Alienated by too much game.

[Prince Planet]

Interesting post. I generally agree, and am far more inclined to play a fairly linear, finite game for some of the reasons you stated.

This ties in somewhat to other threads relating to game length. On that point, too, I really don't have the time (nor, usually, the interest level) to play a game that requires more than 30-40 hours to actually get through. (This doesn't mean that I won't play a game, such as a shooter, for more than 30 or 40 total hours. Rather, I usually don't want to play a game for that long consecutively just to get through the game's story.)

[Error]

Personally I love the open ended games like GTA 3 and Vice City, but that doesnt mean I can play them exclusively for months on end. Heck, I played GTA: Vice for about 4 days straight and I had to get away from it, not because it was getting boring or anything but because I wanted to savour it more. You play something too much and it begins to lose it's specialness, I feel.

Plus there are too many games out there to stick to one for any extended length of time. After playing GTA for those 4 days (at something close to 7-9 hours a day, ya, i had no life) I went and rented a few of the new games that had come out along with or shortly after Vice. I actually haven't touched Vice in a few days, but that doesnt mean I wont. It's there, waiting to be played and finished. I'm not goin anywhere and neither is it.

[ChaoofNee]

Eh. I figure I'll catch up in retirement.

[Kidnemo]

Originally posted by MagmaDragoon
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.

You may also want to avoid it because it's a horrible game...

I guess I never feel "alienated", I just play each game to the fullest amount of my enjoyment.

Normally though I have to really be "into" a game for me to put in tons and tons of extra time to ferret out all the secrets.

I think the last game I played to that extent was Skies of Arcadia...

[taloony]

Originally posted by Master
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.

I totally agree, but a game doesn't have to be open ended for me to feel this way. Take FF7 for example. I played the hell out of this when it came out. I explored the game fully, and think I did just about every possible thing in it. However, when I got to the final dungeon, I quit. I had no more enjoyment from playing the game at this point.

I do this often. I'll play the hell out of a game, especially an RPG, and just quit as I get toward the end. I'll be so sick of seeing the game that I just can't stand to play it anymore, I'm worn out on it.

[Frogacuda]

Shenmue II was like... short. It was only like 15 hours at most on a first playthough. I'm not sure why you mention it in the same breath as morrowind and AC. You can kinda play the game at your own pace and burn right through it if you want.

[burgundy]

I think this applies to some games but not others. Being story-driven, I don't see the point in playing a third of FFX, so I hardly bother at all. However, this doesn't bother me in Animal Crossing because I don't feel I need to see every holiday to enjoy the game.

[PaCrappa]

Hi Master! I'll be emailing you later today with that list of your box contents.

I think Zerodash pretty much encapsulated it with his statement. I prefer games that are played with friends, for mastery, or those with the ending in site almost as soon as one has started playing. Tumble Pop is a great example. Life is open ended and the only thing one has the opportunity to "master" in those alleged "open ended" games is the throwing away of spare time.

That said, I can throw away mega spare time playing some very long games like Ogre Battle 64 for instance. But of course with most traditional and strategy based RPGs the player already has a pretty good idea of what will go on throughout the game because they are very rigid in their story driven department.

I also strongly dislike the concept of online gaming. I have no shortage of real life friends and I've chosen them specifically because I like them. I choose to play games with them specifically because these people help make gaming fun. The last thing I want is for a bunch of dillweeds from the real world to run up in my game and start fucking around at random. The game of life is the most enjoyable way I've found for interacting with the real humans of this world.

And speaking of true open endedness.... I just got off the phone with a dear friend who informed me that another close friend is dead. He died in Thailand in his bungalow with his headphones on.

Pa

[Booshido]

Every game should have an end.

To miss other games is not to be looked on as bad.

Set priorities about which game should be played. If the game doesn't do it for you, by all means move on. Don't play a game cause of the name, play the game cause it's fun. And if you are having fun playing that certain game then all is well and you really aren't missing anything.

I think it comes down to opportunity cost. If I play this game what could I be missing? Sacrifices must be made. And if you find games in general are wearing you out, take a break from gaming.

For example, if you stop smoking weed for 2 weeks and come back to it, it has a more powerful effect. (I think that made sense) If you take a break from gaming, and come back, that game has a fresher feel than if you constantly play, day in and day out.

[Tain]

Personally, I like some open-ended games, and hate others. Morrowind bores me to death. It's probably because of the combat, as I enjoy the hell out of the Elite games and GTA3. Or maybe it's because I hate 3/4ths of all "good" RPGs.