So, here's something to talk about:
https://www.xda-developers.com/gaming-trends-that-need-to-end-in-2025/

It's an article entitled "The 7 Worst Gaming Trends That Deserve a
fatality in 2025." I'll save you the effort of actually reading the
article by paraphrasing them before:

* Apps needing its own launcher or account
* Hateful anti-consumer policies (e.g., DRM, account linking, etc.)
* Microtransactions that aren't micro
* Shipping buggy games
* Open worlds with nothing to do in 'em
* Just so Gog-damned many Remasters, Remakes and Reboots
* Focus on graphics instead of artistry

I don't think I really need to go into details about any of these; it
is pretty self-obvious what they mean. I think its telling I can't
even get upset about one of the complaints anymore -the buggy games
one- since it's become so widespread that I just take it for granted,
and instead of buying day one, I just wait a year or six, knowing that
most of the worst problems will have been fixed by then.

The overly-expensive MTX doesn't really affect me either, since I
don't (usually) bother with them; again, usually by waiting long
enough, I can get the 'complete' game with all the important MTX
bundled in. But I don't disagree its awful policy.

I'm of mixed opinion on the last. I admit it; I LIKE all these games
with ultra-realistic graphics, and get a thrill wandering through
virtual worlds that are becoming increasingly difficult to
differentiate from the real thing. On the other hand, that doesn't
mean I want _every_ game to chase that particular goal, and I'll be
the first to agree that we're seeing increasingly less improvement
even as costs of making these games look infinitesimally better go up.
On the whole, I think we've far passed the point of 'good enough'
visuals, and if a title's sole advantage is that it has higher-end
visuals than its competitors, it isn't going to attract me simply on
that merit.

But I'm all aboard in stopping the remaster gravy-train that too many
publishers have hitched their wagon to, though. I think I've been
pretty clear on that over the years ;-)

On 1/21/2025 7:56 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:
>
> So, here's something to talk about:
> https://www.xda-developers.com/gaming-trends-that-need-to-end-in-2025/
>
>
> It's an article entitled "The 7 Worst Gaming Trends That Deserve a
> fatality in 2025." I'll save you the effort of actually reading the
> article by paraphrasing them before:
>
>
> * Apps needing its own launcher or account
> * Hateful anti-consumer policies (e.g., DRM, account linking, etc.)
> * Microtransactions that aren't micro
> * Shipping buggy games
> * Open worlds with nothing to do in 'em
> * Just so Gog-damned many Remasters, Remakes and Reboots
> * Focus on graphics instead of artistry
>
>
> I don't think I really need to go into details about any of these; it
> is pretty self-obvious what they mean. I think its telling I can't
> even get upset about one of the complaints anymore -the buggy games
> one- since it's become so widespread that I just take it for granted,
> and instead of buying day one, I just wait a year or six, knowing that
> most of the worst problems will have been fixed by then.
>
> The overly-expensive MTX doesn't really affect me either, since I
> don't (usually) bother with them; again, usually by waiting long
> enough, I can get the 'complete' game with all the important MTX
> bundled in. But I don't disagree its awful policy.
>
> I'm of mixed opinion on the last. I admit it; I LIKE all these games
> with ultra-realistic graphics, and get a thrill wandering through
> virtual worlds that are becoming increasingly difficult to
> differentiate from the real thing. On the other hand, that doesn't
> mean I want _every_ game to chase that particular goal, and I'll be
> the first to agree that we're seeing increasingly less improvement
> even as costs of making these games look infinitesimally better go up.
> On the whole, I think we've far passed the point of 'good enough'
> visuals, and if a title's sole advantage is that it has higher-end
> visuals than its competitors, it isn't going to attract me simply on
> that merit.
>
> But I'm all aboard in stopping the remaster gravy-train that too many
> publishers have hitched their wagon to, though. I think I've been
> pretty clear on that over the years ;-)

It's not even the 'remaster' with most games seeming to converge toward
Ubisoft and open-world play. I'm tired of it. I didn't even used to
know what that meant probably 10 years ago, now I'm jaded and old and
bored by the similar game-play.

--
-Justisaur

ø-ø
(\_/)\
`-'\ `--.___,
¶¬'\( ,_.-'
\\
^'

On Tue, 21 Jan 2025 14:20:21 -0800, Justisaur <justisaur@gmail.com>
wrote:

>On 1/21/2025 7:56 AM, Spalls Hurgenson wrote:

>> But I'm all aboard in stopping the remaster gravy-train that too many
>> publishers have hitched their wagon to, though. I think I've been
>> pretty clear on that over the years ;-)

>It's not even the 'remaster' with most games seeming to converge toward
>Ubisoft and open-world play. I'm tired of it. I didn't even used to
>know what that meant probably 10 years ago, now I'm jaded and old and
>bored by the similar game-play.

I'm a bit more forgiving towards developers for the open-world thing.
Not that I'm in favor of them --I've frequently commented here on the
how pointlessly large some game maps have become-- but we gamers send
publishers very mixed messages on the issue.

For decades, the quest for ever-larger games world was a driving force
in the industry. From games like "Pong" (one unchanging 'map') to
scrolling titles like "Super Mario Bros" to sims like "Silent Service"
with maps that extended past visual range, the quest for ever larger
play areas was integral to the growth of the medium. Publishers
boasted about how their game had more levels or bigger maps than their
competitors, and were rewarded for it with increased sales. Gamers
often complained about how some games had worlds that felt smaller
than its competitors, and used this in the endless Internet arguments
about which game was better. A popular discussion that still exists is
'which game has the biggest maps!', although at this point --with
procedurally generated games like "No Man's Sky" and "Minecraft"--
it's all become even more pointless distinction than ever.

Still, size sells, and I'm sure that --for instance-- Rockstar will
cheerfully crow that the map in "Grand Theft Auto VI" is their largest
yet... because that's what we gamers, as a whole, tell them we want.
Were they to release the game with a smaller map --even if it were far
more meticulously detailed and interactive-- the company would be
lambasted for their decision.

Of course, the focus on size ignores that quantity doesn't equal
quality, and there's no real way to make these giant worlds as full
and interesting as we gamers would like. It's just too expensive, too
complicated; games are already costing upwards of $600 million to
develop. That sort of detail would likely quadruple the costs (and it
probably wouldn't really make the game any better anyway). So we get
big but vapid worlds to explore. Its what we demand, so its what we
get.

So, like I said, I can't really blame developers for pushing these
games on us... even as I regret that's the case.

On Tue, 21 Jan 2025 10:56:16 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
<spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:

[...]
>* Apps needing its own launcher or account
>* Hateful anti-consumer policies (e.g., DRM, account linking, etc.)
>* Microtransactions that aren't micro
>* Shipping buggy games
>* Open worlds with nothing to do in 'em
>* Just so Gog-damned many Remasters, Remakes and Reboots
>* Focus on graphics instead of artistry
[...]

They could address those items if they want, but if they don't get rid
of the DEI bullshit it won't do any good, the industry will continue
to cave in on itself.

Rin Stowleigh wrote:
> On Tue, 21 Jan 2025 10:56:16 -0500, Spalls Hurgenson
> <spallshurgenson@gmail.com> wrote:
>
> [...]
>> * Apps needing its own launcher or account
>> * Hateful anti-consumer policies (e.g., DRM, account linking, etc.)
>> * Microtransactions that aren't micro
>> * Shipping buggy games
>> * Open worlds with nothing to do in 'em
>> * Just so Gog-damned many Remasters, Remakes and Reboots
>> * Focus on graphics instead of artistry
> [...]
>
> They could address those items if they want, but if they don't get rid
> of the DEI bullshit it won't do any good, the industry will continue
> to cave in on itself.
>

It's not that DEI is inherently bad, it's that the US has implemented it
so poorly and inefficiently that it needed to be axed. I believe in a
need for a diverse ruling cabinet, but not if they are going to penalize
white males to get there. It's time for some discussion about what was
sought.

To contribute to the thread:

Worst trend = wall climbing

I don't mind wall running, but wall climbing is 1) unrealistic 2) Not
the way controls were meant to be worked. 3) deliberate obfuscation of
what could be a good feature.

Maybe it could work if you didn't have to pull a 'Ken uppercut' each
time to do it. On every wall.