It's a G-A-M-E - YeOldTonk's Blog

YeOldTonk's Blog

It's a G-A-M-E

Posted on April 23, 2016 at 10:37 AM.

I believe it was Christmas morning of 1976. I was so excited to see what santa had brought me. I looked under the tree and dropped to the floor in excitement. There under the tree was a brand new Magnovox Odyssey 300 video game console. It was great! It had a total of three games on it, Hockey, Tennis and Smash. My dad help me get it connected to the extra 13" black and white TV we had downstairs and I was there for the rest of the day.

That was my first "video game" some 40 years ago. I was hooked and have been pretty much ever since. The Coleco Electronic Quarterback was next and I totally wore that out. Soon after that came the Atari 2600 and then I "moved up" to the Commodore Vic 20 and started my PC gaming from there.

The thing about it back then, there was no Operation Sports website or game developer websites that you could log on to and get info, updates, or post your frustrations. We played the game and had fun with it. Sure the games were more simple back then and not as detailed as they are today. So there was less to be critical about.

What got me thinking about this was the deluge of criticism that has washed over the forums on this website the past week or so. The developers put out a couple of patches to help with bugs and still get criticized for not fixing everything.

I think its great that users of the game can interact with the developers and give feed back to help the game get better, but when people just lash out and tell the developers how bad they are and offer nothing to better the cause, I just don't understand.

In this day and age when most people are connected and able to send and receive comments almost instantaneously, It can be a double edged sword. It can be in the range from "Sorry to hear you're having problems, we will look into getting that rectified as soon as possible." to "Thanks for the feedback, glad to know you're enjoying the game."

Yes, I understand the passion of the people on here. Yes, I understand how frustrated people might get when something isn't right. But please, it's a video game. The keyword is "game". A game as defined by Webster is "A physical or mental activity or contest that has rules and that people do for pleasure." FOR PLEASURE.

Yes you paid $60.00 - $100.00 for the game. Yes, you should receive a working product. The things is, most of the people on here have been purchasing and playing this game for years now. They know its not going to be perfect on release day, but yet they go totally ballistic when something is not quite right.

I've seen posts on other sites about people supposedly sending personal threats to developers or other employees of the developing company. Really people? ITS A GAME. If you're not getting pleasure with this product, take it back or sell it to someone who might. Walk away.

I'm not defending anyone here. Just making an observation on what I have seen posted on here and other places on the interwebs. I know this isn't the only place this happens too. I've been playing World of Warcraft for close to ten years and see the same thing in there. Passionate people going nuts because of their infatuation with the game.

I'm not going to get into the whole millennial generation and entitlement deal, but as a older gamer who has grandchildren, I've seen a few generations of gaming. Yes, this is the greatest generation of gaming right now and I know it is only getting better, you HAVE to remember one thing.....

THIS IS A GAME.

Comments

# 1 buziii @ Apr 23

YeOldTonk - Well said! I'm probably even older than you, and I'm also amazed that some take these amazing technologies for granted, like they're entitled to have perfection and have it right now! I'm also a Grandpa, and if my grandchildren act like that...well I'd better not say, or I'll be in trouble with the law these days!

# 2 Black Bruce Wayne @ Apr 25

It is a "game" however the game costs money, so therefore as consumers we expect something in return. That fact seems to be always be left out of the "Its only a game" arguments

# 3 cdh72469 @ Apr 26

Amen! As another older gamer whose first system was the Atari 2600, playing games of any kind, including video games is supposed to be fun and a break from the everyday responsibilities and stress of life. Sure I get frustrated from time to time but I mostly enjoy the gaming time I do get these days. I too fell into the if it's not perfect it's no good for a time but time to game is at a premium for me as responsibilities with work, home, wife and children take precedent. Just enjoy it. As the man said, It's a game.

# 4 trey2k198003 @ Apr 26

@blckbrucewayne he does not forget that the product cost money he does touch on that in this piece.

Now i am not a old gamer but a middle aged one and i completly agree! i have to hear these "FOOTBALL" fans whine about madden screen shots or news every time a new game comes out. Its so bad sometimes i quit coming to this website. I feel bad for the makers of the game cause they have a bottom line and a company agenda to meet and also a fan base to make happy and those two goals at time can be completely different. But gamers dont care! If its not the way the want the game is labled "crap" or "just EA going through the motions"

I know this sounds like a guy tired of madden whining ( it kind of is) but its games in general no matter what developers do they are going to disappoint someone and get blasted behind someone clown behind on the web. i guess im glad i am not the only guy out there who feels that these are just games and no matter if they cost real money or not if they are fun (which (90%) only game i have not been able to find fun in was destiny in the last 10 years. But that was due to my own expectations of the game and maybe their marketing but it is probably a fun game for what it is not what i wanted it to be.) then enjoy what you have cause there will never be the perfect game someone somewhere will always find fault, theres more to life to video games and that's coming from a guy who plays maybe 10- 20 hrs a week lol