The State Of Gaming

[childofgilead]

So, this is more of an observation sort of thing based on a few gaming experiences I've had lately than anything else. Anything you guys can think of would be really appreciated!

Anyway, with games like Arkham City and Saints Row: The Third, this is a nitpick that's really been getting on my chops. Oversized-freakin-guns. UGH. Seriously, what's the deal with handguns being almost a foot and a half long? Even a Desert Eagle isn't that big considering! I understand that in Saints Row's case it's meant to be a little stylized, but still. Think about Resident Evil 5. The Beretta in that game was LUDICROUS. Then again, so were Redfield's arms. ugh

DLC. Three letters guaranteed to piss me off more than anything. As technology grows, games are getting shorter. Am I the only one noticing this? I pay 60 dollars for a brand new game, I expect a fun experience. Now I don't mind DLC that adds to the game, with a new character or situation, something like Rockstar did with GTA IV and the dlc for that. Two new storylines, two new characters to run around as.

But Saints Row feels like it's had stuff taken out, then added back in as DLC.

Or Fable 3..I was SO excited for that game last year. I never let the hype get my hopes up too much, but after Fable 2 I thought I'd at least get a decent game.

I was wrong. The whole thing left a sour taste in my mouth, and the experience was very unfulfilling. That's the last time I'm giving Lionhead any of my money, I'll buy that shit used, thanks very much.

I really wanted to have a longer post, but remembering that game just..takes it out of me.

So you guys tell me, are there any PS3 exclusives that are worth getting another system for? Or should I just stick with 360, as Mass Effect is coming out in March anyway?

[SymphonicX]

I've said many times over this year that gaming has hit a low point. Personally I think until new systems come out, the whole thing will start to tail off eventually.

Things like Kinnect aren't really taking off - a lot of people bought one but very few worthy games are released. It's a hit and miss product. Playstation Move is absolute shite from what I can tell. And no one worth a f*ck would give a crap about the Wii.

For me it's been nothing but rehashed ideas with different shells. You've now seen everything consoles have to offer you - that peaked 2 years ago, now you're getting the same games over and over. Free roaming city games, first person shooters, RPGs, god sims, all that stuff - now done to death regardless of the fact it's at the most complex and fun it's ever been.

The only really notable title released apart from Skyrim (again, another rehash of an old idea - still amazing, but nothing new) was Portal 2 - because of it's co-op mode. But even that is a sequel.

I think we've reached a point where it's going stagnant - and until the new xbox comes out, it's not really worth it.

And let's look at the consoles themselves...inferior PCs in a box. Shitty GPU technology undermimes future gaming innovations. The rubbish dual core processor sucks and the xbox only outputs an up-res'd 640p picture. The PS3 fairs slightly better - but on paper it's only a marginal difference between the two systems.

As consoles are now driving games innovation on the mass market - we'll have to wait til the next generation before things start getting interesting again.

Or do what I did - flog the bleedin' lot and buy a good graphics card. No more DLC woes, and ultimately, you can try before you buy on every single game ever made.

-- -------- Post added at 05:19 PM ---------- Previous post was at 05:15 PM ----------

edit:
but what did I get for the PC last year which sold me on it? The Witcher 2. Now that's a game. Fantastic RPG and excellent battle mechanics - my only gripe being that at 15gb, it was too short. I still got 70 hours out of it at least. That took conversation based RPGs to a new level, not to mention the graphics. Phenomenal.


More RAM is needed, more processing power - better GPUs. But to think the next generation of consoles is going to come even CLOSE to a well specced gaming rig is pure fantasy. They'll release what, 3.4ghz quad core at the VERY VERY MOST, with a 1gb GPU and probably 2-4gb of DDR3 ram. It's going to suck!

[Danny]

PS3 exclusive that sold me on it:
Demon's souls
infamous
the resistance tirilogy
folkore
metal gear solid 4
valkyria chornicles
uncharted
heavy rain

just a few off the top of my head very much worth the cost of a preowned ps3.

[shootemindehead]

Consoles are killing games. They have been for years. The quality of game and the actual content has been dumbed down considerably. However, PC games weren't doing themselves any favours before the next gen consoles took over. A lot of PC games were being sold to people who had no chance whatsoever of owning a rig strong enough to actually run the bloody thing. 'IL2 Sturmovik', for example, is a game I've been playing for over 10 years, but it was only on my last rig that I could actually run it with a decent number of aircraft in the air. It's that type of silly thinking from developers that went a long way to killing PC gaming, especially sims. That and the fact that most people haven't a clue how to actually run a PC.

Consoles are the quick fix for gamers, but the intelligence of the game and general game quality (I'm talking about the game itself, not graphics or sound) has plummeted and I believe that's largely due to the proliferation of consoles and games designed for consoles. There is certainly a general feeling of dumbing down.

I long for the days when the realm of quality gaming resided with PC owners and console games were generally conversions of PC games and not the other way around.

[Danny]

Consoles are killing games. They have been for years. The quality of game and the actual content has been dumbed down considerably. However, PC games weren't doing themselves any favours before the next gen consoles took over. A lot of PC games were being sold to people who had no chance whatsoever of owning a rig strong enough to actually run the bloody thing. 'IL2 Sturmovik', for example, is a game I've been playing for over 10 years, but it was only on my last rig that I could actually run it with a decent number of aircraft in the air. It's that type of silly thinking from developers that went a long way to killing PC gaming, especially sims. That and the fact that most people haven't a clue how to actually run a PC.

Consoles are the quick fix for gamers, but the intelligence of the game and general game quality (I'm talking about the game itself, not graphics or sound) has plummeted and I believe that's largely due to the proliferation of consoles and games designed for consoles. There is certainly a general feeling of dumbing down.

I long for the days when the realm of quality gaming resided with PC owners and console games were generally conversions of PC games and not the other way around.

no, piracy is killing pc gaming. Console players are now the focus market because pc gamers steal more often than buy whereas the buy over pirate rate on consoles is still 99% storebought. pc gamers killed gaming on the pc. So they are no longer the main focus of a games design process.

[shootemindehead]

Nah Danny, I don't agree. The impact of piracy of any of the entertainment industries main pillars is incredibly overrated and games are included in that. While PC games are being copied and downloading, the vast majority of them are still sold over the counter. Just like the music and movie industries. Sure, there's a hit, but it can be absorbed easily.

Gaming's dying because people are bored. There's been a long and gradual takeover of he games industry by the "suits" and they've pushed out the talent in favour of profit at any cost. The industry is dying because the ideas that are generated among the old fashioned software houses of yesteryear are being abandoned by the likes of monsters like EA, etc, who are going around swallowing up independents and destroying decent game companies. The big companies are content in shoving the next film tie in, or yet another Fifa xx out the door.

There are few real "ideas" companies out there operating any more. They just cannot compete with the likes of EA and the big guns.

It isn't piracy that kills anything, that's always been there. It's the lack of compelling and risky ideas in favour of the next re-tread of previous success.

[Tricky]

Skyrim has put my faith back in gaming, I've not played a game like it in eons, fair enough like Symph says its nothing new as such, but the sheer beauty & content of it show that it has been a real labour of love by its creators. Even the thousands of books you can read in the game must have taken a team months to write.
Arma 2 is a PC classic as well, Bohemia created what is essentially a modders toolkit and released it to the community for people to freely do what they like with it, and if you trawl the forums or sites such as Armaholic, you'll see an overwhelming amount of awesome content that the community have created for it, thats what PC gaming is all about!

[shootemindehead]

F*ck man, I can't wait to play Skyrim. I have it, but won't be back in my house until Feb.

It makes me mad!!!!

http://www.thepeoplescube.com/red/richedit/upload/2k71914bedeb.jpg

[childofgilead]

How are the controls in Skyrim? I've..considered using any extra Christmas funds I get to purchase it, but after the arse fest that was Oblivion (I've owned it for almost 5 years now and have NEVER BEATEN IT because I got bored or frustrated at the controls) and the disappointing Fallout duology, I'm really unsure at giving Bethesda any of my currently really meager funds..(have other expensive "hobbies")

[Tricky]

I cant comment on the console version of Skyrim but the PC controls are pretty straight forward & you can customise them if you want. You can dual wield weapons as well so you can have a sword & shield equipped meaning you can bash enemies back with the shield or block blows, then swing in while they're recovering, works pretty well I think! or you can have a spell equipped to each hand if you prefer the magic route, or a spell & a weapon. And it looks very, very pretty :cool:

[childofgilead]

Hm..lemme clarify a little, if you go to third person and turn around, does the character actually seem to move, like a third person game (fable, gta, etc) or does the environment just sorta..rotate around them while they do a little shuffle motion (oblivion, fallout)?

[SymphonicX]

Hm..lemme clarify a little, if you go to third person and turn around, does the character actually seem to move, like a third person game (fable, gta, etc) or does the environment just sorta..rotate around them while they do a little shuffle motion (oblivion, fallout)?

I recommend using the xbox controller on the PC for Skyrim. Changes the whole thing. Keyboard and mouse on SP games seems mad to me...

Anyway if you rotate your camera in third person view, the camera spins around the character so you can have it facing him directly - it's a midshot though, so you have to pan it down to see the feet. Basically you get 360 camera rotation on the X (sideways) axis.