I subscribed to RedOctane for a while and was very happy with their service. (I cancelled my subscription due to lack of time, not lack of service). I'd had a problem with the postal service taking its good sweet time on returning a game to them and they were understanding about it.
Video games were one of the most profound influences on my childhood. Sitting in front of my Atari 2600 I was utterly fascinated with the idea of *me* controlling the images on the TV. That curiosity prompted me to ask questions and look up anything I could find in the Library relating to video games (and not just strategies either, how they worked). That prompted me to start taking programming classes in Junior High and High School and being none too shy about taking various things apart. That led to entering college as a Hardware / Software major. Today I'm working in the computers field.
My point (if you couldn't guess it) is that even though video games may seem to be a simple distraction, they can inspire the imagination in so many ways. If they hadn't piqued my curiosity at a young age, I probably would have gone into Accounting or some other detail oriented profession.
But they're not limited to inspiring programmers and computer geeks. People with a writer's bend may sharpen their skills by writing fanfics. Or someone who enjoys music may compose midis. They provide an avenue for expressing natural talents that may have otherwise gone unexplored.
Just to get my $0.02 in:
Best Atari: Pitfall
Best NES: Mega Man 2
Best SNES: Final Fantasy 6
Best PSX: Final Fantasy 8
I have fond memories of all of these games and they weren't solo journeys. My friends and I challenged each other, cheered each other on, and had our friendships grow all the stronger by sharing an activity that we all enjoyed.
What you say is true. I got a Christmas list from my brother (21 years old) and at the top of it was old NES carts. He didn't have any preference on what I got him, he just wanted more games to play. He has roms, a SNES, and a PSX, but his favorite is the NES:)
My question in turn is: do you have to finish a game for it to be fun?
I've been playing games actively since the Atari 2600. Those games had no ending. They just looped over and over and over again until you finally flipped the score board. That was your mark as a gamer. (Think Defender here, I loved that game).
Then someone decided that was a bit repetative and decided to actually put an ending in there. When I speak with newer / younger gamers, the only thing on their minds is finishing the game. What happened to the days when the journey was the reward in and of itself?
After shelling out $50US for a game, I'd certainly hope that you could get some enjoyment from it. If your enjoyment is enhanced by cheat codes (by returning the game to your level or whatever) more power to you. Why waste your money on something that angers / frustrates you?
Slashdot Mirror
I subscribed to RedOctane for a while and was very happy with their service. (I cancelled my subscription due to lack of time, not lack of service). I'd had a problem with the postal service taking its good sweet time on returning a game to them and they were understanding about it.
Video games were one of the most profound influences on my childhood. Sitting in front of my Atari 2600 I was utterly fascinated with the idea of *me* controlling the images on the TV. That curiosity prompted me to ask questions and look up anything I could find in the Library relating to video games (and not just strategies either, how they worked). That prompted me to start taking programming classes in Junior High and High School and being none too shy about taking various things apart. That led to entering college as a Hardware / Software major. Today I'm working in the computers field.
My point (if you couldn't guess it) is that even though video games may seem to be a simple distraction, they can inspire the imagination in so many ways. If they hadn't piqued my curiosity at a young age, I probably would have gone into Accounting or some other detail oriented profession.
But they're not limited to inspiring programmers and computer geeks. People with a writer's bend may sharpen their skills by writing fanfics. Or someone who enjoys music may compose midis. They provide an avenue for expressing natural talents that may have otherwise gone unexplored.
Just to get my $0.02 in:
Best Atari: Pitfall
Best NES: Mega Man 2
Best SNES: Final Fantasy 6
Best PSX: Final Fantasy 8
I have fond memories of all of these games and they weren't solo journeys. My friends and I challenged each other, cheered each other on, and had our friendships grow all the stronger by sharing an activity that we all enjoyed.
What you say is true. I got a Christmas list from my brother (21 years old) and at the top of it was old NES carts. He didn't have any preference on what I got him, he just wanted more games to play. He has roms, a SNES, and a PSX, but his favorite is the NES :)
My question in turn is: do you have to finish a game for it to be fun?
I've been playing games actively since the Atari 2600. Those games had no ending. They just looped over and over and over again until you finally flipped the score board. That was your mark as a gamer. (Think Defender here, I loved that game).
Then someone decided that was a bit repetative and decided to actually put an ending in there. When I speak with newer / younger gamers, the only thing on their minds is finishing the game. What happened to the days when the journey was the reward in and of itself?
After shelling out $50US for a game, I'd certainly hope that you could get some enjoyment from it. If your enjoyment is enhanced by cheat codes (by returning the game to your level or whatever) more power to you. Why waste your money on something that angers / frustrates you?
gbeans