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Something for the Rest of Us
Simphanatic
Member Posts: 92
I used to be a very good player -- in Perfect World, for example, I constantly pushed the envelope for what Clerics (arguably the squishiest class) were supposed to be capable of doing. And I prided myself on being one of the best healers in the game -- I was continually requested to join squads. But no more ...
About two years ago I noticed that my hand would tremble before going into difficult instances. Unfortunately, it didn't stop there; I began experiencing hand tremors, such that mouse clicking wasn't always reliable. These symptoms, commensurate with others prompted me to see a doctor, and I was ultimately diagnosed with Parkinson's Disease.
I still love online gaming and my circumstances are such that I have all the time in the world to participate. Alas, loss of motor skills and increased temerity concerning fighting mobs and bosses now has me playing almost no MMORPGs whatsoever. Recently, I tried SW:TOR, GW2, LoTRO, and TSW, but increasing anxiety about general PvE and reluctance to join squads (and let them down) caused me to drop out rather quickly. I do continue to play WoW -- where I still feel comfortable playing a hunter, but all I do is kill, skin, commence auctions, and rake in loot. I may be one of the richest players on my server, but that in and of itself is becoming tiresome.
Otherwise, my gaming is pretty much restricted to Sims3 and Civ5, but I've totally mastered these games and lack of social contact leaves me wanting for more.
I'm convinced I'm not the only gamer with these or similar issues. So, what to do? I've got a nice income that affords me sufficient disposable funds to invest in a worthwhile game, and as I said I've got plenty of time to invest as well -- I much prefer earning my chops as opposed to buying them from a cash shop. I'm a smart player, who loves overcoming the near impossible with good strategy. And I'm a patient player who much appreciates deep crafting systems and robust, player-driven in-game economies.
Is there a game for people with similar capabilities, limitations, skills, and preferences? Or should I move on and admit that MMORPGs are something I once did?
Comments
Sorry, man. That sucks big time. No ones got an answer for where to go when you get to sick or injured to play.
I had an ear infection a while back that makes it so I have to slow my movement down. I have a very unreliable equilibrium. I can't play games with a lot of motion or I get motion sickness. There's no fix, other than to pray to Jesus. Which works sometimes and other times you stay stuck with your illness.
I also caught a rare disease which made it so I could not eat solid food for about two years. Doctors finally found a cure for me. I had picked up a stagnant water parasite that lives in the intestines. I felt like the hand of death was on me when I lay crumpled over screaming and holding my gutt every day. Needless to say not a lot of gaming got done and I felt like the world left me behind. It made me pissed. I would have made a really grumpy ghost, lol. But I get to live and game another day.
I guess just be glad what you got doesn't take everything away. I know that sounds lame but it's the best I got.
I'm not sure I understand Parkinsons enough to suggest anything suitable, but I would think perhaps, something like Wakfu might be of interest to you.
Tactical turn based combat system, with all the usual MMO trappings around it.
I've ordered a copy of PIRATES OF THE BURNING SEA from Amazon. Yup, I know it's a free download, but I'm not up to waiting a week for the download to complete and the $4.99 pricetag was cheap enough.
Far as I understand, POTBS doesn't mandate a lot of fighting, but it does offer a very deep crafting system. Hopefully, I can make do with that and compensate for whatever fighting is required. I'm pretty good at teasing out effective macros on my Razor Naga, I just get a little jumpy when games are wall to wall fighting -- it rings me out emotionally.
Thank you guys for your kind comments. I'm glad I joined this site.
Sorry about coming to this thread so late. How is your speech? If you contacted a dev I would think they could make a speech controler for their game. Or maybe one that uses a webcam and eye movements to simulate mouse control. How stable is your head? If your head is stable then a head mounted system like that used in attack helicopters to aim their gatling gun. If there is a university in the neighborhood with both electrical and mechanical programs a group of students could make you a replacement mouse controller as a senior design project. They may ask you to fund the design. I knew a coworker back in the '01-'03 time frame that had Parkinson's. On a light note what did you think of the Anne Hathaway & Jake Gyllenhaal movie Love and Other Drugs?
One more thing, if you were advising a game designer on control improvements you might want what would you say? That one guy I worked with didn’t have a problem speaking. I imagined a voice system where you said things like Auction House, mailbox, or bank. Then a service type program would steer your character to that location. In a raid it would be a smart follow, not of an individual but of the group. Then when the fight starts you could say keep me near the squashes and safe. So all you would have to concentrate on is targeting and casting. Would using a game controller like the Xbox be any better than a mouse?
Boy: Why can't I talk to Him?
Mom: We don't talk to Priests.
As if it could exist, without being payed for.
F2P means you get what you paid for. Pay nothing, get nothing.
Even telemarketers wouldn't think that.
It costs money to play. Therefore P2W.
I'm sorry to hear about your situation, but glad to know that you aren't going to let anything stop you.
There are some games that might fit what you're looking for, though I personally don't have a lot of experience with some of them.
Atlantica Online is a turn-based game that has gotten a lot of good reviews from other players. I think the biggest downside I've heard about it is the impact the cash shop has had on it.
Have you ever tried EvE Online? It's got one of the most sophisicated economies and player-run industry of any MMO currently available. Additionally, controlling a ship in combat is pretty different from controlling a humanoid avatar, in that it generally runs at a slower pace (though the death penalty of losing a ship is more severe) and isn't the normal WASD control scheme.
Obviously, there are a lot of multi-player lobby type games out there as well. I play Magic: The Gathering Duels of the Planeswalkers and M:TG Tactics from time to time, and have looked at PoxNora as well. Though not MMOs in the traditional sense, they are online games that can be played with other people for that social aspect.
Lastly, and this suggestion might be a little out there, but depending on where you live, have you ever played paper and pencil RPGs (or tabletop games)? If you've got gamestores in your area, they often have areas in which players get together to play games. To me, that's the best social gaming experience ever, and physical capability is irrelevant. It's how I got started in gaming. Granted, I'm 3 days older than dirt, and online gaming didn't exist as an option back then, but it's still the most fun I've ever had in 30+ years of gaming.
Hope some of this helps.
P.S. Personally, I think you should play any game you feel like playing. These are games, meant to be enjoyed by anyone that wants to play them. Everyone's capabilities vary. Indeed, there are ultra-competitive, elitist jerks out there that treat games like they are far more important than they actually are. That's their problem, not yours.
Just enjoy yourself, with whatever you want to do. I'm sure you will find plenty of people out there that will enjoy playing with someone else that simply enjoys gaming.
Hell hath no fury like an MMORPG player scorned.