wolfshadowheart

@wolfshadowheart@slrpnk.net

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Gameplay mechanics were also a lot better with more replayability. (lemmy.world)

Ignoring the lack of updates if the game is buggy, games back then were also more focused on quality and make gamers replay the game with unlockable features based on skills, not money. I can’t count the number of times I played Metal Gear Solid games over and over to unlock new features playing the hardest difficulty and with...

wolfshadowheart,

I somewhat disagree about being “unable to go back”, but I will say it’s sheerly the style of game itself.

Take a game like A Link to the Past. Now look at a game like Retro City Rampage. Despite some 30+ years difference, they are visually nearly identical. Or any of the 2D Sonic games, them being 30 years apart is effectively meaningless.

But yeah, trying to play old Tomb Raider? If you’re expecting even PS3 graphics, boy are you in for a surprise.

However I think there is also an annoying amount of push for “better graphics or bust”. That was the main debate for the console wars, the Wii sucked because its graphics weren’t good and it’s a baby console, Gears of War and Lost Planet for the XBox are the pinnacle of gaming!1! What! No the God of Wa- sorry I got caught in a flashback.

But there are plenty of games you can emulate that can be upscaled and remove the archaic visuals, then it’s just the game design and control scheme. Red Dead Revolver looks and plays great, there’s no reason for anyone to stop playing outside of it just being a little less “AAA”. Similarly, pretty much any of the PS2 exploration games - Jak and Daxter, Spyro, Sly, Ty, Crash - hold up wonderfully today. They’re a bit slower, but they are the foundation that modern games of that genre use.

I don’t think them being slower, clunkier, less “AAA” makes them bad games. I think it makes them older games, and that is not inherently bad. In fact, I would argue that it’s gamers being bad at them, and that games today in many ways are easier to keep people engaged. The D&D arcade game is great, difficult, and would be absolutely dunked on by gamers today for all of its awkward gameplay.

This reminds me of an article I read about “Blade Runner, and old movies in general, are harder to watch because contemporary audiences have gotten used to movies that are faster, which makes them better.” The whole article was effectively trying to state that because new movies have shaped audiences, old movies are becoming unwatchable. In some respects, I’m sure there’s merit to that. In many other respects, I completely disagree. Just because something is in a different language does not remove its value. I see that as a reflection of the viewer, not a reflection of the art.

With that in mind, old video games are a different language. We have to play them with the mindset that things will not be familiar. That does not make them bad, it makes them something to learn, and it’s going to force you to learn things that are uncomfortable because it’s unfamiliar to what you would rather be doing. Old movies are a different language.

Just because you may not understand it does not mean it is worse. Likewise, just because you are familiar with modern games doesn’t make them better either. And finally, better is subjective for the most part anyway. (None of this is directed at you btw, lol not at all trying to say that you don’t understand things!)

wolfshadowheart,

I have a feeling their comment was tongue in cheek. I absolutely agree too, for while I do think there is some merit in artificial difficulty and creativity within set restrictions, I also enjoy games much more when I emulate them and have save states.

I think a great example that bridges the gap between more modern-style hardware and daily living, and old difficult repeatable gameplay is the era of the Gameboy Color. So many of the games for these style of consoles were meant to be played in bursts (arcades, anyone?) due to the on-the-go nature, and since that fit so in line with the already existing mechanisms gaming had – artificial difficulties by design – there is a very streamlined progression from 1980’s games and early 2000’s games.

So, what changed? Well let me tell you, it wasn’t the Blackberry.

Honestly, the iPhone. As mobile game consoles like the Nintendo DS got better, games got more fully fledged like the home console games were. Developers were recreating game experiences like Spyro, putting in huge games in tiny mobile consoles (Toon Link, anyone?). Yes, the Nintendo DS still had its shovelware but the iPhone was the new bridge that gapped the old arcade style pay-to-play. Games with artificial difficulty now had micro-transactions allowing you to bypass the designed limitations. As mobile consoles got better games, mobile gaming got far, far worse, leading us to “”““random””“” RNG -gacha and lootboxes and all the great gambling starters.

That’s only further developed for offshoots of software. Just look at all the junk between the: FOSS stores, Apple Store, Play Store, Samsung Store, Meta-Quest Store, going even further some devices have their own separate store entirely. And now these stores ship updates, so you don’t even have to finish your game before selling it!

Ironically, Nintendo paved the way for a really great opportunity, then capitalists saw the opportunity to exploit the free market and now there is literal garbage everywhere.

wolfshadowheart,

Yeah, I had no issues with the accents so much as who had which. Except for the Engineer Pilot NPCs who always had illfitting voice lines to their NPC look

wolfshadowheart,

He would never, he can’t even look at her in a towel

wolfshadowheart,

petitions to get dwarf tag added so DRG can finally win an award

Loses to dwarf fortress

wolfshadowheart,

NorCal as well

wolfshadowheart,

I remember that. Along with the distinct smell they all had, the scent of whatever the portable materials were used.

And because of the compact size, all the sound has this sort of reverb to it. It’s not really an echo, just an elevated hum of busy noise, with only the higher pitched ticking current going through the fluorescents.

And how that size also affected the lighting. Somehow even with the florescents it all was oddly sepia toned, no doubt because the only colors on the inside were white, grey, tan, and beige…

wolfshadowheart,

I’ve been seeing people mention “the game has been in development for 2 years” and all these trailers and stuff but… I didn’t hear a thing until the game released, it exploded and now it’s all I’m seeing.

wolfshadowheart,

Which is it, for kids that don’t like milk or for kids that like milk and want it with their 7-Up?

wolfshadowheart,

If it unwraps when you aren’t holding it, is it really a burrito?

wolfshadowheart,

You are very right my edible friend.

wolfshadowheart,

I was wearing loose boxers… For real lol.

wolfshadowheart,

Exactly. I was in class when we saw the crash on TV, we’re allowed to joke about it.

deleted_by_moderator

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    wolfshadowheart,

    The designs are a ripoff but the elements are so heavily lifted that I’m not sure it’s AI generated.

    twitter.com/CeciliaFae/…/1749183059877085396

    Look at these comparisons and look at some of the shared qualities, it’s most noticeable for the eyes and mouth.

    AI wouldn’t copy-paste like that, it would meld them. The comparisons look a bit more like an artist took some a pokemon, changed the animal type and color palette and called it a day lol

    wolfshadowheart,

    The Steam Link itself has USB ports, the Steam Link apps all use Bluetooth controllers

    wolfshadowheart,

    Gonna sideload a browser while I mainload my game

    wolfshadowheart,

    That still happened on PC, or on my OG steam deck at least, but it was somewhat remedied by some commands to adjust settings. Things like turning off visible bots, background settings, UI elements. That leaves most of the processing just being you walking around/gathering and whatever background machinery you have going, vs all of everything.

    I imagine those were not present on Switch/Xbox since these were basically commands applied to the game .ini.

    Also FWIW, may not really be worth picking up again unless you really want to endgame it. The developer was kind of a chud to the team from some of the stories I read which seemed to result in the endgame kind of teetering off into nothing. Like, once you find all the NPC’s you’re not playing for anything but to build and optimize, even though it feels like it’s leading you on with more to unlock somehow.

    I’d double check of course, as with anything it could be a bunch of nonsense. But yeah I pretty much agree, it’s an ok game with some issues, they can be remedied on PC but even then it’s just kind of like you work to it, you did it, it’s done and what was the point. There’s nothing to take away from the game, I guess.

    wolfshadowheart,

    I’m not sure if it’s on sale but I’ll just keep talking about Revita because it’s such a succinct rogue like that blends hollow knight and TBOI very well.

    wolfshadowheart,

    Surely, password stuff is automated no?

    wolfshadowheart,

    Steam DRM is optional and implemented by the developer.

    wolfshadowheart,

    Rampage?

    Risk of Rain?

    Taken my money!

    wolfshadowheart,

    Damn. You just made me realize some of the scope of background interest - that’s the sort of thing that Skyrim, GTA V, and Cyberpunk 2077 like to claim about NPC’s existing in a living breathing world on their own schedules.

    You ever think about all the lives of the individuals next to you on the freeway? How all their lives are as complicated as our own? We don’t have that in games right now because it’s so complex and needlessly complicated for so little return.

    But man, imagine a Shadow of Mordor connected NPC world. Friend groups, rivals, coworkers, bar patrons, they all have individuality that could affect other elements of the social game.

    wolfshadowheart,

    I think GTA Online might be still going for 360. Maybe not though, but I do have a friend who was playing it

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