this post was submitted on 14 Aug 2023
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[–] [email protected] 65 points 1 year ago (6 children)

I refuse to use “boomer shooter” it’s a dumb moniker that ignores the single most influential person involved in the genre: John Carmack.

He’s not a boomer, boomers didn’t make the genre, boomers don’t deserve the credit.

[–] [email protected] 15 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I don't even think boomers played these when they were popular. At the time they were still way too scared of technology, think flashing 12:00 on the vcr jokes. These games are Gen-x/millennials childhood shooters.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

My boomer father pirates doom for me as a child.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago

Agreed. Carmack is Gen X.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

... man I never made that connection. I thought it was because there was never an explosion smaller than somebodies head. If it doesn't cause a boom it's a gun that shouldn't be in a boomer shooter.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago (1 children)

It's a joke.

It caught on because boomer is a synonym for old and a synonym for loud / explosive etc.

[–] [email protected] -1 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Try harder, it hasn't caught on.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

It's like what someone who wasn't even born when these games were made would think. Just say no to "boomer shooter". Classic FPS is fine. Old School FPS is fine. Anything but "boomer shooter".

[–] [email protected] -2 points 1 year ago (3 children)

the single most influential person involved in the genre: John Carmack.

Why would an engine developer be responsible game design? Are you confusing the Johns and meant John Romero?

And what would the genre be called then? John-like?

boomers didn’t make the genre, boomers don’t deserve the credit.

Neither did Castlevania in Metroidvania. Metroid founded the genre a decade before Symphony of the Night game out, it's just that it was called a side-scrolling action adventure. That's a bit long, though, so a shorthand was needed.

Personally, I would not mind "Retro FPS" but it's just a label and in the end doesn't really matter much.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago (1 children)

John Romero also isn’t a boomer but the reason I believe Carmack was more influential is because he was the single most important person in overcoming technical challenges that allowed those games to run.

I would personally prefer Doomer shooters given Doom’s influence, especially its cultural influence.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (2 children)

What about...Doom Clones? Full circle there

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

They'll always be doom clones to me, up to a point.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

Eh it’s got to roll off the tongue if it’s going to stick

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

“Metroidvania” is a bad term too

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Dude, if you think the game engine designer and programmer had nothing to do with the end result then you're out of your mind. Romero did some design, play-tested, and wrote some utility applications for game development. He is not the star of Doom by a long shot. There were others, but Carmack was the music maker, the dreamer of the dreams at that company.

You do know that symphony of the night is not the first Castlevania, right? The first Metroid and first Castlevania games both came out in 1986.

Get some culture Van Winkle, you have been asleep for too long.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 1 year ago

Dude, if you think the game engine designer and programmer had nothing to do with the end result then you’re out of your mind.

You're projecting waaaay to much into what I wrote. Carmack did not design the game but obviously the engine is part of the overall package. Reading my statement into saying that he "had nothing to do with the end result" is insane.

You do know that symphony of the night is not the first Castlevania, right? The first Metroid and first Castlevania games both came out in 1986.

Yes, and for a decade Castlevania games were not "Metroidvanias". That's why the term makes no sense to be part of the genre but I also don't throw a tantrum over unimportant things on the internet. Relax.

Get some culture Van Winkle, you have been asleep for too long.

Why are you so angry? I did not attack you or your mom. It's just about video games. Chill, man.