Why do we still play?

[vertigo]

Some of us have been playing this game for over 10 years. When I think of my earliest memories of the internet I think of TNM. I still have old high school notebooks filled with TNM notes. I was 15 when I started TNM. I'm 28 now and I'm actively running a circuit.

So what makes you continue to the play this prehistoric game? What's your motivation?

[LillaThrilla]

"Some of us play a game. Others of us tell a story. You know where I stand."
-Jesse Day aka The People's Literary Critic, on why he uses TNM7 instead of EWR or Promotion Wars

The Front Page Sports: Football Pro series has been kept alive online for over a decade since the last version was released. The series fell victim to both Sierra's incompetence and the Madden juggernaut. But despite its technological obsolescence, it was still useful. Madden is a video game; with the aid of some fan-made utility programs and fan-testing of play design, FPS: Football Pro is still far better for simulation purposes (and probably long term league play) than Madden even if the graphics and gameplay are way out of date.

I think TNM7 holds the same role for wrestling fans: EWR, Promotion Wars, and their ilk and various console fighting games by WWE and others are better games. But for those looking to create accurate exports, simulate matches, and run a circuit for awhile it's still probably the best thing out there. The slump in wrestling's popularity hasn't exactly lead to many potential successors.

I think there's also a generational issue. The core of the TNM users were probably between 15 and 25 (maybe even 15-20) when TNM7 was released. A decade later, the landscape of wrestling has changed in many ways. But while the wrestlers and organizations and styles have changed the tastes of that group of viewers has not. If we grew up on wrestling during the nWo and WWF Attitude (or the indy/puro/lucha of the time), most of us still probably prefer that to what most groups - especially WWE - are putting on today.

Some of us probably still dream of TNM8, with its Windows-based (rather than DOS-based) interface, dozens of new features from that Wish List on the mothership forums that's gathering dust, maybe the ability to accurately sim MMA as well as wrestling. Maybe we're hoping for better days from TNM as we are from WWE and TNA.

[Flair4TheGold]

It would be nice if Oliver gave a message about the future or the end of all his TNM involvement. Right now, everything is in flux.

[LillaThrilla]

Sept 1, 2010 18:02:27 GMT -5 Flair4TheGold said:

It would be nice if Oliver gave a message about the future or the end of all his TNM involvement. Right now, everything is in flux.

He still seems reasonable active in getting codes to people and providing some tech support if you message him. I don't think anyone has offered to buy him out or really take over so I suspect he'd just as soon keep things in semi-hiatus in case his career and the wrestling business make it worth his while to make TNM8.

[Flair4TheGold]

Sept 1, 2010 22:22:41 GMT -5 LillaThrilla said:

Sept 1, 2010 18:02:27 GMT -5 Flair4TheGold said:

It would be nice if Oliver gave a message about the future or the end of all his TNM involvement. Right now, everything is in flux.

He still seems reasonable active in getting codes to people and providing some tech support if you message him. I don't think anyone has offered to buy him out or really take over so I suspect he'd just as soon keep things in semi-hiatus in case his career and the wrestling business make it worth his while to make TNM8.

I ordered two plugins on Sunday to complete my collection. Still haven't received the codes. I'll attribute that to Oliver's travel schedule.

[fwaroc]

Wow...has it really been 10 years since I bought TNM7?

[psz]

So you're the new kid? ;->


(TNM 6.13'er here)

[JoshiQ]

Good to know people are still buying TNM, fwaroc!

Let's see, first version of TNM I remember involved just being able to make tournaments and you didn't even have a circuit or cards. Just a tournament. Not sure what version that was. That's where the name TourNaMent came from, I think.