Computer Game Industry 'ignoring' Casual

StormLiong

<div class="IPBDescription">BBC news article</div> <a href='http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3620518.stm' target='_blank'>http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/technology/3620518.stm</a>

<!--QuoteBegin--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> </td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin-->Video games makers must try harder to attract people who only occasionally play, a gaming conference in London has been told. <!--QuoteEnd--></td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'><!--QuoteEEnd-->

What do you guys? Can we possibly expect more dumbed down games??

Pulse

WTH? It's bad enough that 95% of the games coming out these days are dumbed down "for a broader appeal" but now they want more?

Fam

I probably fall into that category these days, and I welcome any industry move to produce well made games which have a wider appeal. It will hopefully allow the branded and 'license' games to be developed beyond mere cash-ins, and actually show these people that gameplay is a factor too. It might even promote more diversity in both hardcore and casual gaming genres, or further recognise the need for intuitive user interface design (which is sorely lacking in most).

Of course, it might just mean we get 'Barney The Dinosaur's Amazing Adventure 14 - Now with added GenericPlay technologies!". By EA, of course. <!--emo&;)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/wink-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='wink-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Swiftspear

By casual players I would imagine they mean more the dads of the little kids whos play CS religiously and other people who don't use computers much... I would imagine we are talking more about afforable, low requirement games that are fun to play and easily accessable. I'm under the impression that this whole issue is more in response to the fact that the most easily accessible games in your average computer shop at the moment are game like DOOM 3, UT2004, and HL2. Games that if you aren't an avid gamer, chances are your system won't run it anyways.

Another issue I expect to be adressed is the average user friendlyness of games. I would expect much less hardcore modfest type games in the future in favor of games that are hard to screw up if you try.

[edit] Basicly what I ment to say with all that is that is that we are likey too still see the average saturation of more intellegent games, they will just be less accessable for amiture coders and what not, and more accessable for your regular joe who doesn't have 500$ for a computer, or the ability to buy all three major consoles for thier exclusive titles.

RustySpoon

Chronicles of Riddick was the only good movie based game I ever played.

esuna

<!--QuoteBegin-DaMu+Sep 6 2004, 12:08 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (DaMu @ Sep 6 2004, 12:08 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> Chronicles of Riddick was the only good movie based game I ever played. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Play Blade Runner. <!--emo&:)--><img src='http://www.unknownworlds.com/forums/html//emoticons/smile-fix.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='smile-fix.gif' /><!--endemo-->

Necrosis

Experience Blade Runner, more like. The only game I've ever played which really lives up to the high standard you always keep in your brain.

Geminosity

~sigh~ as if games weren't getting too easy as it is -.-

Seph_Kimara

"Well made" and "casual gaming" can never belong together.

TommyVercetti

<!--QuoteBegin-Seph Kimara+Sep 6 2004, 12:55 PM--></div><table border='0' align='center' width='95%' cellpadding='3' cellspacing='1'><tr><td><b>QUOTE</b> (Seph Kimara @ Sep 6 2004, 12:55 PM)</td></tr><tr><td id='QUOTE'><!--QuoteEBegin--> "Well made" and "casual gaming" can never belong together. <!--QuoteEnd--> </td></tr></table><div class='postcolor'> <!--QuoteEEnd-->
Damn straight! I'm so god damn sick of games becoming stupid so the console kiddies and CS lowlives can play them! Look what it did to Invisible War!

Geminosity

Don't blame consoles... NEVER blame consoles ><

Any <b>true</b> gamer (one who doesn't bias games by platform) worth their salt knows that you design a game for either the PC or the console; you DO NOT design one for both. It just doesn't work.
If there's anyone you should be spitting at it's the games companies who ruin games by trying to make them cross-platform like that; it's stupid and destructive and they keep frigging doing it -.-

ZiGGY

Civ 3, Diablo 2 & WC3 are all great casual games though, WC3 being included because it is oversadowed by its expansion pack and by its playermatch-up system.