your favorite game for each setting.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
I dont see your point. I go to the movies for fun. And yet i pick a movie based in large part on its subject matter. The subject matter IS PART OF THE FUN.

Yes, no, maybe. I can't see people buying a game because of the suject matter regardless whether the game itself is fun or not. If a game is not fun, the subject matter simply doesn't sell.

Originally posted by lord of the mark
Similarly i read books for fun. Yet I tend to think of the books ive read by subject matter.

If games are a medium just like films or books, WHICH THEY CAN BE - then the subject matter is relevant.

Actually, neither. Computer games are interactive, books and films are passive. I do not deny that one can design computer games to potray something accurately, in fact some publishers such as Talonsoft do exactly that.

Originally posted by lord of the mark
But i think it makes no less sense to approach games by subject matter. Certainly not insane.

Didn't you see the smilie?

Originally posted by lord of the mark
In fact I daresay there are millions out there who buys games cause their interested in the subject matter.

As I said, subject matter is not the overriding concern.

Originally posted by lord of the mark
All those teenage girls who buy the Sims - their mainly interested playing house, not in "simulations" oer se.

Com'on, everybody knows The Sims is not a simulation.

Originally posted by lord of the mark
Loads of people who play Simcity are interested in cities and urban planning.

I dunno. I bought SimCity not because of urban planning, it's because it's sorta like a god game.

Originally posted by lord of the mark
Of course these people are the dreaded "sunday gamers" Not the "hardcore" gamers who want the latest RTS who cares what the subject matter is - after all most of the clone type RTS are lousy models of ANY particular subject matter anyway, Right?

I think you have them reversed. Show me some Sunday gamers who are interested in getting grognard games

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


I think you have them reversed. Show me some Sunday gamers who are interested in getting grognard games

Touche.

You're right. There are two different kinds of subject matter focused audiences out there - grognard types, and sunday gamers. Both are somewhat different from the typical hard core gamer who is not very concerned about subject matter. I really dont think most hardcore gamers are grognards.

[lord of the mark]

Originally posted by Urban Ranger


Actually, neither. Computer games are interactive, books and films are passive. I do not deny that one can design computer games to potray something accurately, in fact some publishers such as Talonsoft do exactly that.

Im not sure how the passive/interactive distinction is relevant.

Im also not limiting subject matter interest to accuracy. There are lots of people interested in the old West who like Westerns, even when theyre not accurate. Ditto I suspect there are lots of people who bought AOE:rise of rome cause they thought ancient Rome was cool - despite it being far from historical accuracy. In fact didnt Sandy Peterson say that one of the reasons they did Rome as an x-pack was to take advantage of the interest in the subject matter?

And in the case of Total War ( a more accurate game) didnt medieval vastly outsell Shogun? Was that all improvements to the game, or a more popular subject matter?

And why do game companies pay royalty fees for subject matter like Star Trek, Star Wars, and Harry Potter. And why do games like that sell well, even when (from what I hear) they tend not to be very good games?

[Dry]

In counter chronological order:

History:
civ2/3
Panzer General
civ1
Tigers in the Snow

SciFi:
Moo2
SMAC(X)
Doom2
Moo1
X-Com

Fantasy:
Morrowind
Neverwinter Nights
Pool of Radiance
Baldur's Gate 1/2
Hexen2