Why would YOU want to collect Classic Consoles?
Jun 21 '02
The Bottom Line Everyone can find some enjoyment in collecting classic consoles. Electronics gurus will find the most enjoyment, but it's the innovative gameplay despite technical limitations that will appeal to everyone.
Classic console collectors come from all walks of life. Many are programmers, software developers, hardware developers, and other such people who were influenced by advances in state of the art technology early in life. Others are just gamers, younger people who don't understand all the technical specifications and details of system operation. All of us have one thing in common. We like to play games!
Doesn't everyone like to play games? Most of us only justify our game playing if it is reasonably cheap and fun. The current paradigm in the world is that you need the latest and greatest technology in order to have fun. Read the remainder of this review to see the real reason to collect classic consoles: EXCELLENT GAMEPLAY, and HISTORICAL SIGNIFICANCE.
I'm here to dispel that viewpoint. I, for one, know that I spent much more time playing games when I was younger than I do now. When I did so, it was on an Atari 2600, or a TI/99/4A. As I grew older it was on a Nintendo, Super Nintendo, PC, Nintendo 64, Game Boy, etc. No matter the system; No matter the technology, people will always have fun playing games.
From a software viewpoint, it is ultimately the gameplay that matters. It is ultimately the quality of the game itself that makes it last through the ages. That is why game "genres" develop and you see remakes of classic games hitting the shelves again and again. No one can beat the nostalgia of a classic game that was innovative in terms of gameplay at the time. Regardless of the system, there were pioneering concepts introduced in the early days of gaming and they all happened to be on older "classic consoles"
From a hardware viewpoint, let me just start by saying that I recently graduated with a Bachelor's Degree in Computer Engineering. I got started on that path by early game systems like the Atari 2600 and home computers like the TI/99/4A. I was so interested that I wanted to know every minute detail that makes these machines tick.
Today I have that understanding. Those classic consoles were innovative from a hardware perspective at the time. Things that are taken for granted in today's electronics and game consoles were an absolute chore for the hardware and circuit designers of the time to develop. Generating a video signal from scratch and making the best use of the memory you had at the time were issues that were tackled over and over. Once more memory was available, along came the RPG and games with "levels". The earliest machines were score based games with a handful of levels that repeated over and over. Later machines utilized technical advances that allowed the programmer to develop many more levels and scrolling scenes that depicted that game designer's imaginary world.
Over the years, technological advances led to gaming advances. Today we have insanely realistic graphics and sound and entire 3D worlds to explore. It won't be long before further advances give us photorealistic graphics and larger worlds. However, something that has suffered over the years is innovation when it comes to gameplay
All the time spent with technological advances and creating software to exploit these advances has led to an environment that is purely technical. You have programmers who can take an idea and make it reality, but you do not have innovative thinkers who come up with an idea that leads to a purely new genre. Sometimes gameplay suffers and the remakes of classic games are not nearly as amazing as they were in their original form.
Considering everything discussed above, many more people could find enjoyment out of classic consoles than one would imagine. The developers of games themselves could look to the purity of those original games to re-kindle the innovation in game design that the industry has been lacking for many years. The hardware developers can appreciate the innovation at the time. Anyone who looks at software or electronics in their daily job could appreciate the technical historical value that classic consoles have. These people are the ideal console collectors, because we have a passion for everything surrounding consoles. We are just like the older generation of automobile enthusiasts who work on cars and understand the technical specifications and appreciate the collectability and usability of their hobby.
Finally, Anyone should find an appreciation of these consoles. They're cheap, yet searching for the games is a bit of a rewarding treasure hunt. You can discover the games for free using emulation software downloadable from the internet first. Really, it is the simple gameplay, historical value, and ease to collect that makes classic console collection enjoyable for everyone.
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Epinions.com ID:
mistrtonee
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Member: Tony Young
Location: Twin Cities, Minnesota
Reviews written: 43
Trusted by: 7 members
About Me:
B.S. Computer Engineering Purdue University 2002. Getting Married in October!
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