Why I am not a modern gamer.

[Zing]

This thread had me thinking about why I avoid modern day consoles. I do not play the current generation of games for several reasons, all relatively minor, but combined are enough to deter me. I thought I would share my reasons and hear from others why they ignore modern gaming.

1) Online requirements. Many games now have content that is strongly linked to having an online connection. I'd prefer my games to be stand-alone, or have online be entirely optional (as with the Nintendo Wii, although that is just an unintentional effect of Nintendo not knowing/caring how to implement online well).

2) Heavy focus on realism, but failing to get out of the uncanny valley. We have graphics and physics engines that render individual hairs and drops of water, yet when a character climbs out of a lake, he is instantly dry. We have ghost towns of NPCs that either say nothing or repeat the same phrase and walk around aimlessly. I prefer games that have obvious technical limitations and are designed to work with them, not games that strive to be as realistic as possible, yet still fail. (Skyrim "bucket hats" anyone?)

3) "Unnecessary" sequels. This is not a complaint about sequels in general, but merely the fact that I usually find myself content to play the earlier games in the series, so I have no need for rehashes. I'm perfectly content to play the Super NES Harvest Moon, PS2 Ratchet & Clank, or PS1 Ape Escape. I don't need to revisit the same game repeatedly. I think the explosion of remakes (especially for the portable systems) has greatly added to this "sequel fatigue".

4) Too much extra non-gaming crap. The experience of being able to insert a game and actually be playing the game within 10 seconds is pure joy. I do not buy games to play "hammer on the button to skip the developer and middleware splash screens, wait for intro video to load which I will also skip, wait for the online connection to be made, wait for updates to be checked and applied, wait for title screen to load and finally get to press start if I am lucky".

I tried to keep the list related to overall hardware or software engineering decisions. There are other aspects of modern games I don't enjoy ("walking down a tunnel from cutscene to cutscene"), but the above are the main hurdles for me to expend the time and effort to get into a modern gaming system.

[noiseredux]

1) Online requirements. Most games require an online connection,

I can think of very few games that REQUIRE online.

[Zing]

1) Online requirements. Most games require an online connection,

I can think of very few games that REQUIRE online.

Maybe my wording is wrong. I am primarily discussing games that are designed for online, with online banners with the latest news, DLC, and so on. Basically games that make me feel like I am missing out on something for not being connected. I'll fix my OP.

[o.pwuaioc]

4) Too much extra non-gaming crap. The experience of being able to insert a game and actually be playing the game within 10 seconds is pure joy. I do not buy games to play "hammer on the button to skip the developer and middleware splash screens, wait for intro video to load which I will also skip, wait for the online connection to be made, wait for updates to be checked and applied, wait for title screen to load and finally get to press start if I am lucky".

I loathe not being able to skip an intro scene. Bugged me all the way back in Final Fantasy IV, but that was a few minutes. Now Okami had a 20 minute introduction video and a forced tutorial that feels rather dumbed down. :/

I'm not absolutely opposed to modern stuff, but I definitely get pickier about them. I only want a 360 for the shmups and Mortal Kombat and the PS3 for 3D Dot Heroes, and as much as the games on the Wii interest me, I often quickly lose interest when I hear it's all motion-controlled. Dammit, I want to sit down and relax when I swing a sword in Zelda, I don't want to actually be swinging the controller around!

[dsheinem]

so why not get connected? If you can figure out how to create an account on a forum, you can configure Wi-Fi...

[Zing]

so why not get connected? If you can figure out how to create an account on a forum, you can configure Wi-Fi...

It's more of a future-proof thing for me. I am sitting around playing NES and Super NES games that are 15-25 years old and the experience has not changed. How will modern games, which are heavily focused on multiplayer components, online leader boards, or DLC going to fare in 15 years? 10 years? 3 years? The experience will never be the same for those games.

[AppleQueso]

Dammit, I want to sit down and relax when I swing a sword in Zelda, I don't want to actually be swinging the controller around!

I do sit down and relax when playing motion-controlled wii games. The majority of movements require just a gentle flick, not the kinda exaggerated motions you're probably imagining.

[o.pwuaioc]

Dammit, I want to sit down and relax when I swing a sword in Zelda, I don't want to actually be swinging the controller around!

I do sit down and relax when playing motion-controlled wii games. The majority of movements require just a gentle flick, not the kinda exaggerated motions you're probably imagining.

If it's anything more than a flick of my thumb or two index fingers, I'm losing interest fast.

[AppleQueso]

I'm just saying it's not that bad, realy. Especially games where the wii-remote is used as a pointer. Much more natural than trying to move a cursor around a screen with a stick.

Anyway...

2) Heavy focus on realism, but failing to get out of the uncanny valley. We have graphics and physics engines that render individual hairs and drops of water, yet when a character climbs out of a lake, he is instantly dry. We have ghost towns of NPCs that either say nothing or repeat the same phrase and walk around aimlessly. I prefer games that have obvious technical limitations and are designed to work with them, not games that strive to be as realistic as possible, yet still fail. (Skyrim "bucket hats" anyone?)

You know, I think this actually hints at a somewhat broader issue. We have very powerful hardware now, graphics look better than ever, etc, yet gameplay for the most part is very much stuck in last gen. The majority of games pretty much just feel like last gen games with more detailed models and prettier lighting. All the non-graphical issues (including the realism issues you've mentioned) are still there. It's really hard to look forward to new consoles when it doesn't feel like we've actually moved forward much in this generation.

[Reprise]

I'm just saying it's not that bad, realy. Especially games where the wii-remote is used as a pointer. Much more natural than trying to move a cursor around a screen with a stick.

Anyway...

2) Heavy focus on realism, but failing to get out of the uncanny valley. We have graphics and physics engines that render individual hairs and drops of water, yet when a character climbs out of a lake, he is instantly dry. We have ghost towns of NPCs that either say nothing or repeat the same phrase and walk around aimlessly. I prefer games that have obvious technical limitations and are designed to work with them, not games that strive to be as realistic as possible, yet still fail. (Skyrim "bucket hats" anyone?)

You know, I think this actually hints at a somewhat broader issue. We have very powerful hardware now, graphics look better than ever, etc, yet gameplay for the most part is very much stuck in last gen. The majority of games pretty much just feel like last gen games with more detailed models and prettier lighting. All the non-graphical issues (including the realism issues you've mentioned) are still there. It's really hard to look forward to new consoles when it doesn't feel like we've actually moved forward much in this generation.

I very much agree with this. I have a lot of apathy towards this generation, because nothing really excites me all that much. I've played a ton of games across all three platforms, but something seems to be severely missing that wasn't with previous generations.

I think the "superior" and "ultra realistic" HD graphics, yet last-gen feeling gameplay has something to do with that. I also agree with the OP in regards to how annoying it is, with the "better" graphics, yet it seems attention to detail has barely moved forward at all. I also prefer games that have obvious technical limitations and are designed to work with them, not games that strive to be as realistic as possible, yet still fail. Besides, look at the attention to detail in a game like Shenmue, which came out well over a decade ago, and look now. What's moved forward?