The GHZ Forum

I was playing Galaxies the other day and started sweating because for whatever reason, my extra life stockpile wasn't as cushy as I'd like. Then I realized I was being a retard. If the final boss kicks my nads in, I start from the beginning of the level and try it over. Sure, I'll lose any safe points/restart points/starposts/middle rings/whatever you call them I may have acquired as a safety net, but that's a far cry from that hide-the-cutlery final-boss "game over". Like one on, say, Wing Fortress. Sonic 2 was one of the most frustrating treks because of the possibility all that work, all those 's, all that time you could have spent getting your end wet, could be for naught.

So what I want to know is, who, in a sick, twisted way, misses the terror and anguish and agony a "Game Over" could once strike into your heart? Who kind of wishes not all games would have save systems anymore?

Continues are for fags and weak men.

The problem is, most games today are geared towards an audience that prefers something that they can readily pick up and play - as such, the convenience of overabundant lives and 'save-everywhere' is one that is not likely to go away (at least, not when developers want to continue making money).

Personally, while I enjoy the added convenience of such (particularly in games that are innately frustrating due to poor programming, such as Shadow) I can see the importance of difficulty in games - it makes you focus more on your playing and, in a sense, immerse you more in what you're doing. It would also make the game over screen something to be concerned about again.

One title in particular that I recall was an obscure first-person dungeon crawler by the name of Baroque. Enemies were common and constant, and the items that you could obtain, particularly those of a healing nature, were limited. Health and energy drained separately, with one ultimately eating away at another. It was a very difficult game, and one could only save their game between each floor, if I remember correctly. However, death would end your game and overwrite your saved game, forcing one to start anew. (Though, in Baroque's case, death actually furthered the storyline, so it may be unique in that regard.)

I remember playing Aliens vs Predator, where you had no quicksave or save whatsoever. You could choose whatever level you wanted to play, but you had to do it in one sitting. Later, they released a quicksave patch. I completely denied it, because the whole point of the game was the fear of being suddenly mauled by an alien (or a predator, or a sentry gun, in case you were an alien, those were mean). After that I got pretty picky about quicksaves. In Doom 3, I had this policy of only saving after getting a PDA (as if they were my "ink ribbon" or something), but now, in Half-Life 2 and stuff, I kinda welcome then.

I do miss the games being a bit harder though. Last game over screen I got was in Shadow the Hedgehog. Of course, that was followed by my PS2 being turned off.

If you want a game where you always run out of lives try Sonic 2006. Man that game is bad.

I hate pretty much any game that forces you to replay long segments that you have already completed. I mean, I've DONE that part already. Why do I have to do it over and over again, just because I keep dying at the same boss battle 15 minutes in? Punishment? Thanks, but I have to do enough tedious activities in real life -- I don't need a tedium simulator.

And yes I mean you, Viewtiful Joe. I MEAN YOU

Who, me?
YAAAAAHOOOOOOO!!!!

Sorry, I couldn't help it.
Not so ironically, aso's avatar is from a pretty difficult game too (particularly the Labyrinth of Amala), but it has one cool Game Over screen.

A game can be as hard as it likes, as long as it's stays fun and not frustrating. A good example where this was done right was God Hand. A bad example was Ninja Gaiden.

Extra lives are the cumbersome way of the past old man. They're just included in games nowadays for the sake of nostalgia. They do diddly shit. We'd all be better off if developers dropped even the pretense of using them. They really only made sense in a context prior to Legend of Zelda;s save system but didn't become totally redundant until games became so expansive you could not reasonably be expected to complete one in a single sitting, thus necessitating the implementation of a easier to use save system. In short, the only reason they're still in any games nowadays is because people EXPECT them to be there. The function they serve is pretty much nil.

all that time you could have spent getting your end wet

Are you talking about butt sweat or masturbation?

...uh, laid. By another person.

You've never had sex while playing videogames? It adds an extra level of challenge.

...Well, that just brings a whole new meaning to "getting a 1-up".

Zeta wrote:You've never had sex while playing videogames? It adds an extra level of challenge.

I've read a hentai doujinshi that portrayed this scenario. IT WAS HOT

This almost expected twist on the topic reminded me of the TranceVibrator.
Anyone here was cool/ perverted enough to try it out?

Delphine is virtually the only person here with the proper tools for the job, but I'm sure that didn't stop Zeta from trying.

This talk about sex with videogames reminded me of this old topic. NSFW

I got a blowjob once while playing Animal Crossing. I think that was probably the most interesting thing to happen while playing that five-minute wonder.

...and Animal Crossing wasn't so hot either. OSNAP

By the by, that old topic just reminded me of that nutjob Chris Caffee. What's he up to nowadays? Did he go out guns blazing (lolseewhatididthere)?

Speaking of abra cadavers, whatever happened to Baba O'Riley? Did Delphine actually up and Abba Ban him while we weren't looking? Or mabye his music's actually taken him somewhere? [sic]

I personally never liked Baba O'Reily. I always assumed that a mod (possibly Popcorn) banned him or he simply died. He was a very active poster though, which makes me wonder if Isuka is really Baba.

Do I look/ sound like a man with such taste for good music like Baba was?

Actually, I flamed Baba during my "completely retarded" period (AKA 2006), I kinda miss him... or do I?

Isuka wrote:Actually, I flamed Baba

This isn't Soviet Russia.

OK, I reacted to his justified flame as a monkey would and tossed some shit to him.
Happy now?

Don't you feel so much better now that you've gotten that off your chest? Now, let's hug. It's okay.

*sniff* *sniff* Y-yes... *sob*

j-man wrote:I got a blowjob once while playing Animal Crossing.

Wow. My life sucks. Now I know for sure.