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The Tamagotchi Cemetery

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Re: The Tamagotchi Cemetery

#101

Post by stryan »

dan1234 wrote: post #94
IG_Semmelweiss wrote: post #90

I wonder if there was a pattern or analysis of tamagochi sales success by country. I certainly read about Tamagochi growing up...but i hardly saw one or heard of friends owning one. Curious if these prospered in countries with free trade agreements with Japan? Or just the right distributor? Or something else entirely?

They were hugely popular in the UK, for a short time in the late 90s. I was in 6th form at the time (so 16-18) and everyone seemed to have one. I was actually surprised that Namco didn't release an official Tamagotchi app (or it completely passed me by).

They did have a serious of apps under the Tamagotchi Life brand for a while[1]. There hasn't been an app in a while though; right now they've mostly been focused locally where Tamagotchi's are used as promotional tie-ins and physical accessories (e.g. the most recent Evangelion and Demon Slayer themed releases.

[1] https://tamagotchi.fandom.com/wiki/Tamagotchi_L.i.f.e.

Re: The Tamagotchi Cemetery

#102

Post by niix »

So odd that this article is on HN today. I recently purchased a Tamagotchi for my five year old son and I feel a ton of responsibility for it as I don't want to disappoint my son. Unfortunately it has died a few times from accidental reset or being accidentally left in the car throughout the day. But over the past week or so while he is in school, I make sure the Tamagotchi is with me everywhere I go so I can ensure it's healthy throughout the day.

Re: The Tamagotchi Cemetery

#103

Post by amcoastal »

akavel wrote: post #97
knolax wrote: post #95

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I remember the moment when lag killed my hard core Diablo2 paladin. This is why I don't play roguelikes.

Curiously, I'm perfectly fine with roguelikes since long ago, but I can't muster emotional energy to get back to XCOM: Enemy Unknown (the modern one) since one of my characters on a team died there (I still vaguely remember the map), even though I could theoretically reload a save from before it happened . The feeling doesn't seem to wane, and surprises me to no end every time I think about that.

Grab XCOM 2. Its a solid step forward from enemy unknown and you might not feel the same disappointment.

Re: The Tamagotchi Cemetery

#105

Post by akavel »

amcoastal wrote: post #103
akavel wrote: post #97

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Curiously, I'm perfectly fine with roguelikes since long ago, but I can't muster emotional energy to get back to XCOM: Enemy Unknown (the modern one) since one of my characters on a team died there (I still vaguely remember the map), even though I could theoretically reload a save from before it happened . The feeling doesn't seem to wane, and surprises me to no end every time I think about that.

Grab XCOM 2. Its a solid step forward from enemy unknown and you might not feel the same disappointment.

Maybe I didn't express it clearly enough, but I don't think I'd call it a disappointment, more like emotional trauma of losing this character.

Re: The Tamagotchi Cemetery

#106

Post by agent008t »

killtimeatwork wrote: post #75
tarsinge wrote: post #68

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Modern graphics help games such as The Last of Us or Horizon Zero Down make you feel like you are part of the story, living through it along with the characters. Except it doesn't work for me. It's in an uncanny valley of near realism, where I notice every flaws and bugs that instantly break the immersion. Same with character development: due to growing up and kind of getting more experience of humankind I find mys…

> Except it doesn't work for me. It's in an uncanny valley of near realism, where I notice every flaws and bugs that instantly break the immersion. Same for me. The high-fidelity of graphics promises me a realistic simulation of the world, while the gameplay immediately breaks immersion (e.g. if I punch one of the friendly NPCs in the face, they usually don't take offence and continue as if nothing happened etc. etc.…

I think for this reason 1998-2004 was the golden age of gaming. Hardware capabilities got good enough that fairly rich 3D environments and mechanics were possible, but they were primitive enough that there was no pretense at complete realism and imagination could fill the gaps. Games were also cheap enough to produce, so novel ideas could get funded and smaller studios could make AAA games.

Gaming audiences were also still small enough that you didn't have to pander to the lowest common denominator.

All of the above resulted in such gems as Deus Ex, System Shock 2, Silent Hill 2, Metal Gear Solid, etc. I do not think this is nostalgia talking either - some of these games I only played for the first time recently and many years after their release.

Re: The Tamagotchi Cemetery

#107

Post by sumtechguy »

29athrowaway wrote: post #62
jle17 wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I never had a Tamagotchi, but I can understand how the loss of a digital pet could have been quite traumatic. As a kid I cried when it "died". Taking care of the thing for days, seeing it grow, caring for him when sick, it sure created some attachment even though I knew it was virtual. And because I couldn't bring it at school, parents had to take care of it sometimes, with the pressure of knowing I would badly rea…

My little cousin was like this. His tamagotchi was fully happy, well fed, etc. But he seemed too attached to it. One day I told him "I am going to set you free, bro" and reset it. He was pretty upset about it at first but then thanked me. Few years later I saw him playing an MMO. I think it was Ultima Online. I asked him what he was doing and apparently he was ambushing and mugging newer players. I hope both things w…

I had something happen to me that was similar. I was forever scrounging for points for this cocacola thing. One day I realized I had let some expire. I gathered all of them up and dumped them in the garbage and did a little dance in my kitchen yelling 'im free!' my wife thought I was nuts. I am now on the look out for engaging patterns companies use to draw you in. Point systems are one of them.

Re: The Tamagotchi Cemetery

#108

Post by agent008t »

tarsinge wrote: post #65
freetime2 wrote: post #37

The most memorable video games of my childhood were Final Fantasy 2 (aka FF4 in Japan), and FF7. And the most memorable moments from those games are when they killed off playable characters that I had become quite fond of. Those 16 bit graphics on the SNES, combined with the right musical score, could create a pretty moving experience. I never had a Tamagotchi, but I can understand how the loss of a digital pet could…

Not sure if voice acting is the problem because the first Metal Gear Solid on PS1 is still one of the best video game and movie experience for me.

But Metal Gear Solid had great voice acting! Much better than MGS5, anyway.

And so did Deus Ex. Part of the fun was that these games did not take themselves super seriously, they did not pretend to be an overly-polished (to the point of being sterile) Hollywood blockbuster.

It's a bit like 80s movies. They weren't realistic, they had cliches, they weren't polished, but they were awesome!

Re: The Tamagotchi Cemetery

#109

Post by fullstop »

freetime2 wrote: post #37

The most memorable video games of my childhood were Final Fantasy 2 (aka FF4 in Japan), and FF7. And the most memorable moments from those games are when they killed off playable characters that I had become quite fond of. Those 16 bit graphics on the SNES, combined with the right musical score, could create a pretty moving experience. I never had a Tamagotchi, but I can understand how the loss of a digital pet could…

It is not a very challenging game, but that is the core idea of Spiritfarer [1]. You care for spirits, help them come to terms with their finality, and take them to the afterlife. They give you enough of their back story to explain why their behaviors and preferences are what they are. You figure out their favorite foods, try to keep them happy with their accommodations and care, and then have to say goodbye forever.

It is done very, very well. It's easy to get attached to these characters and then have to let go of them.

10/10 in my book.

[1] https://thunderlotusgames.com/spiritfarer/

Re: The Tamagotchi Cemetery

#110

Post by fullstop »

livre wrote: post #45
freetime2 wrote: post #37

The most memorable video games of my childhood were Final Fantasy 2 (aka FF4 in Japan), and FF7. And the most memorable moments from those games are when they killed off playable characters that I had become quite fond of. Those 16 bit graphics on the SNES, combined with the right musical score, could create a pretty moving experience. I never had a Tamagotchi, but I can understand how the loss of a digital pet could…

> I wonder if modern graphics and voice acting might actually be making games less immersive, by asking less of players' imaginations when it comes to completing the characters. Or it may just be that I'm older now. Depends on the game but I think you may be experiencing survivorship bias. You can remember the greatness of old games (I do too, still have very fond memories of Monkey Island) but right now you are goin…

> What Remains of Edith Finch

The cannery scene was done so very well.

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