Biggest problem getting into gaming...

[Wyes]

S.T.A.L.K.E.R. would be the biggest problem with getting into gaming. Dear god, that game would break the spirit of a new gamer.

Tutorial levels? Pshaw, no way.
Learning hotkeys for life-saving items? Ha, good luck.
Having to ambush NPCs that have a really good aim and equipment that's actually useful to get any decent equipment yourself? Hell yeah.

(This isn't me bashing STALKER, I love the game, but it really just drops you in there)

 

[squid5580]

Spoiler: snip

I think the hardest things to overcome for many people are undoubtedly the stereotypes. Until a year or so ago, my mom didn't even know games had stories. I'm not sure how that logic follows, but she somehow thought that when I played Halo, I just sat there alone and shot random things for no reason over a 10+ hour campaign.

People really don't understand that video games have value. They don't understand the social value nor the literary value that video games hold. It's hard to get into something when you see it as nothing more than a waste of time.

Now this one interests me. I've never heard of that one before. Perhaps Sony heard about your story and decided to base their Uncharted 2 commercial around it.

Well that's not the only example. When I first talked to my best friend's mom about how video games told great stories, I got that dismissal that you get when an adult is no doubt thinking "Oh, you're so cute with your little ideas: don't worry, you'll grow and be big and smart someday!" She completely dismissed my idea, and I still can't think of a good reason why.

I am a huge proponent of video games as a form of literature, so you can't even imagine all the crap I've gotten from many older people about this: people just don't get it.

Eh, I'm the same way, I just don't bother trying to explain it to people anymore though. I remember back when Okami first came out, and my mother was sitting down and glanced over at it and said how odd of a game it was. I told her about how great it was, all of the characters, the fleshed out story, the art form. She, thankfully, believed all of it and actually saw that the game was actually more then a game.

Another friend of mine who isn't always into games for their stories, was completely blown away by Shadow of the Collosus when I showed it to him. He bought the game the next day, and even though a story is almost non-existant, we both agreed that it was probably one of the best atmospheric games to date.

Edit: Sorry for the double post, but I have to go to bed. Duty calls. Hopefully this topic survives until I make it back here tomorrow.

Well Shadow of the Colossus may not have had the most complex or involved story, but you have to appreciate the storytelling displayed at the end.

Spoiler: Shadow of the Colossus

Despite the lack of any real plot development, you still felt for Wander and his struggle: this is possibly due to the epic feel and desperate-looking animations on Wander as he's swaying and struggling on the giant beasts. Anyway, when it came to the end, we were forced not only to watch, but to participate in our heroes demise. As he was being sucked in to the far room, we were given control. The entire game we had been put in compromising situations, always being provided some way to get out of them, but not this time. We tried walking him, rolling him, everything to get him away from his imminent doom, but it was no use. We had to fight in vain against the enemy that would finally defeat our hero. That was emotionally intense for me.

Sorry for the rant. Video games can leave quite the impact on my psyche through their storytelling prowess.

Yeah, I agree completely. I was very tired last night, and you put my feelings into words that I couldn't really think of last night =P Although the game doesn't actually sit in my mind all the time, it definitely makes me hope that other games will take a cue from it.

Anyways...

Huh I started with the Colecovision and the controller had over 12 buttons and a joystick. Sure it wasn't the best controller and those ridiculous cards you had to put over the keypad but it really came down to the game not the controller.

This is probably the biggest counter-argument, considering this is what hes talking about (for those younger ones out there)


How old were you though? I think that for younger gamers, its alot easier to just learn new controls right out of the box.

Geez I was inbetween 10 and 13. I can't remember how old exactly I was. Funny thing is it was really my Dad's not mine. I moved in with him (divorced parents) and he didn't have any kids living with him around that time. He was a big gamer himself (at the ripe old age of 55). He didn't have any problems with the controls for most games either. He could kick my ass at golf on the NES when it launched.