Old games are too difficult - Increase of Casual Gaming effect or something else

Maybe target demography is more Casual Game oriented, or something. Further studies results could bring interesting results:

Source: http://www.p4rgaming.com/majority-of-gamers-today-cant-finish-level-1-in-super-mario-bros/

"I feel that Nintendo games today are much easier which is why the Wii U might be failing. Back then, games were much more difficult and therefore gamers really enjoyed them so they continued to buy Nintendo games and systems. Do you feel the same way?

Satoru Iwata (president): I actually agree with your assessment.... It may come as a shock to some of you that most gamers today can not finish the original Super Mario Brothers game on the Famicom. We have conducted this test over the past few years to see how difficult we should make our games and have found that the number of people unable to finish the first level is steadily increasing.

This year, around 90 percent of the test participants were unable to complete the first level of Super Mario Brothers. We did not assist them in any way except by providing the exact same instruction manual we used back then. ..."

Most scary option is going towards world like in movie:

Idiocracy (2006) 

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0387808/

Fat Bookers ...

The meaning of "realistic" in FPS games

Grog News wrote long and interesting article about reality of guns, gears and tactics in FPS games. Even games most rated as "realistic" have large discrepancies vs reality.

Although gaming industry considers fun more important over realistic features, new FPS games are incorporating more complicated graphics, physics and AI engines, to raise playing experience to the next level.

Games having good balanced reality and fun, are tough enough to keep interest of players for a long time (like Counter Strike type games). Too much realistic constraints in game are resulting in too hard and annoying experience (f.e. player can't jump 20 meters down, or can't run long distance keeping constant high speed). It's an entertainment industry so usually more fun means more profit.

I have to admit that even simple change in details pointed in Grog News article, could improve both fun and reality. It doesn't even had to be some kind of new fancy physics engine. Let's take for example weapons and ammunition/magazine compatibility issues or bunny jumping tactic to avoid shots. I really would like to have features like ricochets effects, but there is a field to improve simple mechanisms first.

There is a bright future for "reality simulating" games, these are just slow evolving.

Fantasy Kommander - tactical turn based Flash game

It's a games genre I like: tactical decisions with a bit of strategical planning. Isometric look at the battlefield reminds me graphics from XCOM U.F.O series, but placed in medieval times with typical fantasy races like goblins, dwarfs and elves. You can buy new units every unit has a lot of stats and characteristics that could be upgraded with game money. Turn based engine is simple- your move then opponents move. Units movements are animated and the whole game looks nice. Units could take counterattack also during defence phase. Battles look more simple that description. The best tactic is old "circle around and attack from behind". Many levels are very time (turns limit) constrained that makes playing even more fun.

I have found Fantasy Kommander title at the Kongregate, but it could be hosted at other sites too.

Build your army and go for the victory!

Successful simple web based MMORPG

Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games are at the peak of popularity. People like to play with other live players and compete with them. Game producers are gaining more and more profits from that kind of games, giving better and better visual and audio experience in pseudo 3d worlds. Is there a place for a technically simpler web based games?

One of my friends told me to look at the one classic game of that type: Fallen Sword produced by Hunted Cow Studios Ltd.. Game started, as I know in 2006 and today has about 2 700 000 registered accounts. There is probably massive amount of inactive players, but the number is still impressive. As I checked during day there were always above 2000 players online. So people like not only WoW 3D style games.

The main game concepts remind some of popular MUD games, with added graphics, auction house and trade between players suport. You can buy special game money units, for real money using for example PayPal account. Those units called Fallen Sword Points maybe used to boost game character skills or other attributes. Although there is no way out for money as company states in terms of use, in game economics is quite strong. People are playing game for fun, but sometimes are trying to trade game money for little services, like giving temporary skills boosts called buffs, or "selling" fan-art avatars. Those gray areas are acceptable, in other cases the real winner is producer.

The game lacks some responsibility that can be gained through more AJAX like components, but overall speed is acceptable. I'm trying to figure out other interesting features - and ideas for game people may have. I like those kind of the non highest tech but very playable games. I had one web based game started and unfinished prototype in past, so I'm interested in subject from a business point of view too.

Summer is ending - three online games to get more fun of life

The summer is going to end - it gets cold and rainy. The weather takes out fun from outdoor activities. So I'm presenting three online games for autumn (winter) gloomy days.

The first one is the Intrusion - platform shoot and action game with bosses etc. reminding old console classics. It works very smooth, and custom physics makes play pretty enjoyable.

The second is Fantastic Contraption - it is more thinking/creativity kind of. It's in an early stage of development, but already gives the fun of play now. The beauty of the game is in that there are so many ways to solve given levels.

The third is Globulos that needs use of tactic and quick thinking. Globulos is in the business for some time, and every new feature added before time made game only more cool.

I wish more successes for those good products, and I'm waiting for more news and features.

Urban Terror game - FPS fun with grain of tactics

Once upon a time I started digging in search for good FPS game for Linux. I liked FPS games with more "reality" and tactics demands like Counter Strike. I used to play some dynamic FPS for 15 minutes instead of cup of coffee- in most cases it worked perfectly. I reviewed some game candidates and found something that matches perfectly. My choice is Urban Terror.

The game was made as a mod for Quake 3, and nowadays it has standalone version with installer and q3 engine within it. All game documentation and downloads could be found at official site www.urbanterror.net. Game is free, but has special license for Q3 engine.

You can play on many public servers as well as in local net if you run game on one host in server mode. There is also possibility to play with Q3 bots, but documentation says it's not supported. The game crashed quite often on my Windows XP laptop- but probably it is issue with bots and/or graphic chipset. Under Linux it works like a charm :).

Game is very dynamic, although sometimes it's better to use tactic and think before rushing. Wide choice of weaponry balanced with simple but quite "realistic" health, energy and wounding system makes game very playable. The game is rather popular so you can find interesting information on community sites.

I don't have much time to play games but sometimes it is real fun. Enjoy the game!