How much do people feel that gaming, like cinema, is important as a shared transition? When does the sharing of a game as a transition lead to retro gaming trends? Who do you have to be sharing the game with for the game to make sense as a shared transition? Will you play the game that nobody has played?

Very interesting... I am currently playing ICO (PS2) and nobody I know of is familiar with that game. All my friends and coworkers are busy with Morrowind (PC)... and that means I have to play it too since all the "gametalk" is about that game...

::aggression is the result of fear::

no one knows about ICO, because almost every PC game is better than a game where you lead a blind princess through a dungeon avoiding black shodow monster things

There''s something to be said for playing obscure games, though. Just like seeing a movie when you know nothing about it and haven''t read any reviews.

I don''t know about people in general, but I can give my personal feelings.

I need both games for indviduals and games for groups. However, when playing a single-player game I always seem to end up talking about it to other friends who have played the same game (and even those who haven''t).

I play a lot of games that few have heard of. I often buy games from smaller independant developers, just to support their cause. Sometimes you stumble upon true gems, and sometimes you get nothing (demos and shareware help, though). Maybe I do this in hopes that others will do the same when I release a game. :-)

I also recently built a "new" computer: A Pentium233/MMX! I did it for the sole purpose of playing DOS games. My friends called me mad! Incidentally, I payed very little, as most of the parts were in my closet. Also, I had lots of old games that I haven''t been able to play since I switched to Windows NT4. I still buy old games, too. I recently purchased Sierra''s forgotten game: Hunter-Hunted.

I love where games are going, but I''m also a fan of the classics, and I especially love playing modern versions of them. I have spent hours on the PSX version of Pong!!!! It''s a great party game, believe it or not.

And i prefer multiplayer with friends present to online multiplayer. LAN parties are 100x more exciting than any internet game. Even games with friends across the internet do not compare. Better yet, we like to have LAN parties and play team games against people on the ''net. There''s something exciting about working together like this.

I am pretty much an all-around gamer. I like most games, although lately I have not been into console games as much. I guess I''m a PC gamer at heart.

Seeing as one of the top series for N64 was the Mario Party trio, I think that playing games in a small group of close friends is popular. In fact, most of the N64 games I own are 4-player.

--TheMuuj

"How much do people feel that gaming, like cinema, is important as a shared transition?"
Well, I usually catch a matinee in the middle of the week because it''s cheaper and there are less people. I still like the feeling in the cinema and gaming is always more fun with people.

"When does the sharing of a game as a transition lead to retro gaming trends?"
When the players get older.

"Who do you have to be sharing the game with for the game to make sense as a shared transition?"
Any game worked for me and my friends, except one player games that last for hours like two of my friends who played the Breath of Fire and Resident Evil series.

"Will you play the game that nobody has played?"
Yes.