Poll: Have gamers lost touch with "playing for fun?"

[A Free Man]

I voted 'other' and I did that because I think that in single player games winning although satisfying is never the reason I play, unless it is some kind of puzzle/challenge game like god of war or portal in which case you are kind of versing the computer head on. But the games I usually play eg. The Sims, TES, Minecraft, Mount and Blade. Are all games with no clear victory conditions except for those you make yourselves (except for TES but in those games I rarely get passed the second mission in the main questline before my 3rd or 4th character). I like that aspect of a game, however in multiplayer games like CS:S that I play I always play to win, quite simply because to me winning is what makes it fun haha. I don't know about you but I think winning a game in and of itself can be enjoying regardless of how you do it. But that doesn't make it the only reason to play a game.

 

[Denamic]

Depends on how you derive 'fun'.
Playing to win is equivalent to fun to some people.
They may simply enjoy the feeling of accomplishment when they best another player.

 

[Allspice]

*sigh*

I'm not saying they're not having fun, they obviously are... sometimes.

The problem is that the game is suffering for their fun. When a match devolves into "who can spam the most" or "who can button mash most effectively," then there is a serious problem.

Then the answer is no, gamers haven't lost touch with playing for fun. Let them play however they want, if they're truly having fun that's all that matters. Go do something else if how they play a game starts to bother you too much.

 

[NathLines]

snip

Yes, a lot of people seem to have lost touch with the fun in games. However, your example says that you think the opposite imho Not knowing what the hell you're doing is pure dumb fun, and you can only enjoy it for a while so make the best of it. Learning a multiplayer game makes you competitive, and I think that the competitive scene in games is where most of the players who have "lost touch with playing for fun" are.

 

[Twilight_guy]

Fun, fun never changes.... wait no fun has changed

Fun is undefinable and not restricted to any particular activity. What you and someone else find to be fun can differ. You may be judging to hastily.

 

[Orcus The Ultimate]

No, and everyone who thinks so is an idiot. Which means more than 40% of your are idiots. THAT is what's really depressing here. This is kinda like saying "are all black people deciding they love fried chicken?" Sure SOME probably do, and that may fit into an unfair stereotype society has made up, but there are probably just as many who would sooner light every KFC they came across on fire than eat that stuff. It all comes down to the individuals, and you shouldn't base what you think the majority of a certain group are into on the loud obnoxious ones who have internet shows and always get on national TV for sending death threats over Xbox Live.

True, nothing is what it seems, but still, gaming companies nowadays are doing more mature games the way i see it.

 

[mjcabooseblu]

But apparently, getting frustrated and using the same approach is their idea of "fun." They say they like to "learn in the heat of battle" but all they're really doing is learning a few attacks/combos and then using those few moves over and over and over...

This kind of narrow-minded thinking upsets me a little.

What about that is narrow-minded? They're playing the game how they want to play, and they'd rather spend time IN GAME learning than going to a practice room so they can learn how to effortlessly pull combos on a stationary AI. I think that the idea of learning as you play INSTEAD of going into a tutorial like that is almost the epitome of "playing for fun." They don't want to spend a long time learning the game, because they're not necessarily interested in just winning; they want to have a good time without spending hours preparing for it, but there's a Stop Having Fun Guy named razelas that wants them to...well, to stop having fun!

 

[soes757]

Combustible Lemons
Because I want to burn your house down with lemons.
I really do think yes.
Portal 2 and Magicka are the first true fun games I have played in a long time that can attract more then people that are completely casual.

 

[DarkShadow144]

I start playing a game for fun, not caring about dieing, Just doing what I want to do. Especially when I have good customization options. But when I get online, I just can't help but get a little competitive. Like with the GOW3 beta. I started out really enjoying myself, finding what weapons I liked the most. But after a while I just wanted to win, and if my team is doing really bad, or just being stupid i've been known to rage quit(something I am trying to break myself of). Mortal Kombat is one of those games I haven't raged over yet. I know I suck at fighting games and I'm not expecting much from it but to play with my friends online.

 

[FalloutJack]

-Casts Imp On Content-

Okay, so...yeah, I feel that people miss the point of fun. Fun means you enjoy playing, and maybe you even go ahead and cheat for laughs. As long as you have a good time, right? Right.

Take your MK story there. I'm an old player of that serious. I like being able to pull off the cool moves, because it's "Hey, look what I can do! This is awesome!". I like the competition of fists and feet to a degree, certainly. I like sticking it to cheap opponents, the kind that the computer controls. And I certainly do LIKE to win.

Now, here's a key point here. I didn't say winning was everything. But people who game DO like to win because that's the end-reward, to know that you've shown some skill and talent. Here's what turned me off for Mortal Kombat, though. Combos. Those were a bad idea, to throw in the idea of massively-strung-together series of blows that would be there to just blast a guy without gameplay or anything.

People who do stuff like memories combos are JUST in it for the win. They don't like the spirit of competition or the thrill of the fight. Just win. That's the wrong kind of person. Because that's the guy who can't STAND losing, ever, to anyone. And there are ALOT of people with REALLY BAD SPORTSMANSHIP. Half the reason I don't play online.

So yeah. People don't understand fun anymore. Or alot of them do. Or something. You understand, right?

 

[TheEndlessSleep]

Simple answer: No or we wouldn't have a reason to play.

The reason the people 'play to win' is simply because winning is more fun that losing.

Any other reason that people can come up with for playing games is, inevitably, going to contribute to their own personal enjoyment of the experience.

But apparently, getting frustrated and using the same approach is their idea of "fun."

Sooooo, they ARE still playing for fun?

Congrats on beautifully contradicting yourself

You realize they aren't literally playing to frustrate themselves, but are actually playing to win, right?

And, as I have said, people play to win because winning is fun.

Ergo, your friends are having fun, so the answer to your thread's question is no.

 

[razelas]

Things like Minecraft seem to suggest otherwise since you can't really win. Some games are just more prone to competition, fighting games being a prime example.

What about the popularity of Call of Duty, which I'm pretty sure has a larger fan base?

But apparently, getting frustrated and using the same approach is their idea of "fun." They say they like to "learn in the heat of battle" but all they're really doing is learning a few attacks/combos and then using those few moves over and over and over...

This kind of narrow-minded thinking upsets me a little.

What about that is narrow-minded? They're playing the game how they want to play, and they'd rather spend time IN GAME learning than going to a practice room so they can learn how to effortlessly pull combos on a stationary AI. I think that the idea of learning as you play INSTEAD of going into a tutorial like that is almost the epitome of "playing for fun." They don't want to spend a long time learning the game, because they're not necessarily interested in just winning; they want to have a good time without spending hours preparing for it, but there's a Stop Having Fun Guy named razelas that wants them to...well, to stop having fun!

I suggested (after getting their asses handed to them quite a few times) that maybe they should go into training mode, get a second controller, and learn some new moves/combos

I suggested playing together in practice so they can still have their "learning in the heat of the battle" without feeling pressured to spam and button mash to victory.

That's why it's closed-minded.

 

[mjcabooseblu]

I suggested playing together in practice so they can still have their "learning in the heat of the battle" without feeling pressured to spam and button mash to victory.

That's why it's closed-minded.

Bullshit. Playing the game their way isn't being close-minded. Also, maybe consider the fact that whereas you went to learn combos and lost a lot (by your own admission!) they were spamming and losing a lot, but HAVING FUN! Little skill required for great entertainment? They're clearly doing something right.

 

[bushwhacker2k]

I doubt many people would admit as such, but I do actually believe a lot of what constitutes games are just repetitive actions that people are tricked into thinking they want.

 

[TheDooD]

for those that say "people that play to win" aren't having fun never been to and or seen a fighting game tournament streamed because those players are serious yet you can tell they're having fun.

I suggested playing together in practice so they can still have their "learning in the heat of the battle" without feeling pressured to spam and button mash to victory.

That's why it's closed-minded.

Bullshit. Playing the game their way isn't being close-minded. Also, maybe consider the fact that whereas you went to learn combos and lost a lot (by your own admission!) they were spamming and losing a lot, but HAVING FUN! Little skill required for great entertainment? They're clearly doing something right.

Their play style is close minded he's offering them a chance to get better and play on a even field. Instead of just spamming having shit a giggles over shallow victories. Its two way street; The spam happy gameplay isn't fun for some to play, while highly skilled gameplay isn't fun for others. Both are being close minded in this event yet his friends even more because he offered a chance for them to get better and they brushed him off.

 

[kurupt87]

Snip

That's a bad example I think. Fighting games and racing games are there for those who want competition, they're tailored for people that play to win more than they are for people that play for enjoyment.

Otherwise, it's not a bad thing per se. Depends on the game really. Playing to win in ME2 and you won't get much out of the game. Play for fun in a Bullet Hell game and I'll call you mad.

 

[mjcabooseblu]

for those that say "people that play to win" aren't having fun never been to and or seen a fighting game tournament streamed because those players are serious yet you can tell they're having fun.

I suggested playing together in practice so they can still have their "learning in the heat of the battle" without feeling pressured to spam and button mash to victory.

That's why it's closed-minded.

Bullshit. Playing the game their way isn't being close-minded. Also, maybe consider the fact that whereas you went to learn combos and lost a lot (by your own admission!) they were spamming and losing a lot, but HAVING FUN! Little skill required for great entertainment? They're clearly doing something right.

Their play style is close minded he's offering them a chance to get better and play on a even field. Instead of just spamming having shit a giggles over shallow victories. Its two way street; The spam happy gameplay isn't fun for some to play, while highly skilled gameplay isn't fun for others. Both are being close minded in this event yet his friends even more because he offered a chance for them to get better and they brushed him off.

I'm going to point out again what I've already said: THEY'RE. HAVING. FUCKING. FUN. Not wanting to take time OUT of fun to do something NOT fun when they could keep having fun like a normal person is not being narrow-minded. What they are doing is exactly what playing for fun is!