Anyone else here that refuses to play online?

[BoLaD]

Just as the title states- is there anyone here besides me that refuses to play online games? If so, please give a very long description of why you have given up online gaming.

As for me- only 3 years ago when I was in 6th grade- I was really hooked on an MMO called Maplestory. I didn't know why I liked it; I just a lot of friends in the game, I didn't see anything that outstanding in the least, yet I still played several hours each day in 6th, 7th, and the first half of 8th grade. I played two accounts- both of which I spent over $150 each on and leveled them both past level 100.

Eventually I had to go take the SHSAT test to determine what kind of high school I would go to. At this point, I was failing school miserably due to the many hours I spent on that stupid MMO. It was then I realized that playing the game wouldn't do me any good, so I gave the accounts away and had my parents set a password on my PC while I went to study for the SHSAT.

After I took the SHSAT, the password was removed from my computer, and I was able to get online again. I realized that playing games with a few people online was something I had to give up; I was afraid of getting addicted again.

That's actually how I discovered Touhou- I was looking for some short, single player games online and I just clicked at whatever caught my eye. To this day, I refuse to play the games for more than an hour on weekdays and at max- 2 hrs on a weekend.

So... anyone else want to share?

[Drake]

used to play runescape 10-13 or something

never touching mmos again

[Doomsday]

I do play a few games online, but i've never got into an MMO like that. They just don't interest me.

[Nine West]

Never touched any MMOs ever.

In general, I dislike PC games. Not so much the games themselves, but the fact that you play them with a computer. Touhou is pretty much the only game on that system that I play.

[shinyjam]

Total waste of time in the end for me, out of the 50+ total friend in the list, only few are still in contact with me on MSN mainly because more and more quit the game. MMO are only fun because other people play with you.

Try Flash Games instead, some are pretty fun as hell playing alone and only takes about few hours at most.

[An Odd Sea Slug]

Most games I play online tend to be fighters, TPS's and FPS's. I tend to avoid most mumorpergers like the plague.

[Matsuri]

I used to be really into MMOs and such (mostly Ragnarok Online, but I did play Maplestory for a while too), but now they just bore the hell out of me. I tried WoW last year and didn't even last 15 minutes before stopping, closing the game, and uninstalling the demo and deleting it. As far as playing online goes, it depends on the game. I can't stand more than a few rounds of Halo 3 per month, because the fact that the online play is so broken by boosted accounts and lag-switch whores and 12-year old pissants who need serious mental help just ruins it for me.

It'd be kinda neat to play some 2-player shmups online though, maybe. Y'know, as long as it isn't Aegis Wing. x_x

[N-Forza]

The only MMO I really played was PSO and that's stretching it. When I play online it's usually stuff over Xbox Live or Steam.

[Bananamatic]

used to play runescape 10-13 or something

never touching mmos again

I've played it until the last summer holiday.....(played it for 5 years)then I've decided to stop MMOs period as they are just addicting grindfests and time eaters.
Also played Cabal Online. Cool until lv100+, where it turns into a korean luck/grindfest. Gave up at 146 as I've lost my sanity with the constant grinding while there are only 2 decent spots in the entire game.

Shame that most online games are FPS, easily the genre I'm worst at.

[Gpop]

Runescape was the only MMO I've ever played. Haven't touched it for more than 3 years though.

[Formless God]

Took me two years to realize it was a complete waste of time and money (pointless, repetitive grindfests). I never touched any MMOs afterwards.

But I do play some CSS rounds every once in a while. At least they're less tedious.

[Grand Octopus]

Never played an MMO before, and I have no inclination to try one. I don't mind playing e.g. an FPS over Xbox live (though it's frequently necessary to mute most of the other players) or something online for the Wii, but on the whole I'm not a big online gamer.

[Pesco]

Bandwidth is expensive and connection is crappy.

[Paul Debrion]

I've almost always found year after year that the best multiplayer would be in less popular niche games that either have too steep a learning curve for the average person or only appeal to a specific kind of gamer and are unfun to everyone else as a result.

It's sad but it seems that the best way to have a good multiplayer experience is to keep the majority out.

It seems that just about anything more mainstream than Operation Flashpoint or the first three Rainbow Six games (Original, Rogue Spear, and Raven Shield) will inevitably get bogged down by an endless mass of inconsiderate players who seem intent on "destroying their own game" so to speak.

[Helix ⑨]

No, a game is a game. Single or multiplayer is irrelevant.
Also there's a difference between MMO's and Multiplayers like CoD

[shadowbringer]

as it can be guessed after my post in the MMO thread, I now avoid playing MMOs, due to them rewarding play time (with equipments, items, levels. Item drops, crafting/overupgrading and other factors are luck-dependent, also, which imho increases the grinding for these), instead of a player's pure abilities. The resources of one who's just started playing the game aren't comparable to the ones of someone who've been playing for a couple days, or weeks, months or years. (as Sirlin -- not that I'd agree with everything he says :p -- would put it, "time > skill ?")

[Zengar Zombolt]

connection is crappy.

[Ghaleon]

I used to refuse to try mmorpgs because I tried several and though they all sucked. But I was pretty much forced to watch classmates play WoW's beta in College. I decided that it didn't share alot of the problems that made me hate the other ones so much so I decided to try it... Actually my family convinced me to get it believe it or not. still am enjoying it after almost 4 years now.

As for being a waste of time and money, it can be depending on how you enjoy these games. I personally do not feel it wastes either. For example it did not impede on my graduation at all, and it might have even helped me be more assertive around people (I used to be a total pushover, now I'm just an ordinary pushover >=P). But some people just can't manage playing an mmo and doing productive stuff at the same time. I think their problem (though I could be wrong) is that they push themselves into guilds,clans,organizations, whatever in game which demands a certain level of performance from the player to stay in. so they burn themselves out trying to be a model guild-mate for their entire mmo-career so to speak.

I'm in a casual guild (alot claim to be that but mine really is lol) that has a frustrating number of players who really quite...Suck. But the beauty is that I can decide not to log on for a month and I wont get demoted or removed or any of that nonsense. To this day I have some people look down on me (in-game I mean) about how I'm such a "slacker" in game in regards to farming gold, mats, whatever. I play when I want to pretty much, and that enough gives me enough gold to keep myself repaired, and have consumeables for "hard" content provided I don't waste it on easy stuff.

Generally if you want to aspire to being #1 on the pvp ladder or even close to that, or if you want to farm gold so much that you buy every possible vanity thing in the game, chances are you aren't playing the game for fun, and either you're a flat out addict, or you're doing it because you feel like you have to, which really ruins the point IMO.

Anyway, if you can play it in moderation, for fun, when you feel like it. It's really quite an economically smart thing to spend your money on. 20-bucks a month for entertainment is nothing. Nowdays a movie-theatre costs nearly that much, as does a single new movie purchase, or new music CD, etc.

I personally only log on WoW myself like twice a week or so after discovering Touhou >=P. I still respect it as a good game if played for fun and not necessity.

[VIVItheFujoshi]

i don`t like play online...i don`t know why. XD
i tried play SWR with someone one time but we can`t connect, and that was all...
i don`t know if played RPG Maid for some months count like play online...but videogames online in a PC...never.

[Slaves]

been playing this off and on for about 4 years because it's honestly the highest quality MMO i've ever played.

other than that, i agree, most MMOs are crap and a waste of time, and i probably won't be trying new ones any time soon.

[WHMZakeri]

It's not that I refuse to to play online. It's just that online games refuse to captivate my attention.

[Hououin Kyouma]

I like playing online but I don't like playing MMORPGs since 90% of them are crap. I wanted to play WoW and Aion but it costs to much and my internet is extremely slow. So the games I play online are Diablo and Warcraft 3.

[Seian Verian]

I've never really run across an MMO that kept my attention for long... Of course, I haven't tried that many, so...

[AlexX Unlimited]

I've played it until the last summer holiday.....(played it for 5 years)then I've decided to stop MMOs period as they are just addicting grindfests and time eaters.

While I can understand the former, why do people always quote the latter? A game being a time-eater is rather redundant since they all take time out of your life to play (unless your offline games really don't take up time to play, in which case I wish to play on your Sakuya-console).

[Scooter1000]

I used to play Runescape until about 3 years ago. After most of my friends quit, I started to notice that it was taking WAY too much of my time. Eventually, it got less exciting and after a while, I stopped playing all together. Now, I avoid MMOs like the plague, afraid that the same thing may happen again.

[Bananamatic]

While I can understand the former, why do people always quote the latter? A game being a time-eater is rather redundant since they all take time out of your life to play (unless your offline games really don't take up time to play, in which case I wish to play on your Sakuya-console).

General addiction and wanting to get better as there is competition.
I can play PS2 for 7-8 hours straight, but I can put it down anytime and everything stops.
Grinding is also much more enjoyable in non MMO games, most of the time it isn't even required as you can make up for the lower levels with skill or strategy, and even if you need to grind for an hour, you won't get bored at all and the results will be noticeable.

MMOs? Grind for 8 hours. Definitely not fun and unavoidable. A general waste of time.
Unfortunately, you'll realize it only after quitting it forever. That's why I'm not touching one again :V

[theshirn]

Sakuya-console

oh god do want

I can play PS2 for 7-8 hours straight, but I can put it down anytime and everything stops.

That's what they all say  :V

Honestly, MMOs simply bore me.  IF I ever found one that I really enjoyed, I'd probably get hooked for a couple solid weeks...until I got bored.  I have a limited amount of time I can play any one game (though I've been playing the Touhoues for over a year almost every day...then again, different ones, so yeah).  But what really throws me off is the way the games are built - they are designed with grinding in mind, and I honestly stop feeling like levelling fairly quickly.  Once - ONCE - I got a character to level 112 out of 500.  That was when I had basically NOTHING else to play (long story), so I just kept coming back to it.  In any reasonable game, the farthest I'll get is around 40 out of 100 or so before getting bored to death and playing something else.

[Paul Debrion]

Since we're on the topic of MMOs:

http://news.quelsolaar.com/#comments59

I like your dress, its too bad you have fat legs.
Posted by Eskil Steenberg Fri, October 30, 2009 13:26:04

Everyone wants to be loved, so why are we so drawn to abuse?

Playing an MMO is like having an abusive relationships. They kick you and they slap you, and they make you beg for every scrap of appreciation. Lets face it, if you are grinding for hours to get a mount, then you are not that far away from the girls who say "He is really a great guy when he doesn't drink!" ... yeah, sure he is.

Its not the kind of relationship I want, I have no time for fights, no matter how good the makeup sex is. I'm not going to insult someone even if that's what will make them want me. I want to treat my players right, but what if they really want abuse? Everybody says they love Shenmue, Okami and Another world, pinnacle of "interactive story telling", but then they go back to their desks to kill 15 scorpions or collect 30 bore pelts. Clearly something is rotten in Denmark.

The less you get out of games the more you want out of them. The more time wasted the higher the honor of its accomplishment. Gamers will put up with the most punishing games, just as long as the game every now and then stop by that store at the airport that only sells poor relationship band-aids, to pick up chocolate, alcohol or what ever else they can use to instill hope that the relationship is not a waist of time.

Ask yourself, would you rather play an hour of grind to level up, or and hour of great gameplay who's progress you couldn't save?

I think many gamers would rather take a beating if they think that they are accomplishing something, then have some pointless fun. That's a real shame because, lets be clear, you don't accomplish anything when you play games. There is nothing wrong with that, we don't have to accomplish things all the time, it should be OK to just have fun every now and then. That's why I'm not so sure I'm OK with is trying to fooling you in to thinking you did accomplish something when you played my game.

I'm not the beating kind, and i don't waste time, yours or mine. By now you shoul have figured out that I'm a romantic but also that I speak my mind. But if love is not what you want, perhaps it is me I end up fooling? It begs the question: Is game design by its very nature to be a con artist of the seducing kind? Everyone know that the best con is the one where the one being conned enjoys being conned.

[lumber_of_the_beast]

"My pretend funtime is BETTER than your pretend funtime!"

[Tinari]

I am not exactly great at expressing what I am thinking about this but I'll give it a shot.

A lot of people have some disdain for MMORPGs for the wrong reasons in my opinion and by extension online games in general.  The term MMORPG stands for "Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game." and is often used in places or for games that do not fit that at all.  Some people call games that are simply played online MMORPGs.  Sometimes people call non-RPG games MMORPGs but that has fallen out of use moreso as of late.  Another is when people just say MMOs.  Massively is still part of that and when you think of games like Call of Duty, Team Fortress 2 or other online games, can you really consider that "Massively multiplayer" in whole or part?

I have a different reason to play games than most people on here and honestly it's about fun.  How I have my fun is different than some people.  Some days I want to have some quick fun that is just trying on my nerves and makes me want to punch a kitten, such as playing Touhou.  No progress, single player, nothing to show for my time except that I am using my time to enjoy myself.  There are other times when I want to spend my time doing something that will be directly comperable or I can display to other people in the same environment.  Let's take Borderlands.  It is a fun game, don't get me wrong.  But if it were single player online I honestly would not have bought it.

It brings me to the point of my own opinion about online games.  Personally I refuse to play single player games for the most part.  All of the high end titles that people seem to think I would love because the genre is something I love.  Dragon's Age.  I have had a few of my friends think I'd be all over that game like nobody's business but frankly I couldn't care much less about it.  I went and checked the game out, saw it was single player and never gave it another thought.  The story of video games doesn't interest me or sway me.  Very, very few games that are single player ever interest me and frankly I get more entertainment watching a youtube playthrough for free than actually playing the game myself.

But honestly that's all just different tastes of gaming.  I like multiplayer games because I think playing something with a buddy is typically much more fun.  When my progress can be saved and shown online among other players of the game I find my time spent in it is more rewarding, even when I quit playing it.  I think I had Pokemon red way back in the day and would play it at high school when nothing was going on.  I spent a little time in it, beat it and then quit it.  When I saw Pearl come out, I went ahead and read the box, saw multiplayer support and bought it.  I spent about 150 hours on the game working on training and getting pokemon I wanted just so I could play with my buddies who also got it.  The fact a game had an element where I could show off the time I spent on top of having fun killing time with it makes the game so much more appealing to me that I find single player experiences are no longer with the effort.




I know that's long and part of it is rambling, so allow me to sum it all up.

-I prefer multiplayer games.
-I do not like single player games anymore.
-Multiplayer games allow my time spent to be shown to other people in terms of playing skill, status achieved or in game items.
-Non-RPG Multiplayer games allow me to play against people non-artificial intelligence for what is a much more varied and interesting time.
-Single player games are played once for the story and forgotten.
-Non-story Single Player games that you just sit down for an hour to play and have fun with are still fine, such as Touhou, Spelunky or IVAN.