Must play games for Game developers

[Orogun01]

I been mulling over for while about what games should be considered a must play for game developers and aspiring game developers.
I think almost everyone has an idea of what good games they like to consider, but I'm actually looking for technical reason why a game is a must play.

Every film student is shown certain films that have become considered classic due to the same reason, I'm hoping this will be the game equivalent of that.
Example: Shenmue changed the adventure genre by introducing free roam and QTE combined with action combat.

 

Disclaimer: The games mentioned on this thread(the ones that meet the criteria) will likely end up on a list that I may use in the future as reference for good game mechanics and design.

 

[Humanoid]

Daikatana.

 

 

I joke somewhat, but am somewhat serious too. There are probably infinite things that haven't yet been done that could make for a good game, which you won't get by replicating a previous good game. By playing the bad games, you at least cut out the things that have been tried and failed from your universe of possibilities.

[kirottu]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Go_%28game%29

 

I think Go is a perfect example of "easy to learn, hard to master" rule that developers aim for, but none has done as well as it done in Go.

 

Aside from the order of play rules (alternating moves, black moves first or takes a handicap), there are essentially only two rules in Go:

    Rule 1 (the rule of liberty) states that every stone remaining on the board must have at least one open "point" (an intersection, called a "liberty") directly next to it (up, down, left, or right), or must be part of a connected group that has at least one such open point ("liberty") next to it. Stones or groups of stones which lose their last liberty are removed from the board.
    Rule 2 (the "ko rule") states that the stones on the board must never repeat a previous position of stones. Moves which would do so are forbidden, and thus only moves elsewhere on the board are permitted that turn.

 

[Bryy]

Dark Souls.... why do people play?

Baldur's Gate.... why was it so important?

Baldur's Gate 2... how did it improveo n BG1 to be the reputed best RPG ever?

Super Mario Bros. .... how simplistic design introduction equals progression

Super Mario Bros. 3 .... how you improve

Super Mario World .... how you go to the next tech leap

Super Mario 64 .... working in a 3D space

Super Mario Galaxy ... how to improve on a 3D space

Street Fighter 2 ... fighter basics

Pong ... what is a GAME?

Dungeons of Dredmor ... Random Generation

 

And of course....

Chess

Backgammon

Chinese Checkers

Edited March 6, 2014 by Bryy

[alanschu]

Stanley Parable: Introspective look at reconciling telling a game story while balancing player autonomy in a video game.

[Endrosz]

Master of Orion 2 --  The only retro game I come back to. Even the IE games don't flare up my interest, this one does.

Sid Meier's Pirates! -- Timeless classic, completely enjoyable even today without any graphic or gameplay upgrades via emulator. The linked version does have upgrades, but it's basically the same.

M.U.L.E. -- From the woman who knew multiplayer will become huge before the term "multiplayer" was born. Fun for the whole family! Some writings from Dani Bunten, worth reading, especially "The Importance of Play". There are modern remakes of M.U.L.E. all around the web, here's an iOS one which comes from the current copyright holder (Android soon).

 

With a score of 7.44 out of 10, in 1988 M.U.L.E. was among the first members of the Computer Gaming World Hall of Fame, honoring those games rated highly over time by readers.^[24] In 1996, the magazine named M.U.L.E. as #3 on its Best Games of All Time list. Despite acclaim, the game only sold 30,000 copies.^[25]M.U.L.E. was named #5 of the "Ten Greatest PC Games Ever" by PC World in 2009.^[26] It was also listed as the 19th most important video game of all time by 1UP.com

 

Edited March 6, 2014 by Endrosz

[Blarghagh]

Absolutely none.

[Hurlshort]

King's Quest I is probably an important one from a game history perspective.

[Endrosz]

I don't really want to argue about this, whatever. But even if you're doing something radically new, it's worth to know and understand the classics. Last year, I visited a Paul Cézanne exhibition which showed his influences along with his own works. He's considered to be both a member of the French impressionists and the forerunner to modernism, cubism and expressionism. Yet he took a lot of clues from Renaissance art, especially sculpting. He was a genius painter through and through, but that doesn't mean he just came out of the blue with no knowledge of the classics.

 

Just my 2 coppers.

[Gizmo]

• Homeworld

(There are others?)

 

Ah.. okay:

• Homeworld:Cataclysm (HW & HW:C are full 3D RTS with individual ship control. That means that you can attack with an armada, and send the wounded back for repairs; The HW2 devs ruined this by making fighters into minimum numbered squads with one fighter taking all the hits and dying before the next, and to send one back ~sends them all back.     It also meant you had to risk five ships on a suicide mission instead of just one.    The game has three modes; R&D, Sensor map, and 1:1 combat/harvesting... Most of the game ~for good players, is played in the 'sensor map' screen, with simplified abstract graphics that tell what's happening on the larger scale.)  The game's cutscenes all have an intense intro where the visible screen morphs to a theatrical 'wide-screen'.
  • HW
    • Quick Example:  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLhS46IcnSs
    • Full Example (with gameplay): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ps3xEv1ArmQ
  • HWC
    • Full Example (with gameplay): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WcN-2l0ON9M
• Myth 1&2  AFAIK this is the first 3D RTS (3D landscape/2D units). Each unit has internal stats, a name, and the top survivors improves and carry over after each mission if they are applicable to it.  Loosely derived from Glen Cook's "The Black Company" novel.
  • Mission Briefing Example (done as diary entries of one soldier): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJs2jeeZPOw
  • Gameplay (this is not as easy as it looks): http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mMwqv_3BvAc

 

• Planescape, BG & BG2 & Fallout [1]
• Arx Fatalis:  An excellent FPP RPG where the stats actually matter, and do their job. Fantastic spell system, and creepy undead.  The game has functional hidden passages that look like someone might actually build them with a reason. The game also pays attention to details, and even has devalues mine stocks in the bank ~that increase in value once the unrest at the mine is resolved.

Edited March 6, 2014 by Gizmo

[PK htiw klaw eriF]

Final Fantasy VI, the ability to suplex a train is awesome.

 

PST and/or BG2, to learn how to tell a serviceable story without a set PC.

 

Superman 64, to scar them for life.

[HoonDing]

They should play the games I like.

[Orogun01]

I think Way of the Samurai is a perfect example of how to do non linear story in a single setting.

[Monte Carlo]

I'm not a game developer, but were I to try to use the Powa of Empathetic Projection...

 

Doom - how to create tension, atmosphere and blistering game-play all at the same time.

 

Command and Conquer - how to segue a story / setting and iconic units into addictive base-building and combat, ditto the original StarCraft and WarCraft.

 

Jagged Alliance 2 - how to make a game hybrid that blends tactics, strategy and humour into an irresistible whole. Treats the player with respect, has great depth and complexity that you can alter to your taste (the Powa of Choice)

 

Baldur's Gate series - Scale. Scale. Scale. The vision to make something enormous and ambitious that nobody else would even consider, and prevail.

[Rosbjerg]

I'd say the games that introduced a certain feature.. The first 1st person shooter game, the first 3rd person, the first isometric etc etc in addition to the genre defining game. To showcase why it was introduced as well as how it works.

[Bryy]

I dislike Dark Souls, but am glad I bought it.

[Volourn]

None. No game is a 'must' play just like no movie is a 'must' watch. It's absolutely asanine and beyond silly to think otherwise.

[Leferd]

NHL 93-94-95

 

http://grantland.com/the-triangle/nhlpa-93-vs-nhl-94-the-ultimate-showdown/

 

Because making Gretzky's head bleed.

 

[Bartimaeus]

None. No game is a 'must' play just like no movie is a 'must' watch. It's absolutely asanine and beyond silly to think otherwise.

 

I'm not sure if I necessarily agree or not, but these oh-so-contemporary (whether contemporary for now or ten-fifteen years ago, ) posts found in this particular topic for this question are kinda making me think the same thing...but then again, as a normal person, I don't see any other way to really answer the question, regardless of what your reasons for your [non-]choices are. So I guess let us be us...and don't let pseudo-intellectualism get in the way, particularly if it's built off of debasing others.

 

Don't mind me, just internally monologuing here...

Edited March 7, 2014 by Bartimaeus

[alanschu]

Eh, "must" play is an exaggeration. Obviously it's not a requirement to be a good game developer.

[Hurlshort]

I would be interested in seeing how a film would turn out if it was directed and produced by someone who had never watched a movie in their life.  

[rjshae]

It has been said that playing plenty of games is helpful to developers. It's probably good for learning useful techniques, while observing elements to avoid or improve. I suspect that depth and breadth of experience may be more important than the specific games played.

[Orogun01]

None. No game is a 'must' play just like no movie is a 'must' watch. It's absolutely asanine and beyond silly to think otherwise.

Not to the common man whose interest in a medium is just for entertainment's sake, but to the professional who needs to understand good from bad there are must. This is true for every field, whether is fashion or sports there are certain "musts" that a professional needs to be aware of, even if they don't like them.

 

On the subject; I would also say that Gears of War and Halo should be considered a must (even though I dislike them) even though the mechanics they spawned are still being used. Namely; cover shooting and regen health, hopefully those two will become a thing of history soon.

[Nonek]

Interactivity and reactivity in the environment: Ultima 7 and Divine Divinity, very rare to see this feature in modern games however, due to the steady decline of the medium.

The brute power, nuance and simplicity of text as a medium: Betrayal at Krondor and Planescape Torment.

Cinematics as an aid to gameplay rather than a hindrance: The Witcher 1.

Believable living worlds, with npc routines and realistic behaviour: Vizima in Witcher 1 and Ultima 7.

Self motivated npc's with their own agenda's: New Vegas, The Sith Lords and Witcher 2.

 

You might wish to look up Mr Charlie Brooker's television program "games that changed the world" Orogun, seems like it might be relevant to your list in a number of ways.

[Bryy]

I second this:

 

 

None. No game is a 'must' play just like no movie is a 'must' watch. It's absolutely asanine and beyond silly to think otherwise.

Not to the common man whose interest in a medium is just for entertainment's sake, but to the professional who needs to understand good from bad there are must. This is true for every field, whether is fashion or sports there are certain "musts" that a professional needs to be aware of, even if they don't like them.