The other what type of gaming content do you wish you saw more of thread (not about videos)

VmprHntrD

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I wish we had more meaninful throwback style gaming and that's a broad stroke you'll have to accept. I mean thinking back to the pre-CD era of stuff, back when space was limited and many games were perhaps hi score runs to a few hours of play at most once you figured it out and could plow through.

It's utterly disengenous of the wanker pit online saying a game is 3hrs for main game or whatever, sure, but those counts count someone who can just knock it out. How many hours went into getting to where you say it can take 3 hours?

So thinking on that, I'd like to see more swings at how games were designed in the mid-end 80s through the 90s and into the 00s on the handheld side once consoles went big ticket/big storage. If some of them are arcade like shallow experiences that's fine too, others could be the next Super Mario Bros or Sonic but with quality of life imrpovements, but not overkill overcomplication style improvements some foolish developers do because as often you find less is more.

I think it's safe to say here, enough people are probably 30-50 aged or up given the age of this place right? You can only do so few hours around family or other responsibilties, being damned tired or having more than one interest in life put so few hours into something. So I'd like to see more of that less is more approach, give me something I can chip away at like a kid on a NES that maybe in theory an hour game, but will take me 40 hours to get there in time. Give me some easier to pick up, harder to finish and master enough to do so style games where I feel my time was impactful and not wasted.

I think some of the games companies like Modretro and incub8 have done a solid job of with their non-reissued 8bit GB/GBC releases as a prime example.
 
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Aside from the monetary factors, part of the reason why we do not see games like those you described is that popular design sensibilities have changed through the years. It would take someone, such as yourself, to thoughtfully embrace the 80s-00s mindset during the entire development process to achieve your goal.

Have you considered developing the game yourself? Even a demo of the first level could be enough.

If that is not an option, perhaps you could create a short list of your favorite examples of this type of game design, and share it.

For example, R-type comes to mind as a game that fits your description, except that it might be too difficult for the scenario you described.

Thanks for this discussion.
 
Oh well I mean I have had designs, problem is I can't code, that has never worked out well for me for decades trying. Design, test, research are where I do well which amounts to not much without a team, or at least a very strong understanding of like GB Studio or NES Maker.

Long ago being salty that ActRaiser never got a true sequel, it still hasn't considering the butchering and poor choices in the remake, I had designed a true sequel. It kept the basic monster generators, but expanded the god powers and sim growth of the town as the original was light, yet making the action stages a bit more detailed and challenging with somewhat less clunkier movement and more skills/magics to pick up to make for a more rounded and larger title.

Another was thinking about how to bring the OG Macross to life on the Gameboy Color in the era, all 3 forms, various stages based upon not just the environments of the anime, but other stages given the war raged on far more than the episodic nature would have.

I had gone as making tiles and sprites to design things and a write up, but that storage media I used in the era killed itself decades ago and lost it.
 
Personally, I'm fine. More than fine, even. If I had to describe my state, it'd be 'abundance'.

I'm try to elaborate by comparing it to music. Last year, wife and i had tickets for a national concert. Four days, 6 or 7 stages (one was with video games like just dance) and from around midday to well after midnight.
I didn't knew most bands, and we went often by hearsay and what we 'researched' on the internet beforehand. The lineups were from local to national to international bands. Recent, classics... It's the sort of festival where you could see rap, rock, reggae, pop... By the same artist, in one instance. Not everything was my jam, but i certainly picked up great experiences.
Hardly any on the main stage, though. Some great artists, yes, but imho not the best, which probably means I'm getting older (45,btw).

Now three things:
1) the video game industry is larger than music
2) music reporting on that concert covered all bands... Game reporting barely covers anything not on the proverbial main stage
3) it takes a whole lot longer to 'consume' a video game than any other medium

Like... I've got an established taste i must name after the studio size ('indie') because key words like 'innovative' have lost all meaning, captured by pretty much anyone who self describes anything.
I'm 45, and only now I've heard of the McNally award (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seumas_McNally_Grand_Prize) that lists a bunch of my favorite games.
I cling to my favorite designers and studios like a music roadie because what they make next is more likely more what I like than what some algorithm throws in my feed.
Gimme dotemu for nineties revival. Draknek & friends for sokoban puzzles, suspicious designs for humor... I can go on. Like I said: I've got plenty.
 
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