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[Hellraizah]

In my opinion, this is how it happened :

In the past, people where playing games to get better at them, in a competitive way. Either you were playing a 2 players game, and you were aiming to beat the other player, or you were playing solo and trying to improve your score. You didn't need any story, whatsoever, the only thing you knew was that your last score was 302 231 and that next time you were gonna play, you had to beat that.

Now, what's happening, principaly with the single player games, is that people are buying it only "to finish the game" and they are whining all the time about "how the game is not long enough". A good example of this, not long ago, is Fable. I heard so much people whining about how "it took me only 2 days to finish it" that it's now making me sick.

Now, it's all about knowing what type of person you are, and I'm asking the question to the people playing single player games only to finish them :

Why the hell aren't you switching game types if you're never happy about it ?

 

[belgurdo]

People aren't complaining about Fable's length because they simply wanted the game to end. They're mad because they wanted more to do than 15 quests and the ability to wave at people

 

[bishoptl]

:lol

 

[B E N K E]

Why not have the best of both worlds? There are still plenty of games without an ending as well. I enjoyed my 15 hours with Fable tremendously. Sure, it isn't what Molyneux talked about fo years, but it's not far behind SW: Kotor in my book and a great gaming experience. That is if you're not too jaded and bitter about gaming to start with...

 

[dog$]

So games lost their competitive edge in 1979? Space Battle ended.

Super Mario Bros. ended too, there's an actual arcade game with a finish. People still competed for a high score in that one, too.

 

[etiolate]

The Metroid games have an ending, but competition still lies in finding all the items and setting a new speed run record.

 

[Saint Cornelius]

I do miss the days of getting your name up, though. That's why Midway Arcade Classics can only be fully enjoyed on the XBox & XBL rankings.

 

[Flynn]

Pac Man ended when Billy Mitchell broke it.

 

[beerbelly]

What's the point in getting high scores and entering your name? To gain attention and recognition. Hell, you can do that on forums nowadays with less effort.

 

[Ranger X]

I think the gamer have to be rewarded by feeling a sort of accomplishment feeling.
Score can give that, multitask in game can give that, difficulty level can give that.
Games that are nothing but something you go trough, almost doing anything and ending abruptedly (spell?) are bad games i suppose.
Personnally, i can like Gradius 5 is giving me this feeling alot even if i just play to improve myself, get better and finish the game at higher difficulty levels.
GTA is an example of another type of game, it's the multitask. So much things i can do there that when i'm done, it does give me the accomplishment feeling.

I think it's just that there's good games and bad games. Some old games are shit and you don't even care to play even just for the score or improving your skill. The same with some new games that aren't shitty and in wich you get a great feeling and want to play again, do more things, get better, etc.