Old is Gold!

[Danielos]

What are your opinion about older games? I almost always only buy games that are at least say 3-5 years old. It´s not that I prefer them to newer games, but:

* They don´t require the latest computer and graphics card

* They are fully patched

* They are usually bundled together with expansions in Collectors Editions

* They are CHEAP!

My latest addition was Baldurs Gate 2 Collection (with Throne of Baal expansion) from 2001. Sure, it´s a bit dated but as I am used to older games I´m not that picky about latest graphics, and it seems to be a great game anyway...

Do you guys buy many older games or do you prefer the latest games?

 

[GenMarshall]

Prefer more newer games. Older games are hard to come across or has compadibility issues with a newer OS.

 

[GoodGame]

Another problem is if you play them in newer graphics resolutions, they tend to look very ugly.

 

[MrPopov]

Ever since i got a 16:10 widescreen I have to be very picky about buying old games. I just can't stand that stretched-out everything-looks-big-like-on-Doogie-Houser look.

 

[Maniacal]

I fail to see any reason to buy a widescreen moniter, when almost no games have true widescreen support... and even those that just cut off the top and bottom of the screen sometimes need you to manually edit a file.

There are new games that don't need a brand new computer, Mount&Blade, or Call of Duty 4 is extremely well optimised.

 

[carmen510]

I generally buy Collector's Editions when they come out as well, saves me a bundle of money and it looks great too.

Although I disagree with fully patched, I sometimes get glitches with older games, and since the company may not even exist anymore, you're screwed on that part.

I have a widescreen, but that doesn't dissuade me from playing older games.

And I get some technical issues with older games, although usually I can fix them with some internet searching.

 

[Izipo]

Big fan of older games here.
Having great, fully patched and cheap games is awesome. No issues so far with compatibility and no problem also with monitor resolution (19" widescreen).

Presently I'm really enjoying launching missiles at warships in Fleet Command, a game from 1999.

 

[Dachs]

Ever since i got a 16:10 widescreen I have to be very picky about buying old games. I just can't stand that stretched-out everything-looks-big-like-on-Doogie-Houser look.

Like your avatar?

 

[GenMarshall]

Widescreen monitors seem to be a standard now a days (unless youre lucky enough to nab a standard monitor). With older games with no widescreen support, I tend to want them to have the ability to go into windowed mode.

 

[t0mme]

I usually buy older games because they come in gold or collector's editions indeed. With the Sims 3 being released soon, I'm waiting for the complete pack of the Sims 2, like they did with the original Sims. The core game of Sims is boring anyway, the expansions really complete the game.

One funny thing: Age of Empires II + expansion costs €15 at a local store and Age of Empires I AND II with both expansions costs €5! I bought the €5 one, even though I only missed the expansion for AoE I.

And luckily enough, I'm not a graphics wh0re . I really don't mind if the game looks bad or stretched. I believe it was Sid himself who said games happen in your imagination, not on your screen. Granted though, I don't like games with CGA graphics (anymore), but I still like the AGI adventure games by Sierra. And if it's an old DOS game, Dosbox lets me play it pillarboxed an with some nice filters. ScummVM and Nagi do the same for old adventure games.
And more modern games like Caesar III, Pharaoh, Sims 1, TOCA 3, Silent Hunter 3, AoE 2 still look great because the graphics were really well made. As long as the art direction is great, the graphics will stay great.
Old and 'bad' graphics are really no objection for me to play or buy older games. And I'm not trading in my widescreen monitor. Once you've worked on a widescreen, you don't want to go back.

Incompatibility with modern OS'ses is still something I have to experience. And I'm running Vista (though not 64-bit). Only Andretti Racing fails to run on anything newer then Win98.

 

[Reno]

And luckily enough, I'm not a graphics wh0re . I really don't mind if the game looks bad or stretched. I believe it was Sid himself who said games happen in your imagination, not on your screen. Granted though, I don't like games with CGA graphics (anymore), but I still like the AGI adventure games by Sierra. And if it's an old DOS game, Dosbox lets me play it pillarboxed an with some nice filters. ScummVM and Nagi do the same for old adventure games.

.

What this wise person here said.

If the game is good in plot/story, gameplay, idea, or any other significant non-visual departments it's worth at least a try in my book. Also, I judge games based on their peers. Thus, for example, Maniac Mansion is judged together with other adventure games of the late 80's, and Myth the Fallen Lords with other (fantasy) strategy games from it's own time of release.

Thus, I have no issues buying older games if they have something to offer. If one looks purely at visuals alone and compares older games to newer ones, one will definitely miss on a lot of great games from the past two decades.

 

[Danielos]

Yes, for example, consider the adventure games that were made in the 80s and 90s. Games like Monkey Island, Indiana Jones and Fate of Atlantis, Grim Fandango, Day of the Tentacle, Gabriel Knight and Broken Sword. An almost dead genre, but some of the funniest, most clever and immersive games ever made!

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

I'm a great fan of older games. Not the best graphics, but most gameplay is good. I especially like the SimGames -- SimCity, SimTown, SimEarth, SimSafari, SimIsle SimCopter, SimEverything. Then EA ate up Maxis and now all they really have is Sims expansions.

 

[Perfection]

I fail to see any reason to buy a widescreen moniter, when almost no games have true widescreen support... and even those that just cut off the top and bottom of the screen sometimes need you to manually edit a file.

Because not everyone in the world is a compulsive gamer.

 

[GenMarshall]

Because not everyone in the world is a compulsive gamer.

Or is a compulsive media driven fanatic (IE uses their computer as a Media station)

 

[Maniacal]

I still don't see any reason to buy a widescreen.

 

[Izipo]

It looks great.
Since I've had a widescreen I cannot imagine myself without one.

 

[Snerk]

Also i think 16:10 is somewhat better on the eyes. It feels a little more natural. And if you want true 4:3 for something you can just crop the sides.

As for old games, i'm no fanatic, but i play one every once and a while. Mostly adventure games, or games i played as a kid. But generally i think games are getting better and better, so i mostly play newish games.

 

[Thorn]

What this wise person here said.

If the game is good in plot/story, gameplay, idea, or any other significant non-visual departments it's worth at least a try in my book. Also, I judge games based on their peers. Thus, for example, Maniac Mansion is judged together with other adventure games of the late 80's, and Myth the Fallen Lords with other (fantasy) strategy games from it's own time of release.

Thus, I have no issues buying older games if they have something to offer. If one looks purely at visuals alone and compares older games to newer ones, one will definitely miss on a lot of great games from the past two decades.

So true. One word - Starflight.

 

[Grisu]

What this wise person here said.

If the game is good in plot/story, gameplay, idea, or any other significant non-visual departments it's worth at least a try in my book. Also, I judge games based on their peers. Thus, for example, Maniac Mansion is judged together with other adventure games of the late 80's, and Myth the Fallen Lords with other (fantasy) strategy games from it's own time of release.

Thus, I have no issues buying older games if they have something to offer. If one looks purely at visuals alone and compares older games to newer ones, one will definitely miss on a lot of great games from the past two decades.

Listen to Reno for he is wise

I have not problem playing older games since awesome visuals aren't high on my wishlist. I play plenty of older games, some because they were just bloody good, others for nostalgic value.

A nice side-effect of that is, that my 'game'-costs are a lot lower than those of the visual-effects-whores