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A Stupid Idea

Guest

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I like to play computer/videogames. There are many of these games and I want to play them all, even the bad ones. In one lifetime, I can't. Well, I technically could, but then, at the end of it (the lifetime) would I be able to call it a life? With my clawed hands and burned out eyes on my deathbed, would I relish having consumed all possible videogames or would I curse my life as wasted? Nevertheless, I'd like to give it my best shot, while still trying to maintain a real life. We'll call this part of my life, the computer/videogame part: my obsession.

 

I also have what I will refer to as my quirk: sequelphobia. I don't like to play a game if it's a sequel to a previous game either literally or spiritually, if I haven't played the earlier game, first. In fact, I prefer to start playing games from a particular designer/publisher by playing their earliest work first. This twist of my quirk also began expressing itself with respect to genres. I try to find the game that introduced a genre before finding the games that defined, evolved, refined or even diluted the genre. Following my quirk when paired with my obsession to a logical, horrifying extreme I had to face the fact that: I want to play every damn computer/videogame, and I want to play them in order.

 

I also have a problem with the appropriate use of italics. If anyone knows some guidelines for the usage of italics, I'd like to hear them.

 

Sooo, I came up with this stupid idea:

Pretend it is 1972.

Play everything released to the Home Video Game market in 1972.

Then, pretend it is 1973 and play everything that was released in 1973.

Lather. Rinse. Increment Year.

Repeat.

 

For purposes of simplexity:

1. I'm only dealing with home video game systems. (I'll do computers on another run through.)

2. If it's super obscure, super expensive and/or un-emulated . . . I'll just have to forget about it.

3. Also, for purposes of not-going-insane-and-eating-my-children, I'm not going to try to play every Pong dedicated paper weight out there.

4. U.S. Released games mostly, but not exclusively.

 

First preference is to play the game on the original hardware.

Second preference is to play it emulated on PC with original controller.

Third preference is to play it emulated on Xbox or Dreamcast.

Fourth preference is to play it emulated with PC keyboard.

Fifth preference is to read about it and say, gee, I wish I could play that . . .

 

I'll start tomorrow in 1972 with the Magnavox Odyssey.

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Mezrabad

heheh, thanks scogey. I think the 70s will go by quickly enough. It's the 80s that I think I'll be in forever!

 

Actually, I just thought about it and I take it back. The 80s might move a little quicker. What's slowing me down so much in the 70s is getting my 7 year old son to play these 2-player only games with me. We do have surprising fun with some of them (none that I've talked about yet) but every bad one reinforces the "crap game from hell" feeling that makes him not want to try any more of them. I shudder to think how hard it's going to be to get him to play anything from this era after he plays a few RCA Studio II games.

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ubikuberalles

sequelphobia - Hah! :) I like it!

 

I have the same phobia but it's mostly about movies. Why bother watch the sequel when I haven't seen the original? Sometimes I won't even watch a TV series if I missed the first episode.

 

Not so much with video games. I do have a few sequels I haven't played because I haven't played the original but I also have played sequels without playing the original first. For example, I played Link's Awakening before I played any of the earlier games.

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Mezrabad
sequelphobia - Hah!  :)  I like it!

 

I have the same phobia but it's mostly about movies. Why bother watch the sequel when I haven't seen the original? Sometimes I won't even watch a TV series if I missed the first episode.

 

Not so much with video games. I do have a few sequels I haven't played because I haven't played the original but I also have played sequels without playing the original first. For example, I played Link's Awakening before I played any of the earlier games.

 

I'm glad someone else understands! I did the same thing with Link. I played Wind Waker before playing any of the others. I was about to start the game over again (this time with the color camera) and realized, wait! I can't do this! I've never finished the first Zelda! Then I crawled back into the little mania you see me expressing these days. :)

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sut

Just discovered this and think it's one of the most interesting (and often amusing) pieces of writing I have ever read. Really enjoying it (i'm upto 1977 already). You are living a fantasy of mine, please keep going!PS. Gratz to your son for also enduring the 'crap games from hell'PPS. Looking forward to Chrono Computer Games when you have completed this LOL!

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Mezrabad

Just discovered this and think it's one of the most interesting (and often amusing) pieces of writing I have ever read. Really enjoying it (i'm upto 1977 already). You are living a fantasy of mine, please keep going!

 

PS. Gratz to your son for also enduring the 'crap games from hell'

 

PPS. Looking forward to Chrono Computer Games when you have completed this LOL!

 

Hey, thanks!!! Sorry that I took so long to see this! I've been "busy" (addicted to Second Life, but I'm better now). :thumbsup:

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Nelio

Hello.

 

I know I'm a few years late, but I'm very happy I found this. It's good to know there's someone even more obsessive than me out there! I actually found this wonderful series because I'm doing something similar to what you tried to achieve here. I also want to know about the entire history of videogames. I said know about and not play because I know it will be impossible - as you have proven - but I do want to go through as many games as I can, even if I just read a bit about them. You've obviously gone much further, as you actually bought the systems and written wonderful reviews. In some ways I envy you, and in others I don't. I think you, yourself, feel the same. ;-)

 

The Odyssey was obviously the place to start (although I eventually went through all the pre-1972 computers as I couldn't just let myself ignore them). There's an Odyssey emulator but you really need the accessories to play, so I couldn't try the games there. So this is how I found this series, while looking for reviews from someone who actually played the games.

 

Actually, I originally found this series last year, but in another site which only features the entries from 1972. For a year I thought that you had simply given up on your project, and I was quite saddened for it. It was really a pleasant reading and I was hoping for more - in particular because I need you for my own obsessive project! Recently I've been gathering more info about the Odyssey as I'm a contributor at www.mobygames.com (which I hope you know about!) and I found this blog - the REAL blog. I just couldn't believe my eyes! You had actually continued your project! So I'm now going through all your posts, even the ones I had read before because they're just so much fun!

 

So I just wanted to throw you a big THANK YOU for your effort. You don't have nearly as many followers or comments as you deserve. This is absolutely fantastic.

 

I wonder if you'll read this. :-)

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Mezrabad

Hey! Thanks for all your kind comments, Nelio. I'm reading them all. :) I think I would have more followers / comments if I were a little more consistent in my production times. I can't believe it's been 7 years. It's weird to ego-google and see "chronogamer" get a lot of entries... there's even a chronogamers site, though completely unrelated and I'm not even sure why they use the name. (I'm not the first to use "chronogamer", but I was the first to use it to refer to obsessively playing games in chronological order of release... most use it in reference to the SNES game which I also love.)

 

OH so you saw me at Armchair Arcade first! Yeah, I love that site! That was my first attempt to "redux" these entries, but unfortunately I started doing that around the time I got a job and obviously my "release" schedule suffered.

 

You're welcome, and thank YOU for your encouragement and appreciation.

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