Just some general retro gaming questions for the forum

[Drexle]

Hi all, I'm here in search of some discussion about the retro gaming fad that I've noticed cropping up lately. I remember the rise of the NES, and playing around on my older brother's Atari 2600, so I'm certainly no stranger to the old school.

I'm curious how many people here were also around during those old days. Are there people around here who are younger than the Atari 2600, or the NES? On what console did you get your start, and what games did you play back in your formative days? If so, what drew you to retro games?

I ask because it seems like I see a lot of young college students, and even high school and middle school students sporting memorabilia of the 8-bit era, and I wondered just how many of them were around to play the games. Are they familiar with them as hand-me-downs from older siblings? Did they ever play the games at all? Is it just a fashion trend, or is there an actual statement of "yeah, I remember the day?"

I also remember that, at least in my part of the US, that gaming in the 80s and the 90s was hardly "cool," and as such I am a bit baffled about how they have become retro-chiq in these modern times.

Any thoughts, ideas, and experiences to share?

[jamcat]

As for me, I'm a "old man" of 39. I've been into gaming from the begining with the 2600.

My system history goes like this:

Atari 2600 (still own with 300 carts)
Atari 600XL
Atari 800XL (still own)
Sega Master System (sold for Power Base Convertor)
Sega Genesis (still own)
Atari Lynx (still own)
NES (gift from wife - still own)
Sega CD (sold)
Sega 32X (still own just for T-Mek)
PlayStation 1 (still own)
Game Boy Color (still own)
Game Boy Advance (still own - best modern "retro" system around)
PlayStation 2 (still own - though I mostly play PS1 games on it. The only PS2 games I currently own are Activision Anthology, Midway Arcade Treasures 1 and 2, Gradius V, and Stuntman. And I plan to buy Atari Anthology when it comes out Wednesday)

Gaming in the 80's hardly cool?!?! Hell, I think the best time in gaming was in the 80's. Back then it was all about the gameplay. Today's games lack gameplay big time. Games today are pretty much all flash and no substance, offering only the sizzle of eye candy without the steak of gameplay. Add to that, nothing "new" is being made. Everything is just rehashed over and over.

[Drexle]

Thanks for the rundown and the reply. When I say "hardly cool," I'm not talking about the games themselves, but the public perception of gaming on the whole. I don't know about you or your area, but when I was growing up, games in general weren't considered "cool," and neither were the people playing them. Hence my puzzlement over the rising popularity not merely of games in general, but specifically of older games if not in practice then at least in symbolism and imagery, if you get what I'm saying.

Having read some messages around the forum, a lot of folks around here seem to have roots even before the rise of the consoles, which is pretty cool. I wasn't alive during the very old days, nor was I in a wealthy enough household to be exposed to it all. I remember loving trips to the arcade, as infrequent as they were, as well. Wish I'd had more of a chance to play Gauntlet back then. Only truly got ahold of it on the NES, myself.

[jamcat]

Ah, now I see what you meant by not "cool". My bad. :)

Well, I don't think gaming was accepted by the general public as a real (make that mainstream) form of entertainment until Sony came along with the PlayStation. Before then, the public looked at video games like they were for kids and nerd types.

[Shane R. Monroe]

You should listen to back eps of the show - we discuss this 'retrogaming fad' in detail.

The bottom line is - its a fad. Its a fad that really pisses off the classic gamer who has lived his life loving Pac-Man; not just "remembering some frat house that used to have it and we played it a few times a month". They aren't paying homage to the classic gaming world - they are cashing in on a fad probably generated from the underground popularity of MAME.

Once again, the people that kept an era alive are the LAST ones benefiting from consumerism of the product.

Its tragic.

I'm 35 - and I'd still rather play Robotron than 99% of most modern games.

[jamcat]

Hey Shane, here's a scary image for you.... Just think in the future when gaming gets to "holodeck" level, but Jakks is still around pushing "classic" plug and play games like Doom 3 and Halo 2. Hehehe.

[Shane R. Monroe]

Look, let's be honest. I want holodeck too. I want what everyone else wants. FPS isn't the answer and its not even THE WAY to GET to holodeck entertainment.

If anything, redoing the same games over and over are going to STIFFLE innovation and pushing of the future games.

[jamcat]

I don't know. Even if a holodeck-like system was created (I'm not talking sci-fi tech like Star Trek, but something like where the computer image would be projected on the walls around you, or the the walls would be giant screens themselves), I think the types of games played on such a system would end up being limited to the first person kind. Such as shooters and adventure/RPG games.

[Shane R. Monroe]

People want holodecks for sex. Let's again be honest. Holodecks are to remove the need for social interaction and give instant gratification.

FPS will be the LEAST from people's minds. :)

[Shane R. Monroe]

You want to see what I'm waiting for, watch BRAINSTORM featuring Natalie Wood and Christopher Walken.

THAT ... is what I'm waiting for.

[jamcat]

Hehehe, I'd hate to be the person who had to clean the hollodeck after a session. The computers & sex thing reminds me of a show that used to be on Tech TV called Wired For Sex. They had some weird stuff. Think I remember they had a show on sex robots, which were basically glorified blow-up dolls.

[kinglumby]

You want to see what I'm waiting for, watch BRAINSTORM featuring Natalie Wood and Christopher Walken.

THAT ... is what I'm waiting for.

Brainstorm....what a spin out. I only just watched that again about two months ago. A sensational film that has held up well throughout the decades. But what was the basic premise? Guy uses machine to have holosex and dies of a heart attack. Woman sees recording of guy using machine having holosex and dies and watches said recording......and dies. Man wants to watch recording of woman watching man having holosex who dies, who also dies to see what it is like to die without really dieing!

Man how do you sell that to the producers?

At for my gaming history:
Hanimex TVG - played pong and variations on the theme
Dick Smith Wizard.....only in Australia or as it was know else where the Creativision. See the link:http://www.heimcomputer.de/english/konsolen/creativision.html
PC - AT
NES
SNES
Playstation
GameBoy
N64
GameCube
Dreamcast
GBA
PS2

Best games: Wrecking Crew NES

[Shane R. Monroe]

As a film, BRAINSTORM isn't about sex. Its about death; and the standard question that plagues us all ... is there something after? What is death REALLY like?

Of course, if you have a way of RECORDING and PLAYING BACK not only what someone sees, and hears but what they FEEL and EXPERIENCE as a whole - that's friggin' cool.

They did another movie STRANGE LIGHTS or something like that which borrowed the concept and did another film like BRAINSTORM, and while it was pretty good, it wasn't BRAINSTORM :)

[Oedipus]

I'm 27 and here is my gaming history.....

Atari 2600 (started on this around age 4, like many this was my first console)

Colecovision (parents got it off of a yardsale with 3 games, eventually got more for it, loved my colecovision)

Intellivision (bought it from a neighbor for 10 bucks with like 12 games for it)

Atari 7800

NES (I was late to the NES, didn't get one till around 88-89)

Game Boy

Sega Genesis (I loved this system, this is probably my favorite semi-modern console)

SNES (I bought it when it dropped to 80 bucks, a good system but not as great as the Genesis)

N64 (should of got the ps1, I did enjoy a few games on it like Mario Kart 64)

Playstation (bought this when I realized all the good modern gaming at that time was on the PS1)

Sega Dreamcast (a love affair that was oh so brief, I still believe it was the best 128 bit system)

and my current console the Playstation Part Two: The Search For More Money

I play games mostly on the PC now. I do plan to get a Nintendo DS at somepoint, the little thing has so much potential. And I'll be keeping my eye on what Nintendo does with its next console. No way in hell will I buy an XBOX. I may get a PS3, I don't know, I may just give up on console gaming.

[jamcat]

I remember there was another movie about dying & coming back called Flatliners.

I game on the PC, but nothing current. Namely because my PC is way out dated. A HP Pavilion 233Mhz with Win95. I mainly use it for email, surfing the web, and Photoshop. Don't need mega power for that. For games I'll usually search the value/discount/clearance bins at computer stores for old Win95 games. I've found some good stuff. Like Indiana Jones and the Infernal Machine for $1.00. And a combo pack with Star Trek Away Team & Star Trek The Fallen for $10.00. Not bad at all.

I do like the older DOS-based games. I'll surf the many abandonware sites and download TONS of DOS games. I have a even older computer, a NEC 60Mhz Pentium with Win3.1 and DOS, that I've hooked up to my TV to play all my DOS game favorites.

[Shane R. Monroe]

Flatlines was the bomb. I still have nightmares about a kid f'ing me up with a hockey stick.

[kinglumby]

I do like the older DOS-based games. I'll surf the many abandonware sites and download TONS of DOS games. I have a even older computer, a NEC 60Mhz Pentium with Win3.1 and DOS, that I've hooked up to my TV to play all my DOS game favorites.


I had some great old DOS games as well. Must admit that I enjoyed the old Wing Commander games (1 and 2). I was wondering if you could recommend any of the abandonware sites. I'm looking for an old Borderbund game that was similar to Thexder from Sierra except you could turn into a tank as well as a Robot. Any Ideas.

P.S. I knoooow that BrainStorm wasn't about sex but it is interesting how most technologies have a huge start in the sex industries. Hey some people say Betamax failed because Sony wouldn't allow the Adult entertainment industry to published their films on Betamax format. Imagine if you had a machine ala Brainstorm that could give you the thoughts/experience that another person was having.....it could be a cure for teenage pregnacy!! or maybe not.

[jamcat]

Well, few of my favorite places to go for abandonware are:

Home of the Underdogs:
http://www.the-underdogs.org/

and

French Kiss Abandonware:
http://abandonware.the-frenchkiss.biz/english/

and

Free Old Games:
http://www.freeoldies.com/

You should be able to find what you are looking for on those sites. I know French Kiss has a few Wing Commander games.

[allenfrisch]

I'm 31. Here's my inventory:

Atari PONG
Atari 2600*
Magnavox Odyssey2* (doesn't work!!)
Atari 800XL (wish I knew where it went!)
Mattel Intellivision
Nintendo NES*
Sega Master System II*
Nintendo Super NES*
Atari LYNX*
Sega Genesis I*
Sega Genesis III*
Sega Game Gear*
Sega 32X*
Sega Saturn*
Sony Playstation
Nintendo N64*
Nintendo GBA
Neo Geo Pocket Color
Sega Dreamcast*
Sony Playstation 2*
Nintendo GBA SP*

*still own it!