Video game features that should've been around much longer.

[Caspian]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

Was Feba alive in '94?

The first public version of Netscape was released in October, 1994.

Yeah, memory is a little fuzzy, but I remember having a 14k modem around then, and soon after upgrading to a 28. I think that was back around the time of getting the aol free month sample discs and perpetually using those for internet access.
Looks like AOL launched in '93 for windows, if I'm reading the wiki right.

Now, did 99% of super nintendo owners have one back when it originally launched in the US in '91? Doubtful.

But I honestly don't remember internet connectivity for the SNES, so that tells you if I ever used it.

[Susurrus]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

I'd like to add custom soundtracks to the list as well. It's been around forever on PC games, but practically no console games support it, despite the fact that we have easy ways to put music on current gen consoles. I can think of two games, Endless Ocean and Excite Truck, that support this on modern consoles. I doubt there's more than a dozen other games when you include the 360 and PS3, though I could be wrong. This might not be so good for your big, epic games, but it would be a huge improvement for things like Wii Fit.

Some Xbox games (very few, mostly just early ones) support in game music play back off your hard drive (replacing the in game music), found in options menus of those games (Fusion Frenzy is the only one I can think of off the top of my head, but I know there's some others).

Xbox 360 has this same feature (either from Xbox360 Hard Drive or streaming from PC) for EVERY game, and is found by hitting the Xbox Guide button and choosing music.

PS3's recently added the option to do it via firmware updates to read off hard drive/stream during games, but the game has to support it (either natively or via update) - I don't know which games do, if any, yet.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

Yeah, memory is a little fuzzy, but I remember having a 14k modem around then, and soon after upgrading to a 28. I think that was back around the time of getting the aol free month sample discs and perpetually using those for internet access.
Looks like AOL launched in '93 for windows, if I'm reading the wiki right.

Now, did 99% of super nintendo owners have one back when it originally launched in the US in '91? Doubtful.

But I honestly don't remember internet connectivity for the SNES, so that tells you if I ever used it.

Ah 14.4.....I remember thee well. Cost me an assload for one back in the day but I was the cool geek on the block. LOL

No there was no internet connectivity in the US or UK SNES's. There was some sort of periphrial in Japan but I don't remember the details. It flopped which isn't surprising. LOL


EDIT: This was bugging me so I called my JP buddy. He said it was called something like Satellite View (his English is good but this could be wrong!) and his exact words were "Nintendo lost their fucking mind, it sucked their ass!" (Ya I busted out laughing! LOL) Ok...off to bed. This old lady has a headache. /wave

[eticket109]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

The internet connectivity for the SNES and Genesis was through X-Band back in 94 and 95. I loved that thing. I used to play Madden and NHL over it a lot.

[Feba]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

Did you have an affordable and practical internet connection in 1994?

Was Feba alive in '94?

In '94, I was indeed alive, but still shitting in my pants. All the time, I mean.

And it wasn't actually internet, IIRC, it was a satellite service. It worked closer to PPV than BBS. And I'm pretty sure it was Japan Only, which is why you haven't heard of it. But that sort of technology could definitely have been put into place far earlier than it was, and to much greater use.

(Looked it up, it's Satellaview. BS Zelda no Densetsu Kodai no Sekiban - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia is a great example of the potential we've lost here. ANYONE WANT TO IMAGINE THE ABILITY FOR CINEMATIC GAMES TO HAVE LIVE VOICE ACTING? THEATRICAL GAMING! IMPROVISED SCRIPTS? JOKING WITH ACTORS LIVE? MUSICAL INTERPRETATIONS? METAL GEAR SOLID 4: MELODIES OF THE LA-LI-LU-LE-LO? ANYONE?)

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

In '94, I was indeed alive, but still shitting in my pants. All the time, I mean.

And it wasn't actually internet, IIRC, it was a satellite service. It worked closer to PPV than BBS. And I'm pretty sure it was Japan Only, which is why you haven't heard of it. But that sort of technology could definitely have been put into place far earlier than it was, and to much greater use.

(Looked it up, it's Satellaview. BS Zelda no Densetsu Kodai no Sekiban - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia is a great example of the potential we've lost here. ANYONE WANT TO IMAGINE THE ABILITY FOR CINEMATIC GAMES TO HAVE LIVE VOICE ACTING? THEATRICAL GAMING! IMPROVISED SCRIPTS? JOKING WITH ACTORS LIVE? MUSICAL INTERPRETATIONS? METAL GEAR SOLID 4: MELODIES OF THE LA-LI-LU-LE-LO? ANYONE?)

Thanks Feba for the visual.....

*cough*

EDIT: This was bugging me so I called my JP buddy. He said it was called something like Satellite View (his English is good but this could be wrong!) and his exact words were "Nintendo lost their fucking mind, it sucked their ass!" (Ya I busted out laughing! LOL) Ok...off to bed. This old lady has a headache. /wave

He said he'd look for one for me and see how much they are going for. Just more $$ spent on something I don't need. LOL

[Evion]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

Don't get the Virtual Boy! I think it was proven that it caused permanent brain and eye damage for the users. Well, I suppose that's true for most games, so go ahead and get it then...

Oh yeah, the Gamegear was way ahead of its time, read up on that!

[Armando]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

Don't get the Virtual Boy! I think it was proven that it caused permanent brain and eye damage for the users. Well, I suppose that's true for most games, so go ahead and get it then...

Brain damage?

What?

It could cause eye damage if you played more than 2 hours a time. That was it though.

Oh yeah, the Gamegear was way ahead of its time, read up on that!

That's why its battery life sucked so hard. In my opinion the Sega Nomad was far more impressive, considering it took the same 6 AA's and gave you a fully-functional handheld Sega Genesis instead of a Sega Master System.

[MrMageo]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

I want to say Disc Drive units, they should have been mainstream long before they were. Along with a HDD in the system. It would have been cheaper then making cartridges with extra room for saves, and CD's are cheaper than anything else for copying and production purposes. Should have always been CD's and Nintendo should never have shunned sony back in the days of the SNES > N64 transition.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

Seamless loading - not all games/systems are there yet, PSP is atrocious in this regard.

2D graphical support - do I really even have to say this? 2Ds not dead. Stop making it hard for developers to make good 2D games on your console.

Backward compatability - I know you want to sell us more PS2s that fail, Sony, but that's no excuse to remove the feature from PS3. No, we don't want your PS3 with no games yet. PS2 happens to be alive and well, support the games.

OK, those are things I wanted that actually should have stayed around, but some of the big three tend to lose sight of these things.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

Seamless loading - not all games/systems are there yet, PSP is atrocious in this regard.

2D graphical support - do I really even have to say this? 2Ds not dead. Stop making it hard for developers to make good 2D games on your console.

Backward compatability - I know you want to sell us more PS2s that fail, Sony, but that's no excuse to remove the feature from PS3. No, we don't want your PS3 with no games yet. PS2 happens to be alive and well, support the games.

OK, those are things I wanted that actually should have stayed around, but some of the big three tend to lose sight of these things.

Well Kitten, at least when you dream, you dream BIG! WTG! ^^

[Zempten]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

I want various endings to games. I like replaying games for something new rather then the same ending . . .say like Valkyrie Profile - the first one.

[Feba]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

Yeah, I had a gamegear, and loved the crap out of it. That thing could give a GBA a run for its money, despite the whole "being made ten years earlier." thing.

And loading screens too, yes, those need to die. If not completely destroyed, at least make them few and far between, and well hidden (see GTA). Metroid Prime also does a good job of hiding loading screens (by not interrupting gameplay). This is also kinda linked to saving-- you should be able to at least save and quit at any time. Save points can be used for challenge, but sometimes you just need to DROP THE GAME AND QUIT.

[TheGrandMom]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

GameGear and Nomad =

Dreamcast =

When there was talk of a new Sega handheld I gasped and wished for it to be true. Alas.....java based games will be all that it does besides MP3's and videos.

[Susurrus]

Re: Video game features that should've been around much longer.

I want various endings to games. I like replaying games for something new rather then the same ending . . .say like Valkyrie Profile - the first one.

Eh? I thought Chrono Trigger came out before Valkyrie Profile?