High Score - Netflix

Retr0gamer

https://www.netflix.com/title/81019087

Videogame documentary coming to Netflix on the 19th of August?

Got an email about it today and it was the first I've heard of it but could be interesting.

_CreeD_

Hmm, looks like yet another that focuses purely on early consoles. Post the initial Atari gaming really took off with 8-bit home computers, the consoles came back years later. I've seen quite a few full blown docs and youtube historicals that completely ignore this. From the early through mid-80s the majority of folks gaming here at home where on Spectrums, C64s, Amstrads etc. not Nintendo or Sega.

Retr0gamer

_CreeD_ wrote: »

Hmm, looks like yet another that focuses purely on early consoles. Post the initial Atari gaming really took off with 8-bit home computers, the consoles came back years later. I've seen quite a few full blown docs and youtube historicals that completely ignore this. From the early through mid-80s the majority of folks gaming here at home where on Spectrums, C64s, Amstrads etc. not Nintendo or Sega.

If it's an american production though then they would have no real knowledge of the home micros in Europe.

I wouldn't expect an american production to cover it and in fairness wouldn't want them to as they would be clueless. There's been a few good european documentaries on the home micros in Europe.

Brozy

Could be interesting yeah. Some of the Netflix docu-series have way too many episodes and milk the content.

I did listen to a podcast where they interviewed the guy who made that ET game that went a long way to bankrupting Atari if memory serves. Think he made the game in 8 weeks on his own. Then it tied it in with the story where Atari buried thousands of the game in the desert and they dug them up recently. Very interesting story.

Retr0gamer

Brozy wrote: »

I did listen to a podcast where they interviewed the guy who made that ET game that went a long way to bankrupting Atari if memory serves. Think he made the game in 8 weeks on his own. Then it tied it in with the story where Atari buried thousands of the game in the desert and they dug them up recently. Very interesting story.

I've mixed thoughts on that documentary. The guy that made the ET game is an industry legend and how he made the game is very interesting. He has told it many times and it's the most interesting thing about the documentary.

The 'excavation' though was all for show and obvious when you know anything about it. They were always going to find carts there as it's a matter of public record that Atari dumped carts there was hardly unexpected. And the reason the games were dumped is more that Atari were moving warehouse and it was more expensive to move excess inventory to the warehouse than to dump it.

Brozy

Yeah, well was interesting for me. Maybe not for a gaming snob like yourself who knows everything.

Retr0gamer

Brozy wrote: »

Yeah, well was interesting for me. Maybe not for a gaming snob like yourself who knows everything.

Kind of uncalled for and childish. No need to be rude.

Brozy

Retr0gamer wrote: »

Kind of uncalled for and childish. No need to be rude.

My thoughts exactly. Your elitism is so annoying on these boards. People can't even state their opinion without you taking taking them down a notch or 2.

Brozy

Read your second paragraph reply to me again. Absolutely no need for your snobbery. We don't all have time to play 16 bit games all day. We all didn't work on games. Let people have their opinions, if you disagree, maybe shut your mouth for a while. Nothing worse than a snob, regardless of the subject. You know more about subject, congrats that's great, you sat on your hole longer than the rest of us. You're driving people away from here. You should be inclusive.

Retr0gamer

Brozy wrote: »

Read your second paragraph reply to me again. Absolutely no need for your snobbery. We don't all have time to play 16 bit games all day. We all didn't work on games. Let people have their opinions, if you disagree, maybe shut your mouth for a while. Nothing worse than a snob, regardless of the subject. You know more about subject, congrats that's great, you sat on your hole longer than the rest of us. You're driving people away from here. You should be inclusive.

It wasn't anything against you but you seem to have taken it that way. That's totally on you. I was just discussing the documentary not dismissing.

Anyway. Enjoy the break from the forum.

Thecageyone

Am I blind? or it doesn't say how many episodes? Hope they don't milk it as someone said, they do tend to draw these things out. Could be interesting though, will at least check the first ep

Zero-Cool

This is out now, 6 episodes averaging 40 minutes each.

Thecageyone

Zero-Cool wrote: »

This is out now, 6 episodes averaging 40 minutes each.

Just watched the first ep there, a lot of it I'd seen in other docu's in the past but should be very interesting for younger gamers who nothing about this history. Will follow through on the episodes for sure, there was a few snippets in there that I certainly did not know.

Kingp35

I've watched the first 3 episodes so far. It's fine, nothing more. Some interesting bits, some not so interesting. Some parts needed more time dedicated to them and some less! In other words, it's a bit disjointed but worth watching.

I agree it would be more interesting to younger viewers.

CastorTroy

I haven't watched yet, but heard it's the videogame equivalent of The Toys That Made Us

Vicxas

Watched it all yesterday, its alright. Bit scraping the surface kind of job.

Mal-Adjusted

Iv'e watched the first two episodes today. It's decent, aimed at the casual (Which i suppose is the good thing). I'm actually shocked that they skipped over the video game crash/fall of Atari and just went straight into Nintendo. I feel there was scope for a very intiresting story without making it too dense to scare viewers off.

Thecageyone

Mal-Adjusted wrote: »

Iv'e watched the first two episodes today. It's decent, aimed at the casual (Which i suppose is the good thing). I'm actually shocked that they skipped over the video game crash/fall of Atari and just went straight into Nintendo. I feel there was scope for a very intiresting story without making it too dense to scare viewers off.

Probably because there's been loads of documentaries on the Atari crash, if you look it up on YT you'll find dozens. This High Score series is not about one subject alone per episode, it is much more casual but still interesting enough.

coffey87

Have watched the first 2 episodes and enjoyed it, but I suppose I am more a casual gamer.

Can anybody recommend other, more in depth documentaries that would be worth a look at?

ShaneU

coffey87 wrote: »

Have watched the first 2 episodes and enjoyed it, but I suppose I am more a casual gamer.

Can anybody recommend other, more in depth documentaries that would be worth a look at?

The King of Kong: A Fistful of Quarters

Indie Game: The Movie

Retr0gamer

King of Kong is so damn good.

Creamy Goodness

I’d recommend some of the long form documentaries the YouTube channel The Gaming Historian does. Particularly his documentary on Tetris.

Markitron

I'm nearly finished it. It is decent but the personal stories drag on for WAAAAAY too long, and the bits they do with these people are just not funny or entertaining. I had to skip through all of that Nintendo counselor section as it was actively annoying me. Feel like they really breezed over the senate hearings as well.

It really is all style over substance.

Thecageyone

Markitron wrote: »

I'm nearly finished it. It is decent but the personal stories drag on for WAAAAAY too long, and the bits they do with these people are just not funny or entertaining. I had to skip through all of that Nintendo counselor section as it was actively annoying me. Feel like they really breezed over the senate hearings as well.

It really is all style over substance.

Some of it was high level cringe, and not in the good sense. It was definitely one of those 'take what little you can from' series, not an easy recommend to anyone who is in any way versed in the history of video gaming.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

I’m two episodes in. This is very very very good! The Atari stuff brought back some memories for me. I was in an old Atari factory last week too so I’m on a bit of an Atari buzz at the moment.

Markitron

Thecageyone wrote: »

Some of it was high level cringe, and not in the good sense. It was definitely one of those 'take what little you can from' series, not an easy recommend to anyone who is in any way versed in the history of video gaming.

Pretty much, I am no gaming historian but it didn't reveal anything I didn't already know when it does choose to talk about the history of the industry. Those parts are really just links inbetween the personal stories which are VERY hit and miss. The Sega executive and the trans woman were great stories, but everything else was pretty ropey. I actually felt bad for the guy that won the Sega championship on Alcatraz, that event seems to have defined him to his detriment.

ShaneU

Markitron wrote: »

Pretty much, I am no gaming historian but it didn't reveal anything I didn't already know when it does choose to talk about the history of the industry. Those parts are really just links inbetween the personal stories which are VERY hit and miss. The Sega executive and the trans woman were great stories, but everything else was pretty ropey. I actually felt bad for the guy that won the Sega championship on Alcatraz, that event seems to have defined him to his detriment.

There's a book about the Sega exec called Console Wars

Thecageyone

Markitron wrote: »

Pretty much, I am no gaming historian but it didn't reveal anything I didn't already know when it does choose to talk about the history of the industry. Those parts are really just links inbetween the personal stories which are VERY hit and miss. The Sega executive and the trans woman were great stories, but everything else was pretty ropey. I actually felt bad for the guy that won the Sega championship on Alcatraz, that event seems to have defined him to his detriment.

I felt that when he was talking that he would surge his enthusiasm to OTT level when recalling the event, then almost immediately simmer back down and you could almost see on his face that he was drained from talking about it. It's probably the only thing he's ever asked about, but hey it got him into the series.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

I have never in my life seen so much woke irrelevant nonsense in a documentary before.

I am out.

Thecageyone

Hunky Monster wrote: »

I have never in my life seen so much woke irrelevant nonsense in a documentary before.

I am out.

What's 'woke' about it? curious ..

Parsnips

Well Im enjoying it.
Im gaming about (est) 35 years now starting on the Vic20, Amiga 1200, Snes, PS1, PS2, PC gaming. XB360, PS4.

Just going onto the episode concerning Mortal combat and Violence.
Nothing makes a game sell like governing bodies trying to censor & ban it.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Thecageyone wrote: »

What's 'woke' about it? curious ..

It’s shoehorned identity politics into it an every singe point. I don’t care about your sexuality, race, genitalia. Every person they interview in this are overly keen to tell you these things. You just know that’s what the interviewer was asking about. It’s about video games, or is at least supposed to be. Absolute rubbish oppression olympics type stuff.

Thecageyone

Hunky Monster wrote: »

It’s shoehorned identity politics into it an every singe point. I don’t care about your sexuality, race, genitalia. Every person they interview in this are overly keen to tell you these things. You just know that’s what the interviewer was asking about. It’s about video games, or is at least supposed to be. Absolute rubbish oppression olympics type stuff.

Ah ok, I guess all of that just slid past me, I was only interested in the gaming side of it all. But I get what you're saying, it has become that way that insignificant details like sexuality/political and cultural stance of anyone in the lime light has come to the fore. I just choose to play ignorant to all of that, it doesn't matter in the slightest to me for example, that the Space Invader champ was Bi or trans or whatever, and you're right in that it shouldn't even have been brought up

Greyfox

Hunky Monster wrote: »

It’s shoehorned identity politics into it an every singe point. I don’t care about your sexuality, race, genitalia. Every person they interview in this are overly keen to tell you these things. You just know that’s what the interviewer was asking about. It’s about video games, or is at least supposed to be. Absolute rubbish oppression olympics type stuff.

I think your seeing things that are not actually there. In any case it's a fairly weak series with the odd interesting bit.

CastorTroy

Watched it today. Didn't realise Charles Martinet narrated it until I saw his name in the credits. And didn't once mention playing Mario.
I was a bit disappointed that they didn't intercut the Nintendo World Championship with The Wizard.

Overall, I thought it was grand but not great. Some of the interviewees were pretty strange choices. I get having Sega. Nintendo and Street Fighter 2 champions but they had a lot of focus. Then the sound guy from Donkey Kong seemed more like "Who can we get to talk to us?" And still not sure what was going on with the ones from the RPG/Adventure episode.

May just be ignorance on my part

Parsnips

Hunky Monster wrote: »

It’s shoehorned identity politics into it an every singe point. I don’t care about your sexuality, race, genitalia. Every person they interview in this are overly keen to tell you these things. You just know that’s what the interviewer was asking about. It’s about video games, or is at least supposed to be. Absolute rubbish oppression olympics type stuff.

I actually saw none of that. yeah I noticed that most of the interviewees looked a bit strange but that was all just visual for me. Maybe you just need to relax and enjoy the content of a program instead of having the laser and satelite (spelling) out for political content. I was just happy to see another program being positive about my favourite past time.

Thecageyone

Parsnips wrote: »

I actually saw none of that. yeah I noticed that most of the interviewees looked a bit strange but that was all just visual for me. Maybe you just need to relax and enjoy the content of a program instead of having the laser and satelite (spelling) out for political content. I was just happy to see another program being positive about my favourite past time.

As I said earlier, all of that mostly went over my head but, there wasn't any need to make a point of the Space Invader champ's sexuality, it had nothing to do with the rest of the show. Pointless. Otherwise I just found most of the interviewees boring and/or cringey.

Thecageyone

Thecageyone wrote: »

As I said earlier, all of that mostly went over my head but, there wasn't any need to make a point of the Space Invader champ's sexuality, it had nothing to do with the rest of the show. Pointless. Otherwise I just found most of the interviewees boring and/or cringey.

Would have been a bit confusing once they interviewed the little boy towards the end of her story. They did need to mention it once they went with her.

The story of the guy who created the first home console cartridges felt way more forced.

Kingp35

They also mentioned that the black guy involved with Madden was gay. Again an utterly pointless point to make.

I'm very left leaning and I noticed it. I don't think diversity point scoring needed to be in a documentary about video games.

Markitron

I can see why the diversity stories would stick out for some people, but to me one of the main objectives of the show was to point out how inclusive video games are. Show was obviously made with mass appeal to people that may still think games are exclusively played by teenage boys.

gizmo

Watched the first two episodes tonight and while it's enjoyable so far, it's also about as shallow a take as I expected. The second episode was particularly unfocused although I can't really expect anyone to be able to cover the impact Nintendo had with the NES in 40mins. Going heavier on the cultural side was definitely an interesting choice and focus complaints aside, I did have a rather large nostalgia-driven smile on my face for most of it which was perhaps their goal. I especially got a laugh out of the Kirby story though, the Kong suit and the link to the character isn't one I'd heard about at all before.

Thecageyone wrote: »

As I said earlier, all of that mostly went over my head but, there wasn't any need to make a point of the Space Invader champ's sexuality, it had nothing to do with the rest of the show. Pointless. Otherwise I just found most of the interviewees boring and/or cringey.

As an aside, that wasn't just the Space Invader champ, Rebecca Heineman was also co-founder of Interplay with Brian Fargo et al back in the 80s, has worked as a senior engineer at the likes of EA and Ubisoft and has contributed to the XBox 360, Vita and PS4 at a platform level. The inclusion of her more personal side is pretty unsurprising if you read up on her more.

Parsnips

Kingp35 wrote: »

They also mentioned that the black guy involved with Madden was gay. Again an utterly pointless point to make.

I'm very left leaning and I noticed it. I don't think diversity point scoring needed to be in a documentary about video games.

I agree on your point.
I couldnt give a damn what your preference is our what you identify as. It is irrelevant to me and should be to everyone else.
Hetrosexuals dont go on to shows and claim to be anything so neither should anyone else.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

There was a good half hour dedicated to some gay fella who made a game about being gay...that nobody ever heard of...like, who cares. I really liked the first story with the trans woman, it was great, it seemed like this thing that was "oh and I was a boy then" - because it was RELEVANT... and that was fine, but everything else was absolutely forced and irrelevant. I turned it off after 3 or 4 episodes, it went downhill FAST.

It's not a show about video games, it's a show about wokeness and with some video games thrown in. Turgid rubbish. I'll stick to The Gaming Historian on youtube.

Creamy Goodness

Hunky Monster wrote: »

There was a good half hour dedicated to some gay fella who made a game about being gay...that nobody ever heard of...like, who cares.

In fairness I just got to this bit and checked how much longer was in the episode - it was 13 mins. Hardly half and hour and that’s if it runs to the end of the episode.

——
Tbh I actually don’t get the outrage about the stories (I’m just starting episode 3).

Far too often we hear stories of soulless faceless companies that just create games, 500-1000+ corporations where you hear from the higher ups only that just ooze the blandness. This seems to have a more emotional/human touch and I don’t think that’s exactly a bad thing.

Maybe it’ll land with other people who aren’t into games at the moment and sparks them into playing/designing/developing games isn’t that a good thing?

o1s1n

I didn't get that 'woke' (god I hate that we're using these stupid American Twitter terms) vibe to it at all.

Just thought it wasn't overly interesting as it's the same thing I've seen in shows of its kind a million times before.

Did enjoy seeing a lot of the old 90s footage as well as a few of the Japanese game designer interviews, but that was as about it.

Turned off after the RPG episode as I was starting to get bored at that stage.

MEGA BRO WOLF 5000

Creamy Goodness wrote: »

In fairness I just got to this bit and checked how much longer was in the episode - it was 13 mins. Hardly half and hour and that’s if it runs to the end of the episode.

——
Tbh I actually don’t get the outrage about the stories (I’m just starting episode 3).

Far too often we hear stories of soulless faceless companies that just create games, 500-1000+ corporations where you hear from the higher ups only that just ooze the blandness. This seems to have a more emotional/human touch and I don’t think that’s exactly a bad thing.

Maybe it’ll land with other people who aren’t into games at the moment and sparks them into playing/designing/developing games isn’t that a good thing?

You may be right... you're only starting ep.3 though.

Just wait... and see how forced it it.

The b roll is pretty damn good

Creamy Goodness

Hunky Monster wrote: »

You may be right... you're only starting ep.3 though.

Just wait... and see how forced it it.

so just finished this last night, the segment about the Gay Blade section was still only 13 minutes long? a far cry from the 30 minutes you suggest. I'm still failing to see the outrage here about this being too woke/forced/laboured?

TBH this is the first time I've seen a gaming documentary that touched on the humans behind the games, I thought it was a nice difference than the truck load of other documentaries that focus on just the games.