Unimportant things that you miss.

[Blix]

Is there something in videogames that you used to like just cause? I personally miss videogame magazines having artwork from the readers. The artwork sent by some people was extremely well done at times. And it also used to show players own takes on the series and mix them up with different franchises and do all kinds of interesting spin offs.

I also miss the instruction manuals of games having detailed explanations of the characters, story line and nice art on them. It was nice to read them once you were done playing and some times they gave you some info that you might have missed while playing the game.

I'm sure other people may miss other things that, while insignificant, were nice to have in videogames. So... post yours.

[Professor S]

I used to LOVE manuals... reading them the car while being driven home from the store. It was a way of anticipating the experience; whetting the palate. It was also a time when you needed to read the manual to know what the hell was going on, instead of modern games where they basically progress from level to level by themselves.

[magus113]

I liked looking at manuals too! I can't read them on the way home anymore because it's always me driving home so it's not safe. There really isn't much of a purpose anymore either.

I do like that people are still trying to do special collectible stuff for RPGs like Working Designs used to do, like Falcom, and XSEED although it's definitely nothing as elaborate. I have Lunar 1, 2, and Arc the Lad mostly because of the packaging alone, let alone that the games are actually pretty good.

[KillerGremlin]

I miss not having Achievements in games, and I miss having real challenges like time limits (think: Goldeneye).

Along with manuals, I actually miss going and buying the game in store. Even now I order most my games from Amazon or buy used at the Disc Replay. It used to be really exciting to scrape together the cash, take the trip to the store...walk around looking at games, but ultimately go with the game you had been eying for the past few weeks. Buying it, taking it home and opening it...reading the manual like a boss, and then being wowed.

Nowadays it's like DL that shit or open a box from amazon. The luster is gone.

The thing I miss the absolute most though is the community....nowadays everything is all Steam or Xbox Live and while these are nice platforms gaming was much more adventurous back in the day when it was more community-driven. Back in the day it was less about profit and Online Marketplace and more about just playing some fucking video games. I'm talking the old CS WON servers, or the old Quake servers, or the old B-Net. I miss the 16-people LAN parties I used to attend....because that was about as organic and fun as gaming ever got. Even when we had 16 people hook up 4 Xbox consoles and did 8v8 Halo CE CTF, it was fucking pimp. This was the community that used to make maps and mods. I mean, this is why DLC is a bunch of fucking bullshit and why people in the PC community LOLOLOL at DLC. Back in the day DLC was part of the multiplayer experience, and was as organic as playing the game.

I'm first and foremost a social gamer. Although I love a good single player game, I really like the community. And IMO things like Xbox Live and Steam are kind of like the AOL of multiplayer, even if I appreciate their ease of use/access.

[Storm Eagle]

Since video game magazines in general were mentioned, I thought I'd say that I miss the Celebrity Profile section of Nintendo Power. That was one of the reasons why I used to look forward to getting new issues, to see what famous person would be interviewed next.

Other than that, can't really think of anything else. I still think video game manuals are still as good as they were before.

[Blix]

I miss not having Achievements in games, and I miss having real challenges like time limits (think: Goldeneye).

Along with manuals, I actually miss going and buying the game in store. Even now I order most my games from Amazon or buy used at the Disc Replay. It used to be really exciting to scrape together the cash, take the trip to the store...walk around looking at games, but ultimately go with the game you had been eying for the past few weeks. Buying it, taking it home and opening it...reading the manual like a boss, and then being wowed.

Nowadays it's like DL that shit or open a box from amazon. The luster is gone.

The thing I miss the absolute most though is the community....nowadays everything is all Steam or Xbox Live and while these are nice platforms gaming was much more adventurous back in the day when it was more community-driven. Back in the day it was less about profit and Online Marketplace and more about just playing some fucking video games. I'm talking the old CS WON servers, or the old Quake servers, or the old B-Net. I miss the 16-people LAN parties I used to attend....because that was about as organic and fun as gaming ever got. Even when we had 16 people hook up 4 Xbox consoles and did 8v8 Halo CE CTF, it was fucking pimp. This was the community that used to make maps and mods. I mean, this is why DLC is a bunch of fucking bullshit and why people in the PC community LOLOLOL at DLC. Back in the day DLC was part of the multiplayer experience, and was as organic as playing the game.

I'm first and foremost a social gamer. Although I love a good single player game, I really like the community. And IMO things like Xbox Live and Steam are kind of like the AOL of multiplayer, even if I appreciate their ease of use/access.

Can you elaborate on the achievements comment?

And Storm... Nintendo had a section in which they showed a little bit of code for making games and thought some of the general techniques used in videogame development. It was the common stuff and they most often showed how to create things for 2D games, I don't remember the name of the section, but it was awesome. The most hardcore thing that any video game magazine has ever done, IMO.

[Storm Eagle]

And Storm... Nintendo had a section in which they showed a little bit of code for making games and thought some of the general techniques used in video game development. It was the common stuff and they most often showed how to create things for 2D games, I don't remember the name of the section, but it was awesome. The most hardcore thing that any video game magazine has ever done, IMO.

Hm. Even I'm not completely sure what section you're talking about.

[KillerGremlin]

Can you elaborate on the achievements comment?

And Storm... Nintendo had a section in which they showed a little bit of code for making games and thought some of the general techniques used in videogame development. It was the common stuff and they most often showed how to create things for 2D games, I don't remember the name of the section, but it was awesome. The most hardcore thing that any video game magazine has ever done, IMO.

I just think that achievements miss the mark these days...single player achievements seem mostly pointless and there really isn't any tangible reward for getting them, and multiplayer achievements cause people to act like morons.

For example...while playing through L4D, it was fun reading the achievements as I randomly got them...but I didn't go out of my way to get them nor did I get any reward for getting them so at the end of the day who really cares about the achievements in L4D?

Much more satisfying was trying to get a gold on survival mode.

[TheSlyMoogle]

Oh god one time Bond, Adam, Cam and Myself were playing L4D and got the achievement for not getting boomer vommed on randomly while owning in a multiplayer campaign. It was a beautiful day.

Yeah I also miss manuals, I miss the old nintendo power. They used to have comics and all kinds of fun stuff.

[Blix]

I just think that achievements miss the mark these days...single player achievements seem mostly pointless and there really isn't any tangible reward for getting them, and multiplayer achievements cause people to act like morons.

For example...while playing through L4D, it was fun reading the achievements as I randomly got them...but I didn't go out of my way to get them nor did I get any reward for getting them so at the end of the day who really cares about the achievements in L4D?

Much more satisfying was trying to get a gold on survival mode.
Well, that depends on how much thought was put on creating the achievements. Some of them seem like the developer just wanted to fill a quota. Like in Split Second you'd get an achievement for crashing on a shortcut that an opponent opened. Now, not only is the whole aim of the game not to crash but to wreck others but how can it be a trophy to fail to use the shortcut. The other ones were ok and well thought out. And there is one in the original Left for Dead ... I think it's called Safety first, where you have to finish a campaign without any incident of friendly fire. I always tried to get it but nobody else in my teams did. I think achievements like that are really what makes it worth it. It gives the players a reason to play the game right and a goal to achieve. I'd say it varies. I also like it when you get an achievement for finding everything in a game and getting a 100% on it.

And Storm, I'll see if I can find the magazines from my huge box of magazines and see what it was called. I don't promise you anything though.

[Storm Eagle]

And Storm, I'll see if I can find the magazines from my huge box of magazines and see what it was called. I don't promise you anything though.

What decade do you think it was from though? The 80s or the 90s?

[BreakABone]

I agree with the trophies/achievements comment.

They are effective when done well, but sometimes become more of a chore than anything. Especially when developers put in great ones like the Blast Shards/Orbs from inFamous/Crackdown where you are combing a giant city for one tiny object.

Or online enabled ones, especially for games that won't have stay power so if you buy the game later on, almost impossible to get. Or the ones like winning 20 ranked matches in a row because someone will disconnect on you or something.

Or ones like playing with someone who has played with a specific player and/or developer.

[Blix]

What decade do you think it was from though? The 80s or the 90s?

Definitely 90s. After they changed the style of the magazine to be more contemporary.

[Storm Eagle]

Definitely 90s. After they changed the style of the magazine to be more contemporary.

Then I guess I could check for myself. That narrows it down.