But many developers now seem to have abandoned their initial goals of depth and intelligence and treat the market as one big pool of dumb impatient kids who want ‘no thought/ no effort’ entertainment based on bash, crash, flash and eye candy. That can be fun too for a while, and maybe that’s where the money is now, but I sure hope that it doesn’t end up choking out the rest of the market.
I fear this is no false alarm - and I would add this => MP has to be included, otherwise gamers will cry again.
I wouldn't say dumb though - I would say: impatient, low frustration level, low experimentative approach, easy come+easy go - yes, eye candy seems to be more important than story depth. My old wailing again => Diablo based (action oriented RPG) has spoiled this genre, but has become a standard (I personally dislike) and seems to wanted by customers.
I might give up my PC game hobby in a few years - my taste is not represented a lot. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/puppyeyes.gif" alt="" />
I do see a sort of dumb down, maybe because this hobby is mainstream now? Don't know. Controls have to be easy, RL combat is vital, combat and loot is interesting - story? No... not anymore. Puzzles that wreck the brain? No - could lead to frustration. A lot of traders, flashy inventory for this, sets habe to vital (Diablo is calling). Interaction with the environment? Nonono, not too much could brake rushing on and is called fluff. Details? For what? It's killing, looting and leveling up that counts.
Yes, I'm a bit bitter about the way RPG go - but I've seen this development since a few yrs now. I don't know KOTOR though, this is no fantasy for me, (it's SF and I dislike Star Wars very highly, be it books, movies, games) and RPG are connected to fantasy for me (just my personal taste). Games have become more difficult for me to stick to them - I get bored too easily => fast food causes indigestion in my case.
Kiya
Ah, Wizardry 8, where have you gone to? Albion, Ishar, DSA, Ultima 7, the Summoning? The Veil of Darkness?
PT was no game for me => it had story depth though and the critics I read said => too much text. Oh, yeah, should add this => cultural analphetism leads to voice acting. Don't read too much... simply skip it... off to the next enemy to kill and loot. The future goes to Sacred, DS, Diablo <sniff>
