How has your thoughts on video games changed from one year ago (or later)?
tl;dr: My thoughts on video games have become much more positive as I realize that video games have their ups and downs and that video games are probably the only entertainment medium I seriously follow. You can thank Mighty No. 9 for that. I'm going to be working on building my collection for the PS3, Wii as well as support the PS4 and 3DS (I don't plan on getting a Wii U until near the end of the lifecycle, especially since Smash is coming out for the 3DS anyway). In the distant future, I may also get into PC gaming.
Also, what should I be aware of when it comes to good DLCs (Fallout 3) and bad DLCs (Street Fighter X Tekken)? I don't want to buy games in which DLCs are meant to get more money out of the pockets of consumers rather than DLCs benefitting the game.
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I remember saying many times that after Super Smash Bros. Wii U and 3DS that I would forever swore off modern video games and going retro. There is a lot of things about the video game industry I don't like about it (such as use of on-disc DLC, Microsoft's treatment towards gamers lately, fan bases that can get unbearable to deal with, etc) and the more I realized the issues with today's gaming, the more I felt like jumping off ship. I saw little hope for the gaming industry and felt that getting retro games from here on out would satisfy what's left of my interest in gaming. Smash was a way for me to leave the gaming scene with a bang, which was part of the reason why I anticipated this game so much.
While Smashboards was down, I still continued to post but went to NeoGAF instead for my Smash discussion (as it is a slightly better alternative than GameFAQs). Then I saw on September 1st a game that captured my attention; Mighty No. 9. I never thought I would have another game I really wanted to get, but Mighty No. 9 turned out to be that game.
Mighty No. 9 isn't just an ordinary game; it is a Mega Man-esque game being developed by Keiji Inafune. Naturally, this excites me because it's been a few years since we've had a good Mega Man game and I want to see how this "spiritual successor" turns out. But what especially drew my attention was that this is a Kickstarter funded game and that if you contribute $5, you get to be part of the dev room to help out with the game. And the game has some really cool extras as well. Pay $20 and you have forums access and the game and above that gets you even more cool rewards. I never care about Kickstarters, but this is the one exception I am willing to make (thinking about donating $80).
Seeing so much support given towards the game really pleased me. Already, Mighty No. 9 is at 40K supporters and is near $2.3 million and the game is going to be available for the PS3, 360, Wii U, Mac, PC and Linux. To me, this shows that fans are still willing to fight for things they love. So many Mega Man fans have felt burnt by Capcom that they are willing to support the project to get a Mega Man-esque game. I have said a few times that the Mega Man fan base is a very dedicated bunch and if this doesn't show that, nothing will. I very much look forward to seeing how Mighty No. 9 fares once it releases and I'm looking forward to not only the game, but also interacting with the new community and contributing to a hopefully great game.
Very shortly afterwards, I came to a realization in that video games were not going on a permanent downhill that I thought it was. Granted, a case could be made that video games are in decline and I don't disagree with that, but at the same time, we can't expect video games to be on the rise all the time. Like most things in life, video games are going to have their ups and downs and either ways won't last forever. Regardless of what is happening in the video game industry, good games will always be out and I don't want to deprive myself of a potentially great game because of my "old video games are so much better" mentality I had as of last month.
So I'm going to be giving gaming a second chance with this new way of thinking towards game. I am going to start building a PS3 collection of games (I never really bought games for it for some reason) and buying what games I want on the Wii as well. I also want to get a PS4 and 3DS as I like what I see there and feel they are consoles worth supporting. The Wii U I will eventually get, but not until the end of its life so that I can get the few worthwhile games on the system. Heck, I may even consider PC gaming in the distant future if I can get a job that pays well (and I was about to do so until I realized my video card sucks and upgrading to a recent one costs $250; which I'm not doing). The only thing I'm sure I'm not getting is the Xbox One but this has to do with me losing a ton of respect for the Xbox platform because of the Xbox One's was originally designed to screw over consumers. And of course there are many, many systems from the old times I want to get. I don't see myself ever leaving the gaming medium.
Not to mention when it comes to entertainment mediums, the only one I seriously follow is video games. I'm a casual moviegoer and only watch them on occasions. Anime and mangas I want to get into, but there are so many thing I would want to try out that I don't see myself needing to follow the industry in order to enjoy anime/mangas. Video games has been a very important part of life to me and brought me some of my very favorite memories. While I don't need video games and am willing to give them up if absolutely necessary, it is a hobby I'd really want to expand on; especially with the nearly limitless amount of interesting games available. Perhaps someday I'll make a YouTube account discussing/ranting/reviewing video games to get my thoughts out there. When making a solid posts on Smashboards, I recognize how satisfying it is to make a good post and to be able to have a positive influence on the community (even if it is only a very small part). I'm not saying I am searching for fame, but to be able to potentially contribute positively to the industry (even though I don't plan on becoming a game designer) is something that I'd like to do; even if it is as small as giving a rational viewpoint on recent issues with video games and having others see my viewpoints. Granted, I'll probably never be fully satisfied with video games (as in, getting all the games I want), but at the same time, it gives me reason to continue following the industry long after SSB 3DS & Wii U comes out.