What is the future of gaming?

Given that the discussion on the past of gaming is proving somewhat successful, thought it might be fun to do one on the future.

With virtual reality possibly about to explode, is this to route that we are going down? Are we moving ever closer to the technology seen in Ready Player One and would you like to see a real life OASIS?

If not, what do you think is the potential future?

degrassinoel

Commander LaForge to holodeck one, Moriarty has taken more hostages!

Oooh i cant wait! this is gonna be awesome!:cool:

jobbridge4life

I haven't been lucky enough to experience Oculus Rift, Project Morpheus etc. but it really looks like they have the basics of VR cracked and honestly I can't see anything escaping that lure.

CiDeRmAn

VR will be a part but people will always want to watch a screen and play games, on their own, with company in local mutliplayer/coop and online multiplayer coop.
And as such I think, as long as companies make system exclusives, and long may it continue, there will be console makers.
The future will look broadly the same as now, but with more digital only games.
In the past 30 years that's the only thing that has really changed.
We have always bought a console or computer, hooked it up to a display, plugged in a controller and played carts/disks or tapes, loading games and playing them.

I think the big change will be the ability of an artist/craftsman to create anything he/she wants to, unfettered by concerns about console power.
More games like Okami, XIII, LoZ Wind Waker, ICO, SotC and so on, no need to be racing to some photorealism.
Instead we will see an effective cinematography taking place. As in film, once the medium is perfected and understood we may see something really special.
Though, it has to said, the limitations of consoles over the years has led to some amazing innovations and problem solving on the part of programmers to extract beauty from the hardware.

Randall Floyd

We're already there.

Venom

Personally I think 4k gaming and all that is involved for that, like top tier GPU's for both PC and consoles is the future.

VR while great for certain games is hindered for most game types by not being able to see and use the keyboard.

ballyargus

GTA VI, FIFA 2016, Gran Turismo 6. Sadly.

jobbridge4life

Venom wrote: »

Personally I think 4k gaming and all that is involved for that, like top tier GPU's for both PC and consoles is the future.

VR while great for certain games is hindered for most game types by not being able to see and use the keyboard.

For the time being... but the fact that you recognize that merely as an impediment to the otherwise inevitable success of VR elucidates the inescapable fact that VR will reign supreme.

At the end of the day in every game we play we want immersion, everything else will be reworked to fit within this goal.

CiDeRmAn

Except when it comes to sharing experiences with other people in the room with you.
In which case VR is rubbish.
VR forces one experience on you, a first person experience regardless of genre.
Otherwise, if you are playing a game from an overhead perspective or third person, then its just a glorified big screen tv, a tv that only you can see.
So, no, VR is just one available display for games but will not be dominant in any regard.
Displays will keep improving resolution to the point that the eye can't tell anymore.
Same with colour, frame rate, polygons and so on.

kunst nugget

The future of gaming is going to be subscription based services like Playstation Now through Smart TVs once it comes at a palatable price imo.

kunst nugget

Venom wrote: »

Personally I think 4k gaming and all that is involved for that, like top tier GPU's for both PC and consoles is the future.

VR while great for certain games is hindered for most game types by not being able to see and use the keyboard.

I never look at my controller when playing a game on my Playstation so not being able to see it would never be an impediment when using VR. Actively shutting out my family by wearing a Headset would be more of an impediment.

Generic Dreadhead

Being able to have sex with my car.... but in a video game

Venom

kunst nugget wrote: »

I never look at my controller when playing a game on my Playstation so not being able to see it would never be an impediment when using VR. Actively shutting out my family by wearing a Headset would be more of an impediment.

I agree with you, but like Ciderman said, VR is only really good for first person style games and most of those don't require many keys/buttons to play.

Other game types such as beat em ups, 3rd person action adventures, RTS, side scrollers, MMO's and simulators either require being able to use a ton of keys so seeing the keyboard is needed or make zero use of VR.

jumbobreakfast

Venom wrote: »

I agree with you, but like Ciderman said, VR is only really good for first person style games and most of those don't require many keys/buttons to play.

Other game types such as beat em ups, 3rd person action adventures, RTS, side scrollers, MMO's and simulators either require being able to use a ton of keys so seeing the keyboard is needed or make zero use of VR.

One of the best VR games (according to games journalists) is Luckey's Tale which is a 3rd person Mario 64 type game. You are mostly right though, the killer app for VR atm seems to be games where you sit in a cockpit but I think that could change as it's only been a few years since the first oculus devkit came out and AAA games need time to develop.

In the future there probably will be a backlash against tech which will probably take shape in some sort of religion or perhaps teenagers will insist on playing outside in the "dangerous" real world to defy their parents

erkifino

VR will go the way of the Kinect... Then again I thought the idea of a 'life simulation' game was ludicrous... The Sims 1,2,3 and 4 beg to differ.

K.O.Kiki

Venom wrote: »

I agree with you, but like Ciderman said, VR is only really good for first person style games and most of those don't require many keys/buttons to play.

Other game types such as beat em ups, 3rd person action adventures, RTS, side scrollers, MMO's and simulators either require being able to use a ton of keys so seeing the keyboard is needed or make zero use of VR.

I have literally never looked down at my 8-button arcade stick while playing.

I'm almost certain I rarely looked at the keyboard during TIE Fighter, come to think of it.

CiDeRmAn

Anyone remember all those great fighting games played from a first person or over the shoulder view?
No?
Well then don't count on VR to be the answer there.
Twin stick shooter fan are you?
Not much point in VR either?
How about horizontally or vertically scrolling shooters or platformers?
Probably not going to need a headset for that either.
VR is probably going to have gaming experiences we can't even guess at but in now way is it going to replace a decent display.

jumbobreakfast

I don't know, it might be fun to go the arcade with your friends even if they live in a different country

http://digitalcybercherries.com/images/NewRetroArcadeV2_8.jpg

http://digitalcybercherries.com/

Venom

K.O.Kiki wrote: »

I have literally never looked down at my 8-button arcade stick while playing.

I'm almost certain I rarely looked at the keyboard during TIE Fighter, come to think of it.

For me, it's not so much a case of looking at a keyboard directly to hit certain controls but being able to see it out of the corner of my vision. Not having any visual reference of a keyboard at all would be a completely different story imho.

Icyseanfitz

for fps games and games that aim to be completely immersive VR is most certainly the holy grail, the thought of being able to exist in any world that can be thought up is an amazing idea, its how are we going to control things in VR that has me guessing

Star Lord

CiDeRmAn wrote: »

Anyone remember all those great fighting games played from a first person or over the shoulder view?
No?
Well then don't count on VR to be the answer there.
Twin stick shooter fan are you?
Not much point in VR either?
How about horizontally or vertically scrolling shooters or platformers?
Probably not going to need a headset for that either.
VR is probably going to have gaming experiences we can't even guess at but in now way is it going to replace a decent display.

Metroid Prime 4 with a VR headset though... That'd work!!!

CiDeRmAn

Star Lord wrote: »

Metroid Prime 4 with a VR headset though... That'd work!!!

Yes, but that's because it's a first person game to begin with!
Imagine playing Other M instead, picture the nausea as the game flicks from third person to side on to first person and back again.

Myrddin

I dunno, I reckon we've yet to see the real benefits of blast processing...

Venom

Myrddin wrote: »

I dunno, I reckon we've yet to see the real benefits of blast processing...

Don't forget grapple vision :cool:

brianregan09

We'll all be plugged into the Matrix lads

Retr0gamer

The hardware manufacturers don't care about making advances in hardware and input devices, the future they'll be looking to is subscription services ala Netflix and more micro transactions.

Optimalprimerib

Retr0gamer wrote: »

The hardware manufacturers don't care about making advances in hardware and input devices, the future they'll be looking to is subscription services ala Netflix and more micro transactions.

I agree. I think stream gaming will be the way forward. One plus to this may be that theoretically you will be able to play the best version of that game without a custom built PC.

Retr0gamer

Optimalprimerib wrote: »

I agree. I think stream gaming will be the way forward. One plus to this may be that theoretically you will be able to play the best version of that game without a custom built PC.

From experience with the last few streaming services the best way for them to save money was to be economical in their processing and games were run at very modest specs. Sony and MS will be trying to erode ownership as much as possible, subscriprion services are far more lucrative as well and a far more stable source of income. PS plus and PS Now are already making in roads in this area, it's a far more stealthy approach to it than what MS tried with the XBox One. Make no mistake, streaming services won't be for the consumers advantage.

the groutch

Retr0gamer wrote: »

The hardware manufacturers don't care about making advances in hardware and input devices, the future they'll be looking to is subscription services ala Netflix and more micro transactions.

think it's a long way away from fully taking over though.
just look a the ****storm that ensued when MS tried to effectively remove disc-based gaming for the Xbone.

kunst nugget

the groutch wrote: »

think it's a long way away from fully taking over though.
just look a the ****storm that ensued when MS tried to effectively remove disc-based gaming for the Xbone.

Give it a couple of years. Netflix and Spotify have shown that subscription services can be successful. Even the likes of Adobe have embraced subscription with Creative Cloud. I reckon about 80% of what I buy for the PS3 is digital - I'm playing catch up on old titles that I pick up for usually between €5-€10. Physical copies don't really appeal to me due to limited space. If Playstation Now was at a reasonable rate, I wouldn't have any issue using it.

Retr0gamer

the groutch wrote: »

think it's a long way away from fully taking over though.
just look a the ****storm that ensued when MS tried to effectively remove disc-based gaming for the Xbone.

Don't be too sure about that. The digital world moves fast. Just look at the uproar over downloadable content, games and consumer rights 7 years ago and now look at how acceptable it is. Also look at how people can't say a bad word against PS Plus and it's totally accepted now. People are happy with their 'free' games they pay 60 euros a year for and are only renting if they read the T&C. PS Plus is definitely great value but Sony have used that great value and a floundering Microsoft to bring in paid for online services, something which should have caused uproar but the internet mouth pieces at the time were too busy at the time going after Microsoft.

PS Now at the moment is a joke due to the pricing but if it comes out of Beta and Sony make the package as enticing as PS Plus (or even change PS Plus to PS Now) then Sony can cleverly introduce the concept of suibscriptions and streaming. Basically Sony are slowly moving towards a very similar model that Microsoft proposed for the XBox One, or at least one that will give them the same control over the industry but are doing it in a far cleverer way and I'm willing to bet it will be in place by the time the next generation of consoles rolls around.

BeerWolf

Would love for gaming to eventually reach the level of VR seen in that anime Sword Art Online with that "Nerve" gear...

Retr0gamer

BeerWolf wrote: »

Would love for gaming to eventually reach the level of VR seen in that anime Sword Art Online with that "Nerve" gear...

However if the games are anything like the SAO anime they'd be the most boring and generic games ever (with a bit of incest thrown in for good measure).

BeerWolf

Retr0gamer wrote: »

(with a bit of incest thrown in for good measure).

What? o.O;

Retr0gamer

BeerWolf wrote: »

What? o.O;

Not gotten to the second half of the show then with the sister madly in love with the main character?

BeerWolf

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Not gotten to the second half of the show then with the sister madly in love with the main character?

Think it was mentioned later on in Season 1 they weren't blood related.

Retr0gamer

BeerWolf wrote: »

Think it was mentioned later on in Season 1 they weren't blood related.

Yeah, the old anime trope. Doesn't make it any less wrong though to me

CiDeRmAn

I don't mind the idea of a subscription service as long as the games I want are available.
Seems, once the games you like aren't top tier you may be out of luck finding them.

Retr0gamer

Top Tier or licensed. Once a games license expires it usually disappears forever except in exceptional circumstances like the X-Men and Turtles Konami arcade games... which have since disappeared from download services due to lapsed licensing deals.

CiDeRmAn

And this is why the idea of having my choice of games selected on my behalf by someone else unpleasant.
I went on Netflix to watch Mars Attacks the other night and it wasn't to be found.
Other movies vanish in regular sweeps and are replaced, imagine you're halfway through Dark Souls as you play via subscription only to find, next time you log on, that the game has disappeared, perhaps due to a licencing issue with the publisher or who knows what.
Nope, I'd rather a physical copy thanks very much, this is why I own Wipeout HD/Fury instead of relying on Sony to keep supporting it.

johnny_ultimate

Far more interested in the form future games will take as opposed to the technology we'll be playing it on (not that that isn't interesting in its own way).

Based on the last few years, I hope there are more experimental and abstract games, ones that really subvert and challenge the existing form factor of games. A positive trend IMO has been the games more interested in exploring unusual interactive spaces as opposed to more traditionally 'gamey' settings and mechanics. This has taken the form of many 'walking simulators' and the like, but there's certainly plenty of upcoming titles like Fire Watch, Sunset, No Man's Sky, Everybody's Gone to the Rapture etc... that look like pushing boundaries in very fresh ways. While I'd argue that complex / convoluted mechanics (a very narrow margin between those two descriptions!) are unnecessary for many titles, it will be interesting to see how developers start marrying more in-depth 'play' to these games.

Similarly, I'm excited about the narrative potential to be explored in both gameplay mechanics and interactive worlds. This doesn't necessarily mean more 'choice-filled' fantasy melodramas or more traditionally 'linear' tales (although I'm sure there'll be plenty of them, and plenty of fascinating ones at that), but games that really start exploring more unusual thematic space, and embrace more complex social, political and even personal contexts. I think the seemingly commonplace perception that games are just mindless entertainment is a profoundly limited, backwards one (embodied by a certain 'keep diversity out of our games!' movement), and I have no doubt there will be plenty more games that demand more serious engagement. Again, the seeds of this are already there with games like Papers, Please, Jason Rohrer's games or (slightly more crudely) Papa & Yo, so long may it continue to evolve. While player agency in storytelling to date has very often been boiled down to a series of binary choices, it's safe to say game makers will devise more organic, multi-faceted and (to use a buzzword) emergent ways of involving players in stories.

And another thing we're seeing a lot of now is surely going to continue: longer development periods for AAA games. Everybody's demanding bigger, better, more detailed games, and that's clearly making the big releases significantly more expensive and time-consuming to actually produce. In a way making games has never been easier and more accessible for many people, but at the top tier (or indeed independent perfectionists!) there's a lot of effort needed. On the negative side, this is undoubtedly going to lead to many titles being pretty risk averse given the huge costs attached (plus lots of HD reissues and DLC in the considerable downtime between 'full' sequels). On the plus side, I'd be confident there will indeed be significantly more impressive games created by these technological advances - we might be waiting a while, but I'm fascinated to see what Rockstar and Naughty Dog can produce on next-gen tech and beyond.