Have you tried Rocket League? You want a game with purity, that’s definitely one.

No I haven't, but good shout. I will give it a go.

Do you play with a head set noxy? There's nothing quite like turning all the lights off, putting your headset on and going for an adventure with pals on Sea of Thieves or Deep Rock Galactic. They offer a real treat in co-op but its their atmosphere that really drags you in. Completely different from any thing else I'd played.

equinox_code wrote:

Is this just getting older, or are games not actually as good as we thought they were?

Without multiplayer I'd seldom play anything, but the Internet's actually the reason for that lopsidedness, in the same way it's put me off films and most TV. Back in the '90s I'd watch stuff like Men Behaving Badly, realising it wasn't up to snuff, but after dark it was pretty much that or a PS1 game I'd hammered.

If you'd asked me what I'd most like to be doing at the time, I'd have had several non-TV, non-PS1 answers, but all beyond reach. So when the Internet came along (full-fat version, at least), it opened some of those channels that were previously denied.

So many niche activities have info and products available online now, when in my teenage years they were mostly things you'd heard about once or twice but had no clue about getting into. If you enjoyed painting, for example, Bob Ross was one of the few go-tos for [Sky] free tuition for years.

In my youth I spent most daylight hours outside, as per in Bumpkinland, falling on games in bad weather and evenings. The Christmas holidays were great, naturally. Then I became an adult and a lot of that play was suddenly — because society decides — too young for me. Whereas now, a bit later in life, I can go online and find the grownup versions.

The downside is that a lot of these activities feel compartmentalised now, because obviously they're not socially organic any more, born of boredom with your mates. Also, even with the Internet, it's still almost impossible to find venues for stuff like stunt riding. In the '90s you either knew of a good illicit place or just dreamed. As we've dived too deeply into the online world and lost parts of our old selves in doing so, it's not quite deep enough because it still belongs to the outside world.

But that's social prejudice talk, and there's no doubting it's been a boon for hobbyists of formerly peculiar persuasions. Kinda wish it had never been invented, mind, such is the timesink it's been in my life. For all its offerings of potential betterment I'm pretty sure I'd have got more done the old-school way.

Anyway, I also think games lack the creative vision they had in the '90s. I always used to say to a mate at the time: if a game we dream about doesn't exist, it'll come in time. I had total creative faith in devs, just waiting on the tech. Today I feel that's reversed, and we've amazing machines with stale gameplay. Games are just too big, aren't they. I'd love to see the major, massive-team players working on middleware in future (so more UEs, I guess), with smaller teams making the games again.

Even so, online noise dictates direction, always hedging on proven-sales formulas. I think the '90s were the last time creative authority meshed with the fattest budgets. As much as I don't care for Death Stranding (the fuck?!), I wish it weren't such an uncommon endeavour. You don't have to like Kojima games to crave the big money paying his fellow creatives similar respect.

Artistic mediums chasing profit is doomed to disappointing compromise.

Brooks wrote:

I'm playing two mainstream online RPGs

If I could change one thing about the industry, though, it'd be removal of motion blur from modern displays. 1440p with DLSS at strobed 90 or 120Hz on microLED.

The PS5 and SX have the power to do it, as do modern TVs with compatible firmware. Right now the only option is a PC with a much smaller monitor, or a projector with a bit more input lag and convenience drawbacks.

I'd really like the market to move in a way that stops conflating bloat with value. TV is the same. I'd pay more for a streamlined version.

Like TV the vast scope of content is probably what breeds apathy a lot of the time. GamePass is a tricky one. I can’t deny the value but also appreciate I’m not getting enough value from it. I’m holding onto it for all the FP releases as I may as well pay around £100 and get hopefully two major releases a year. Or do I just cancel and buy the Bethesda stuff when it comes out. I have certainly played my PS5 games more probably because I’ve had to spend about £60+ for each game. The indie stuff that comes with GP is certainly a draw but Steam sales could equally provide a similar benefit.

During lockdown I had it. I just wanted to get outside however I could. Now I have the toddler I will hoover up anything I can, and as mentioned by Yoss, Gamepass is really making me go.

Wrong fred

Tempy wrote:

Games are still great. Dunno how i'd ever get bored of them in totality. I play them less and less, but every once in a while you get something that's like searing white light from the heavens like Slay the Spire or Sekiro. That's more than enough for me.

For a minute I thought you said Spiro and believed it.

I don't play many games at all these days, some sts, some Indies, occasional mosey. I just see this as a natural lull as I used to play constantly, but about 5 years ago I stopped, due partly to living arrangements. I've definitely started playing more in the last couple of years. I expect I'll have this period of non playing, period of playing for the rest of my days. I also think I'll find games an attractive option when/if I have a family. Atm tho, I kinda just want to veg and watch stuff after work, no energy or desire to sweat it in PvP.

Tempy wrote:

Games are still great. Dunno how i'd ever get bored of them in totality. I play them less and less, but every once in a while you get something that's like searing white light from the heavens like Slay the Spire or Sekiro. That's more than enough for me.

Literally never been in better shape

Not actually bored of games but overloaded by my backlog of unplayed titles. I 'll finish up to 5 games a year and buy about the same on a sale and that's not mentioning Epic store freebies.

I'll probably never finish my backlog, too spoilt for choice here. Doubt Xbox live can add anything of substance for me but who knows what the future brings.

superflyninja wrote:

No Mans Sky is a real sticking point though for me. I really want to enjoy it, but I don't have the patience to grind all that shit. Its just a game based totally on busywork, but I really want to play it for the exploration side.

No Man's Sky has a creative mode where all blueprints and construction stuff (with few exceptions) are unlocked and you can instantly recharge stuff without gathering. You can just explore and build as much as you want, afaik.

Just reminding myself about a Google Earth driving sim, there are still lots of games I'd love to play that don't exist.

Still waiting for a teambased fightman.