Alienated by too much game.

On one hand I love open-ended experiences where I have the power to do anything I want. On the other hand, for me anyway, there is something about knowing I'll never, and I mean never, experience a tenth of what a game has to offer. It almost seems as if by giving all my time to this single game I'll be missing out on other games, and other things not games related.

I could play Morrowind, Shenmue (1 or 2), any GTA, Animal Crossing, and a host of other games exclusively forever. But after so much time, I don't neccesarily become bored, but disenchanted. In my mind I want to do everything, see everything (like wanting to ride every ride at Disneyworld, twice), but it can never happen. And I just give up, because I don't have that security of knowing I'll eventually get to a point where I feel I have experienced all that there is to experience in this game. So I just stop playing and move on to something else.

I know, I'm a weirdo. Anybody else have feelings about such open-ended expansive games? Thoughts about the length of games? Anybody else like me and lose interest because the great expansiveness of a game is just too much?

Just curious about others tastes and habits.

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Originally posted by Master
...It almost seems as if by giving all my time to this single game I'll be missing out on other games, and other things not games related... But after so much time, I don't neccesarily become bored, but disenchanted... Anybody else like me and lose interest because the great expansiveness of a game is just too much?

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Get out of my head.

I prefer games that you can play forever because the gameplay is addictive and fun enough- not because there is more to "do" in the game world.

*goes back to playing SFII*

I hear where you're coming from. I just try to enjoy what I can of these types of games. Phantasy Star Online, for example. I know I wont be able to see all there is in the game. My schitzoid ADHD self couldnt ever devot the ammount of time it would take. This, of course coming from the guy that played Skies of Arcadia for over 85 hours straight to get everything. But whatever, my point is, that you can play alot and always have something to come back to. Get a little enjoyment, level up a bit. Then go play a new mech game, or learn how to better play with that cool new character in your favorite fighter. Then you can come back and still enjoy it. Thats what I do anyway.

Z-roe

Quote:

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Originally posted by Master

I know, I'm a weirdo. Anybody else have feelings about such open-ended expansive games? Thoughts about the length of games? Anybody else like me and lose interest because the great expansiveness of a game is just too much?

Just curious about others tastes and habits.

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I feel this way not so much about gaming, but with real life. All the things there are to read, and places to go...I've often got to force myself to get moving on pursuing an interest 'cause considering all the possibilities can be paralyzing. As far as game lengths go, it all depends on how they lengthen the game. Collecting 5 million items isn't appealing to me, but finishing some crazy hard game on one life might keep me at it for a long time. Also, I'll keep playing a game if I always feel like I can improve my playing with just a little more practice (played Super Bomberman for years because of that).

I play a game until it's no longer fun to me or until there's nothing left to do.

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Originally posted by Master


I know, I'm a weirdo. Anybody else have feelings about such open-ended expansive games? Thoughts about the length of games? Anybody else like me and lose interest because the great expansiveness of a game is just too much?

Just curious about others tastes and habits.

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I think that a lot of games fit into those categories. It depends on how far you want to take the game. I used to play Super C so many times, that I wanted to see if I could finish the game with just 3 lives. Games like Madden Football can be taken to the same extremes. Try to win the Super Bowl with every team in the league on All-Pro.



Now that I can afford several dozen games a year, I don't find myself trying to beat a game to death. I enjoy them for waht they are and move on, but may come back to that title when I get an itch to play.


PSO is one game, that I can say I've played quite a bit of and still have'nt found half of the secret Mag's or items available. I still like to play it from time to time and will probably continue on the the GC version.

I can't get into open-ended games as much as more traditional stuff. Maybe because of what you said, and maybe because without some kind of driving force to a game, and being left to my own devices, all that's left is the gameplay. So far I've yet to play an open-ended game (like Marrowind) that has gameplay aspects (such as battles, levelining, exploring) that are fun to do. Sometimes nonlinear stuff feels like a chore.

Marrow wind? Is that, that educational health game for children on the SNES?

Z-roe

That is why I really don't want to get into Everquest i'm afraid that since there is no ending i'll be sucked in a game. Right now i've been playing alot of Dynasty Warriors 3 I finished it three times and know there is so much more to do in the game but now i'm getting that feeling that i'm missing out on Rad, kingdom hearts, gTa3 and vice, baludrs gate, resident evil zero. It's making me want to trade the game in to get more games so that I can experience them