What is happening to Adventure Games?

I am totally frustrated with today's Adventure
Games...in scanning the posts in so many of our
forums I see the same problem popping up in the
fact that members have difficulty installing or
playing most Games and not just 'older' Games...

I would think that with all the sophisticaction
in the Computer world you would not have to re-
hab an entire Computer just to play a Game that
happens to be a couple of years old...
Is there not a method that would permit [with a
minimum of effort]someone to bring a Game up to
speed...
Or perhaps we are left at the mercy of the Game
developers...it's almost as if no two Games can
be installed the same way...
What do you think?...SOLVER

Hi Solver,

I guess I'm fortunate that I kept my old computers so that I have a wide variety of operating systems available for "older" games, 95, 98, 98SE in addition to my XP SP1.

I must say that all the recent games I have purchased have installed on my XP PRO SP1 computer. I don't seem to have the problems that a lot of the other posts seem to have. I don't know what the difference could be, except that when I purchase a computer, I get a Lot of ram up-front, the fastest machine available at that time, and really good video and audio cards. When I install a game, I also check the game site for available patches and read the "Read Me" file for helpful tips.

Hello 'qadventuregames'...

You are the unique exception...I mean in having
the variety of systems available to you...
I was refering to the guy or gal who drops into
their local 'Best Buy' and picks out a new title,
takes it home and attempts to install it on their
[one] Computer...thats where I think there should
be some possible installation uniformity..SOLVER

DREAMER!

Hi Solver,

I know I'm really fortunate to have many operating systems available.

However, the general public (not necessarily me) seems to want more and more from their games (more graphics, more speed, etc.). If they have not upgraded their computer system accordingly, they must read the game requirements carefully before buying the games. The requirements are not just a suggestion they are a reality. If the computer doesn't meet or exceed those requirements, you are in for trouble.

I guess the only way to have every game be uniform, would be to never have any changes and/or improvements. We would still be playing DOS text games. Which might not necessarily be bad, but I guess I'll take some glitches to advance.

Like qadventuregames I use XP Pro SP1 on the main gaming system at home. I've not had serious problems installing a new game in ages. I do still have 98SE on that machine as an option, but haven't booted into 98 in ages.

If you want to play the 'A'-grade games as soon as they hit the shelves, always check the minimum requirements. Sorry, top rate games often require top rate machinery, because they attempt to get the most out of the current state of the art in graphics/sound/media technologies available at the time of writing.

It's as simple as 'Buyer beware'. Know what you've got, read what the game requires, and there should be no problem.

Gremlin

I also have multiple computers with different OS's.(From dos to xp) And I still have trouble getting some old games to run on the OS they were made for. So I gather this is an old problem that will be around as long as there are computers, OS's, and games.

This has always been and always will be a problem. I think it's actually LESS of a problem now than it was 15 or 20 years ago when some of us were playing text adventures. Then we had to track down the Atari, Amiga, Apple or C64/C128 version of a game to play and we were paying major big bucks for the privilege - like $50 a game. Then we hoped and prayed we could get it to run with our sound cards, etc.

At least now we can start out with just 2 real decisions - PC or Mac - and many games are hybrids of those. XP at least makes the attempt by giving us compatibility mode so we've got a shot at it. Then, thanks to technology we can find patches and things like DOSBOX on the internet to help us further. Last but not least we have access to amazing places like this forum and others and manufactures via the net.

Yeah, I agree that it would be great to buy a game and put it in the drive and play it with no worries or cares about equipment. It's so frustrating when you have to upgrade to play newer games. That's usually when I sit back and play the older games (there's only about a million)and eventually upgrade to a newer system about every 3-5 years. Come to think of it, that's also why I have 5 working computers with different versions of Windows, soundcards, etc. Oops

happy trails,

Carolyn

HEAR HEAR,,I think Johnboy is right.
I hate to agree but a long as there ard more then one
computer company you will have this........

I apologize to one and all if I gave the
impression that I didn't see much difference
between a Windows 95 and an XP system...
My mini-tirade was aimed mainly at what it takes
to complete 'Return to Mysterious Island'and then
try to lnstall 'Atlantis-the lost tales'...

Must it not be so complicated?...SOLVER

I have to admit-I have a computer that plays both older games and the newer ones-but I'm like qadventures-when I buy computers-I create a computer based on the things I know I'll need-the best video card I can buy-lots of RAM-etc-so I know it will last for a few years-I've had my present system 4 years and still have no problems-

Thing is, it doesn't take a top of the line computer to run those two games. SOLVER's computer should have run them with no problem.

SOLVER's computer specs are

They certainly meet the specs listed on the boxes for Atlantis: Lost Tales and Return to Mysterious Island.

"However, the general public (not necessarily me) seems to want more and more from their games (more graphics, more speed, etc.)."

Hi

That's definitely NOT me

I want a good story, a sensible interface and loads of interesting puzzles before more graphics and more speed

Cheers.

Mad

Hi Mad

I could not agree with you more!! That is also exactly what I want in a game. To me, the rest is just window dressing.

I do like pretty graphics, but have had as much fun with some of the older games and free games which are not 'state of the art' .

What we need to add to this conversation is the copy protection schemes the companies are putting into their games. I have a machine that is only a couple of years old, and quite capable or playing almost, if not all, new games, but since I have a CD/DVD combo drive on the machine, URU won't even install! This has nothing to do with the specs of my computer: only that I happen to have a CD/DVD drive that is not compatible. I never saw that one coming when I got my computer. I actually thought I was doing myself a favor getting it.
So even if your computer is up to date, you still may not be able to play some of the games coming out. Just another thing to worry about. And since I pre-ordered URU, they didn't even know there would be a problem: said it had to do with "older" systems. My computer at that time was 1 year old.

Jenny100...

You are so right...I installed 'return to myst-
erious Island' without a hitch...played the Game
without a flaw...when it was completed...I then
tried to install 'Atlantis-the lost tales'..Brand
new...fresh out of the box...
I couldn't and was steered to Inferno's setup...
[which as you know is no walk in the park]...
Now why must this installation be so complicated
compared to the first one...or does it have to
be? SOLVER

I just finished Sherlock Holmes The Mystery of the Mummy - hated it, but that will be the subject of another post..
I exceed the system minimums and even the system recommendeds by a large margin but it kept crashing to desktop or just locking me up entirely. Following some advice from searching Gameboomers here I reset my resolution to 640x480 (which resizes my desktop and rearranges all my program group icons, grrr!) and use my Ctrl-Alt-Delete task list to close everything except Explorer and Systray to get it to run. Of course this meant that I had to kill my virus software which made it seem prudent to turn off my DSL modem. So every time I finished a session with this game I had to restart my computer to get all the other programs back in place and reset my resolution, etc. And this game was published in 2003 so it could hardly be called old!
It shouldn't be this hard.

Sounds as though some games were rushed through Beta testing, and didn't catch all the large bugs. I have to agree, installing a game shouldn't require you to stand on your head and hold your tongue just so.

I wonder if in trying to make new games snazzier they forget about keeping the installation process simple.

I'm with you the problems are with the companies which are not always as up front as they should be with their info and instructions, which I find are getting less and less. Most of us I am sure are just average joes who want to play a game for fun and to pass the time, but we dont have the facilities of the space station to install. I also find (not from boomers) but from companies when they offer help which is not often I get some info from a geek who give me instructions about programs to change and instruction on how to redo my computor and if it doesnt get done properly, usually because I dont understand, my computor is so messed up it takes weeks to get back. S i am frustrated to and am fast losing interest

So far so good. I have never had any problems installing/playing new games on my XP machine.

Never the less a lot of people have problems playing on their PC machine's. That's one of the reasons Playstation, XBox and Gamecube were developed. Making it real easy for people enjoying games without any patches etc.

Cheers

I have two computers one with WINME, XP Pro SP1, And all my old games I play it on WINME and the new ones on XP..I haven't had any problems as of yet with the new games on XP, and some old games I could play on XP with compable mode...

I always look for the requirements before I buy..
want to make sure my computer can handle it..

But I find to be true some games, expect to much specs for the game to run...I bought my computer about 10 months ago, so I guess in the computer world it is about a couple years old already..

I have a few games I would love to play on XP but I know they won't...So it is good to keep your old computer in hand this way it get to enjoy those great old games..

Liz

I guess the secret of 'Adventure Gaming' is to
either create a fleet of Computers that cover all
bases or only play Games that play on XP...
[I have farmed out my older Computers to a Grand-
son or Grandaughter]...
I have installed many games on XP without a
problem but let me grab an older game [and I
don't mean 'old-old']and away we go...
Is there not a simpler method of installing? I
played 'Lighthouse' and loved it, but what it
took to get there was something else...SOLVER

Give me Nancy Drew's galore and Im a happy camper

I'm somewhat puzzled why so many people seem to have problems. It's just a fact that as computers get better and better, they just have problems running older games. You can always have both Windows 98 and XP installed. Many times, it's the newer graphics cards too. Oh well, we just have to get more games released. Seem's like things have slowed to a trickle.
Peace.

Playing: Secret of the Silver Earring and Atlantis: Evolution. I'm enjoying both a lot.

Solver,

Have you checked to make sure that your system has the latest drivers and Direct-X installed? I always check before installing a new game - the one time I didn't (Schizm 1) I couldn't get the game to work at all. Also, check to make sure that you have the latest version of your BIOS installed. And if you don't have lots of memory, the game may not install because it runs out of memory before it can finish installing.

Hello Christine...
As I mentioned sometime back when it comes to
installing XP games my track record is about 99%
so my drivers,Direct-x and so forth are good to
go...
but I am presently trying to install Atlantis.the
lost tales [1997] and Odyssey [2000]with no
success what with Utilities and Patches and what
not...
Thank you for your input...SOLVER

I totally agree with SOLVER, installing games can be incredibly frustrating! I have XP Pro, but more often than not, I have to play in Windows 95, 98 or 2000 compatibility even though the box says XP. I've also had two games I couldn't play at all. It makes me feel cheated, like there is no truth in advertising. Of course, it doesn't help that I don't really know that much about computerand I get really stressed-out making all the changes. I don't know what I would do without the help of this great 'boomer community... But I just love to play these games!

Hi solver, that really bums me out that your having problems installing atlantis the lost tales because I have that game but havent installed it since I switched to xp home edition.I really liked that series.It really kinda saddens me to think that now I may not be able to play it anymore.

Solver, I would find someone who is computer savvy and do what my husband did for me so that I could play some of the older games.

He "partitioned" my computer's hard drive - and on one of the partitions he installed WIN98. Now, when I boot up my computer, it asks me whether I want to boot WIN-XP or WIN98.

I had never finished Lighthouse so once my husband did that I rebooted my computer, chose WIN98 to boot up, installed Lighthouse, and I was playing!

I also feel that more and more often the specs listed on the box aren't the specs that it takes to really run the game. Even though the minimum requirements are listed, it usually takes the recommended requirements. In addition, the game companies almost never list a special video card that is needed, or cards that won't work with the game. I just wish they would truthfully list what they know about the requirements so that I won't buy a game that has no chance of working on my computer. I've learned to do a lot of research and asking on this board before I buy a new game.

Hello Christine...
Your last reply in regard to 'partitioning my
Computer hard drive' really made me sit up and
pay attention...

I have delved into 'Help and Support'...clear as
mud...Is it possible for you, and/or your 'genius
husband'to give me a 'run down' on what it takes
to accomplish this procedure?

I am totally curious...SOLVER

Hello Solver!

My hubbie is a computer designer, so I'll get him to write up a "run down" on what he did and email it to the email address listed in your profile.

We won't be home tonight, so look for his response in a couple of days.

Hello Christine...

I am looking forward to the run down that you
said your husband would prepare telling me how to
'partition my hard drive'...so possibly I could
do what you do in regard to WIN98 and WINXP...

In the meantime I posted in 'GLITCHES' to see
what they have to say and a couple of replies
scared the 'bejeepers' out of me...I shall
continue my 'research quest' til I hear from you!
SOLVER