Please don't flame me for heresy

[Ginthaeriel]

I've been a CRPG gamer my whole life. But recently, I've come into a crisis of faith. I've been thinking in dangerous, heretical ways. Please listen to my thoughts, and tell me what you think. I'm afraid that there is some truth to them and that I've actually wasted years of my precious life.

 

If you must, flame me, but know that I'm not being a troll.

-----

 

CRPGs are a waste of time.

 

They're incredibly fun, probably some of the deepest games written or made, and a great form of entertainment that can suck up hours of your time... but they're still a waste of time, not even worth it for the immense entertainment value they provide.

 

Why would you play a CRPG? For the story? You're better served reading a book.

 

For the gameplay? What kind? Stats twinking? Minmaxing? Mathing it out like a geek on your character sheet? You're probably better served doing actual math because you aren't making anything creative here... just a beefed up, souped, soulless monster that you use to reduce an imaginary number called "HP".

 

Tactics? You're better served playing RTS's, or Chess, which have far more layers of complexity and depth.

 

The ability to roleplay? Are you kidding? have you seen the kind of RPGs that are coming out these days? Furthermore, if you really want to build a character concept and live out a story and let yourself be immersed by it, you'll be SO MUCH better served by PEN AND PAPER ROLEPLAYING GAMES. Not only do you do your eyes a favor, but you actually have a bit more social contact. That's at least a little less nerdy that sitting alone flirting with... Aerie.

 

Or perhaps you could *gasp* even WRITE something for a change!

 

Do you play them for the pretty graphics? You're better served with an action game.

 

CRPGs have a massive bundle of things that make them fun, but they're all mediocre. Every facet is trumped by some better medium. Yet the price is high: CRPGs (especially MMORPGs!) eat up ridiculous amounts of time. Think about the 200 hours you spent on BG2, Morrowind or Obsidian, or the countless more on WoW, and think about how that could have been better spent.

 

Let's remember why we play computer games in the first place: for entertainment. Wouldn't hacking away for an hour in Prince of Persia or God of War, sniping away in Counterstrike for thirty minutes, or unwinding with a mission in GTA be much more effective in that measure than having to play for three hours in an RPG before you actually crank any REAL fun out of it? Seriously, does anyone else consider the fifteen minutes spent picking up all the "phat lewt" that the monsters dropped in that dungeon a fifteen minutes wasted?

 

Say what you want about delayed gratification, but I really don't think that applies to computer games. Suffering is stupid when you're shelling out 49.99 for it. Better games, better books, better stories are abound... maybe this entire genre is a failure in the first place, which may explain why it's had a lot less ups than downs, and why it's languishing and failing today.

 

*puts on asbestos suit and runs for dear life*

[Pidesco]

Obsidian? You mean Oblivion, right?

 

 

You have a point, actually. :ph34r:

Edited May 24, 2006 by Soulseeker

[Atreides]

You're analyzing each part seperately, but not as a whole.

[mkreku]

I don't get the argument. You're saying CRPG's is a waste of time? I thought it was common knowledge that ALL games (regardless of genre) are a waste of time? So where's the argument?

[Atreides]

You're not wasting your time optimally?

[alanschu]

Gestalt: "The Sum of the Whole is Greater Than its Parts"

[Moose]

CRPGs are the only media that attempt to bring all those aspects together. You can't bake a cake with flour alone.

[Moose]

By the way, what's everyone's favourite type of cake? I quite like banana

[Atreides]

Tiramissu, oh yeah!

[Walsingham]

Interesting points. I assumed you were going to do one of those "OMG I've wasted my life!" moments that I go through periodically. :D

 

My answer would echo those of others. Consider the hamburger. If you want beef, eat a steak. If you want salad, eat a salad. If you want bread buy fresh bread. And don't get me started on the ketchup. But a burger is an excellent thing.

 

EDIT: and fyi, I do read books, but I prefer a story in crpg for two reasons

1) I read damned fast. To get immersed for long I need to have the procedural stuff in between story chunks. I finish the average short novel in about 6-8 hours.

2) I get immersed more fully I can engage more parts of my brain. Thus problem solving, and mathematics suck me in further than just imagination.

[Pidesco]

Well, if it's MacDonalds then you're better off with the separate items. Or a proper hamburguer.

[Moose]

Who actually still eats and McDonalds these days though.

[Pidesco]

Some of my friends...

[MrBrown]

Ginthaeriel, I agree with you. I think CRPGs (and PnP RPG products as well), have generally lost the basic idea of "let's do a game that is fun to play", instead relying on doing things the way others have done before, or relying on outside definitions on what an RPG "should" be.

 

I do think there is potential in the genre as such, I just don't think most games are close to it, at all.

[Morgoth]

CRPGs are a waste of time.

Basically anything non-productive is a waste of time. But that doesn't dissuade us to enjoy playing games, reading books, or do something else entertaining.

 

 

For the gameplay? What kind? Stats twinking? Minmaxing? Mathing it out like a geek on your character sheet? You're probably better served doing actual math because you aren't making anything creative here... just a beefed up, souped, soulless monster that you use to reduce an imaginary number called "HP".

Hey, you're talking about the kind of CRPG that doesn't exist anymore. Nobody has the balls to release an Icewind Dale or Fallout kind of CRPGs these days anymore.

I'm the last one who would complain to play something like that again.

 

Do you play them for the pretty graphics? You're better served with an action game.

Pretty graphics is always kewl, not just for silly action shooters. Pretty graphics also allow CRPG devs to create life-like digital actors and render huge worlds, which if done properly, enhances interactivity, therefor adds more depth. Just take a look at ME, or Bioshock.

 

As long as games keep me entertained in an ingenious way, I don't see them as a waste of time. Just avoid the crappy ones. Those are indeed a waste.

Also, try to get productive with games yourself (modding, writing, whatever), and you'll learn tons of (also non-game related) things and see how kewl it actually is creating things that other people can enjoy.

Edited May 24, 2006 by Morgoth

[Fenghuang]

Who actually still eats and McDonalds these days though.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

 

Volourn.

 

He says it's awesome food that's good for you.

 

I worry about him sometimes.

 

 

On topic: I thought it was common knowledge that all videogames are fancy electronic toys, fun to play with, but essentially time wasters.

[Moose]

Volourn. 

 

He says it's awesome food that's good for you. 

 

I worry about him sometimes. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

He's probably just talking out of his arse... again.

[astr0creep]

When you think about it, all forms of entertainment are a waste of time...

 

When you have a few hours to kill you can watch TV, a movie, play video games, read a book, sleep, write or do something with friends if, unlike me, you have some.

 

Thing is, "waste" is a pejorative term. I'd rather think of video games(and other forms of entertainment) as a hobby. It's relaxing also and most RPGs are slow pace and you can just sit with a mug of coffee and relax.

 

Also, not all CRPGs are slow-paced pnpDnD adaptations. Have you tried Wizardry 8, Deux Ex, System Shock, etc?

 

And how many CRPG Devs out there? Bioware, Obsidian and Bethesda(there are others, small and struggling to survive etc but come on, we only care about those 3) and that small list kind of limits the variety because they all have their own way of doing things(although Obs is a wildcard).

 

Ultimately Glinth you're overreacting. And it happens to a lot of us. What helps me in these "hard" times is to write a game design document. Write down what you would like in your CRPGs. It helps.

 

Good luck!

 

:D

Edited May 24, 2006 by astr0creep

[Dark_Raven]

CRPGs are my escape from reality. I would be lost without them.

[metadigital]

Recreation ≠ waste of time.

 

Try working without a break.

 

Go.

 

See the problem?

[Ellester]

Gaming is a waste of time, I

Edited May 24, 2006 by Ellester

[Dark_Raven]

Recreation ≠ waste of time.

 

Try working without a break.

 

Go.

 

See the problem?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

No comphrendo.

[metadigital]

Okay ... try working without sleeping.

 

Go.

 

Let us know what happens.

[Dark_Raven]

I've stayed up over 24 hours without sleep. Your brain turns to mush.

[metadigital]

Correct.

 

That was the point.