CFC Explores...The State of the Industry!

[CivCube]

Ahhhhh yes; fellow posters, what is your opinion of the current state of the gaming industry as it currently stands in the moving current of current events?

current...current....

It would appear that unfortunately most future games will center on fragging the other guy in combat with a big gun. Not that fragging with big guns isn't fun, I want there to be a balancing of genres in this industry. There's just so much more one can do with this kind of technology.

Unfortunately again, the status quo makes it next to impossible to do anything innovative and have it sell. Do you remember Uru? I didn't think so. The problem with Cyan Worlds' big multiplayer endeavor was not that it wasn't playable -- it's astounding -- rather, its publisher Ubi Soft was more concerning with maintaining Splinter Cell sales. Like they won't sell anyway.

Online play for consoles...I foresee a Great Revolution lurking around the corner. Xbox Live is doing fine right now, despite being a niche service. However, something's going to happen the next gen that's going to completely turn the market around. Maybe it will be an extremely neat game, perhaps some sort of peripheral will change the landscape. Whatever it will be, it will be something that either boosts all three companies into tighter competition or leave one or two in the dust.

What are your thoughts? Do you think that the videogame industry is going to be more saturated with UT-style games than ever?

 

[Xeven the God]

What are your thoughts?

I agree with what you said. There needs to be a balance of genres. I don't want the only good games for the next five years to be FPS's and TPS's. They're fun, but you can only publish so many before they all start to blend together.

Do you think that the videogame industry is going to be more saturated with UT-style games than ever?

Yep. When Halo hit the 4 Million mark, everyone sat up an took notice. It was the main reason XBOX sold as well as it did. I think that Nintendo and Sony are going to try and cash in on the FPS/TPS fad. Yes, it's a fad. The video game industry has fads just like the fasion industry. One moment one type of game is the thing, then a new type of game pops up.

I think this might be good or bad. Halo did have nice graphics and a good story, so to keep up compitition the developers might be pushed to make better and better games... but maybe not. Only time will tell.

 

[Thrawn]

I hope not. I'm not a big fan of ut like games. As long as they keep making high quality rpgs and strategy games, I'll be happy.

I generally prefer single-player over online play, mostly because my pc isn't too great, I only ever had 56k till I moved to uni, and ps2 online has only just come out here and I can't afford to get the hardware yet. Although I think I prefer the pc for online gaming.

Someone will have to be innovative somewhere, otherwise everything will just be clones of something else already on the market, or sequels to sequels to sequels.

 

[Silverflame]

I remember seeing an absolutely hilarious Flash movie about the decline of video gaming in the future. We'll soon be seeing games like Metal Gear Solid 7, FF(insert infinite line of roman numerals here), Mario Accounting, etc.

"Hey, man, Metal Gear Solid 5 had it's moments"

Snake: Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz....
Otocon: Snake? SNAKE?!? SNAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAKE!!!
Snake: *snore*... huh? what?

 

[covok48]

Once they stop making FPS's that involve killing Nazies, then the industry can be innovative again.

 

[Mojotronica]

The future is short, simple and social.

If technology is the only thing keeping you offline, that will change. The equipment to get set-up will get cheaper and cheaper.

As more people get broadband service, multi-player games will get more popular. But the human element will limit the scope and complexity of MP -- the most popular of them will be completable in under a half an hour. FPS are great for that time constraint, and easy to learn to play. Simple "party" and social games are the future, and the genres covered and gameplay will expand. In additoion to FPS, driving and vehicle sim games, simple and short RTS strategy, puzzle and card games are obvious winners here. Once online voice becomes a mainstay the social aspect of gaming will really blossom, and the audience for games will increase dramatically.

The market seems pretty glutted with Massive Multiplayer, but I bet they'll continue to thrive as technology enhances the social aspect of these games and the number of genres increases. In general, these games will become more like forums, and forums will become more flashy and game-like.

For "deep" or hard-core gamers, games like Civ or Medieval: Total War or Rise of Nations will still be around, but they will never again dominate the marketplace like they did in the early days. It used to be that a certain "type" played games, and the games were very gamelike -- but in the future EVERYONE will, and the games will be more like an extension of people's social lives.

 

[Dabomb18359]

There are way too many FPS games. $50 for a new FPS every month is too much for me. I stick for RTS comp games with unlimited replay value.

 

[covok48]

I just miss games with replay value. Civilization has that. That's why I'm still here.

 

[puglover]

MORE TURN BASED STRATEGY!! DEATH TO CONSOLES!! LONG LIVE THE PC!!

 

[Silverflame]

Originally posted by puglover
MORE TURN BASED STRATEGY!! DEATH TO CONSOLES!! LONG LIVE THE PC!!

You've got it the other way around.