Off Topic: A Sad Note About PC Games

disabled · #1 February 23rd, 2002, 06:05 PM

Personally, I don't like consoles much these days. Most of the games just suck. I play Final Fantasy and Test Drive Series on the sony, but beyond that most consoles controls seem sluggish and awkard to me plus game play is short most of the time.

Now....
Last night I spent a good 7 hours playing Space Empires I, 2 and so on. Why? It was fun.

As for Space Empires IV, I sincerly hope that it doesn't use RTG graphics like most games do. I hate the blocky and stretched texture look more RTG games have on this ships and graphics. MM shouldn't go down that industry standard...

Phoenix-D · #2 February 23rd, 2002, 09:33 PM

RTG?

Phoenix-D

capnq · #3 February 23rd, 2002, 09:48 PM

RTG = Real Time Graphics, a computer graphics (animation?) standard.

I don't understand Hadrian's comment, though, since SE IV's graphics are based on .bmp formats. Did you mean some hypothetical future sequel?

disabled · #4 February 23rd, 2002, 10:30 PM

If I recall it right, MM would be using the next few games to develop and test systems to be used in SpaceEmpires V.

[ June 14, 2003, 18:28: Message edited by: General Talashar ]

Taera · #5 February 24th, 2002, 09:39 PM

Just a note that whatever happens and whatever good will the consoles be, do not forget that PC has advantages when talking about serious fps or strategy games. Strategy games is what realy keeps the PC on. Ok, so imagine the SEIV goes for consoles. Now what? How exactly would you add your own "Traushignty Imperium" racestyle to the game? Or how would you mod it to your heart's content? or even just make the AI a little smarter?

The PC has the power of customization. Nothing would ever beat it. plus, i think that the PC proccessing unit allows for more artifical intilligence capabilites for the games than consoles could ever reach. Ok, so you played a game, finished it, whats now? The AI in those consoles is dumb thing that does as it was programmed, nothing else.

To finish the post i'll give another example, Quake series. It would never have such a large community simply because you couldnt record demos, create models/skins. And no bots. Nothing.

Console is like a headache. It comes, it passes, and you forget it.

TerranC · #6 February 25th, 2002, 05:49 AM

quote:
Originally posted by Taera Hive Imperium:

The PC has the power of customization.
Console is like a headache. It comes, it passes, and you forget it.

... That would change in about 10 years estimate. Since more and more Consoles are looking for more power, they are turning to people who manufacture PC hardware for their stuff instead of going it alone or getting second rate wares. With this, more and more similarities are sufacing from consoles that relates to PCs. Pretty soon, we are going to have Consoles that can acess the net at broadband speeds and PCs that already have emulators installed in the system.

Side Note: Xbox doesnt count since its just "Windows in a box"

and sadly, it comes, it passes, then another one makes to the stores causing a double headache with all the hype that will be completley defunct in 2 years, tops.

Ah, the sad life of consoles.

Alpha Kodiak · #7 February 28th, 2002, 07:01 PM

Another sign of the way the PC game industry is going is what happened to Sir-Tech, the makers of the Wizardry series of RPGs. I had played the early Wizardry games on my old Apple II+, then lost track of the series. When I heard that Wizardry 8(!) was coming out, I knew I had to get a copy. Well, they couldn't find a publisher (having sold off their own publishing arm years ago), that would take a risk on the non-mainstream game (at least at a price that would allow Sir-Tech to stay afloat).

Finally, they worked out a self-publishing arrangement with EB and got the game out, but they are finished as a company. It is another sad story of one of the industry's early innovators going under because they stayed true to the game format that they wanted to produce.

As an aside, if you like the classic RPGs (such as the Wizardry and Might & Magic series), pick up Wizardry 8. It is true to the stat heavy, non-linear, hack/slash/incinerate RPG style, with a decent story line and very good (not great, but very good) graphics. If you like this style of game (as I do), the game play is great and you will be lost in it for many, many hours.