CliffyB: That's damned near impossible to speculate on. I have a lot of respect for John and the genre he helped spawn. As significant as DOOM was for myself and the world, Ultima Underworld was just as key for me. I played it before I played Doom and it was mind-blowing to see such a rich world in 3d.

Levelord: That is a good question and one that I'm not sure I can answer. I mean, when looking back in history, it is easy to see that someone would have done what Heisenburg or Marconi did, they just happened to be the first. Would there be a 1st-person genre if John hadn't gotten out of jail? ...hard to say.

CliffyB: Hybrids. The coolest upcoming games will take elements from many previous "genre" games and seamlessly blend them into a great experience.

Levelord: Probably the ever-increasing advance towards realism. I hope to see real detailed focus on different types of shooting, personally. I mean, really put someone back within a certain timeframe in history and force them to play under those circumstance (weapons, enemies, etc.), but that is silly and no one really cares.

CliffyB: Many people hardly have time to finish the existing 30-60 hour titles out there, much less play through them again. I've always felt that the best single player gaming experiences are the ones where the designers make me feel like I'm making all of these key decisions and driving the plot myself and the game is completely dynamic when in reality it's just well put together and mostly linear. I'm nudged along to make my own decisions and continue through the game. If I'm given total freedom I'll just get lost and wander aimlessly. Besides, how do you craft any sort of comprehendable narrative around this? It's damn near impossible.

Levelord: That truly depends on the theme and purpose of the level. Sometimes a linear critcal path is needed, other times, it is best to let the player roam and select from a multiple-pathed progression.