to be compatible with newer operating systems, and free of any DRM.

So back on track, no need for doom and gloom, there will always be good game devs. Just try to support the right people by informing yourselves well before buying.

 

[Pietho]

Another one of these threads huh? All it boils down to is that you're cherry picking great games from the past while forgetting that there was a deluges of shit games back then too. Only a few games can be great, so while it takes a while for them to come out in the present, there's already a library of great games from the past, and that makes you think that all games back then used to be great.

We actually already covered that ground. What we're talking about is a lack of INNOVATION, as opposed to a lack of good games.

 

[not a zaar]

Another one of these threads huh? All it boils down to is that you're cherry picking great games from the past while forgetting that there was a deluges of shit games back then too. Only a few games can be great, so while it takes a while for them to come out in the present, there's already a library of great games from the past, and that makes you think that all games back then used to be great.

We actually already covered that ground. What we're talking about is a lack of INNOVATION, as opposed to a lack of good games.

Lack of innovation? What about the Wii? What about the DS? Nintendo took a huge risk with these systems and it paid off. Now you could justly argue that developers have largely ignored the true potential of these new types of controls in favor of gimmick gameplay elements, but the innovation is there and it's more daring than anything that ever came before it.

 

[Booze Zombie]

Where have all the good games gone? To the first and third fiscal quarters of 2009.
Well, that's what I believe, anyway.

 

[Pietho]

Besides how are shooters all the same? Like all puzzle games are? Or how about RPGs? Saying Left 4 Dead is the same as Gears of War 2 is a bit a of a stretch.

When you break a game down to it's component parts you see the similarities. No matter who the opposition is or what pretense the game uses, shooters are all about killing the enemy. Different environments don't change that basic rule. if you weren't doing that it wouldn't be a shooter.

EDIT: Does this mean you not buying Diablo 3?

I'll more than likely buy Diablo 3 just because the graphics look good and Blizzard has a proven reputation for stellar game play. Is it going to be a ground breaking title that re-defines the Action RPG genre? I doubt it. That doesn't mean that it won't be a good game.

What I want to see is a game that actually transcends the genre, transforming it into something new and exciting.

 

[Pietho]

Lack of innovation? What about the Wii? What about the DS? Nintendo took a huge risk with these systems and it paid off. Now you could justly argue that developers have largely ignored the true potential of these new types of controls in favor of gimmick gameplay elements, but the innovation is there and it's more daring than anything that ever came before it.

In the case of hardware, I couldn't agree more. The Wii and the DS are definitely groundbreaking. But that it was a great risk is a bit of a stretch. Just like any other hyper-successful company all Nintendo had to do was produce something that worked and there would be people lined up around the block to buy one. Even if it wasn't I'm sure the bean counters at Nintendo had already factored minimum sales figures into their projection.

People were ready for something new, and Nintendo has a history of making equipment that works. I don't think anyone else would have been able to pull it off, though. Only Nintendo has that kind of loyalty with it's customers. A perfect fit all around I'd say.

 

[Pietho]

Where have all the good games gone? To the first and third fiscal quarters of 2009.
Well, that's what I believe, anyway.

Let's hope...