Gaming Confession

Demyx wrote:

If I personally think something is the best thing ever why can't I say it though?

I like being enthusiastic.

It's not what you say it's how you say it. There's probably value in knowing restraint and when to give something a rest (like I'm considering with this topic). To go back to Bastion's narrator or something like Portal's Still Alive, a lot of people went past the point of "that's a nice bit of the game" and jammed their foot on the accelerator.

muttonchop wrote:

I think the entire notion of "overhyping" something is complete and utter bullsh*t. Nobody is the arbiter of personal enjoyment. You don't get to decide when someone else likes a thing too much. Stop trying to make people feel guilty about their enthusiasm.

This is the beginning of what I wholeheartedly agree with, including Gravey and Demyx's expansions/elaborations. Concepts like "overhyped" and "overrated" just seem like desperate covers--"This spoke strongly to all these other people, but not as much to me. Rather than just admit I fear I'm missing something, I'll say they're wrong." Some people just can't handle the fact that tastes differ.

Scratched wrote:

Companion cube was just a normal cube with a special paint job.

Well, I think the Companion Cube is a highly effective moment of psychological and emotional manipulation that had me questioning Chell's and even my own confidence, and that it was one of the outstanding moments in Portal, or in any video game. I don't think anyone whose imagination the Companion Cube (or Bastion's narrator) caught are under any obligation not to be enthusiastic, or only enthusiastic within some unknown limits.

You say it "sucks" that they have to pass things through a filter. But doesn't that absolve readers of any responsibility to think critically about the things they read, and consider how much they'll let others' writing influence them? That's how communication works. Instead, they're just insta-victims of hype.

Scratched wrote:
Demyx wrote:

If I personally think something is the best thing ever why can't I say it though?

I like being enthusiastic.

It's not what you say it's how you say it. There's probably value in knowing restraint and when to give something a rest (like I'm considering with this topic). To go back to Bastion's narrator or something like Portal's Still Alive, a lot of people went past the point of "that's a nice bit of the game" and jammed their foot on the accelerator.

So now you're questioning people's sincerity, by implying that they're saying that something is better than they actually think it is. Why should they give it a rest if they really do like it that much?

Unless you can read minds I don't see how you have any business telling people how they really feel about something. Maybe Bastion's narrator really was revolutionary and amazing to some people. Maybe listening to Still Alive helped someone get through a rough time in their life. You can't ever truly know how a particular experience affected someone else.

I'm not going to stop talking about a thing just because you enjoyed it less than I did.

Scratched wrote:

It's not what you say it's how you say it.

But is it the responsibility of the person who is happy about the game to temper what they say so that you don't get yourself worked up, or is it your responsibility to try to take into account the positive things you've heard before you play a game when evaluating your reactions and expectations?

If people were really, genuinely crazy about "Still Alive", why not let them be?

SpacePPoliceman wrote:

Concepts like "overhyped" and "overrated" just seem like desperate covers--"This spoke strongly to all these other people, but not as much to me. Rather than just admit I fear I'm missing something, I'll say they're wrong." Some people just can't handle the fact that tastes differ.

There is a tendency to react negatively to a game if you think it's going to be fantastic and it doesn't quite live up to your expectations. It creates a feeling that a game was praised more than it was worthy of, and it's a genuine reaction to something rather than a cover for not getting it or being put off by people's differing tastes.

But it's the responsibility of the player to take a moment, step back from her own reactions, and evaluated whether or not she genuinely doesn't dislike a game or if she's just disappointed that it isn't what she thought it would be. It's something I've had to learn to do myself, especially as I've come to terms with having a taste in games that's frequently at odds with my gaming community (i.e., your good selves).

Shorter version: other people don't overhype things; people overhype themselves and it's their responsibility to recognize that reaction before they spout off on the internet about how everyone else is wrong about a thing.

muttonchop wrote:

I'm not going to stop talking about a thing just because you enjoyed it less than I did.

I'd like to put forward the inverse, as well: you don't have to stop talking about things you dislike (like how Wheatley utterly ruins Portal 2) as long as you don't call into question the sincerity of others' feelings. (This also applies to those of you who discount a negative opinion by saying that someone doesn't get it or is looking for things to hate.)

Looking at the inverse is interesting. This forum at least doesn't have so much "This sucks, and you suck for liking it".

Well, maybe sometimes, but Bioware threads are always an eternal car crash. (insert animated gif of Blues Brothers 2000 car crash scene here)

ClockworkHouse wrote:
muttonchop wrote:

I'm not going to stop talking about a thing just because you enjoyed it less than I did.

I'd like to put forward the inverse, as well: you don't have to stop talking about things you dislike (like how Wheatley utterly ruins Portal 2) as long as you don't call into question the sincerity of others' feelings. (This also applies to those of you who discount a negative opinion by saying that someone doesn't get it or is looking for things to hate.)

Absolutely. I know that on multiple occasions I've been guilty of arguing with someone else's negative perception of a piece of media, and it's something that I deeply regret. It's easy to take offense when someone criticizes something you like, but that's just as bad as accusing someone of overhyping something.

Scratched wrote:

Looking at the inverse is interesting. This forum at least doesn't have so much "This sucks, and you suck for liking it".

Well, maybe sometimes, but Bioware threads are always an eternal car crash. (insert animated gif of Blues Brothers 2000 car crash scene here)

Scratched wrote:

Looking at the inverse is interesting. This forum at least doesn't have so much "This sucks, and you suck for liking it".

Well, maybe sometimes, but Bioware threads are always an eternal car crash. (insert animated gif of Blues Brothers 2000 car crash scene here)

Unless you're talking about the women from Firefly, in which case:

wordsmythe wrote:

No! You are stupid and wrong!

Big new one.

Doom 3 is goddamned incredible. I'm pretty sure that's an unpopular opinion around here, but man. I'm not sure what people were expecting going in, but the way I see it this game aims chiefly to make the player uneasy, and it's doing an amazing job of that.

edit: Hmm, I thought this thread included "blasphemies." Ah well.

Also I should point out I'm playing the BFG version, which apparently addresses a prime complaint regarding simultaneously using the flashlight and a weapon. I don't think lacking that would be a dealbreaker either way to me, though.

I'm really fond of that one, and I played the original release. I still have the PC version, and now I'm half-tempted to reinstall it and see what I think now.

Blind_Evil wrote:

Also I should point out I'm playing the BFG version, which apparently addresses a prime complaint regarding simultaneously using the flashlight and a weapon. I don't think lacking that would be a dealbreaker either way to me, though.

Believe me it makes a big difference and I personally believe the game should be played like that. It increases the atmosphere and makes it more of an experience. Those complaining about the flash-light probably just got too scared

alexjg42 wrote:
Blind_Evil wrote:

Also I should point out I'm playing the BFG version, which apparently addresses a prime complaint regarding simultaneously using the flashlight and a weapon. I don't think lacking that would be a dealbreaker either way to me, though.

Believe me it makes a big difference and I personally believe the game should be played like that. It increases the atmosphere and makes it more of an experience. Those complaining about the flash-light probably just got too scared

Wholeheartedly agree. Loved the game; as far as previous generation FPS' go, it was the most atmospheric one I got to play.

Often when I get to a final boss fight, I just wanna skip it and roll the credits.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Often when I get to a final boss fight, I just wanna skip it and roll the credits.

I feel that way about every boss fight. I don't even wait to fail before looking up tips on beating a boss, I look them up ahead of time to save the frustration. I was ready to throw Deus Ex: Human Revolution through the wall in one boss fight, when on my 4th try (which probably would have ended my time with the game if I'd failed again) the boss glitched and just stood there and let me shoot her repeatedly until the stupid scene ended.

I'm not even sure it's failure and frustration I'm looking to avoid so much as it is that I'm often just not that interested. Boss fights often deviate from the standard mechanics of the game in ways that can be interesting but usually aren't, so unless a boss fight really adds something novel to the mix, I'd rather just wrap the game up rather than ending on weird note that doesn't really match what I've enjoyed about the game to that point.

+1 to both of the above

"It looks like you failed this boss fight. Would you like to watch it as a cinematic and then skip to the ending sequence? Y/N"

YYYYY

Demyx wrote:

+1 to both of the above

"It looks like you failed this boss fight. Would you like to watch it as a cinematic and then skip to the ending sequence? Y/N"

YYYYY

AKA every car chase I failed in LA Noire

Sometimes, I quit a game without saving to artificially lengthen it.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Boss fights often deviate from the standard mechanics of the game in ways that can be interesting but usually aren't

That's why the best games are nothing but boss fights! >_>

Spoiler:

Monster Hunter ^_^

Blind_Evil wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:

Boss fights often deviate from the standard mechanics of the game in ways that can be interesting but usually aren't

That's why the best games are nothing but boss fights! >_>

Spoiler:

Monster Hunter ^_^

Spoiler:

Shadow of the Colossus.

Not sure why there are two active gaming confessions threads but the other seems more active so I'll move this over there.