Let’s say, for purely hypothetical purposes, that the perpetually restless, short attention span, technologically inept me wanted to make an initial foray into computer games. Where should I start? How should I start? What mistakes should I avoid?
I await your wisdom in the comments section. Daniel Drezner offers some related links.
Tyler – your first good move is to try out computer games AFTER getting tenure.
Play Civilization IV. You start out with one caveman/warrior and one band of settlers on a “dark” (unexplored) map.
You end up (if you’re lucky and skilled) with a globe-spanning empire that has a powerfully attractive culture,
cutting-egde science, and launches amphibious invasions of foreign contients. There is a lot of diplomacy, and a LOT
of economics. Anyone who likes economic growth and geographic exploration will love this game. Brad DeLong admits that
at one point he had to decide whether to become an economics professor or Civ addict.
I’m locking up my copy until I get tenure.
You should not play a computer game. You should pick up Tennis or Golf. If you insist on taking on a new habit that cordons you from your loved ones and interesting conversations, you can try smoking, porn-addiction, heroin or foods that cause persisitent gaseous eruptions. You should also first watch the recent South Park episode where the kids got fat and anti-social while playing Warcraft (which is a sweet game that I very much enjoy).
The question is extremely underdetermined. What sort of time investment are you interested in making? Immersive shared worlds taking thousands of hours? Causual diversions taking no more than a minute? What sorts of skills are you interested in learning (“fun” is mostly the feeling of accomplishment and mastery humans get when they learn a skill)? Complex symbolic puzzles? Manual dexterity? Memory? Rhythm and music? (Sadly, those are pretty much your choices of skills so far, although there are forays being made into team-work and leadership skills.) Do you prefer closed-ended or open-ended experiences? Scripted media or user-generated? Familiar settings or exploration?
Those are just the options off the top of my head, and I’d hesitate to make any recommendations without knowing more. You can find computer games that cover pretty much any point in that space, at quality ranging from dreadful to solid journeyman work, plus a rare few masterpieces.
Asking where to start with computer games is about like asking where to start with television series, if not quite yet like asking where to start with books, music, or even film. Most of it’s horrible, some is quite nice, and there’s no way of recommending any of it without some way of narrowing down.
Second the Civilization recommendation. From the first version of the game to the current IV, it’s been the best title out there, imo.
MMORPGs have some very interesting economic elements that you’d probably dig, but they are not good for people with short attention spans; but if you do want to try one I recommend Kingdom of Loathing because it’s free, has a large player base and a well-balanced and interesting economy. Civilization is also a major attention-suck, but give it a try.
Lately I’ve been enjoying flash games on the web as much as anything. No downloads, no commitment, nothing to force you to play for more than five minutes if you don’t want to. Here’s Digg’s section on Playable Web Games, you can always find a few good things there.
Second the recommendation of online worlds like World of Warcraft and those types — the economies are fascinating.
Dave’s right, you need to narrow it down a bit. What kind of games do you like? If you don’t know, then you need to try a bunch of different games. Try a flight simulator. Also try a shooter, a role-playing game, and a multi-player game. Maybe check out war and strategy games. Until you know what you want, go with older games (two or three years) of good reputation, because they’re a lot cheaper now.
Probably the biggest mistake would be playing a modern game on a computer that’s too slow. Older games will run fast and smooth on hardware that’s newer than the game is. Either pick older games or spend the money to upgrade. Slow, uneven graphics will eat away at your soul.
There’s a wide variety of games. First-person shooters tend to be heavily scripted for frenetic action, role-playing games give you more control over how to play, and open-ended simulations practically allow you to make up your own games (you can have a lot of fun in Grand Theft Auto without ever playing “the game”). Some games are puzzles, some games are mysteries, and some games are stories (Max Payne, for example is an atmospheric crime story in which you take over whenever there’s killing to be done).
There are two mistakes you can make when it comes to cheating in single-player games (never cheat in multi-player dude): Too much and too little. If you follow a game walkthrough and use cheat codes to turn on all the god-powers and get yourself all the weapons without earning them, then you’re not really playing the game any more. On the other hand, if you’re stuck at some step of the game and it’s starting to go from challenging to frustrating to boring, just cheat your way out of it and get back to the good stuff.
The multi-player games and strategy games like Civilization can be fun, but be sure to try some of the others. I program computers for a living, so when I play a game, I don’t want something complicated. I just want to kill badguys. For the same reason, you might not find the economics games relaxing.
For reviews of games, a couple of good sites are gamespy.com and avault.com.
No. Do not play Civilization. I destroyed all my copies even *after* I got tenure…
Civ is a great game, but for gameplay and bloodletting purposes, I’d have to vote for the Half-Life suite
of offerings. Start with the original and work up to Half Life 2. Don’t feel bad when/if you try to play
online…those people are the tenured gamers of the world, for what it’s worth.
You don’t say what you want out of computer games, so I will advise you to consider board games instead, many of which you can play online:
http://www.boardgamegeek.com/geeklist.php3?action=view&listid=4239
Most especially Power Grid, which you should definitely play even if you find the perfect computer game.
-Kevin
For a game with a great storyline in a well-developed fictional world, I recommend Planescape Torment or Fallout 1 and 2.
The Myst series is visually beautiful and has really excellent puzzles; in the adventure/puzzle soling genre I also recommend Grim Fandango, which is a Noir mystery set in the Aztec land of the dead. It is very funny.
I recently bought Civ 4, and found it dull and repetitive. Medieval Total War has been the most impressive and enjoyable game I have ever played. It has the macro-management that Civ seeks and then some. Unlike Civ your rulers die and are replaced by their heirs. Furthermore, the combat simulation gives you the ability to command armies on the battle field. The engine running this simulation is so good that it was used for a British Documentary series on famous battles. Also unlike Civ, there is enough computer introduced conflict to make each game different then the other. The Back death and Mogul invasion playout differently each time (might want to leave the turks and Russians in the game and let them take the brunt of the hoard)
For new games, get a console (or two). It’s less stressful than trying to get things working on a computer. It is a very different experience sitting on a couch with other people next to you, all watching the TV and shouting. For older games, either buy the rerelease from the publisher or download them off the internet and play them on the computer. Also look into emulators for old consoles.
For genres, take a look at graphical adventure games. The Monkey Island series is excellent, as are lots of others.
PC gaming has been rapidly declining in popularity for the past decade (although it still dominates certain genres, like MMOs and RTS). You’ll soon realize that simply because you own a PC already does not mean its less of an investment to game on it than on your television. I recommend a gaming console. Nintendo has made it their company mission to make games interesting and accessible to people who do not already play games, making it a natural brand choice. Plus, Nintendo is known for producing quality (but a relatively small quantity) of great games, so you can cut down on the confusion of what games to buy when you’re at the store. They are releasing a new console this holiday at a reasonable price that aims to be their most accessible yet – and it also includes a “virtual console” allowing you to download and play classics easily (perfect for the technologically inept – otherwise I’d say buy an xbox, a mod chip, and get used to the soldering iron!) If you’d rather spend less, their last-generation Gamecube console can be found for about $60 in used game stores.
Beware the temptation to dive immediately in to complicated games intended for advanced gaming audiences, even if they look amazing and come with critical acclaim on the packaging. It will only frustrate you to play Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion as your first video game, and even moreso to start with World of Warcraft.
Welcome to the fold! I’ll come by your office sometime and teach you the secret gamer handshake.
Medieval Total War is a fabulous combination of macro society building, internaitonal relations, and complex battles. Rome Total War is also excellent.
Try Asteroids or Breakout. They’ll be a perfect fit for someone who’s never played and has a short attention span. Just Google either of those words and you can find a free applet version.
My favorite turn-based strategy game is SMAC, which stands for Sid Maier’s Alpha Centauri. It combines the economic aspect with the war fighting aspect in a way that appeals to me. The CIV games, I-IV, are too heavily weighted towards the economic aspect for me to enjoy. I want to be able to marshall enough resources and science to build armies that will let me defeat my enemies. An offshoot of the CIV games are the two Call To Power (CTP) games (CTP-I and CTP-II), which are (to me) much more fun than the CIV games.
I might enjoy arcade games (Wing Commander) or real-time based strategy games if my reactions were faster or if I didn’t like to think and strategize so much.
Assuming that you eventually pick up a turn-based strategy game, start at the tutorial level for just long enough to get a feel for the game interface. Then go to the beginner or normal level until you no longer feel challenged, at which point you advance level by level until you are comfortable. Warning: strategies which work at the lower levels frequently don’t work at the higher levels. The AI engine won’t wait for you to build a nice army before attacking, so you have to be more cautious with allocating your resources.
As a gamer, I can recommend any number of games. But the best games pit you against the tactical skill of a human opponent. As such, you probably already have one of the best games already: Microsoft’s Internet Backgammon. Backgammon is one of the world’s great games, and it takes only 15-20 minutes per game.
Or, you could try your hand at learning the games of poker. Current legislation notwithstanding, there will still be plenty of places to play for free on-line. PokerStars is probably the best-known. The client is free, and the games can be played for play money. Poker sessions can be as long or as short as you want, although good poker can be boring.
I’ve found myself, over the years, playing less and less of regular video games (professional wrestling excepted) and more and more poker and backgammon.
- Josh
For fastmoving violent fun, I recommend the Half-Life games. These are classics. For suspense and atmosphere I recommend the Thief-series.
If you want a multiplayer version of chess with imperfect and incomplete information I recommend the Civ games.
I think dave is right on, asking about where to start with video games is like asking where to start with television. I would approach it in a similar way. Find low-cost games to try out and figure out if you like anything in particular.
Keep in mind that they aren’t for everyone. Just because people tell you Starcraft is a classic, don’t worry if you hate it. I hate Starcraft but really like Freeciv.
Some good, free adventure games can be found here at http://www.agdinteractive.com/ And if you like freeciv a less micro-management version is http://c-evo.org, based on Civ II. Personally, I think Freeciv and half-life are some of the best games ever made.
I’ve never been much of a gamer, but I found Second Life really interesting. It’s kind of a bother getting started and learning how to do everything, but it becomes enchanting once you get past these things.
Economics and video games have become a field of economics. This blog is where many of the people who study their interactions post:
http://terranova.blogs.com/
For a classic game of guns vs. butter, I agree that Real Time Strategy games like Age of Empires or the Warcraft/Starcraft series are the best…and most addictive.
If you do get into them, I would suggest trying out the earliest versions first if you can find them. Many of the newer versions assume you have been playing these types of games for over a decade and aren’t very “newbie” friendly.
I would recommend digging up a copy of Dune II if you can find it…the first game of its type and still one of the best. Plus it takes place in the Dune universe…a plus if you’re a sci-fi fan.
No one has mentioned Spore. I suppose the fact that its not yet released is a drawback, but it’s probably a great game.
I think Tyler would find Sim City disappointing; the economics are so unrealistic.
If TC is looking for computer games qua computer games, then Civilization is the obvious answer. I loved Civilization, but there’s a repetitiveness to it, and the economics are unrealistic; I predict Tyler will, like me, get bored after about eighty hours of play, though that’s still worth $50 easily. If he’s looking for MMORPGs and potential academic papers, then World of Warcraft is his answer.
If he’s looking for entertainment value, I second the recommendations for poker and German board games. Poker is amazing game theory in action; I think Tyler, judging by his chess skills, would be very good at it. And I think Tyler is precisely the sort of economics geek who would have fun playing Power Grid (Funkenschlag) or Age of Steam or Settlers of Catan.
PopCap Games and go from there.
I recommend multiplayer games. They are much more interesting and variable than single player games. Especially if you get another person into the same room as you. Single player games are more about feeding your compulsive personality.
I nominate Rome: Total War as the best strategy game of all time. 2 years on and I still love playing it. Build up your armies, then attack the enemy city, and zoom down until you’re flying 20 feet above a company of Hastati, directing phalanxes and Armored Elephants down a slope towards the enemy archers. And with all the information about the units and the various buildings and such, its educational – and there’s a mod – Rome: Total Realism – that’s even more historically accurate and educational. Civ 4 is ok, but it doesn’t hold a candle to RTW.
Half-Life (the original) is the best “Novel-like” first-person shooter. Halo (the original) is almost as good.
Star Wars Battlefront II is the best Battlefield-style game (where you essentially take control of a single soldier on a battlefield, and try to achieve various objectives). Two words: Darth Maul. Many of these games are good – there are good ones for WWII (Battlefield 1942), one for Vietnam (Battlefield Vietnam), one for modern war (Battlefield 2) and one just about to come out that’s future based (Battlefield 2142)
Real-Time Strategy – Starcraft is generally considered the best, but its quite old. Warcraft III is good. Black & White 2 was disappointing. Dawn of War is humorously fascist and a lot of fun.
Best “Interactive fiction” games – Myst, Grim Fandango
For sheer whimsical fun, few games can beat Lego Star Wars and Lego Star Wars II – 2 is slightly better.
And if y’all think I’m just a Star Wars fanboi, well – Empire at War and Force Commander sucked, and the Jedi Knight series is annoyingly bland.
Tetris Attack for the SNES–later marketed as Pokemon Puzzle League for N64.
Has nothing except blocks to do with Tetris; superior to Yahoo Towers, Collapse, etc. It is an elegant game of chain-reactions combining pattern-recognition, planning, and speed. Huge addiction factor.
1. Empire building/Strategy:
Europa Universalis II – far better/more realistic diplomacy than in ANY computer game. You can play pretty much any nation in the world starting in the early 1400s going all the way to the Napoleonic Wars. Religion, culture, historical events/leaders etc. all play essential roles. Interesting tradeoffs between size/stability/technology. Its a unique title I think, and it gives you hugely more depth than the civ series. Cons: Takes a bit longer to learn interface, it will almost certainly be frustrating in the beginning.
Ditto for Rome/Medieval Tolalwar – best “armchair general” games out there. Easy to learn. Rome has very quick batttles, which some people like better. Cons: need decent hardware; gets boring when you become half decent.
Stracraft/Broodwar – best real time strategy of all time. Cons: immensly more fun online, but not “newbie” friendly.
2. Shooter games:
Quake series – fastest action around. Play online. Cons: you will get embarassed by teenagers with quicker reflexes.
Counter Strike – a bit dated but still one of the best. Easy to get into, does not require the same crazy reaction speed as Quake. Cons: none.
3. Manager/simulator: Football manager series (I think 2007 just came out). Cons: must be a soccer fan.
You Civ fans really think you can covert Tyler to an ecofreak so easily? I can barely stomache SMAC for its preachiness, and that’s the one I do play. BY FAR the best game of that class is Masters of Magic. 11 years old, you need either an old machine or some sophistication to run it. I believe it can now be (legally) downloaded for free. What has always held my attention about this game is that you have a resource (mana) which must be managed not only globally, but also tactically. No other game that I know has attempted this, and it makes for a really, really fasinating set of choices.
Halflife revived my intrest in 1st person shooters.
I think Coyote probably summed up the genres the best, though he missed Simulations. Flight Sim and similar titles seek to offer the closest analog to flying a plane (or whatever) without actually getting into the cockpit.
Which game to try is going to depend greatly on what you are trying to accomplish and what your likes are. For example, I’m not a fan of MMORPGs because I don’t have that kind of time to commit to the games.
Whatever you decide to choose (hypothetically) I hope you decide to write about it.
Though you specifically requested games for the “perpetually restless, short attention span, technologically inept” everyone persists in recommending games that will take, minimum, an hour or two just to learn plus hours and hours of time to enjoy.
But I don’t blame them – quick, easy, simple games just don’t exist anymore, at least not commercially – the only place you’ll find those are online, for free and on consoles and, even there, they are rare.
—
A few more specific suggestions:
Tetris
Pac-Man
Space Invaders
Galaga
Breakout
Donkey Kong
Asteroids
Centipede
Frogger
Defender
Missile Command
Dig-Dug
Pole Position
Joust
SimCity (the original)
Lemmings
Lode Runner
Doom
All of those are simple, do not require a long attention span – but will reward study, strategy, and practice, if you want to devote the time – and you can easily find cheap clones.
Things to avoid?
Here are games that take a long time to learn and require long attention spans:
RPGs (Ultima, Dragon Warrior, Final Fantasy, etc. etc.)
RTSs (Warcraft, Starcraft, Command & Conquer etc. etc.)
The free, online games are about 75% dreck, unsurprisingly.
A strategy fan can never go wrong with any release of Civilization, be it 1,2,3 or 4. I have played them all and still think Civ2 was the one that got it “right”.
But for those who don´t have the attention span or do not want to spent too much time on a game. I don´t think Civ is the right game to start with (although it can be fun and addictive). I can´t really comment of MMPORG like World of Warcraft because I never really could get into those kinds of online games. I´m really more interested in original games, community games (e.a. open source) or that simply dare to be different. So that leaves freeware, open source games (Freeciv, Wesnoth, TripleA, Danger from the Deep etc..)and a few original commercial releases. In my case games like Darwinia (difficult to describe but you have to save little beings in a computer system from a virus) or Defcon (thermonuclear wargame in the “wargames”-style, 30-45 mins playtime).
Most freeware and online games are poor and have an attentionspan that can be measured in minutes but the remaining 25% can be quite fun. Bowmaster (catapult/bow game) comes to mind, Stalins Dilemma by Ed Bever is also a good one, more of an economic puzzle game (although realizing what the “winning move” entails can be quite a shock!) and for those more moving experiences there´s also the Museum of Broken Memories (http://www.jonas-kyratzes.net/viewpage.php?page_id=3). Although if the last one counts as a “game” is up for debate, i still like it.
P.S
It also is a pleasant surprise to see quite a few commenters mentioning Freeciv. I´ve done quite a bit of work in my spare time on creating a new unit set(Amplio) for that one!
Half-Life is amazing.
Quick and easy games?
I used to play N
http://reddit.com/info/m673/comments
and Rocket Mania, even quicker
http://www.popcap.com/gamepopup.php?theGame=rocketmania
I also used to play Kingdom of Loathing. It has a haiku chat, and forecasting the effects of events is the fastest, riskiest way to get rich. It also has an interesting take on the MMORPG “end of the game” dilemma in “ascension.” If I find you on there I’ll send you a couple million.
Those 3 are free, but time spent playing is probably more valuable than the cost of games – for you anyway.
I also used to play Civ 4. It is fun for a while but after a while it gets to be too work-like for me. You start to feel bogged down.
I also used to play Starcraft – even played top ladder players sometimes long ago. It’s still big in Korea. It is, however, a bit of a clickfest and a bit of rock paper scissors and a bit of learning a bunch of rules. The closest thing to real-time strategy I have been playing lately is the Warcraft 3 custom gametype “Footman Frenzy.”
I too would be interested in what your view of video games turns out to be.
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