Gaming

2024-10-26

I am an old gaming geek. I grew up playing card games, board games, and video games. My gaming preferences have changed over time.

Play Styles

There are four play styles that almost all games fall into. Some play styles overlap, but for this post, I'll keep it simple.

1. Puzzles = Pattern recognition and problem solving
2. PVP = Player versus player
3. Adventure = Exploration and survival
4. Engineer = Using resources to create designs and solutions

I've tried all the play styles through both single-player and multiplayer games. My preferred play style is single-player survival engineer. I stopped playing with my last gaming group because they played mostly PVP games. Also, there was an overly-competitive jerk who took the games too seriously and ruined the fun.

I don't have the time or patience to deal with that kind of drama. I'm not competitive and dislike PVP. I'm creative and prefer designing and building.

Gaming Pros and Cons

Below is a list of games I've played along with how I view those games now.

Board Games

• Chess - I like the idea of chess but I'm bad at it. I don't play other people because they take it too seriously.
• Monopoly - Once in a while I'll play the game on my computer. But I won't play the board game because too many people cheat.
• Dungeons and Dragons - In theory, I like the storytelling set in a fantasy world, role-playing, and problem-solving. In practice, most games devolve into people being jerks over rules, dice rolls, math, and keeping track of too many variables. It's exhausting.

Card Games

• Uno - I love Uno but every game I've played someone argues with me over the rules. Then they get more upset when I read the paper rules to them and they're wrong.
• Munchkin - It's a fast, funny, quirky game. But, no one I know plays it.
• Magic the Gathering - The artwork is fantastic, the lore is awesome, and the game mechanics tickle my brain. But the cards are too expensive on paper. Even the free online Magic Arena is unplayable unless you spend enough to get the updated cards that win. Then the company rotates those out for a new set every few months which requires you to buy more cards. Plus, it's mostly PVP. You can play training matches against the computer but it's restricted and gets boring fast.

Console Games

I grew up on old-school console games. They hold a nostalgic place in my heart. But, I stopped playing console games because they aren't fun for me anymore.

Here's a small list of console games I liked:

• Nintendo - Mario 1, 2, and 3, The Legend of Zelda, Metroid, Castlevania
• Super Nintendo - Mario World, The Legend of Zelda: A Link to the Past
• Playstation 1 - Crash Bandicoot, Legacy of Kain: Soul Reaver
• XBOX - Fable The Lost Chapters

PC Games

I switched to PC games for a different experience. I liked action-adventure games for a while. But after beating them a few times I got burnt out. The same is true of the PVP real-time strategy games. I played Starcraft with a group of friends way too much and burned out on it.

Here's a small list of PC games I liked:

• Heratic
• Doom 1, 2, and 3
• Diablo 1, 2, and 3
• Half-life 1 and 2
• Age of Empires
• Starcraft

Thoughts on Steam

I love that they've made gaming on Linux more accessible because I don't use Windows anymore. There are some pixel games on Steam I'd like to try. But I rarely play my Steam games.

I dislike that Steam changed its terms of service and said users don't own the games they've purchased. Now they can remove games I paid for or delete my account if I violate their subjective rules. Their rules can change at any time and apply retroactively. Which makes me reluctant to buy more games on their platform.

What I Play Now

I mostly play single-player modded Minecraft. I enjoy the individualistic freedom to design and build whatever I want. I love crafting a ring of flying that allows me to explore the world. There are so many mods it makes Minecraft feel like 1000 games in one.

I play in short bursts and then take breaks so I don't get burnt out.

Summary

It's taken me years to figure out my gaming preferences. Too many jerks have ruined other games and gaming styles for me. Now I prefer single-player modded Minecraft with a play style of survival engineer.