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How do you play games?


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This is a moderately abstract question, but stick with me. How do you approach problem solving in a game? Genre doesn't really matter that much - this is more about your nature than the game's. Do you analyze before you act? Follow along exactly what you were told by whoever gave you your mission? Explore thoroughly before deciding what to do? Or something totally different?

 

As an example of what I'm talking about, I'll describe my typical approach. The first thing I do is explore as much as possible. Since I'm a very observant person, I tend to find answers before I have the questions. As in, I'll see a gap, and will go find a ladder to cross it before I even know what's on the other side. This method screws me over sometimes, as I sometimes miss plot bits, but it's instinctual. How about the rest of you?

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Interesting question. Personally, I use ALL sorts of approaching games. It all depends on my mood and the interest that the game puts in me.

 

The other day, I was carrying on on IJ and the Fate of Atlantis from where I left off 4 years ago. The game was SO awesome and interesting that I did exactly what you do, Egarthen. Explored as much as I could, and as stuff got exposed realized that I was doing the right/wrong things before. Good games make me do this.

 

Now if I was playing a less interesting game or a game in which I just wanted to finish ASAP, I'd do exactly what I'm told. If I had to find X and give to Y, I'd look for X and give it to Y. That's all. In many of these cases, since I usually have good knowledge as to what's next, I just sit there thinking of what I could do. Sometimes if I get annoyed I use the "try everything with everything" approach. Who doesn't? ;)

 

Sometimes (usually after saving the game), I just do whatever I want. :p This approach I usually take in games like WarCraft III. I save in the middle of the mission, so I don't screw up my real objective, and just grab a couple of units and run them through the enemy town just to see what lies beyond and to try new things. I sometimes do this for info, cuz then all I have to do is revert to the saved game and play, this time knowing what lies in the dark ;)

 

Well, that's me and my games. Just an interesting point, I have NEVER finished a computer game, save for a couple of adventure games (MI, MI2, MI3, MI4, Full Throttle, etc.) I have yet to finish the WarCraft III Single Player missions, I have yet to finish every campaign, to completion in Age of Empires II, I have yet to finish the last campaign in Medal of Honor: Allied Assault. :eek: Shameful, this makes me feel :D

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Good question. I tend to use all of the above (well, analyzing seems to come last, as it's much more fun to try, try again), and my biggest problem is that I spend half my time deciding *which* way to go about playing so that I don't ruin the story or my experience of it. I'll comment more later, possibly.

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I mostly tend to try to do everything possible in the game. Do every subquest, map out every corner of the game and kill every bad guy. If there are choices to join different factions I mostly stay fiercly independent, although my main goal of achieving as many endings as possible has higher priority.

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Interesting question. Personally, I use ALL sorts of approaching games. It all depends on my mood and the interest that the game puts in me.

 

I can start exploring everything....and sometimes i can just follow word by word what the great magician :p told me....

But mostly i like, prefer,live for the exploration part....it's much more wonderful to know something buy yourself...and not to have others telling you that.

 

A usual think that happens in my games is that when i go and speak with some, they tell me about thinks i have already seen (hours before :D )

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Originally posted by Curt

I always try to use diplomacy first but then the bad guys always kill me - seems they're not programmed to understand diplomacy. :rolleyes:

 

That's probably why they are bad guys. :)

 

My tactics get harder to implement (but on the other hand it is more fun anyway) when oyu don't know who are bad and who are good (just take (the beginning of) Deus Ex as an example) or when there are neutral people etc.

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Originally posted by ragou

That's probably why they are bad guys. :)

 

My tactics get harder to implement (but on the other hand it is more fun anyway) when oyu don't know who are bad and who are good (just take (the beginning of) Deus Ex as an example) or when there are neutral people etc.

Who said I was talking about computer games? :D

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Originally posted by Egarthen

How do you play games?

 

In the n00b.

 

*ahem* Seriously, I have a tendency to try to find the perimeters within the gameworld to take advantage of them, so yes, it varies from game to game. Which means I usually do as much exploration as I can before and after proceeding. I may find a powerup, a clue item, a NPC who'll give information. I mostly play action/adventures, classic adventures, and first person shooters, each with its set of conventions and rules, so I need to gauge everything before acting.

 

In The Longest Journey I found myself studying in detail all the items in my inventory, talking inexhaustively with NPCs and, because there was never any threat of dying, I explored leisurely as much as I could. But in Thief: The Dark Project, the threat of dying was constant, so I would find the darkest place to hide and sit and wait for literally several minutes, studying guard patrolling routines, counting how long it took them to walk from point A to B, assessing how many gas arrows I had to use, how many holy water vials I had, etc., and only then would I inch forward towards my mission goals.

 

Like I stated, my gameplay style varies from game to game, but overall my method is basically composed of exploration, assessment, and information gathering.

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I can add that when I played Deus Ex I played the expert sniper (with good computer knowledge too). I tried not to waste a single shot. All shots should be immediately lethal. Oh, some guy you couldn't snipe, but then you use your dragon sword, the single best weapon in the game. :)

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