Another year has gone by which means that it’s time for some non-sober reflection on the past year(s). This reflection usually births some sort of determination to change things and to do better in the coming year. So this year, from a gaming standpoint, I want to share some of these resolutions. Can people really change? Probably not, but it’s good to dream.
Fear of Commitment
I still haven’t bought a next gen console. The reason is that, unlike previous generations, I only intend to buy one home console for the foreseeable future. I just don’t have the time that I used to have. Owning all 3 consoles is simply an ineffective use of my money. Also, I still have a last gen backlog that haunts my dreams. This year, I finally commit one way or the other. I have never bought a console in the first year of release and I never will. The software is usually poor and all new hardware has some sort of problem. From what I see thus far, this generation was no different. The software releases for this year seem solid and barring some really unexpected delays, the library for each of the big 3 is set to be very impressive by next year’s end. This isn’t going to be an easy decision.
The Backlog
Seriously, we live in a time of gaming plenty. In economics, the more abundant something is, the less we value it. Maybe that explains all the bitching and complaining I read over trivial nonsense. I remember a time when I could keep pace with all the worthwhile releases. Those days are long gone. Games have become far more abundant whilst the concept of free time seems like a far off memory. No more new games until I play the ones I have? No, that’s not going to happen. Okay, no more games at full retail price until I clear a large chunk of that backlog. Yeah, that more reasonable. Digital hoarding has become a real problem for me. One day I’m going to find the time to play all this. If I put all my games on the cloud, can I play them in the afterlife? Now that’s a feature I would pay for! Maybe it’s time for me to learn to “just say no”. No matter how cheap some games are, it’s not a deal if I never find the time to play them.
Attend a Convention.
I have a great job now and I can afford it. This year, I’m going to try to attend a gaming convention. More than likely, I’ll fail as a consequence of scheduling, but I have to start nurturing that desire. I want to attend anything where there is the possibility that I can stealth hug Shuhei Yoshida. I have to do some research first though. I’m not sure which are the most fan-friendly. I’m leading towards PAX. Of course, the real question is that of cosplay. I’m not sure about that, but hey, you only live once right? I think I’ll pick something that hides my face. No Japanese school girl outfit for me, that’s for sure.
New Frontiers
I’m going to play an MMO – badly. I know it’s going to be rough since I’ve never played one, but you have to start somewhere. Hopefully, I can find someone to guide me through the early stages. I think I’ll look at a few playthroughs first. Choosing an MMO is going to be difficult. There are a lot of them out there. I’ll probably pick the one that is the most approachable or where I have someone to guide me through it all. Basically, it’s about trying a new genre. It doesn’t have to be an MMO. Things have changed a lot over the years, you may not have liked the last JRPG you played, but maybe there’s been some changes in the genre to inspire you.
No More Preorders.
This year has seen a very worrying trend - the release of broken and incomplete games. Games are getting more and more ambitious in an effort to stand out in a gaming market that has become very saturated and to attract the attention of an audience that has become increasingly jaded. The good news is that companies are still working hard to impress and entertain us. However, ambition and good intentions does not excuse the release of a broken product that someone has paid $60 for. It’s downright disrespectful. That does not do any favors to the audience or the industry. It’s time to give devs a time-out. Ubisoft has been a great offender in this regard, and it may be time for them to ponder the rigors of a yearly release schedule. Or not, I’m no expert, but they have to be careful that they do not ruin the stellar reputation that they worked so hard on. Also, Beyond Good and Evil 2 already!
History
The study of history is a worthwhile endeavor – gaming history that is. To further compound my backlog problems, I want to play a few of the games that brought us to where we are. As a huge fan of Fallout 3 and New Vegas, I’m going to play a few of the older games in the series. I’ve looked at a few gameplay videos, so I know what to expect. Double fine is releasing Grim Fandango and Day of the Tentacle for current platforms, so I’m going to have a look at those as well. There are a couple other games I want to play, and they fall in the RPG and Adventure game category. Somehow, games in those genres seem timeless. I’m not going to get too ambitious here, I’ll be lucky to play those through.
No More Previews
I’m going to stop complaining about games being overhyped. I’m going to do something about it by doing nothing. Yes, I’m going to stop watching trailers and previews for games. I still have not seen any Uncharted 4 footage. At this point, I don’t need a reviewer to tell me that I want to play a Naughty Dog game. I’m just going to put the disc in and play. I just started Shadows of Mordor without seeing anything or reading anything about the game. A friend who played it said it was awesome. I played it, and it was.
Learn Japanese
To be honest, I tried this once before, but school got in the way. As of this month, school is out – permanently (I hope). I’m finally done. I’m serious about this now. I bought Rosetta Stone to further commit. So many great games are locked behind that language barrier. I’m motivated now more than ever since I’m not too happy about the direction game design has taken. In particular, I miss the depth that JRPGs used to deliver. The possibility of attending the Tokyo Game Show and actually understand everything around me is a further incentive. Also, Look out Yoshida!
Get Politically Involved
Not sure what this entails or where the hell to start with this one. It’s going to take some figuring out. A lot of crazies come out of the woodwork to attack gamers, and those crazies seem very well organized. Our defenses have to be better. Comments on twitter does not a defense make. We have to get involved politically. Already, many gamers are involved in various charity events, something that I’m always proud of. We need more of this. We need more positive Public Relations. We are a billion dollar industry and we deserve a better voice than the one we currently have. We need to write politicians concerning policies that affect us. Net neutrality is one such issue that comes to mind. We need to invite politicians to our events. Engaging them in a positive way is one step towards gaining respect and relevance. Slowly but surely, gaming being increasingly accepted, and we need to help the process along as much as possible.
So, what are your resolutions for the new year? Stop trolling? Stop being trolled? I already conquered those and the battle was well worth it. Maybe there’s something you always wanted to do but never got around to. This may be your year to catch your white whale.
The Dark side of Cosplay
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Yeah, learning Japanese is one thing i always meant to do. I think i'm gonna give that one a shot.
New Year's Gaming Resolutions? 1080p 60fps or no buy. :p
All in all, it's been a pretty crap year full of empty promises, remasters, remakes, delayed and broken games.
I'll be shuffling through my backlog of PS3/Xbox360 games and may abandon my PS4 until Phantom Pain comes out (maybe).
My resolutions? No more preorders, EVER. No more digital game purchases for consoles. And no more buying games because "all my friends are getting it".