Video Games: Any Enthusiasts Here?

[Pat-Taporter]

I already know of a few of you from some of the ‘sociology’ threads but . . ..

I’m pretty new to the gen X-box - PS systems games even though I used to design computer-interaction instruction and educational experiences back at the turn of the Century.

Last June I got a hand-me-down PS3, and so far, I’ve completed Red Dead Redemption, Uncharted 2 and 3, Portals 2, and just today, The Last of Us.

I thought I would try to start a thread in hopes there may be some people who would like to discuss their video gaming experiences: primarily because I found The Last of Us provided me with the most emotional-psychological and philosophical involvement with a medium since I read Tolkien's, The Lord of the Rings, for the first time back in the 1960s.

I’d like to say more, but perhaps that could be a start . . .?

Any takers?

[Even Steven]

Older games are so much better than games these days.

[Lady tehMa]

I'm a mom in a gamer family. Husband, kids - everyone but me games (addictive personality, not going there).

The storyline in the Assassin's Creed games has had my family spellbound. Also Skyrim and a family favourite is Halo. World of Warcraft is a classic my kids have grown up with. I find the music created for the games to be simply gorgeous. My son has the Halo soundtrack and his music teacher was startled by the quality of it.

I will admit that I played Rock Band with the family though (broke my own rule). Also with friends - that is a good game to play.

[Bleach]

I have been just getting back into gaming after a long time. (8 years) I feel like a newb. Playing on the PS3, Dragon age origins right now. I am liking the game, but I think it's a bit long winded for my likes.
I need to pick up a PS2 so I can play the good old games. I might hookup my sega and give it a shot. I am laid off so fat chance of getting a replacement GPU for my computer, time to get reacquainted with consoles.

I have played Drakengard 3, Dishonored, Prince of Persia (all). Still have 20 more games just for the PS3 alone

[Pat-Taporter]

One of my daughters-in-law is a Skyrim wiz. And she tried to teach me, but I couldn’t keep track of all the stuff to gather and use. Also, I’m all thumbs at anything that requires a variety of fast actions on the new controllers—hence that means a lot of the new Star Wars games are out—my best speed with them was old Dash Rendar and Shadows of the Empire on the NES64.

Mainly, I like a good storyline. And as I said, The Last of Us has been the best for me so far.

Next up, I got L.A.Noir for Christmas.

[Pat-Taporter]

As I mentioned at the outset of this thread, I wanted to say more about The Last of Us. But, since then, I’ve found this, and found that it covers pretty much what I wanted to add anyway—including about a father-daughter relationship, as well as love and morality.

The Last of Us Changed My Life: In Depth Analysis and Dissection

Grant Voegtle

[Bleach]

Give Dragon age origins a shot, if you like exploring a world and fighting. The game will annoy you, so play as yourself or be evil.

[Pat-Taporter]

Give Dragon age origins a shot, if you like exploring a world and fighting. The game will annoy you, so play as yourself or be evil.

Hey, thanks! I found out I inherited that one on my hand-me-down PS3. I haven't fired the game up yet, but I'll give it a try--evil style.

[Bleach]

Blood mages are evil in the game, I am playing a dwarven noble. I think there is 7 paths or something, I might play some of the other paths. it's a long game. I have read that some people have put 200 hours into it, I have 8 hours in and I have only competed 15%.

I wish I could fire up crysis on my computer, short but fun game.(warhead not so much, less then an hour.)

What games do you have? I am a fan of all Prince of Persia games, I have been playing them from damn near the beginning. Plus Pitfall.

I have a spare copy of soul caliber IV, you can have it, if you want it.

[Even Steven]

I liked video games before they became mainstream and big business. Best video games were created by people who didn't have two nickels to rub together and put their souls and lives into their first video games. Their names became legends - John Carmack, John Romero, Todd Howard. Who here knows creator of Battlefield? Nobody gives a flying butt.

And games were interesting, and they were hard, and they were frustrating. Remember playing first Doom? Duke Nukem? Quakes? Fallout? I could play Fallout for hours, finish it, and then play it again but differently. And then again, and again. And then you'd play it for ninth time, and find some hilarious Easter egg and just die laughing. Those are the games you could play well into the night and fall asleep just dying to get some sleep so you can do it again.



ETA: To give Fallout creators credit, they did try to re-create same thing with Fallout 3 and others.

And now? Big games became like big movies - awesome special effects, huge marketing budgets, zero substance. They all look the same, feel the same, and so sterile. They're not challenging because challenge would scare away best customers - 14-year old pizza face teenagers who managed to get $80 for a new game. Eighty bucks? Seriously? Jesus.

Oh, and it's all about multi-player now. And it's all about selling custom packs. Or gold so you can buy packs. So you can get your pizza face friends together and play with people you've never met. And people today probably never heard of LAN parties. Yes, those were lame but comparing to online playing today, that was badass.



Big money ruined video games. And only hope now is for small studios creating out of the box games that are actually interesting. Not another bloated Battlefield-ARMA-Modern Warfare travesty, but games with a twist, small budget, and soul:

[Pat-Taporter]

Thanks for the suggestions, Bleach and Even Steven.

I received L.A. Noire on disc for Christmas, which I'm playing now. And before that I inherited the ones I listed in my first post. I also downloaded The Witness onto my PC and really enjoyed playing that.

LOL I’m such a newbie that I just started to poke around on the PS hard drive and found a file filled with games including, as
I said earlier, Dragon Age. So I’ll have to go through and then see if they all work.

And I am an enthusiast, but I would be fighting an uphill battle to try to learn the games Even Steven suggested?

For instance, these are good examples of how I learned to play Red Dead Redemption and The Last of Us.

[Pat-Taporter]

Bleach, I'm sorry, in my above post, I forgot to acknowledge and thank you for your kind offer. Please accept my apology.

Pat

[coolwaterwave]

The stories in those interactive movie games can be great, but I also enjoy normal 'competitive' videogames. The ones where you're up against other players in a win or lose situation are really exhilarating. Great for getting my heart pumping although they're not for everyone.

[Poindexter]

Bought a ColecoVision in 82 and have been gaming ever since, beats watching tv.

Always enjoyed storyline but like the above poster prefer to compete with a friend or online. Counterstrike has to have been my favourite of all time but have probably logged the most hours on sports like hockey. Enjoy competing against my son's friends as they try in futility to beat the old man in any of the EA sports NHL series. Have an old golfing buddy on the coast that I play Tiger Woods against.

As for the new games I'm always a few years behind and pick them up when they're giving them away. Currently working my way through battlefield 4 but it's bloody hard and may have to restart on easy mode. Lol.

Tried fallout but too much walking around searching for crap for my liking. Want to try that Last Of Us though, looks like a good one.

[Lady tehMa]

Son is playing through episodic games of Walking Dead and Game of Thrones - husband sits and watches the storyline