Re: Evolution in Game Mechanics


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Re: Evolution in Game Mechanics

Posted By: Lion O Cyborg Date: 11/13/20 1:51 p.m.
In Response To: Evolution in Game Mechanics (Tim "Mordeir" Branin)

: This is more about games in general, but Marathon makes for a good reference
: point.
: If you're part of this community, it's probably a pretty safe bet that you
: were around to watch the evolution in video and computer games from the
: era of Atari and NES all the way to the current state of things. Usually
: when people talk about the evolution in video games the focus is usually
: on graphics. The evolution in graphical fidelity in the short period of
: time in which Bungie made Pathways, Marathon, and Halo: Combat evolved is
: obvious. But I've been thinking more lately about the evolution in game
: mechanics. Playing the above games you get a very real sense of what's
: possible in the more recent games that isn't in the older ones: You can't
: have stairs Pathways (unless they're a 2d sprite that triggers a level
: transition) and you can't drive Vehicles in Marathon. But what evolution
: has there been in mechanics in the almost 20 years since Halo: CE? I
: haven't really bought in to the current generation of video games, but for
: those of you who have, were their any purely mechanical game play
: experiences you've had recently that you think couldn't have been
: replicated using PS2/Xbox/Gamecube era hardware and software?
Half Life Alyx for one. VR in the 90s sucked badly (look to the Virtual Boy as an example) and it never really took off in the 2000s outside 3D TVs and movies. Valve were known for breaking new ground in a lot of their games and that game from what I've played (only just been able to play it myself after my brother gave me his old headset) it's honestly the first time I've seen VR used for something other than a gimmick title or indie game. I guess PS4 VR could try to replicate it but that's more modern.
I'd also suggest the darkness in Doom 3, but that one doesn't really count as Doom 3 did have an Xbox Classic port and Halo 1's engine is capable of great darkness if the final episode of my SPV3 LP here on the story page is any indication.
I think there's also the Switch serving as a home console and a perfectly good handheld while being on par with at least the Xbox 360 & PS3 power wise, but that's all that springs to mind. The only other console I know to do something like the Switch was the Dreamcast and that wasn't the same as it was just basic minigames you could play on the memory cards.
It's actually quite hard to think of modern game evolution, especially if you grew up in the late 90s & early 2000s like me, where I just took things even the older full 3D games did as red, thinking that's just the way they were, whatever the engine or stuff they did, not realising the limitations of the older stuff nor knowing how big a step mechanically the games I grew up with were until 2 decades later. I guess that's even more true for kids these days.
The only other things I can think of mechanically that couldn't be replicated on that old harder aren't exactly what I'd call evolution:
namely AAA companies trying to use games to extort their customers, whether by micropayments (a waste of money and a greedy pisstake on the publishers' part) or turning said games into glorified slot machines with lootboxes (even worse), so I'm very picky about what new games I'll even consider buying. That means when I do get something new, I have at least some idea it's good.
You ain't missing much if you haven't bought into the current generation of games, assuming you mean those beyond at least 2013, which makes the act of finding the plenty of examples of gems that have come out past 2013 -new or mods & fan games for older stuff- mining for diamonds on Uranus: there's plenty in the sea (literally in the gas giant's case as the diamonds are the sea) but you've got to go to do a lot of telescopic prospecting first, then brave crushing pressure and a volatile, poisonous atmosphere to get to them.

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Pre-2004 Posts

Replies:

Evolution in Game Mechanics Tim "Mordeir" Branin 11/12/20 8:11 p.m.

Re: Evolution in Game Mechanics Lion O Cyborg 11/13/20 1:51 p.m.

Re: Evolution in Game Mechanics ukimalefu 11/14/20 12:31 a.m.

Re: Evolution in Game Mechanics Document 11/15/20 7:40 a.m.

Re: Evolution in Game Mechanics VikingBoyBilly 11/15/20 8:20 a.m.

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Pre-2004 Posts

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: Half Life Alyx for one. VR in the 90s sucked badly (look to the Virtual Boy : as an example) and it never really took off in the 2000s outside 3D TVs : and movies. Valve were known for breaking new ground in a lot of their : games and that game from what I've played (only just been able to play it : myself after my brother gave me his old headset) it's honestly the first : time I've seen VR used for something other than a gimmick title or indie : game. I guess PS4 VR could try to replicate it but that's more modern. : I'd also suggest the darkness in Doom 3, but that one doesn't really count as : Doom 3 did have an Xbox Classic port and Halo 1's engine is capable of : great darkness if the final episode of my SPV3 LP here on the story page : is any indication. : I think there's also the Switch serving as a home console and a perfectly : good handheld while being on par with at least the Xbox 360 & PS3 : power wise, but that's all that springs to mind. The only other console I : know to do something like the Switch was the Dreamcast and that wasn't the : same as it was just basic minigames you could play on the memory cards. : It's actually quite hard to think of modern game evolution, especially if you : grew up in the late 90s & early 2000s like me, where I just took : things even the older full 3D games did as red, thinking that's just the : way they were, whatever the engine or stuff they did, not realising the : limitations of the older stuff nor knowing how big a step mechanically the : games I grew up with were until 2 decades later. I guess that's even more : true for kids these days. : The only other things I can think of mechanically that couldn't be replicated : on that old harder aren't exactly what I'd call evolution: namely AAA : companies trying to use games to extort their customers, whether by : micropayments (a waste of money and a greedy pisstake on the publishers' : part) or turning said games into glorified slot machines with lootboxes : (even worse), so I'm very picky about what new games I'll even consider : buying. That means when I do get something new, I have at least some idea : it's good. : You ain't missing much if you haven't bought into the current generation of : games, assuming you mean those beyond at least 2013, which makes the act : of finding the plenty of examples of gems that have come out past 2013 : -new or mods & fan games for older stuff- mining for diamonds on : Uranus: there's plenty in the sea (literally in the gas giant's case as : the diamonds are the sea) but you've got to go to do a lot of telescopic : prospecting first, then brave crushing pressure and a volatile, poisonous : atmosphere to get to them.

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Evolution in Game Mechanics	Tim "Mordeir" Branin	11/12/20 8:11 p.m.
Re: Evolution in Game Mechanics	Lion O Cyborg	11/13/20 1:51 p.m.
Re: Evolution in Game Mechanics	ukimalefu	11/14/20 12:31 a.m.
Re: Evolution in Game Mechanics	Document	11/15/20 7:40 a.m.
Re: Evolution in Game Mechanics	VikingBoyBilly	11/15/20 8:20 a.m.



	Your Name:
	Your E-Mail Address:
	Subject:
	Message: : Half Life Alyx for one. VR in the 90s sucked badly (look to the Virtual Boy : as an example) and it never really took off in the 2000s outside 3D TVs : and movies. Valve were known for breaking new ground in a lot of their : games and that game from what I've played (only just been able to play it : myself after my brother gave me his old headset) it's honestly the first : time I've seen VR used for something other than a gimmick title or indie : game. I guess PS4 VR could try to replicate it but that's more modern. : I'd also suggest the darkness in Doom 3, but that one doesn't really count as : Doom 3 did have an Xbox Classic port and Halo 1's engine is capable of : great darkness if the final episode of my SPV3 LP here on the story page : is any indication. : I think there's also the Switch serving as a home console and a perfectly : good handheld while being on par with at least the Xbox 360 & PS3 : power wise, but that's all that springs to mind. The only other console I : know to do something like the Switch was the Dreamcast and that wasn't the : same as it was just basic minigames you could play on the memory cards. : It's actually quite hard to think of modern game evolution, especially if you : grew up in the late 90s & early 2000s like me, where I just took : things even the older full 3D games did as red, thinking that's just the : way they were, whatever the engine or stuff they did, not realising the : limitations of the older stuff nor knowing how big a step mechanically the : games I grew up with were until 2 decades later. I guess that's even more : true for kids these days. : The only other things I can think of mechanically that couldn't be replicated : on that old harder aren't exactly what I'd call evolution: namely AAA : companies trying to use games to extort their customers, whether by : micropayments (a waste of money and a greedy pisstake on the publishers' : part) or turning said games into glorified slot machines with lootboxes : (even worse), so I'm very picky about what new games I'll even consider : buying. That means when I do get something new, I have at least some idea : it's good. : You ain't missing much if you haven't bought into the current generation of : games, assuming you mean those beyond at least 2013, which makes the act : of finding the plenty of examples of gems that have come out past 2013 : -new or mods & fan games for older stuff- mining for diamonds on : Uranus: there's plenty in the sea (literally in the gas giant's case as : the diamonds are the sea) but you've got to go to do a lot of telescopic : prospecting first, then brave crushing pressure and a volatile, poisonous : atmosphere to get to them.
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