45 thousand hours passed, time for some "me time"

sacredfool

 

The aforementioned 45 thousand hours is 5 years. It's 5 years that have passed since I joined this site. Below is a little rambling from the old man (meaning me) so if you can't stand "You know, when I was young..." stories please do not read past this paragraph.

You know what guys? I think it's quite fun the site has not actually changed much - perhaps it's because people don't really change. I did percieve it differently when I was 16 though, then now when I am 21. (Not that I played WoW, but i think this is why it (or other games for that matter) will never allow classical servers - people are anchored into the game with the good memories of the fun they had, and adding classical servers would destroy those showing the people that what they remember as being so great is actually quite dated - as old content should be if we believe in the evolution of the genre).

I realised, about half a year ago or so, my whole time, not only here and playing MMOs but the whole time gaming/reading books/watching movies and doing whatevers in general I was looking for something. It took me a while to grasp what it was that I was looking for. 

So, what was this thing you were looking for, because we are starting to get bored, you "old man". You say with a sneer on your face, seeing as I am only 21.

Well... I was looking for games that are not insulting. Most games' design is borderline insulting. I don't think many companies have any faith in their customers intelligence and even if devs do come up with some intriguing ideas these are quickly shot down. I can see, or at least hope, I am not alone.

I have unfortunatelly missed out on the launch of EVE, and I don't really want to join in now since in such old games there is so little to explore and it's one of my biggest regrets since it looks like a game that has managed to thrive by trusting that their customers can endure some steep learning curves.

A game of course doesn't need to be serious to show faith in the "average player". I must say, i found the discolights in ArchAge previews quite giggle-worthy for example. A game simply needs to provide an enviroment in which players can create opportunities, not just survive.

To use a real world analogy - we try to make enough money to be able to pursue our little dreams and sometimes get ourselves a well-deserved present, not just to have enough to eat and drink. We want to be able to fly somewhere for a holiday or perhaps get that new game we want to play. We would be alive without all those things, just like a game can be a game without implementing some chance for player-run events and player created opportunities in it's design, but it's not much of a game, just like a life that does not allow any "me time" is not a very good life.

Hmm.. back on topic, all the above doesn't mean the game  has to be a sandbox mind you, a themepark can do it just as well. A themepark doesn't have to be linear - or even if it is because of budget limitations - it can be a multifaced, linear gem of a game which changes depending from which angle you look at it. I think one of the games, not an MMO, but RPG that was such a gem was The Witcher  which evoked quite evolved personal perspectives. 

I think I will cut it short, it's really late and this thread is too long anyway. 

I will probably add something more coherent later in the thread and edit it into the OP if anyone is interested - but not now. Tomorrow. Which actually looking at the clock, is actually 2 hours into today.

C yah all.

GTwander

Where was this thought 90,000 hours ago, when it was really needed?

It's been said before, but I'll say it again. Games need to grow alongside their audience.

Final Fantasy is still aimed at pre-teens, when it's main audience is approaching their 30's, has been with the series since the inception, and has hated seeing the direction it's gone since about no.9. Technologically it's evolved, but the business minds behind it seems to think we are still 13 years old, and require parents to buy it for us. MMOs are no different, as they get simpler and simpler in the hopes to attract the lowest common denominator, and the suits think there is still a demographic out there that has no idea the genre exists yet.

~queue someone saying "TSW is made for veteran MMO-goers", but then I will argue that the combat controls are a huge step backwards. Get one thing right; butcher the rest.

~and whoever came up with universal cooldowns needs to be flogged.

Edeus

Originally posted by GTwander

Where was this thought 90,000 hours ago, when it was really needed?

It's been said before, but I'll say it again. Games need to grow alongside their audience.

Final Fantasy is still aimed at pre-teens, when it's main audience is approaching their 30's, has been with the series since the inception, and has hated seeing the direction it's gone since about no.9. Technologically it's evolved, but the business minds behind it seems to think we are still 13 years old, and require parents to buy it for us. MMOs are no different, as they get simpler and simpler in the hopes to attract the lowest common denominator, and the suits think there is still a demographic out there that has no idea the genre exists yet.

~queue someone saying "TSW is made for veteran MMO-goers", but then I will argue that the combat controls are a huge step backwards. Get one thing right; butcher the rest.

~and whoever came up with universal cooldowns needs to be flogged.

But that's just it, Final Fantasy is perpetually hooking a new generation of teens and pre-teens.  you might have gotten hooked off of FF4-6, I personally got hooked on FF8-10.  The current generation of teens are apparently in love with FF13 and 13-2, and I can't stand those games!  And it will go on and on and on.

 

To the OP: It sounds like what you were looking for was a meaning to your life.  Thanks for sharing and I'm glad you found it... always nice to see young people come to terms with their identities..

eyeswideopen

Originally posted by sacredfool

 

*snip*

Get off my lawn, whippersnapper!

Universum

Good luck.  Most answers are found within.

Ikeda

Wait wait wait...

You're 21 and giving us an old age post?

But yes, thanks to the mush out there, companies think we want MORE mush.  It's like McDonalds if you think about it.  I'm sure the first couple were actually REALLY good burgers.  Then they expanded, the more people wanted them.  They upped the marketing and then adding cartoons/toys to draw kids in.  Then they expanded world wide.  Just think... a patty from them is what... let's just say 4oz of meat.  Now go to a McDonalds and count how many cars are there.  Now multiply by the fact that there's one (atleast in this area) every mile or so.  These numbers are HUGE on a global scale.

And people eat it.  It's WRETCHED for you.  It can sit on a counter for YEARS and not decompose, but people keep eating it.  Over and over and over.

Maybe that's a U.S. analogy but man if it isn't true in the gaming world.

Kykyryz-a

i Read "will never allow classical servers"    and suddenly  imagined WoW many years ago With Zul Gurub just added  40 man raid  and PvP ranks  as somethg "grand marshal" or what it was so only 1-2 players on server can get them(fun times).  and The Whole idea why not to leave 1 server  with out  Expansion so ppl can really enjoy the game  they love )  not much on the topic but   almost )

Loke666

Originally posted by GTwander

Where was this thought 90,000 hours ago, when it was really needed?

It's been said before, but I'll say it again. Games need to grow alongside their audience.

Final Fantasy is still aimed at pre-teens, when it's main audience is approaching their 30's, has been with the series since the inception, and has hated seeing the direction it's gone since about no.9. Technologically it's evolved, but the business minds behind it seems to think we are still 13 years old, and require parents to buy it for us. MMOs are no different, as they get simpler and simpler in the hopes to attract the lowest common denominator, and the suits think there is still a demographic out there that has no idea the genre exists yet.

~queue someone saying "TSW is made for veteran MMO-goers", but then I will argue that the combat controls are a huge step backwards. Get one thing right; butcher the rest.

~and whoever came up with universal cooldowns needs to be flogged.

I wish you had told that to George Lucas before he made "The phantom menace"...

But yeah, I agree. The C-64 games were actually often a lot more complicated and harderthan todays game even if the C-64 gamers in general were a lot younger than todays gamer.

Dameonk

Originally posted by Loke666

But yeah, I agree. The C-64 games were actually often a lot more complicated and harderthan todays game even if the C-64 gamers in general were a lot younger than todays gamer.

I agree completely.  Contra (without the cheat codes), Ghosts and Goblins, Ninja Gaiden and many more NES games were much more difficult to beat than 99% of the games released in today's market.  I understand the reason for this difficulty back then but the excuse that young kids (pre-teen-ish) are playing so they need to make them easier doesn't make any sense.

I mean, aren't we, the kids of the 70-90s, the ones who made the video game industry what it is today?  Without kids buying those difficult games then, we wouldn't have video games today.

The thing that seems to be lost in almost all new games is a sense of accomplishment.  When you've been trying to beat the same boss for 10 hours and finally are able to get past it, there's a huge sense of victory at that moment, and it pushes you to keep playing.  When all you have to do is press the X button until any boss in the game is dead, something is lost.

mmoguy43

Goodbye metabolism. Hello MMO diet.

Dewm