[pash1k]

http://kotaku.com/#!5789033/why-dont-i-lose-myself-in-games-anymore

Closing paragraph:
Quote:

In the march toward realism, we've lost immersion. We don't want games to be plausible and lifelike; we want them to be unreal and fantastic. Abstraction gives us a reason to spend time there; to pursue the intangible path of creation and personalization, of imagination and ownership. Otherwise, we're just watching the clock until we've exhausted our six to ten hours on someone else's playground. Here's hoping for more games that make us feel sad to complete them at the end of our long investment, and not guilty that we didn't.

What do you guys think? Does she have a point? Or is she one of those people that's getting left behind while the rest of us are getting immersed just fine?

 

[Mongol]

Lately I've found myself getting bored really quickly.

I haven't felt compelled to go deep and play anything for hours on end since the days of Morrowind and even Oblivion. Seriously, seems to me like more and more games are losing their luster.

 

[Iceman23]

I find this very true. Despite huge advances in graphics, I still find myself playing the same games.

 

[Shogon]

The Total War series has never been boring for me, not even Medieval or Rome (dx8 lol) because too me it's a alternate reality to the one we see today.

But I have to admit I rather see more realistic like games then games like BO.

 

[aksthem1]

I agree for the most part. I just finished playing Metro 2033 and it was one of those games I had just to keep on playing. It's been a long time since that happened too.

I remember as a kid playing my N64 and playing games for hours on end. Wanting to wake up early in the morning just so I can play it again. Good times.

 

[Nugu]

Answered her own question and rejected it right here:
Quote:

The easy answer is that I'm getting older and I actually don't have the kind of time I used to.

The simplest answer is usually the correct one. Applies to me too, I don't have month long summer breaks to soak up a complex game for 100+ hours any more. Any time I try life forces it's way in - be in bed on time so I can work tomorrow, don't forget to buy x, pay bill x, and the like.

At best I can play games 2-3 hours a day on weekdays and when it's so fragmented how can I get into it?

Edit: I still need to finish Metro 2033, I loved it but after 12 hours one weekend I still haven't gotten back to finish it (I would of finished it in one go but I ran out of time that weekend and never convinced myself to sit down for it the next)

 

[TCOC]

she is a chick, and wants interaction. end of thread.

 

[Ace Telekinesis]

Maybe age is a factor. I used to idolize, obsess and be impressed. Now i've seen it all and most of the fond memories of gaming are from being younger when everything felt alot newer. Idk though. I think alot of new games feel very drab now. Like vice city had a really happy feeling but gta4 is all gloomy and depressing. Also games leave alot less to the imagination too, i remember mechwarrior 2 and how it was just simple coloured polygons. I ffreaking loved that game. But then by the time mechwarrior 4 came out it just started loosing its feel. Im confused as to why any of this is. Maybe its me, maybe its the games. I do agree that designers have been very lazy with required specs and are too happy to copy and paste higher level code and modules. Oh and dont even get me started about console ports! But yeah maybe we just need some new vibrant originality. Perhaps one day when i get skilled enough in programming il make my own game and incorporate things that i feel are lacking... idk

 

[killeraxemannic]

There are lots of games you can immerse yourself in that came about in the last few years.

Fallout 3&NV
MassEffect 1&2
Dragon age 1&2
Mafia 2

All of these games had pretty decently good graphics.... I wouldn't say that immersion in a game is because of because of good or not good graphics.... Its the quality of the missions/quests, story, RPG elements, little details, exc. I don't think I could say that I have gotten more immersed in older or newer games.... I would say it has been dependent on content and not as much on when the game was from.

 

[De-Zant]

I recently bought morrowind

I couldn't stand the low view dist. so I got morrowind graphics extender and made the view distance larger. There was also loads of options for different shaders, animated grass, better textures etc. Screw that. I don't want to spend all of my time modding the game. I want to PLAY The game. So I started playing morrowind again with the modded view distance. Otherwise all settings were normal: not modded.

I don't care about the graphics too much. Just give me the game.

Now. Morrowind is not that old, but the same thing still applies.

 

[B!0HaZard]

If she means that the stories have to be fantastic, that sounds cool. All for aliens and monsters taking over our planet, but I still want good graphics. I don't want to trade realistic graphics to have a fantastic game.

 

[Ceej]

Wrong. I'm a girl and I don't find it hard to become immersed. I don't think realism is the problem. I think a lot of games just don't pay enough attention to atmosphere. A game like the original Bioshock or Metroid Prime, it would be hard NOT to immerse yourself in. Call of Duty IMO lacks atmosphere, but the "realistic setting" is not to blame. COD is hardly realistic in the same way ArmA is, yet ArmA can be more immersive BECAUSE of its realism. When games are made for cheap thrills, something must be lost.

 

[jbobb]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nugu;13009491
Answered her own question and rejected it right here:

The simplest answer is usually the correct one. Applies to me too, I don't have month long summer breaks to soak up a complex game for 100+ hours any more. Any time I try life forces it's way in - be in bed on time so I can work tomorrow, don't forget to buy x, pay bill x, and the like.

At best I can play games 2-3 hours a day on weekdays and when it's so fragmented how can I get into it?

Edit: I still need to finish Metro 2033, I loved it but after 12 hours one weekend I still haven't gotten back to finish it (I would of finished it in one go but I ran out of time that weekend and never convinced myself to sit down for it the next)

Totally agree with you. I don't get immersed in games like I did when I was younger either. Not that I don't enjoy the games, but because I don't get to sit down and actaully complete an entire game in one or two sittings anymore. I get 3-4 hours maybe once or twice a week. Too many breaks in the gameplay and you can lose interest. It can take me up to a month before I complete a longer game such as Fallout 3 or Mass Effect. I almost always finish games though at some point.

EDIT: 2 kids (3 and 5 years old), a wife that really hates it when I play games and work is what really put the damper on my gaming time. But I still would rather have my real life than spend it all on games.

 

[Track]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ceej;13009627
Wrong. I'm a girl and I don't find it hard to become immersed. I don't think realism is the problem. I think a lot of games just don't pay enough attention to atmosphere. A game like the original Bioshock or Metroid Prime, it would be hard NOT to immerse yourself in. Call of Duty IMO lacks atmosphere, but the "realistic setting" is not to blame. COD is hardly realistic in the same way ArmA is, yet ArmA can be more immersive BECAUSE of its realism. When games are made for cheap thrills, something must be lost.

Bioshock is one of those interaction-filled games. Just like was already said - that's what chicks prefer.

I think COD has plenty of immersion if you know what to look for.

 

[Yor_]

I don't care about realism in games...I want pure, raw, arcade, unreal fun. After all, it's a game. Gameplay it's what's all about. That's why I keep going back to Team Fortress 2 after playing other games for a short while. Pure fun. I don't know, but Valve games have this characteristic and that's why they seem to stay relevant forever.

 

[cl04k3d]

FF7 will forever be a legend. Sucks that was the first rpg I ever played, as none I've played after it has been able to take it off it's throne.

 

[Track]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cl04k3d;13009888
FF7 will forever be a legend. Sucks that was the first rpg I ever played, as none I've played after it has been able to take it off it's throne.

Final Fantasy VII is the greatest game ever made and the best experience of my gaming life.

 

[cook]

Quote:

Originally Posted by De-Zant;13009607
I recently bought morrowind

I couldn't stand the low view dist. so I got morrowind graphics extender and made the view distance larger. There was also loads of options for different shaders, animated grass, better textures etc. Screw that. I don't want to spend all of my time modding the game. I want to PLAY The game. So I started playing morrowind again with the modded view distance. Otherwise all settings were normal: not modded.

I don't care about the graphics too much. Just give me the game.

Now. Morrowind is not that old, but the same thing still applies.

Morrowind= 2002, that is old.

I agree though, I bought the GOTY version and added the MGE. Then I started adding all the other mods I could find and spent hours modding and hardly any time playing. I favored Oblivion for the immersion factor because it was too tempting in morrowind to do the intellegence potion thing and storm the key story quests and finish the game. Oblivion forced a slightly slower play.

 

[cook]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Track Final Fantasy VII is the greatest game ever made and the best experience of my gaming life.

Agreed. I was still in high school when I got that game and spent a good chunk of my summer vacation trying to get a golden Chocobo. I was grounded for like a month that summer from hanging out with my friends so it was work, Eat, FFVII, 4 hours of sleep, football camp then back to work and repeat for the whole month.

 

[Track]

Quote:

Originally Posted by cook Agreed. I was still in high school when I got that game and spent a good chunk of my summer vacation trying to get a golden Chocobo. I was grounded for like a month that summer from hanging out with my friends so it was work, Eat, FFVII, 4 hours of sleep, football camp then back to work and repeat for the whole month.

I was too young to play it when it came out, seeing as I was only 8.

But luckily, I had an emulator on my side, so getting that Chocobo was slightly easier.

Best time of my life..