Let sleeping dogs lie :)

A good read and some valid points brought up. Gaming, by today's standards is derivative. Why is that? It's because it's evolved into mainstream entertainment media. Which by and large has "all been done before" . Music, movies, you name it, there are few innovators mostly imitators. You could argue that gaming is ruled by the big overbearing gaming companies who "know what's best for you", "milk the cash cow", etc. But the truth is, gaming is heavily ruled by commerce. If it doesn't sell, don't expect it to show up ever again. And with up to the second reviews on the Internet, renting, and word of mouth, it's very easy to try before you buy.

Grand Theft Auto 3 is THE biggest grossing game of all time and has a fan base that is equally huge. It provides the essential ingredient that all growing gamers need: violence and LOTS of it! =) Now I love inflicting shotgun wounds and pimping hookers as much as the next guy but... GTA3 is NOT for me. I have played it and I consider it very dull. Derivative, if you will. Yet a game like Metroid Prime, developed by a team of inexperienced American programmers can also be quite violent. Albeit, you're killing space creatures instead of humans but still violence is violence. However Metroid has one thing in spades - it is FUN. Hey let's take a classic side scrolling action game and turn it into your typical first person shooter. That was my 1st thought when they announced it. My 2nd being - utter revulsion. But I was proven wrong. Thank Jeebus! Is Metroid Prime derivative? Yes. However, both games are still fun depending on who you talk to. And honestly when they cease to be - move on. There's better things in life. I used to watch assloads of Hollywood movies. Now I don't. Why? No real reason, just lost interest. Both of those games are also sequels. And in my honest opinion more of a good thing, is *still* a good thing. Unless you happen to be George Lucas. In which case I will drag your ass out into the field and carve your testicles up with a broken beer bottle. But I digress. =)

There is a striving indie movement in gaming. Only problem is, it's limited to PC gaming. Since you need a big publisher to get product into console gamers hands. But the good indie games do get picked up. So rest assured there's no lack of imagination or innovation there. Mind you these are mostly concepts developed by junior programmers, freshly graduated and untainted by the corporate structure. Problem is - most of them flat out suck. --> opinion. :)

Will we ever see an event like the big 80's Atari crash? There's an outside chance, but rest assured it will start back up again. Why? People like shooting things. And the next best thing is shooting things virtually. Well ok, the next best thing is getting a REAL gun and shooting things. Which surely Greg and Snowman can attest to. =)

Phew! All that being said I'm knee deep in The Great Summer Gaming Slump. Happens every year, there are no good titles during the summer. Which frees me to pursue my other hobby - bling!

Or I could start building this...