Widespread gaming history myths

[Erik_Twice]

In this thread we talk and note all those common mistakes we keep seeing over and over again. A thread of truth if you will.


Example:

1) BEATMANIA IS A GUITAR HERO RIP-OFF

Contrary to what the TV experts want to make you believe, Beatmania was released for the first time in 1997, predating Guitar Hero for eight years. In fact, Konami had already released a guitar-playing game in 1998 under the name Guitar Freaks, making the GH franchise the copy in this case.

Similarly, linking guitar, drums and keyboard was already done in 1999 and 2000 after Konami released Drummania and Keyboardmania, respectively.


2) ZELDA IS THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF THE GENRE

(Dumb herpy derpy mistake removed)

Adventure was released in 1979.

3) THE SEGA CD WAS AN ECONOMIC FAILURE

The Sega CD sold 6 million units and many of the games sold in very big numbers. I have seen cites of more than one million for Night Trap which should be about right.

4) OUTRUN INTRODUCED FORKED PATHS

Forked paths in a racing game were first included in TX-1, a racing game known as a pseudo-sequel to Pole Position II and famous for it's surround screen setup.


Add your own and discuss!


Add your own and dicuss!

[Hatta]

2) ZELDA IS THE FIRST EXAMPLE OF THE GENRE

The Legend of Zelda's gameplay was predated by Ultima I and II several years later.

Zelda and Ultima being in the same genre would be a myth in itself. The obvious predecessor to Zelda is Adventure on the 2600. That dates from 1979.

Another common myth is "Pong is the first video game". It was just the first that made it big.

Edit: Along the same lines, people will often cite Wolf 3d as the first FPS. Ignoring that it wasn't even the first FPS from Id (Catacomb 3d), let alone all time. The actual first, as usual, depends on how strictly you define FPS.

[fastbilly1]

Edit: Along the same lines, people will often cite Wolf 3d as the first FPS. Ignoring that it wasn't even the first FPS from Id (Catacomb 3d), let alone all time. The actual first, as usual, depends on how strictly you define FPS.

Its Maze War - Spasim is a Space Sim (hence the name)

[Hatta]

I dunno about maze war. Is a tile based game with no aiming really an FPS? It was definitely a huge influence on FPSs, but you can also see the influence in Dungeon Master, etc. I think Midi-maze is a better candiate. But like I said, this is just quibbling over definitions and not useful history.

[AznKhmerBoi]

Myth - you can fight Sheng Long ( Ryu Master)
Truth - Translatiion error

[Inazuma]

Myth - DLC is a good thing

Truth - Before the advent of DLC, games came 100% on a disc for $60 or less. If you bought the game used, you still got 100% of the game.

Now game publishers have the developers remove about 10% of the game so they can sell it separately as DLC. Not only does that mean you are paying extra for something that should have been on the disc, but it reduces the game's resell value. Years later, when the DLC is no longer available, the game will forever be incomplete. Simply put, it's a big scam and harmful to both modern and retro gamers.

[MrPopo]

Myth - Game publishers have the developers remove about 10% of the game so they can sell it separately as DLC.

[Inazuma]

Myth - Game publishers have the developers remove about 10% of the game so they can sell it separately as DLC.

Yeah, I guess that is a myth. The content is actually on the disc but you need to spend real money to "unlock" it. If people would stop supporting DLC, this bullshit would stop.

[sheath]

Ya'll, DLC is a current event not video game history. Technically nothing is history until it is at least 10 years old.

I'll submit a couple:

Nintendo saved us from the great crash.

So locking down a publishing empire in Japan and creating exclusive third party licensing contracts saved the Industry? Do we honestly believe that the Master System or 7800 or some other console wouldn't have taken the (ahem) US by storm if Nintendo wasn't manipulating everything in their favor?

Companies that had to get out of the console business were the only ones with bad management or that made bad business decisions, or had cannibalizing internal politics.

This one just amazes me, so we see all about how "stupid" Sega, NEC and Atari were with their marketing, their product management, their engineering, every little nuance of their decision making is scrutinized. Nintendo and Sony can practically do no wrong, and when they do it was just a mistake that they surely won't repeat.

Microsoft got the reception from the gaming media that Sony should have in my opinion, so they get plenty of flack for their business decisions.

[Inazuma]

Myth - DLC is a current event not video game history.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samba_de_Amigo
Samba de Amigo for the Dreamcast, released in the year 2000 had DLC. Today that content is unobtainable through legitimate means. The same thing happened with the original Xbox, and it will happen again with the Xbox 360 and PS3.