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Altre's Comic Gaming Nostalgia
Altre, 2004-03-13
I suffer from a disease. It's common, painful, and utterly incurable. Worst of all, once infected, it's very hard to tell you have the illness. I refer of course to gaming nostalgia. Anyone over a certain age is intimately familiar with it. Those who haven't yet been subjected to its curse will be soon. There are no 12 step programs, no support groups. I, and many others, are cursed with it for life.
Symptoms: The primary indicators of gaming nostaliga are a loss of objectivity, and spending large sums of money on equiment and games that are old enough to have had their own kids. Over time, you will increasingly find old games fun. That in itself isn't bad. It's when you begin to see those older titles as being resolutely superior to newer games that you can suspect you've been infected. Expect to find yourself in arguments making statements like, "Game x was really great. They don't make them like that anymore." Do you remember a certain game from your childhood fondly? More than likely, ten years from now you'll be trying to find a copy of it. Once you do, your life will be absurdly full of joy. Congratulations, you're a sick puppy.
Cause: Inevitably our experiences and expectations are shaped by the first few games that we played. For a good portion of us, this happened at an early age. As we progress through our gaming life, we become jaded toward newer software. Our skills increase, so titles are not nearly as difficult to beat as they once were. Life becomes more crowded, so the level of immersion you experienced is no longer there as time is limited. Those ideal nights of eating pizza while in front of the computer are gone. The further you age, the more the yearning for those games of old will get. It's a matter of mental and emotional association. Those few games from the past are remembered fondly, and with care.
Cure: There is none. You're in this for life, and it's only going to get worse.
Mmorpg effect: This is the painful side of gaming nostalgia. At a certain point, you're going to crave ye old mmorpg. Unlike single player games, when that time comes, it won't be there. The mmorpg has a set life, based on how long the company behind it decides to keep the server up. Once they pull the plug, everything goes. All you'll have left are memories and a lot of cash spent.
I've tried and tried, and failed, to rid myself of gaming nostalgia. It's like a horrible little leech that refuses to let go. Finally, I gave in, and I'm much happier for it. Gaming nostalgia will get you eventually.
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