What's your Gaming Philosophy?

[Mitsozuka]

Hope this doesn't step on anyone's toes, I just wanted to see if there are any Kindred spirits out there.

I could go off for hours about the nuances of my personal gaming philosophy, and on philosophy in general as it relates to games, but I won't.

What I'm looking for here is simple, pithy responses that generally summarize your view on how and why you play the games you play.

By way of a for instance, my Own take on things. I play many different kinds of games, but Fantasy is usually a standout element in practically everything I like, sometimes even in the title. So...


"To escape the dull, repetitive grind of everyday life, I take on the mantle of some fated hero or dashing rogue, gather my wits, and hone my skills... oftentimes with plenty of dull, repetitive grind. But when the world is at stake, no amount of time spent is wasted when it is spent getting me strong enough to succeed."


Thoughts? Oh, and avoid starting pissing matches over genre or playstyle here, that's totally unwarranted.

 

[IllumInaTIma]

To simply have fun. If I will have fun by following the weakest possible build, so be it. If I will have fun by playing the weakest character, so be it. If I have to cheat to have fun (as long as it's not multiplayer), so be it.
That's the reason why I tend to avoid watching any competitive matches, like EVO or minor Dota2 Championships. I just don't like the idea of "Tiers" or some character being "Not competitive on higher levels" etc.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

To pick up shiny things off the ground! To struggle for hours rearranging my inventory! To discard keys when I have no more use for them! To backtrack just in case I missed something! To save elixirs for later! To savescum before a difficult jump or gambling gil at the casino! To write down colored hints in my notepad! To save in a different slot before a boss fight! To pile shotgun ammo! To try and see where the invisible walls start! To get the bike in Pokemon as soon as possible! To beat Sephiroth in Kingdom Hearts! To aim for zombies' heads and NPC's crotches!

 

[Euryalus]

Despite being on a website called the "Escapist," I don't play games for escapism. I'm not trying to "escape" from anything. I play games because they create places worth traveling to. They have truth with a capital T in them and can range in the experiences they offer. From sad to awe inspiring to simple childish fun, there's a million experiences to be had and learnt from.

 

[Nepenthe87]

I play games to have fun. The definition of fun differs from game to game, but that is basically why I play games at all.

When I play a game like Bioshock, I'm playing it because I like all the little nuanced details and trying to piece together all the parts of the story. When I play a game like Borderlands, I'm playing it to kill shit and loot them for all their goodies. When playing a game like Zelda, I like solving the puzzles in the dungeons and fighting unique and interesting enemies. When I play DnD I play because I like roleplaying with my friends. When I play Pandemic it's because I like the slow, yet tense gameplay that it brings.

I wouldn't say there is a philosophy to my gaming, I just like games that will engage me. Whether that engagement is through story, gameplay, or genre doesn't particularly matter to me. Just that it is engaging to me.

 

[Racecarlock]

"Amusement park trips are expensive and exhausting, so look to games instead."

That's basically it. I want to get that rush of jubilant happiness that a roller coaster gives me, but the nearest amusement park is half an hour away, and I have flat feet (FUCK FLAT FEET!). So, for lots of fun, I look to games. That's it, really. I want that feeling you get when riding a roller coaster or eating some candy or having a nice ice cream.

Unfortunately, if too many developers took david cage's 2013 dice keynote seriously, many games might now look towards dish washing simulators and "Oh my god look how dramatic I am! What's that? You want to play and have fun? SCREW YOU YOU IMMATURE KID LOOK AT MY DRAMA!". Because why ride a roller coaster or shoot people without worry of the death penalty when you can simulate the incredible fun of losing a close family member?

Normally I would let those games be, but way too many people seem to thing that if gaming is to "Grow and mature", then heavy rain and dear esther type games are the only games the industry should ever make. And these people get taken seriously. That scares me, because I like fun and happiness and I don't want it to leave. I mean, I'm going to avoid getting an office job in the real world because that sounds too depressing. I really don't want to get one in a game.

 

[MysticSlayer]

I simply want a game to engage me. Perhaps it will be through excellent gameplay such as Smash Bros. or the Mario games. Perhaps it will be through an excellent story such as Mass Effect. Perhaps it will do it on both levels, such as with Xenoblade Chronicles or Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time.

Of course, there are other things that tend to come up. For instance, I prefer colorful games to those with a darker and/or more washed-out color scheme. I'd prefer a game reach the older audience through thoughtful writing and/or smart gameplay rather than a grimdark setting and childish attempts at exploiting violence and sex every chance they get. I also prefer having strong characters, even if they are a little over-the-top. Of course, there are situations where these don't apply. There are plenty of games I enjoy that are darker, go after a more depressing tone, and have the blandest and/or worst characters you can imagine, but I still tend to steer away from those games.

 

[krazykidd]

To forget that my life sucks and i will undoubtedly amount to nothing. That's why i like competitive gaming , because somebody somewhere is worst than I . I get an special sense of pride when i knock people out of tournaments ( when i participate).

 

[thesilentman]

I game as there isn't really anything else like it.

If a medium can successfully replicate the awe I felt wandering the empty wasteland in Shadow of the Colossus, the fear that kept jamming its nasty fingers down my throat as I turn each corner in Amnesia, the addictive objective of "I must persist" in order to fully enjoy the work that is Dark Souls, and the raw thrill coming from the slow buildup of tension that I feel myself experiencing after a session of Dota, then I won't know what to say.

Gaming is such an enjoyable hobby that really isn't matched by anything out there if done correctly. I truly can't describe it, despite my attempt here. I'd need more space than can be used here to explain. =D

 

[LAGG]

What I do game for:
- to do things we can't do IRL because they're too dangerous, wrong, or downright impossible for our biology, technology or resources (like being in a firefight, flying, traveling through outer space).
- to engage with stuff our society has made obsolete but our ancestors had to deal with and our brains feel pleasure in being able to accomplish (hunting, running from beasts, building shelter, sneaking around dangers).
- to keep my brain sharp and my mind strong for when IRL problems arise (approaching stuff with a problem-solving mind, learning with our failures and keep trying instead of giving up when the difficulties arrive, exercise creativity under constraints without burning real/expensive resources except a bit of time).
- to explore fantastic worlds and places that don't exist IRL, and do all the above points in there.

What I do not game for:
- simulating stuff I can do IRL (meeting people, talking to people, dating, being sad, seeing someone else being sad, washing dishes, taking a shower, going to the toilet, looking through the window, driving under the speed limit, caring for people I love, losing people I love, warming up before a jog...).

 

[lacktheknack]

I game because it's better than movies or TV.

And the reason I do any of the three is because I'm done being productive for the day.

 

[Hero of Lime]

To have a good time. That is basically it, I play a game to experience a different exciting world to explore and have fun in. The game does not even need a compelling story or even amazing characters, if it spurs me to keep playing, and drives me to return to it once in a while, then its job is done.

I could elaborate more, but the reason I love games so much is because not only do I get windows into interesting worlds, but I am given a role to play that I could not get in real life.

 

[Miss G.]

They're often times a way for me to experience new and fanciful things; things I personally am afraid to do (I hate heights and being on the water so airships, dragon-riding and boats etc are out of the question), and things I will probably never be able to do (like own enough money and rare things to buy a country or the ability to run more than 7 mph). Also playing a story.

 

[Nazulu]

I had one of these awhile ago. Can't remember exactly how it goes but I remember how it ends.

"To discover the imagination of another."

I'll edit when I find the rest of it.

 

[Easton Dark]

They're often times a way for me to experience new and fanciful things; things I personally am afraid to do (I hate heights and being on the water so airships, dragon-riding and boats etc are out of the question), and things I will probably never be able to do (like own enough money and rare things to buy a country or the ability to run more than 7 mph). Also playing a story.

You're telling me if a dragon landed in your back yard right now and asked you to ride it to the land of lollipops and rainbows, you'd say you were scared of heights?

Heights are my one fear I'm consciously aware of and even then there'd be no hesitation.

OT:

To experience the adrenaline and monotony of things I would never be able to do, including picking flowers to create magical potions, shrugging off thousands of bullet wounds, and saving the whole of everything.

 

[floppylobster]

If you're not enjoying it, switch it off.

 

[MHR]

To collect the goodies and crunch out some kills.

Kill counts on my strange weapons in TF2 count as goodies. Enemy rage and tears also count. Successful taunts after badass/rage inducing kills count. Achievements count. Experience points count.

I don't like too many games that don't allow me to horde something.

For example I absolutely loved both Portal games for the humor and the game itself, but it has very little replay value for me. Half-life on the other hand has tons of really nice crunchy kills and ammo/health pickups to collect and manage.

But then don't even get me started on games like Skyrim. omg

 

[Julius Terrell]

Despite being on a website called the "Escapist," I don't play games for escapism. I'm not trying to "escape" from anything. I play games because they create places worth traveling to. They have truth with a capital T in them and can range in the experiences they offer. From sad to awe inspiring to simple childish fun, there's a million experiences to be had and learnt from.

Give this guy an award, because I agree whole heartedly!!

I on the other hand...... My goal is to play the hardest games imaginable. Weather that is grinding to get the highest score in bejeweled, or spending YEARS becoming better at In the Groove.

My genres are pretty niche today. I'm getting older, but when I was a kid we played for score and I still enjoy that. I still have a love for 2d graphics, which is next to impossible to find today. I love 8-bit chiptunes and the games they were attached to.

Genres:
Puzzle
Music: My main genre
JRPGs: I love a good story
2-D shooter(Shumps)
2-d platformers
Fighting

Me loving all these genres means that developers aren't necessarily breaking their necks to appease my taste. Also, I don't play games for fun. People say that that is what video games are for. I say no, because they've matured A LOT!! They've become complex and difficult enough for the "fun" word to fly right out the window. It's unbelievable how people haven't realized that after all these years.

Edit: There is just something I love about the competitive atmosphere. Seeing the best in the world just really moves me. In what other medium can you see a match like Daigo vs Justin Wong. Seeing people do the impossible or highly improbable. It fascinates me to no end. Each genre has a few people like that.


or


and


Where else can you see shit like this??

 

[MaAlGon3]

I consider myself to be the Andrew Ryan of playing video games.
"A gamer chooses, a slave obeys"