Where to now?
I remember back when sequals were released on my old Commodore Amiga 1200, and before that my 500, and proceeding that, less so my Amstrad 646 CPC. Less so because I would only have been at the most 7 years of age at the time. I was but a gaming young jedi at the time. If I were to print on our company website I was wet at the prospect of some releases, I am sure Del Monte will be dropping me an emailing owning me. ‘DO NOT talk dirty on our company website!’ I’m under strict instructions to remain professional in our game servers blog. And professional I shall remain.
And besides, no-one wants to read about a fat knacker getting moist over computer games. /me runs
Dino Dini’s Goal. Sensible WORLD of Soccer. Yes, I was a big football fan and this was really before any decent FPS could be played. The previews of these games had me positively salivating at the mouth.
Half Life 2, was the biggy for me. Every day I was reading the latest news snippets (often recycled). It was the trailers that had me *omg wowing*.
Remember that preview where Gordon walks across the bridge, with the Zombies coming out at him? It was next-gen. Special. ‘I can’t wait for this to be released’, I’m thinking…
What didn’t do Valve any favours, was that by the time Half Life 2 was released, many of the other developers had got a bit closer. Far Cry was a hugely under-rated game on the PC. I still love defending the house in COD UO. Magical gaming moments. Half Life 2 was a let down.
I am getting at that huge excitement with games. Generally you have about 5 minutes game play of one of those new games, before it all becomes the same.
Given graphics are now at such a level where the hardware is behind the talent of the designers, where can we go next?
John Carmack talks about mobile gaming. Please, pass me the sleeping pills. What I want is 50″ HD gaming. Near perfect graphics. Awesome AI. Seat trembling surround sound (no most jokes please).
What I do not want is gaming on a 4″ screen. The last level on Half Life 3000 being interupted by a txt from ma bezzie m8′s.
R u going up da yuth klub 2nite?
FFS, i was just bout 2 give Alex one innit. Now i is goin 2 shoot yu wit da gravity gunya mum buy me, ai.
Mobile gaming is a disaster waiting to happen. And please, don’t waste it on the txtspeak culture that will not appreciate it. Boring. Next, please.
I want gaming on a big TV, screen. Not fussed. If it’s FPS, it has to be with a mouse. Don’t tell me it works on a joypad. You CANNOT make lightening quick moves on an analog stick. Trust me, I’m pro at CS. Go from CS to Halo. We all said it sucked.
Looking forward ‘scientists’, read corporations, have already developed the notion of 3D TV. TV that explodes in your face. TV that sits in the middle of the screen (like my Nan, ffs!). Amazing stuff. Although not for public release yet, this has to be where it’s going.
Increased AI (they never got it better than Far Cry IMO). Better sound? Doesn’t get much better than DOD Source for sound effects. Cinematic. Amazing.
If I am asked where gaming is going to be, and what game servers we’re going to be hosting in the future. The answer is, ‘who knows’?’
Whatever way, I feel as excited as I did when Sensible World of Soccer was released. Gaming is approaching the movie industry in terms of investment and revenue. With this, increased ‘movie budgets’ for games.
It’s only going to get bigger and better. And that’s fantastic news for us gamers. Enough to get the juices flowing.
*runs at the thought of olly getting moist*
Good article Ollio; definitely a worthwhile read!
I think you missed out a few things about how you still remain a Young Jedi
Again, sorry Carl, but Del Monte will blow a gasket if I start talking about going Hans Solo on our site.
Who is Del Monte apart from the fruit supplier???
Hans solo? What about hands fista?
The real fun in mobile gaming isn’t in playing games on the 4″ screen; it’s more in the games that follow you about, reinterpreting what you see within the game. They’re mind-games and as such are utterly immersive.
Now, personally, that scares the hell out of me, but I’m a control freak and like my computers to sit exactly where I left them and do exactly what I tell them.
There is also an argument that we’re all already playing one to an extent because what you see is a composite of what the people around you want you to see.
One thing that interests me a little is the concept of becoming a ‘human game’, a person that kicks off a series of events that become more surreal, a creation of a world within a world, if you like.
Just a few undercaffeinated and incoherent thoughts.
=]
looks good, at college at the mo so ill have to read it fully when i get home,
and yeah, the 4″ screen future? its totally bull…
Aah screw it i read it anyway,
your right, i got very hyped about HL2, but i’ve still yet to complete it after having it a year or so (not because im pants)
and i think that games are getting so complex, thats its virtually impossable for the standard gamer to keep up hardware-wise, but i guess its all part of the master plan thus making more money
Althought i do appreciate how advanced the games and pc’s alike are becoming… Unfortunatly my pockets remain empty.