Would you say that using a guide ruins the purpose of gaming?

[Sung-Hwan]

I admit that while I don't do it often myself, sometimes I will just be frustrated with some part of a game (boss, puzzles) and be loose on time, then resort to finding help. It's only now I found out how much people out there resent the idea of looking for help with a game, since it supposedly destroys the entire idea of playing a game. To further clarify, people say that once you start looking at a guide to get through a game, it's no longer playing it as much as doing a chore. You know, I don't like to namedrop and I apologize if it is against the rules, but to set an example: Infamous gamer darksydephil constantly looks to his stream chat or tweets to get through a game, and this is especially apparent when he played Dark Souls.

But your thoughts on this might be interesting?

 

[Erttheking]

Crime against gaming itself?

I just...NO! Who says that?

 

[Sung-Hwan]

Crime against gaming itself?

I just...NO! Who says that?

People on various sites I anonymously browse. I do see where they come from with this, but don't know what to entirely make of it.

Made me wonder what's the point of a game if you're not playing for the enjoyment or yourself.

 

[False Messiah]

I admit that while I don't do it often myself, sometimes I will just be frustrated with some part of a game (boss, puzzles) and be loose on time, then resort to finding help. It's only now I found out how much people out there resent the idea of looking for help with a game, since it supposedly destroys the entire idea of playing a game. To further clarify, people say that once you start looking at a guide to get through a game, it's no longer playing it as much as doing a chore. You know, I don't like to namedrop and I apologize if it is against the rules, but to set an example: Infamous gamer darksydephil constantly looks to his stream chat or tweets to get through a game, and this is especially apparent when he played Dark Souls.

But your thoughts on this might be interesting?

Ok, let's say that I'm horrible at puzzles, and I have the spatial recognition of a lobotomized pot plant. After hearing the GladOS announcer in DOTA 2 I want to hear more of her jokes so I start Portal. But being horrible at the game I need a guide to progress in the game and get the parts that I want.

I think most here will agree that you can use a guide to play through a game if your prime motivator isn't exploration or overcoming the difficulty.

 

[CannibalCorpses]

I consider guides and the like as cheating but only when used on the first playthrough...after that i'm fine with it. Once you've proven yourself good enough to beat a game then do as you like, you've earned the right.

A crime against gaming? ...maybe. I can see how it might cause a trend of bad game features if people cheat to get past things that become standard but it's a little far fetched. I'm probably not the person to discuss this though because i'm a guy who finishes games on the hardest setting first time without any help from guides. I mock anyone who has to use a guide to get past something rather than applying their game knowledge and experience...

 

[Erttheking]

I consider guides and the like as cheating but only when used on the first playthrough...after that i'm fine with it. Once you've proven yourself good enough to beat a game then do as you like, you've earned the right.

Begging your pardon, but when I want to find the 108 Stars of Destiny in Suikoden I don't need to "Earn the right". I'll do what I god damn please.

 

[Sung-Hwan]

I consider guides and the like as cheating but only when used on the first playthrough...after that i'm fine with it. Once you've proven yourself good enough to beat a game then do as you like, you've earned the right.

Begging your pardon, but when I want to find the 108 Stars of Destiny in Suikoden I don't need to "Earn the right". I'll do what I god damn please.

Mind if I ask what's the point of playing a difficult game if you're planning on looking up for help? For example, Dark Souls sells and markets based off its high difficulty, and the satisfaction that comes with overcoming it. If you just went on YouTube and followed a step by step guide to beat it, not only does it strip the game of its selling point, there's no real sense of accomplishment is there?

 

[Erttheking]

I consider guides and the like as cheating but only when used on the first playthrough...after that i'm fine with it. Once you've proven yourself good enough to beat a game then do as you like, you've earned the right.

Begging your pardon, but when I want to find the 108 Stars of Destiny in Suikoden I don't need to "Earn the right". I'll do what I god damn please.

Mind if I ask what's the point of playing a difficult game if you're planning on looking up for help? For example, Dark Souls sells and markets based off its high difficulty, and the satisfaction that comes with overcoming it. If you just went on YouTube and followed a step by step guide to beat it, not only does it strip the game of its selling point, there's no real sense of accomplishment is there?

I'm pretty sure most guides aren't step by step. They more or less tell you where to go, where to find hidden items and where all the hidden goodies are. Is that what's "taboo"? Watching youtube videos and copying them step by step

Well no offense, who are you to tell people how to play games? If they want to, let them. They're having fun aren't they?

 

[BathorysGraveland2]

Unless it's multiplayer there really is no right or wrong way to play a game. The only stipulation that matters is that you're enjoying it. That's what games are for, after all. Fun. If guides helps one to enjoy a game, then fair enough.

 

[Casual Shinji]

I thought the idea behind playing a game was having "fun". If you achieve that by using a guide who cares?

 

[WeepingAngels]

You know what ruins gaming? Spending alot of time talking about games on the internet rather than playing them. Learning all the nasty things about the industry and other gamers has killed the magic of gaming for me. Guides never caused a problem for me.

 

[aozgolo]

I think games are a valuable tool for maximizing enjoyment of a game for some people. Everyone has their preferred style of play but for many guides allow you to unlock the maximum enjoyment out of a game.

Personally due to real world duties (job, kids, chores, etc.) I don't have anywhere NEAR the time to dedicate to games as I once did, yet I now have way more of them than I ever did. I enjoy playing RPGs more than anything and for a game that's normal playtime is 40+ hours, the concept of replaying it a second time just to do what I missed out on the first time is a bit disheartening to me. So I rely on game guides to ensure I maximize my playthrough the first time and don't miss crucial secrets. Some games I still replay for the sheer enjoyment of them but at least I don't "have to".

Then again I rarely play games for their story, I do appreciate a good story but for me games are all about "what CAN I do?" not "How good is the story?"

 

[Diablo2000]

I use them, mostly for stuff I don't have to patience to look for myself.
In Dark Souls I use them to find items that are important for my builds, even though I don't long need to look up any guides to find anything in the game, I already played it this much.
Or colletables I want, like the Riddler trophies in the Arkham series...

 

[Evonisia]

Isn't the purpose of games to entertain through an interactive, visual electronic medium? I understand that some games try to rely on the challenge and what not to act as your experience, but I don't see the issue when you can still enjoy the catharsis of solving the puzzles of say Portal even if you didn't figure it out yourself.

And also there are some games like Dark Souls which are deliberately built to force people into looking up guides (I guess the intention was to ask their friends like in the good ol' days), and I can't blame anybody for looking up how to finish it.

 

[Aerosteam]

When I play a game I'll play it my own way thank you very much, no one has the right to tells others "you're doing it wrong". The idea of games is for enjoyment.

Using a guide to tell me where a weapon I want in Dark Souls is much more fun than not finding and using the weapon at all.

Mind if I ask what's the point of playing a difficult game if you're planning on looking up for help? For example, Dark Souls sells and markets based off its high difficulty, and the satisfaction that comes with overcoming it. If you just went on YouTube and followed a step by step guide to beat it, not only does it strip the game of its selling point, there's no real sense of accomplishment is there?

Looking up a guide doesn't make the game automatically easy. Easier, sure, but you still have to overcome the challenge the game presents. Also Dark Souls' selling point isn't just the difficulty mind you.

 

[Eclipse Dragon]

Nope, I love RPGs and some of them can really screw you if you make the wrong decisions. A guide ensures I don't do that and I don't have enough time in my week to play the same game multiple times, so I need to make sure if I want to see all the content, I see as much as possible over a single playthrough.

Then again I rarely play games for their story, I do appreciate a good story but for me games are all about "what CAN I do?" not "How good is the story?"

Even if someone does play games for the story alone, a guide is still helpful in ensuring the best possible outcome in a game where there may be a "good ending" a "bad ending" and a "best ending".

Quite a few guides also try to be as spoiler free as reasonably possible, they'll use hints like "You should really get this sword or train this particular character, they'll come in specifically handy later."[footnote]I'm looking at you Mist from Fire Emblem: POR[/footnote]

 

[the_great_cessation]

This is going to sound extremely silly but as a kid I always loved utilizing guides when playing Zelda as it felt as if I was consulting a map that guided me on my travels. It really enhanced the adventurous mood of the game and my old, worn out Ocarina of Time guide is one of the most nostalgic things I own as a result.