Howdy, Stranger!
It looks like you're new here. If you want to get involved, click one of these buttons!
Quick Links
I am just tired of all the killing and war...
Elikal
Member UncommonPosts: 7,912
I mean in games. Yes in RL also, but that's not the issue in this forum.
No, I mean... when I saw an article on a gaming website "the cool upcoming games in 2013", it was like 90% of them were about war and killing, mostly as dark and gloomy as it gets.
I mean WHAT THE FRACK IS WRONG WITH HUMANITY?
No seriously, I really am not overly moralistic or whimsical. I play games for 25 years or so, and per se, I don't mind that games to a degree are combat centered. Really not. I mean, I collect swords, I am pro-NRA... but still: why have our games become so damn war & killing focused? I am really TIRED of it.
War against terrorist, war in Arabia, World War III, World War II, war in other worlds, war WITH other worlds... it never ends! And more often isn't even the funny kind of combat, as in, say Dynasty Warriors where it is so hyperbole absurd that you really don't take it serious. No, the war in games today is VERY serious. And all is grey, brown and dark, visually speaking.
Bending it back to MMOs, it is the same. Once in Ultima Online, a MMO was about a world. In Star Wars Galaxies I knew people who spent 50% of their time or more as DANCERS. Or musicians. Or Doctors. Or Hairdressers. And I don't have to tell you the many fantastic stories of the UO days.
And today?
Go there kill this. Even if it is wrapped in some fishy story appearing not to contain "kill this", it does involve killing. Always. Everywhere.
Sorry, maybe I am getting old (42 here) or what, but I am certainly not a pacifist or overly sensible, but I am just tired and worn out of KILL KILL KILL. What about finding other solutions? Talking to the robbers in the forest? Outsmarting them? Finding alternative solutions? Sure, I mean in single player games there are Sims or Civ or whatever. But by and large the games are so focused and dominated by war and killing, it starts to sorta unsettle me. Not that I think it causes violence, that is BS. But why people so much want to experience war and gloom and despair nowadays? Ultima the RPGs had combat too, but it didn't revolve around combat. Or there were games like Kings Quest or whatever and war was just one part.
Especially in MMOs I feel like Online Games have so gone in the wrong direction with their focus on combat as THE sole focus. Sure they add some figleaf crafting and a bit discovery, but by and large 95% of the MMos today revolve around war and killing. And sorry, but I just think that is sick. And as gamer it really starts to bore me, same as someone who eats cake every day, you reach a point where you simply can't see another cake anymore!
Rant over...
People don't ask questions to get answers - they ask questions to show how smart they are. - Dogbert
Comments
I see where you are coming from, however without some sort of conflict, what sort of game would be interesting to play?
What ideas would you have for a game that would be free of war and fighting. Only asking in curiosity, not trying to bait or flame.
Your thread reminds me of this article from 8 years ago. There's a lot of interesting stuff to think about in it.
http://www.raphkoster.com/2005/12/30/the-evil-we-pretend-to-do/
It is curious how no game was ever built where you defeated a player by bankrupting them. You kind of can in EVE but war is still the only true consumer.
An economy game with fuels, tech, R&D and manufacturing. Trade, shipping, on and on. Fuel and decay being the consumers. Overhead being the 'war'. I don't know if anyone would play it long term or not.
I'm totally on board with the OP. I get so tired of killing and much prefer the most basic fetch/delivery missions or - god forbid - even an escort quest every once in a while. I'm not an RPer but I do enjoy games that have so-called "fluff" stuff as an alternative to killing. It's why I'm currently playing Rift and building dimensions; it's my endgame and I love it.
Great questions. As examples of games that already have some of this, you might want to check out TSW for lore, sabotage and investigation missions. These involve using your head (and sometimes jumping skills) instead of a weapon. And sandboxy-type housing like Rift has is quite competitive but the only killing involved is fishing for Dimension items.
Congrats Skippy...it only took 4 replies for the true nature of this website to once again show its true colors. Oh and btw...putting a little smiley emoticon after saying something douchbaggery...dosen't make you any more likeable
.....see what I did there.....I smiled at ya.
And to the OP's original point....yes the repetitive nature of kill 10 anything for 60+ levels has grown old over the years.
It's better to lurk in forums and be thought a fool...than to endlessly "Quote" and remove all doubts.
There was a game called "Stole a million dollar" or something along that line(cant remember it is very old C64 times), where you planned meticulously a robbery. So much fun. And you didnt kill anything. There would be so much ideas, especially which you could mix into a mmorpg. But what do we? Kill mob 99921414124 and some more again and again.
Transport Tycoon. I still play it.
There isn't a "right" or "wrong" way to play, if you want to use a screwdriver to put nails into wood, have at it, simply don't complain when the guy next to you with the hammer is doing it much better and easier. - Allein
"Graphics are often supplied by Engines that (some) MMORPG's are built in" - Spuffyre
Because humans are the only species that kills for pleasure and not just for food...
Then die horribly for being a pacifist. J/K
I actually enjoy pvp, and will always pick a pvp server to play on, but I miss options, and I miss my little resource business I managed in SWG.
Not everyone wants to be pwning people or npcs nonstop.
Another thing, this is the reason I still buy at least one single player game a month. When I was active in SWG, that was all I played. I could get my pvp and micro-management fixes in the same game.
Now I have to have an MMO or a FPS for PVP, then log out to Tropico or something similar for the management side of video games. It would be awesome if they managed to bring that all together in a persistent online world again.
I agree. The joke aside, I do feel there are fewer choices by which to progress in mmo's today. Vanguard tried the crafting and diplomacy alternate paths for leveling but what was there at endgame for them?
Maybe have a social where you can craft stuff and have competitions for best looking, or bodybuilding with the grind being lifting barrels of ale. Or see how many cookies one can stuff into their pants while running through town avoiding all the rats trying to steal a bite. The possibilities are endless.
How about this OP, why would you want to play a virtual game in which you do things that you can do in real life? Why not just do them in real life?
And before you cite racing/sports games, please remember, than in real life you are very unlikely to be one of the few people who can afford 500 different exotic cars and the ability to race at any track in the world. You are also very unlikely to be able to control the physical actions of an entire team of athletes.
But dancing? Dancing in real life is much more fun AND you can do it with a group or even a partner! It will help you get in shape and meet people, who knows you might even meet a real human woman! Better yet, if you have a gf/wife she will be thrilled to be taken out dancing.
Or how about crafting? I like to craft. In fact, I like to craft so much that I handmake leather bags - and I sell them, for real money. This is also partially why crafting in videos games never excites me, it's never like any type of real crafting and I can just do it for real instead. Now this doesn't stop me from taking professions in MMO's, but I would never focus my game time on crafting. I could spend an evening clicking the craft button, or I could start working on a bag that someone will enjoy.
Hairdresser? Also something you can do IRL.
Musician? Again, something that can be done for real and has the added benefit of learning something new.
But fighting, zombies, monsters, armies of baddies, gigantic boss mobs and so on . . . I can't do that IRL. Closest I can get is battling the zerg, aka Stinkbugs around the house. And believe me, that is a massive Terran conflict right there, I hate stinkbugs more than any other bug in the world.
I'm all for alternatives, and you will often find games that offer alternate methods of completing a quest, but I'll agree that it isn't as common as the killing method.
In any case, have you tried the SIMS? Might interest you.
"But, child, what is best in mmorpgs?"
"To crush your enemies, see them driven before you, and to hear the lamentation of their women".
AOC FTW!
Currently bored with MMO's.