How Sci-fi Games are Getting Old

"Recently Mojang’s developer tweeted about a surplus of space games in the indie and major games market—and while it was mostly sarcasm referring to his own space game, 0x10c, it still stands as a problem in the current games industry. Browsing through Kickstarter, nearly all of the upcoming games are based in space, and a significant portion of those games are RTS-based mining simulators. It’s disappointing that the major genre of this generation of gaming is being explored in the same manner in every game. "

[Godmars290]

Sounds more like general laziness and inability to explore/exploit the medium.

[guitarded77]

Exactly, sci/fi has endless possibilities for creative minds, but creating a fully realized universe is something very rare. Mass Effect has done a great job of it, and the first Dead Space was brilliant, but for every great game, there are 10 turds to take their place.

[Godmars290]

Sorry and not to offend, but I call BS in regards to ME.

Designs were generalized across all races, humanoids were reduced to human stereotypes and non-humans were nothing but background scenery. What passed for Tali's reveal should be more than enough of an example.

[guitarded77]

Fair enough, but I'm looking at the overall diversity of planets, lifeforms and political structure. I still think it's one of the better examples of good sci/fi in gaming.

[SilentNegotiator]

Gotta agree with Godmars. As far as being a piece of science fiction, Mass Effect is about as refreshing to the genre as a glass of dirt.

The planets don't do anything mindbogglingly different, the lifeforms are mostly humanoids, and the political structure is not that unique.

[CouldHaveYelledUiiW]

Time?

[neogeo]

You a genius! YES a new Timecop! Thats what the sci fi industry needs!

[Somebody]

Browsing through Steam's Greenlight library, there's a lot of Free-to-play games in there.

[Saturne3]

I like Sci-Fi as long isnt too futuristic looking like mass effect and halo.

I find that theme so boring on videogames for the most part.

[GTRrocker666]

How about a sci fi games without humans?

[edgeofsins]

Pikmin is sort of a sci-fi game and has no humans.

[beerkeg]

Um, what about the guy you control, he's human isn't he?

[SilentNegotiator]

Uhhh....humanoids count as far as I'm concerned.

Although, the humans thing aside....I think Pikmin DOES qualify as a unique sci-fi game.

[Cirran]

What I want to see is a massive Pirate game. Huge open world/Ocean with islands and continents to explore. Missions could vary greatly. Add some kinda Pirate crew recruiting thing. Assassins creed 3 looks to be closeish to what I'm wanting. Take parts of Skies of Arcadia, Windwaker, Assassins creed 3 and Skyrim. Mash it into a game but give it a unique feel. Could be awesome.

[GTRrocker666]

Space pirates would be cool too. You battle different ship tgat try to board you. And also go to different planets and discover ancient alien ruins in search of treasure. Also you will have a ship crew of different aliens. That would be a fun game.

[TekoIie]

I actually think there was a movie on that :3

Not kidding btw......

[edgeofsins]

Exactly what I have been wanting. There is a game called Puzzle Pirates which is amazing if you like puzzles. You can own ships and sail on the ocean and fight other crews and you do puzzles to do specific tasks for every ship. There is a puzzle for sails that makes the ship go faster and stuff. When you get hit by cannon balls there is a carpenty puzzle to fix your ship. When your ship is damaged it fills with water and there is a puzzle to get rid of water called bilging. If you like puzzles you might love Puzzle Pirates. But I would love to see another take on pirate games that isn't puzzles but is as solid as it.

[HammadTheBeast]

EvE online. You will love it. It's like what you described, but in space.

[Psychonaughty]

There's not nearly enough AAA sci-fi games though, or movies and tv series for that matter, more please!!

[GTRrocker666]

I agree. No more space marine games, but variety

[ApolloTheBoss]

And there's plenty of material to work with. More games should be based on books.

[Xof]

Science-fiction is THE broadest, most versatile genre of fiction there is. Period.

It's foolish to say the problem with Science Fiction games is that they're science fiction. The problem is with general development laziness--storytelling is usually the developer's LAST priority. Something they toss together at the last minute, where they try and shoehorn all of the games other assets--the gameplay, the visual aesthetic, etc.--into a cohesive whole.

This is why most games have crappy stories, regardless of genre.

Saying it's the fault of the genre chosen is simply deflecting people from focusing on the real problem--how games are developed. That has to change, fundamentally.

[mananimal]

Sci-fi done well, never gets old.

[profgerbik]

Gaming as a whole is hurting. Not too many developers are creating truly new experiences in gaming anymore and their main focus seems to be selling more games than the old focus which seemed to be bringing quality games to the market regardless of how they are perceived.

I mean just think of all those old games that truly took you into another world that you could not have ever imagined.

As the term goes they don't make them like they used to, just like they don't make anything for that matter like they used.

Everything has become more along the lines of mass production. Everything is made cheaply now, a lot of things are pushed out before they are even finished just to make a quick buck and it doesn't seem like enough people give a rats ass about what the consumer really thinks anymore.

People have become so mindless these days, they know they can just about sell anything and some idiot will buy it.

Companies these days of all variations not just in the gaming industry are taking advantage of the stupidity of people and their unwillingness to actually make a real difference by letting these companies know we don't want your crap anymore at all..

Just like Gasoline should not even exist in this day and age but for some reason people don't give more of a shit that it is basically killing people, destroying the economy having to stupidly live on resources we truly don't need anymore let alone can barely afford which sadly affects the entire world and all people.

I have been waiting for the day I can wake up and actually live in a world that makes complete sense because the world in the state that is in now literally makes none.

Like I said though no matter what, there will always be some moron supporting people blindly and as long as that exists companies business practices will only become worse and they will only care less about actually creating a better future and not just a future that will keep their pockets full of cash at the cost of anything even life ifself.

[profgerbik]

Gaming as a whole is hurting. Not too many developers are creating truly new experiences in gaming anymore and their main focus seems to be selling more games than the old focus which seemed to be bringing quality games to the market regardless of how they are perceived.

I mean just think of all those old games that truly took you into another world that you could not have ever imagined.

As the term goes they don't make them like they used to, just like they don't make anything for that matter like they used.

Everything has become more along the lines of mass production. Everything is made cheaply now, a lot of things are pushed out before they are even finished just to make a quick buck and it doesn't seem like enough people give a rats ass about what the consumer really thinks anymore.

People have become so mindless these days, they know they can just about sell anything and some idiot will buy it.

Companies these days of all variations not just in the gaming industry are taking advantage of the stupidity of people and their unwillingness to actually make a real difference by letting these companies know we don't want your crap anymore at all..

Just like Gasoline should not even exist in this day and age but for some reason people don't give more of a shit that it is basically killing people, destroying the economy having to stupidly live on resources we truly don't need anymore let alone can barely afford which sadly affects the entire world and all people.

I have been waiting for the day I can wake up and actually live in a world that makes complete sense because the world in the state that is in now literally makes none.

Like I said though no matter what, there will always be some moron supporting people blindly and as long as that exists companies business practices will only become worse and they will only care less about actually creating a better future and not just a future that will keep their pockets full of cash at the cost of anything even life or innovation itself.

[profgerbik]

Damn n4g lag. Always making me click the post button more than once.

[Picnic]

I hate space games. They've got no atmosphere.

Metroid Prime is an exception because the only time you really see space is right at the start. Apart from that, the mechanics of it are often that you could be playing a Zelda game or any 3D platform game. I think that's why I didn't like Echoes- too sci-fi in concept.

Dead Space is utterly derivative of Aliens, Doom 3, Silent Hill, Bioshock etc... I suppose most people are so derivative that they don't care.

[MysticStrummer]

"I hate space games. They've got no atmosphere."

You should have stopped there. It was a good joke.

Sci-Fi doesn't necessarily imply space.

There's not much in any genre of any medium that isn't derivative of something that came before. If you can't get over that, you won't be entertained most of the time for the rest of your life.

[mochachino]

I'd like more AAA sci-fi games, what I can do without is more modern military shooters.

MMFPS games this gen = WW2FPS games last gen.

[Rebo00]

Ya never know, maybe the Total War team will give it a go :-)

[urwifeminder]

To many medievil rpgs if you ask me and zombie games ,hang on come to think of it everything is being overused .