I was thinking about how I remember Maxis fondly, and I got to wondering what other people’s experiences were like!

Is your favorite still around? Are they still the same, or did they “change directions under new management?”

    • SenorBolsa@beehaw.org
      2·
      10 months ago

      Haha, that’s exactly the kind of game I want to make but with graphics and a little less dry. Didn’t even know about that one. Also I should probably actually figure out how to start that once I’m settled in here. It’s amazing how much planning and thought goes into getting one truck across the country. It’s like Oregon trail but you die of stupidity, yours or others, rather than dysentery.

    • Telorand@reddthat.comOP
      6·
      10 months ago

      Are they still around? /j

      Yep, some classic point and click games, like Full Throttle. It’s from games like that that I learned Mark Hamill is an amazing voice actor.

    • Telorand@reddthat.comOP
      6·
      10 months ago

      Yeah… Gotta wonder what the original founders would say if you could tell them what they’d become.

      • averyminya@beehaw.org
        2·
        10 months ago

        I remember going to EA games on a field trip for school and even back then the corporate feeling was strong. I remember this panel about developer freedom and not a single student was interested. Granted, nobody from my school was on track to do any kind of game development

  • GregorGizeh@lemmy.zip
    18·
    10 months ago

    Westwood studios. Command and conquer tiberian sun was my very first computer game, which I loved dearly (and still have on my computer since it’s freeware now and has been fan patched for modern systems)

    Well and then came EA.

  • hascat@programming.devEnglish
    15·
    10 months ago

    Sierra entertainment! I was a big fan of the kings quest games, and Sierra online was my first experience with online gaming.

    • Thelsim@beehaw.org
      1·
      10 months ago

      I loved the Quest games! They were my first real introduction to the English language. Simple phrases like Open Door and feed chickens were a great way to build my basic vocabulary. I kept pestering my dad for translations until he got fed up and taught me how to use a dictionary :)

      I have so many great memories playing those games, on my own and together with my dad. It really was a bonding experience.

  • EssentialCoffee@midwest.socialEnglish
    14·
    10 months ago

    Sierra On-Line

    King’s Quest is still one of my favorite series ever and the one they put out a few years ago was a great retelling. I cried at the end.

  • root@aussie.zoneEnglish
    13·
    10 months ago

    Origin “We create worlds”. They definitely did with the Wing Commander series. Played a lot of WC 3, 4 as well as Privateer.

    I don’t think anyone mentioned Lionhead Studios. Black and White was fun. Sadly it’s in copyright limbo if I’m not mistaken.

    Also played a lot of Civilization 1 from Microprose back in the day.

      • Grimpen@lemmy.ca
        1·
        10 months ago

        Never finished most of the Ultima Games. Started U4 again a few years ago. Tried picking it back up, and I’ve misplaced that damn balloon again.

  • sculd@beehaw.org
    13·
    10 months ago

    Westwood I had fun with Red Alert 1 & 2 for a long time. Super casual player though.

  • TimTheEnchanter@beehaw.org
    12·
    10 months ago

    Maxis was the one that came to mind for me, too! I played everything of theirs that I could get my hands on. Still playing The Sims after all these years!

    • Telorand@reddthat.comOP
      3·
      10 months ago

      Will Wright is a genius, and deservedly so, but just did some reading on what he’s been up to, and I’m not sure if this new venture will fly.

      https://www.axios.com/2022/10/20/will-wright-voxverse-gala-gallium-blockchain

      Sounds like SecondLife (another of his creations) with NFTs, or the various failed attempts at a Metaverse, except rich crypto-whales get to be the Lords, and the rest of us are the surfs. Then again, maybe there’s some aspect to it I don’t understand.

    • tuckerm@supermeter.social
      7·
      10 months ago

      I never played the classic “Quest” games that Sierra made, but they published a bunch of really good ones from other developers, too.

      I remember their logo coming up before each of the Half-Life, SWAT, Tribes, and F.E.A.R. games. I was always like, “dang, someone there knows how to pick 'em.”

  • Grimpen@lemmy.ca
    11·
    10 months ago

    Interplay, Microprobe, Sierra On-Line, Bullfrog, Dynamix, Origin, all long gone.

    Activision is still around, but it’s something completely different. Same with Atari (although theres a nostalgia brand now, so maybe back).

    Of them all, I think is have to say I’m most nostalgic for Sierra On-Line, although Origin gives them a run for most nostalgic.

    • pbjamm@beehaw.orgEnglish
      5·
      10 months ago

      I worked for Interplay back in the 90s. It was pretty great for me, launching my IT career. Working in QA did temporarily ruin my ability to play games for fun though.

    • anteaters@feddit.de
      4·
      10 months ago

      Dynamix’ Earthsiege was such a magical thing back then. So were Bullfrog’s Syndicate, Theme Hospital and Dungeon Keeper. Many, many years ago when Peter Molyneux was not a dumbass but gave us gems like Populous and Black&White.

      The list of games that EA has destroyed is long.

      • Grimpen@lemmy.ca
        2·
        10 months ago

        I loved Earthsiege! IIRC I got the game with an expansion card (STI Lightning 128?), and it really was fun playing with my first flight stick, a CH Products flight stick.

  • telemachuszero@kbin.social
    10·
    10 months ago

    Hard to pick but early to mid 90s era Maxis, Bullfrog, Bungie (Pathways/Marathon/Myth era), Blizzard, and SEGA all come to mind. All either gone or changed.

  • MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz
    10·
    10 months ago

    Psygnosis, later known as Studio Liverpool.

    Sony shut them down a few years ago. Man seeing that old owl logo hits me hard in the nostalgia bone.

      • MentalEdge@sopuli.xyz
        3·
        10 months ago

        They seem to consider only massive franchises like GoW and TLoU and Horizon worth their time… But most gamers need variety outside the mainstream game genres, so I don’t see why they are shutting down anything with a smaller fanbase.

        • Telorand@reddthat.comOP
          1·
          10 months ago

          Maybe those smaller teams create tools or assets (or maybe it’s the team itself) that they want.

          Capitalists can’t let anyone have fun when there’s profit to be made.