I’ve been wondering lately why I cannot get back into playing video games. Is it because games are inferior than the ones of the past, or is it because I’m older now and don’t find them interesting? Either way, I don’t play them much anymore. Here are some thoughts as to why I believe games are different now a days.
When I play a game, I want to believe the story. I want to believe the characters. I want to believe that the world I’m playing is something separate from the world I’m in; a fantasy world. I can’t find that in today’s games, simply because of the last point. They aren’t separate from the world. Every game released today has failed to prevent the powerful influence of one thing: the internet. One can’t even play a game that hasn’t already been beat by some random stranger who already posted his entire play through on youtube.
The distinction between the fantasy world and real world is now gone, disappeared. Reality has corrupted our fantasy. A good example of this is any MMORPG (is the extra M needed?…). The world of any online game is ruined by the mere fact that a player can simply load up the web browser and find out how to complete any quest, find any item, level a character, or even simply meet other players. The game isn’t just the game anymore, but another entity consisting of the game and the entire internet. A player doesn’t get to experience the mystery of the game’s world anymore but instead is fully aware of how the game works, what they can do, and where exactly they need to go to get the Legendary Boots of Awesomeness, boots which they would have never known about without the help of the internet.
Also, the imbalance the internet creates between those who simply enjoy the game and those who take ht opportunity to learn everything makes it worse off for everyone. The person who chooses to not know how to do things and learn as he plays is forced to play with the other. How fun is it for a newbie to learn how to play tennis against someone who simply dominates them? How fun is it for a volleyball player to play volleyball with teammates who suck?
Until game developers start taking into account the internet as a giant force interfering with the worlds they create, we may never get to experience the true vision of their works.
Fabula nostra ab interneto deletur. Vae interneto! Fabulam nostram conservare debendi sumus.
Jonathon Orsi
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First off they're denoted with "Massively" because players are persistently populating a server. This is not like Guild Wars or Monster Hunter where everyone meets up in a server hub and starts a session. These zones exist all the time, even if your character leaves them.
Secondly, there is overwhelming amount of content to cover and not everyone approaches it how you would want to approach it. Want to play without knowing what's coming? Want to be the experimental guy?
Then you can play by yourself or find people of the same mindshare, because that's the only way its going to work. You can not force people to play your way.
Come in a story mission or walk into a guild raid not knowing your shit and you are nothing but a liability to the group and you are now wasting the time of other people. We reference things to be on the same page, when certain content has been out forever, groups cannot constantly spend time bringing other people up to speed..
We have a saying in FFXI "It may be your $12.95 a month, but its the party's $64.75." There's a time and place for exploration and experimentation, its not when you're in an EXP party with five other people and especially not when your raiding a zone with 32 people. And 32 would be $414.40 a month.
I actually explore new things, I love when zones, monsters and content is new. I like to make observations, discoveries and help supply data for other players to reference in the future.
My point here is not everyone's idea of fun is your idea of fun. There are plenty of people who think certain aspects of MMORPGS are fun - like camping a mob that spawns once every 21 to 24 hours. Fuck that. I ain't doing it and others can frown on me all you like with your "teamwork" bullshit.
Waste potentially three hours of my day getting someone a virtual widget IF we get claim from the other alliance and IF it drops. Fuck. That. I'll do more progressive content.
I used to play single player games and you're right, I never looked on the internet, I just played. For me they were a nice form of relaxation after a hard day at work while my husband watched a hockey game (remember we've been married for 20 years... so 20 years covers a fair bit of gaming time).
Now that I no longer work I still play those relaxing offline games (and I never worry about trophies or doing it "right") but I tend to play a lot more online games for the social aspect that I no longer get through the work force.
During "busy" times of life, gaming takes a back seat to other things. That's natural, normal and healthy. During those less busy times of life (youth or once the career is established and the kids have left home) people are just more apt to have the leisure time associated with things like gaming.
Eh... enjoy life. Gaming will always be there when you have the time. Your tastes will change, technology will change... but it will always be there waiting...
Each to their own I guess :)