Gamer thread - you got game?

[Huckleman2000]

Inspired by the Comic Con thread, and not limited to computer games. No mind games, though.

I play Everquest II from time to time, though I'm hardly an obsessive with it. It ebbs and flows. I started with EQ1 back in 2000, when I got it for my son for Christmas, and then got hooked myself. I'm in a very small guild, with people I know almost from the first time I played, who I've never met in RL. I mainly play a Rogue (natch! ) and roleplay a bit with him. Moreso in EQ1 - the newer game is much more of a solo affair and the classes aren't so hugely different in roles. My playing style is very impetuous (ie, recklessly stupid) - I die a lot. But I like to hurl myself into bigger fights than I should, just out of principle.

I also play Fantasy Football, with some of the same people from EQ. It's not a hard-core league - no money on it. I really like it, though - it makes a lot more games interesting to watch, even if I'm not attached to the teams. I've played with other groups, but you really need a bunch that is committed to it for the season. Invariably, you get someone who's just rounding out the league, and they draft poorly and don't adapt, then they lose interest, and the season is sort of toast after that.

 

[e-monster]

I play such online games as Quake3 and MS Combat Flight Simulator II. I'm better than average at both.

 

[Huckleman2000]

I play such online games as Quake3 and MS Combat Flight Simulator II. I'm better than average at both.

Is the flight sim just dogfighting, or is there a persistent world with squadrons and stuff?

 

[JamesSD]

Time to let my geek shine:

Let's see... I'm a huge fantasy sport player. Hockey is probably my favorite, but I like Baseball and Football as well.

I used to play a lot of Magic: the Gathering. There was a year and a half where I was really competitive. I was ranked in the top 10 players in San Diego, have net tournament winnings close to $1,000 (WAY less than I spent on the game!), and have 1 lifetime Pro Player point. I'm sure that will impress one person here

I have been to GenCon twice, once as a player, once as a paid intern for one of the companies there. I designed an expansion for a game that was quite popular at the time that Summer. At that time I was huge into gaming, both board games and collectible card games.

I've drifted away from all that. Work and my girlfriend just keep me too busy. I play a lot of online poker. I'm a net positive player, though I'm hardly ready for the WSOP. I may go one year... who knows?

My PS2 Broke and I didn't replace it. I may buy a PS3, if the price drops sometime after it comes out.

 

[Huckleman2000]

I wonder if we could get a Fantasy Football League here? People are definitely 'joiners', though I'm not sure if there's enough intense interest to last the season. Something to think about anyway.

 

[elsol]

Mostly I'm a console gamer... I have pretty much all of them, although my X-box 360 is still in the box.

I play RPGs but only the ones in which the player actually has to do something during the battles...

I.E. Tactical RPGS, ShadowHearts, Kingdom Hearts.

I used to play D&D but I got kicked out of my group... Chaotic-Neutral Pyromaniac Magic-User. Unfortunately, we had female group member who took the elves loves trees a little too seriously, and *gasp* the guys chose the hope of getting into her pants over the humor of randomn acts of fireball.

Sincerely,
ElSol

 

[Huckleman2000]

...
I used to play D&D but I got kicked out of my group... Chaotic-Neutral Pyromaniac Magic-User. Unfortunately, we had female group member who took the elves loves trees a little too seriously, and *gasp* the guys chose the hope of getting into her pants over the humor of randomn acts of fireball.

Sincerely,
ElSol

[RPG rant]Fucking elves. Prancing around in their revealing elf-wear. Most of the females are played by RL guys anyway - a real woman will play a Barbarian, dammit! Or maybe a Gnome. Anyway, random fireballs are funny, I don't care what anyone says.[/RPG rant]

 

[Antfarmer77]

I have Outlaws ( yeah, I'm and old west geek) and I have Mafia. I don't play either now because I can't download the drivers for my sound on this pc for some stupid reason. I played Outlaws online for a little bit, but it's a little humiliating for a 40 y.o. man to be cyberly bitch slapped by 10 y.o. kids with a dsl connection over and over

 

[SummerMorning]

Civilizations of all stripes.

Used to DM D&D regularly, but it's gotten a bit ... old. Besides, life can be much more interesting than D&D ... or than Spanish telenovelas, for that matter!

 

[rgraham666]

I have an original box set of D&D. Must be thirty years old now.

I also have the original Squad Leader and all the expansions.

Still have a fair number of old SPI games such as BattleFleet Mars (I liked that one), Firefight (Really lopsided in favour of the U.S.) and Cityfight (Unplayable, but the equipment and unit indexes are almost as useful as a Jane's)

I have an English version of Kingmaker. I loved that game.

Don't play a lot of computer games and none on-line. Can't afford them these days. My two current favourites are Diablo II and Dungeon Siege. Favourite character to play in Diablo II is the Necromancer, closely followed by the Assassin. Dungeon Siege is just a time waster, for when I don't want to have to do any thinking.

I designed my own RPG about a decade ago. A cyberpunk game I called Thin Edge. I used the criteria of "How does D&D do it?" and then I did something else. Was planning on publishing it, but I went insane around that time so it never happened.

As you can see, I've been gaming for a long time.

 

[MaeveoSliabh]

i'm a diehard City of Heroes/City of Villians junkie. If i get an extra few dollars, it goes straight to a month subscription. Seriously.

The Bodyguard got all of us living in this house a copy of World of Warcraft and pays for all the subscriptions, but i don't like it nearly as much. Too cheesy and cartoony.

He's also got an xbox 360, and will sit and cackle as he beats the hell out of me at ping pong, Dead or Alive 4, Call of Duty 2, and just about anything else we put in. And i laugh right back.

We're also getting together a D&D group (been playing off and on since i was 8), and he's developing a system somewhat similar to D&D, which we might get up and running soon. We've been thinking about getting together a LARP group but don't know about that just yet. Just been having fun beating the hell out of each other with boffers more than anything.

 

[Guest]

Inspired by the Comic Con thread, and not limited to computer games. No mind games, though.

I started with the tabletop books & dice around 15 -- Dungeons and Dragons. I did my first research paper on the subject. From there I went to Warhammer RPG (before the version with the miniatures), and then to the World of Darkness games (Werewolf and Mage in particular), Champions, Fading Suns, and Amber. I've played in weekend campaigns and campaigns that went on for years. I've created and run my own games face to face and on the computer as chat room or message based games. I've played in LARPS (but that's a lot of work!) I've done freeform roleplaying of various kinds. That is my favorite part of the whole thing.

For the last two years, ABG and I have played City of Heroes. It's not really roleplaying (not the way I play ) but it's fun. We've avoided other MMORPGS until we found one we could play together.

Happy Geek Girl

 

[CrimsonMaiden]

I'm a member of a group that plays Team Fortress (mod based on half-life). We also have servers that run 2 other half-life based games. Activity has slowed down quite a bit since Half-life2 came out. I really don't play much anymore. I can only handle about 30 minute sessions. Anything more makes me dizzy and gives me a headache.

As far as other computer games, I'm a huge Sims fan. I have all but 2 of the original expansion packs and I have all the ones that have come out so far for Sims 2 (I can't play when my kids are around though, cause I have naughty stuff in my games, LOL). I also have a PS2 and have the Need for Speed games, all the Harry Potter games, all the Sims games along with a couple of other odds'n'ends games.

I go through phases with all my games. I'll play for awhile and then not touch them for months.

 

[rgraham666]

I started with the tabletop books & dice around 15 -- Dungeons and Dragons. I did my first research paper on the subject. From there I went to Warhammer RPG (before the version with the miniatures), and then to the World of Darkness games (Werewolf and Mage in particular), Champions, Fading Suns, and Amber. I've played in weekend campaigns and campaigns that went on for years. I've created and run my own games face to face and on the computer as chat room or message based games. I've played in LARPS (but that's a lot of work!) I've done freeform roleplaying of various kinds. That is my favorite part of the whole thing.

For the last two years, ABG and I have played City of Heroes. It's not really roleplaying (not the way I play ) but it's fun. We've avoided other MMORPGS until we found one we could play together.

Happy Geek Girl

My vampire character, Georges Belleveau started out 'life' as a Vampire™ character. Try guessing his bloodline some time.

 

[deathlynx]

RPGs? White Wolf, especially Mind's Eye Theater...And some online (mostly forum based)

Console? Currently Metroid Prime but usually FF/KH, and I'm addicted to GTA...

Other? I've done a lot of model wargaming in my time but lack of players in my areahas gotten me out of it in the last year or so...

 

[Aurora Black]

I was once a die-hard fan of the Gabriel Knight adventure game series as well as other titles, but nowadays my game playing is a joke. Except for the occasional Max Payne (1 & 2) shootout or Warcraft battle, I don't play much at all anymore. In the last year or so I've played a couple of Dreamcatcher titles, but... Crap, I may as well stop now before I embarrass myself further.

 

[Huckleman2000]

I was once a die-hard fan of the Gabriel Knight adventure game series as well as other titles, but nowadays my game playing is a joke. Except for the occasional Max Payne (1 & 2) shootout or Warcraft battle, I don't play much at all anymore. In the last year or so I've played a couple of Dreamcatcher titles, but... Crap, I may as well stop now before I embarrass myself further.

That reminds me! You found your angel (AV), but where is it from? Was it a NOLA cemetary?

[LOL, I'm threadjacking my own thread. ADD much, Huck? ]

 

[FallingToFly]

I have an original box set of D&D. Must be thirty years old now.

I also have the original Squad Leader and all the expansions.

Still have a fair number of old SPI games such as BattleFleet Mars (I liked that one), Firefight (Really lopsided in favour of the U.S.) and Cityfight (Unplayable, but the equipment and unit indexes are almost as useful as a Jane's)

I have an English version of Kingmaker. I loved that game.

Don't play a lot of computer games and none on-line. Can't afford them these days. My two current favourites are Diablo II and Dungeon Siege. Favourite character to play in Diablo II is the Necromancer, closely followed by the Assassin. Dungeon Siege is just a time waster, for when I don't want to have to do any thinking.

I designed my own RPG about a decade ago. A cyberpunk game I called Thin Edge. I used the criteria of "How does D&D do it?" and then I did something else. Was planning on publishing it, but I went insane around that time so it never happened.

As you can see, I've been gaming for a long time.

You should try publishing it now, lovely.

I'm also a Diablo 2 player, and the original Diablo, of course...

Just repaced my Phantasmagoria off ebay.. cannot WAIT to start playing it again, that is one HELL of a game.

 

[Belegon]

In some ways, my first pieces of fiction were games...certainly much of my understanding of plotting and the ways that I think about what may happen as I am writing a story are influenced by having been a gamemaster.

Mostly D & D and Champions.

Went through all the Baldurs Gate/Neverwinter stuff, spent way too much time with Diablo & Diablo 2 for awhile...The Fallout games, Freedom Force...but I put it aside for the most part.

Burns me out and then I don't write...

 

[Guest]

In some ways, my first pieces of fiction were games...certainly much of my understanding of plotting and the ways that I think about what may happen as I am writing a story are influenced by having been a gamemaster.

Mostly D & D and Champions.

Went through all the Baldurs Gate/Neverwinter stuff, spent way too much time with Diablo & Diablo 2 for awhile...The Fallout games, Freedom Force...but I put it aside for the most part.

Burns me out and then I don't write...

Funny thing about CoH is that creating those characters for the game has created stories, but there's nothing much to be done with those stories.

 

[Belegon]

Funny thing about CoH is that creating those characters for the game has created stories, but there's nothing much to be done with those stories.

The most memorable times in running games for me was always when my players screwed me up by doing something unexpected....all of a sudden I had to think on my feet and keep things fun...

I have not had any experience quite like that with computer games. Not to say I have not enjoyed them...

But I've never had that spontaneity in the computer games. Like when the Hobbit thief, who was supposed to be scouting, got caught by his buddies in the evil temple "lifting" gems... only to have him convince them that the alter "came alive" and attacked him.

They spent an hour trying to figure out what was up with that piece of rock.

How I kept a straight face that long I will never know.

 

[Guest]

The most memorable times in running games for me was always when my players screwed me up by doing something unexpected....all of a sudden I had to think on my feet and keep things fun...

I have not had any experience quite like that with computer games. Not to say I have not enjoyed them...

But I've never had that spontaneity in the computer games. Like when the Hobbit thief, who was supposed to be scouting, got caught by his buddies in the evil temple "lifting" gems... only to have him convince them that the alter "came alive" and attacked him.

They spent an hour trying to figure out what was up with that piece of rock.

How I kept a straight face that long I will never know.

Bwahahaha! I can predict that at our next meeting, there will be much trading of "no shit, there I was" gaming stories... Ask ABG how a group of superheroes will get their spandex clad asses to Key West from Miami....

 

[Belegon]

Bwahahaha! I can predict that at our next meeting, there will be much trading of "no shit, there I was" gaming stories... Ask ABG how a group of superheroes will get their spandex clad asses to Key West from Miami....

what I have discovered is that, for me, it is always about the people...the games or the coffeehouse or the ballgame provide a framework. Get a framework that provides intelligent, creative people with fuel for their imaginations and frivolity will follow...

Thus my eventual dissatisfaction with the solo gaming experience...

 

[Huckleman2000]

Funny thing about CoH is that creating those characters for the game has created stories, but there's nothing much to be done with those stories.

Interesting point!
Especially in EQ1 in the early days, when your character 'died', it could be a really epic experience. What happened was, you re-spawned at your home-point completely naked - all of your armor and weaponry and provisions and magic-gear was still on your corpse, which lay where you died. Very often, you died in a spot that was really difficult to get to - you had fought your way through easier parts of the dungeon, and were in a spot that would be inaccessible without a solid group of different classes to fight their way down to that spot. Then the Cleric's Mom told him he had to log off and do his homework, so all of a sudden you're in the bowels of hell without someone who can heal your wounds during a fight, and you died. And that meant that you had to mount a whole new expedition so that you could recover your corpse and get all of your stuff back. Of course, in the meantime, you're without all your gear and of severely limited value to the group, so people took dying very seriously especially at more advanced levels.

All of this gameplay led to some really dramatic moments, and even some heroic journeys and deeds of self-sacrifice and all that.

Still, without a storyteller's viewpoint, to structure the dramatic arc, to pull out the telling details, to isolate the moments of decision for the various characters, it's difficult to relate the gameplay experience as something other than killing time on a rainy afternoon.

 

[e-monster]

Is the flight sim just dogfighting, or is there a persistent world with squadrons and stuff?

Both.

The player can enter free-for-all games to shoot at everything that moves. These are good for quick fun and basic flight skill building.

The player can also enter sqadron games that are much more difficult. Squad games require practice, discipline and coordination, including use of boom microphones for communication during the fights. I've been in online squad fights that had 8 players on each team (and from several continents). Quite the furball. I usually emerge from those fights bug-eyed and sweaty.

Close-in maneuver dogfighting is the mark of a newbie during squad games. Maneuver fights can be briefly satisfying, to be sure, but extensive turning at high g quickly costs speed and altitude. The victor of a maneuver fight usually ends up dead meat for opportunistic enemies prowling above.

Squad fights tend to involve a lot of group "hit and run" tactics that aren't glamorous but preserve precious speed and altitude. The saying: "He who turns and runs away lives to fight another day" comes to mind. lol. I've employed that tactic a lot!

So, rather than pick a highly maneuverable plane like a Japanese Zero, experienced pilots tend to pick better armored and faster planes like Hellcats or Corsairs. Neither is as maneuverable as the Zeros or Zekes but they are better suited to high altitude group fights. Only top notch pilots can survive for long in the fragile but highly maneuverable Japanese planes.

Some of the best action occurs when a wounded plane attempts to land on a nearby island air base to repair, refuel and rearm. Furious action results as the wounded plane's team mates attempt to protect him during the risky landing from opportunistic enemies seeking easy prey.

My wife thinks I'm a psycho about this and I guess she's right.

My squad:

http://www.ns38th.com/