Seasons of Jason
The (tragically under-watched) show "Halt and Catch Fire" did a terrific job of conveying that sense of wonder people felt about video games from the mid-80s to the mid-90s.
From text adventures to the single-dev games at Atari, from Mario Bros to DOOM.
Why don't I feel that anymore?
Last night, as I was playing the newest Ratchet & Clank, seeing the world's rich detail and astounding graphics, I wondered: Is it because our imaginations did most of the work back then?
Seasons of Jason
@Evol The rate of progress and then the stagnation...that's a really interesting observation.
For the most part, the IDEAS have stagnated while the technical and graphical side has accelerated.
But we need the "newness" of discovery, meaning we need those fresh ideas.
Really great comment.
DM-Oblivion.unr
@killyourfm much of it is youth yes but games in the 90s and 2000s were going through a very rapid change in culture and technology. Consider that in 10 years we went from Doom to HL2. And in 5 we went from Mario to Quake. It's hard to not be excited around that time with all the optimism and change. Then around 2007 we stagnated. There's a part of us that never left the 360/PS3 era.
Seasons of Jason
@mauriciobc I hear you. Someone else pointed out that there was so much wonder and discovery and new ideas pouring out, and then it kind of stagnated in the mid 2000s.
The great new ideas (mostly) stopped, while the technical side accelerated at a way faster pace than anything else.
Mauricio Castro :escudoGalo:
@killyourfm Yeah, totally underrated show. Excellent cast, great and accurate writing and all around 80's-90's vibe without being over the top.
About the feelings, I guess imagination is important, but it all felt fresh and inventive, and it's getting harder and harder as the craft evolves.
Seasons of Jason
@ezahn "Quality and abundance makes us satiated, less driven, even when the work in question is of unquestionable quality."
This is poignant.
And yes, I definitely feel that -- as someone who adores music and collects vinyl.
Ezahn
@killyourfm It's a topic I ponder on almost daily. And not only about videogames: in a way, easy, quality and cheap streaming is doing the same to the mind a visceral classical and jazz music collector like me. Quality and abundance makes us satiated, less driven, even when the work in question is of unquestionable quality. We need to add something on our own, the work needs to leave some void for us to fill. The Minds They Are a-Changin'!
Seasons of Jason
@gortbrown Definitely find time to pick it back up, especially if you didn't see Seasons 3 and 4.
Garrett :omya_windows: :casio:
@killyourfm Never thought about this before (granted, I wasn't around in the 90s to experience video games of the time) but it is kind of interesting.
Also, Halt and Catch Gire is a great show! I kinda stopped watching it after getting busy with school and never got back around to it, but I should pick it back up!
Seasons of Jason
@ReverseModule You might be onto something here.
You know, I did have a brief period last year, using Midjourney, where that sense of wonder came back with a vengeance.
It was when I was trying to make a comic, and was largely succeeding using Midjourney to move the images in my head right to the screen.
Plus, it was FUN.
Cosmic Kokiri
@killyourfm I think it's that sense of wonder about a new medium. It's like we were all children and discovered infinite new worlds we could actually interact with. Now, with the advent of AI and BCIs I think we're gonna go to the ultimate, where you think things and they just manifest themselves in your mind. I cannot wait! :)
Perhaps computers will make their own games soon and we will just sit down and enjoy them for a week, then on to the next masterpiece! :)
Seasons of Jason
@shipp I don't know. A few years ago I replayed games like Super Mario RPG: Legend of the Seven Stars and the original Final Fantasy VII and had an absolute blast with them.
Sojourn :coffefiedyellow:
@killyourfm nostalgia wore off really. If you get used to modern games and go back to those, they're very hard to play
ward
@killyourfm@layer8.space I think people are sick of hearing me go on and on about halt and catch fire... But all they have to do is watch it and I'll shut up. Everybody wins. It's so good.
Seasons of Jason
@ward True story: I just binged the entire series in the last 2 weeks (for the first time), and after the series finale's credits rolled, I just started over at Season 1.
It's just a perfect show.
Seasons of Jason
@jynersolives i feel like the original Mass Effect was one of the last games to feel truly groundbreaking.
Jyn Erso Lives!
@killyourfm Not to say that there aren’t fantastic games in the past 20ish years, quite the contrary, but it seems the dramatic innovative leaps and pure novelty that was so strong from the early to mid-80s onwards is gone.
Jyn Erso Lives!
@killyourfm I would probably stretch that a bit to the late 90s/early 00s, when 3d first and third person games became the norm (see Far Cry in 2004), with at times fantastic storytelling (see KOTOR in 2003). But yeah, there seems to be a general sense of "new game in town" every year in that time. And new in the sense of "I‘ve never had anything like that before“. From the mid-00s onwards, games seem to become more refined, better visuals, sounds, mechanics, but not exactly breaking new ground.
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