Do you give old games a chance?

Falconoffury

I find that some people are only interested in newly released games. I'm not talking strictly MMORPGs, but simply newly released games. Personally, I find that older games have just as much fun factor and immersion as new games. I have been disappointed with the gameplay of recently released games, and I've gone to some older games to find some fun. Last year I got a copy of an old 1992 strategy game called X-Com UFO Defense and I thought it was possibly the best strategy game I ever played. Recently, I downloaded an abandonware title Master of Orion released in 1990, and I was surprised at how fun the game was.

I feel like too many people are victims of advertising and hype, and they sometimes waste their money on a game they quit within a few weeks. For example, back when Dark Age of Camelot was released, one of my friends convinced me to buy it. I did, but I decided I didn't like the game after 2 weeks, so I quit. I learned my lesson, and now I only get games based upon the game's individual merits. Do any of you guys feel like you've wasted your money before?

enzyme

The great thing about most MMO's is that you can always come back, sure DAoC might have not been your thing at the time, but your tastes might have changed over time and now you are in a position to retread some older stuff. I always catch myself going back to Anarchy Online and DAoC, not because of a new feature or something was fixed. More from the point of view of where some of my best experiences were with any given MMO.

I'll always take a break from one game just to go back to something else for a little while. Helps keep things fresh for me.

Falconoffury

It would be great if everyone had that attitude, Enzyme.

Ferox(SM)

this is a real tough one for me because there were few games that existed before I was born :P i had commodore, apple, atari, 8 bit nintendo and all the rest.

 

I personally think those old games have more unique gameplay and depth that is sorely lacking in the gaming industry today where uber borg microsoft-like monopolies like EA rehash the same old crap with a different name.

I go on theunderdogs.com all the time and check out all the old games that I missed.

scorpmrat

as far as mmos, I prefer to do somthin newer, somthin a couple yrs old is cool but past that, its feels a little out of place, If they had really cool mmos from the past then I would, for example i started playing Fallout for a bit, because its a very unique game, and not many games are like this. Mmos sadly can be very alike, and old ones are just not unique enough to feel as fun as a newer game

 

... IMO

Razorback

Well I actually could be classed as someone that almost prefers old games.

I recently played right through Jagged Alliance, Deadly Games and Unfinished Business again.

Right now Im sitting at work wishing I could be home playing NWN which I just bought again to play through again....

Im even thinking of having another look at UO after playing for 6 years and being out of it for over 2.

Solid_Carl

I still play Baldur's Gate.

Scorpes

Yes ive spent many hours scouring for old abandonware games, or play games that I havent played in over a decade. Bet megatraveller 2, would be interesting to find again.

nephillim

Check out the website http://www.the-underdogs.org/

It is full of old classic games.

If you like cyberpunk/adventure games, I recommend Dreamweb. It's outstanding.

PeterPain

Agree with Dreamweb, great adventure game.

Thinman

Bloodnet was also great, a cyberpunk adventure game from that time. I just remembered the name of it, thanks to you guys mentioning dreamweb.

I too enjoy old time games, oftentimes more than newer games. It was a time of innovation, and you can sense the creative spark in many of those older games.

As for X-Com, it's arguably the best game ever made. If you're going to play it, pick up XcomUtil, a program that fixes many bugs and adds things as well.. while keeping everything well-balanced.

Xcom:Apocalypse was a good one as well, but any after apoc are not worth playing. Terror from the Deep is okay, but it's the most "muddled" of the first 3. But the original is basically a perfect game, from start to finish.

Jenuviel

I resubscribed to Asheron's Call 1 just two weeks ago, and Baldur's Gate 2 is the only single-player game currently on my harddrive. I try about 80% of the new stuff that comes out, too, but there's still a lot of appeal in the classics even after all this time.

Mentat

No, I don't give old games a chance.

I'm a competitive styled player - even when I try not to be I still end up being it.

Why would I invest my time trying to catch up to players who have had years of head start time on me? Plus the game is outdated and not getting any newer.

Life - it continues through everything. I just recently unplugged myself from the virtual worlds with this realization...

I play the game - get to the peak lvl - game gets boring.

Not only that but, in real life I'm pretty cool - and sizable. These things mean nothing in the virtual world. I don't enjoy the fact that some "young tiny punk" kid can talk all kinda smack to me. That is very disturbing. What's worse is when a "no-lifer" or someone who doesn't have a job or whatever boasts about what lvl his charactor is - who cares?! When that person finally unplugs from the game and smells reality - they are going to find that the virtual friends will not be showing up to their real life funeral.

Anyway - I'm done with virtual realities for now. But, if I do come back it will be as an explorer.

The thing that disturbs me most is when I make a charactor in a game that is not supposed to solo, solo. When people say to me "no, way did you slay that giant with that type of char at that lvl" and I say "come and watch me" but, you get no bonus for that - in fact in most games (everquest) you are penalized for using skillz beyond the norm. When you go beyond that charactors normal capability.

Of all the games I've played and I have played many Everquest jaded me the most. It's not a game anymore - for most it's a business. Of course they welcome you and help you get levels and stuff - so you get hooked and end up buying virtual items from these very same people that "helped" you in the beginning. Yes, they use different alias's and female avatars to get you... yes, I've known people who paid their rent this way.... yes, it's completely gay....

These are my opinions .. I'm entitled to them... If you don't like them - feel free to disagree...

/Rant off

shae

I'm unfortunately guilty of pretty much just sticking to the new'ish games out there, I mean I'm sure some of the older titles are just fine but I seem to have a linear type of thinking that newer is better, which is probably not the case.

I remember at one ponit I was really turned off by pretty much everything out there and I needed a  break from SWG, I tired Anarchy Online and I completely turned off by it. Not saying it wasn't a good game, just so totally wasn't for me. Maybe thats why I only go for the new stuff now, not sure. About the only game I regret not trying is DoAC, maybe I'll give that a shot one day.

IcoGames

I believe DAoC is having a trial period. It's definately worth checking out.

I still play StarCraft and WC3 quite a bit.

Johnark

Old Games WERE THE BEST!  And I'm so glad I was a teen in the 90's!  Cause back then, people cared more about gameplay cause game consoles and PCs didn't have the power to give great graphics.

TODAY?  It's all about good graphics to attract people to buy it, but gameplay comes in second.  Or for japanese RPGs, graphics first, story second and GAMEPLAY in 3rd!

I'll never forget the day I heard about "The Bouncer" for Playstation 2!  Everyone was going crazy on how sickly AMAZING the graphics were, so much hype, we all though the next generation of gaming would OWN!  The game is released and is one of the worst beat'em up games (or GAMES all together) I've ever played in my entire life.

Falconoffury

I am skeptical on the results on my poll. It seems to me like most people don't give old games a chance just by reading the boards for a few hours.

sleepyguyftl

Some old games will always have a place in my heart, Space Harrier being one of them. Most of the time I will play a game until there is a suitable replacement for it. Shadow President is one game that is over 10 years old and still has no replacement.

In the area of MMO's the only one I would consider old would be Earth and Beyond and I can't play that.

Falconoffury

I think some people are not understanding the question. I'm not talking about old games that you played a long time ago and still like. I'm talking about old games that you never tried, but would be willing to try because the game features sound interesting.

I'm also not talking about good memories of an old game. I'm talking about getting an old game that you know little or nothing about and giving it a fair chance. Under those restrictions, I think very few people really give old games a chance, unless they are going back to them for the memories of the old days.

I don't go to old games for the "good old days" feelings. I go to them for geniune gameplay enjoyment.

Elnator

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Originally posted by Zizywa
Ultima Online...
...a game to return to. It has so much more depth than todays MMORPGs.
I also like to play old games like Super Mario, Legend of Zelda etc.Looking forward to Nintendo Revolution.

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If it weren't for SWG I'd still be playing UO. But fact of the matter is SWG is just as good but with modern graphics and a better guild, housing, city and political system. Not to mention more variety within the game itself. The two games are very similar if you actually take the time to play both.

Now... if SWG would just get over the whole On Leave/Covert/Specops thing and just turn PVP on permanently for anyone who declares a faction (rebel/imp) it would be better... but Jedi would need to get permadeath back if they did so that they wouldn't be rampant pk's.

That way it would still be possible to play without having to deal with PVP as a neutral/privateer but you'd be missing out on the Galactic Civil War.

IMO that would make a lot more sense. But I guess LucasArts and SOE are affraid to risk it.

Falconoffury

I'm still hoping for some honest votes. Would you play an old game as if it was brand new?

In my experience very few people do that. Lots of people retry games they played years ago, but not many will start an older game they never tried or never knew much about.

Cillasi

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Originally posted by Ferox(SM)

this is a real tough one for me because there were few games that existed before I was born :P i had commodore, apple, atari, 8 bit nintendo and all the rest.
 
I personally think those old games have more unique gameplay and depth that is sorely lacking in the gaming industry today where uber borg microsoft-like monopolies like EA rehash the same old crap with a different name.
I go on theunderdogs.com all the time and check out all the old games that I missed.

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Ditto!  The only system I didn't have was Apple.  The old Infocom text games were outrageously funny and interesting to play.  I couldn't tell you how many times I jumped up out of bed at 3am because I  figured out something else to do in order to solve a puzzle. 

Scott Adams, who wrote many adventure games back then anticipated many of his players frustrated responses to the harder puzzles.  Curse words and inappropriate actions got a suitable response from the game - with a couple notable exceptions.  One involved a bear blocking your path, the words "screw" and "scream" and the fact that the command parser only recognized the first 3 letters of a command.   

For the person who found MOO (Masters of Orion), take heed and never, ever buy, download or otherwise touch MOO 3.  It sucks - bad. 

 

Rikimaru_X

I always go back to my old games. I was playing Sega Nomad before I went to bed tonight. Streets of Rage 3 . . . unbelievable game. WHY IS THERE NO SEQUEL

SeanConnery

Your poll choices are way to vague. Some games are beyond old, but anyway... the main reason I don't go for older games is because of graphics.

Don't get me wrong, gameplay is far and away more important then graphics to me. But, when there are games that offer great gameplay and great graphics, well you gotta go for those.

That being said, I will be trying out the asheron's call throne of destiny, because that was the first mmorpg I played and the best I have ever played thus far.

*edit*  I thought this was just about mmo's before.  

If you want to talk console games, I go back to them all the time, but mainly just my favorites. By the way: Eternal Champions for the Sega, you can't beat that 2d fighter. If you have never tried it, I highly recommend.

Elapsed

I have a phobia of starting any online games older than a couple months. If I haven't started playing around the release, I feel like I'm left playing catch-up to the rest of the players. Singe player games on the other hand I have no problem with. I still play and pick up old games for my old systems.

Falconoffury

I don't compare my progress to other players. These games turn into grinds if you are focused on just leveling and beating everyone else. If the game doesn't have much to do but level, then a grind is inevitable. I stick to games that have lots of interesting activities where I can set my own goals. In essence, I focus on the game itself rather than the other players in the game. You could say that I play mmorpgs like a single player game.

I like a few of the oldest mmorpgs the most because the game systems are the most detailed. Since I don't care about what other players are doing, I can just focus on the game elements.

I don't care about graphics at all, and I may never play a new mmorpg unless a game company can actually go outside the box and maybe even sacrifice graphics for a highly complex and detailed game. I'm a hardcore gamer. Give me long learning curves, and varied gameplay.