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Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)

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Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)

#61

Post by Minor49er »

ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #5
fps_doug wrote: post #2

Just the other day I was wondering whether these old games were just so much fun because I was much younger and it was simply something new and exciting to me, or whether there's something else to it. You know, sometimes less is more, if the game world is just about detailed enough that you can make out what things are supposed to be, you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the bl…

>you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the blanks, x100 this. Quake 1 was terrifying for me even though the pixelated graphics are poor by todays standard because my imagination would fill in the blanks making things feel way more scary. Just take a look at these pixelated creatures. Coupled with the soundtrack from NIN and Trent Reznor and the gothic atmosphere they feel way sc…

I wonder if the games are creepier because your brain can't fill in the blanks. The creatures all move like vicious predators, behave like machines, and look like pixellated mutant animals. Can the mind even categorize that? They're as mysterious as they are vicious. Fear is the first response.

Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)

#62

Post by taneq »

torginus wrote: post #45
fps_doug wrote: post #2

Just the other day I was wondering whether these old games were just so much fun because I was much younger and it was simply something new and exciting to me, or whether there's something else to it. You know, sometimes less is more, if the game world is just about detailed enough that you can make out what things are supposed to be, you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the bl…

I have so much to write on this, sorry if it comes off as incoherent rambling. The gist of it is I think the 90s really were a special time in computer gaming, and it's not just nostalgia you're feeling. I'll try to list what came to mind. - Just like the 60s-70s in music, product people had no concept of what a marketable game looked like, and were willing to fund much more riskier ideas. - Video game team sizes and…

> The gist of it is I think the 90s really were a special time in computer gaming, and it's not just nostalgia you're feeling.

I don't think it'd be exaggerating to say that the 90s were, for 3D gaming, the equivalent of 1900-1910 for aircraft. The decade started with a few barely-functional attempts and ended with relatively polished and widely available products.

Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)

#63

Post by breakfastduck »

fps_doug wrote: post #2

Just the other day I was wondering whether these old games were just so much fun because I was much younger and it was simply something new and exciting to me, or whether there's something else to it. You know, sometimes less is more, if the game world is just about detailed enough that you can make out what things are supposed to be, you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the bl…

Games in this era were also ultimately designed to sell copies and be fun.

No micro-transactions, no limitations by console platforms, no huge worldwide marketing campaigns and TV adverts.

Just developers trying to make the games as fun as possible so more people would buy a copy when magazines gave it a good review or people showed their friends when they were over.

Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)

#64

Post by NortySpock »

phaus wrote: post #12
b0rsuk wrote: post #3

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Most FPS games were literally consolized. Until Halo came around, no one could make a FPS work because a controller was too slow and imprecise. Halo's trick was to sloooow the action down. The chunky thing was why making levels for DooM was so easy. Prodeus (early access) also has easy to use level editor, but currently the game has some design problems - such as dumb and slow monsters. Those in DooM were also dumb,…

>Halo's trick was to sloooow the action down. I agree that the action was slower, however, Halo's real trick was designing a set of weapons that were fun to use, but were mostly horribly inaccurate. The sniper was the clear exception. I did a controller VS mouse/keyboard competition with Halo 1 on PC vs the best console Halo player in my Battalion when we were deployed to Kuwait. We would both use the same weapons at…

I think I see your point about inaccurate Halo weapons, but as I recall the Halo 1 pistol has sniper-like accuracy (even a scope!)

Maybe that's the exception that proves the rule?

Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)

#65

Post by donatj »

cousin_it wrote: post #54
ChuckNorris89 wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

>you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the blanks, x100 this. Quake 1 was terrifying for me even though the pixelated graphics are poor by todays standard because my imagination would fill in the blanks making things feel way more scary. Just take a look at these pixelated creatures. Coupled with the soundtrack from NIN and Trent Reznor and the gothic atmosphere they feel way sc…

I think Quake's enemy models are clumsily made, except for the Scrag which elevates the whole game. Eventually someone made a whole game with the Scrag aesthetic (Devil Daggers) and it became a huge hit. Wish there was a campaign game like that.

The Vore still gives me nightmares several decades later.

Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)

#66

Post by meheleventyone »

fps_doug wrote: post #2

Just the other day I was wondering whether these old games were just so much fun because I was much younger and it was simply something new and exciting to me, or whether there's something else to it. You know, sometimes less is more, if the game world is just about detailed enough that you can make out what things are supposed to be, you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the bl…

Don't worry we're on the cusp of getting loads of PS1/N64 aesthetic games. It's been bubbling in some niches (notably horror) but it feels like we're about to see it as the next indie thing.

I personally am looking forward to a return of the wobbly skin model skinning from Kingpin!

Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)

#67

Post by bluedino »

kuu wrote: post #32
b0rsuk wrote: post #17

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Which games imitate Goldeneye and Turok? I mean I guess you have a point that these games work, but the fact they've been ignored by game designers is telling something.

Perfect Dark is a clear descendant of Goldeneye I would say

Same engine and a lot of the same team.

Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)

#68

Post by iforgotpassword »

klmadfejno wrote: post #50
fps_doug wrote: post #2

Just the other day I was wondering whether these old games were just so much fun because I was much younger and it was simply something new and exciting to me, or whether there's something else to it. You know, sometimes less is more, if the game world is just about detailed enough that you can make out what things are supposed to be, you have to let the creative part of your brain do much more work to fill in the bl…

> I tried Unreal Editor a few years ago. The engine is really impressive, there's a ton of assets, high res textures, it's easy to create a natural looking terrain, but then bringing it to life is hard work and takes skills. Everything I built looked clunky, out of place, lacked details, lighting seemed off, it was rubbish. Minecraft fixes this problem. Everyone can build good looking stuff. A lot of this is probably…

> I don't care much about high quality graphics, but I don't think I agree with your hypotheses about lower quality being better for imagination though. It's just another sort of uncanny valley.

Hmh, not sure. I agree on lighting being very important, but RTX-Quake looked just weird too. But imagination probably plays a role in games like doom where enemies are barely more than a couple pixels. It's like horror movies are scary because of the stuff that is only implied through storytelling and sound, as these things then happen directly in your brain and not on the screen.

Re: Dusk is a 90s style shooter from the mind of a teenager (2016)

#69

Post by AbraKdabra »

Aside from the game itself, the soundtrack is an amazing 43-song piece of art made by Andrew Hulshult, which has jewels like Hand Cannon (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VgXnz2t1KMs) or Departure to Destruction (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TWnzazIvXI8). You should definitely listen to it. Also, Andrew is the new soundtrack composer for Doom, so that tells something.
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