High Score - Netflix

Retr0gamer · 10-08-2020 9:02am #1

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_ · 10-08-2020 1:34pm

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 · 10-08-2020 2:07pm

_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 · 10-08-2020 2:39pm

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 · 10-08-2020 3:06pm

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 · 11-08-2020 1:42am

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

Retr0gamer · 11-08-2020 7:50am

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 · 11-08-2020 9:37am

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 · 11-08-2020 9:54am

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 · 11-08-2020 10:13am

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 · 11-08-2020 2:00pm

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 · 19-08-2020 8:51pm

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

Thecageyone · 19-08-2020 10:21pm

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 · 20-08-2020 9:48am

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 · 20-08-2020 12:23pm

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

Vicxas · 20-08-2020 1:12pm

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

Mal-Adjusted · 23-08-2020 8:21pm

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 · 23-08-2020 8:58pm

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 · 25-08-2020 10:48am

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 · 25-08-2020 10:50am

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 · 25-08-2020 11:12am

King of Kong is so damn good.

Creamy Goodness · 25-08-2020 11:14am

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

Markitron · 25-08-2020 11:26am

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 · 25-08-2020 11:49am

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 · 25-08-2020 11:52am

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 · 25-08-2020 12:23pm

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 · 25-08-2020 12:33pm

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 · 25-08-2020 8:36pm

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 · 26-08-2020 3:37am

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

I am out.

Thecageyone · 26-08-2020 3:58am

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 · 26-08-2020 5:25am

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.

High Score - Netflix

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