The Longevity of Modern Games

[gocrows]

I think that there have been great games in all eras of gaming, but some just stand out.

1990's

Steel Panthers
Panzer General
Warcraft 2

2000's
All total War games
SOaSE
Civilisation (all)
Paradox games (with add-ons/patches)
Tin Soldiers
Field of Glory
Combat Mission

The lists are huge.

Whatever you like, gameplay and graphics keep getting better. We do forget all the rubbish from past eras, but let;s be honest, if 1000's of games are constantly produced, there will always be varying quality. It's just good to be able to choose, depending on your likes/dislikes.

[Gusington]

The '80s were a great decade for music!! Maybe not music videos but music in general. Damn you all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Pq0xYr3L4

[Rayfer]

The '80s were a great decade for music!! Maybe not music videos but music in general. Damn you all.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_Pq0xYr3L4

LOL....funny how it is all subjective; movies, music, games.  Musically, to me, the 80's was the lost decade....very little of memorable value. 

[Longdan]

I was going to agree.  I am sure something good happened in the 1980's as far
as music and entertainment but I do not remember all that much.
There was beer..maybe that's why.

[Electric_Strawberry]

The 60's had the best music.  Period.  End of discussion.

[Longdan]

I will not disagree but that ain't discussion.

[Staggerwing]

The 60's had the best music.  Period.  End of discussion.

Though it's funny how what we think of as the 60's seemed to have lasted until well into the 70's.

[Gusington]

^Drugs will do that.

[Longdan]

The 60's are still happening in many peoples minds.  ACW buffs are like that.
For many of us the 19 60's never really ended just kind of faded into the Reagan years.
Then everything turned stupid like it was supposed to be after that little vacation.
In some parts of Canada, like Saskatchewan, the 60's didn't even start until about 1980.

[Electric_Strawberry]

If nothing else, the 60's were indeed "interesting times".  ;D

[junk2drive]

Robin Williams said "if you can remember the 60's, you weren't really there"

[Greybriar]

....Anyone remember Battles in Time?

As a matter of fact, I spotted my boxed copy of Battles of Time sitting on a shelf today and almost installed it on my PC (I was confusing it with Global Conquest). But I didn't and after viewing this preview, I'm glad I didn't. I played the original WarCraft instead.

Some of my fondest PC gaming memories have been of playing games from the days when DOS was king. But I also have many games from that period that were stinkers.

[Martok]

I do sometimes wonder how much -- not "if", because I think it's only a matter of to what degree -- we're blinded by nostalgia.  (And lest anyone make comments about pots & kettles, I say that being fully aware I'm as guilty of this as anyone else.) 



I still play more older games than newer games, but not because the latter have necessarily declined in quality.  I think it's more a case that these days, it's simply that fewer games are being made that personally appeal to me. 


In addition, my tastes have changed somewhat in the last 10-15 years, and are now rather different than what they were when I was in my teens and early twenties. 

I'm still into the strategy genre, for example, but I'm now far more an adherent to grand strategy titles such as the Total War and Paradox games than I am to real-time click-fests such as Earth 2150 or Command & Conquer (which I used to play a lot of).  I still enjoy the occasional romp in Red Alert 2, but generally would much rather be playing Armada 2526 or Crusader Kings 2 in my (relative) dotage. 

Robin Williams said "if you can remember the 60's, you weren't really there"

Heh! 

[Grim.Reaper]

No doubt there was also clunkers for me back in the day, but I do think it was different times and it made it feel different.  Back then money was tight so I had to be much more selective and because I bought less, I put more time into a game before giving up.   Nowadays I can reasonably afford what I want so I typically give a game only a small chance and then move on.

I also hate to say it but I think the Internet, forums, and patches have also played a role in this.  Back then, there wasn't as prevelant of places to read about and discuss games like forums like there is today.  Therefore back then, I didn't really notice bugs nor did I know how the game could be made better.  I just played for fun.  Nowadays I spend more time reading about games and all their flaws which leads me to moving on quickly.  Same thing with patches.  Back then, patches were rare (from what I can remember) where now they are expected.  Back then I would play the game for what it was, but now I get disappointed in games for what they could be:)

So bottom line for me is that past games had a longer shelf life for other reasons besides the game itself but still no doubt there were some bad games back then just as there are now.  But today there are so many games available that it will certainly feel like modern games have less longevity.

[Father Ted]

I also hate to say it but I think the Internet, forums, and patches have also played a role in this.  Back then, there wasn't as prevelant of places to read about and discuss games like forums like there is today.  Therefore back then, I didn't really notice bugs nor did I know how the game could be made better.  I just played for fun.  Nowadays I spend more time reading about games and all their flaws which leads me to moving on quickly.  Same thing with patches.  Back then, patches were rare (from what I can remember) where now they are expected.  Back then I would play the game for what it was, but now I get disappointed in games for what they could be:)

I was talking about this just last night.  I've been playing Planetside 2 with a mate and he was asking me if I'd read the game's forums.  I realised that I haven't and that I'm just enjoying having a bit of a bash at the game, without reading about what other people say is wrong about it and that then colouring my own view.

I just have to add, though, that Grogheads and the like are a bit different to dedicated forums because there is much less of the entrenched axe-grinding.  We're not entirely without it here, but it's not like the shitstorm that blew up when the CloD and RoF communities found themselves thrust together by the 1C/777 merger.

To go back to PS2, I just play it.  After I while I'll start to recognise the faults and bugs and repetitive game-play, but until then I'll have some fun.  Of course it helps that it's free.  I might not be so relaxed if I'd shelled out £30...