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Gaming trends you don't understand

It trades one type of depth for another, really. The type of skill and tactical thinking needed to effectively clear a difficult floor in a classic roguelike occupies a different part of the brain than the kind of rote memorization and muscle memory needed to pull off a particular skip or beat a boss without taking damage in Dark Souls. One could also argue that Roguelikes are more challenging by virtue of not letting any part of the game become trivially easy because the player already knows how to handle it.

It doesn't help that a lot of modern "Rogue-lites" like Binding of Isaac put more emphasis on the random elements rather than each playthrough being uniquely challenging but still beatable by a skilled player.

That definitely makes a lot of sense. I guess it's just not my kind of challenge then.

And I know what you mean, and my perception was probably impacted by those games. RNG determines how well you'll do in this run, instead of just being able to deal with the challenges this run brings, I suppose that's what you're talking about, right?

Developer addiction to negative post-processing effects.

Hahahaha, totally agree with this.

Devs pls stop ruining the IQ of your games, PLEASE.

Or at least let us turn all this crap off.
 
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Why don't I have boobs? This isn't fair.

...

*Looks down, sees man-boobs.*

...

Goddammit.
 
Why is there the need to have things first? Why shout "Day One" or "Day Zero" or "Day -1?" It's like saying, "Hey I'm going to be first to pay this corporation $60 for their game!" It's so dumb. The only games I buy on release day are Call of Duty games and even then I don't make a big show out of it.
 
Console MP Twitch FPS in the age of world wide online play, lag compensation, and P2P. How is it fun to lose to the shittiest connection or 3G mobile hot spotted host?

Some day, maybe a game that attempts to do it right will get big and force others on board. Today is not that day.

Runner up is the hype, Preorder, backlash, hype cycle. Especially in a day and age with so much choice, and games so readily avalible on release.
 
Amiibos.

I mean, I understand people buying them. I do not understand people going crazy over them and stories of pre orders selling out in 15 minutes at 3:00Am and stuff like that.

The content they unlock is lame, and most of the figures are just really ugly. The Disney Infinity figures look MUCH better and at least in my local stores they cost the exact same
 

This I can understand a little. Lonely little nerds donating money in the hope to get her attention.

What I dont get is male streamers getting hundreds or even thousands of dollars of donations. Why are people giving their hard earned money to someone, sitting on his ass playing a videogame with a webcam aimed at his bored face. Someone tell me!
 
This I can understand a little. Lonely little nerds donating money in the hope to get her attention.

What I dont get is male streamers getting hundreds or even thousands of dollars of donations. Why are people giving their hard earned money to someone, sitting on his ass playing a videogame with a webcam aimed at his bored face. Someone tell me!

Because they are providing entertainment and people want to tip them for appreciation? No different than the concept of a street performer if you think about it. The streamers who get plentiful tips are the ones who don't come off as boring.
 
Let's Play. I don't get it. Why would someone want to sit there for hours watching someone else play a game when they could play it themselves?

There are lots of cases where the bolded doesn't apply. At work, too tired, too poor, don't have the right platform, not sold on the game yet, et cetera. And some people really just like the host and are there for him or her.

I listen to game grumps, not watch. They're so damn funny! It's really enjoyable. I could care less what they're playing and it puts me in a much better mood than anything on actual tv
 
Games that try so hard to be cinematic that they use INVISIBLE WALLS.

I cannot believe Uncharted 3 had so much praise for that desert section when it literally puts you in a thin corridor of invisible walls at one point so that you can only move in one direction or the game won't continue.


Also, people actually buying a console based on a multiplatform game getting timed exclusive DLC. "Yay, I get to be ripped off on new maps before other people!"


Developers that think people will forget their franchise exists if it goes a year without a major new entry.


Sequels that release so frequently that they already feel unspecial, and then the publishers give the game a "season" to indicate how long it will be relevant for.
 
Because they are providing entertainment and people want to tip them for appreciation? No different than the concept of a street performer if you think about it. The streamers who get plentiful tips are the ones who don't come off as boring.

But street performers actually have some talent. They sing or make music. Tipping someone thats gaming is like tipping a street performer thats watching tv on the street.
 
Why is there the need to have things first? Why shout "Day One" or "Day Zero" or "Day -1?" It's like saying, "Hey I'm going to be first to pay this corporation $60 for their game!" It's so dumb. The only games I buy on release day are Call of Duty games and even then I don't make a big show out of it.

You really don't understand the concept of being excited for something?
 
- Let's Plays, and youtubers in general. Yeah, some people have given explanations, but I still can't fathom the appeal.
- Giving money to the above. Even more baffling.
- "Open-world" with tacked on pseudo-RPG elements in games that don't need it
- Amiibos
- For indies, 8-bit graphics as a design choice (not counting those who use that style to due budget limitations). I like retro graphics, but go 16-bit at least, not 8-bit!
- Post-processing effect like dirty lens, lensflare, etc. Especially in games that don't use scopes or visors (such as medieval games). Whyyyyy

People insisting on sticking with consoles this generation. It makes no logical sense to me.
What part isn't "logical"? It's perfectly rational for someone to desire to spend a maximum amount of money on a gaming machine, or to want to play great exclusives like Hyrule Warriors or Bloodborne.
 
- For indies, 8-bit graphics as a design choice (not counting those who use that style to due budget limitations). I like retro graphics, but go 16-bit at least, not 8-bit!

I get the appeal of 8bit, but I really fail to understand the lack of 16-bit as well.

Of course, it's probably a lot more work, but then, as you said, that's a limitation, not a choice.

Especially in games that don't use scopes or visors (such as medieval games). Whyyyyy

Whyyy is pretty much my reaction every time I go to Wild Hunt's graphic settings and look at the Chromatic Aberration option.

But hey, at least they gave us the option!
 
But street performers actually have some talent. They sing or make music. Tipping someone thats gaming is like tipping a street performer thats watching tv on the street.

There is no black and white definition of the word "talent". Stop acting like there is. Believe it or not, there are some people that are incredibly entertaining to watch play a video game.
 
- Crafting. Crafting is AWFUL! I've hated it ever since at least Diablo 2, or before that if there's some game I played with crafting it it before that one. I'd rather just ignore the existence of crafting... the only game I played where I didn't really mind it was Guild Wars, but that's because it worked more as a basic ingredients system -- go to the merchant with the things they list, and they give you the item, that's all there is to it. But most games with crafting have more complex formulas, lots of guesswork, crafting as a major component of the game, etc etc, I hate all that stuff. I don't want to have to craft, it's not fun at all. This is a major reason why I lost interest in Minecraft after playing the demo for a couple of minutes.

- MOBAs. Starcraft and Warcraft III are my favorite games, and I played those games a lot from the late '90s to mid '00s, but MOBAs, starting from the beginning (what was that first one, Aeon something?)... I never liked them, didn't find it fun. I played DOTA once in a while, mostly because of ten there was almost nothing else to play in WC3 Custom maps, but I just didn't like it much, and never have bothered to play LoL or DOTA 2 because they don't look any more interesting. I like RTSes, but MOBAs are not nearly as fun. My favorite SC/WC3 user-created genre is tower defense games; I love those, particularly the ones that let you build your own maze, such as Line Tower Wars (WC3 map) or the PC/DS game Desktop Tower Defense.

- "Gotta collect them all!" (Pokemon, etc) / playing (Diablo, for instance) just to get better loot / obsessing over gamerscore -- I think these are all related. One reason Pokemon never interested me much is because the idea of playing just to get all the monsters isn't interesting. I don't care very much about collecting all the Pokemons, or getting all the gamerscore points, or playing Diablo just to get better equipment on my character. That kind of thing is not why I play games. I want to see new places in the game, explore all the maps fully (I love doing this!), finish the game, that kind of thing. So, I mostly stopped playing Diablo 2 after the first time I beat the game (this took a bit over a week), playing more just for more levels and loot wasn't interesting. And I've never played much Pokemon. Now, I do have a BIT of interest in these things, it's kind of nice to get better equipment, fill out that list of creatures or gamerscore things in a game, etc, I just seem to care about these things a lot less than many people, and more than others in things like exploring out maps, particularly in games which reveal a map as you explore.


I would also say something about exploitative "free-to-play" games designed around microtransactions, but I don't play those games so I wouldn't know personally. But... why play those exploitative games over something that actually was designed to be fun, instead of just to take your money?


As for Twitch streaming, I like watching game video reviews, gameplay videos, etc. on Youtube, but Twitch has never interested me much; I'd rather watch a shorter review or gameplay video of a game and then move on to a different video of some other game, not watch hours on end of just one game. And I would never watch things like that picture there, where the person takes up most of the screen and the game is just in the corner. The point of watching game videos online for me is the game, not so much the people playing; either have it be all gameplay, or put the person in a small window in the corner, that's it.


Oh, and yeah, I agree that zombies are massively overused. I don't get the obsession with superheroes either; I've never found superheroes all that interesting, unless the Ninja Turtles (the original cartoon, not the comics) count. :p
 
Talk-down-to tutorials and mulligan mechanics (or at least the overreliance on them). Is there a point who these are for when they go too far or is it one of those "crank the lever in that direction and break off the handle" things?


I will agree, but to the point of "I understand why they'd be bought, but not fetishized over so damn much"
 
Forced multiplayer in games where it doesn't fit and isn't needed, and is usually tacked on.

Occasionally you get Uncharted 2, but often you get stuff that's immediately forgotten and never played.
 
Console wars to the point where it's a fierce loyalty that becomes bitter and vile and aggressive and people
literally allow the logic center of their brain to be eclipsed.
 
Let's Play. I don't get it. Why would someone want to sit there for hours watching someone else play a game when they could play it themselves?
I can't get a pc so let's plays are the only way I can "play" RPG Maker horror games like The Witch's House, Ib, Mad Father, Misaou, Yume Nikki, Mogeko Castle, Ao Oni, and more. In addition to Five Nights at Freddie's and the funny prop hunt or murder videos that one user does thats funny as hell that I think is a mod on some game.

Stuff like The Witch's House is one of my all time favorite games too despite never playing it. I hope it comes to a 3DS/Vita/WiiU/PS4 one day (in addition to the others) but for now I'll just have to watch one of my favorite genres (RPG Maker Horror, the best horror imo) instead of playing it.

On that note are there any on the systems I mentioned? Or any like it (2D Top down horror) Besides Corpse Party of course. Seriously so glad I was finally able to play one of these types of games with CP. (And without watching it on YouTube either!)

As for gaming trends I don't understand...I dunno. I dislike alot of stuff like sports games and most FPSs but I can understand why others like them I suppose. I guess I have nothing to add heh.
 
Open world's with a hundred million terrible side quests and collectibles...

I'm actually almost specifically talking about Ubisoft games and a but of GTA5... It's super overwhelming IMO as I just want to play the story missions but the perfectionist in me always gets side tracked with poorly designed side quests and pointless collectibles invading my mini map at every turn.

To me a game like the witcher does side quests right and a game like Sunset overdrive does collectibles right.
 
Oh how could I forget the most baffling and stupid modern gaming trend of them all:

Achievements/Trophies.

Not the concept per se*, but everything attached to it.

Such as the fact that people will go out of their way to perform actually boring (sometimes even extremely tedious) or otherwise pointless tasks just to see a "ding!" pop. Worse, some people don't want to "earn" it (presumably because they find said task boring) but still want the "ding!", so they cheat by either item duping or using other glitches or exploits to get the "ding!".

Others will complain that a trophy is boring or shitty to achieve, but still do it anyway, instead of not bothering with it and therefore not complaining.

Others will ignore otherwise fun part of games because no achievements or trophies are attached to it. Even worse, some will not even play a game at all because it has no trophies, even if they might be otherwise interested.

Some will actually ruin a multiplayer game because instead of playing the game mode properly, they'll be busy hunting for achievements or trophies (I've had that happen to me). So as baffling as it is, I don't care if people waste their time grinding for some rare drop just to see a ding! since it's not my time being wasted, but when it starts affecting my own game, I get annoyed. And now that the PS4 is wasting my disk space with stupid screenshots and I can't turn that shit off, well...

* After all, most trophies aren't even for actual achievements but just idiotic pointless padding tasks no one would ever bother with normally, or even normal game progression. The funniest are those for clearing a tutorial.

-Platinum and Kamiya worship
*fist bump*
 
Let's Play.

Let's play is a good answer.

Twitch streamers.

Let's Plays.

Let's Play videos

Yeah, I don't get Let's Plays either.

Let's play and streamings here too.

Let's Plays

Youtubers

twitch streaming.

Let's Plays, and youtubers in general.

While I agree, I wonder if we are showing our age in this.
 
Oh how could I forget the most baffling and stupid modern gaming trend of them all:

Achievements/Trophies.

Not the concept per se*, but everything attached to it.

Such as the fact that people will go out of their way to perform actually boring (sometimes even extremely tedious) or otherwise pointless tasks just to see a "ding!" pop. Worse, some people don't want to "earn" it (presumably because they find said task boring) but still want the "ding!", so they cheat by either item duping or using other glitches or exploits to get the "ding!".

Others will complain that a trophy is boring or shitty to achieve, but still do it anyway, instead of not bothering with it and therefore not complaining.

Others will ignore otherwise fun part of games because no achievements or trophies are attached to it. Even worse, some will not even play a game at all because it has no trophies, even if they might be otherwise interested.

Some will actually ruin a multiplayer game because instead of playing the game mode properly, they'll be busy hunting for achievements or trophies (I've had that happen to me). So as baffling as it is, I don't care if people waste their time grinding for some rare drop just to see a ding! since it's not my time being wasted, but when it starts affecting my own game, I get annoyed. And now that the PS4 is wasting my disk space with stupid screenshots and I can't turn that shit off, well...

* After all, most trophies aren't even for actual achievements but just idiotic pointless padding tasks no one would ever bother with normally, or even normal game progression. The funniest are those for clearing a tutorial.
Agreed, never saw the appeal of them either, I just play the game and not worry about that stuff.
 
Let's Play has to be my biggest one I dont understand. Watching walkthroughs if you are stuck, sure. Gameplay videos to see if you might like it, sure. The entire game? I dont get it. There are many games I have never played and I never felt the need to watch someone else play the entire game. I might sell my Wii U...havent played Mario 3D World yet. I dont think watching it will be the same as playing it. And I try not to watch too much of it. Ypu can make a case for games like The Walking dead, Heavy Rain, TLoU...but watching them isnt the same as playing. I dont really like Too Human anymore....so much that I just up n stopped playing it last year. I dont feel the need to watch a Lets Play to get the rest of the story. If I wanna do that....I my just play it again one day. Dont like Metal Gear Rising.....only played the demo. I dont feel the need to watch a lets Play of it. if I wanna know mopre about the game or story....I'll just buy it.

The many, many PC games I have never played....all are waiting for me whenever I get serious about making a gaming PC. Even games from years ago.

Watching P.T....and actually playing. 2 different experiences. And I basically watched it til the first encounter before I played it. I thought I wasnt getting a PS4 anytime soon. Still didnt help.

Although...I remember it being fun watching others play games well at arcades. A big crowd around a machine...it was like watching a live sporting event. Watching others somewhat play wasnt as fun as watching the skilled players.

I woulda said Minecraft...but after being totally hooked on Terraria the past week with my kids....so much that I play without them and let them know about stuff I found, learned...lol....

I bought Minecraft yesterday. I am starting to understand why ppl like it. The day/night cycle with daytime spent looking for stuff, night time trying to survive. On Terraria there are monsters out during the day too. I havent played Minecraft yet. I assume on both games as soon as you start the first thing you need to do is build a shelter. I really like Terraria. I assume I'll like Minecraft too.
 
-Watching some yappy cunt talk over a playthrough of a game without providing any humor or insight into what he's playing.

-Amiibos (sorta...)

-Twitch streaming
 
Not sure if this is a primarily gaming thing but:

Youtubers.

This isn't just the lets players, it's all the "angry" people who do nothing but complain about games they were given for free or go crazy over a game that everyone already knows is good and get thousands of pounds from it.

People my step brothers age (15) just can't seem to get enough of them. Most of the people in his schooll watches them and he's never not watching their videos in the background. I just don't get it. They're not funny and I've never seen a youtuber who's opinions match up to mine. Why do people want to watch someone play (sometimes) a game which they oftentimes own themselves rather than just playing it theirselves.
 
While I agree, I wonder if we are showing our age in this.

Not so sure.

I'm 46 and I love Let's Plays.

The fact that some teens scream into a microphone or sit silently stone-faced while recording Let's Plays does not mean the entire format is worthless. Categorizing an entire form of entertainment in such a way only betrays the poster's ignorance to the material as there's a lot of talented and educated (to the game/genre) Let's Players out there entertaining millions.

After all, bookstores stock both Twilight and Shakespeare.
 
Peoples excitement for Splatoon.

When it was revealed it didn't look interesting at all. I thought it would be ripped to shreds here but people are actually gushing over it.
 
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