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How to break the conditioning of MMO?

zspawnzspawn Member Posts: 410

Hi all,

I've been reading these forums a lot for multiple games and there's the general idea that the MMO gamers are conditioned to pursue mundane and boring tasks to achieve long term rewards (loot/gold/gear/reputation/fluff items etc.) and this is done to prolong the amount of gaming time required. This is done to promote subscription renewals or buy cash shop items to make the progress faster...

 

My question is this - IF we accept this fact and also consider that it may be rendering the average gamer unable to pursue lore/exploration/socialisation (because he/she always has to invest time in their long term rewards via raiding or grinding)... What can be done to "break" this conditioning?

Myself and probably others here, find ourselves in this position - When someone tells me they do X Y Z action in a game (even single player) I always ask "what's the profit of doing that?" / "what do you get for it?"

I find myself not able to follow tasks that don't offer this conditioning...Play GW2 ? I can't get interested as much as I'd want because "Why gear up? No raid progression/PVP is equalized in sPVP and just for fun in WvWvW

"Read quest text? That's just slowing down my levelling."

"I don't have time to chat - I need to do my dailies"

 

Etc.

 

What would be your approach to "break the mould" and "repair" your mindset ?

I find myself in an inner contradiction - Part of me wants to stop thinking like that and enjoy a game for what it is, take it slow, read the quests, learn about the lore of the game I'm playing, chat, laugh and have fun...The other half of me just feels all these are pointless since they don't progress my character or my "long term" goals... I bought GW2 in an effort to "get out" of the raiding mindset but I find myself craving it rather than kicking the habit... I don't enjoy the game even if I want to quite badly ... This follows whatever game I try !

 

I've been in loot-centric/raid-centric games for 5-6 years...How do you break a conditioning like that? Quit MMO? Do a "gaming cleanse" by playing certain games? Put some goals? How to make a new start and finally be at peace ?:P

 

Personally, I'm stuck :)

 

Discuss? :)

«1

Comments

  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by zspawn

    I've been in loot-centric/raid-centric games for 5-6 years...How do you break a conditioning like that? Quit MMO? Do a "gaming cleanse" by playing certain games? Put some goals? How to make a new start and finally be at peace ?:P

    Don't just play one game? There are lots of fun games .. that "ends" out there. Bioshock Infinity is a good choice. Dishonored is another good choice. Deus Ex is a third excellent choice.

     

  • zspawnzspawn Member Posts: 410
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by zspawn

    I've been in loot-centric/raid-centric games for 5-6 years...How do you break a conditioning like that? Quit MMO? Do a "gaming cleanse" by playing certain games? Put some goals? How to make a new start and finally be at peace ?:P

    Don't just play one game? There are lots of fun games .. that "ends" out there. Bioshock Infinity is a good choice. Dishonored is another good choice. Deus Ex is a third excellent choice.

     

     

    I loved Deus Ex !

     

    It's a fact that I have around 150 XBOX360 games I haven't finished yet...Also some more old school XBOX/PS2 and even PS1 classics I haven't touched... Always because I was "playing something else" (e.g. WoW)....

    Whenever I try to play a single player game now, I feel like I'm wasting my time... Like, I should be levelling or farming some gold etc. 

  • AeonZenAeonZen Member Posts: 43
    Find serenity in the present moment via meditation.  First ask yourself what you really want, then envision and live it.  It's about the journey not the destination.  The end doesn't justify the means, as it's said.
  • TheLizardbonesTheLizardbones Member CommonPosts: 10,910

    I've been playing Minecraft longer than I've been playing most MMOs. I do not think the game mechanics in Minecraft would necessarily transfer over well to an MMO, especially game mods like Feed the Beast, but some of the general ideas could transfer very nicely.

    Land ownership within a game, player made economies, but with the option for player independence, player created content through mods, and player run servers could all be transferred over to an MMO format with some success.

    I can not remember winning or losing a single debate on the internet.

  • zspawnzspawn Member Posts: 410
    Originally posted by Sanctuaryy
    Find serenity in the present moment via meditation.  First ask yourself what you really want, then envision and live it.  It's about the journey not the destination.  The end doesn't justify the means, as it's said.

    I like your spiritual approach..However I found it is easier said than done :)

  • Yyrkoon_PoMYyrkoon_PoM Member Posts: 150

    Personally I do not buy the whole video game conditioning theory. I view it more of a being a human being thing.

     

    How many of us strive for that next promotion or pay raise at work by doing some crazy hours or doing anything our bosses ask, just to get noticed? How many of us practice a sport for hours after hours hoping to make it our profession? How many of us spend hours watching and anyalizing stock markets to make more money? How many of us spend 4+ years earning that degree so that we can work in the field of our choosing? How many of us play video games hoping to be the best of the best? It is just the way we humans are wired.

     

    If you feel video games are taking too much of your time, go outside and join a community sports league (basketball, baseball, soccer). If you're too old to play then coach the kids.  If your not athletic then go hiking, fishing, or some other recreational activity. The idea is that if you are susceptible to that mode of gameplay, it is really up to you to break yourself of the habit of playing that way.

     

     

  • birdycephonbirdycephon Member UncommonPosts: 1,314
    Originally posted by zspawn

    Hi all,I've been reading these forums a lot for multiple games and there's the general idea that the MMO gamers are conditioned to pursue mundane and boring tasks to achieve long term rewards (loot/gold/gear/reputation/fluff items etc.) and this is done to prolong the amount of gaming time required. This is done to promote subscription renewals or buy cash shop items to make the progress faster... My question is this - IF we accept this fact and also consider that it may be rendering the average gamer unable to pursue lore/exploration/socialisation (because he/she always has to invest time in their long term rewards via raiding or grinding)... What can be done to "break" this conditioning?Myself and probably others here, find ourselves in this position - When someone tells me they do X Y Z action in a game (even single player) I always ask "what's the profit of doing that?" / "what do you get for it?"I find myself not able to follow tasks that don't offer this conditioning...Play GW2 ? I can't get interested as much as I'd want because "Why gear up? No raid progression/PVP is equalized in sPVP and just for fun in WvWvW"Read quest text? That's just slowing down my levelling.""I don't have time to chat - I need to do my dailies" Etc. What would be your approach to "break the mould" and "repair" your mindset ?I find myself in an inner contradiction - Part of me wants to stop thinking like that and enjoy a game for what it is, take it slow, read the quests, learn about the lore of the game I'm playing, chat, laugh and have fun...The other half of me just feels all these are pointless since they don't progress my character or my "long term" goals... I bought GW2 in an effort to "get out" of the raiding mindset but I find myself craving it rather than kicking the habit... I don't enjoy the game even if I want to quite badly ... This follows whatever game I try ! I've been in loot-centric/raid-centric games for 5-6 years...How do you break a conditioning like that? Quit MMO? Do a "gaming cleanse" by playing certain games? Put some goals? How to make a new start and finally be at peace ?:P Personally, I'm stuck :) Discuss? :)

     

    Play SWTOR.
  • free2playfree2play Member UncommonPosts: 2,043

    I know what you are saying.

    In LotRO I wil log in knowing I am going to get a level or knowing I am going to get enough leather to complete that tier of crafting and if I don't complete that tier or get that level I will keep playing. If Know I can't do those things I won't log in.

    In EVE the idea of logging out in some far off system in space and knowing I might be logging in to 20 reds is just foreign. You dock up, then you log out.

     

    Breaking those habits is hard to do and it's like games feed on those habits so I don't know if there is any remedy because if we can break the conditioning, they will just find new ones. I don't think game companies are up to no good. They try to make their games more casual even if they miss the aspects of mini goals but those habits and minin goals are part of a wind down for me. It's why I play.

     

    Look for games that better let you do that though. If you enjoy minecraft, play minecraft. Don't feel a damn bit guilty about it.

  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by zspawn
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by zspawn

    I've been in loot-centric/raid-centric games for 5-6 years...How do you break a conditioning like that? Quit MMO? Do a "gaming cleanse" by playing certain games? Put some goals? How to make a new start and finally be at peace ?:P

    Don't just play one game? There are lots of fun games .. that "ends" out there. Bioshock Infinity is a good choice. Dishonored is another good choice. Deus Ex is a third excellent choice.

     

     

    I loved Deus Ex !

     

    It's a fact that I have around 150 XBOX360 games I haven't finished yet...Also some more old school XBOX/PS2 and even PS1 classics I haven't touched... Always because I was "playing something else" (e.g. WoW)....

    Whenever I try to play a single player game now, I feel like I'm wasting my time... Like, I should be levelling or farming some gold etc. 

    You make it sound like a job. you "should be" xxx and yyy? You are being entertained. The only thing you "should be" doing is to have fun. I only farm when i think farming is fun.

     

  • zspawnzspawn Member Posts: 410
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by zspawn
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by zspawn

    I've been in loot-centric/raid-centric games for 5-6 years...How do you break a conditioning like that? Quit MMO? Do a "gaming cleanse" by playing certain games? Put some goals? How to make a new start and finally be at peace ?:P

    Don't just play one game? There are lots of fun games .. that "ends" out there. Bioshock Infinity is a good choice. Dishonored is another good choice. Deus Ex is a third excellent choice.

     

     

    I loved Deus Ex !

     

    It's a fact that I have around 150 XBOX360 games I haven't finished yet...Also some more old school XBOX/PS2 and even PS1 classics I haven't touched... Always because I was "playing something else" (e.g. WoW)....

    Whenever I try to play a single player game now, I feel like I'm wasting my time... Like, I should be levelling or farming some gold etc. 

    You make it sound like a job. you "should be" xxx and yyy? You are being entertained. The only thing you "should be" doing is to have fun. I only farm when i think farming is fun.

     

     

    Yeap you're correct. It feels like it's my job to be entertained and my entertainment is having a job in game :D if you know what I mean... I'm not sure when i'm having fun anymore ! :/

     

  • zspawnzspawn Member Posts: 410
    Originally posted by birdycephon
    stuf
    Play SWTOR.

     

    I tried SWTOR levelled up to lvl 10ish (and i really had a great time doing the story quest) but I suffer from some microstutter problem that annoys the hell out of me...Also I said I would not subscribe to a monthly fee game again since it just increases the pressure to play (to get my money's worth so to speak)... I'm not convinced it's viable to play as F2P

  • JoeyMMOJoeyMMO Member UncommonPosts: 1,326

    You have to ask yourself whether you want to play a game that feels like a second job or not.

    You either want to be on the gear threadmill or you don't.

    If you want to be on it, then don't complain about a second job because that's exactly what you're looking for.

    If you can't get into GW2 because it doesn't have the need for it to be a second job, and is just entertainment without any real drive or purpose, then you're stuck. You really are, go play Allods Online and fork over a small fortune to be able to compete with the big boys.

    If you need to chase the carrot-on-a-stick that badly, then they're going to make you pay for it, one way or another.

    imageimage
  • nariusseldonnariusseldon Member EpicPosts: 27,775
    Originally posted by zspawn

    Yeap you're correct. It feels like it's my job to be entertained and my entertainment is having a job in game :D if you know what I mean... I'm not sure when i'm having fun anymore ! :/

     

    May be you should take a break and re-evaulate? There are plenty of entertainment besides games.

  • zspawnzspawn Member Posts: 410
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by zspawn

    Yeap you're correct. It feels like it's my job to be entertained and my entertainment is having a job in game :D if you know what I mean... I'm not sure when i'm having fun anymore ! :/

     

    May be you should take a break and re-evaulate? There are plenty of entertainment besides games.

     

    Games are not my sole source of entertainment but i kind of feel I need to change my gaming habits...or just accept the treadmill love/hate relationship :)

  • AdalwulffAdalwulff Member, Newbie CommonPosts: 1,152
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by zspawn

    I've been in loot-centric/raid-centric games for 5-6 years...How do you break a conditioning like that? Quit MMO? Do a "gaming cleanse" by playing certain games? Put some goals? How to make a new start and finally be at peace ?:P

    Don't just play one game? There are lots of fun games .. that "ends" out there. Bioshock Infinity is a good choice. Dishonored is another good choice. Deus Ex is a third excellent choice.

     

     

    This is my solution as well. I play different games, some MMOs, some RTSs, some FPSs, all in teh same day.

    It keeps me from getting stuck into one kind of gaming mode, and I dont get bored.

    image
  • aesperusaesperus Member UncommonPosts: 5,135
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by zspawn

    I've been in loot-centric/raid-centric games for 5-6 years...How do you break a conditioning like that? Quit MMO? Do a "gaming cleanse" by playing certain games? Put some goals? How to make a new start and finally be at peace ?:P

    Don't just play one game? There are lots of fun games .. that "ends" out there. Bioshock Infinity is a good choice. Dishonored is another good choice. Deus Ex is a third excellent choice.

    This is probably the best advice.

    Play other, non-loot centric games. Then play some loot centric games. Find out what you like about each, and what 'gets old' after a while. Certain games I find I can always go back to and have fun. Otherwise I enjoy initially then get really tired of and can't go back to.

    Keep in mind that what you're referring to is known as the 'skinner-box' model of game developement. It's severely prevailant, and has been pushede on gamers for around 2 decades now. That's an awful lot of conditioning to overcome, and you're not going to do it overnight. It'll be a gradual process.

    As was mentioned, Deus Ex, Bioshock, Dishonored are all great games. As is Farcry 3 and the latest Tomb Raider. If you have a PS3 you also have games like Uncharted, Red Dead Redemption, Demon Souls, Dragon's Dogma. There's also more indie games like Journey, FTL, Fat Princess that are amazingly fun.

    If you have Steam, you have a TON of good games to check out. Lately I've been enjoying a lot of Dota 2, Natural Selection 2, and Chivalry.

    - I'd also recommend checking out other forms of RPG. Go back and play some of the more traditional ones (FF6-9), Chrono Trigger, Xeno Gears, Star Ocean, Zelda, Baldur's Gate. There really are a ton of great games out there (some old some new). There's also more coming out in the near future that look promising. I'm personally looking forward to 'Last of Us' and the next Demon Souls games.

    Also, try various types of MMOs (if you haven't already). There's quite a few that are F2P atm. Try TERA, PS2, Firefall, TSW. See how they all differ from each other. Keep track of what you like / dislike about each one and be honest with yourself.

    If you are serious about trying to kick the habit.. check out Extra Credits. If you haven't seen that web series before, it has some really good insight given from the perspective of a game designer (who tend to focus on mechanic), which tends to differ from the average review from a gamer (who tend to focus mostly on aesthetics).

  • zspawnzspawn Member Posts: 410
    Originally posted by aesperus
    Originally posted by nariusseldon
    Originally posted by zspawn

    I've been in loot-centric/raid-centric games for 5-6 years...How do you break a conditioning like that? Quit MMO? Do a "gaming cleanse" by playing certain games? Put some goals? How to make a new start and finally be at peace ?:P

    Don't just play one game? There are lots of fun games .. that "ends" out there. Bioshock Infinity is a good choice. Dishonored is another good choice. Deus Ex is a third excellent choice.

    This is probably the best advice.

    Play other, non-loot centric games. Then play some loot centric games. Find out what you like about each, and what 'gets old' after a while. Certain games I find I can always go back to and have fun. Otherwise I enjoy initially then get really tired of and can't go back to.

    Keep in mind that what you're referring to is known as the 'skinner-box' model of game developement. It's severely prevailant, and has been pushede on gamers for around 2 decades now. That's an awful lot of conditioning to overcome, and you're not going to do it overnight. It'll be a gradual process.

    As was mentioned, Deus Ex, Bioshock, Dishonored are all great games. As is Farcry 3 and the latest Tomb Raider. If you have a PS3 you also have games like Uncharted, Red Dead Redemption, Demon Souls, Dragon's Dogma. There's also more indie games like Journey, FTL, Fat Princess that are amazingly fun.

    If you have Steam, you have a TON of good games to check out. Lately I've been enjoying a lot of Dota 2, Natural Selection 2, and Chivalry.

    - I'd also recommend checking out other forms of RPG. Go back and play some of the more traditional ones (FF6-9), Chrono Trigger, Xeno Gears, Star Ocean, Zelda, Baldur's Gate. There really are a ton of great games out there (some old some new). There's also more coming out in the near future that look promising. I'm personally looking forward to 'Last of Us' and the next Demon Souls games.

    Also, try various types of MMOs (if you haven't already). There's quite a few that are F2P atm. Try TERA, PS2, Firefall, TSW. See how they all differ from each other. Keep track of what you like / dislike about each one and be honest with yourself.

    If you are serious about trying to kick the habit.. check out Extra Credits. If you haven't seen that web series before, it has some really good insight given from the perspective of a game designer (who tend to focus on mechanic), which tends to differ from the average review from a gamer (who tend to focus mostly on aesthetics).

    Actually the Extra Credits is what "woke me up" and started realising some things...

    I do own a PS3 and Steam (I donate to Humble Bundle weekly for charity and I ended up getting a lot of indie games etc.)

    I tried Tera, Aion, Wushu this week and I just uninstalled within an hour of gameplay. GW2 is probably the only one I see myself playing... I did enjoy LOTRO back in the day before it went F2P but my character got wiped in the transition so I can't see myself replaying all the content even if it's kind of F2P now...I can admit I enjoyed EQ2 more than the rest of the games I played...The whole adventure/huge world to be explored is more attractive to me deep inside than e-sports or competitive endgame :)

     

    Past 2 days I took the following steps:

    1) Uninstall any MMO or other F2P game - Just kept GW2 installed (since I paid for it)

    2) Still debating on Ghost Recon Online - It's kinda fun but limited and had a recent aimbot/cheat outbreak - 

    3) I am making a habit of playing one match of League of Legends per day, every day - Some real life friends play it and the more I learn about it and the better I become, it is also more fun to play (and the skin toughens against the obnoxious community:P)

    4) I made this post to seek the advice and ideas of my fellow gamers ! :)

     

  • KyleranKyleran Member LegendaryPosts: 43,435

    Have you ever tried EVE? Progression can't be worked for, it is a real time component that only advances with the passing of time. 

    Sure, there's progression in the game, in the form of earning cash, but for some reason it doesn't seem as arduous to me since I don't "have" to do it. 

    Heck, if I want to, I can buy PLEX and trade them for in game ISK and never even have to farm if I don't want, to, could just PVP all day long (or craft, whatever)

    Many people despise the system for a variety of valid (you can't speed the process up by working harder) and invalid (you'll never catch up to the vets, you don't need to, another topic) reasons.

    Me, I loved it, was particularly good for a person like myself who can only invest a few hours a day into a game.

     

    "True friends stab you in the front." | Oscar Wilde 

    "I need to finish" - Christian Wolff: The Accountant

    Just trying to live long enough to play a new, released MMORPG, playing New Worlds atm

    Fools find no pleasure in understanding but delight in airing their own opinions. Pvbs 18:2, NIV

    Don't just play games, inhabit virtual worlds™

    "This is the most intelligent, well qualified and articulate response to a post I have ever seen on these forums. It's a shame most people here won't have the attention span to read past the second line." - Anon






  • RusqueRusque Member RarePosts: 2,785

    It doesn't matter what game you play, if you ever ask the question, "What's the point of doing ____?" You will never be satisfied.

    The truth is, that games are for fun, there is no other point to any of them. Unless you play professionally in which case you are trying to improve and make more money, but then it's a job isn't it?

     

    Take any game and dissect any given task and see if it has intrinsic value. Minecraft? Literally virtual legos. You just build and pop bricks. No point. Raiding? Better numbers on dps meter? Prettier pixels to equip your character with? No point. Pvp? You kill an opponent and you get . . . better pixels to equip your character with? No point. Perma-Death PvP? Still no point.

    You either play games for fun or you don't. People asking for meaningful MMO content are not being satisfied in their everyday life in some way be it work, love, or accomplishing some long term goal they have for themselves. Games are entertainment and the day they start having meaning in my life outside of fun is the day I stop playing them and find something fun to do.

  • zspawnzspawn Member Posts: 410

    Originally posted by Kyleran

    Have you ever tried EVE? Progression can't be worked for, it is a real time component that only advances with the passing of time. 

    Sure, there's progression in the game, in the form of earning cash, but for some reason it doesn't seem as arduous to me since I don't "have" to do it. 

    Heck, if I want to, I can buy PLEX and trade them for in game ISK and never even have to farm if I don't want, to, could just PVP all day long (or craft, whatever)

    Many people despise the system for a variety of valid (you can't speed the process up by working harder) and invalid (you'll never catch up to the vets, you don't need to, another topic) reasons.

    Me, I loved it, was particularly good for a person like myself who can only invest a few hours a day into a game.

     

    I tried EVE, not my cup of tea I'm afraid doesn't appeal to me at all :/ 

     

     

    Originally posted by Rusque

    It doesn't matter what game you play, if you ever ask the question, "What's the point of doing ____?" You will never be satisfied.

    The truth is, that games are for fun, there is no other point to any of them. Unless you play professionally in which case you are trying to improve and make more money, but then it's a job isn't it?

     

    Take any game and dissect any given task and see if it has intrinsic value. Minecraft? Literally virtual legos. You just build and pop bricks. No point. Raiding? Better numbers on dps meter? Prettier pixels to equip your character with? No point. Pvp? You kill an opponent and you get . . . better pixels to equip your character with? No point. Perma-Death PvP? Still no point.

    You either play games for fun or you don't. People asking for meaningful MMO content are not being satisfied in their everyday life in some way be it work, love, or accomplishing some long term goal they have for themselves. Games are entertainment and the day they start having meaning in my life outside of fun is the day I stop playing them and find something fun to do.

    I totally agree with everything you said. However as I said, saying it and actually doing it for me is not "in tune". I am 100% aware of the fact that gaming = fun and nothing more. I'm not into e-sports or competitive gaming besides fun and thrills and I already have a demanding and stressing line of work.

    However as correct my approach and mindset is BEFORE I login into an online game or pop a single player game in, 5 minutes ingame the "conditioning" sets in... I start to "feel" the urge to have a goal beyond fun... That's why I made this thread and I "blame" the conditioning (and myself ofcourse for going with it)... I bought all these games + systems, I finished quite a lot of them BEFORE getting into WoW specifically (due to peer pressure, RL friends playing it etc.) and I went with the flow... and I find myself stuck in this flow...

     

    Viewing the Extra Credits episode about intrinsic+extrinsic rewarding made me realise that post-WoW, I cannot have fun the same way as I used to...

    I used to burn hours on Burnout 2 for example to get all gold medals etc. and I never questioned my motives or the "rewards".

    I used to be able to roam around in Oblivion doing random stuff and exploring without questiong "but why am I doing this now? What's in it for me?".

    Now? I can't do that. I either start "powerplaying" through a game for achievements, pixelated prestige or move through it fast enough to get to the next game .. Which is a metagame in itself ("Let's complete more games this year than the previous one").

     

    How do you drop a mindset like that I wonder? :D

    This is the reason I am on the fence about GW2 because even if it is an MMO and of course it can be "exploited" to be powered through or "find a grind" in it, it's also one of the games that offer hope since it did break the raiding/prestige/gear based elitism mould...Maybe it can be useful in "forcing" a new mindset.

  • aesperusaesperus Member UncommonPosts: 5,135
    Originally posted by zspawn
    Originally posted by aesperus
    *snip for length*

    Actually the Extra Credits is what "woke me up" and started realising some things...

    I do own a PS3 and Steam (I donate to Humble Bundle weekly for charity and I ended up getting a lot of indie games etc.)

    I tried Tera, Aion, Wushu this week and I just uninstalled within an hour of gameplay. GW2 is probably the only one I see myself playing... I did enjoy LOTRO back in the day before it went F2P but my character got wiped in the transition so I can't see myself replaying all the content even if it's kind of F2P now...I can admit I enjoyed EQ2 more than the rest of the games I played...The whole adventure/huge world to be explored is more attractive to me deep inside than e-sports or competitive endgame :)

    Past 2 days I took the following steps:

    1) Uninstall any MMO or other F2P game - Just kept GW2 installed (since I paid for it)

    2) Still debating on Ghost Recon Online - It's kinda fun but limited and had a recent aimbot/cheat outbreak - 

    3) I am making a habit of playing one match of League of Legends per day, every day - Some real life friends play it and the more I learn about it and the better I become, it is also more fun to play (and the skin toughens against the obnoxious community:P)

    4) I made this post to seek the advice and ideas of my fellow gamers ! :)

    Haha! Sounds very familiar =P.

    If you like Leage of Legends, I'd highly suggest giving Dota2 a try. I think both games are pretty good, but I actually like Dota2 a lot more. Not only are the graphics a lot better, but the way items work in Dota2 is really really well done.

    If you like FPS games, PS2 is actually kinda fun for a F2P game. You NEED to join an ops though to get the true experience. You can play solo, but it's nowhere near close to the experience you get from playing w/ other people (and there's a lot of casual friendly ops in the game that will let you hop & and out as you please).

    I'd also HIGHLY recommend Natural Selection 2. It used to be a mod for Halflife, it's made by a very small indie studio (they have like 5 devs). It's basically a FPS version of Teran vs. Zerg (though done in a much more unique way), and is a ton of fun. It's also fairly inexpensive last I checked (~15$ or so on Steam).

    - Since you do have a PS3, definitely keep an eye out for 'Last of Us', the next Demon Souls, Dragon's Dogma 2, etc.. there's some really good games coming out in the next year or so for PS3.

  • zspawnzspawn Member Posts: 410
    Originally posted by aesperus
    Originally posted by zspawn
    Originally posted by aesperus
    *snip for length*

    ** blabalalbal**

    Haha! Sounds very familiar =P.

    If you like Leage of Legends, I'd highly suggest giving Dota2 a try. I think both games are pretty good, but I actually like Dota2 a lot more. Not only are the graphics a lot better, but the way items work in Dota2 is really really well done.

    If you like FPS games, PS2 is actually kinda fun for a F2P game. You NEED to join an ops though to get the true experience. You can play solo, but it's nowhere near close to the experience you get from playing w/ other people (and there's a lot of casual friendly ops in the game that will let you hop & and out as you please).

    I'd also HIGHLY recommend Natural Selection 2. It used to be a mod for Halflife, it's made by a very small indie studio (they have like 5 devs). It's basically a FPS version of Teran vs. Zerg (though done in a much more unique way), and is a ton of fun. It's also fairly inexpensive last I checked (~15$ or so on Steam).

    - Since you do have a PS3, definitely keep an eye out for 'Last of Us', the next Demon Souls, Dragon's Dogma 2, etc.. there's some really good games coming out in the next year or so for PS3.

    I have to stick to LoL since my RL friends play that and won't make the move to Dota2 or HoN I'm afraid :P

    I tried PS2 but i prefer BF3 for various reasons.

    All your suggestions are very good but as I said, I already have a big backlog of games so that's no problem :)

    I recently got Penumbra series, Amnesia, Serious Sam collection, Painkiller collection, Titan Quest + expansion, Company of Heroes and Witcher on Steam (damn their special offers :D)

    I also have BF3 + CoD on XBOX360... Also Gears of War + Halo for multiplayer...

    Problem isn't the lack of games...Rather the lack of motivation and that these games do not feed the hunger of the mindset I'm stuck in :/

  • ScalplessScalpless Member UncommonPosts: 1,426

    I think about it this way:

    What do you get for raiding?

    What do you get for getting the Flaming Sword of Badass Slaying +10?

    Nothing.

    In the end, you "get" as much for playing GW2 or Amnesia as you would get from playing any other MMO. Pointless digital stuff that doesn't make you special in any way.

  • zspawnzspawn Member Posts: 410
    Originally posted by Scalpless

    I think about it this way:

    What do you get for raiding?

    What do you get for getting the Flaming Sword of Badass Slaying +10?

    Nothing.

    In the end, you "get" as much for playing GW2 or Amnesia as you would get from playing any other MMO. Pointless digital stuff that doesn't make you special in any way.

     

    That's true, however I believe the Flaming Sword of Badass Slaying +10 is more attractive than something else a non-loot centric game offers... I blame the mindset we all adopt (or at least most of us)... 

    How to keep it real and honest and dispell the "value" of such items and return to seeking fun than achievements or pixel rewards? :)

  • JoeyMMOJoeyMMO Member UncommonPosts: 1,326
    Originally posted by zspawn
    Originally posted by Scalpless

    I think about it this way:

    What do you get for raiding?

    What do you get for getting the Flaming Sword of Badass Slaying +10?

    Nothing.

    In the end, you "get" as much for playing GW2 or Amnesia as you would get from playing any other MMO. Pointless digital stuff that doesn't make you special in any way.

    That's true, however I believe the Flaming Sword of Badass Slaying +10 is more attractive than something else a non-loot centric game offers... I blame the mindset we all adopt (or at least most of us)... 

    How to keep it real and honest and dispell the "value" of such items and return to seeking fun than achievements or pixel rewards? :)

    I've gotten over the whole gear threadmill. It's meaningless, with the next expansion the gear you worked so hard for, the money you "invested" into that game, it all becomes trivial and you're supposed to go on the threadmill once again for the next tier of stuff.

    You should be looking at games for what they are. You're supposed to have fun while playing a game, not feel forced to just about  give up your real life in order to obtain meaningless digital items.

    While GW2 isn't all you can dream it could be, it's still a great game for casual players.

    imageimage
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