surf dtoid with 
Rising (10+)
People you follow
I liked the Pop Cap BEFORE it had an opinion. But really, if I were in their shoes I might have a big head about things too. In general though, I love those guys.
Popcap Games is the reality tv of the gaming world, it's shallow gameplay with no story. It's the de-evolution of the complex gaming that we've come to love.
this guy is aboslutely right.
every game boils down to a few fun mechanics, i remember reading about bungie when they started to design halo, and how its one gigantic game of rock paper scissors (instead its gun, melee, grendae). so there you go, a billion dollar franchise boiled down to a game you played as a child, but someone else with more money, a team of writiers and artists and a few programmers.
its hard to argue that popcap doesn't know how to create these fun mechanics when their simple jewel matching games rack up millions of downloads, if they put more polish and substance over their play mechanics why couldn't they give the big guys a run for thier money?
every game boils down to a few fun mechanics, i remember reading about bungie when they started to design halo, and how its one gigantic game of rock paper scissors (instead its gun, melee, grendae). so there you go, a billion dollar franchise boiled down to a game you played as a child, but someone else with more money, a team of writiers and artists and a few programmers.
its hard to argue that popcap doesn't know how to create these fun mechanics when their simple jewel matching games rack up millions of downloads, if they put more polish and substance over their play mechanics why couldn't they give the big guys a run for thier money?
They can tout their downloads all they want. I'd still never pay a cent for any of their titles. Ever.
They are simplistic little time wasters and I've only ever really played one or two. Not worth my time whatsoever. When I game, I play for story and the social aspect of it, not 'cause "simplistic mechanics."
They are simplistic little time wasters and I've only ever really played one or two. Not worth my time whatsoever. When I game, I play for story and the social aspect of it, not 'cause "simplistic mechanics."
Erroneous on all counts! This guy is a fool if he even thinks I'd drop a dime on any of those games. I mean don't get me wrong, I don't mind playing them for about 15mins here or there, but I don't think I'd actually sit down and play for hours, I outta punch thay guy right in the mouth for saying that.... >.<
I don't understand. No matter how you parse the concept of depth, nothing that PopCap games has is in the same league as the large majority of console games, even the crappy ones. Hell, Poker Smash has more depth than the highest echelons of the "click on things to make other things happen" or the "bejeweled with more jewels" genres that PopCap lauds over our heads. Arrogant to say is right.
"Popcap Games is the reality tv of the gaming world" and "PopCap games, destroying the very foundation of gaming".
Get your head out of your asses, just because a game features a gun or a village in despair doesn't make it any more or less relevant of a game. People complaining about casual games have no clue what they're really afraid of and are being elitist dicks.
Get your head out of your asses, just because a game features a gun or a village in despair doesn't make it any more or less relevant of a game. People complaining about casual games have no clue what they're really afraid of and are being elitist dicks.
@robotplague
Their fear is that if the casual market continues to get such a huge surge, creativity might happen a lot less in favor of minigame collections or games with no depth.
So tell your mommy to make you some cookies and calm down, it has nothing to do with being elitist.
Their fear is that if the casual market continues to get such a huge surge, creativity might happen a lot less in favor of minigame collections or games with no depth.
So tell your mommy to make you some cookies and calm down, it has nothing to do with being elitist.
"People complaining about casual games have no clue what they're really afraid of and are being elitist dicks."
Its like homophobia, only the games are gay.
Its like homophobia, only the games are gay.
They are absolutely on the same level as PC/Console gaming, especially on a commercial front. Popcap can just about print money, from where they're standing, and I seriously doubt there are many individual gaming companies that can compete with their profits and returns based on game production investment.
In general, I'd be really fucking careful before I knock flash games as shallow and uncreative and destroying the soul of gaming. I certainly can think of any number of flash games I've played that I'd prefer to a good deal of popular, big name "real" games. Is Crysis really all that deep and creative? Really?
In general, I'd be really fucking careful before I knock flash games as shallow and uncreative and destroying the soul of gaming. I certainly can think of any number of flash games I've played that I'd prefer to a good deal of popular, big name "real" games. Is Crysis really all that deep and creative? Really?
@jetsetlemming:
I don't think anyone is knocking flash games at all, because god only knows I've played my fair share of awesome ones. PopCap has got cred for making mad bank at putting out "casual" games, but I think the issue here is the contention of depth, or lack thereof, in your standard PopCap game. You can argue about how fun Bejeweled 2 is, and I am with you 100% on that, but to say that it can "destroy" the depth of console games is inaccurate at best. Plus, how in god's name can you hold up Crysis as something that's not deep or creative? Are you insane?
I don't think anyone is knocking flash games at all, because god only knows I've played my fair share of awesome ones. PopCap has got cred for making mad bank at putting out "casual" games, but I think the issue here is the contention of depth, or lack thereof, in your standard PopCap game. You can argue about how fun Bejeweled 2 is, and I am with you 100% on that, but to say that it can "destroy" the depth of console games is inaccurate at best. Plus, how in god's name can you hold up Crysis as something that's not deep or creative? Are you insane?
Sites like Reflexive and Popcap are retarded in their price schemes. They charge 20 dollars for games that should only cost 5 or 10. I can't fathom why people would drop that money on simple games.
My issue with Popcap is that their original games are too random and their good games are blatant clones. Bejeweled and Peggle rely far more on randomness than actual skill, and Zuma and Astropop are carbon copies of Puzzloop and Money Puzzle Exchanger.
It's hilarious to see the CEO "praise Nintendo for its innovation" when Popcap has never done anything innovative and good.
Popcap's marketing muscle stifles creativity in one of the few areas of gaming where start-up developers have a chance to make a splash without a huge budget. What's the point of making a good casual game on a shoestring budget when Popcap will just steal it and make their own version?
It's hilarious to see the CEO "praise Nintendo for its innovation" when Popcap has never done anything innovative and good.
Popcap's marketing muscle stifles creativity in one of the few areas of gaming where start-up developers have a chance to make a splash without a huge budget. What's the point of making a good casual game on a shoestring budget when Popcap will just steal it and make their own version?
epic fail!
doesn't he see that is this depth that has created the 'hardcore' crowd?
Casual players:
A) don't spend a lot of money on games, on average the XB360-user has the largest collection of games
B) won't buy these games for their console if they can play them for free online, or maybe they'll buy 1 or 2 but surely not a whole collection of it
plus there's only a limited amount of stuff you can do without depth, the fact that ( as stated by bVork ) their real 'topgames' are basicly just copies of allready existing formats is a testament to this problem... what will they release in the next 5 years? or in the next 10? they'll run out of 'new' stuff soon enough if they don't want any depth...
doesn't he see that is this depth that has created the 'hardcore' crowd?
Casual players:
A) don't spend a lot of money on games, on average the XB360-user has the largest collection of games
B) won't buy these games for their console if they can play them for free online, or maybe they'll buy 1 or 2 but surely not a whole collection of it
plus there's only a limited amount of stuff you can do without depth, the fact that ( as stated by bVork ) their real 'topgames' are basicly just copies of allready existing formats is a testament to this problem... what will they release in the next 5 years? or in the next 10? they'll run out of 'new' stuff soon enough if they don't want any depth...
Honestly, who gives a fuck about casual games? Trying to claim they have great depth just makes you sound like a pompous jackass who's too important for his own good.
XivGNP:
I wasn't thinking of Popcap games when I praised flash games as a medium, and talked about its creative potential. ;) I was thinking more in line of a couple of the great games I've played on sites like Newgrounds.com.
It's certainly a great folly to believe that just because a game runs in your internet browser means it's inherently trash designed for peons. There's a fuckton of popular mainstream games that are as shallow and uncreative and stale as any Popcap game.
I wasn't thinking of Popcap games when I praised flash games as a medium, and talked about its creative potential. ;) I was thinking more in line of a couple of the great games I've played on sites like Newgrounds.com.
It's certainly a great folly to believe that just because a game runs in your internet browser means it's inherently trash designed for peons. There's a fuckton of popular mainstream games that are as shallow and uncreative and stale as any Popcap game.
Two words blow all of your arguments away:
Bookworm. Adventures.
Seriously, this is the best game on PopCap EVAR. Though I suppose a single game really doesn't prove anything about their entire library of rehashed clone games.
Bookworm. Adventures.
Seriously, this is the best game on PopCap EVAR. Though I suppose a single game really doesn't prove anything about their entire library of rehashed clone games.
follow
