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History of the System Wars, part 1
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[ Community -> Editorial ] |
| Editorial posted by King of Creation |
Thu 04 May 2006, 1:43 AM |
Good sirs, hearken unto me...for I have a tale from the ages of yore, when most of yon peons had not yet been birthed.
The History of the System Wars, part 1
In
an era long passed, the world enjoyed a time of freedom and prosperity
that was seldom seen and shall not be seen again. We were at peace…a
peace which allowed for the development of the digital age. Electronic
culture was a blossoming flower, with every facet being delicately
cared for. PC gaming was at the forefront of this Cultural Revolution,
this rebirth, this renaissance. Gamers and the gaming industry were
composed of the most intelligent, creative, passionate individuals in
existence. Theirs was a shining City Upon a Hill, a beacon of hope to
the lost and weak. Gamers enjoyed a veritable feast of incredible
games....rpgs, adventure, strategy, shooter, puzzle…whatever the heart
desired. There was no such thing as a “casual gamer” who consumed
mindlessly, much like there is no such thing as a “casual NBA player”
or a “casual trial lawyer.” Gaming was a serious business, and gamers
demanded the very best. Gamers enjoyed this period of Enlightenment for
quite a while.
But lo! The world was stricken. Unto the earth, a foul beast
was thrown. This beast was known by many names: Nintendo, Playstation,
and the newest daemon – Xbox. These sects all followed the same banner:
the banner of the Console Gamer. These beasts lay hidden deep
within the earth until they had gathered enough followers to strike.
Plans were made and set in motion…rumbling of treason were heard
amongst the ranks of the PC Gaming elite. Calls for an Inquisition
to head the beast off went on deaf ears. “Cross platform! Damn the PC
market!” cried the corporate suits. “The masses want casual games! Let
us do away with intriguing dialogue, complex systems, and captivating
plot!” The elite commandos of PC gaming tried to stage a coup suits,
but blue lightning flowed from the fingertips of the corporate devils.
They would not be stopped, their rampage was just beginning. They would
not stage a sudden strike, not a blitzkrieg…no, it started ever so
slowly. And it was a sign of the long wars to come…
Many ancient bastions of good were lost to the wars….the System Wars.
The forces of good were outmatched by the hordes of the Console. The
sheer numbers of casual gamers decimated the once mighty ranks of PC
gaming. We fought valiantly, but it was all in vain. We were betrayed
by the corporate bastards. Our proudest warrior sect, Black Isle Studios, was delivered a mortal blow….stabbed in the back by their very leader! His French villainy
is still infamous today.. Those sects that were not defeated turned
their backs upon the refugees. They insisted on marketing to platforms.
Marketing! Black Isle Studios cared naught for Marketing! They did not
just make games. They made ART. Truer artists have never been
seen. They refused to heed the call of the Console sect, and died a
martyr’s death. Those that followed the banner of true gaming had no
choice but to sound the retreat. It was better to retreat, to rest, and
to plot revenge, than to be finished by the evil armies of Console.
It seems like an eternity since those fateful days. The remaining veterans of the System Wars
were still in hiding when word reached us that a new powerful PC gaming
sect was mounting an offensive at the gates of the Kingdom of Console.
They were developing a game that would surely be our saviour! This
game, “Oblivion,” was rumored to be strong enough to thwart any
retaliation by the Console sect. It was known that Bethsoft was
developing for the Xbox sect as well, but surely this was just a ruse
to appease the corporate suits. Their subterfuge would most likely
result in the glorification of our once mighty race, and the
destruction of the Console! Joy surged through the PC gaming community.
Overweight, middle aged men who had yet to experience the delight of a
woman were readying themselves for the coming battles, their orange
stained fingertips tapping diligently away at their keyboards, their
rooms lit only by the glow of their aging CRT. Old alliances were
renewed, ancient weapons readied. We were waiting for the ancient
war-horn to be blown, signaling the start of the new war, the war to regain our kingdom!
…
But
that horn was never blown, the signal never came. Before we could be
warned, we started to play Oblivion. We lost thousands of men in the
first hour alone. This was not the game we were promised! It was all a
trick…the game was dumbed down, cross-genre, cross-platform in all it’s
unholy glory. The graphics might have looked fancy in the screenshots,
but the constant stutter of a lagging system and the lack of the
misdirecting blur effects shown through. We were once again betrayed.
This game was little more than a first person Diablo! - endless
dungeons, skeletons and goblins, giant leaping rats, and collecting
loot from barrels and chests. This was not the role playing game we
were promised. I could feel the cold hand of Console clutching at my
throat as I made my way through the first dungeon. This was designed as
an FPS for a Console! Combat in true role playing games would never be
like this! Button mashing, one of Console’s strongest weapons, was the
main factor! We tried to stop, but it was too late. Too many men were
lost that day, and we had to retreat once again to our ancient places
of refuge…out of sight of the Console.
Gloat not, Console
heathen, for I know you read this! I shall rise once again to claim
what is mine by divine right! The Kingdom of gaming shall not be yours
forever! I am raising my armies, building my fortresses, and crafting
my mighty vehicles of war. It has been prophesized! “The King shall ride anew, and he shall lead the army of light into battle, and they shall retake their ancient lands.” And my banner will be the banner of the one, true game that was and is to come. Fallout 3
will signal the end of your reign, for it shall be glorious. Bethsoft
might have betrayed us once, but it was not their fault. The power of
Fallout is too strong to deny. They shall throw off the shackles of the
Console, ignore the cries of the mindless casual gamer, disregard the
threats of preemptive attack from the suits and make a true role
playing game. The ancient power of Fallout is such that the world has
not seen in an age! The forces of Console have not the strength, nor
the power of mind to stand up to such a warrior!
Fear not, true gaming brethren, for I shall not be silenced! I shall not be stopped! My strength is unmatched, and my will undying! I shall reclaim my Kingdom, and I shall send the hordes of Console back to the pits from whence they came! |
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