[ModernMech]

Insofar as nerdiness is considered to be gaming, that’s gone mainstream. But I don’t think most of the twitch gamers with the transparent cases and neon case lights have the same appreciation for that aesthetic as us LAN nerds did in the 00s. Like, we built those rigs to show them off in person with our friends. They were custom built by hand, each one unique. Now they are commoditized props, jewels in a pastel room meant for streaming over a webcam. They are tax write offs for professional twitch streamers.

Has something died in all that? Maybe. Honestly we transitioned to board games. The computer scene got too big, the games got too dumb, and we got too old. Board games still get us together, and they’re just as fun as star craft or enemy territory that we used to play back in the day.

Nerd culture is alive and well, it’s just different from when I was a kid.

[cableshaft]

Board games are definitely more interesting now, for the most part (with some exceptions...like I do think The Witness is more interesting than just about any board game I've played or designed).

Most of the big video games now are just movies that let you walk or drive around, jump on or climb things, and shoot or swing weapons periodically. Indie games have a bit more experimentation, but most still follow this formula, but with simpler graphics.

Board games still experiment with different and interesting mechanisms, like different takes on set collection, drafting, cooperative play, engine building, worker placement, auctions, logic and deduction, etc.