Breaking the Habit

[Jazzsta]

As a PC gamer mostly (I may own up to two next gen consoles), I find that I seem to be behind the curve a little with some of the games discussed on these forums.
I couldn't much comment upon the multiplayer aspects of many, indeed most, console games (despite the fact that I work in a game store), and it seems to me that many people posting on these forums are single-player enthusiasts.

Having said that, in my experience, most of the games played competitively(in the classical sense of the word, not meaning 'pro') at LAN cafes are old. Perhaps it speaks volumes as to the upgrading so desperately needed by the pc's at these cafes, but is more likely a testament to the balance and nostalgia brought about by 'good' games. Warcraft 3 (yes, I mean DoTA), CoD4, CS (No not even Source!), BF2 and hell even starcraft are the most common sights I see (and the between-game hit the wow-addicts take when they think no-one is watching).

I frequent a local cafe and although nothing gets the blood pumping like a rematch against that team that totally map-hacked you last week, I'd still like to understand the lack of diversity and also get suggestions of games/custom maps/mods of interest for the lanner.
Money aside, I'm interested to see why it is that gamers are prepared to play yet another game of Dota than say DoW2 (apart from the limited map selection @_@), what makes a great 'classic' game endlessly replayable and what titles you think should be mandatory playing by Lan enthusiasts.

 

[Flour]

1 - CoD4 and BF2 aren't old games compared to the others you listed.

2 - People prefer to play what they're good at. This is why there are still a huge amount of people that only play CS, and why there is a CS:S mod to recreate original CS gameplay.
CoD4 is being played because it's gameplay hasn't really changed since the original.

 

[Nutcase]

The relevant factors are balance and accurate control that are only perceptible those who are good at the game.

Sadly, Starcraft is still "the" RTS game after 10 years. I can't even name one RTS game which would have tried to beat SC on SC's terms - sharp control, simplicity, transparency, great balancing, and a continuum of viable tactics and strategies from micro to macro. They have all gone for a fundamentally different kind of gameplay.

It's much more crowded on the FPS side of things, obviously. Very fine differences in control are enough to distinguish one game from another.

 

[GyroCaptain]

First you take the habit and dip it in liquid nitrogen. Then you take a hammer and... I'm sorry, what?

Right, a lot of these games are the way they are because of communities. Good communities assure that bugs are found, that balance is enforced, and that there are ways the game is played. Bad communities cling to a game out of sheer glee at some point of unbalance, or because the game faded while they stayed on. Both types of communities exist in symbiosis with devs; if devs walk out on a game, it will crumble, and the game must at least be good in its time (at least, in contrast with alternatives) to foster a community in the first place. It's possible for a game of now-questionable comparative quality when taken on the terms of community (CS: DE dust only) to continue for no other reason than the strength of that community: just because a game has lasting appeal of some kind does not always mean it's still good. Starcraft, on the other hand, is best in intangibles that are not affected by technology, and can practically be run on a calculator; other RTS games have enough layers added in other departments the most critical balancing and lag-reduction never happened.

 

[teisjm]

Really depens on wher you play... i play at LAN parties ranging from me and 2 friends to 30+ people, and while we play mostly the older game syou've mentioned at the big LANs we also try out whatever is availible in some cracked version, since it's hrd to excpect everyone to have bought the same.

Supreme commander is great and not that old, though i don't see a lot of people playing it.

Weed is also quite popular at LAN's but thats not a game, though when others smoke it i can pwn them even harder in DotA.

The thing about the older games is that everyone knows them, most people have them, most people are at least decent at them, most people have computers which can actually play them. If people have to buy/transfer the game, install it, lear and get used to it just to have their asses whooped by whoever knew the game already they usually don't find it interresting