Anyone miss gaming - before the internet?

[abrader]

You know - back when people only had magazines to rely on for info. Most people only had the luxury of reading the game box on the shelf or the insight of their friends when buying/playing games. Fukk - why waste money on magazines - save more money for NES carts!

I really miss that time and it seemed like everything was more enjoyable back then without the hype, lies, bullshots, developer blogs, etc... I dont care about who makes the games or care to know about their process - I just want to play the shit.

I think the internet really has ruined our ability to appreciate exploring games on our own.

Now - every fucking game producer thinks they are some kind of movie director or celebrity - and everyone with a TV camera and a personal opinion thinks they have something worthy of being called a "show".

Do you miss those times of olde?

[MCD]

i do.

[Rman]

Yes.  The Internet takes gaming way too seriously.

[bork]

I think the internet really has ruined our ability to appreciate exploring games on our own.

You don't *have* to use the internet to find out everything about games before or when you are playing them.  There are many new titles I look forward to that I don't jump all over every piece of new information released for them.  It makes it more fun when you play the game for the first time.  Stuff like preview videos are great though, and it's not like those didn't exist before the internet became mainstream.

But people's attitudes have changed.  For example, with arcade fighting games, I like to generally "go in blind" when playing them for the first time.  I try to avoid getting too much info and like to figure out stuff for myself, just like in the "ol' days."  But if I go onto a message board and say this, I get slammed for it and labeled a scrub or my opinion is worthless.  Doesn't seem to matter that I always say they are my very brief initial impressions and that I'll be playing more to get a better opinion.  So I generally don't make as many impressions or review threads anymore, because I'm tired of it.  

The internet has turned too many gamers into elitist gaming know-it-all overlords.  People treat shit as "serious business" and forget that this is a hobby and that these are just games.

[CajoleJuice]

Even if forums suck, I feel the same way as Kosma. Online gaming takes up just about all of my gaming time.

[crimsondynamics]

...everyone with a TV camera and a personal opinion thinks they have something worthy of being called a "show".

...you mean like anyone who thinks they have something worthwhile to say can post in a forum?

I don't miss those days. Configuring LANs to play Doom deathmatch meant having a buddy haul his rig over to your house - or vice versa. No thanks. At least now you can simply avoid going to forums or checking out reviews if you want - back then it wasn't even a possibility; half the time you would be buying blind and sometimes you'd get real clunkers despite a developer or publisher's previous pedigree.

Online also opens a whole new world of gaming possibilities that would have been simply impossible before the Internet. You do have the option to play MP or SP games still, so as long as that possibility still exists, why now?

If you miss it so much, don't visit gaming-related websites. The option is there.

[abrader]

Posting at a forum as one of many users and having a website/public blog/you tube show about your non professional views are separate things.

I also wanst taking about online gaming at all - but rather media and news (print mags/talking to friends vs gaming sites) and how it effects our perception of titles.

Forums are the closet thing to chatting with friends about games. I actually do not frequent any kind of new sites. I just buy what im curious about and appreciate this groups view on the content even tho I may not agree at times.

Try not to be so defensive =)

[Beezy]

Who is "It's Betty Now"?

[Enl]

Who is "It's Betty Now"?

lyte edge?

[BlueTsunami]

There's a really easy fix for this.

Yep

The only way you'll spoil yourself is if you actively look for it or read a guide. Best way to maximize gaming enjoyment is to completely avoid any news regarding development, podcosts and keep the viewing of trailers and screens to a minimum. This is how I ended up enjoying Burnout Paradise and Blue Dragon.

[Himu]

I'm split. On one hand it causes you to take it more seriously, on the other, I have found out about so many games I otherwise wouldn't have heard of without the internet.

[Oblivion]

Well...yes and no.

I kinda like the fact that the internet helps to hype up games, and we get more interviews and insights into development and the people behind it then we would otherwise. Also as Himuro said, there's a ton of games that I would have otherwise missed out on had I not decided to go online.

But then on the other hand, there's just something nice about not finding out anything about a game you're anticipating and going in there totally unexpecting.

However, more important than that, the real negatives on the internet are asshat elitists that you encounter that make you end up all bitter and jaded. Course, the solution to that is not to take the internet so seriously and grow some thicker skin (it's amazing how in the past few weeks I've stopped caring about people taking jabs at stuff that I like now). Of course, there are some people who can't seem to take that, but that's alright, drohne. Evilbore will always remember you.  :'(

[Don Flamenco]

when I was younger, it was a blast waiting for the new 1000 page EGM to come in every month at Waldenbooks.  I'd pour over every detail. 

but I'm older now and like getting info fast and condensed.  and telling everyone how much they suck at NGII is fun as well. 

[Himu]

yeah the old mags were great. 1998 100th issue of EGM is a classic

full of great information

these days i rarely even read into a game unless it's something like gta4. Even then, the only thing i've seen from Persona 4 is the trailer from march. I haven't read a MGS4 preview or review, and i haven't watched an mgs4 trailer in a year. With NG2, I onlly watched the trailer from tgs last year, and planned on getting it when DMC4 sucked dick. So I went into NG2 without knowing a thing.

It feels great doing that again. I highly suggest you guys give it a try.

[Himu]

I actually miss the 1999-2000 days of gaming interwebs

the gia was the best fansite ever

[Rman]

GIA was a pretty cool site.  It was one of my daily reads.  I was partial to GameFan myself. 

[Powerslave]

Internet ruined gaming for me. I don't game anymore because I'm addicted to the net.