How modern gaming has made us into wimpy gamers

[Wolf Kanno]

18-year-olds are not kids. :P The stories in GTA aren't up to snuff for anyone who expects more than "OH MY GOD I TOTALLY RAN OVER THAT WHORE!" I would hope any adult looking for a good story would have higher standards than that.

Fifty years ago I'd say yes eighteen year olds would be fairly to somewhat mature. In this day and age eighteen year olds are still very kiddish (heck alot of eighteen year olds are still in highschool).

To be honest, I know gamers in their late twenties and early thirties that are pretty childish as well. Likewise, I know plenty of mature teens in High school.

Though I must say that even though the technology has improved, the maturity hasn't grown as much as it should. Not that we should get all "artsy and pretentious" but its rare for a truly mature game to get recognition in the mainstream while stuff that is labeled "mature" continues to damage gaming's reputation.

[NeoCracker]

I'd also like to point out, of course games are getting easeir for hardcore gamers. The reason they seem so easy to people who have been playing since the good ole days HAVE BEEN GAMING SINCE THE GOOD OLE DAYs!

WE tend to have far more experience in games then the newer generations, so it's much easier to adapt from game to game.

Not saying that its the only reason, but I think it's something to take into account.

[Bolivar]

18-year-olds are not kids. :P The stories in GTA aren't up to snuff for anyone who expects more than "OH MY GOD I TOTALLY RAN OVER THAT WHORE!" I would hope any adult looking for a good story would have higher standards than that.

I don't know, I kinda thought the conversation between Faustin's wife and Niko to be kinda.... human. For III and VC I would agree with you, but some stuff even in San Andreas was kinda poignant. Not the most academic social commentary you can find, but definatley more sophisticated than "OMG I TOTALLY RAN OVER THAT WHORE!"

[Roto13]

I'd also like to point out, of course games are getting easeir for hardcore gamers. The reason they seem so easy to people who have been playing since the good ole days HAVE BEEN GAMING SINCE THE GOOD OLE DAYs!

WE tend to have far more experience in games then the newer generations, so it's much easier to adapt from game to game.

Not saying that its the only reason, but I think it's something to take into account. :p

Go back and play those games that were tough when you were a kid and see how easy they are for you now. :P

I've been playing Mega Man 9 today. It... it's not easy. I managed to get through the eight Robot Masters stages and bosses. I've also stumbled my way through most of Wily's Castle, but the third level broke my spirit. And apparently if you stop playing anywhere in Wily's Castle, you have to start over. Just like the good ol' days.

[Jessweeee♪]

Yeah, but with like 90% of the "easy" games out there you can do something to make it harder for you (Kimahri Only challenge for FFX for example. I didn't try that one but the Tidus Only challenge actually made the game easier after I got past Mushroom Rock ). I liked how you could customize the difficulty of TWEWY from cakewalk to OH MY GOD IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE? at absolutely any time in the game.


So if you wanted a challenge, then you could make it harder for yourself, and if you just wanted to enjoy the game's story and other things without too much hassle, then you can play at a lighter difficulty.

[NeoCracker]

I'd also like to point out, of course games are getting easeir for hardcore gamers. The reason they seem so easy to people who have been playing since the good ole days HAVE BEEN GAMING SINCE THE GOOD OLE DAYs!

WE tend to have far more experience in games then the newer generations, so it's much easier to adapt from game to game.

Not saying that its the only reason, but I think it's something to take into account.

Go back and play those games that were tough when you were a kid and see how easy they are for you now. :P

I've been playing Mega Man 9 today. It... it's not easy. I managed to get through the eight Robot Masters stages and bosses. I've also stumbled my way through most of Wily's Castle, but the third level broke my spirit. And apparently if you stop playing anywhere in Wily's Castle, you have to start over. Just like the good ol' days.

I have. AND I kicked a their ass.

Pockey and Rocky, Megaman X 1-3, Link to the Past, and, obviously, all those old SNES RPGs.

Not to mention a few months back I beat Toejam and EArl 2 and Comix Zone, something I never did as a kid. (Mind you, that was because I had to rent, and never had teh time for that one when I did rent it. )

Its not always just about experience, but I'm sure thats definately a noteable factor.

[Wolf Kanno]

Yeah, but with like 90% of the "easy" games out there you can do something to make it harder for you (Kimahri Only challenge for FFX for example. I didn't try that one but the Tidus Only challenge actually made the game easier after I got past Mushroom Rock ). I liked how you could customize the difficulty of TWEWY from cakewalk to OH MY GOD IS THIS EVEN POSSIBLE? at absolutely any time in the game.


So if you wanted a challenge, then you could make it harder for yourself, and if you just wanted to enjoy the game's story and other things without too much hassle, then you can play at a lighter difficulty.

My only problem with this train of thought is that I have to put in the effort to make the game fun and challenging which to my personal feelings, is what a game should already be. I'm adding elements to a game that should have been there to begin with. To me, its like writing your own ending to a movie cause the film just ends in the middle with no resolution or climax (Not that Hollywood is good about these elements nowadays anyway). I don't mind making extra challenges after I've played a game for a few years but lately I have to do it during a second playthrough, just because the game was so damn easy the first time through. I do not even consider myself a gaming master or anything nor do I believe in power-leveling. I find my skills are average at best and to see such a lack of challenge concerns me.

BTW, NeoCracker... just for a fun suggestion. Play Master Blaster or Nemo's Adventures in Dreamland

[Roto13]

Nemo's Adventures in Dreamland ;)

I totally downloaded that movie yesterday. :P

Everyone knows Toejam and Earl 2 is easy. xP Go play Toejam and Earl 1. (Also, high five for Comix Zone)

[NeoCracker]

I know, but Toejam and EArl was like, one of my first video games ever. Of course it was hard for me back then. XD

[Big D]

Today's Zero Punctuation review looks at a couple of retro games available on the Xbox Live Arcade, and Yahtzee's got a few interesting points about the changes in gameplay and difficulty over the years.

Rather than quote or paraphrase, I'll let you see it for yourself - but take care, as the video contains smurftons of foul language and other non-work-safe content.

http://www.escapistmagazine.com/vide...LA-Double-Bill

[Wolf Kanno]

Today's Zero Punctuation review looks at a couple of retro games available on the Xbox Live Arcade, and Yahtzee's got a few interesting points about the changes in gameplay and difficulty over the years.

Rather than quote or paraphrase, I'll let you see it for yourself - but take care, as the video contains smurftons of foul language and other non-work-safe content.

The Escapist : Video Galleries : Zero Punctuation : XBLA Double Bill

That was funny. I love Yahtzee's reviews. Overall I agree that games have improved overall and perhaps the only reason why games have gotten easier is due to the removal or reform of gaming institutions like Lives and Password save systems (Curse you Hydlide!!!) yet I still stand on my belief that games are being made unnecessarily easy today. There are still challenging games but I feel the amount of "super-easy games" has been on the rise as of late.

[Madame Adequate]

Most games contain their own ways of increasing difficulty. Sometimes that's not so. I couldn't find a way to make Gears of War that hard, there were just a couple of particularly tough areas.

But put EDF 2017 on the highest difficulty and you're going to get raped.

Or try a Halo 3 Single Player Legendary All Skulls Campaign.

In truth I would personally like to just see more flexibility in difficulty, but also difficulty that's more intelligent. Adding more health doesn't make the game harder in any meaningful way, it just means you need to stock up more on potions or ammo or whatever before the fight.

[Mr Nice]

Whatever! The article is a load of nonsense, and you know it. The only reason you choose to agree is because you know as much as I do that controversy draws attention. There's too much negativity in the video game industry these days, it does my smurfing head in. If anything, we should be supporting the video game industry to our utmost. Smurfing amateurs!

[scrumpleberry]

Whatever! The article is a load of nonsense, and you know it. The only reason you choose to agree is because you know as much as I do that controversy draws attention. There's too much negativity in the video game industry these days, it does my smurfing head in. If anything, we should be supporting the video game industry to our utmost. Smurfing amateurs!

Truth.

[Wolf Kanno]

Whatever! The article is a load of nonsense, and you know it. The only reason you choose to agree is because you know as much as I do that controversy draws attention. There's too much negativity in the video game industry these days, it does my smurfing head in. If anything, we should be supporting the video game industry to our utmost. Smurfing amateurs!

Though I would agree the article itself was poorly done and probably speaks for only a minority of the gaming community I do feel the topic itself is valid. The industry is changing dramatically and a whole new group is being brought into the fold. Unfortunately, some of us feel that the gaming industry is catering too much to the new group than those of us who have gamed for most of the industry's existence.

For me personally I just want more equal ground from a design approach. Allow for a method to make it easy for newbies or those whose interest are not in the game aspect of it but at the same time create methods so those of us who want challenge to be pleased as well on a reasonable level. Not with cheap gimmicks but methods that actually challenge us mentally.

Though I do care about the industry, I see a potential within it that seems to always be just outside of reach for it. I'm one of those idealist that see games as an art-form rather than just a pleasure machine. Its bogged down by the business side of things and though supporting it sounds good, its difficult to take that seriously when we understand that the industry is a business first. They only cater to us when they know they can make extra money off of us by doing so. Their are strong exceptions to this rule but I feel its obvious that the Big 3 only care about our money.