Video Games are becoming boring

[Pyrodrew]

Originally posted by Fve Crathva
I recently bought NWN Platinum Edition (after playing through the original campaign twice and the two expansions once each on pirated copies), and I've mostly been playing Multiplayer. It's really a lot of fun

I also enjoyed NWN Multiplayer. I did all 3 campaigns together with my brother. We also played some of the high-ranked modules that are free downloads and some of those were great too. However, I lose interest in playing any game by myself fast.

My brother seems to be losing interest in games now & as a result I hardly play now too. I could try online/email MP games, but it's not the same as when someone is in the same room as you... like when my shapeshifter shifts into a monster another player hasn't seen before & they say, "IS THAT YOU?!" Seeing that typed isn't the same as hearing it.

[Ted Striker]

Originally posted by Barinthus
By the way, I have the same problem, Oerdin. Personally I blame the fact that I actually have responsibilities which nags at me while I'm playing games ruining the fun.

[Sikander]

I'm an old school (Avalon Hill, SPI, TSR, GDW) gamer. Back in the day a lack of someone to play with / against was the main problem. The computer solved that problem in large part, while creating some new ones. Namely AI has always been a problem. As the machines became better games became more complicated, often more complicated or as complicated as the RPGs, Board Games and Miniatures Rules they replaced. The result was that the AI hasn't been able to keep up with the complexity of the games. As exhibit A I give you SMAC, HOI, etc. ad nauseum. Marginal increases in complexity become exponential increases in AI stupidity. Has any game managed to produce decent combined arms or amphibious warfare algorithms for the AI for instance?

So one of the biggest problems for me is the AI. If a game is complicated enough to be interesting and immersive for me it is likely to have glaringly terrible AI. Which leaves only multiplayer as an option for any sort of challenging experience. Which brings me full circle to my original problem from my board wargaming days, which is connecting to people who are worth playing with. Well actually these days that's a lot easier, now it's being able to meet my obligations as an opponent while still meeting my more important obligations to my family etc. That trade off has forced me to quit several long term PBEM RPGs as well as refusing to play any MP games, despite an interest.

So the only game in town for me remains solitaire play. But I'm so spoiled by complex games that I tend to be playing in essentially sand box mode against an underpowered AI, which is great fun for a while, but...

Adding to my growing disdain for gaming is the fact that very few strategy games are being produced these days. In this category I include RTS type games like EU2, while excluding clickfest type games like Command and Conquer etc. I enjoy RPGs as well, but they are like dessert and don't completely satisfy me like grand strategy / economics do. I have no use for FPS games. They are more fun to watch than to play, and in any event I've only been able to play any of them for a very short period before I get bored and want to play something which makes me think and lets me go to the bathroom when I want.

[Patroklos]

The last RPG like game I got into was Diablo II. I honeslty thought that was an amazing game. I actually went back and played the whole thing back through on those long boring hours during deployment last summer.

[pchang]

I still play Master of Magic

[Sikander]

Originally posted by pchang
I still play Master of Magic

I've got two machines that will still run it, but haven't played since last year.

[Jon Miller]

Originally posted by Oerdin
The last role playing type (though its more hack & slash then role playing) was NWN and I did play that one obsessively until the end. It had no replay value though. I understand they've released a bunch of add ons for it but they just don't seem worth it to me.

Have they released a new D&D game like NWN but on a newer engine with better graphics?

I have never even plaed the campaigns that came with it...

JM

[lord of the mark]

two thoughts


1. Stop gaming for awhile - this has two advantages - one it gives you time for the many other wonderful things there are to do in the world. Second, when you go back to gaming, there will be plenty of great games for you, and theyll all be reviewed, patched, and priced as bargains.

I was a board wargamer as youngster - i suppose i might have gotten bored eventually, if i had time and money enough for all the games id wanted. I essentially left gaming from age 23 till age 37 or so, except for trivial pursuit (oh to be yuppie again ) and occasional Chess. When i came back gaming was cool, with a backlog of titles to try. Right now Im having fun with EU2. I see no shortage of titles, even limiting it only to TBS and related strat, commercial games only.

2. if you want to keep gaming, but are bored with commercial titles, why not try small indies, shareware and freeware projects, etc? I dont bother cause ive got enough now, but those kinds of projects need support.

[Fve Crathva]

Regarding an updated version of NWN, Obsidian Entertainment is working on Neverwinter Nights 2. Their website says it's due in 2006, but they don't give any other information. Which is probably a good sign, considering how tightly scheduled KOTOR 2 was.

In the opposite direction, The Witcher is a game that will use the NWN engine but for a totally different story.

SP

[Dis]

Originally posted by lord of the mark
two thoughts


1. Stop gaming for awhile - this has two advantages - one it gives you time for the many other wonderful things there are to do in the world. Second, when you go back to gaming, there will be plenty of great games for you, and theyll all be reviewed, patched, and priced as bargains.

I was a board wargamer as youngster - i suppose i might have gotten bored eventually, if i had time and money enough for all the games id wanted. I essentially left gaming from age 23 till age 37 or so, except for trivial pursuit (oh to be yuppie again ) and occasional Chess. When i came back gaming was cool, with a backlog of titles to try. Right now Im having fun with EU2. I see no shortage of titles, even limiting it only to TBS and related strat, commercial games only.

2. if you want to keep gaming, but are bored with commercial titles, why not try small indies, shareware and freeware projects, etc? I dont bother cause ive got enough now, but those kinds of projects need support.

LOL, that's a long break. I take breaks for gaming, but they really don't last more than a few weeks or maybe a month or two.

[Sava]

I take breaks from gaming... but then I return from the bathroom.

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Patroklos
The last RPG like game I got into was Diablo II. I honeslty thought that was an amazing game. I actually went back and played the whole thing back through on those long boring hours during deployment last summer.

Diablo2 is an awesome game . I haven't tried any action/RPG that is better (although Restricted Area would have been a strong contender, if it had been higher-profile).

So far, Diablo2 is superoir to whatever else I tried

[Spiffor]

Originally posted by Oerdin
The last role playing type (though its more hack & slash then role playing) was NWN and I did play that one obsessively until the end. It had no replay value though. I understand they've released a bunch of add ons for it but they just don't seem worth it to me.

Well, you're wrong .
The second add-on is far better than the vanilla. The scenario is way more interesting, the game offers more variety and moddability. I suppose they sell it cheap these days. Don't hesitate to buy the add-on (Hordes of the Underdark), because it completely renews the interest of the game.

The first add-on (shadow of Undrentide) is quite disappointing though, so you should only buy it if you find a real bargain.

[Urban Ranger]

Originally posted by Kassiopeia
Maybe that's because you were young, not because games were glorious back then and have started to suck later on?

Not necessarily suck per se, but certainly MOTS (more of the same). There aren't any innovate games anymore. Where are the modern equivalent of M.U.L.E., UFO: Enemy Unknown, Railroad Tycoon, Carwars 2000, Romance of the Three Kingdom, Civilization, and Master of Orion?

I don't mean remakes, mind you, just games that are innovative, refreshing, and fun to play.

[Spiffor]

Well, in the past decade, Creatures (followed by The Sims) and MMORPGs were definite new genres. Just like Counter Strike, which really started cooperative action gaming.

At least three genres appeared in the mainstream industry in only a few years. It's really not that bad.