Are You Getting Tired Of Games Yet?

Show me a few awesome VR games and I'll gladly play them. As far as I know there's Minecraft and there's Elite (if they patch it). VR games will be exciting when I can actually play them.

 

I'm not really into the new flashy games. Give me some old games from the 90's to 2011. Mario kart on the 64 emulator, goldeneye, metroid fusion on gba etc etc

 

Right now the only VR headset with a price tag costs as much as my PC did so no, VR doesn't particularly excite me just yet.

 

... and a $600 PC might not be much fun to VR with, either.

 

Sixense will save us. IF they ever deliver.

 

But you know what'll happen... if enough people get bored of games someone will figure out WHY and then that someone will create a whole new genre or something and people will flock to it.

 

I have no interest in VR. I think it could be cool one day but it's not something I follow or think about at all. I guess it's kind of like 3D movies. The first few modern 3D movies were cool in a gimmicky novelty sort of way. Haven't watched a 3D movie in years now. I watch the 2D version or if they are only showing in 3D wait and grab it on dvd.

Yeah the "when probably more games are being made than in any other time in history" is a big part of the cause for the burnout I think. Still from Steam sales of hit games in 2015 we learned that rpgs, zombies, dinosaurs, open world building/crafting and running around with guns mindlessly shooting everything that moves remain some of the most popular gaming activities.

There are definitely some excellent games out there. They are just surrounded by a lot of very good games that are in turn surrounded by a lot more good games surrounded by a huge number of mediocre games surrounded by... well you get the idea.

 

"game tsunami", i would rather call it a S***shtorm of cheap copy pase junk. Game dosn't become a different game just because of the story or graphics. What we got today is not a tsunami it is just like 5 games that have been copied a million times.

 

Right.

We have the same basic games, being remade and remixed... but no new games. Because, there are no new games. Just like, there are no new stories.

"There is nothing new under the sun."

What we can have is games that tell inspired, beautiful, personal stories and as far as mechanics go... it's just a matter of doing it correctly without screwing it up.

Mechanics are pretty much established for all genres. Innovation at this point means fixing something that isn't broken.

The challenge is to make something that means something to someone, that impacts, that makes people feel like this game is made just for them, it speaks to them, it gets them, it makes them feel different than the other billion people who are just like them.

I know it's not easy to grasp, yet. But you better catch the boat on this one. Games are just another medium, like music, like movies.

You are not going to be praised for being able to handle your tools and instruments at a level that you are supposed to be able to. Nobody is going to pay money to watch you practice. People want to be impressed, to be wowed, to be impacted, surprised, pleased.

So make another generic clone that satisfies basic mechanical requrements, get praise from hobbyists and amateur developers, and then watch as NOBODY CARES.

 

Sadly a big reason for that is likely because those 5 games may represent what people most want.

For example, look at the estimated top games (by sales) on Steam for 2015:


See how many you can combine into one game type.

Whatever you end up with those are the base "games" that people seem to most want.

Certainly we can see why people make the FPS soldier run around shooting games over and over and over.

 

Can you people decide if you're complaining about AAA games or Indie games, please? Thanks.

 

In the chart above over half are Indie games:

Ark: Survival Evolved
Rocket League
H1Z1
Cities: Skylines
Besiege
Dying Light
Life is Strange
Undertale
Killing Floor 2
Elite: Dangerous
Pillars of Eternity
The Escapists
Darkest Dungeon

And since I have not played any of these I guess the next time I decide to check out some Indie games I will revisit this short list. I've just always hated the "hit driven" mentality so looked in every corner I could find for undiscovered gems.

 

I am lazy. Post the genres so I can see how "it is all the same 5 games"

 

I see more than five game types in that list.

1. Sandbox (Crime sim)
2. SciFi RPG/FPS hybrid
3. Online FPS
4. Stealth Adventure
5. Fantasy RPG / Third Person Action
6. Arcade Driving / Sports hybrid
7. Online FPS
8. Driving / Shooting Action
9. Traditional Arcade Fighting
10. Sandbox / Space Sim
11. Military Sim
12. Sports Management Sim
13. City Sim
14. Survival (Dinosaurs)
15. Action RPG
16. Co-op FPS
17. Survival (Zombies)
18. Strategy
19. FPS / Parkour / Survival hybrid
20. Fantasy Action RPG

And eliminating duplicates from the right column
7. Sandbox (Construction / Destruction Sim)
10. Adventure / Story
12. RPG (Non-combat)
16. Fantasy RPG / Top-down squad-based
17. Prison escape sim
18. Roguelike / Turn-based RPG

The way I view it, of the 26 top games, only 4 are really even in the same genre. Killing Floor is kinda iffy, since it's biggest mechanic is that it's co-op and teamwork is required, which sets it apart from standard FPS games.

This definitely sounds like burnout to me. It reminds me of my buddy when he was having no luck with the ladies, he would make statements like "All women even care about is how much money you make anyway" or "All the good ones are taken" or somesuch. Obviously that's not even close to being true, but when your self-limited experience starts showing consistent conditions, it can't help but affect your perspective on the matter.

I think if there's one thing that gamers have proven lately it's that they are open to brand new concepts and gameplay experiences. Just because your indie game isn't selling as many copies as GTA doesn't mean it's not a viable product that people would be interested in.

 

Yeah I think you guys misunderstood me. I posted that asking @AdvancedGir to consolidate them into common denominators and see what they ended up.

Maybe the bit where I said "Sadly a big reason for that is likely because those 5 games may represent what people most want" made it confusing.

Clarified: if there are only 5 different types of games being made over & over again it is probably because those 5 games represent what the majority of people want.

Not sure if that helps but I made an attempt anyway.

In fairness though they are talking about the whole market in general not the top 20 most popular games on Steam. I threw that out to see what could be combined there.

 

Fair enough. Generalization of any kind will always get you into trouble, though.

I think what you're describing is attributed more to the general saturation of the games market, rather than any particular demands by the consumer. There are more games being made now, so there are going to be more of the same type. And of course, any developer who has ever loved FPS games is going to want to make his own, which he believes will be the best FPS ever created. You'll also have those that are trying to cash in on popular "genres" like Flappy Birds and "_____ Simulator 2015". These games can safely be ignored.

More importantly, you have more indie developers and indie studios pursuing their passion projects, many of which are brand new categories, or re-imaginings of existing games. I'm working on my game because it's one I've desperately wanted to play for so long but have been unable to find for sale. I think those kind of projects are the really exciting ones, and the ones worth following along with development of just like I used to do with AAA games back in the day.

 

@Schneider21:

Good categorization although I guess, like everything else, this is just a matter of opinion.

I'll have to collapse it down after work this evening. I am thinking to me there are about 6 to 8 different games represented in my view. But not positive just my first impression.

Of course, much of that is I see it like a guy has a gun with zombies, a guy has a gun with aliens, a guy has a gun with whatever, a guy has a gun... all the same.

 

Fancy naming dos't change genre. Like GTA is not a Sandbox, it is an RPG, same as Fantasy RPG is still just an RPG. As i said before story dosn't change the gameplay. You have to learn to seporate story related genres from gameplay.

 

Very good points. I agree with you. A lot of it is simply due to so many games being made. There may really be only 50 to 100 different games with each having several thousand variations.

 

This is definitely an issue with games lately and American culture in general, I think. I remember Watch_Dogs being such an exciting game when it was announced on account of how it seemed to be a more intelligent game where your weapon was your cell phone and your intellect, only to see it devolve into a pretty standard shooter/driver by the time it released.

I think this is definitely a matter of opinion. Especially with RPGs, where depending on how much you get into the story, it may change how you actually play the game. Having stats that increase and the ability to carry items doesn't make a game an RPG. Or rather, you could say any game is an RPG, since you role-play as that character. (Super Mario Brothers is a drug-addicted plumber RPG simulator!)

I think if you look at the actual mechanics of GTA, Fallout, The Witcher, Dark Souls, Shadows of Mordor, etc., you'll find they're structurally very different games. Honestly, the line between previously defined genres has gotten so blurry anymore that the terms are really only useful to give you a very general idea of what to expect from the game, and not indicative at all of what the game actually plays like on a minute-to-minute level.

 

Well, as it has been argued (100% incorrectly) before, all games are RPG's... right? Well, all games are games and if you're totally over that sort of thing, games might not be for you.

Is this about someone saying that games are all the same, that games need more unique contributions? That one person is sick of games because of personal reasons? That we should all be sick of games because games themselves are the problem?

I think this is a case where people are taking their feelings that are a result of their own experiences and not acknowledging those feelings as being personal, or related to their own abilities and the result of their own actions. These are people who have had a bad time trying to convince everyone that the world is rotten.

 

Before this conversation gets hostile or personal or anything, I want to point out that @GarBenjamin did indicate this may be related to personal issues with burnout early on in the thread. And opinion though it may be, he's also not alone in voicing this sentiment even in this thread, much less as a member of the games community as a whole.

I, like many, feel there are way too many Call of Duty games being made. And I stopped buying/playing Madden when I got tired of being resold the same game year after year with gimmicks added and rosters updated. I believe that's the best way to voice your opinion on the matter: by voting with your dollar. It may be true that it won't make a difference, and that the industry will continue to churn out these mass-appeal titles, but that just proves that it's what people really do want, and you are the one in the minority.

I got lost, and I've forgotten what point I'm trying to make. Something about us all getting along or something, I think.

 

No hostility. Just the truth, no matter how frustrated we are, we much acknowledge our feelings as our own and be careful not to tell everyone else "how it is". Instead of outward action, try inward reflection. That is where the disconnect is that is causing this disharmony.

I see happily playing gamers.
I see happy game developers.
I see lots of satisfied people, of which I am one, who are not hating the current gaming scene.

I don't see a S*** storm. I see angry people. Disappointed people. Frustrated people. Not bad people. Just, people who are on the bottom of the roller coaster.

There comes a time for each person, when you have been pushing nonstop and nothing is changing, to pull back. Instead of forcing your way through, try to let your interests and desires guide you in the direction you should go.

There is a way through your labyrinth, but you're currently stuck fighting with the minotaur. Leave him alone and find your way.

 

Ha ha. Well this was never meant as a hostile thread or trying to convince people all is doomed. Not sure how that idea ever came out of it.

I simply posted about my own personal experience and asked if anyone else was experiencing the same.

In my mind this forum is intended for discussions related to games. Just because my post wasn't saying "I am estatic about all of these games being made!!" shouldn't change that.

 

@Master Frog did your avatar change like 3 times during the course of this conversation, or am I imagining things?

 

Are You Getting Tired Of Games Yet?

You seem to be implying that it will happen to everyone, eventually.

But if you can somehow insist that you aren't saying that games these days are just the same old thing and that it is sad that today's games have become so terrible, then what can I say? Can't have a conversation with someone who shifts stances and viewpoints from post to post.

If you are going to be openly critical, at least follow through and be openly critical... if you want to start saying games these days suck, say it. Don't know why you are switching gears as soon as your point is taken, though.

 

No one can be sure how many times it changed.

 

Welcome to the Internet. Anything you say can and will be used against you.

 

Ah I see what you mean! You're right. I should have left that word off the question.

In my head I was thinking "I wonder if anyone else is at this point already?" and when translating into typing it became a bit different.

@Schneider21 and that ^^^ is why I don't take things on the Internet literally. Usually there is something lost somewhere in the process.

 

If you literally mean that something is in a place where no one can find it, like between the couch cushions, than you are being immature and unreasonable and I hate you and everything you stand for.

Good day, sir!

 

It is what it is. Can't let every little thing like that get to you.

 

I'm not burned out on gaming at the moment. I'm lucky though - for whatever reason I happen to really dig a lot of mainstream AAA games. Being a fan of AAA games means it's easier to "curate" which titles to play, since there's a smaller pool to choose from compared to the endless number of indie, mobile, and web games available.

Arkham Knight, Fallout 4, Assassin's Creed Syndicate, and Diablo III are recent favorites, with Far Cry 4 and The Witcher 3 up next, and I'm looking forward to Rise of the Tomb Raider, Quantum Break, Uncharted 4, and Deus Ex: Mankind Divided later this year.

I don't really follow the thousands of indie games that come out every millisecond or whatever, as there are more AAA games I want to play than I have time for as it is.

Regardless of the types of games you enjoy, it's best to go with your gut. If you feel yourself getting bored, go do something else. I sometimes get that, and I'll take a break from gaming for a week or a month or whatever it takes. But I always end up coming back and fully enjoying gaming again.

One thing on VR gaming though. It's a bit reductive to dismiss that as something akin to 3D TV's. One of the fundamental limitations in electronic gaming from the beginning has been the input the player has into the experience.

Typically you interact with a game by using just a handful of variable inputs (mouse, thumbsticks, touchscreen, or steering wheel) and a few buttons and that's about it. VR to me isn't just about the headset. It is potentially a way to work in conjunction with far more expressive player input. Yes, what we've seen of motion controls so far isn't exactly inspiring, but with VR plus 1-to-1 mapping of one's hands, fingers, etc, it could very well lead to genuinely new types of gaming.

 

So what am I saying here...

When I made the first post here I was saying that lately I had been feeling kind of burnt out on games particularly Indie games. And was wondering if anyone else was feeling burnt out on them the same way.

Now normally I have always thought that modern games were the same old thing rehashed again and again. And that I still believe is true to a large degree. But it is what people want obviously. Otherwise, they wouldn't always be the best selling games.

That is another entirely different discussion though. This was originally meant about Indie games. I had already got burnt out on AAA games years ago.

The ironic thing is that as I found myself getting burnt out on Indie games I started finding the AAA to be more appealing. I started playing Diablo 3 again for the first time in months and really having a lot of fun in there. Still had no interest in any other AAA games but at least I enjoyed my Diablo 3 gaming time.

There really isn't any hidden agenda or meaning to what I wrote. I was simply wondering if other people had reached burnout on the Indie games. I think probably I was just playing way more of them than most folks do.

There are a lot of different Indie games for sure. I can see where they have explored a lot of different things. Yet because there are so darn many of them out there I ended up playing the "same game" (different titles) over and over again because as others have mentioned ultimately a lot of the games out there are just copies of other games with different names, different graphics and different stories.

And I guess that is what I was really asking. If anyone else had reached that point yet. So maybe that is why I asked it with the word yet on the end.

I sometimes think we all discuss this stuff too much in depth around here. And that maybe that takes some enjoyment away from the games as well. I mean in the end they are just games.

I think I had tried to go on a quest of sorts to understand games better and to understand what Indies were really doing. Were they really making innovative games? Sometimes yes I think they have. But it is like everything else. For every real creative person making something fresh (at least to a degree) there are a thousand others who are simply making the same things with different graphic sets and / or different stories.

So in the end I got my answers. Reading through all of the responses here I can see that many people have reached the same point although they worded it differently. Sometimes it is worded as "the same 5 games", other times as "the thousands of indie games that come out every millisecond" or whatever. But that is the real point I think I was talking about.

Anyway time for some dinner then a choice: play some D3 or work on my game.

 

I'm wondering what your process is for selecting the games that you play. I spend a lot more time reading about games, say on Rock Paper Shotgun, than I ever do actually playing them. I like to get a pulse for what games are good, what are bad, from different media outlets, and usually only ever play from that subset of games if those ever appeal to me.

Are you sifting/browsing through catalogs/email to see what screenshots and videos appeal to you? Or do you also get input from others before trying out a game? If you are just cold-trying games from, say, itch.io and the Unity showcase forums, then I can totally see why you'd burnout and get disillusioned.

It kind of sucks that I say that, because millions of us indie developers would kill to get media coverage in any way they can, and for me to say that I rely on that says a lot about what sorts of games get played.

 

What I don't get, is you clearly spend a lot of time playing games and you like to write in-depth analysis. So, why not start your own indie game review blog?

You have a lot of thoughts on this stuff, it seems. You have credibility, since you've played so many indie games that you've reached burnout. You've been around gaming since ancient times.

Seems like the obvious move.

 

As for me, I liked to play games, but that was at school time mostly. Now I am more interested in making own games, because I can add the things I don't find in other games, or I can combine elements from different games into my own one.