Why aren't games getting better?

[schneiderguy]

More specifically, multiplayer FPS games.

Why would I want to play Call of Duty 7 or 8 or whatever number they're on now? I played the exact same game SEVEN YEARS AGO WHEN CALL OF DUTY 1 CAME OUT.

"But but but MW2 has teh perks and you can level up!!!" you say?

Who cares? Don't people play games to have fun anymore? Or is everyone too ADD riddled to play a game that isn't constantly giving you a carrot on a stick anymore? Maybe we have WoW to blame for that.

Oh wait, Cod1 was actually superior to MW2 since it had dedicated servers, so we actually went backwards. W00t.

Why would I want to play BC2 when a game that came out eight years ago is superior in EVERY WAY (besides graphics... oh AND TEH RANKING SYSTEM :awe::awe::awe.

Why is it that in 2002, we got a game called BF1942 that had huge maps (and more than 6 of them), more than 4 choices of class, and tanks AND planes, but in 2010, we get a game that has tiny maps, 4 class choices that don't even make sense (Medic with a machine gun? WTF), and shitty laggy netcode?

And you guys are delusional if you actually think BF3 will be any different.

The CoD kiddies have destroyed the FPS genre, and are raping its dry moldy corpse.

RIP fps games.

Sorry for the rant.

 

[coxmaster]

Who says they arent getting better? Sales numbers are through the roof, which means a VERY large majority of people disagree with you.

While I agree games are worse in some aspects; there are definitely some things better about current FPS games.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

I think my biggest gripe is the lack of dedicated server support. Also games are moving towards a smaller number of players.

I remember the first time I jumped into an online tcp/ip quake match using prodigy.net. I was getting disconnected every 10 minutes but that shit was so addicting. There was like 10+ people playing on shub nigguraths pit and the gameplay was fast as shit. You had to find servers through a website and to see your ping you had to type ping in the console.

Now you try to play certain games and there's only matchmaking options and you end up joining and it's some kid hosting a listen server on his 56k modem and trying to get all your friends in the same game is a hassle.

I think a big issue is most games are cross platform nowadays so they're more likely to cater to the console market and then just port the game to pc.

edit: You can't really go by the number of sales alone. The player base has grown dramatically.

 

[dud]

The OP likes to complain about just about everything. Just go to OT ...


OP, it's obvious your gaming expectations are not being met, hence you whining. What would you like to see that is an improvement over the current stable of FPS games?

 

[shortylickens]

People are getting dumber, which means they are easier to impress and dont need much from their games.
And if we refuse to buy, devs just move over to the console where folks continually pay more for less.

 

[The Boston Dangler]

profits go up, quality goes down. catering to the lowest common denominator seems to be an excellent business model.

 

[Check]

Bioshock
Borderlands
TF2
Fallout 3
Crysis
FEAR
STALKER
Day of Defeat: Source
Edit: Oh yeah, Left 4 Dead

(Yeah I know, some of these are like 5 years old at this point and a couple are geared to single player only, but whatever)

Maybe you just don't like FPS now because they are more competitive with more people playing and you suck at them?

 

[TheUnk]

Consoles. Way easier and cheaper for a rednecks, gangstas, and wi**ers to game on.

 

[motsm]

Who says they arent getting better? Sales numbers are through the roof, which means a VERY large majority of people disagree with you.

While I agree games are worse in some aspects; there are definitely some things better about current FPS games.

It really depends on how you define better.

If I were to really analyze this, I would say that gaming now is like a big pop song. It sells millions, gets limitless buzz and exposure, and is touted as being new and amazing by it's listeners... all of this lasts for a couple weeks however, and then it fades away as the next big song comes out. The people that are listening to these songs are more often than not listening causally, it's mild and passing entertainment.

The second comparison would be older games having more in common with a progressive rock band, or other various underground bands that gain a cult following. They will almost always have fewer fans, sell less music, and get much less exposure than the big pop acts. The fans are entirely different however, listening with deep attention, perhaps analyzing the lyrics, and putting more stock in a proper listening environment. These songs are often a big part of their life, that might be discussed for decades amongst friends.

That's my take on it anyway, so I really don't think you can equate sales to being best, unless you think Brittany Spears makes some of the best music on the planet. Of course if you want to look at music (and games) from a purely commercial standpoint, you could still make the argument.

Maybe you just don't like FPS now because they are more competitive with more people playing and you suck at them?

More competitive than older shooters? New multiplayer shooters are almost always noob friendly so new players don't get pissed off and stop playing. I could buy a new game with an established community, play for 15 minutes and already do at least alright. Do the same with a game like Quake and you typically won't get a single kill within 20 deaths.

 

[M0oG0oGaiPan]

Bioshock
Borderlands
TF2
Fallout 3
Crysis
FEAR
STALKER
Day of Defeat: Source

(Yeah I know, some of these are like 5 years old at this point and a couple are geared to single player only, but whatever)

Maybe you just don't like FPS now because they are more competitive with more people playing and you suck at them?

I think that's overgeneralizing. You take someone that plays any of those games and get them to try a quake live match or a cs 1.6 match they'd have issues. It would probably be easier to go from cs 1.6 to modern warfare 2. If you had a competitive QWTF/TFC player go to TF2 I think it would be easier than if you had the reverse happen. TF2 in pub especially is more of a noob friendly game.

I've been playing borderlands and it's fun in coop. I think single player would get boring quick because most of the side missions are basically collect and return or go talk to this guy and return. Basically just filler. In coop it's fun because you're not playing alone.

Edit: I don't exactly agree with the op that games are getting worse. Maybe growing stale is a better way of putting it. Lack of dedicated server support however, is a step backwards imho.

 

[Wordplay]

It's all about graphics and huge numbers today.

 

[Check]

I would say for the most part a MW2 pub is harder than a CS pub was back in the 1.3-1.5 days when CS was huge. (I don't acknowledge CS before 1.3 since I never played it, lol)

At any rate, what more do you want out of an FPS?
It all boils down to a bunch of guys running around in a server trying to kill each other with guns. There is only so much you can do with those ingredients and still keep it an FPS.

 

[motsm]

At any rate, what more do you want out of an FPS?
It all boils down to a bunch of guys running around in a server trying to kill each other with guns. There is only so much you can do with those ingredients and still keep it an FPS.

If it was really that simple, nearly every shooter released that wasn't slathered in game stopping bugs would be fantastic. It's about the subtleties in my opinion.

 

[Saga]

My only legitimate gripe is the trend of developers using multiplayer as the crutch to release a product. Multiplayer is nice and all, but I live in the real world. I have a job, family, and responsibilities. I buy games primarily for single player free-time.

I guess I've come a long way since the conception of gaming (starting in, oh 1995 or so for me). The reality is I'm simply no longer the target demographic for most games any longer. I simply accept that fact and move onto other things in life. Current gen gaming is for twitch-reflex teenager to college aged kids with 10 second attention spans and no lives.

Though, I still play HoN almost every free hour I get.

 

[VulgarDisplay]

The really sad thing is that the best PC FPS game I've played in the last 2 years is MAG on the PS3. If that game came out on the PC it would be amazing. It's like counterstrike meets BF2. I haven't played it very much lately because I hate controllers, but it was the most fun I had in an FPS since cod2.

 

[Maximilian]

Why is it that in 2002, we got a game called BF1942 that had huge maps (and more than 6 of them), more than 4 choices of class, and tanks AND planes, but in 2010, we get a game that has tiny maps, 4 class choices that don't even make sense (Medic with a machine gun? WTF), and shitty laggy netcode?

Theres a lot of good games out today, fallout 3, starcraft 2 etc but yeah why is there no proper sequel to battlefield 2? Wheres battlefield 3 and will it be like that with huge maps, tanks, choppers, classes etc?

Hell it dosent even have to be battlefield 3 just something bigger... GTA: Frickin Warfare or whatever, i cant remember the last time i crushed another player with a battle tank Bit dissapointing theres nothing recent that comes close to those large scale multiplayer FPS games.

 

[schneiderguy]

While I agree games are worse in some aspects; there are definitely some things better about current FPS games.

Like what?

OP, it's obvious your gaming expectations are not being met, hence you whining. What would you like to see that is an improvement over the current stable of FPS games?

I'd like to see a new game on the scale of BF1942.

Arma2 is good but a little more game and less simulation would be nice.

And I don't appreciate you trolling in my threads. Thanks.

Maybe you just don't like FPS now because they are more competitive with more people playing and you suck at them?

MW2 is competitive? BC2 is competitive?

Lag is a bigger factor than skill in both of those games. I suck? No, my 1.5+ KDR in BC2 says otherwise...

 

[schneiderguy]

Theres a lot of good games out today, fallout 3, starcraft 2 etc

Yeah I'm not disputing that there are good games out. I just feel like theres a lack of good multiplayer shooters.

I'm hoping the new Red Orchestra will deliver. I loved the original.

 

[BD231]

Yeah I'm not disputing that there are good games out. I just feel like theres a lack of good multiplayer shooters.

I'm hoping the new Red Orchestra will deliver. I loved the original.

I personally went from a athlon xp 2500+/9700pro to a Phenom II x3 oc'd to 3.7ghz and a 4870.

I couldn't believe my eyes when I started gaming on the new machine, so, the change is absolutely there. Perhaps its just not where you want to see it?

 

[coxmaster]

Like what?

Graphics (obviously) though I would also say the gameplay is more exciting. I for one have a hell of a lot more fun, so clearly that means it is more exciting to me atleast.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

I kind of agree with the OP. BF 1942 was a classic and the maps were epic. Every BF since then has had tiny maps. True, they've been more detailed, but I'd really like to see an updated version of BF 1942 released with the same epic maps.

 

[ImpulsE69]

My only legitimate gripe is the trend of developers using multiplayer as the crutch to release a product. Multiplayer is nice and all, but I live in the real world. I have a job, family, and responsibilities. I buy games primarily for single player free-time.

I guess I've come a long way since the conception of gaming (starting in, oh 1995 or so for me). The reality is I'm simply no longer the target demographic for most games any longer. I simply accept that fact and move onto other things in life. Current gen gaming is for twitch-reflex teenager to college aged kids with 10 second attention spans and no lives.

Though, I still play HoN almost every free hour I get.

You know, same deal here except I'm the opposite. I play games for their MP ability. I rarely play single player FPS or play the single player campaigns of any game. I can probably count on one hand the FPS single player side I have finished and I've played alot. It just doesn't give me the adrenaline rush a good old death match does.

I still say it boils down more to developers are spending more time on gfx and the whole console thing. Think about it, it's not just games though, it's everything as a whole, music, movies, etc etc..watered down to attract a broader base of consumer.

 

[zerocool84]

Games lost their uniqueness because games are finally in the spotlight. It started with Playstation 2 and now this generation put games in practically every household. Video games have never been so big so just like movies, they have to cater to the lowest common denominator and since most PC games are console ports, we get all their filth.

 

[Regs]

I can say the same thing about movies and maybe music, but what is actually happening is I'm getting older and so do my tastes in things that give me enjoyment.

 

[BTRY B 529th FA BN]

When was the last time you played an Unreal Tournament series game? 99, 2k4, UT3???