The SportsGamer of Today. - Pared's Blog

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Pared's Blog

The SportsGamer of Today. Stuck

Posted on November 11, 2008 at 02:41 PM.

(8)

What has happened to the SportsGamer?

If you talk to someone that has been playing games for many years, it's very difficult to not find them reminiscing of Tecmo Bowl, Double Dribble and Blades of Steel. There were no sliders, complaints about the AI or essays on exactly how the game is "broken." The SportsGamer simply enjoyed a game that was fun and made with an attempt to bring the best out of a specific sport.

Flash forward to today and all you will see are gamers everywhere complaining. Either someone's nose doesn't point at the correct angle... or so and so stat is inconceivable. I used to love sliders; I still do to an extent. They can help save the personal enjoyment of a game with just a few clicks. But more and more the Sports Gamer continues to focus on how to get the averages of real life sports while losing its variability.

As Sports Gaming has evolved, so have we as gamers. I understand we should expect more. I, of all people, am always looking for ways to make a game better. But at what point should the obsession over accurate accessories stop and the enjoyment of these fabulous games begin?

You have to simply decide enough is enough at some point. 5 years ago I never thought I would be playing a dynasty with my friends online, participating in a league with full stat tracking, trying to break into the Bigs or wanting to become an international superstar.

Games have become very enjoyable, despite some disappointments along the way. There are tremendous innovations out there that so few SportsGamers are taking advantage of.

So... are you going to fall into this sad state of redundancy, complaining about everything that is wrong with Sports Gaming today... or are you going to be able to enjoy everything that is right?

Comments

# 1 Steve_OS @ Nov 11

As I get older, I enjoy everything that is right and not dwell on the negatives so much. I don't even read the Bugs and Glitches threads.

# 2 fishepa @ Nov 11

I just enjoy games for what they are.

# 3 BrianFifaFan @ Nov 11

I'm feeling you. I have really tried to stay out of the Fifa forums for a while so guys can get all the rants out of their system. And you know what? I have had the greatest gaimg experience of my life, just enjoying the game and being amazed at how realisitic this game is compared to any other sports game I've ever played. I know that it's not perfect, but I can kind of put it aside, especially becuse I always seem to notice things I didn't really think about until I read the "bugs and glitches" thread. I guess ignorance is bliss....

# 4 rspencer86 @ Nov 12

Good post. I understand that everyone wants sports games to be better, more realistic, and more fun to play. I understand that feedback and making developers aware of a title's bugs and other shortcomings will help to build that better game. But there comes a point where sports gamers should set that stuff aside and just enjoy the game. I think if more gamers had this kind of mindset, we would see less ranting and raving and nitpicking and more enjoyment out of these games.

# 5 Gary Armida @ Nov 12

Well done Pared. I have to agree with you. I think it comes with age. I know alot of us around here were nitpicking on things, but as gaming became more of a luxury to me, I started to enjoy the games that I enjoy and not play the ones I didn't like. I no longer search for that mythical combination that will make a game great. Great post!

# 6 trobinson97 @ Nov 12

I try to find more things right than wrong more often than not, it's hard though when you're a part of a community like this. There are so many complaint threads that pop up for each game you're bound to find yourself in one. You may not have even seen anything wrong with a particular game until you saw someone complain about it here.

# 7 Pared @ Nov 13

That's a good point trob. I think I may write about that next.

# 8 nemesis04 @ Nov 15

As much as the complaining and whining can be overwhelming, it is sort of a fuel to get things fixed and features put into games. Our society is very spoiled when it comes to innovation, once something is achieved we are like okay what is next?