For a while now, I’ve been trying to figure out what are the determining factors of a great game, and by extension a great game system. It doesn’t take much self-reflection to realize my favorite systems are the VCS, NES, and Wii. Many of their games satisfy one of the following criteria. Numbers 1-4 are pretty essential for me, but when a game also includes number 5, I’m hooked. With the Atari Box supposedly on the way, I hope it can also muster plenty of games that fit into this list.
1. Simple. The game needs to be easy to learn and play. There’s a balancing act the game programming has to perform here, because you don’t want the game to be easy or boring. Going along with this theme, I really enjoy single-screen games and tend to avoid 3-D worlds.
2. Fast. This does not necessarily apply to the game’s pace. Fast means I press the start button and the action starts. I didn’t turn on my game system to watch a movie. This also applies to duration. I should be able to enjoy a round even if I only have a few minutes to spare.
3. Fun. The game should be challenging, but not overly frustrating.
4. Concept. The game should be an original idea or a creative twist on an old one.
5. Ingenuity. The game should match the technology of the system and make creative use of its capabilities. The VCS and NES did this by designing games that maximized the limitations of the system. The Wii and mobile games do this through maximizing the systems’ unique player interaction. I really appreciate VCS paddle games, since it is not a common type of controller.
I would say every game in "Racing the Beam" meets all these criteria. The most famous NES games meet them too. In general, WiiWare games did well on these too.
A game doesn't need to score high in every one of these criteria for me to enjoy it, but that definitely would increase its chances. Now I doubt many serious gamers would share my tastes on this. However I think this list could be a useful framework for what the general public would embrace. I know expectations are low for the Atari Box, but the company would do well to keep this list in mind.
Using a video game to communicate a news story is not a new idea, but is still considered very innovative. Generally, the news consumer gains a better understanding of an issue through the interactive experience. In covering the transportation debate in Wisconsin, I tried something entirely different. I programmed a game called Roundabout Racer (development title: Robin's Roundabouts). It's a fun driving game where you try to get through as many roundabouts as possible without getting in a wreck. Playing the game doesn't actually teach you much about roundabouts, but it is a great conversation starter. So I took a different approach in presenting it to my viewers. Trying to get them to play it would have been a nightmare, because I would have had to explain Stella to them and how to configure Stella to play a paddle game. So instead, I played the game and talked about all the random facts I dug up about roundabouts in Wisconsin that I couldn't fit into other stories. I figured some of these kids on YouTube get millions of views just playing games and talking in the background, so why not give it a try. It did much better on Facebook than on YouTube, which is typical these days - though still not exactly viral. Anyway,
, and I've attached the latest version of the game.
As I said before, I'm a professional journalist. And so when I stumbled across 8bitrocket.com yesterday, this article really grabbed my attention: "Pac-Man, Electronic Games Magazine, and the exact moment Atari lost the video game war," http://www.8bitrocket.com/2017/04/05/pac-man-electronic-games-magazine-and-the-exact-moment-atari-lost-the-video-game-war/
The author examines how the "newly established critical video game press" contributed to the Atari VCS' downfall and the video game crash when Pac-Man was released. Up until that point video game "critics" were really just advocates cheerleading even the worst games. Pac-Man marked a turning point.
This article got me thinking about sports journalism, which also tends to be more of an advocate than a critic. It's a fairly recent phenomenon for sports reporters to write dirt about players and teams. However, the reaction to negative sports coverage is completely different from negative video game coverage. Sports fans aren't likely to ditch their team when a bad story comes out, but a bad video game story can very effectively keep gamers away. A series of bad stories probably won't get a sports fan to turn their back on a sport, but it could get a gamer to turn their back on a system.
The impact on the target of the bad press is different too. A series of bad sports stories probably isn't going to have much of a long term impact on that sport. However, a series of bad video game stories could have a profound impact on the industry. It could lead to either a crash or it could motivate game designers to create better games. You can't rest on your laurels in either industry, but negative stories definitely seem to have a bigger impact on video games.
Anyway, these are just some first impressions about the topic. It could probably be a journalism grad student's thesis, and an ambitious one at that. It involves psychology, sociology, public relations, and sports and technology issues. It just goes to show how much we can learn about ourselves from video games and the Atari 2600.
I'm an investigative video reporter, and so my whole life revolves around visual communication. That means tons of video reports, social media videos, animations, charts, graphics, and even occasional interactives. It takes a lot of creativity and attention to detail. I find programming for the Atari is a great mental and creative exercise that helps recharge my imagination. You need to balance a simple concept, compelling presentation, and enjoyable gameplay - all in 128 bytes! It takes real mental agility to make it all work. The limitations are so strict, yet the possibilities are endless. Just as Atari provides me with a great way to "reset" when I'm feeling burnt out, this blog will complement that intent and also help me keep of some of the things I pick up along the way. Feel free to tag along!
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