TPA5

Tecmo Bowl is great, my friends and I have yelled at each other and laughed ourselves hoarse playing that game. There's a great online community for TB at TecmoBowl.org that has guys who still hack the game for updated rosters and such. Anyway, Rocket League sounds like my kind of game. I'm not a huge online fan, but those quick 5 minute runs are right up my alley. I don't have to dedicate too much time to it, but if I want I can play 10 matches in a row if I have the time. I put it on my Steam wishlist!

You're welcome I've been hearing a bunch about Rocket League from a couple friends of mine, I've been thinking about checking it out. I never liked JRPG's either until I played Tales of Symphonia on the Gamecube, that helped change my view on them. For the same reasons they waste their precious time sitting on a forum talking about games instead of playing them?

Just wondering what games you guys have played that you initially thought you wouldn't be a huge fan of, whether it be in a genre you don't usually play or simply something that didn't catch your attention, but ended up becoming a game you really enjoy. For me, Euro Truck Simulator 2 was one of those games that I never thought I would like. I've never been a huge simulator guy, and I thought "how fun could simply driving a semi-truck be, it's like having another job". But I've now put in well over 70 hours into the game, I'm shocked at how compelling it is. Every time I fire it up and play I have that "just one more delivery" mentality that keeps me up late into the night driving things around Europe. I never would have guessed a simulator game could grab me like that, but it did. What about you guys and gals? What games did you end up really enjoying (dare I say, loving?) that you would not have guessed you would?

PM'ing both of you!

An easy-to-use game creation software for the A8? Useable by those of us who aren't ultra-talented in the programming department?

Only on AtariAge can a thread about the value of games turn into petty arguments about the meaning of the word "nostalgia".

After cleaning out a bunch of consoles and games I wasn't using, and taking a step back from collecting for a little while, I'm at a place where I can start collecting for the 'Cube again. So, up the post goes!

A large part of it is the massive nostalgia that comes with putting one of those mini-discs in, snapping the lid shut and hearing that Gamecube jingle for the 3 millionth time. The other part is that it has games I really love to play, which makes collecting for it a joy because the rush doesn't end when the game comes in the mail and goes on the shelf. I return to the games over and over again and love playing them. So, though I have I think in the range of about 50 Gamecube games I can honestly say that over the years I have played all of them, and I am still finding new ones to enjoy. That's why the Gamecube clicks for me as a console to collect for. It's also the reason I am okay with emulating games from the SNES, NES, etc. Because there are so few games I would end up playing so rarely, I can't justify the space and cost of a console setup with games. I suppose it boils down to why you want to collect. Many here collect essentially for the sake of collecting, never really playing the games at length, and that's totally okay! Personally, I shifted my collecting mentality from simply obtaining stuff, the obtaining games I wanted to (and would) play. Hence the Gamecube for my primary console-collecting, and Good Old Games for a lot of the PC games I played growing up.

You're very welcome! I will say that it was a journey to get to the point where I was able to let those things go, it certainly was not overnight (though I wish I could claim to possess herculean self-will). I do understand what you mean about "collector compulsion", as even now I am occasionally tempted to pick up an old system again. Usually I ask myself when I am tempted, "What specific moments do I hope to have with this console?", and "What is the exact reason I have for purchasing this?". If the answers aren't something concrete such as, "I want this system because it has these specific games I can only play on this system, and I will play them often." then I realize it's most likely something I can live without. I feel that the desire to obtain things isn't so much a selfish first-world desire, but more of a base neurological process. Back when we were hunter-gatherers, we were wired for "the hunt". We set a goal in our minds (obtaining food) then put all our resources towards that end. During the hunt the brain would release doses of dopamine the closer we came to obtaining food, and finally when we did obtain it (gather the berries, down the animal) we received a surge of pleasure as a "reward". These days we don't do much hunting, but our brains are still wired for that drive. So we find other things to hunt for to find the same dopamine releases. That's why almost universally collectors find the hunt more satisfying than whatever particular item they obtain. The good news is we aren't slaves to those impulses. Like anything, with time and continual reinforcement, we can change how we respond to those desires. Even starting as simple as boxing up your least-used system and having a friend or family member store it, well out of your reach may help. What you are doing is slowly reinforcing in your mind that it is okay to be without that system. The longer you go, the less your mind hungers for it. Of course, this also requires that you stop hunting for anything related to that particular system to truly work (i.e. not looking up anything related to the NES for example), but that's part of the effort. At the same time, if you continue collecting for and playing your favorite system(s), you'll still give your brain that thrill of the hunt it is asking for. I'm not a psychologist, but you may just find your desire for other systems decreases to the point where you may feel confident enough to let some go. The single most important thing to remember is give yourself time. Don't try to rush through everything, or you'll make yourself miserable. If you feel that you may want to consider reducing your systems, just take it slow and steady. Our minds prefer gradual curves, not sudden turns. All that being said, I wouldn't dare to try and tell you what you should or shouldn't do. That is simply what worked for me, and I found much peace with myself. What works for you may be quite different than what worked for me. Next, I have to take a look at liquidating my camera collection! Not looking forward to it, but again when I realized that I never touched them I knew the time has come to let them go.

Can you try playing the file in a different media player than VLC? If VLC is the only thing that has changed, it's best to try and rule it out right away.

That story brings to my mind a different pondering. As games move continually towards digital distribution as the norm (if it isn't already), what will game collections look like 30 years from now? Certainly they won't retain much value (if any at all) since there is no physical good to trade. Games are locked to Steam and Origin accounts, so you can't trade them or sell them. I look at my Good Old Game library see a pile of games, but they have absolutely zero material worth. In a way then, I am "forced" to play the games I buy because that's the only thing I can do with them. There's no locking them away behind a glass case on a shelf, no flipping them onto eBay for insane sums, no hoarding them until they one day obtain magical value. I buy the games solely for the purpose of playing them, which really should be the idea in the first place. I did not grow up with these consoles, the first console I ever ended up owning while I was growing up was the Gamecube (no surprise then that it's my favorite console). Until then, I just played PC games (my other favorite). I ended up coming to appreciate and enjoy playing the older consoles such as the 2600, the Atari 400 (okay not a console, but I had one in my room when I was a kid and played Centipede to death), SNES, NES, Gameboy (had an Advance SP too growing up), etc. For me I believe it's my natural inclination to gravitate towards things that are simpler and, well, older. I use an electric typewriter for most of my writing, I enjoy old movies, I prefer Jazz and Folk to the modern auditory vomit on the radio, I find relaxing after dinner with a tobacco pipe immensely satisfying, and so on. I don't do those things so people think I'm cool or hip (words I don't think anyone has ever used to describe me), I do them because they make me feel warm and fuzzy inside. I think that's nostalgia, longing after something that's in the past that you wish you could experience, but can't. So you experience it in the little ways everyday, through the small moments. Problem is, as soon as an emotional ingredient enters any mix (in this case nostalgia), a host of opportunistic vipers emerge from the woodwork looking to cash in on it. It's what has happened, it's what will always happen. I'm not pretending to know the answers to mankind's inner psyche, that's just my .02c.

Heaps of good advice, so there isn't much I can add except a personal anecdote. Over the past year I have sold my Dreamcast, Original Xbox, PS1, Atari 2600 (ouch), Gameboy Color, and Gameboy Advance SP collections. Why? Because I simply did not play them. I would purchase a game, play it for a few minutes, then stick it in a box with the rest of the stuff. I realized it was the hunt and purchase that got me, not even the actual playing of the game. When I really considered it I spent most of the time in which I was able to sit down and play games using my PC for my GOG and Steam libraries, and my Gamecube. After I came to this conclusion, I decided to bite the bullet and sell off the systems I simply wasn't using. It was definitely difficult, and every time a system left my house I had moments of regret. There was also times I was tempted to buy back the systems, but I just rode it out and told myself it was for the better. Ultimately, it was actually for the better. Once the "pain" of letting the systems go faded, I realized I enjoyed my time collecting more than I had before, because I was working on collecting or playing things I really cared about. Now, when I get a Gamecube game, it feels more special and I actually dedicate some time to playing it. It hurt in the short-term to let the systems go, but now I honestly never even miss them. I also appreciated being able to use the cash to pay off some debts we had and get rid of credit cards. I felt like a bit of a weight had been lifted, and I am much more relaxed now that I only purchase games for a couple systems. Whatever you decide, just make sure it brings you some kind of inner-peace, that's what matters in the end. It's all just stuff when all is said and done.

Having just finished an election in Canada, I find my capacity for tedious political bullshit that suppresses the consumer while vigorously polishing the turgid shaft of corporations nearing zero. This deal is horrendous, and not just for the obvious copyright implications. It's been rushed-through and desperately fought for by an outgoing US president who, nearing the end of his reign, desires to cram in a win regardless of how stupid and foolish it ends up being for future generations. Unfortunately, our previous Prime Minister didn't have the testicular fortitude to stand up for the citizens of his country. Our new leader received a "friendly" phone call from the White House, with sincere hopes we continue to support (i.e. sit down and shut up) about the TPP. And leaders wonder why the citizenry has no trust for them.

I sold my AGS-101 in my efforts to downsize. Now I run a DS Lite with a flashcart so I have games (I know, I'm a bad person for emulating instead of purchasing), but I figure the Gameboy games I am playing are long gone from store shelves so that's my weak justification. Occasionally I'll have a desire to pick one up again, but now that I've gotten my office under control I don't want to start adding stuff again. (That's why I vanished from these forums for many months and am just coming back, I didn't need the temptation of seeing such great collections haha)

I was hoping for some good single-player action, like the storymode or galactic conquest in Battlefront 2. Yet again, triple-A games are trying to force me into an online circle-jerk with strangers I come to instantly despise for even existing. Hmph. Plus, because of a crummy Canadian dollar, preorders are hanging out in the 80-dollar range, which is bogus.

Romance your companion, you say?

The trailer is, as they always are, very flashy and exciting. I'm divided on this one, I like the idea of King's Quest returning, as playing King's Quest with my dad is my earliest gaming memory. So while I'm reticent to see them take a new direction with the game, I think if they handle it well it could be a great reboot to the series. On the other hand, if they ham-handed it and made a generic action-platformer I would be bummed out.

I like the colour blue. I don't mind them in my electronics, I find it a soothing colour.

Considering how much people blamed the guy who made Sharknado for the 2600 when lawyers came-a-knocking (metaphorically speaking) to his door for IP infringement, I doubt much support will be found on this board. I'm guessing (but could be wrong) that most folks will want to blame the author of the game, not the lawyers.

I love the Elder Scrolls series, but I dislike people in online games. Thus, I haven't tried the game yet. If it went free-to-play I might give it a go, but trying to picture the Elder Scrolls experience with 10,000 other faceless morons and trolls is difficult.

Ah, good to know that we can always rely on lawyers to ruin everyones fun.

Sending you a PM about that mic.

I want one that tells me how long it will take to complete my Good Old Games library. My guess is it will be a little bit longer.

This project looks pretty sick, I like that it has the nostalgia of games like Quake, but is accessible to people that necessarily aren't familiar with the shooters of the 90's. I like everything I read on the KS page, I am thinking I'll support it next paycheque.

His name isn't Jesus, it's James. I've actually been thinking about picking up a CoCo 3, a friend of a friend has one in storage and I've been bugging him to sell it. Right now he seems to want to keep it, even though he hasn't even taken it out of the box in the attic for years.