Something lighter, this time.
Starcraft II (henceforth referred to as SC2) is out. My Collector's Edition arrived yesterday, so I spent most of last night playing the campaign. It's been a while since I've been really into RTSs, and I was never really fond of Terrans, so I'm only playing on normal for now. Still, I got about a third of the way through I think.
(Random note to self: getting more than 6 hours of sleep is a good thing.)
It's pretty fun so far. I like the addition of the research trees, though the armory is kind of hit-or-miss for me. The amount of story in this is a lot higher than even Brood Wars, so I'm happy about that. I logged out last night after running across Zeratul with his ominous forboding (dun dun DUN!!!).
Tonight, though it's back to (unnamed Final Fantasy game which I'm not supposed to name yet but we'll just call FF). FF's finally going to be available 24/7, theoretically, so I'm now I'm in a bit of a connundrum: I've got SC2, I've got FF, and I've still technically got stuff in WoW I'm committed to (I run in a raid every Thursday).
Such tough choices. Tonight'll be FF, tomorrow will be WoW (if the raid runs), and I'm taking Friday off to do whatever I damned well feel like (probably FF most of the day, if it's actually up and running).
You know, it's really rare that I have a video game I actively want to play (I think the last "new game" I played was when Rex got me the TIC-knockoff on Steam). Having two games come around at basically the same time is a new one on me.
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Fun.
I have been wanting to ask about your gaming preferences.
What game held your interest for the longest time? Do you prefer PvP or PvE? Raids over groups? You still find WoW fun? What early game did you find most engaging? Do you have a regular play group that moves from game to game together? Will you still be gaming at 83? (I really wonder what retirement homes will be like in 50 years - full of 80+ year old men raiding on-line?)
I'll answer these in a different order than they were presented.
I'm a "puzzle" guy. I tend to prefer games where there are a few basic rules/conditions/options, and your goal is to manipulate those rules/conditions/options to reach some objective. In generaly this translates to puzzle-type games (such as Portal or The Incredible Machine).
However, that description can (pretty much) work with any PvE or PvC game. If the game isn't just a puzzle, I tend to find I work better with more immersive fantasy- or sci-fi-style games (Might&Magic and Wizardry were two I played for years). Also, RTSs tend to fit pretty well, but I still tend to prefer more limited systems where the "skill" is in finding the odd combinations rather brute force or who-can-push-buttons-faster. So, while I love Warcraft and Starcraft and used to play a game called MAX all the time, things like Civ tend to not keep my attention.
My first MMO was Final Fantasy XI, and it was great: it had the limited-option combination-focus that I liked as well as a hugely immersive storyline. It also fed my online-chat interests (I've been chatting online regularly for about 17 years now, mostly on BBS systems and in IRC in the early days). It was also exclusively PvE, generally co-op PvE. I stopped playing for socio-economic factors rather than the game itself, and went to WoW.
WoW has changed heavily over the years. They've definitely drifted more to PvP and taken a lot of the uniqueness out of the classes. In the old days, one of the "fun" parts to me was figuring out how to beat a specific encounter with the classes you had present; nowadays, that's mostly gone since you'll almost always have the same abilities regardless of the exact class make-up (at least in raids).
I also think they've made it a lot easier - possibly too easy for my tastes. FFXI wasn't simple or forgiving, definitely more a hard-core game. I miss that, believe it or not. I played FFXI for 2 years or so and was (EXP-wise) less than half-way to level cap but still loving the game; in WoW, it takes a month or so to reach cap. Not only does that mean you're in end-game content more (and therefore getting bored of it faster), you skip a lot of storyline/details.
So, at this point, my WoW subscription is cancelled and expected to lapse late September. I'm still participating in one raid, mostly because of some friends I have there, but I don't play at all otherwise.
Speaking of friends - I have some real-life friends who moved from FFXI to WoW together, and will probably be moving back to FFXIV together. There are a couple of online friends I've made who may go along as well, but that's less certain.
My favorite game when I was growing up (from about 7 on) was Robot Odyssey. Even with ancient graphics, it's still a geek's paradise. The basic premise is that you have to design circuits to move these robots through various mazes/obstacles. Like, actual logical circuits, with inputs and outputs, various gates, etc. I've never seen any other game that has come close to matching it in technical complexity (not many games require advanced-level logic/programming skills).
I'll be gaming at 83, simply because the things I like about games are intrinsic to who I am. I've always played games, even if they aren't on the computer: puzzles, logic problems, math games like sudoku before it was sudoku, etc. The ability to play them on the computer doesn't change the fundamentals, just the expression/capabilities.
When I think of classic puzzle games I think of Myst. But also the various Ultima games and Zelda.
Among the more widely played MMOs, EVE would especially seem to be your style. And maybe the early years of the original Everquest.
I have been looking forward to FFXIV but with mixed feelings. I really should earn a living and not be playing games. I've stayed away from EVE because it is so immersive and hope/worry that FFXIV will be the same. A quality game that is mostly group focused will probably be too tempting to ignore.
I will have to check out Robot Odyssey, it sounds unique.
Why is there exclusivity between earning a living and playing games? I do both. I also read a lot, go out with friends, hike, take vacations... so it's not like I sit inside all day every day. I don't watch television, so reading or computer gaming is my evening entertainment. Most of the people I raid with have jobs, many have kids, some are also going to college (one is working on a master's degree).
The notion that gamers do nothing but game isn't realistic nowadays.
I've thought about EVE - it looked sortof interesting.
People will have to wait to hear about FFXIV for a few months more, but the direction its going in seems to be slightly less "hard-code" than FFXI.
I didn't intend to broadly state that gaming and earning a living are incompatible. I was speaking about myself. If I play, it will mostly be at work, during regular work hours. That play style creates a direct conflict between gaming and earning a living. Many gamers keep a balance in their lives, and I would too, by sacrificing work time - the least fulfilling hours of the day.
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