On the other hand, almost all old games from before year 2000 will play on any fairly recent computer (4 years old and sometimes even older) if you are determined to play them and get DOSBox or Virtual PC working. That isn't true of newer games, where nothing short of buying new parts or an entire new computer will get some of them running -- which is beyond some peoples' budgets.

Hi

In any case, what has the age of a game got to do with how good it is if many people enjoy playing it and consider it to be worthy ??

I think what is really noticeable about flotsam's finished collation is the absolute variety.

Cheers.

Mad

Hi Mad

Yes we all know that these old games are good, and every year we look at the same old games and they are still good. And it is the same old game that rules the charts. But why do we need to look at the same old games every year? We should give the new games a chance. The old games should step down from the charts and be honoured separate category - the hall of fame. They should not be competing with new games from young developers.

Hi Jenny
I have indeed tried to run many old games -I find that many will still not work properly on XP or Dosbox despite tweaking. The issue here is more than just being able to get old games to work. I have an old PC here that can run the old games, but at the moment I am not playing them, because I already know their stories and I have played them several rounds already. I want to play NEW games, to see how technology has made these games better in terms of graphics and speed, and I want something fresh. i think gamers should have a choice whether they want to play vintage games or new games. By having a separate list for new games it will give a chance for new games to be appreciated and recommended to gamers who want to play new games.

Hi Benedict

But why do we need to look at the same old games every year? We should give the new games a chance ....

Everyone is free to look at whichever games they wish to look at.

I want to play NEW games, to see how technology has made these games better in terms of graphics and speed, and I want
something fresh. i think gamers should have a choice whether they want to play vintage games or new games.

Gamers do have a choice. They make their own choice.
And nobody is stopping you from looking at "something fresh" if that's what you want to do.
You make YOUR own choice.

What the list is doing is recording peoples' preferences. It's not dictating to anyone which game they have to play.

Cheers.

Mad

Pandora Directive and Gabriel Knight don't take more than ten minutes to get running in DOSBox on my new dual-core Windows XP. I find them far less problematic, for example, than trying to get some of the early Windows games running on my computer, some of which won't run at all; that's why Virtual PC is going to be my next step.

Benedict,
The Twisty List is recommended adventure games of all time. If you've already played all the old ones and want something new, how is that different from having played all the new ones and looking for an older one you haven't played? Maybe you've played every single older game on the list, but not everyone has.

If you want a list that is restricted to newer games, it complicates the tallying. Where is the cutoff point for new games? 1 year? 2 years? 3 years? What about a game that was released in one part of the world a year before it was released in another? What about games that are out in Europe but still haven't been released in the US? And even if you can decide that for yourself, how do you explain it to everyone who is voting? People will buy a game they've never seen in the shop before and think it's new, when in fact it was first published over 5 years ago and the shop got it in as an overstock. So then you have the problem with some people following the instructions and other people not because of confusion about the release date. Do you throw out all the votes that don't fit your definition of new? Do you let the people who voted for something too old change their votes to something more recent? If you allow a borderline game for one person, do you allow other people to change their votes once they realize that game is allowed? How many votes do you give people? If you give them 20 votes each, you run the risk of getting a list of all recent games published instead of recent recommended games.

But if you want to start your own recommended recent games thread, and tally the results yourself, feel free. Just be aware that it's a lot of work and the end result won't suit everyone anyway.

Thanks again flotsam! it was a real gas to see where my faves placed, as usual, and to be reminded of games I want to play but haven't got round to yet!

We really appreciate your doing this every year!

WW

Jenny,

It is up to the person running the survey to define the parameters of the survey. With some thought all these issues CAN be dealt with.

In fact I DO appreciate the effort that Flotsam has put in to finalise the List. I'm proposing that we can do the list in another way, that is in my opinion more practical, more selective and possibly less tedious, but requires some careful planning and a change of style of doing things.

Just like most people here in this forum, I am for supporting the adventure game industry. These suggestions are made with the benefit of the AG industry in mind. If the regulars and the moderators here feel that this is not the direction to take, I can respect that.

Hi all,
What I will do is produce a few filtered lists reflecting some of the above.
Jenny is right, but give me a few days and I will have something done.

Hi Flotsam,

Perhaps you should take a break. I think you have already put in a lot of time and effort for this first list. This filtered list could be next year's project.

Poor Flotsam.
Just when you thought you were finished...

Here Here...I Totally agree ...Out with the Old on with the NEW...It's time

I am of the Catagory Jenny mentioned, I have done many recent games, but because I have come back to gaming after being gone almost 12 years, there is a whole section of games, I am going back and picking up, without this list, I would be lost, this list and the GREAT REVIEWS with it.
I have had a blast in the last few years, going back and playing some that are considered old to some, I Loved playing Grim Fandango, for ONE this year...
what I cant find on the store shelf, I usually can find in the Trade forum, I am just GRATEFUL FOR IT , and AM Glad for the oldies but goodies listed...
Marcia

Hi Darleen2003

"Here Here...I Totally agree ...Out with the Old on with the NEW...It's time "

As far as I'm concerned, that's just not what the spirit of flotsam's list was about when it was devised.
It was to give people the opportunity of saying which games (out of all those they had played) they had enjoyed the most and would recommend.
And that information is what flotsam still very kindly collates for us each year.

Perhaps those who wish to restrict such a list to only more recently released games should go about it themselves ??

Cheers.

Mad

Well said Jenny. I would hope the list remains the same. There are so many new players that are informed all the time about newer games, but older games don't have the same coverage. Newer game lists can be found in many places, but the list here has been a wonderful tradition of mixing the new and the old. I sure appreciate that Flotsam has put up with us all this time!

Perhaps you are right Benedict!
So a quick rejig, limiting it to 3 votes and above, gets you the following:


Games 2000-2008

55 Syberia
36 Syberia 2
29 The Lost Crown
28 Black Mirror
27 Keepsake
26 Dark Fall: The Journal
26 Dreamfall
25 Still Life
22 Myst 3: Exile
20 Secret Files: Tunguska
19 Culpa Innata
18 Runaway: A Road Adventure
15 Barrow Hill
15 Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
19 Moment of Silence
18 Scratches
16 Nibiru
14 Jack Keane
14 Uru Chronicles
14 Return to Mysterious Island
13 Aura: Fate of the Ages
13 Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder
13 Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis/vs Arsene Lupin
11 80 Days
11 Riddle of the Sphinx: An Egyptian Adventure
10 Broken Sword 3: The Sleeping Dragon
10 Myst 4: Revelation
10 Mysterious Journey: Schizm
9 Dead Reefs
9 Dracula: Origin
9 Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript
9 Sentinel: Descendants in Time
8 Aura 2: The Sacred Rings
8 Runway 2: The Dream of the Turtle
7 Alida: The Enigmatic Giant
7 Dracula Resurrection
7 Last Half of Darkness: Shadows of the Servants
7 Rhem
6 Art of Murder: FBI Confidential
6 Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern
6 Mysterious Journey 2: Chameleon
6 Mystery of the Druids
6 Overclocked: A History of Violence
6 Post Mortem
6 Sherlock Holmes: Case of the Silver Earing
5 Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None
5 Agatha Christe: Murder on the Orient Express
5 Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun
5 Ankh: Reverse the Curse
5 Broken Sword 4: The Angel of Death/Secrets of the Ark
5 East Side Story
5 Destination: Treasure Island
5 Journey to the Centre of the Earth
5 Last Half of Darkness: Beyond the Spirit’s Eye
5 Paradise
5 Rhem 2: The Cave
5 Secrets of Atlantis
4 AGON: The Lost Sword of Toledo
4 Anacapri: The Dream
4 Daemonica
4 Dark Fall 2: Lights Out
4 Nancy Drew: Curse of Blackmoor Manor
4 Nancy Drew: Ghost Dogs of Moon Lake
4 Nancy Drew: The Secret of Shadow Ranch
4 Perry Rhodan: Myth of the Illochim/ Immortals of Terra
4 Riddle of the Sphinx 2: The Omega Stone
4 Sam and Max: Season 1
4 Undercover: Operation Wintersun
3 Atlantis 3: The New World
3 AGON: The Mysterious Codex
3 Ankh 2: The Heart of Osiris
3 Belief and Betrayal
3 Cameron Files: Secret at Loch Ness
3 Conspiracies
3 Diamonds in the Rough
3 Dracula: The Last Sanctuary
3 Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit
3 Jack the Ripper
3 Myst 5: End of Ages
3 Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon
3 Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock
3 Rhem 3: The Secret Library
3 Safecracker 2006
3 Sam and Max: Season 2
3 Shadow of Destiny/Shadow of Memories

Games 2005-2008

29 The Lost Crown
27 Keepsake
26 Dreamfall
25 Still Life
20 Secret Files: Tunguska
19 Culpa Innata
15 Barrow Hill
15 Sherlock Holmes: The Awakened
18 Scratches
16 Nibiru
14 Jack Keane
13 Darkness Within: In Pursuit of Loath Nolder
13 Sherlock Holmes: Nemesis/vs Arsene Lupin
11 80 Days
9 Dead Reefs
9 Dracula: Origin
9 Secrets of Da Vinci: The Forbidden Manuscript
8 Aura 2: The Sacred Rings
8 Runway 2: The Dream of the Turtle
7 Last Half of Darkness: Shadows of the Servants
6 Art of Murder: FBI Confidential
6 Echo: Secrets of the Lost Cavern
6 Overclocked: A History of Violence
5 Agatha Christie: And Then There Were None
5 Agatha Christe: Murder on the Orient Express
5 Agatha Christie: Evil Under the Sun
5 Ankh: Reverse the Curse
5 Broken Sword 4: The Angel of Death/Secrets of the Ark
5 East Side Story
5 Destination: Treasure Island
5 Last Half of Darkness: Beyond the Spirit’s Eye
5 Paradise
5 Rhem 2: The Cave
5 Secrets of Atlantis
4 AGON: The Lost Sword of Toledo
4 Anacapri: The Dream
4 Daemonica
4 Perry Rhodan: Myth of the Illochim/ Immortals of Terra
4 Sam and Max: Season 1
4 Undercover: Operation Wintersun
3 AGON: The Mysterious Codex
3 Ankh 2: The Heart of Osiris
3 Belief and Betrayal
3 Conspiracies
3 Diamonds in the Rough
3 Dracula: The Last Sanctuary
3 Indigo Prophecy/Fahrenheit
3 Myst 5: End of Ages
3 Nancy Drew: Last Train to Blue Moon Canyon
3 Nancy Drew: Secret of the Old Clock
3 Rhem 3: The Secret Library
3 Safecracker 2006
3 Sam and Max: Season 2

I appreciate its imperfect, given that it takes no account of the games that might have received additional recommendations if eg games pre 2000 had been excluded from the initial vote, but if you want to focus on new games in terms of a play list it gives you that to a certain degree.
Plus, as I previously indicated, we have increased the number of votes from 10 to 20 over the years to take account of the growing catalogue of games. If we were going to limit it to, say, 2005 and above, we would likely reduce the votes back down to 15 or even 10, which makes these lists a little less unreal.
If I was an adventure newbie, I reckon I would want a list that included more rather than less, and to which I could apply my own filters, but thats just me.
I am not sure that there are too many games worth playing that aren't on the list at all, and if you apply the reasoning that they must all be worth your attention to some extent given that at least someone thought to recommend every game from all those that they had played, then perhaps you don't need much else.
But we can discuss tweaking the parameters prior to next year, and then proceed in accordance with the consensus.

flotsam,

Thank you for doing all this work. We really appreciate it.
We can keep the way the List is done and leave the interpretations to the members. They have the statistics and can analyze it to their hearts content.
It is next to impossible to please everyone.

Thanks flotsam!

Thanks flotsam. You are a spreadsheet master. I am copying the filtered list for my own buying reference.

We can discuss this again next year and then decide how to do The List 2009. Once possible way to avoid nominations of games outside the release date range is to provide a list of candidates for the members to vote upon. We could ask the addicts with BAAG to help.



I am copying the filtered list for my own reference.

Benedict, didn't you just see what MaG wrote? The list is going to remain the same, and you can continue to interpret as you wish from it in the years to come.

flotsam-- thank you for all your effort in the making of this list. I for one LOVE it-- I am only a few years into the gaming world and have relied on these lists to get me started in picking games I would play. I like knowing how the new ones stack up against the old ones- and have bought most of the old ones to play in the future while keeping up with the newer ones. I am a busy player right now. I think also this gives the makers of the games an idea of what we like--- if it is the older ones- they need to know this. There are some games I am struggling with getting to play- but I consider that when picking them up and feel it is another part of the gaming experience. I have had a lot of fun working with a fellow player learning new ways to tweak the computers I have.
Again--THANK YOU-- I appreciate it.

nickie

I DID see what she wrote. I'm saying we can discuss this again next year. For now, I have said enough.

Benedict,

I think administrative decisions for this forum best be left to the administrators. Thanks.

Many thanks winfrey, and glad that it has helped.

Thanks again flotsam for all your efforts!

I'm glad that there will be no changes to voting parameters next year. (Thanks Mag ) Limiting them, I feel, would lead to a less representational list of best/most recommended AG games.