12th March 2010, 1:44 PM
Holy fuck what are doing?? Why did you type out the history of PC games???
Here is my understanding:
I mention that over the past decade, western developers have gained more credibility and improved their craft. They are a force now that Japan recognizes. Multiple Japanese development studios give kudos to western devs, the creator of Metal Gear said 'Japan is failing where the west is succeeding' and specifically talking about the drama, writing, scope, cinematics, voice acting and all the things that Metal Gear strive for. Now, western devs actually create content that is on par or even superior to Japanese efforts. this was not the case in the 90's, well that's not true exactly, in fact it probably really started in the 90's with Turok the Dinosaur Hunter on Japan's Number 1, Donkey Kong Country though was when Nintendo found out that places other than Japan can do it right. Name one video game (other than Tetris) that sold anywhere near the numbers of Donkey Kong Country on any system (including PC) that was made by a European or American developer in or by 1994. That's the same year Doom 2 came out btw. And that's all western development was: First person shooters, shitty simulators, I think Wing Commander was out by then which no one liked save for extremely anal people. We had Warcraft from blizzard that created the first (very primal) WoW game minus the World. These weren't contenders, compared to Japanese software, these were garbage. Doom 2 excited people because of the 3-D. The same year, we were getting Super Metroid, Earthbound, Ridge Racer (for the psx, also released in 94 I think). Japanese developers had 3-D down to a science without the need of mode-7 like scaling, but actual polygons.
Then Rare released Killer Instinct, the first fighting game that competed with the likes of Street Fighter and unlike Mortal Kombat or 2, had an actual combo system so important to a fighting game. Was there another western company on PC that created content of that caliber in that genre? Not a chance. Video games on PC were archaic, shitty and dull. The best software was on consoles or in the arcade.
You say they didn't improve, they just went from PC to console. So prove that, show me the amazing software they did on PC before going to console. It's not there. You have development of 3-D tools, game engines, but nothing great was done with it until was sold out and distributed. It was ooh, ahh look at the effects but other than creating an engine there wasn't any CONTENT. It was just doom over and over again with better graphics or the same text based adventures with FMV's. They were great at creating engines, but they couldn't make games. Two companies broke that mold: Bethesda and Blizzard. Bethesda in 1994 made Doom 2 but with a twist, add RPG elements and it was genius. They expanded on the idea all the way to today where the same principal of first person shooter as an RPG is done to extreme levels. The gameplay, the story, the writing, all of it is beautiful and well done.
Blizzard, as I assume you know made shitty chess games until Rock and Roll Racing and Lost Vikings hit the consoles, these types of games brought them in money, they expanded, they really wanted to make Warcraft something big - they had the idea of massive online game from the start but couldn't implement it and needed to expand until it was feasible. Then we had Blackthorne on SNES and Genny, then they pulled out Diablo which never hit consoles that I know of and Starcraft, two amazing series. then Warcraft: Battle.net changed the game and Diablo 2 really put them on the map. Art, music, gameplay, it's amazing - they really know their shit. Blizzard blatantly lamented: We will never put it (warcraft) on a console. Are these the companies you're talking about? But that's 2 companies and neither of them became console oriented.
I understand that you dug the PC side of things but the rest of the world didnt, the variety that you found on PC was paltry compared to any console and the entire reason PC gaming was funneled and almost killed (saved by Bethesda and Blizzard) is because there just wasnt enough good content on the platform UNLESS you just wanted eye candy or online play.
Here is my understanding:
I mention that over the past decade, western developers have gained more credibility and improved their craft. They are a force now that Japan recognizes. Multiple Japanese development studios give kudos to western devs, the creator of Metal Gear said 'Japan is failing where the west is succeeding' and specifically talking about the drama, writing, scope, cinematics, voice acting and all the things that Metal Gear strive for. Now, western devs actually create content that is on par or even superior to Japanese efforts. this was not the case in the 90's, well that's not true exactly, in fact it probably really started in the 90's with Turok the Dinosaur Hunter on Japan's Number 1, Donkey Kong Country though was when Nintendo found out that places other than Japan can do it right. Name one video game (other than Tetris) that sold anywhere near the numbers of Donkey Kong Country on any system (including PC) that was made by a European or American developer in or by 1994. That's the same year Doom 2 came out btw. And that's all western development was: First person shooters, shitty simulators, I think Wing Commander was out by then which no one liked save for extremely anal people. We had Warcraft from blizzard that created the first (very primal) WoW game minus the World. These weren't contenders, compared to Japanese software, these were garbage. Doom 2 excited people because of the 3-D. The same year, we were getting Super Metroid, Earthbound, Ridge Racer (for the psx, also released in 94 I think). Japanese developers had 3-D down to a science without the need of mode-7 like scaling, but actual polygons.
Then Rare released Killer Instinct, the first fighting game that competed with the likes of Street Fighter and unlike Mortal Kombat or 2, had an actual combo system so important to a fighting game. Was there another western company on PC that created content of that caliber in that genre? Not a chance. Video games on PC were archaic, shitty and dull. The best software was on consoles or in the arcade.
You say they didn't improve, they just went from PC to console. So prove that, show me the amazing software they did on PC before going to console. It's not there. You have development of 3-D tools, game engines, but nothing great was done with it until was sold out and distributed. It was ooh, ahh look at the effects but other than creating an engine there wasn't any CONTENT. It was just doom over and over again with better graphics or the same text based adventures with FMV's. They were great at creating engines, but they couldn't make games. Two companies broke that mold: Bethesda and Blizzard. Bethesda in 1994 made Doom 2 but with a twist, add RPG elements and it was genius. They expanded on the idea all the way to today where the same principal of first person shooter as an RPG is done to extreme levels. The gameplay, the story, the writing, all of it is beautiful and well done.
Blizzard, as I assume you know made shitty chess games until Rock and Roll Racing and Lost Vikings hit the consoles, these types of games brought them in money, they expanded, they really wanted to make Warcraft something big - they had the idea of massive online game from the start but couldn't implement it and needed to expand until it was feasible. Then we had Blackthorne on SNES and Genny, then they pulled out Diablo which never hit consoles that I know of and Starcraft, two amazing series. then Warcraft: Battle.net changed the game and Diablo 2 really put them on the map. Art, music, gameplay, it's amazing - they really know their shit. Blizzard blatantly lamented: We will never put it (warcraft) on a console. Are these the companies you're talking about? But that's 2 companies and neither of them became console oriented.
I understand that you dug the PC side of things but the rest of the world didnt, the variety that you found on PC was paltry compared to any console and the entire reason PC gaming was funneled and almost killed (saved by Bethesda and Blizzard) is because there just wasnt enough good content on the platform UNLESS you just wanted eye candy or online play.