The golden age of gaming

[Kuokkanen]

The Immortal John Hancock has released a video on YouTube: Is This the Golden Age of Gaming? Please watch it.

After watching it through twice, I have to agree with the man. Game consoles with built-in games, game collections for new consoles & computers for low cost, lots of different kinds of portable equipment to run great variety of games, connectivity to variety of displays and video projectors, original equipment still in working order, new games released in tens, if not in hundreds, every day, virtual reality...

I can take my tablet around easier than my wargame set and have people play turn based wargames on it (done that too). Carrying laptop around is more of a drag, but I can hook it up on TV or video projector, and play massive variety of games from console & arcade collections to Ultra Street Fighter IV and Broforce with multiple people. Last December I bought Sega Mega Drive Flashback HD game console and donated it to anime club where it has been in good use (I haven't took my laptop along that often since then). Good number of visitors have been eager to try out my VR set (HTC Vive). My family and I have original game consoles (NES, MD, N64, Xbox, Wii...) still in good working condition with CRT TV (rounds the pixels unlike the LCD displays). Yeah, lots of (video) game related stuff going on right now.

I miss arcades though. But when those were still around here (in Finland), I was there alone looking around and feeding the machines. So not much of financial sense to upkeep the space & equipment, is there?

What opinions have you? Discuss!

[z1812]

There is certainly a lot of choice and something for everyone. As long as we continue to spend money on games then companies will keep making them.

As far as being "the Golden Age of Games" that is relative to each successive generation. The way we enjoy the fruits of recent technology can make one feel to be in the Golden Age of Games. However future generations, should humans survive the endless foolishness and selfishness of Nation States and Corporations, will probably think themselves to be in the golden age as well.

People living in the age of the Telegraph, along with the basic Telephone and Radio thought themselves to be living in the Golden Age of communications. Of course by today's standards that technology is considered very basic and archaic.

Everything is relative.

[warspite1]

"Is this, right now, the golden age of gaming?"

No.

[TulliusDetritus]

ORIGINAL: Kuokkanen

The Immortal

That grey beard disagrees.

I think he is right. With the internets, potential customers are just massive. Advertising? They may not need it anymore with thousands of youtubers doing that job.

And let's not forget that when you read China / India lifted x hundreds of millions out of poverty (+ a big expansion of the middle classes there) = many more gamers.

And still, I may agree with this guy: "the guys that play videogames don't love their wives" [:D]

[Magpius]

@Kuokkanen What Tablet wargame?
I've played Great Big and Great Little wargame, while okay it's about 'cartoony'.
Have even tried emulators running tacops, but it grinds.
What can you, or other recommend.

Golden age maybe, with the profusion of games and cheap tech. But the other point of the triangle is time to play them all.
Back in the 80's I spent hours playing video games, these days real life gets in the way.

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: TulliusDetritus

And still, I may agree with this guy: "the guys that play videogames don't love their wives" [:D]

The Immortal John Hancock loves his wife and doesn't neglect his kids either. Though he has at least tried all kinds of games, his preference is arcade (style) games that can be played in short order. Monster war games may not be in his repertoire at all. Because he has family and life.

ORIGINAL: Magpius

@Kuokkanen What Tablet wargame?

The Battle for Wesnoth and MegaMek. But any turn-based game with hot seat option will suffice.

Golden age maybe, with the profusion of games and cheap tech. But the other point of the triangle is time to play them all.
Back in the 80's I spent hours playing video games, these days real life gets in the way.

I feel ya.

[Pvt_Grunt]

I would have to agree, it is the Golden Age of Gaming.

Non-Scientific opinion based on;
1) - Amount of releases
2) - Prices (cheaper now than ever)
3) - Availability (Instant downloads)
4) - Popularity (More players than ever, wider reach)
5) - Profitability

However, in order to arrive at this conclusion I did need an open mind and ignore my opinions on quality, genre and whether I like that game or not.

[rico21]

The golden age of gaming?
For sure, my childness.
Now, it's the bronze age.[:D]

[MrsWargamer]

When one utters a phrase like "the Golden Age of Gaming" I tend to immediately think of 1980.

Board games though.

I don't think there's anything inherently 'golden' about playing ANYthing on a device in a room by one's self regardless of whether a screen is displaying a digital display to other persons in other locations.

But inasmuch as digital designs is concerned.... the devices have made playing software rather easier recently.
I once thought the Nintendo DSXL was 'the thing'. But really, the screen is simply too small.
I once thought a tablet was 'the thing' but, it's still not quite enough, although a 10-inch screen utterly beats a handheld game toy regardless of controls made purposely for the toy. These days, I play ALL my DS games on a 7 inch tablet or more recently my phone (phone though is still just a DS screen with better graphics power).

I think the best software was made between 95 and 2005 (that's a guesstimate).
I haven't seen anything beat Steel Panthers, Close Combat, Strategic Command Battle Academy or Panzer Corps for the most part.
I've seen bigger flashier programs, but, they just ain't as playable.

I'd rather be playing ASL or A3R though. On a table, with physical counters, looking at my opponent play their turn, while drinking a beer, and laughing at their crappy dice rolls.
That was during the 80s. That was the Golden Years.

[zakblood]

must agree, 1980 was the dream years for me as well, then again rose tinted glasses and my age, and how could somebody program so much into so little and me enjoy it so much, does make me wonder, now days bigger by no means better that is for sure

[Curtis Lemay]

1980 might have looked like a golden age because it was followed by a dark age. SPI went belly-up in 1982.

[Titanwarrior89]

I agree completely.

[Kuokkanen]

ORIGINAL: MrsWargamer

I'd rather be playing ASL or A3R though. On a table, with physical counters, looking at my opponent play their turn, while drinking a beer, and laughing at their crappy dice rolls.
That was during the 80s. That was the Golden Years.

I still do that. Just with other games than ASL/A3R. Video games, internet, virtual reality etc. are no obstacles for me to enjoy board games, RPGs, and even (miniature) war games.

[Greybriar]

ORIGINAL: warspite1

"Is this, right now, the golden age of gaming?"

No.

I agree.

[Zorch]

ORIGINAL: Curtis Lemay

1980 might have looked like a golden age because it was followed by a dark age. SPI went belly-up in 1982.

+1
Although the quality of SPI games declined somewhat towards the end.

[JReb]

The golden age of wargaming will not occur until someone comes up with a worthy successor to Steel Panthers!

Then my personal triumvirate of all time great games will be complete. We have successors for Panzer General and TOAW:ACOW but there is still one jewel missing from the crown.

[Freyr Oakenshield]

For me, the golden age of gaming was years 1990-1993 - I had a Commodore Amiga 500 then, and the games it offered at that time and the sheer feeling of happiness that playing them produced has never been surpassed by anything I've played so far on a PC, and probably will never be...

[Kuokkanen]

I have seen a number of claims telling that before game industry and all things related were somehow better than they are now. I'll krush, kill'n destroy such delusions right now.

Before games were more challenging and required more of thinking.

Do you know what were the top sellers and most played video games before?
Pong
Space Invaders
Pacman
Donkey Kong
(Super) Mario Bros
.
.
.
Elite
Ultima

How does Minecraft compare with the oldies?

Making of games was easier.

Before making of games required coding and there wasn't much (if anything) in the way of education about making video games. Right now games can be made with RPG Maker and school education exist about making games from the scratch.

Releasing the games was easier and people were willing to take risks.

When two university students were looking for publisher to publish their game, Elite, large publishers rejected them by telling their game is too complicated and wouldn't sell. Game developers without a publisher had to copy, package, and distribute their games by themselves. Mail order was common practice (Doom), but some also offered their games to computer stores (Mystery House). Now game developers can release their games on Steam and a number of other similar services, and almost anything goes. Even porn!

People and corporations weren't greedy.

"Business is war".

Before the games were complete on release, didn't have bugs, and didn't have DLC.

True enough, larger % of games were relatively bug free. Still some games had them, and patching them up was less common and outright impossible for ROM cartridges.

What comes to DLC, it was around in different form. Look up the screenshot at bottom of this post. It is from The Duel: Test Drive II (1989). It is an options screen for installing (equivalent of) DLC from floppy disk. Surprise!

[TulliusDetritus]

I have seen a number of claims telling that before game industry and all things related were somehow better than they are now. I'll krush, kill'n destroy such delusions right now.

Oh well, it's pure human behaviour: "the past is better than the present" etc etc.

And besides it's purely subjective. To me it's the early 90s. But I know I am not being objective.

[Red2112]

Although the trend seems to be "Instant Satisfaction" now day´s and abundance of everything. There was still alot more done with less back in the days...

But each era has it pro´s and con´s me thinks. As stated above, you can still do all the things you did in the 80´s now day´s and even more! Try playing "Squad Leader" with Tabletop Simulator with someone abroad.

Nostalgic?

There´s still people making others happy and making money...
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-sFXDDxFIHE&t=577s