StaceyPowers

I’ve never played a large, modern MMO—just MUDs. In MUDs, politics was often a huge deal. In fact, in the games I played, it was the thing to be involved in. It created and broke relationships, and consumed endless hours of players’ time. Most players who were famous got that way through political clout. I seldom seem to hear anyone talking about politics in major MMOs. Is it just not a thing in games like WoW?

What are some character designs that worked conceptually, but not visually? For example, I am replaying Dragon Age: Awakening, and keep thinking that Justice running around translucent looks odd, since his weapon is still solid, and always looks like it is in front of him, not on his back where it really is.

I have read that more and more schools are getting their own esports teams. There was nothing like that around when I was a kid. Has anyone here ever participated in a school esports team?

To those who wager on esports, what are some of your biggest wins and losses to date?

I am self-centered, in the sense of literally being focused on myself and my life experiences most of the time. If someone tells me a story, the first thing I do is think if I have any relevant experience through which I can understand it. This isn't the same as being selfish though. I just am the literal center of my own universe. It doesn't mean I think I'm the center of anyone else's.

What do you think makes for a rewarding and engaging community in an MMO? I really only have experience with MUDs, but I would generally just say that when people talk to each other and show an active interest in each other, that makes for a great experience, even if they do not all get along.

I think playing MMOs can provide a lot of insight into who we are and how we function, especially in games where there is a tight-knit community. What, if anything, have you learned about yourself by playing MMOs?

What are the biggest dropped plot threads and unresolved loose ends in video game series (or, alternately, what are the most interesting ones)?

Is gaming the best source of stress relief for you, or are there some things that are equally good or better? It is definitely number 1 for me.

I’ve made a weird discovery that I have an easier time being responsible in games in some ways (i.e. for followers, items, etc.) than I do IRL. I think it’s because IRL, I am always distracted by the need to earn a living, which consumes all my spoons and leaves little for juggling the rest of my responsibilities. In video games, we don’t have those challenges, so it is easier to put more care into things. Can anyone relate?

Congrats, @Withywarlock! You deserve it! Also, a belated congrats to @Yaramaki 🙂

Have you ever gambled while playing a video game? I don’t mean the casino mini-games in RDR or such—I mean staking in-game money in multiplayer games with real economies. I played roulette in a MUD when I was younger. But I only did it once. After that, I learned about the Gambler’s Fallacy =D

Does anyone else find it difficult to remember the context for minor quests and characters in RPGs? What games do a good job helping to keep this context clear and readily available? Which do not?

What are some games that are almost universally claimed to be super relaxing and chill, but they just feel massively stressful for you?

Are there any deal-breakers for you in deciding to play a game specifically related to game content? For example, @The Blackangel has mentioned she will not kill a rat in a game for any reason, so if rat-killing is required, the game is out.

Generally, I expect really hard areas to be well away from newbie areas in open world games, but sometimes surprisingly tough areas are right nearby. As an example, I was surprised to find a Centurion in Shimmermist Cave in Skyrim given its proximity to Whiterun. Also, there is that notorious deathclaw area right near Goodsprings in Fallout: NV. What are some other examples?

I ruined a lot of sex shouting "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim."

@Withywarlock I'm not sure I can think of any, honestly. I think most of the games I have played so far have been tonally consistent.

Nothing so much as what you described, no! Though I did not like having to kill the pig in A Plague Tale: Innocence.

Could video games help us combat or adapt to climate change in any way, even by just raising climate awareness or demonstrating simulated versions of possible solutions (i.e. I would to see a solarpunk open world that shows off what a city of the future could be like)? Have you seen any examples of games that have already done this?

Have you ever been really interested in playing a particular game, only to decide later down the line that you do not want to play it? If so, what ended up changing your mind?

Are there any games you have played that genuinely traumatized you in some fashion? What about them disturbed you?

What are some games that feature wildly unexpected tone changes? In which games do they work well, and in which do you think they just make the games feel uneven?

Are there aspects of gaming you initially did not really “get,” but later learned to appreciate? When I played MUDs, for example, I really didn’t get why anyone did quests. But in single player RPGs, I obviously learned to enjoy them.

On average, how much time passes between you buying a game and playing it? I realize it might be quite hard to figure this out, if it is sometimes days and sometimes years! I think with me, it probably averages out to about half a year.