The people who won't let go

[complexz]

I guess it doesn't quite count since I am a MVS guy but when I first joined this site I was just a snk fan who played in the arcade and on ports. Now I have a cab that I slowly work on and a library of games that increases just 1 game at a time, and I play that one game like a mofo, getting deeper into it than I ever had the chance before. At this rate I will be too old to keep up with neogeo games by the time I run out of decent games to play and talk about

 

[FAT$TACKS]

Really its kind of just an if it makes you happy thing.

I guess neo geo collecting is a little better than taking up hard drugs, though a bit more expensive these days.

 

[rcantor77]

I let go on the 16-bit era years ago... sold up virtually everything and bought into the next generation of shite... finally realised that the vast majority of new games have no substance that excites me so a few years back got back into my arcade gaming (namely MVS and late 80s/early 90s Jamma shooters)

so I could let go, but soon realised that for me, this was the gaming era that I want to play a game when I fell the urge, which is alot less that used to as life has taken over.

 

[Xian Xi]

I let go on the 16-bit era years ago... sold up virtually everything and bought into the next generation of shite... finally realised that the vast majority of new games have no substance that excites me so a few years back got back into my arcade gaming (namely MVS and late 80s/early 90s Jamma shooters)

so I could let go, but soon realised that for me, this was the gaming era that I want to play a game when I fell the urge, which is alot less that used to as life has taken over.

Games now days have too much content, it's a chore to finish them. I hate it. I like mine it short bursts which is why if I play 360 I only play COD multiplayer, I rarely play the campaign, there's no replay value in the campaign mode. Last long game I played was FF7 and when I went from disc 2 to disc 3 I didn't save my game as I wanted to play it all the way through. Right when I was fighting the Ruby whatever, we had a black out. That's when I realized, I don't like these long ass games.

Arcade games from the 80s and 90s have always been the perfect ratio for fun:time. I can never let go of that.

I wish arcades today were still that fun.

 

[goombakid]

I wish arcades today were still that fun.

When I went back to Maui last month, Fun Factory (the only game center there, Xian Xi as well as anyone from HI should know about it), all they had were several driving games, a couple of rythym games, and only one fighting game (Tekken 6). The rest was all ticket games. The arcade in the sense of video games, I think, is dead...May be fun for my kids when they want to win some tickets for trinkets, but dead.

 

[90s]

Neo and video games as a whole are an interest and diversion from the more important and demanding things in life. There is no shame in that. I would say that it is even a passion for many of use, and there is no shame in that either. It is only when it negatively impacts on the more important things in life that it becomes problematic.

So I don't really see a need to let go; like other interests, video games is something that can very well be life-long. I like seeing the passion that people have for the hobby here. Most of us have so many other responsibilities that it just feels nice to play games and talk about them here. Besides, there are far more destructive things people could do to unwind than video games.

So for anyone who has let go, I respect that you have come to that decision in your life. For myself, I think I will always play neo and video games as much as my life and and my personal tastes permit.

 

[brentsg]

Games now days have too much content, it's a chore to finish them. I hate it.

Playing so many modern games feels like watching a movie that just won't end, it goes on for days.

 

[90s]

Games now days have too much content, it's a chore to finish them. I hate it. I like mine it short bursts which is why if I play 360 I only play COD multiplayer, I rarely play the campaign, there's no replay value in the campaign mode. Last long game I played was FF7 and when I went from disc 2 to disc 3 I didn't save my game as I wanted to play it all the way through. Right when I was fighting the Ruby whatever, we had a black out. That's when I realized, I don't like these long ass games.

Arcade games from the 80s and 90s have always been the perfect ratio for fun:time. I can never let go of that.

I wish arcades today were still that fun.

Dude, you just summarized how I feel about games today. I couldn't even finish the new Silent Hill because it felt like such a chore. I keep buying RPGs, but I hardly play them. Some are still unopened. I mainly hit up the 16 bit games and neo for shorts bursts when I can, and free far all on Modern Warfare 2. You still play MW2? Better than any CODs after IMO.

 

[kernow]

I'm not really sure why anyone expects to go into an arcade and see loads of 90s games in there, I guess they aren't but they are wanting them there. Let me see are you going to have loads of 2d fighters no normal person wants to play? For 25c a credit and when someone does play it they 1CC it because they're into fighters, or are you going to have $1 lightgun games and racers that are over in 5mins ready for the next customer.

MVS and CPS2 / JAMMA was right at the time, but it certainly isn't now, and that's why it's dead and you don't see it in arcades. No point complaining about it, it makes sense.

I don't play much modern stuff, a lot of it is utter shit but if you put the time in, there are far more involving games than anything the neo has to offer. Maybe the replay value isn't as high but I've had some great experiences on modern games, the mass effect series, uncharted series, skyrim etc. Games are very disposable nowadays but honestly, lets pay $200 for burning fight and credit feed it in 30 mins, that game has no replay value either.

Shit games exist regardless of generation, people just have rose tinted glasses and the cloud of nostalgia surrounding old games. I find mixing it up is the best way, I can't honestly remember the last time I switched the ps3, 360 or an arcade cab on, but a mix of the lot is best. Been playing more chess than anything.

 

[Jonmkl]

It's an interesting line of questioning (though probably one that could have been phrased a little kinder for this particular forum). Here's what I think.

I have Vinyls, not because of nostalgia (I was born in 88) I have vinyls because they are cool, they're a piece of history, and because large portions of the music I like is from the 50s 60s and 70s. Music from different eras has something different and special about it, a level of artistry and care about it that doesn't get old. People who like bob dylan aren't old crusty guys who can't let it go, there is value there that should be and needs to be rediscovered by future generations. And that isn't just the case with great artists, there is music from the seventies and eighties that isn't artistic by any means, Punk, New Wave, Pop, but it has something simple and great abut it that doesn't really exist outside of it.

16 bit arcade gaming has something simple and great about it that doesn't really exist outside of it, and when people much younger then me play on my cabinet they don't play it like it's old and tired, they play the heck out of it and have a blast, even if they've never seen a Big Red in their lives.

There's something to be said about your whole life being about nostalgia, living in the past is no-ones friend, but it's shortsighted and misinformed to think that 16-bit gaming is something that should be forgotten about or let go of. Lord knows that games these days could learn a lot from the past.

Jusayyin

 

[Ganelon]

It's just your disillusionment with the community. I've steered clear from this forum for a long time (not because I hate the forum but because I wanted to avoid a time sink) so I don't have the pessimism you do. In fact, I probably respect the Neo Geo as a system more now than ever.

I think there are 3 main viewpoints towards the Neo Geo.

1. The 1st viewpoint is from those who were either born after the Neo Geo boom or didn't care for arcade games at the time. For these folks, the Neo Geo is a crazy antique that doesn't make sense.

First of all, I think piracy has done the most to tarnish the Neo Geo's respectability. From a sheik's toy and arcade wonder to something bootlegged and emulated the world over, the Neo Geo isn't looked at with any awe by modern gamers.

It doesn't help that these games were ported to so many different platforms and officially re-released so many times. What once were coveted games locked up in the magical arcade cabinet or after sacrificing $200-300 are now begging to be bought for a mere pittance of $5.

And beyond the huge supply available, the Neo Geo is also mocked for many reasons. The controls of many games are clunky. Most of the English translations are awful. The graphics have an antiquated 16-bit look (or 24-bit in SNK marketing terms) with noticeable individual pixels. There's some funky region censorship. The Neo Geo CD has an infamous reputation among the more knowledgeable for minutes-long loading times between matches. "Crusty old twats" who can't let go of the past pay $30,000 for select versions of Neo Geo games that Joe Shmoe can play for $10 (or "for free" as pirates love to say).

With all these factors combined, it's easy to see how gamers who weren't around in the Neo Geo era view the Neo Geo as a cheap minute of novelty with a ridiculous fan base stuck in the past.

2. The 2nd viewpoint is from Neo Geo fans who've fallen off throughout the years. Many lost interest in games altogether. After all, somebody who could afford Neo Geo games back in the heyday has probably moved on to cars and boats by now. Some have no interest in 2D fighting, the biggest genre of its day, anymore and now playing the latest FPS from today's dominant genre

Others may collect Neo Geo games for the purposes of amassing a collection but not care about actually playing the games anymore. Nowadays, it seems there are more and more of these folks around. I don't like the senseless hoarding of games since it's a lot easier to make money investing in other vehicles that don't involve depriving others of the chance to own a game. Unfortunately, there's little that can be done to stop these folks. If you already have a solid library yourself, then you might even want to thank these folks for helping raise the value of game prices.

Finally, there's a group of Neo Geo fans who've been put off by the community. Companies are illegally releasing games and selling them for $400. Illegal conversions going for ripoff prices are more common. People are ripping others off. Some game prices are much higher now. There's some drama on this forum. All this baggage that comes with being a Neo Geo fan can be exhausting sometimes and either temporarily make someone lose interest or make one quit altogether. I suspect this situation is the case with this topic.

3. The 3rd and final viewpoint is from Neo Geo fans who still respect the system. On the AES end, they still remember the intimidating but sleek AES system with what seemed to be an industrial-grade arcade stick for a controller. They remember seeing the incredibly expensive carts in huge, colorful boxes that cost more than a whole lesser system and were either dream purchases for kids or huge investments for older folks. They remember that despite the high prices, the carts were actually great values on a per-meg basis, as mentioned in SNK's interesting ads.

On the MVS end, these folks remember the big red cabinets at arcades that at any day of the week could pop in the latest and greatest game with eye-popping jumbo sprites. They remember how the Sega Genesis and Super NES were graphically no match and mangled most of the Neo Geo ports. They remember how impressed they were by the graphics scaling and crisp vocals. These fans can still look at Neo Geo games today and still appreciate the 2D sprite animation that in many ways hasn't been superseded by the graphics in today's 2D titles. They remember a time when certain arcade genres dominated the industry, genres that have lost much ground in today's video game environment.

I don't think the Neo Geo offers much beyond its pre-3D brethren but what's wrong with that? I think all systems of the 2D age are worthy of a healthy fan base right now. The Neo Geo's extra calling is that in addition to the console, many have fond memories playing its games in arcades against friends and rivals.

Anyway, I'm in this 3rd category. For years, I thought less and less of the Neo Geo due to its widespread availability in recent times. If we were playing word association, the first term that probably would've come to mind hearing "Neo Geo" would've been "emulation." But playing the games themselves and not focusing on external circumstances, I gradually changed my tune. Also, I didn't bother to immerse myself in the community here and still have no plans to do so. In this way, other Neo Geo fans can minimally affect my views on the system.

I have plenty of nostalgia for the Neo Geo's glory days and the pageantry that seemed to accompany the system. But even playing the games now, I'm still impressed with the content and fast-paced fun featured in many of the games. I could play most Neo Geo titles for weeks if I had time and if there was local competition around. After all, although not a Neo Geo game but rather a fellow 2D game from the arcade golden age, Super Street Fighter II Turbo has likely taken up 4000+ hours of my life.

Some early games are clunky but once the ball started rolling, it was clear why the Neo Geo received the fan base that it did. How each individual's viewpoints toward the system change is a question for the individual himself. But unless today's games start improving on Neo Geo titles in every way, which would require a significant shift in today's genres, graphics, music, mechanics, taste, and everything in-between, I believe the Neo Geo love at large will be here to stay.

 

[kernow]

I'm pretty sure games nowadays have learnt a lot from the past, after all they're all games. Theres an absolute TON of shit retro games. Take a look at the NES library, people only own a NES nowadays because of nostalgia, I'd say it has less good games than the neo probably yet you see people with hundreds of carts. I guess I'm just past games collecting and buying shit games for the sake of it.

 

[Jonmkl]

P.S. I somewhat disagree with this statement

MVS and CPS2 / JAMMA was right at the time, but it certainly isn't now, and that's why it's dead and you don't see it in arcades. No point complaining about it, it makes sense.

Arcade culture has changed yes, and most arcade operators bank on a person coming in, spending a dollar, and leaving. Games are overpriced, the difficulties are often ramped to make people die faster, the games are in disrepair. They are more like carnival sideshows then arcades.
BUT that isn't because a proper arcade can't exist, It's just harder work to make one, and that is why they are few and far between. You have to set the proper atmosphere that makes people want to stay and game, you have to attract a large enough audience to inspire competition, and yes, you need games with enough depth to inspire serious play time. You would most definitely need modern competitive games like KoF13 and MvC3, but having old school games present as well really helps the atmosphere and the game selection. It's a bit like running a brick and mortar comic shop, you need those MtGers, DnDers and Wargamers, they are your lifeblood, and if you don't work to keep a community you'll die.

It's not that old school games don't belong in arcades, it's that there aren't really that many actual arcades.

 

[Jonmkl]

I guess I'm just past games collecting and buying shit games for the sake of it.

Me too brother! Metal Slug, Real Bout, Garou, Blazing Star, Last Blade. Oh Wait, I never did that :-P

Anyway, sorry for ranting if in the end you're just disillusioned, just stating how I see things.

 

[kernow]

There aren't that many arcades because it's a struggle running them, even with new games, with old stuff you don't have much of a chance, didn't a couple shut down in the US trying the old games thing not long back?

As for Metal Slug, I can't play it anymore. Even LB / MOTW I've had enough of , I *can* play them, just never feel like it as I've played them farrr too much. Saying that - I think I could quite happily play super mario world for the next 30 years.

 

[RabbitTroop]

I hear you, Kernow. The main reason I got into MVS to begin with was I loved the arcades and wanted to have a machine at home. More of a set-dressing than a true hobbyist. Then the collecting bug bit and I had just about every MVS cart for a while. Sold off a lot, still have a lot, but the ones I've kept are more for their aesthetics. I leave my MVS on 12 hours a day.... It's on an auto-timer now, and with the 6 slot it's just a cool thing to have running. It gets some play, not as much as it used to, but more or less it's just a cool thing to have on and when old friends come over we'll play a few games of whatever's in the cabinet. I never had any interest in the home system, nor could I ever see myself owning one.

People who are buying and selling $30,000 carts, hey, that's their thing, but I never really understood it. It definitely does start to feel a little crusty if it's your main-gaming outlet. I can still get a ton of enjoyment out of Aerofighters 2/3, Strikers 1945 and a handful of other games that see regular play around my house, but yeah.... definitely not sitting down to Mutation Nation or anything like that again.

 

[Comrade Porn King Mikhail]

I don't see retro game collecting as people unable to "let go". Rather, it's just a hobby where some people indulge in nostalgia while some overzealous people tend to overpay and hoard. Similar behavior exists on other retro gaming sites, comics, art, stamps, and whatever else collectible crap you can think of. To each their own, and if people get their happiness from materialistic possessions neatly organized in the closet, more power to them.

Singling out Neo Geo is where it becomes unfair. No doubt some people can be elitist about below par games, but that's what this forum is for: talking about Neo Geo games. People will talk about Burning Fight or Robo Army because they're Neo Geo games. They're not going to talk nearly the same amount about Final Fight, Rival Turf, or other equally sub par beat-em-ups for other system. If people have rose colored glasses on, it's because this forum is a nostalgic trip back to those memorable teenage days when we had far fewer responsibilities. Despite topics changing towards modern gaming and unrelated discussions, new people pop in all the time to remind us how cool it was to discover these retro games for the first time.

 

[kernow]

@nruva: Yeah.

Odd that you have it on as just a thing in the background though, I think it's pretty cool, but electricity is just too expensive for that over here. Plus I'd just sell it at that point probably. I have two egret 2s and I honestly can't remember the last time I turned them on, however if I sold them I'd miss them instantly. I'd love to sell them both and blow the money on something stupid for the hifi but the main reason I haven't is the room would be too empty without them, and a friend still owns one so every time I went over I'd be .. wtf have I done. About a year ago I sold all my my neo stuff, literally the first time since joining this site I didn't own anything neogeo related either homecart or mvs, I didn't miss it that much really and the money came in handy. Now I only own a one slot and a multicart and I put that in about 5weeks ago after rotating a cab, turned it on and flicked through the list of games and just went meh, and turned it off.

Maybe I'll play some tomorrow. Remind myself why I like it.

 

[Kid Panda]

Been playing more chess than anything.

Maybe you should join a chess forum then.

 

[kernow]

Maybe you should join a chess forum then.

How do you know I haven't?

 

[Plisken]

I sold my boxed Neo console on ebay for £200 last week along with 2 of my 6 carts, raising another £90 was happy to have the money in the bank tbh.

I love SNK and have kept my Neo Pocket and a handful of top games, the reason i lost interest in the Neo is that it's just that I have MOTW for example sat on my 360 hard drive and again, I have played that game to death over the last decade and it cost me £6 in virtual coins, why I would want to spend 100 times that amount to have a nice box on my shelf I just can't justify that kind of spending anymore. And the majority of classics have been repackaged and bundled so many times over the last 5-10 years, that has took a lot of mystique and excitement away from the neo scene, yeah that might not be 100% perfect but for convenience and cost, who really cares anymore?

I'm pleased that people are still talking about the Neo but it's kinda sad popping in now and again and still see the same subjects, the freaking of carts, the protos, the screwing of other members from across the globe for 1000's of dollars, it's very sad to see.

I'll continue to support SNK with any good new releases (I adore XIII on the 360).

 

[kernow]

sigh, 10yrs ago when this forum was full of pliskens and rains and elbartos instead of cdamms, kidpandas and suchlike. lol. times change.

 

[Kid Panda]

cause I havent seen you on any of mine

 

[Kid Panda]

sigh, 10yrs ago when this forum was full of pliskens and rains and elbartos instead of cdamms, kidpandas and suchlike. lol. times change.

youre full of more apathy than me lol

 

[kernow]

youre full of more apathy than me lol

I would have thought that was obvious? You can't have been around here long