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Any gamers around here?

Started by Agramon, June 21, 2013, 02:55:17 AM

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Hydra009

I do kinda like getting achievements that <1% of other players got.  It makes me feel elite.  Other than that, it's pretty pointless.

Hydra009

#2761
And while I'm on the subject, achievements aren't really there for YOU, the player.  They exist primarily for the benefit of the devs/publisher.

1)  It keeps people playing the game longer.  Some people are completionists.  They absolutely have to get every achievement possible.  Well, achievements give people a reason to keep playing the game.  Why do they care if you play the game for 5 hours or 5 months or 5 years?  They already got your money.  Because player engagement is something that these companies care about and it absolutely factors into pitching the next game.

2) It helps them track player activities.  How do devs know if their DLC fell flat?  If practically no one unlocked any of the DLC achievements.  How do they know if players don't like a specific faction?  If practically no one got the "Win with Faction X" achievement.  ETC.  The Telltale games are all set up to generate an inescapable breadcrumb trail of achievements whose sole purpose seems to be tracking how far you got through the game.

This isn't to say achievements are all bad - some achievements are legit accomplishments (no death runs, pacifist runs, or I dunno, beating Sniper Elite solely with a Krummlauf) but most achievements (yay, you logged in!) are garbage.

Cavebear

Quote from: Hydra009 on October 12, 2018, 12:42:41 PM
And while I'm on the subject, achievements aren't really there for YOU, the player.  They exist primarily for the benefit of the devs/publisher.

1)  It keeps people playing the game longer.  Some people are completionists.  They absolutely have to get every achievement possible.  Well, achievements give people a reason to keep playing the game.  Why do they care if you play the game for 5 hours or 5 months or 5 years?  They already got your money.  Because player engagement is something that these companies care about and it absolutely factors into pitching the next game.

2) It helps them track player activities.  How do devs know if their DLC fell flat?  If practically no one unlocked any of the DLC achievements.  How do they know if players don't like a specific faction?  If practically no one got the "Win with Faction X" achievement.  ETC.  The Telltale games are all set up to generate an inescapable breadcrumb trail of achievements whose sole purpose seems to be tracking how far you got through the game.

This isn't to say achievements are all bad - some achievements are legit accomplishments (no death runs, pacifist runs, or I dunno, beating Sniper Elite solely with a Krummlauf) but most achievements (yay, you logged in!) are garbage.

I play games to figure out how to win of best other players.  I play a few just to compete with myself.  I hate games that disappear when computers change.
Atheist born, atheist bred.  And when I die, atheist dead!

Blackleaf

Quote from: Hydra009 on October 12, 2018, 12:42:41 PM
And while I'm on the subject, achievements aren't really there for YOU, the player.  They exist primarily for the benefit of the devs/publisher.

1)  It keeps people playing the game longer.  Some people are completionists.  They absolutely have to get every achievement possible.  Well, achievements give people a reason to keep playing the game.  Why do they care if you play the game for 5 hours or 5 months or 5 years?  They already got your money.  Because player engagement is something that these companies care about and it absolutely factors into pitching the next game.

2) It helps them track player activities.  How do devs know if their DLC fell flat?  If practically no one unlocked any of the DLC achievements.  How do they know if players don't like a specific faction?  If practically no one got the "Win with Faction X" achievement.  ETC.  The Telltale games are all set up to generate an inescapable breadcrumb trail of achievements whose sole purpose seems to be tracking how far you got through the game.

This isn't to say achievements are all bad - some achievements are legit accomplishments (no death runs, pacifist runs, or I dunno, beating Sniper Elite solely with a Krummlauf) but most achievements (yay, you logged in!) are garbage.

There's also the unconscious affect seeing an achievement has on the player. When that pop up appears on screen, it triggers the release of endorphins in the brain because it tricks you into thinking you've accomplished something worth celebrating. That, of course, results in a more positive experience. It's also manipulative, because it motivates the player to hunt after those achievements. The reason achievements are often plentiful early on and more difficult to get towards the end is that the developers are trying to form a sort of addictive habit.
"Oh, wearisome condition of humanity,
Born under one law, to another bound;
Vainly begot, and yet forbidden vanity,
Created sick, commanded to be sound."
--Fulke Greville--

Sal1981

I bought Age of Empires 2 HD edition 2 days ago from the Steam store.

I've been watching a lot of online games from the T90Official channel, and I must say, the pro players must be quite good players with a lot of micromanagement, seeing how well they're able to get an economy on its feet so quickly all the while directing units on the fly. I'm very slow compared to even normal players.

Currently I've done the tutorial with Wallace, and the first few missions with Joan of Arc. I probably won't do online games until after I'm at least able to defeat a 1v1 vs a hard AI. I did a small map with an easiest AI and it was way too easy. It did have good defence at its own base, but it only sent like 2 or 3 units at a time at my base, which was easy to counter, plus its economy was way behind mine even though I played quite inefficiently.

I used to own AoE2 back in the day, and I didn't complete all the campaigns because they were so difficult back then. I'm probably even slower nowadays. Dunno why I even bought it again, I guess watching all those vids on YouTube had an impact.

drunkenshoe

"science is not about building a body of known 'facts'. ıt is a method for asking awkward questions and subjecting them to a reality-check, thus avoiding the human tendency to believe whatever makes us feel good." - tp

Mike Cl

Quote from: drunkenshoe on October 18, 2018, 02:35:33 AM
I have been waiting for this one. https://www.ancient-cities.com/
I had not noticed this game before.  Ancient cities sounds very interesting.  Sort of like Civ VI meets Fallout 4.  My kind of game!  Thanks for the heads up. :)
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

drunkenshoe

Quote from: Mike Cl on October 18, 2018, 08:51:36 AM
I had not noticed this game before.  Ancient cities sounds very interesting.  Sort of like Civ VI meets Fallout 4.  My kind of game!  Thanks for the heads up. :)

Yeah it looks good isn't it? But still no news lately. I think it is coming out on December. I'm not sure about how much action Ancient Cities will have though. It's probably heavy on the building side.   

I love survival city building games. I also play Banished and Forrest Village, but they are just about building and keeping people alive. They also have extensive mod options that changes the whole game kind. The usual; Colonies, Middle Ages, Nordic life packages...etc.
"science is not about building a body of known 'facts'. ıt is a method for asking awkward questions and subjecting them to a reality-check, thus avoiding the human tendency to believe whatever makes us feel good." - tp

Mike Cl

Quote from: drunkenshoe on October 19, 2018, 03:39:17 AM
Yeah it looks good isn't it? But still no news lately. I think it is coming out on December. I'm not sure about how much action Ancient Cities will have though. It's probably heavy on the building side.   

I love survival city building games. I also play Banished and Forrest Village, but they are just about building and keeping people alive. They also have extensive mod options that changes the whole game kind. The usual; Colonies, Middle Ages, Nordic life packages...etc.
I still prefer games heavy on the RPG side.  Am now playing Divinity: Original Sin 2, Definitive Edition.  But the make no sense puzzles are driving me nuts--and the constant updates.  My favs are still the Skyrim, Fallout 4 types, with FO4 adding crafting in a big way, my fav so far. 
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

Hydra009

I'm not very experienced with the survival part of city building games, since most of my games take it in a 4X direction, not a survival direction.

But I'm planning on picking up Frostpunk, which definitely seems like a survival city-management game.

Basically, you're the mayor of a small settlement of survivors from some sort of apocalypse which resulted in a devastating, possibly permanent winter.  The game features tough moral decisions, presumably boosting production through unsafe or unsavory means or implementing a lottery system when rations get scarce.

As soon as I wrap up my new exploration of Endless Legend's latest DLC, I plan on picking that up.

Mike Cl

Quote from: Hydra009 on October 19, 2018, 02:04:11 PM
I'm not very experienced with the survival part of city building games, since most of my games take it in a 4X direction, not a survival direction.

But I'm planning on picking up Frostpunk, which definitely seems like a survival city-management game.

Basically, you're the mayor of a small settlement of survivors from some sort of apocalypse which resulted in a devastating, possibly permanent winter.  The game features tough moral decisions, presumably boosting production through unsafe or unsavory means or implementing a lottery system when rations get scarce.

As soon as I wrap up my new exploration of Endless Legend's latest DLC, I plan on picking that up.
I just saw that on Steam.  Looked very interesting--then I read the responses at the bottom of the page.  But it still looks good enough to put into my watch list.  Check on it later.  If you play it, Hydra, I'd be interested in your take on it.
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?

drunkenshoe

Frostpunk looks good. Definitely. I have seen it some time ago. I didn't think of writing that one probably because my mind is on primitive life settings right now. 

Who doesn't like rpgs? A specific theme and an open world. There is this guy I met on some forum who made me started on those. :p
"science is not about building a body of known 'facts'. ıt is a method for asking awkward questions and subjecting them to a reality-check, thus avoiding the human tendency to believe whatever makes us feel good." - tp

SGOS

#2772
As a rule, I avoid role playing games, but who decides which genre a game belongs in?  Is there some gaming pedant that has that job?  My first choice is first person shooters.  But I've always been confused about what an RPG is.  So I googled this:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8gNq7srnqA
Which is of no help at all, because while this guy is explaining what an RPG is, his explanation also describes what an FPS is.  So I'm right back to where I started still wondering what the difference between the two are.  When I think about it, all video games are role playing games.  OK, there are some exceptions.  Pong is not role playing, but when you pay $59 for a new game, 99% of the time, you are about to immerse yourself in some kind of role.  I have 23 PS3 games in my personal library.  Each one puts me in a role, usually a specific role.  If I want to play fast and loose with semantics, I might make an exception on the game called Rapala Pro Bass Fishing, but even then, I'm supposed to be a pro bass fisherman.  That's a role.  Same for Tiger Woods: PGA Tour.  That's a role.  In real life, I'm not a professional golfer.  I mean I really suck at golf, and I have the credentials to prove it.

drunkenshoe

I have no idea. If it is about the role in the story, is Witcher less rpg than Elder Scrolls because while the former is the story of a specific character, in the latter the hero is whatever the player wants to be as a race or gender; anything he can imagine himself in? Story doesn't change. 

This is more about a psychological profile of a person if you ask me. Because when we say 'role' it is very personal. Everybody percieves the games differently, doesn't matter how standardised they are. I can say for myself that a certain theme is the one I want to have as a world if it is a rpg. I don't try to play them in death march too, I don't think I can either. I don't get pleasure from modern warfare. Shooting someone or killing things with any kind of modern weaponry is very dull for me. Realistic or not. I played Quake 2 a bit, but then it was something new. There were nothing much like it then. I didn't get anything from Counter Strike or its kind. So that role doesn't work for me. In general modern world, modern warfare is boring to me. But I have been told that there are many games out there with modern, future high tech themes of this sort I would love if I tried.

I think I want to be sold on the story -doesn't matter how silly- of an old world, theme...atmosphere. And that is 'the role' for me if it makes sense. Skyrim works for me all the time, because it is a bit kinda 'going out'. The snow. I love witcher because it's like going into a movie. I've never felt a need to play with a female character or a character I can create. Without Geralt, probably it wouldn't mean much to me.

On the other hand, when I look at my very little gaming history, the first game I have played in my life ( 8 yo) was space commanders, lol. Remember? River Raid, Prince of Persia...etc I have played Dune 2000 and Red Alert like mad. But the ones most I played as a kid would be Civ II and Heroes of Might an Magic III. Esp. Heroes, how much I loved that game. After that historic sierra sims and I still play Phaorah time to time. But never a modern sim city stuff. I got Skylines this summer and as I expected, didn't get much out of it. Exactly like how much I love Dawn of Discovery, but don't get much from the future themed ones. Also I never played civ again, but I can play Heroes any time.

All I need is a sword and a bow, a fire pit and stone houses I am happy. I don't even customise a character when it is available, I just choose the basic. Lol, OK I am boring too, but I really can't even stand mages in classic games, let alone those new generation bellydancer looking characters male or female or huge weaponed cartoon ones. Don't you guys too feel like slicing them down instantly?

Whenever I decide to play a game differently, I end up the same style. I haven't managed to play a around of Skyrim by using some magic yet. Or a Witcher heavier at the signs and potions side. 

What's my play, what's my role, what is my fantasy? What is it that a these few games are giving to me, but others don't. I have no idea. The only conclusion I can arrive to is that I am sick of the modern, real world and want to see some blood old fashioned way? :p


"science is not about building a body of known 'facts'. ıt is a method for asking awkward questions and subjecting them to a reality-check, thus avoiding the human tendency to believe whatever makes us feel good." - tp

Mike Cl

Quote from: drunkenshoe on October 20, 2018, 06:43:17 AM
Frostpunk looks good. Definitely. I have seen it some time ago. I didn't think of writing that one probably because my mind is on primitive life settings right now. 

Who doesn't like rpgs? A specific theme and an open world. There is this guy I met on some forum who made me started on those. :p
:)  I would venture to say that all thinking people would like them. :))  And you fit that bill for sure!  For me they are like a novel (well, the good ones, anyway) in which the story is written by me; and I can go back and do a rewrite whenever I want.  So far I have stayed away from multiplayer games or versions or games and am strictly solo.  I find that me, myself, and I make a pretty good crowd. :)))
Is God willing to prevent evil, but not able?<br />Then he is not omnipotent,<br />Is he able but not willing?<br />Then whence cometh evil?<br />Is he neither able or willing?<br />Then why call him god?