Where are the 'Construction Set' Games?

mbishop asks: "After reading an the article on games decreasing brain activity, I thought back through childhood to when there were an abundance of 'construction set' games. I owe much of my music education to 'Music Construction Set'. These games were unique in that you could not only save a creation, but you could compile it into a standalone program that someone else could play even if they didn't have the original software. Creation was very easy, no programming necessary, and fun. My guess is that these sorts of games do much to increase the brain activity of the player. What are the 'Construction Set' games of today? Is there still a market for them?"

"I know that most PC games today have editors where a player can create their own levels and share them but users still need the original software. Even worse, consoles, which have the larger market, don't have enough storage (except maybe for the XBox) and aren't open enough to encourage players to create their own games and share them."

C :I think I see mbishop's point. Legos are still alive and well, but I don't see as much evidence on these types of toys in today's TV commercials. It seems those commercials are more interested in pushing the latest licensed crap instead of pushing toys designed to stimulate your child's own imagination. Of course, a simple Google search may yield a result or two, but that still doesn't answer the real question. Computer-based sets, would be a nice alternative, but nothing beats the real thing where children can use their own hands to create something they can show their paernts. Where have all of the Heathkit's, the chemical experiment toys and the other types of "builder" sets gone, and are they due for a revival, soon?

Comments

Chemical Experiment Toys

[errxn]

The kids still have 'em. They just call 'em meth labs nowadays.

Re:Chemical Experiment Toys

[errxn]

Hehe...somehow, I don't shudder at the thought of Al-Qaeda attacking me with the dreaded "vinegar and baking soda volcano".

Dirt?

[The Turd Report]

Feh. I used to DREAM about playing with dirt. The only toy we had as children was a tick and flea infested, rabid racoon. Playing involved trying to run away from it while it tried to scratch your eyes out AND WE LOVED IT!!!!11!!1!

Everything Becomes Quake

[_Sprocket_]

I haven't looked at it recently... but a rather cynical friend of mine points out that there seems to be a large number of PvP-style modules being created. The comment: "Oh look. Lets take an advanced roleplaying-targeted environment... and turn it in to Quake".

Of course, I maintain that given time... really cool stuff will start to surface. If the EULA hasn't stifled people's creativity and willingness to develop in that environment.

Re:Neverwinter Nights

[jafac]

NWN sucks.

They promised that it would be so close to actually playing D&D, you could smell the BO.

But I was expecting being able to endlessly argue rules-interpretations with the computer. This, it did not allow. I was disappointed.

lol

[SHEENmaster]

My first laptop was a compaq 286. The thing may have been shit, but it had faster response times than my winshit system at work. I wish I still had that thing. My only complaint was that the lappie was completely sealed off with no screws or clasps to get inside.

I guess that illustrates the point of this article.

Re:Mods?

[Anonymous Coward]

But MUDs are so much more advanced than MMORPGs!

(look out UO and Everquest - and yes MUD Purists, I know how much more advanced so many text MUDs are to UO and Everquest)

Oh, you agree with that... damn now don't I feel like an idiot...