Is classic computer boredom starting to set in?

[Bill Loguidice]

Why should a game or movie gave to be related and compared to the tine it was made, can't it stand alone? For what it is?

 

 

If I'm interpreting what you're saying correctly, certainly a particular media creation can stand alone and be judged for what it is, but then that goes back to Flojomojo's argument about if something doesn't hold up, maybe it was never great. I don't agree with that. I'm suggesting that we need to acknowledge that sometimes greatness has a shelf life or needs to be considered in the context of its time.

 

Going back to the Ultima IV example, I think we can unequivocally acknowledge its greatness, importance, influence, etc., while acknowledging that it's going to be a heck of a lot harder to enjoy it today. Even going back to my action game argument, let's take something like the Atari 2600's Pitfall!. That's a timeless game to be sure, but is it really as much fun today as it was back in the early 1980s? Probably not. We've changed and certainly today's gamers have different expectations. That doesn't (or at least shouldn't) diminish its greatness.

[Keatah]

Mmmnn.. Once the "poisoning" influence of fast-paced app store games and sensationalism are removed, old games like Doom, Ultima, Aklabeth, and others can be enjoyed.

 

Marketing is what ruins the appeal of old games.

[Flojomojo]

Marketing is what ruins the appeal of old games.

 

But WHAT IF you read a lot of old magazines, where the old games are marketed out the wazoo?

 

(head explodes)

[Bill Loguidice]

Mmmnn.. Once the "poisoning" influence of fast-paced app store games and sensationalism are removed, old games like Doom, Ultima, Aklabeth, and others can be enjoyed.

 

Marketing is what ruins the appeal of old games.

 

The problem with Ultima 1 and particularly Akalabeth are not from any outside influences. They're just very old designs of their time that were improved upon by their own sequels.

[BydoEmpire]

 

pacing and special effects have really changed in the 30 years since they were released.

Yeah, they've changed for the worst. I tend to enjoy older movies because of the pacing. But of course, different strokes for different folks.

[BassGuitari]

Mmmnn.. Once the "poisoning" influence of fast-paced app store games and sensationalism are removed, old games like Doom, Ultima, Aklabeth, and others can be enjoyed.

Just want to jump in real quick in regards to Doom: it is still a pretty popular game and enjoyed by many. As many as in 1995? Of course not. But it's still one of the most-modded and well-supported games there is, with a very active community. New WADs, map packs, source ports, etc are coming out all the time. I actually subscribe to a few different YouTubers who review, "let's play," or speed-run various Doom WADs, mods, and such and learn about new Doom stuff I want to play, basically all the time.

 

I get your point, but I wouldn't use Doom as an example.

[eightbit]

Anybody happen to be bored with a TranswarpGS by any chance? Also PM me if you are done with an Amiga 3000 & 4000

[simbalion]

I sometimes get bored with my vintage computers and such, but the beautiful thing is that I can always pull them back out and play more later when I get interested again. Actually, I always seem to get back a little of that 'sense of discovery' I first got when finding these classic systems at thrift shops and flea markets years ago when I move away from them for a short bit.

[butterburp]

I'm definitely in the "not bored at all" camp! There is so much out there to explore - old computer mags on archive.org and Google Books, hardware videos from Phil's Computer Lab, and a zillion BBS's worth of treasures to mine on cd.textfiles.com. Not to mention retro forums like this one.

 

Lately I've found that tinkering with Dosbox settings is almost as much fun as playing the games, at least for a mad scientist type like me. For the longest time I couldn't get Paintbrush to work in Windows 3.1. When I replaced the S3 drivers with an older version and was finally able to draw the word "FART," what a breath of fresh air it was!

[Nebulon]

Is this time of the year dangerous for your classic computer hobby? With less going on, reasons (excuses) to 'check in' to AtariAge get put on the back burner, and other things start to take priority.

 

Without something new in the way of hardware or software being released, interest starts to fade, boredom sets in and we go elsewhere for our entertainment. Have you ever switched interests, never to return to the original interest due to an absence leading to lack of interest? For example, over the decades, my hobby has changed over about four times, each time the feeling of boredom, being separated from, or having gone as far as I could go set in.

 

_{^{(Yeah, the person who made this GIF could not spell, don't blame me, I just 'borrowed' it.)}}

 

Nope!

 

My interests are remarkable consistent.

 

I liked 8-bit and 16-bit machines then and I like them now.

[kiwilove]

Bordeom is part of life itself - and is part of any game. You will get bored with any game eventually - and if you get involved with any game project - it's always elusive to have a game that stays fresh and interesting... What matters is that you become aware of this concept - and you accept the games for what they are.

That you appreciate whatever games you've come across and acknowledge those rare ones that show that rare flash of creative genius at work. It is usual to find only a handful for any system and even rarer to find one lately created that is called retrocomputing.

 

Everyone has different videogaming tastes and likewise boredom thresholds. And to me - it still is possible to create something new and different? that was not created back in the day - but I'm not a creative programmer genius - but one who will graphically assist, when I am able to.

 

In the big wide world of commercial creativity - especially that in the world of movies, TV, books, comics etc - those who are suppose to be at the top of their game/field - are actually doing a very bad job - that is my own personal opinion. We are getting the same old crap over and over again - and they don't know what is wrong with their material. Truly. The present crop of superhero movies illustrate this all too clearly ... the ideas presented are altogether wrong and invalid - like the news is... People do not know what is wrong with the news? That it is so 'fake' with journalists/etc not doing their job.

 

Harvey

[ToddUGA]

Not for me. Just obtained my favorite computer of all time and the machine that got me through college in the early 90s...the Amiga 1200. The case and keys are a little yellow but otherwise it's in great shape. It's been re-capped and is ready for some upgrading. Can't wait to get everything set up.

[Papa_Bear]

It's not that I'm bored... I just can't be bothered to drag them out of their boxes and set them up. I've got the original boxes for most of my computers and I like to keep em in there when I'm not using them. Pulling them out of the pink sleeves unwrapping the power bricks for both the disk drive and computer. Just a big chore.

 

That and I'm slowly working on repairing the one I really want to play with... but I can't until I get it done!

 

Woo.