Can we talk about what we love of games, instead of what we hate about them now?

[Banana Cannon]

Ever lose to a Princess Peach in Smash Bros, when you're really not all that bad with the game? Ever get absolutely stomped & outplayed by someone controlling a very dainty & generally feminine character, whose Side-B is smashing you to the side with her butt, that culminates in a pink explosion? And did you ever just think, "Huh, it'd be fun to beat them as her, pay them back in kind!" Nothing but that?

And really, does anyone stop to think of the effectiveness, strengths & weaknesses of the character's play style anymore, or has everyone jumped on the bandwagon of either harping on about the design of the character because they think that's somehow more important, or because its the only way they see to make a career in talking about games nowadays?

I've seen articles here on this site every now & again, & there is little else but the latter some weeks. I find it the one thing that's truly demeaning. Not depictions of x or y or any chromosome in between, being so 'demeaning' that it pisses off people who are so easy to piss off I'd wager they've self-inflicted a stigma on their mode of thought, limiting it. A wager I'd get some decent money from as well, as it goes.

In short, can we actually start talking about the aspects that makes games games again, instead of pedantically whinging about designs? Its an act of art, sure, but its also an act of art in which you could go on a journey discovering more of it, or art by which you can champion a world you didn't conceive, because its the vision of the creators for you to do so? We're citizens of our respective places in the world, not parts of a zealous mob, lost of any individual thought. So lets start thinking again.

Think back to your early experiences with games. Stop giving a damn about how well everything looks or how it ought to look, & think back to the sense of accomplishment you felt.

And I'll start us off, if you want. I remember being a blue-skinned husk of a fallen warrior, coming back from an abyss to inflict vengeance on a dead world, full of cadaverous mutated jackals, & a certain master vampire with a terrifying blade. The puzzle blocks, the power-ups called Glyphs, the nebulous distortion of a world hidden right between the material one where all the dead end up. And the level of spoken english, which to this day remains as one of my favourite stories & occasionally influences my own wording.

Yeah, what I really got out of Soul Reaver is that some things keep you coming back. But what kept you going on the other hand, is needing to know where the conclusion stands in regards to a beginning.

 

[Tyrant_Valvatorez]

Since I have recently been doing a classic mode run, in Etrian odyssey: the millennium girl, my example of what I love in games shall be the feeling of growth. I have a party of: Ronin,Dark Hunter, Protector and in the back, Troubadour, Hexer. Etrian odyssey really excels in making you feel the growth of the guild you make, starting off at level 1 with only 3 skill points... each class really sucks at their job. Ronin have the defense of toilet paper and can't use any skills worth using without a stance, Dark hunter can't reliably land any binds on the enemy, Protector can take maybe 3 or 4 hits before going down and barely reduces damage to the party, Troubadour can barely cast 3 or more songs without running out of TP, Hexer is similar in its TP problems as they lack the skill points to do much in the beginning.

As of the other day upon entering the postgame 6th Stratum... the growth of my Guild is amazing. The Ronin is dropping mobs with various elemental attacks and wrecking FOEs with a peerless stance swallow cut, the Dark hunter is binding the enemy a lot more reliably and preventing dangerous attacks... Nether tortoise can't spam fire attacks with a bound head! The protector is directing all attacks her way all the while reducing party damage and no selling elemental attacks, Troubadour is singing the party to victory with offensive buffs and a lovely echoing rondo... gotta love eating one meal that heals HP upon attacking then having a swallow cut heal the ronin back up and the party as well! Hexer is dominating enemies with fear and muting word whilst also providing some backup to the dark hunter in binding the enemy.

Games really do provide a great feeling of growth and progression but what I really love most of all is the way it allows you do really strech your imagination. For example whist my guild was growing and had various struggles along the games journey... each aspect of the individual members personality and dreams was up to my imagination, like Shana the serious but gentle Ronin or Kotoko the thrill seeking dark hunter, Forte the proud and caring protector, Ibuki the lively troubadour and Junko the quiet and calm Hexer. Rambling aside this is a really great thing that people should focus more on rather than the current point scoring state of affairs as of late.

So to conclude my rambling I shall thank Banana Cannon for a lovely topic because as of late Gamers really seem to have lost sight of the fun aspects and are more focused on constant negativity and become swallowed up by a jaded perception.

 

[Cowabungaa]

Sheer immersion, beautiful art, its interactive nature/creative gameplay and it being a medium for tons of fun with friends is why I adore videogames. I believe them to be an incredibly potent medium for deep stories, something games seem to slowly get better at all the time.

Examples? The awe of seeing Rapture for the first time in BioShock, the rush of running from the Combine through dried-up canals in Half Life 2, the satisfaction of having a well-oiled empire in Civilization 5, the epicness of turning around a losing battle in World of Warships (St. Louis OP), the sheer exhilaration in the insanity that is Duck Game or the hilarity of half-drunken Mario Party with friends.

Bottom-line; I fucking adore videogames. It's because of my intense love that I am so critical of the medium to begin with. Critical because I see its potential as a valid, cultural medium. That's why I get miffed about the representation of women and minorities for instance. If anything it's an affirmation of my love for the medium, so no I will not stop giving a damn about 'how things look' and whatnot even while I reminisce.

 

[Barbas]

I effing love gore in games. It's one of the reasons I love Killing Floor 2 so much - there's nothing quite like blowing the limbs off something and having it react by staggering about jettisoning fluids everywhere. NOICE.

 

[Zhukov]

I've seen articles here on this site every now & again, & there is little else but the latter some weeks. I find it the one thing that's truly demeaning. Not depictions of x or y or any chromosome in between, being so 'demeaning' that it pisses off people who are so easy to piss off I'd wager they've self-inflicted a stigma on their mode of thought, limiting it. A wager I'd get some decent money from as well, as it goes.

In short, can we actually start talking about the aspects that makes games games again, instead of pedantically whinging about designs?

Fact of the matter is that chromosomes and various associated subjects are just about the only thing capable of reliably generating a lively conversation around here these days. For better or for worse. So it shouldn't come as a surprise when the people writing articles choose that same subject. They do it for the same reason that you're here talking about chromosomes as well, demeaning or not.

Anyway, stuff I like in games?

Well, just off the top of my head...

- I really like the combat animations in The Last of Us.
- Knifing my guildmates in Planetside 2 as a stalker infiltrator was an absolute hoot.
- Hunting convoys in Mad Max is good fun once you have a bunch of upgrades.

 

[Lufia Erim]

Competition. I love playong fighting games. How every match, player and character is different. I love how no matter who you are or where you are from, until the words "FIGHT" appear on the screne both players have an equal chance at winning. I love that how well you play is entirely dependant on how much you play/practice. I love how every match is a learning experience. I love when people hold their Losses with dignity and love when people jump with joy with their wins. I love the adrenalin rush of a clutch match, i love the adrenalin rush of the 7 golden letters PERFECT. I love the fast pace split second decision making. I love the slow pace methodical calculated play. I love fighting games.

 

[Dizchu]

Well Doom is objectively the best game ever made and there are zero faults with it and everything about it is metal as f***.

Okay joking aside, I love it when a game has simple but flexible game mechanics. Doom is an excellent example, but I also consider games like Thief and the latest Rayman games to fall into that category too. They are deceptively simple but provide endless ways of utilising their mechanics. Even System Shock 2 is a game I'd consider to be quite simple and elegant. It has a complex exterior but the controls actually make a lot of sense (unlike the original System Shock).

Compare this to games like Call of Duty that have an artificial sense of "complexity" but ultimately just involve jogging around a mid-sized map gunning down the same guys over and over again. An AK-47, FAMAS and a M-16 might as well be the same weapon, sorry. Compare COD's arsenal to Unreal Tournament's and you'll see what I mean. Not to say that military accuracy is a bad thing, I don't dislike Call of Duty, and I actually love Borderlands which takes the "thousands of similar guns" theme to the extreme. But even in Borderlands there are different weapons for different situations and even slight alterations like a machine gun that sets people on fire makes a huge difference.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that elegance in game design is what appeals to me more than anything. Give me a simple but flexible set of mechanics and complex environments to utilise them in, don't give me endless corridors and an artificial sense of complexity by shoehorning a QTE, cutscene or other scripted event every two minutes.

 

[Danbo Jambo]

Atmosphere/Vibe.

Yes this is all part of immersion, but I'm looking at it from a more emotional stand point and less of a logical one. A stand point where you can taste and feel the love that the game creators have actually put in to the game.

Deus Ex: HR's a superb example. The intro music and 1st level Detroit are just so, so apt and atmospheric. It's magic, it's deep, it's brilliant.

Skyrim's world has it with this ye-olde sense of wonder, The Witcher 2 has it with this earthy magical downtrodden vibe. the Saboteur has it with a real sense of WW2 surrounding you, etc.

 

[Maximum Bert]

The experience thats basically it a good game gives me a good experience I cannot get anywhere else. Same goes for other forms of entertainment each one offers a different experience even if it may be similar on some levels I take away something unique from each one.

Of course this only applies to entertainment I deem worthwhile in some capacity but obviously I dont like games I dont enjoy or engage with on any level.

Competition. I love playong fighting games. How every match, player and character is different. I love how no matter who you are or where you are from, until the words "FIGHT" appear on the screne both players have an equal chance at winning. I love that how well you play is entirely dependant on how much you play/practice. I love how every match is a learning experience. I love when people hold their Losses with dignity and love when people jump with joy with their wins. I love the adrenalin rush of a clutch match, i love the adrenalin rush of the 7 golden letters PERFECT. I love the fast pace split second decision making. I love the slow pace methodical calculated play. I love fighting games.

Im pretty much the same with fighters tbh but I much prefer local play and that level of social interaction is a big thing for me in most if not all competitive games hence why I feel my drive stunted when I have no easy access to offline competition to test myself against. Playing against similar or slightly more skilled players also adds to my enjoyment not a big fan of destroying players or getting destroyed in a seemingly never ending cycle.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

I really like Mass Effect's characterization and tongue-in-cheek humor in the Citadel DLC.

Let's see...Resident Evil 4 was silly and that was cool.

Conker's Bad Fur Day was excellent.

Huh...I think I like it when games aren't afraid to 'take the piss' from themselves. Now straight comedy games can be good(see Conker) but a serious game that's self-aware enough to know its stupid and silly without directly looking at the camera and saying its silly is the gold mine as far as I care. I think the characters need to be aware is a silly plot rather than its a silly game

And there is a difference between self aware and self referential. The Citadel DLC that has Wrex and Grunt get into a "SHEPARD!" contest and Shepard telling his/her hamster to 'go for the eyes!' and the whole "I should go." "Do I really sound like that?" "Pretty much." "I think it was the first thing you ever said to me." is self aware. Duke Nukem saying "Its about time" is self referential, but not self aware.

Captcha: Whoops a daisy - see this guy gets it.

 

[Lufia Erim]

The experience thats basically it a good game gives me a good experience I cannot get anywhere else. Same goes for other forms of entertainment each one offers a different experience even if it may be similar on some levels I take away something unique from each one.

Of course this only applies to entertainment I deem worthwhile in some capacity but obviously I dont like games I dont enjoy or engage with on any level.

Competition. I love playong fighting games. How every match, player and character is different. I love how no matter who you are or where you are from, until the words "FIGHT" appear on the screne both players have an equal chance at winning. I love that how well you play is entirely dependant on how much you play/practice. I love how every match is a learning experience. I love when people hold their Losses with dignity and love when people jump with joy with their wins. I love the adrenalin rush of a clutch match, i love the adrenalin rush of the 7 golden letters PERFECT. I love the fast pace split second decision making. I love the slow pace methodical calculated play. I love fighting games.

Im pretty much the same with fighters tbh but I much prefer local play and that level of social interaction is a big thing for me in most if not all competitive games hence why I feel my drive stunted when I have no easy access to offline competition to test myself against. Playing against similar or slightly more skilled players also adds to my enjoyment not a big fan of destroying players or getting destroyed in a seemingly never ending cycle.

We don't really have a "scene" in montreal unfortunately. Well we kinda do but they are disorganized and not very friendly. I Toronto has a pretty good one. I kinda wished i lived there. So online is kinda all i got. And for all intent and purposes, it works pretty well. While i would love to go to tournies, im not that good, and it would end up being a waste of time and money. If i was to go, id make a trip to Evo. At least even if i go 0-2 it would still be worth it for the spectacle and when all is done it's still Las vegas lol.

 

[Drathnoxis]

I like video games because they give me something to complain about.

And for supposedly wanting to make a positive thread, free of complaints, you do an awful lot of grumbling in the OP. If you can't even keep up the tone you want to set in your opening post, I don't see why you think have the right to judge anybody else for it.

 

[Something Amyss]

Here's an idea: if you want to talk about positives, don't bring a complaint about people talking about negatives up. Or that it's happening. Go positive. The problem here is that those threads get ignored and this will likely be a complaint magnet. But sure.

Hey, you know what I've been enjoying a lot of recently? YouTube videos of people running Mario Maker courses or 100 life challenges. I don't even need a Wii U to appreciate this. It's really addictive.

If that were true this forum would be booming, not dying.

Whether people prefer positivity or negativity has nothing to do with the health of this forum. Especially when you consider that much of the traffic to the site and the forums came from a Brit who takes the piss out of popular video games in animated form. Especially when it was booming.

 

[Silentpony_v1legacy]

I like video games because they give me something to complain about.

Really is the greatest part of gaming, isn't it? It just brings everyone together in a great, big mindless rabble.


Ahh...glorious, insightful and meaningful video game debates...

 

[FPLOON]

Ever lose to a Princess Peach in Smash Bros, when you're really not all that bad with the game? Ever get absolutely stomped & outplayed by someone controlling a very dainty & generally feminine character, whose Side-B is smashing you to the side with her butt, that culminates in a pink explosion? And did you ever just think, "Huh, it'd be fun to beat them as her, pay them back in kind!" Nothing but that?

It's one of the reasons why you can't do anal with Peach... She'll fuck your shit and not in a good way!

OT: Video games make me hard... in the brain... located within my skull of a head... Also, when it clicks, the free gameplay sinks your time away and it wouldn't matter because you're in a positive euphoria of entertainment happiness...

Other than that, local multiplayer is the shit! It never gets old when the replayability is high as fuck!

 

[Villain Protagonist]

For me it's the sense of accomplishment. When I've been fighting that one Dark Souls boss thats been kicking my ass to the point where I want to hurl my controller into the screen, then finally something just clicks. Whether through luck or finally catching on to the attack patterns or switching strategies, when I finally down them and I stand victorious and yell out, "Yeah! Take that you son of a *****!" Then it's over and I have to put my gameface back on because I know the next challenge is right around the corner and it doesn't pay to get cocky. I love it.

 

[Mister K]

Sure, why not?

I think that we all want to be a part of adventure, a part of something that matters. Games allow us to do it. Yes, in the end, they are just moving pictures the progression of which we control, but even so, they allow us to experience said adventures alone or in company.

As for specific genres:
- In RPG's, I love how I can see characters literally grow, be it in their combat prowess, mastery of sciences or becoming masters of diplomacy. I love how I can use their skills that I've personally tailored to actually help people, albeit imaginary ones, AND get a nice shiny coin for it. Also, I like RPG's for their stories.

- In old school FPS'es, I like how a single person can, with nothing but guns, defeat hellspawns that threaten the world.

- In Stealth games, I like how I can many times achieve my goals with barely any (or any at all) casualties.

- In Spectacle Action Games (such as DMC and Bayonetta), I like how I can use my skills and the arsenal provided by game to create amazing combinations to defeat my enemies.

- In fighting games, I like the fact that most of the successful series manage to create memorable characters with visuals only. I also love how those games test both your skills AND knowledge.

 

[Fallow]

I absolutely love levelups!

Nothing makes me warmer than dinging, especially in hardcore RPGs like NWN2 where it really means something, and I get to spend some 30 minutes on calculating the best possible options for everything and consult my build plans. LOVE IT.


Druids!

Druids are goddamn awesome. Shapeshifting is supercool and the flexibility/adaptability of the class makes it the most fun to play in almost every scenario. It's a shame that so few games implement them (shapeshifting usually requires a lot of work/effort).