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"And a game where a single error is "start over from the beginning" is a non-fun game, generally." Before the 1990s nearly all computer games worked like th
by sambeau 14y ago
"And a game where a single error is "start over from the
beginning" is a non-fun game, generally."
Before the 1990s nearly all computer games worked like that. Most only ever gave you 3 lives many started you from the beginning again each time you lost a life.
These are widely recognised as some of the most fun computer games in history.
- rdl 14y agoThere is a difference between dying in a game, and making a single mistake. Failing to jump at the optimal moment or kill a single enemy with your first shot is 'making a single mistake'. Virtually every game which is any fun gives you some opportunity to correct that without dying, let alone without returning to the beginning. I assure you I've played plenty of pre-1990 video games.
- derefr 14y agoEver played a shmup (e.g. Gradius, Touhou)?
- rdl 14y agoNeither of those, but plenty of others (galaxian, contra, etc) Missing a single shot on a target isn't fatal; getting hit could be, but even then there were usually intermediate points/levels or some other way of making replaying it interesting (non deterministic enemy movement or whatever in some games)
- dsirijus 14y agoMost of those were or were coming directly from arcade machines, which had in their interest to get you off and on the machine as soon as possible. Quarters, yaaay.