Nitpick: I would disagree with redirecting "computer game" to "video game." Plainly, not all computer games are video games, as anyone who recognizes "phlug" and "a hollow voice says..." knows very well. If anything, the broader genus is indeed "computer game." Anyway, I'd say both deserve their own pages. MHO.
Video game is generally considered to be broader - people often refer to Quake as a video game, people never refer to Mario as a computer game. See for instance the [recent /. article] - it's never mentioned whether or not computer games are responsible for violence. Etymologically you'd be more correct, but people rarely worry about that sort of thing when they talk. Heck, note Zork and Ultima were already here.
The separation of the two is certainly canon, and I agree that it makes good sense for older games. The problem is that the distinction necessarily carries itself forward to the present, where it becomes a harmful anachronism. Games slip back and forth all the time, and Mario and Goldeneye pair up far better with Keen and Quake then which each other. Emulators make things even worse. This merging was brought about by the suggestion we be platform agnostic, and I can't say I disagree - there's plenty of room for separation when talking about genres or history. --JG
But how to pigeonhole games by genre?
There are so many examples of series that span many genre's and styles, that appear at first glance to be one thing, but are in fact another.
Take for example the Tomb Raider entry, the fact that the first 3 instalments are 3d doesn't make it a 3d series, "huh?!?" there is a 2d Game Boy Color Tomb Raider.
But that's just the beginning.
A better example again is [Panzer Dragoon]?, the first two games were on the rail shooters, the third, Panzer Dragoon Saga was an RPG.
Best yet is Super Mario; 2d [platform game]?? or 3d platform game? or kart racing game? or all three and then some more.
I haven't the answer, perhaps games that aren't so readily defined should he left just that, undefined. --Neeklamy
Those examples aren't really cross-genre games, but series that span several genres - particularly the last, since Mario Kart is a different series altogether. But you have a good point, many games are going to be problematic. I think probably the best way to handle this would be to just mention them in multiple categories, and for truly unique games (Robot Odyssey) make an other category.
Most games fall very clearly into one genre or another - platformers, first person shooters, and RPGs have each had hundreds of nearly identical titles.
You got me there! But really, there are plenty of actual cross-genre games; how about those shoot em up levels in
Super Mario Land, or more recent still, the racing in Shenmue
?. Slight diversions maybe, but the last few years have seen more games tackling several genres, probably the best known example is [Final Fantasy VII]
?. --
Neeklamy
Is the video game section going to be exhaustive? I presume so, so each genre now has a subpage.
I suggest there be no more than half a dozen good examples of each genre on the main page, with the full list being on the specific subpage. --
Neeklamy
I suppose I'm being unnecessarily picky in re:
Video game/FPS, but has anyone ever heard of any
other kind of first person shooter? For instance, a first-person shooter movie, perhaps, or a poem, or maybe a painting? --KQ
Not too sure I follow what you mean KQ, do you mean FPS games that involve something other than just shooting, like System Shock perhaps? or the upcoming Metroid Prime?
No, I mean I've never heard of any other kind of first-person shooter, so why not just call it "first-person shooter," rather than "video game/first-person shooter"? I don't think they exist except as a video game.
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