Stupid games

What’s the big deal about computer games lately? Why are they so hyped up, even long before they’re actually released? Well, games are meant to be sold, just like everything else is. Long gone are the days when developers burned for an “inner cause” and made games for their own fulfillment and joy.

The world of computer games is nowadays a big business. Just look at NVIDIA, EA, and DICE, they all know there’s lots of money to earn, and that’s why my GFX is considered a fossil these days.

Why is it that there’s so many uninteresting, pointless and pretty much worthless games around? And why is it that new games are so full of bugs that they must be patched a couple of hundred times before they behave appropriate? Oh yeah, it’s because big sharks like EA pushes developers into releasing unfinished stuff.

Now, I must say this sucks. It’s like producing a car with three wheels and say: “look, we don’t have enough time to fully develop this car, so we’ll send you the missing tire later”.

As a developer you must make good stuff! Of course, games is only software, and software is always software. Bugs probably can’t be 100% erased or avoided, and there’s always room for improvement. Back in the days when Commodore 64 and Amiga ruled, games were released and then developers looked to the future, knowing that the games were as good as they possibly could (at the time).

However, modern games are so advanced and complicated that once they’re released, the developers have to fix about a million leeks, wholes, and bugs. It’s nothing wrong with that of course, as it’s their responsibility. But sometimes one wish they focused on new stuff instead; this everlasting patching is getting tiring.

New games are often hyped up, and not to mention longed for, long before they’re released. And when finally released, expectations are often not fulfilled. For instance, the graphics in DOOM3 and HL2 was amazing and blew everybody’s minds, but still one expected more.

I guess we have to blame even this one on the media. If they didn’t buzz about developments of upcoming games, developers could work in peace, without being stressed. But then of course the developers (and others) should keep their mouths shut and not inform the media; this is something they seem to have really big problems with.

Anyway, it is like it is. We have to accept it: computer games are now big business. And we all know what happens when money is involved: quantity goes before quality. That’s why I don’t expect ANYTHING from Quake IV.