You gotta feel sorry for the guy...
I scanned an interview with Nolan Bushnell, the guy behind the Atari system back in the day. He was saying how video games should be a force for social good, how he wanted to save the world from Grand Theft Auto (probably the magazine's words...like I said, I only scanned the article). To this end, he's been working on a new multi-player, multi-color team Pong.
The whole time I read it, I couldn't help imagining Pandora trying to shove everything back in the box.
The problem is that what he's doing, essentially, is the same as colorizing Leave it to Beaver to save television. But nobody wants to watch Leave it to Beaver anymore. That's why its on TVLand and TVLand just happens to NOT be the most popular cable network.
I'm not suggesting that Grand Theft Auto is fine. Especially not for kids (I am guilty, however, of having taken out my frustrations on the citizens of Liberty City using a baseball bat. And a tank. And a sniper rifle. Etc.). I'm just saying, you can't fix anything by going backwards. You want to change the course of video games, make something that appeals to today's gamers, not some retro party game that doesn't have the staying power of something like, say, DDR. It reminds me of a couple of lines from Back to the Future: Part II (one of which was delivered by Elijah "Frodo" Woods):
Video Game Boy #1: You mean you have to use your hands?
Video Game Boy #2: That's like a baby's toy!
Mr. Bushnell, that's what gamers are going to call your "new" game. A baby's toy. You want to save the world? Try NOT ripping off yourself from 30 years ago.
The whole time I read it, I couldn't help imagining Pandora trying to shove everything back in the box.
The problem is that what he's doing, essentially, is the same as colorizing Leave it to Beaver to save television. But nobody wants to watch Leave it to Beaver anymore. That's why its on TVLand and TVLand just happens to NOT be the most popular cable network.
I'm not suggesting that Grand Theft Auto is fine. Especially not for kids (I am guilty, however, of having taken out my frustrations on the citizens of Liberty City using a baseball bat. And a tank. And a sniper rifle. Etc.). I'm just saying, you can't fix anything by going backwards. You want to change the course of video games, make something that appeals to today's gamers, not some retro party game that doesn't have the staying power of something like, say, DDR. It reminds me of a couple of lines from Back to the Future: Part II (one of which was delivered by Elijah "Frodo" Woods):
Video Game Boy #1: You mean you have to use your hands?
Video Game Boy #2: That's like a baby's toy!
Mr. Bushnell, that's what gamers are going to call your "new" game. A baby's toy. You want to save the world? Try NOT ripping off yourself from 30 years ago.
Labels: Rants, Video Games
posted by Noise Monkey at 2:03 PM
4 Comments:
The Grand Theft games rock... Thats like the best way to work off stress next to sex.... There just needs to be some sort of age limit it... Like for 16 and up or something....
Technically, there IS an age limit. That's why they put the ratings on them. It's idiot parents that buy their kids whatever the kid wants without looking at what they're slapping down hard earned cash for who don't realize they've forfeited the right to complain about what their kids are playing that are the problem.
No, the best way to work off stress is giving your students a pop quiz about stuff they haven't ever studied. It takes the stress and transfers it to a more deserving target.
And then after your life points go up, you back over them with your car and take back the money!
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