Things which have perplexed me about this community

[Great Hierophant]

The three genres RTS, MMORPG, FPS comprise the bulk of PC gaming today pretty much because the PC is the best platform for them. Dominated by big publishers, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Vivendi Universal, Atari, Activision and Sony/THQ. Covered by a increasingly sychophantic, juvenile and ignorant press. Console ports shoehorned onto a system that does not play to its stengths. Pricing itself out of existence by the constant pressure to upgrade to hardware that will not be fully pushed until well after its shelf life. Shelves filled with souless, me-too bug-filled bloatware crammed into non-descript boxes. Games you spend far more time keep up with developments than playing.

[Flojomojo]

The three genres RTS, MMORPG, FPS comprise the bulk of PC gaming today pretty much because the PC is the best platform for them.  Dominated by big publishers, Electronic Arts, Microsoft, Ubisoft, Vivendi Universal, Atari, Activision and Sony/THQ.  Covered by a increasingly sychophantic, juvenile and ignorant press.  Console ports shoehorned onto a system that does not play to its stengths.  Pricing itself out of existence by the constant pressure to upgrade to hardware that will not be fully pushed until well after its shelf life.  Shelves filled with souless, me-too bug-filled bloatware crammed into non-descript boxes.  Games you spend far more time keep up with developments than playing.

Wow. You sound like a bitter old man, but I pretty much agree with you regarding PC gaming.

 

Now do "Retrogaming Radio."

[NE146]

1) Retro Gaming Radio

 

 One would think on a site as big as AA with all the gamers here, there would be more interest in this show. I think about a year ago I posted something about the show, with no to little replies. IMO the show is great yet opinionated in classic gaming. There's a LOT of useful info and entertaining reviews and such. AA has been mentioned on the show a few times as well as the VCS. Was there some animousity here between certain people? Is there some Philly Classic/CGE angst? or simply people just don't listent to the radio on their computers?

 

First of all I love Retrogaming Radio. Second, I've known Shane and Bryan and they know me via IRC for years now. However, that being said.. just because I dig it doesn't mean I necessarily post about it or reply to posts about it (I may or I may not.. doesn't indicate any level of interest though).

 

To those who say "I don't listen to Internet Radio".. first of all.. it's not really radio if you think about it. It's a friggin mp3 file. You can listen to it in your car or ipod. Wherever. Whenever.

 

Do you readily say "I don't listen to audio files"? Sound quality is a non-issue. It's all talk.

 

2) PC gaming

 

  Sure, there's a few bones tossed here and there, but again, as many gamers that are here, you'd think there would be more discussion, classic and modern on PC gaming. Playing classic(and modern) games vs other members would be totally cool.

 

ehh.. I've kind of recently jumped back on the bandwagon for pc games (since I've built an up to date pc.. finally) . But I don't think this is really the place for those kind of discussions.. at least I think you're just naturally not going to find very much here when there are plenty more dedicated forums specifically for them teaming with participants

 

3) A stronger online gaming group of members.  

 

Unless there's a secret society of gamers going on in which I'm not a part of, you would think there would be more gaming of the classics between this community. Ok internet Atari so far seems out of reach, but you can play NES, SNES, Genny and arcade games over the internet vs another player. With all the supposed gamers here, there should be games like this going on all the time.

 

Good question. Personally I have games going on plenty of times. That "secret society" is IRC if you can even call it a secret society . But anyway, why isn't there more of this kind of game playing going on in these web forums? I dunno.. maybe because there really isn't any immediacy in forums. i.e. you can't just be discussing things on the fly and say "who's in for UT!!" and 3 or so people say they're in right that minute and you all jump in. Forums on the other hand.. heck you can be responding to something a week later. But still.. something could probably be done. Some planning would be needed and take out the spontanaeity.. but that's just the nature of the beast.

[Clint Thompson]

Retro Gaming Radio...

 

Unless I knew there was to be a scheduled interivew of someone I would really like to hear talk "The tramiels or Nolan himeself" I wouldn't bother listening to it either. I do listen to streaming net radio sometimes while I'm eBaying or whatnot (but only because the variety of music is so much larger via the net then locally). I'm more of a visuals person. Sadly G4TV doesn't hit the classic scene as hard.... but if there was a classic video channel to watch.... or episodes... that'd be cool...

 

PC Gaming...

 

I can do a local lan party every once in a _great_ while (a few times a year) but I really can't get into the online stuff... I guess I get bored.

If you want to play against me... come on over... we'll connect PC's for a small LAN or play some consoles against each other. Games for the PC aren't all that. As stated before... it's great if your into the FPS something heavy... but I'm not. I'll play Unreal with an obsessed buddy at work once in a while... but I don't go out of my way for it, trust me.

 

Whats really odd about multiplayer or online gaming is I'd rather play a human instead of the comptuer... yet I won't go online to do it.

(I might as well be playing a computer right?) an advanced A.I.

 

my 2 cents after tax, add in some paypal fees and then shipping first class...$1.34

[Stingray]

1) I never listen to internet radio. I don't have broadband at home and I can't see being able to get away with it at work.

 

2) I haven't played a computer game since I got my PS2, it's just too expensive to upgrade the computer often enough to be able to keep up.

 

3) The "I'd rather gouge out my eyes" comment fits pretty well. I hate online gaming. I'm 35 and I work in a high school. I hear enough teenage trash talking at work, thank you very much. The last thing I want is to have to put up with it durng my leisure time.

 

-S

[Flojomojo]

The "I'd rather gouge out my eyes" comment fits pretty well. I hate online gaming. I'm 35 and I work in a high school. I hear enough teenage trash talking at work, thank you very much. The last thing I want is to have to put up with it durng my leisure time.

And I thought it was just me. The hype about XBOX Live fails to point out this very important fact. That said, I've had some nice mellow races on Outrun 2, which seems to be non-violent enough to deter the most strident of asshats from joining. I can only assume they're on Burnout 3 or Halo 2.

 

Will give RGR a listen sometime, but I'm a bit guarded about checking out some 3-hour nerd rant. The 2-minute video reviews on Gamespot are about all I can stomach of that sort of thing.

[SteveW]

As far as online gaming goes, I don't have any interest in it at all. I hate people. There's very few people on the face of the Earth that I can tolerate, so I'd rather play against them, in the same room. What I'd like to see is a game console that instead of doing split-screen two-players, instead it would let you hook up a second TV. That way, you couldn't see what the second person is planning. But videogame companies are too cheap to put in that much extra video hardware and memory, so they just allow networking, forcing you to buy an extra console.

[Artlover]

I hate people. There's very few people on the face of the Earth that I can tolerate,

Me too. Can I join your club?

[SteveW]

Just like comedian Bill Hicks said, we'll create the "People Who Hate People" club. It would be hard to have meetings, though. "Are you gonna be there? Then i'm not coming!" It's hard to get all the club members together in one room.......

[Lost Monkey]

I always used to tell people I didn't like people...

 

What made me dislike people even more was that the people I said that to always assumed I didn't mean them.

[spacecadet]

To those who say "I don't listen to Internet Radio".. first of all.. it's not really radio if you think about it. It's a friggin mp3 file. You can listen to it in your car or ipod. Wherever. Whenever.  

 

Do you readily say "I don't listen to audio files"? Sound quality is a non-issue. It's all talk.

 

Which is the main problem. At least two of us didn't just say "I don't listen to the radio", we said "I don't listen to people talking on the radio." Whether they're talking actually on the radio or in a file on my PC or iPod makes no difference; they're still just a couple guys talking.

 

My point being you're assuming we said we don't listen to the radio because we're afraid of this spooky magical box with voices coming out of it... no, it has nothing to do with the technology or the medium, we don't listen to the radio because of the content. Put the same sort of content on my PC and it's still just as boring. (No, I don't listen to other Podcasts either - that's what friggin' blogs are for! At least those I can read at work )

 

I hate people. There's very few people on the face of the Earth that I can tolerate

 

To quote Home Simpson, your ideas intrigue me and I would like to subscribe to your newsletter.

[spacecadet]

Argh, that would be HomeR Simpson, of course.

[Artlover]

1: I hardly listen to the radio because there is almost never anything worth listening too. CD's and MP3's is it, and even those I hardly listen to.

 

Ok, someone smack me. I'm going to need to, alteast partialy, recant on this statement.

 

Last night, I was playing with XBMC, and discovered it's web radio feature (yes, I'm slow, shuddup). Spent several hours last night listening to Canada's "Party Radio - 80's". No talk, no bs, just ooddles and ooddles of back-to-back non stop classic 80's music. F'n sweet!

 

Then I also stumbled across RandoRap (something like that), a turkish rap music station. Funny as hell.

[NE146]

Which is the main problem.  At least two of us didn't just say "I don't listen to the radio", we said "I don't listen to people talking on the radio."  Whether they're talking actually on the radio or in a file on my PC or iPod makes no difference; they're still just a couple guys talking.

 

My point being you're assuming we said we don't listen to the radio because we're afraid of this spooky magical box with voices coming out of it... no, it has nothing to do with the technology or the medium, we don't listen to the radio because of the content.  Put the same sort of content on my PC and it's still just as boring.  (No, I don't listen to other Podcasts either - that's what friggin' blogs are for!  At least those I can read at work )

 

Uhhh no. I didn't assume that at all. I merely am dispelling the mistaken belief that some seemed to have here that it was an actual "Radio" show, and for that matter.. "streaming" radio on the internet. When the truth is of course it's just a simple audio file (an mp3) that Shane makes and posts up for download. Whether you like the content of that audio or not is another story I never touched on.

 

But look at these quotes for example. How can you deny these guys aren't a little misled about what the heck Retro Gaming Radio is? (which is what we're talking about of course

 

1) Retro Gaming Radio

I've never really gotten into online radio. The sound quality is usually too poor (granted, that doesn't matter much with talk radio), and as much as I'm opposed to the whole corporate consolidation of commercial radio, I think broadcast radio has a big leg up on Internet radio (and in earlier days, amateur radio) by virtue of the fact that you need an FCC license, and hence a level of commitment and professionalism. (OK, ham and Internet radio guys have PLENTY of commitment...) Long story short (if it's not too late for that), I'm just not interested in Internet radio.

 

1) I've never gotten into internet streaming audio and it's a 'banned' practice at work.

 

1: I hardly listen to the radio because there is almost never anything worth listening too. CD's and MP3's is it

 

See?

[Dones]

There was a good emulator talk show in Spain called "Sonic and Emulatronia". It was hosted by a radio dj and the webmaster of the the emulatronia website. The show was actually aired and also available for Internet download. In comparison with RGR, the emulatronia show was shorter (they had after all an finite amount of airwave time) and focused more on MAME and other european emu related stuff.

 

The dynamic was different: you had two guys talking about games instead of one host rambling endlessly like RGR. They didn't have cool RGR interviews but they had lots of backscene stories about the emulation scene. This gossip was the most entertaining because it gave a human face to the emus we see and use. For example, they explained about an alleged quarrel between MAME and Kawaks devs regarding the file format of encrypted capcom roms... or talked about the author of the vaporware Icarus and how envious he was when Chankast came out.

 

It was pretty good stuff imo. RGR seems to be the only emu show left now.

[Artlover]

But look at these quotes for example. How can you deny these guys aren't a little misled about what the heck Retro Gaming Radio is? (which is what we're talking about of course

1: I hardly listen to the radio because there is almost never anything worth listening too. CD's and MP3's is it

See?

Bah, since when is paying attention before we reply a requirement?

[Atarifever]

1) So I tried the Retro gaming radio thing and am enjoying it.

2) I've never ever been one to play games on computers...ever....ever.

3) If you can tell me how to set up an emulated game of MK 3 against someone over the internet I would gladly buy a controller for my computer and go to it. (I ralize this is possible, so don't anyone read any sarcasam into this coment. Really I would like to know how to do this. Ever notice how everything sounds sarcastic when you type for a forum).

[Shannon]

Not to sound like a drone but...

 

1) Retro Gaming Radio

 

Not enough time in my life. Plus if I wanted to listen to a bunch of old men rant and rave about how good gaming used to be I would hang out here. Oh... uh...

 

Plus in general I dont like to listen to anything while working on the computer. Too distracting.

 

2) PC gaming

 

Occasionally I'll play an A rated title or simulation but for the most part I spend enough time in front of a computer that when I do have time for games I'd rather be slouching on a couch in front of the TV.

 

3) A stronger online gaming group of members.

 

Aside from the fact that online gaming would suck all my time away. People are idiots. Present company excluded of course. I don't mind multiplayer... I'd just prefer it with people I know.. In the same room.

[Sega Ages]

The recent exclusive interviews RetroGaming Radio have conducted with Atari legend Ed Logg have been absolutely jam-packed with killer content. And they have interviews like that in almost every show. Good anecdotes and stuff I would never have had a chance to hear before if RGR hadn't been broadcasting it.

[Mr.FoodMonster]

I like PC gaming. Play all the time. I dont mention anything much about it here because its games like Counter Strike, and I figure a classic gaming message board could give two shits.

 

I never have played any classic games online through emulators, but I would like to, it seems like a great idea to me.

[shep]

1.) I think podcasts would be cool.

2.)I don't PC Gaming, just can't get used to it.

3.) My internet at school sucks, but I've never really knew who to go to to be like, wanna play a game?

[Clint Thompson]

I like PC gaming. Play all the time. I dont mention anything much about it here because its games like Counter Strike, and I figure a classic gaming message board could give two shits.  

 

I never have played any classic games online through emulators, but I would like to, it seems like a great idea to me.

 

I've never played this game(counter strike)... but a buddy just invited me (once his place gets set up) to join him and about 5 others at a LAN party. I'll probably go, give it a try. I don't play games very much anymore for some reason (lack of time?) I dunno... and what makes it worse it's going to start getting nicer outside so I won't want to spend anytime playing games at all. But... I'll go at it, have a good 12 to 16 bash round of games.

 

We had a small debate at work last night regarding how PC games are just all FPS except for the limited few that are NOT. It was kind of nice to have someone there on my side agreeing with me about the fact that PC gaming is mostly for FPS these days and there's not really any A titles that are just for casual gameplay (sure, there are some decent games out there) but nothing that's been done within the last year or 2?

(correct me please)

 

I enjoy gatherings of the such, Lan partys and game conventions, but I don't want to live there... it's just a get away sometimes I guess.

 

My buddy has xfire? (some game stats tool) on his 3 days off... he spent 30 hours on counterstrike... nuts! I couldn't do that... no way. I'd be lucky if it could keep my attention for 3 hours.

 

Is that weird? Is it weird that I would rather spend 3 5 or 10 hours on a prototype from Atari figuring it out, researching it, dumping it, etc. etc. then playing counterstrike for 4 hours?

[George Gray]

Internet 'radio'...don't care much for it. I usually have a television on for noise when I'm on the pc anyway. PC's rule, btw. "Sides, all consoles from the Fairchild up are pc's anyway. So there!

 

I LOVE pc games. Sim games are my favorites. Rollercoaster Tycoon 1-3, that dreadful SeaWorld Tycoon, any SimCity, Railroad Tycoon 2...I also enjoy emulation. Intellivision, Atari 5200 and 7800 are my favorites. VCS emu is ok too, but there are'nt many games for it that I like (over the others, that is.) Pitfall seems about right and so does Space Invaders. I like to give Pacman a play once in awhile to reinforce my belief that Intellivision was superior, even though it really is'nt. I also like playing Odyssey 2 games and messing around with COLOR COMPUTER emulation. It reminds me of when I was an aspiring know it all teenaged programmer wannabee. CoCo's were it and no other computer was worth a crap. At least, that is what I believed.

 

The new Battlestar Galactica is great. Far better than the orignal, which I still love. The original was the seventies version of Lost In Space. Great premise, good start and then....fizzle city. And that god awful sequel series...ugh.

 

BTW--I'm 39 and holding. I have a 7 year old who would rather play on our old Nintendo 64 than on our much newer and far superior Gamecube. He also likes the old school (funny) Mario games and Pacman. ANY pacman. And those x in one hand held things keep him occupied from time to time as well. The next thing he wants: an SNES so he can play the original Mario Kart and Super Mario World on tv instead of the Gameboy. I'm so proud.

[Dones]

I downloaded the latest rgr show and got bored listening to it. I am really trying to like this show but the host's incessant ranting makes it annoying to hear. For example, he started a review of a game called PuppyTron. It took him about 7 minutes to get to the actual review because he ranted about his personal dislikes for java games and how small the java screen was and how he expects every pc game to automagically switch to his preferred resolution... you get the idea. Shane should cut back the show's lenght and limit his commentary accordingly. Not only would the show's quality improve but also the download size would be shorter.

 

The Ed Logg interview made it worth the download though.