Baron Aloha
A Shining Example
Very overrated IMO.
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Is online gaming overrated?
- Thread starter SickBoy
- Start date
How the hell can you overrate "Online Gaming" as a whole?
Seems like bitter whining from people whos favourite console/genre/game has been affected by a lack of, or an abundance of an online mode.
I still mostly prefer single player games to multiplayer focused games, and I get pissed off when a series I like "goes online" for fuckknowswhy reasons (Shenmue Online?), but going on about online gaming in general or its modes not being that significant just seems stupid.
Seems like bitter whining from people whos favourite console/genre/game has been affected by a lack of, or an abundance of an online mode.
I still mostly prefer single player games to multiplayer focused games, and I get pissed off when a series I like "goes online" for fuckknowswhy reasons (Shenmue Online?), but going on about online gaming in general or its modes not being that significant just seems stupid.
I was one of those people in the camp of "just play the game on PC", "if Sony and Nintendo don't have it, who cares?", and "SEGA tried it and it was cool for a while, but then it failed, maybe we're not ready for it yet". Then I signed onto Live. I think it's slightly overrated but it can make a good single player experience even better. Some genres should definitely have online play built in, nowadays. I think Nintendo especially missed the boat on the whole online thing - cuz their games have by far the most to gain from an online mode (and nearly everybody I talk to constantly asks me why Nintendo doesn't have an online mode, they ask twice as much after I show them games on Live). After Live, I can't even think of playing a fighter, FPS, or racer without some sort of online mode. But there are of course lots of single player games that don't need online - I for one can't stand MMORPGs and much prefer regular RPGs. Like someone else said in the post - it's cool playing against friends from far away - I've played a few Halo 2 games with my college buddies (unfortunately they play like such dorks - constantly discussing strategies and not having any fun with it 
). I've only had one unpleasant experience on Live - some 12 year old kid was being annoying and cursing everyone out, calling us all a bunch of "British faggots" (meanwhile, we're all from all over NY state), we ended up just all ganging up on him and making fun of him till he quit :lol The people on the less popular online games - Guilty Gear X2, SF:AC seem more mature.
). I've only had one unpleasant experience on Live - some 12 year old kid was being annoying and cursing everyone out, calling us all a bunch of "British faggots" (meanwhile, we're all from all over NY state), we ended up just all ganging up on him and making fun of him till he quit :lol The people on the less popular online games - Guilty Gear X2, SF:AC seem more mature.Newduck said:
I agree. Regardless of how relevant online gaming is to any particular person personally, you can't overrate online gaming. Online gaming is super fun, and when developers include nice online modes it is not just "another mode", it's a huge added bonus that can have no downsides, especially when the developer puts some work into it.
I love single player games, but there's no overrating something like online. If you think fuckwits ruin your experience, simply get a few friends to play a private game with you.
Clearly it's not overrated, as we've all experienced at least a few times how great it can be when it works. The problem for me, and for a lot of other poeple it seems, is that on many online games you end up spending 80% of your time looking for the good games and only 20% actually playing. Now that's not what I call quality time, and something needs to be done about it before online gaming can really take off. Online gaming needs MANY more mods, tougher penalties, better matching and more.
Oh how I would love a system where, when you sign up for an online game, you'd have to physically show your ID before you're allowed to play, and then you could choose to play only with people over 27 Well, and girls of almost any age. They don't seem to cheat much or behave badly.
Oh how I would love a system where, when you sign up for an online game, you'd have to physically show your ID before you're allowed to play, and then you could choose to play only with people over 27
Well, and girls of almost any age. They don't seem to cheat much or behave badly.Doom_Bringer
Banned
no, online gaming is fun
SiegfriedFM
Member
Online gaming is great, because I have friends all over the country and the only way to play with them except once or twice a year is with online games.
Online gaming generally having good players, cheat prevention, or match making services is another matter, most games barely manage to get one of those right, let alone all three.It IS very frustrating at times, I've given up on multiple games online modes due to one or another of those reasons. Despite enjoying Halo 2 online, I pretty much don't play it due to I don't like its matchmaking system at all (spend a considerably longer time searching for games then I'd like), and the cheating.
Its worse on console online games due to the developers generally being more inexperienced, and less options as far as alot of things go. With PC online games, alot of the poor implementation can be bypassed on the user end if the games popular enough with user created patches or mods, and the amount of other matchmaking services like Gamespy Arcade. So games that have potential but are plagued with some problems can sometimes be sorted by using some of those methods, while you'd be stuck on console versions.
Its got awhile to go to improve in alot of areas, Xbox Live was a very good service in some ways, but limiting in others. Completely ignoring online play now is pretty much inexcusable in alot of cases though, especially with shooters,racers and sports games. Games should be coming with these modes as standard now (if they actually have a multiplayer mode to begin with that is), and I think some games should be penalised for the lack of inclusion of these pretty standard features now.
I think alot of developers just feel like putting in poorly implemented online modes for the sake of having one though, in games that don't always need them, or in ones which they're just too poor to add anything, which is why alot of people probably get some bad impressions of them. However the same thing was done with adding a multiplayer mode alot in previous generations with little cause, and to some extent it still happens now (Metroid Prime 2?).
Its worse on console online games due to the developers generally being more inexperienced, and less options as far as alot of things go. With PC online games, alot of the poor implementation can be bypassed on the user end if the games popular enough with user created patches or mods, and the amount of other matchmaking services like Gamespy Arcade. So games that have potential but are plagued with some problems can sometimes be sorted by using some of those methods, while you'd be stuck on console versions.
Its got awhile to go to improve in alot of areas, Xbox Live was a very good service in some ways, but limiting in others. Completely ignoring online play now is pretty much inexcusable in alot of cases though, especially with shooters,racers and sports games. Games should be coming with these modes as standard now (if they actually have a multiplayer mode to begin with that is), and I think some games should be penalised for the lack of inclusion of these pretty standard features now.
I think alot of developers just feel like putting in poorly implemented online modes for the sake of having one though, in games that don't always need them, or in ones which they're just too poor to add anything, which is why alot of people probably get some bad impressions of them. However the same thing was done with adding a multiplayer mode alot in previous generations with little cause, and to some extent it still happens now (Metroid Prime 2?).
Musashi Wins!
FLAWLESS VICTOLY!
Wario64 said:
I agree with you. The fact that so many of the GAFFERS you wouldn't want to play a game with in person hate it, just makes the audience that much better. Best improvement in consoles this gen if you're older.
Saying online gaming is overrated is saying that multiplayer is overrated. What the fuck is wrong with those people?
None of my friends play videogames anymore, and theres no way in hell I can get them to come over for a few rounds of SF3 during weekdays or during the weekends. I just hop online and find decent competition on tap.
someone Saying that being able to do this is overrated needs a reality check.
None of my friends play videogames anymore, and theres no way in hell I can get them to come over for a few rounds of SF3 during weekdays or during the weekends. I just hop online and find decent competition on tap.
someone Saying that being able to do this is overrated needs a reality check.
I don't think that online gaming has come anywhere near meeting its potential. There have only been a couple of compelling online experiences for me. UT99/2004 and iSketch (yes, that counts!) have been the best. I think MS is on the right track by having a global Friends list; it might be nice to implement some sort of Orkut/Friendster/etc. system that lets you browse friends of friends who have similar gaming interests. Or maybe just develop some sort of universal jackass filter.
Wario64 said:
Musashi Wins! said:
Gunstar77 said:
I agree with these guys. It's all about who you play with in these online games that make it so fun. Had many memorable online moments playing with many GAFfers with games like SOCOM II, Halo 2, Counter Strike, Tribes AA, Hots Shots Golf 4, Champions of Norrath, Resident Evil Outbreak, FFXI, and Monster Hunter. Overated? Only if you are tired of playing it 24/7 like MMORPGs
yaser imran virk said:
Did YASER IMRAN VIRK read initial post? :lol
Anyhow, the reason I posted this is after reading more than a couple of complaining posts about online gaming (Halo 2 I think being the last). I haven't gamed online in a while, for a variety of reasons, but more technical and time-related in nature than relating to whether or not I enjoy it.
I think a lot of people have hit it very much on the head here -- the problems in online gaming are about the implementation, which still needs work. I don't know if there's anything where you can just jump online and expect a great game.
Last year when I had everything hooked up, I enjoyed some fantastic Madden games against GA locals (who went to the Xbox, traitors!!
as well as Fight Night boxing matches. Then long before that, there was Tribes, which was excellent, especially when you were playing exclusively with people you knew.For me, it's all about that. When you get to play with people you're familiar with, it's great. I'd have to say I'm pretty ambivalent about it otherwise. Unfortunately, I've yet to ever start playing something online and just found a fantastic group of players right from the get-go (you can with some effort, though).
Its pretty much impossible to constantly able to quickly jump into a random game and always expect a great game regardless of how good the implementation of an online mode is. Due to always having to deal with people, and people are retards. Its the same as going into a random arcade and expecting everyone to play well and uncheaply at something like street fighter, you're gonna get some cheap moron with akuma etc. Except the internet has an added incentive for someone being a complete idiot due to its anonymity.
Thats why the Xbox Live, and similar friends list system is so important to help in situations like that.
Thats why the Xbox Live, and similar friends list system is so important to help in situations like that.
FortNinety
Member
Yeah, I'll join in when there's less assholes and cheaters.
Plus, I refer playing games with friends in the same room.
Plus, I refer playing games with friends in the same room.
Yes. Not that it isn't great. It's that any game that has online and plays decent, has magazines going nuts over em. Like it's an unthinkable innovation. "Good game, with an online mode to die for, 9.0!". And usually it's just online done right, something we've had for years and years. It's getting quite annoying, because I expect more from games. The great ones are great games first, with a well implemented online mode. Something that gets a 9+ needs to use online in real innovative ways. Because now we have games geared completely towards online. I'm excited for Conker Live and Reloaded, but I'd have really loved a new single player game. And no, I don't agree with reviewers who take a great game and mention how killer it'd be with an online mode. Or ones who say online games are better in general.
krypt0nian
Banned
Wario64 said:
Completely agree. Online gaming is equal to the people involved.
No it's not overrated, it's just not for everyone. Everyone does not need online game to feel like they've had a satisfactory gaming experience. It also has alot to do with the types of games they are in to and whether they are completist-type gamers.(must finish game) As an example I'm a completist and while I've enjoyed online gaming my thrill comes from completing games, and online gaming doesn't do that... so to me it's not a draw.
The Take Out Bandit
Member
I'm a bit disappointed by the lack of diversity in on-line gaming for the Playstation 2.
I'm not a fan of racing, sports, and dumbed down PC style games.
I want more console-like on-line multiplayer games, and less deathmatch bull.
For my money, PSO on the DC was a far more enjoyable experience than the combined 150+ hours I logged on Socom 2 just because I was foolishly addicted to a clunky on-line game. :X
I'm not a fan of racing, sports, and dumbed down PC style games.
I want more console-like on-line multiplayer games, and less deathmatch bull.
For my money, PSO on the DC was a far more enjoyable experience than the combined 150+ hours I logged on Socom 2 just because I was foolishly addicted to a clunky on-line game. :X
Heck no!! Public online gaming can be a pain. But actually getting to know a group of people that play a game "the right way" is an amazing time. Playing with the GAF group that I do has been some of the best gaming time I've had in the last year.
The only negative part of online gaming is finding good people to play with.
The only negative part of online gaming is finding good people to play with.
Die Squirrel Die
Member
Can't say I'm a big online player, outside of FFXI, WoW and PSO (back in the day), but I think that's more down to not being into FPSs, and military based games (which seems to be the majority of online games, particularly on consoles). I guess I'm unfortunate in that the online games I have tried have generally had flawed implementation. Halo2 had the whole sniper rifle thing + insanely long matching times. Outrun2 I don't think was well thought out in the multiplayer, as most of the races I tried, by about halfway the course had been so spread thin that you didn't feel like you were racing against anyone at all. Burnout3 I could never get to work, I was always getting disconnected before the race started (this was the PS2 version, btw, not the infamous LIVE implementation). I still have to try DoAU online, but considering I'm not so hot on the game offline, I don't know whether online will drastically improve it.
I don't think it is overrated though. When it does come together it is wonderful, it's just that (on the console side at least) developers are currently falling short in making sure it comes together more often.
I don't think it is overrated though. When it does come together it is wonderful, it's just that (on the console side at least) developers are currently falling short in making sure it comes together more often.