[Blackheart]

Games have come a long way since their creation and over the years we have witnessed a lot of changes which has invoked a transcendence in games from their simplistic shoot 'em up/beat 'em up platformer predecessors to practically interactive movies.

What started off as a simple past time has become a huge trend and we've seen game characters evolve from simple 2D side scrolling sprites into complex 3D models with dynamical and complicated personalities. We've seen games progress from a linear progression of levels into interactive stories with a purpose because of well written and stylish plots. Games have all the same essential thematic elements of movies now as well such as dramatic scenes which can effectively build emotion, comedic characters you can sympathize with, action sequences of mind blowing intensity, stunning visuals, and epic moments which feel larger than life and can leave you in awe. Games have also been a popular medium for conveying deeper meaning moral opinions and societal issues in the form of a social commentary.

So, as a gaming community I pose to you this simple question: In the hypothetical situation you are a creative game designer, what do YOU think should be the next step in game evolution to increase industry popularity? More interactivity? Playable cinematics? As our technology progresses another major evolution in gaming is imminent, the question remains of what the next big trend will be...post your thoughts on what you think should be the new direction for the nextgen games.

As an example I'll start. Interactivity is great which is why the Wii was a novel idea, unfortunately the more interactive a game becomes the more unplayable it is due to confusing and complicated controls. I think game designers preparing for the next gaming trend should focus their attention on virtual reality. It's an esoteric idea novelists and filmmakers have toyed with for many years, yet aside from military application we're yet to see anything of the sort on the consumer market. I love the idea of being immersed in a holographic true 3D game world.

[Intrepid Homoludens]

Originally Posted by Blackheart

So, as a gaming community I pose to you this simple question: In the hypothetical situation you are a creative game designer, what do YOU think should be the next step in game evolution to increase industry popularity? More interactivity? Playable cinematics? As our technology progresses another major evolution in gaming is imminent, the question remains of what the next big trend will be...post your thoughts on what you think should be the new direction for the nextgen games.

I thought playable cinematics was already ignited by the original Half-Life? The opening credits alone (where you could observe everything in 360 panorama walking around in the tram, while the cinematics set the stage for what would be an epic gaming experience back in 1998) were innovative, but most every cinematic in the story were in-game; events happened all around you.

In the hypothetical situation you are a creative game designer, what do YOU think should be the next step in game evolution to increase industry popularity?

Marketing and acculturation.

LOL!! Not exactly the answer you were seeking, eh? Most games today are advertised in a way that seems to cater only to those who already game. Until marketing offers an all inclusive invitation for anyone to play, I don't expect to see the majority of the world looking to partake in immersive gaming.

Acculturation is also vitally important. A vast majority of people need to be shown how involving games can be, particularly in terms of many of the benefits they offer in such areas as social bonding, improved visual awareness, coordination, and even medicinal and psychological therapy (as in helping soldiers with PTSD cope with returning to civilian life). Games and gaming as friendly experience should and must be advocated, instead of the usual "murder simulator" bulls#%t drivel that loudmouth conservatives keep harping about.

[Blackheart]

Originally Posted by Intrepid Homoludens

I thought playable cinematics was already ignited by the original Half-Life? The opening credits alone (where you could observe everything in 360 panorama walking around in the tram, while the cinematics set the stage for what would be an epic gaming experience back in 1998) were innovative, but most every cinematic in the story were in-game; events happened all around you.



Marketing and acculturation.

LOL!! Not exactly the answer you were seeking, eh? Most games today are advertised in a way that seems to cater only to those who already game. Until marketing offers an all inclusive invitation for anyone to play, I don't expect to see the majority of the world looking to partake in immersive gaming.

Acculturation is also vitally important. A vast majority of people need to be shown how involving games can be, particularly in terms of many of the benefits they offer in such areas as social bonding, improved visual awareness, coordination, and even medicinal and psychological therapy (as in helping soldiers with PTSD cope with returning to civilian life). Games and gaming as friendly experience should and must be advocated, instead of the usual "murder simulator" bulls#%t drivel that loudmouth conservatives keep harping about.

It's not about what I'm seeking, this is strictly about people's opinions about the next wave of revolutionizing games. There is no right or wrong answer. You proposed some good ideas.

[MoriartyL]

I would hope that the next step is that people stop treating all of games (probably the most wide-ranging medium ever) as though it is one singular entity, about which you can ask questions like "What's the next step for games?". When developers figure out that what works well for one kind of game doesn't work well for another, games will be much better off. That's what needs to happen next.

Realistically, I don't see that happening in the next decade.

Regardless, there will not be a revolutionary change that effects all games. Games are too diverse.

[Blackheart]

Originally Posted by MoriartyL

I would hope that the next step is that people stop treating all of games (probably the most wide-ranging medium ever) as though it is one singular entity, about which you can ask questions like "What's the next step for games?". When developers figure out that what works well for one kind of game doesn't work well for another, games will be much better off. That's what needs to happen next.

Realistically, I don't see that happening in the next decade.

Regardless, there will not be a revolutionary change that effects all games. Games are too diverse.

I see you're point and think you're wrong. You are one of those people as the age old expression goes can't see the forest for all the trees...literally. I know I said earlier there isn't a wrong answer, but now I'm forced to change that. Yes, there is a vast diversity in games and there are so many different genres, but regardless of the different types they all fall within the boundaries of the same classification as "games". Lets look at software as an example. A computer has many different types of applications whether it be an email program, word processor, photo or image manipulator like Photoshop, but regardless of different categories of applications they're all just a subdivision of the larger group which is "software" so whether it's a spreadsheet or a paint program it's still an application. Because they all are labeled under the same heading they can be treated as a singular entity. The same goes for games.

To say there won't be any revolutionary change which affects all games because they're too diverse, to me, is the most uninspired "easy way out" answer which is synonymous with "I don't have any opinion on the matter".

This next bit might be a bit repetitive, but if I have to beat a gifted horse to death to get a point across then I will. When games evolved from simple platformers to experiences with plots and characters it affected ALL games regardless of genre. Nowadays you can't play a game that isn't some type of narrative. When games became more than just 2D text based adventures into complex 3D worlds, it affected all games regardless of genre. When playable characters started having personalities and dialogue, it affected the whole medium. When gameplay mechanics expanded giving the player more control over their playable characters allowing him or her to interact more with entities in the game world or started featuring minigames, it affected all games regardless of genre. After the rise of Mortal Kombat, being one of the first games to incorporate blood and graphic violence, a new movement started creating a whole new medium for a different type of game. A movement for games with profanity, increased violence and mature themes targeted for adult audiences. Every genre whether it be adventure, action, first person shooter and so on has at least one mature title within its ranks. So you know what that means right? The movement of more adult themed titles affected all games regardless of genre...are we getting the point yet? Do I need to go on? Because I can.

I'm not talking about specific technologies which will target only specific genres, I'm referring to major changes that will affect the medium as a whole changing the production and presentation of games or how people play them and it will happen. Just you watch and wait.

[MoriartyL]

My favorite game of last year was Art Style: Orbient, which had 2D gameplay and no narrative. If it had been 3D, or if it had had a story, you can be certain that it would not have been as good.

But you want to talk about whole categories, not specific games. What about the rhythm game? That's still almost always 2D gameplay, though they throw in 3D effects to distract you from the fact. I don't think it often has characters with dialogue and personality, either. And rhythm games are huge right now.

The most-played Wii games have no story, they're collections of minigames.

The most popular casual games on PC are all 2D.

These are not categories to be brushed aside, these are huge parts of the game industry as it stands today. There has never been a development that effected all kinds of videogames. Never.

You think bloodiness has effected all games? Show me a bloody puzzle game, or a bloody rhythm game. You think characterization has effected all games? Show me a racing game with good characterization. You think minigames have effected all games? Show me... okay, you got me there. But still.

You don't want an "easy-out" answer? Fine, I'll give you a real answer. But real answers are going to be more complicated than you realize.

Platformers will start imitating dance and acrobatics, and get more abstract. Adventure games will move away from puzzles and exploration, and get less abstract. RPGs will disconnect from D&D mechanics. Strategy games will find new mechanics. Party games are going to be effected tremendously by Project Natal, and will get lots of new players into games. Action games are going to become more targeted toward experienced action game players, and that market will gradually shrink.

Videogames are not going to all move in one direction, just as they never have in the past.

[Little Writer]

It's been a long time since I heard about VR. I thought the technology had perished silently. I don't think we'll see gamers fully immersed in a 3D world that way.

But what about a smaller step in that direction? We've seen so many 3D movies in theaters lately, wouldn't it be logical to borrow that to make your gaming screen truly 3D as well? Imagine playing a game where someone hands you an object, and his arm and hand actually move out of the screen towards you? Then when you have the object, you can turn it around to look at all sides, discovering hidden things.

But as is usually the case when it comes to graphics, even if the technology could be implemented, the hardware needed for such an illusion would be enormous; we already have people complaining today how many games are out of range for them due to high system requirements. I'm dazzled trying to imagine the required processing power.

[MoriartyL]

I've always wished for a game with cross-eyed 3D. What I'm referring to is where what the right eye sees is on the left, and what the left eye sees is on the right, so you see 3D by crossing your eyes. I can't get enough of stuff like that. But I know that most people don't find it as easy to keep their eyes crossed for prolonged periods as I do, so I doubt anyone will ever make a game with the technique.

It really doesn't need to be so photorealistic- I'd settle for really simple graphics, but where the game uses the perception of depth to its advantage.