I like to find games in strange place, like toilet game I wrote about two years ago. Some guys behind this game thinking why people don’t recycle glass bottles and came with idea that they should create some arcade game about that and put it on the street. During first day there was 100 different players who returns bottles. Ordinary you’ve got about 2 people by day, so it was great success and it also fun.
Arcade cabinets all well known for their use of different kinds of control devices. Things like light guns, moving turret tower or even horse. I stumble upon video of nice vintage cabinet from early 90’s: it use a real cue stick and ball to play some kind of billiard game or just balls for few other games. Enjoy the video.
Because it’s holiday in here, I’ve got a lot time to play now. And as I grow old, my gaming habits change. For example I rather finish one game, than start three and throw them away a few hours after. And after finishing a game lately (I don’t want to spoil anything, so take it just as an example) I was pretty surprised to see a sad ending.
You know, it’s hard for me to accept an ending like this after 30+ hours of playing. I lived the story with the character, the story pushed me forward and even if I was able to clear all the things a game prepared for me, there was a bad ending. And I don’t mean anything like death of main character, his sacrifice for a higher good. This would mean that at least the idea I was fighting about was successful. But the ending where you didn’t accomplish anything at all. All the time was for nothing.
For example – all the game you’re after a killer. And the end? You captured the killer, but there’s no evidence, so after the court, he’s gonna be free again. Your little sister is in the hospital and may die (of course you don’t know, how it’s going to end, ‘cos it’s the end of game) and you move away, so you won’t see your friends (that helped you all the time) again.
I do understand sad endings in movies, but it’s different in games, cause in some way, you’re the hero in here. And of course you spend a lot more time playing a game than watching a movie.
What about you? Do you enjoy even sad endings in games, or are you disappointed as well?
I am big fan of reading and I spend a lot of time with books. I also like bibliographic book and this is one of the best book of this genre I ever read.
Book cover two Johns who create Doom and also Quake or Commander Keen: John Carmack and John Romero. It starts in their childhood where Carmack tried to burgle a school to stole Apple II and Romero spent all his time playing games in arcades around the town.
Story continues with their first games (both of them makes a lot of games alone (maybe 30 – 60 of them)) and then they finally get together while working in Softdisc publishing company writing games together. Later they created Commander Keen and they create ID software and then is all well known story.
Book is great and author must spent enormous time of researching the topics. I do not see much biographic books which have this depth and also still funny and pleasure to read it. And it also cost as low as $10 on Amazon
I’m sure you know the feeling. You’ve just finished a great game and you want to feel that you are the winner. You’re so good, that you was able to finish such a game! And now you need just a second to enjoy this winner feeling.
BUM! You’ve just killed the main enemy in your favourite FPS or destroyed enemy’s army in your favourite RTS. It doesn’t matter what game it is, but if it has at least some kind of story, it’s good to have some time in the end to think about the game and to enjoy the feeling, that this is end. You’re happy, that you’ve finished the game, but you’re sad, because there’s nothing more, too.
And now what should make a good game? Good game gives you time! Good game shows you some nice ending animation and of course credits and some good music. Most times I don’t care who created the game, but if I finished the game, it means that it was good and I’m glad to know what people were behind it. For example take Gears of War. I had big problems with last boss. And when I finally got him, there were quite long credits and I sat and watched. Just to enjoy the wonderful feeling.
And what about bad game ending? Few days ago I wrote about Bioshock. The game was really good, I loved it. But the ending? C’mon! I killed the last enemy, got a half minute animation and the game kicked me to menu! No “Thanks for playing!”. No credits (but you can run them from menu). And of course no time to stop for a while and think about what you’ve just done. No time to think about all what happened in the game.
So. Game creators. If you read this – please, please! Give us more time to enjoy the feeling that we’re the winners!
I found interesting article about restoration of 25 yrs old Pac Man machine. As you probably know, I am interested by this things and I can resist to share this link.
I like all the weird stuff like Steampunk computer or Piss screen. I found another great gadget today. It is home made giant NES controller in size of coffee table (and if you do not play on the console you can use it for this purpose).
See the video:
Author of this controller have blog with detailed description of how to build this controller or also arcade cabinet. Click here to visit the blog.
