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State Of PC Gaming In 2003 Probed
An anonymous reader writes "Netjak has just published an overview of the past year in PC gaming. Unlike all the doomsayers, it was very enthusiastic about the console ports that flooded the market, because, for the author, they indicated the beginning of a renaissance in PC gaming. However, there's also some perceived negative developments. They were surprised to see Electronic Arts lose its last spark of innovative spirit, and unhappy to see a growth in false advertising, especially the usage of established franchise names to support the sales of unrelated games." What were your PC highlights and lowlights for the year?
What were your PC highlights and lowlights for the year?
;)
I'm on a Mac. Our gaming highlights and lowlights are the same thing.
I watched C-beams glitter in the dark near the Tannhauser gate.
Savage
Max Payne 2
Final Fantasy XI
Warcraft III Frozen Throne
Knights of the Old Republic (yes it came out on Xbox first, but I don't mind the extra wait)
Lowlights :
A cheap attempt to save C&C:Generals from EA Games with an expansion of what it should've been. (Read up on the reports before the original came out))
MOO 3 sucked, went back to playing MOO 2.
Halo PC's multiplayer is insanely laggy even with all broadband players.
No news about future RTS games I should get excited about.
Half-Life 2 delay. End of list.
Unlike all the doomsayers, it was very enthusiastic about the console ports that flooded the market, because, for the author, they indicated the beginning of a renaissance in PC gaming.
I'm not sure if this is a good thing, and it's definitely not a renaissance in PC gaming. For a renaissance in PC gaming to occur, there would have to be a resurgence of PC games, not console ports. I always liked the fact that PC games were different from console games; I hope the fact that consoles are becoming more like PCs doesn't destroy the diversity that video games have thus far enjoyed. Unfortunately, with the "consolification" of various PC franchises, that may be wishful thinking.
BTW, to answer the question posed in the submission, the comment about "false advertising" dovetails nicely with my personal PC gaming lowlight of the year, Final Fantasy XI. As for my highlight, well, it's hard to say, since I've only recently upgraded my computer, and thus haven't played the big hits that came out over the holidays yet. I expect KOTOR will be my favorite out of them all, though.
Rob
[console ports] ... they indicated the beginning of a renaissance in PC gaming
A what? Console ports on the PC is as much of a renaissance as PS2 backports to the original Playstation (Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 anyone?) represented a Playstation rennissance in some bizzaro world where the Playstation is more powerful than the PS2.
Remember 1994? Apogee, Id, Epic, 3dRealms, Sierra... That was a Renaissance. A year of console ports is more like a depression.
kotor(needs no explaining).
unreal 2(really, short but it still was good, they could have added some repetition and more levels though). max payne 2 to the same category, good but short. actually add jedi knight: academy to this too.
vietcong(had the best multiplayer fun of the year with this, with the few coop multiplayer maps, are there any 3rd party maps with coop out there???).
I'm pretty sure I'm missing some game here though(call of duty was not that special imho)..
I'll not even bother with the low's.. one that springs to mind though is pirates of the caribbean(so close to being good that it drives me nuts that it sucks balls)..
world was created 5 seconds before this post as it is.
A real 'low-light'- Buying the ATI Half-Life 2 bundle.
(tap)...(tap)...(tap)...still waiting...
No reason to lie.
The Good:
Max Payne 2
Completely outdoes the original in every way, loads of fun and had amazing graphics, physics to die for and a campy, dark story.
Enemy Territory
I'm quite sure this was 2003, correct me if I'm wrong. Free? Fun? Free?? You bet.
Halo PC
Finally playing Halo without resorting to bad net-code and Xbconnect. I can actually join 16 player games in an instant. Hard to beat the keyb/mouse combo. People complaining about lag? Find a better server, I have no problems.
Call of Duty
Hooked me in an instant, yeah it's scripted like MOH, but it felt like the real thing!
The Bad:
Deus Ex
Wtf?
Upgrading
Spent $1000 upgrading last year to play Halo and the like, and yet I still went back to console gaming.
PC Gaming in General
I figured out with my gaming habits, the only real reason I hop on the PC for gaming is to play Online FPS. You will never beat the keyboard/mouse combo - period. Yes I play Socom II and you do get used to the PS2 controller, but sometimes you just want to curse non-stop at how innaccurate it is. Bottom line, gaming from my living room is more comfortable, enjoyable and more immersive on a whole - if console Online gaming really takes off and the next generation means every game is 1080i, I just might find myself spending less and less on the yearly PC upgrades.
Microsoft also scored another moderate hit with Freelancer, the sequel to Starlancer. Unfortunately, this multiplayer-only game suffered from low replay value.
What?
EA is only a shadow of its past self and unless it's willing to invest into new, innovative products, in a few years it may follow 3DO's footsteps.
What!?
Excuse me, waiter. Could I have some of what that guy's smoking? Thanks.
Rob
2003 highlight:
Duke Nukem Forev...oh, wait.
Steam.
The unlikelyhood of running HL2 under anything that isn't Windows.
The idea that games need to be "monetized" into a subscription mode - in other words, Steam.
www.eFax.com are spammers
Good:
;).
Halo For PC (at last!)
BF1942 and all the new DC (still going VERY strong)
Splinter Cell
GTA Vice City
Well, that's kinda sad. I can't think of much.
The Bad:
Command and Conquer Generals
-read anything about it. It's fun for about 3 hours, and then you realize the game sucks. Westwood should still be around.
Upgrades. I spent quite a bit of cash on a new system to play everything.
The Ugly:
Halo PC is ungodly slow, even on a new pc.
No future for RTS games.
No future for PSO.
Video Card Drivers (ATI and NVidia)
This is of course from a PC standpoint only. I'm a retro gamer, I like my quake2
The highlight:
Finding out Fallout 3 was in development
The lowlight:
Finding out Fallout 3 was cancelled
An alternative that the author didn't contemplate:
PC gaming is being marginalised by the game production houses. There isn't really a huge growth in new PC game development by the big players. Independants are making a few small games, true, but the majority of the work is being done in the modding community. This will only last as long as new games are released for PC in a moddable format (which means the games are developed for PC, again a diminishing trend). It will also only last for as long as mods aren't available on consoles. The Xbox already has an internet connection and a hard drive. All that needs to happen is that Xbox games get downloadable mods and game fixing patches, just like PC's, and game houses will be able to code exclusively for consoles, seeing no advantage of releasing games for the "uncontrolled" DRM free PC.
Furthermore, as you can see, console ports are continually on the rise and they're continually failing on the PC. Yes, this is because PC gamers bathe, have haircuts, and are generally distinguishing. But the gaming industry will just interpret the low sales as a lack of demand rather than product inferiority, and further reduce efforts to develop for PC.
This is where the so-called rennaissance comes in. Independent houses don't have the resources to produce a game with the same content as the big houses. Games developed in the "first cycle" that the author mentioned could have been achieved (and often were) by a small handful of talented staff. I know iD wasn't huge when they made Wolfenstein! But Wolfenstein won't cut it anymore. An independent rennaissance cannot be.
One factor for contemplation, however, is the PC hardware industry. Despite the lack of growth in the PC gaming sector, the PC hardware sector is skyrocketing. AMD and Intel both need a stong gaming community to push product like the AthlonFX and the Xeon^H^H^H^HPentium EE. ATI doesn't need PC gaming anymore thanks to Xbox2, but nVidia doesn't have a console anymore (not that they made money on Xbox anyway). So nVidia needs PC gaming to stay alive (they also need a competitive graphics architecture, but that's another story). Will these companies have any influence over the console-pushers and big gaming houses? Will they be able to turn the tide away from consoles?
Console gaming killed the arcade machine, because the console game had better graphics, sound, and you could play it at home. But will the console kill the PC? The only advantages that the console has on PC is the low entry cost, and the vast industry backing. Arcades died because that was what customers wanted - but will the PC game die because Namco and Sony and Activision want it to?
I am government man, come from the government. The government has sent me. -- G.I.R.
highlights:
Star Wars KOTOR -- great game, lots of fun
lowlights:
no halflife 2
HIGHLIGHTS :-
:-
:-
call of duty - predictable but fun
vice city - except i struggle with the heli controls on pc
rise of nations - finally, something new to RTS
need for speed underground - who said racing games have to be even remotely serious?
neverwinter nights - expansions just keep making this game better and better
jedi academy - i thought they were never going to get it right
vietcong - hey SOF2, this is how jungle fighting is done
LOWLIGHTS
people that seem to think that online gaming is all thats left on the pc nowadays
BLACK ISLE R.I.P.
halo - mouse and keyboard doesnt fix the atrocious level design and boring enemies/weapons
deus ex 2 - i want to like it, but it makes it so hard to
MOO3 - i like complication sure, but i also like to actually play games
fallout 3 - exactly.
IN BETWEENS
temple of elemental evil - an awesome game initially wrecked by release before it was ready
freelancer - i still cant see what people see in this
Call me a pessimist but I have very high expectations of games (it's the 21st bleedin' century here). We've seen some really awesome titles this year, but some of the best ones have a common problem.
Call of Duty - amazing game, perfect control, secondary fire mode (barrel aiming) revolutionalizes FPS... but I finished it in 2 days and the levels are almost totally unrelated.
Max Payne 2 - excellent control, very nice sharp texturing, runs at a better frame rate than some 4 year old games... but I finished it in a day!
Postal 2 - decent control, awesome premise (normal guy in a normal town), creative goals, hilarious execution... but I finished it in a day!!
See where I'm going with this? Granted, these VERY SHORT GAMES are super fun and truly have set a benchmark (for better or for worse) in graphics, gameplay, and content. But it's just plain unfair to charge full fare for 1 or 2 days of entertainment.
I think game companies are getting lazy and\or misdirected. They are pouring all their resources into graphics, sound, and presentation and coming up empty on substance. The titles I've mentioned are action games, but action without contrast is pretty dry. It's okay for there to be a suspenseful lull in gameplay to pad the story a little.
At least Max and Postal developed their own engines. CoD just rehashed the Quake3 engine! I suspect gaming companies are starting to ride on their laurels - leaping off the blocks with a bang but coming up short in depth. My opinion is that they are waiting for the mod community to do their job for them.
Highlights: Day of Defeat, don't have the computer specs for Call of Duty, at least by the demo. However, I don't really miss it, having such an exceptional game such as DoD. Simple graphics, relativly speaking, but having more atmosphere than most other games. It's just great. Sure, it was just released, but throw in Natural Selection 3.0. A good idea that was never fully realized, in my eyes, hits the big time with an amazing Combat mode. A great mix between RPG and FPS. Steam started off rocky, but I like the idea of it. Especially for mods that are under constant design and redesign. Additional servers should help, as well, I would like to see Valve open it up to more mods. NS for one could use it. Diablo II 1.10. Adds a lot to the game, new synergies give it a whole new life. Rise of Empires. Half-Civilization, Half-Age of Empires. Massive battles. Freelance: I was skeptical of the mouse-only control configuration, but it's the best space-pilot sim since Totally Games. Vice City:Playing Vice City with a Gamecube controller and a custom soundtrack rocks. Tap A Jam:Check out Gamehouse and see what I mean. Lowlights: No FFXI in Canada yet. WTF? Lionheart:Cool setting. Amazingly sucky game design. Knights of the Old Republic:Old-school RPG gaming with flashy new lights. Massive screens of reading doesn't make up for boring gameplay. (See Morrowind) Overall? It's actually not looking too bad for the ol' PC. If Vid card prices continue to fall, and processor/RAM requirements stay constant, then sales will stay good. The problem is a lack of design expandibility. PC gamers expect the same old thing, just packaged in a nicer box. (Sorry, but it's true). Consoles seem to be much riskier at the moment when it comes to game design, which is why they are growing much faster I think.
The downfall of PC games is due to the X-Box. Too many people don't understand that the X-Box has bad graphics (in my opinion) and a horible control system. If more people would realize that the PC has better games it would be great. And what is with first person shooters on consoles. Like Metroid Prime on the GNC, there is a prime example of lack of sufficient controler.
"Are you kidding me Clark!"
its a fucking awesome game. and people who dont like it because its overly gross or violent are, as usual, missing the point entirely. and also missing out on an incredibly fun experience.
Lowlights:
Fallout 3 cancellation
no more Black Isle
delays
Being an avid PC gamer, this year has been very mixed. On one hand the production value of titles has continued to increase. Voice acting, musical score, sound effects etc. have made for a more "cinematic" feel to games in general (Call of Duty, Max Payne 2..) and some pretty submersive moments, like the tank attack by the church early in Call Of Duty. On the other hand however, we have seen little new in terms of gameplay. I dont play games to be an actor in some scripted movie, and thats what I felt like in many of the games last year.
The RTS scene has completely stagnated IMHO. Rise Of Nations was hailed as a "revolution" but i fail to see anything new in that title. Its the same old resource gathering, troop accumulating treadmill that we have seen for years now (yes, it has tweaks here and there, but is it THAT different from Empire Earth or Civ 3?).
Another genre that getting old fast is the Massivly Multiplayer one. It's pretty clear that the gaming industry hasent quite matured enough to bring out a game in this genre that "normal" people will play. Everquest is still number one and that game is starting to get OLD. The problem with the industy is that they look at this situation and think that in order to succeed they need to make something Everquestish, with better graphics and some new twists. This simply isnt true. Whats needed is something new, something fresh. The genre needs its Castle Wolfenstein.
The year hasnt been all bad though. Vice City, although a reiteration was fun! Freedom fighters felt fresh, allthough they could have come up with some more intersting enemies than RussianSoldier#3 and SlightlyBetterRussianSoldier#2. So please gaming industry: Give us something NEW in 2004!
In no particular order Highs: Splinter Cell Knights of the Old Republic Prince of Persia: Sands of Time Call of Duty CS 1.6 Jedi Academy GTA3: Vice City Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon Lows: Lack of Half Life 2 Halo Worms 3D In fact I'd say given my tastes its been a pretty good year, gaming wise. I personally have no complaints with console conversions so long as effort is made to get them right - Splinter Cell and KOTOR were flawess conversions for my money, and the only issue I took with GTA at all was the default controls for the helicopter were utterly retarded - but that was easily fixed. Then on the other hand was Halo which I *hated* and could not get into at all... Was nice to see a really good graphic adventure too - been too long since I've played one of them :)
My top PC games
1.) wolfenstein ET
2.) call of duty
My top console games
1.) WWE smackdown SYM and HCTP
2.) Sega ESPN basketball 2004
My biggest disappointment for 2003...
1.) Battlefield 1942
2.) Sims Online
3.) All-star Baseball 2004
I just had to respond to this bashing of C&C Generals. This is the best most innovative chapter in the franchise since the original. I can only assume said posters above got their asses kicked online and just said "screw it, this game sucks." In fact its visually amazing, the sound rocks and the gameplay is outstanding.
I think PC gaming has been in a low for quite a while... the first time it hit me was the closing of Microprose. Then again when meeting Richard Garriot at the Virgin next to Union Square, NYC (At the time I went, I was the ONLY guy there to get my U9 - Dragon Edition signed...). After that, there have been golden moments in PC gaming, but just never quite the same spark.
Personally, I think it's due to the loss of the visionary minds that drove the first generation of games. Roberta Williams, Richard Garriot, Chris Roberts, John Romero, John Carmack, Sid Meier, the Gollop Brothers, etc.. the list goes on. Who's still kicking these days? Richard Garriot is now with NC Soft, hopefully Lineage II will carry his mark. John Carmack is still doing pretty well at id (Doom 3 better be good...). Sid Meier at Firaxis has been busy churning out Civ III clones, but maybe Pirates will shine (how about the other "-ization" titles? Colonization wasn't bad, and Master of Magic was simply brilliant).
Then we have the loss of the early studios. Looking Glass is gone. Black Isle is kaput after the whole Lionheart debacle. Microprose is dead (Firaxis has yet to prove to be the worthy sucessor). Ion Storm is probably halfway there, considering how Deus Ex 2 came out. Sierra of the adventure games fame doesn't do adventure games anymore. Blizzard might be edging a bit close, but WoW might redeem them, but I'll stick around long enough for Starcraft II =)
I think the problem is with the publishers who seem to be closing down studios left right and center. Considering how many games might have been wonderful had they actually been allowed to finish (Dreamland Chronicles: Freedom Ridge comes to mind) if not due to publishing pressure, I think that's a valid argument. I have to admit, Valve and their stolen HL2 code was a pretty slick move (half j/k here).
Hopefully 2004 will see a resurgence in PC gaming, providing PC/console dual development doesn't neuter the games first.