When "next-generation" consoles were first being discussed on the Internet several years ago there were many visions of how gaming would evolve. By using online play more effectively gamers would be closer than ever; with HD capabilities the virtual world would be the most stunning and realistic ever experienced; and with super-powered machines everything was supposed to be smooth and fast, including game load times.

Here it is a few years after these machines have been on the market and one thing still seems as prevalent as ever: those load times. You all know what I speak of: You fire up your favorite game and are all set to play -- but one last thing before getting taken to the field, court or rink … "LOADING."

In an age where we want everything now it is funny that we have almost learned to accept a loading screen in a video game. By now we have a routine down and an almost built-in timer in our minds of how long it will take before we need to be back in front of that TV from our snack run, bathroom break, or even just changing the input to check out the score of the real game.

However, while load times have not been removed forever, several games can keep you parked on the couch since you are still being entertained while waiting for the actual game to begin. And some still manage to drop the ball and overlook this minor, yet annoying minute that gets wasted before playing every sports game.

MLB: The Show puts up several different stats during its loading screens. This also happens to be a nice touch in my book.

I tend to like games that provide me with something to read or learn -- or at least something nice to look at while a game loads. The old EA NHL games had nice loading screens with an arena or city backdrop, which was a real-life picture, and then put up the starting lineups and a who’s hot, cold, or injured for the upcoming game. This was visually pleasing as well as informative.

MLB: The Show puts up several different stats during its loading screens. This also happens to be a nice touch in my book. For one game it may be the probable starting pitchers for the series, in the next, the current standings or even league rankings for an arbitrary stat. While it is something that is small, it tends to go a long way in my book. It gives me something to do and learn while I wait. These are perhaps things I would even be checking for after games if not provided for me in these screens.

Other games, such as the latest Madden and NHL, give you a chance to get up or change the channel with their drab and boring loading screens. NHL sticks with the controller set-up and shows you every game what buttons do what. As if after all these games I haven’t figured this out, or looked in the manual. I would be OK if the game did that for every game started on a rookie level or if it knew you were a newbie to the game, but come on.

The game would show the upcoming matchup with details about game time and the stadium, and then in two boxes, one designated for each team, it would have team records with rankings, conference standings, and offensive/defensive rankings

Madden used to give the button mapping screen load, but this year has tried to drop some knowledge by posting some fun facts. A nice attempt, but I see the same dang tidbits every time! I have some of them memorized for crying out loud. What happened to an interactive quiz or something a bit more intriguing or dynamic?

As for Madden’s little sister NCAA Football, well it used to do something rather neat on the Playstation 1 about 10 years ago. The game would show the upcoming matchup with details about game time and the stadium, and then in two boxes, one designated for each team, it would have team records with rankings, conference standings, and offensive/defensive rankings. This was a crash course in scouting when playing some teams, and a nice thing to have when you didn’t want to search and find out these things before firing up a game.

One of the coolest loading options out there is 2K’s. Its baseball games have been going with a stadium fly-in basically, but from the exterior, showing a rare outside modeled stadium and fans walking to their seats. All this is done while the announcers give details about the upcoming action too. At a certain point, while this all is going on, the game is loaded and you have the option to watch the rest of the pregame or skip right to the action. Dang near perfect in my mind, and something Madden has tried to steal a bit, but it just has the quick stadium shot and then intro -- plus it does not occur while the game loads.

Finally, you have games like NBA Live. A cool idea was introduced here, one in which you get to be a player and are on a court with the ability to practice your moves and shots for a little until the game is loaded. This does give you something to fiddle around with until you get in the game, but it unfortunately lacks replay value, and after a week or two you are still probably doing your loading screen routine and coming back just in time to hear Marv Albert.

So my plea to video game developers is this: Please spend just a little bit of time programming something entertaining, or at the very least create something intriguing and visually stimulating while a game loads. After all, it is nearly 2010 and I shouldn’t have load screens right? Still, if they have to exist, just make them useful and I won’t be wasting that precious minute of my life before every game, or making people waste five minutes of theirs reading articles such as this one.