It's occurred to me that we are waiting for the next big game. However, I can't say that there will be a next big game.
Here's why.
As much as I like to think the reason I like a game is because of the gameplay, the truth of the matter is I like a game because of the gameplay and the Game Engine.
In fact, the Game Engine makes or breaks a game in my book just because I have such a hard time playing certain games.
Any new FPS is going to be built on existing Game Engines.
UT3 Quake IV CoD Battlefield
Sure, they may come out with an updated engine, but it's still more of the same with a few more bells and whistles.
I haven't heard of any new Game Engines and I haven't heard of any new independent FPS's being developed. From what I've seen the UT3 engine is shit. Quake is Quake, so nothing new to see there. CoD has some promise, but for me, I just struggle with the CoD engine.
That leaves Battlefield. As much as I can hope there is something in the works and after hearing there are 5 battlefieldesque games being developed, I can only hope something worthwhile comes out from DICE.
Because if it doesn't FPS as I know it will be dead.
Also seems that the designers are putting more energy in to consoles rather than PC releases. Where it use to be PC game - Oh and console too when we get around to it, now it's console and damn the PC.
I think were slowly losing the support of the designers in lieu of the kids and consoles.
Well and consoles are easier and cheaper to develop for. That doesn't help our cause. Someone will eventually pick up the ball though. Consoles are good, but there is ALOT of money to develop good PC games, Why? Because its an adult market with expendable income.
You forgot about Valve's Source engine. There is a new shooter out now on that engine called Left 4 Dead which sounds pretty cool although it is not a FPS as we have seen up until now.
Left 4 Dead looks like a normal FPSer, at least from the Utube vid. I kinda liken it to mixing COD with UT Invasion. Looks pretty fun. Too bad its capped at 4 players, but that may be good when there is noone around for the bigger games.
As for the others, maybe its not the games but us. I dropped in a 9800GT and picked up a 2ms 22" widescreen, and still got a dizzy reaction from UT3 and QW:ET. On COD4 I dropped it to 800x600 and everything on low and it just looked crappy. Unless your running the monitor at max rez, your kinda defeating the monitors purpose anyways. I guess I'll have to keep the CRT as the main and the LCD as the secondary again.
UT3's engine seems ok, its the game written for it, or maybe even more so the maps. There are a couple that really were photorealistic. It has vehicles, but not the squad work you may have been looking for from BF2.
BF2, its just got too much rolled up into one pkg. I really wanted to play DCONx this Tue, but once installed, its back to the control key problems. Remapping the keys doesn't seem to work, or I'm totally out of patience for it. This is the only game on the list that insists on using almost every damn key on the board.
2 or 3 reboots or crash to desktop is just enough for me to turn on the TV.
Left 4 Dead reminds me of Resident Evil/Doom. Capping multiplayer at 4 is a huge mistake that they should have learned from Doom 3's worthless multiplayer.
Valve's engine is a highlight of the group. I'm just hit or miss on it as far as being sick. I really should try Counterstrike Source. It can't be much worse than TF2.
Bubba, I've heard that developing for the PS3 is very expensive and difficult. I think PC gaming is doing ok, but it's never going to make it to console levels because it can't compete with ease of use, the ability to rent a game or even the ability to resale or trade in a game you don't like.
Left for dead's multiplayer is not capped at 4. It is 4 vs 4. 4 people play the survivors trying to get through the level. 4 play the "special" zombies trying to stop them. The reports that I have read say that it is a blast. The "single player campaign" actually isn't single player either - it is a 4 person co-op and the AI is supposedly incredibly devious.
The Source Engine is one of the best. For FPS you still might want to look at Armed Assualt. It is not a fast paced game and actually requires strategy. I still think that BF1942 is one of the best for pure fun. Having a game engine with everything in it sometimes takes the "fun" factor away. The game I vote best overall is the Half-life series, due to its use of graphics, game physics, and SP story line.
Varg wrote:The Source Engine is one of the best. For FPS you still might want to look at Armed Assualt. It is not a fast paced game and actually requires strategy. I still think that BF1942 is one of the best for pure fun. Having a game engine with everything in it sometimes takes the "fun" factor away. The game I vote best overall is the Half-life series, due to its use of graphics, game physics, and SP story line.
Well Varg, you are wrong... the correct answer was BF42