Page 46 - OSG Presents Classic Gamer Magazine #2

For instance Wolfenstein 3D was not this new era, all the companies are CGM: Will any system ever be as big
as visually stunning as Donkey constantly in touch with the makers of or have as big a life cycle as the 2600?
Kong Country, but it made up in 3D the platform and constantly sharing
immersion what it lacked in detail. licensed innovations. I think this helps DT: PlayStation is headed in that di-
make all software be better than it rection.
CGM: Donkey Kong Country is by far would be. I suppose this is a bit of a
one of the most impressive tittles ever cop out answer to CGM: Will the 2600 in my
produced on any system. Perhaps it's your question because “My opinion is give closet ever be worth a mil-
because it takes the SNES to a limit no obviously some com- lion dollars? Maybe a
one knew it had. It seems many com- panies seem to have the consumer what place in the Smithsonian?
panies don't push their system’s limits; more hits than others, <g>
instead, they introduce the next one. but I think there are a (s)he wants. It's not
The Atari 2600 was pushed all the way lot of companies that DT: I doubt it. But you
to the breaking point and beyond with put out exceptional my opinion that should check out eBay
titles like Solaris (released ten years work. businesses should auctions. Atari memorabilia
after the console’s release). Do com- is selling for some big
panies today push their systems as CGM: That's ok Don, set morals or run bucks.
much as they should? just don't cop out on
the rest of my ques- families.” CGM: The one video
DT: Yes, but not always. Companies tions, ok? <g> The game everyone associates
are in business to make money. If they Atari 2600 far outlived the 70s with is Pong.
push every game to the limit, consum- any expectations. Which video game would
ers would see phenomenal software, From 1977 to 1990, you say most symbolize
but not often enough. Companies the 2600 was available as a retail, the 80s?
would go broke financing big, three- commercial product. Today, systems
year projects. Consumers also want barely last 5 years. Will we ever see a DT: 80s? Pac-Man.
volume and selection. There's a market system that'll hang around for as long
for Chess games for instance, but I as the 2600 has? CGM: Pac-Man was an almost non-
don't think every new Chess game has violent game that won the hearts of
to pull out all the stops in system per- TDT: The 2600's true life cycle was boys, girls, men, and women world-
formance to appeal to that market. closer to 5 years, too. There were just wide. What made Pac-Man and Ms.
so many of them. Within the industry, a Pac-Man so appealing?
CGM: Is it a waste of time for the com- life cycle is evaluated by its ability to
panies (to push things to the max) make money, not by how long people DT: Simple to learn the rules, increas-
since that better system is around the play them. There are people who still ingly difficult, and cute.
corner? play with all the systems on some level,
but the life cycle for most of them is CGM: What about today's games.
DT: Sometimes. One thing to remem- pretty much over. The level of violence and sex in today's
ber is that game designers are rein- My feeling is that the more sophisti- games is more disturbing than ever,
venting the systems they develop on cated video game systems get, the from the blood and guts of Grand Theft
every day. Any one system is designed longer the life cycle. This is because it Auto to the nude strip shows in Duke
to exploit a given set of graphics, takes a lot of effort for anyone to sub- Nuke ‘em. That's something relatively
sound, and speed parameters based stantially surpass the technology with new since I can't remember too many
on the technology available when it affordable hardware. You'll see the of our titles having anything like that.
was designed. When you throw the end PlayStation extend well beyond 5 years Back then, the thought of giving video
result into a room full of creative game I think, but then as soon as something games a rating was unheard of.
designers, they'll eventually find things substantially replaces the technology, Should something more be done about
that the hardware designers never the consumer will drop their loyalties the sex and violence in videogames?
thought of. The process takes time, but like a lead balloon and jump to the new
in an evolutionary direction. platform. DT: My opinion is give the consumer
The consumer should and does de- what (s)he wants. It's not my opinion
mand this. Any game system would CGM: Could you be more specific that businesses should set morals or
become boring fast if all the initial when you said, "The 2600's true life run families. I do wish parents cared
games did everything the system was cycle was closer to 5 years, too. There more and took their responsibilities
capable of doing and there was no were just so many of them"? I remem- [more seriously] to bring up moral
hope of doing something bigger, better ber the 2600 had games released for it households. Parents should actively
and brighter down the road. commercially as late as 1990 with see what kids are viewing on the Inter-
games like Solaris, Double Dragon, net, television, and in video games.
CGM: Activision is often credited as and Rampage. Doesn't that make the The TV industry started rating their own
the company that pushed the 2600 to life cycle over 10 years? shows a couple years ago. Guess
the max with titles like "Laser Blast" what? No one pays much attention to
and "Space Shuttle." Who are today's DT: The life cycle of a game system them.
Activisions that help push systems like usually refers to the time period that it A good business finds a product to
the Sony PlayStation to the max? generates a profit for the company legally sell to the public. If the public is
making them. Atari was not making buying software that allows the user to
DT: Back when Activison made games money on the 2600 platform in the late slaughter church groups and cheer-
for the 2600, they were pretty much on 80s, early 90s although there were fee- leaders, then publishing polka sing-a-
their own. Their own engineers had to ble attempts to revive interest. long databases seems to be one way
invent ways to push the envelope. In to go out of business fast.
Classic Gamer Magazine Winter 2000 46