Idle Cursor

While catching up on a couple of podcasts last night, I listened to the great conversation that Braxwolf led on Beyond Bossfights on gamers and health. One such topic that was brought up was video game addiction, and the effects of an unhealthy addiction. The physical consequences are well-documented (skeletal issues, irregular sleeping & eating, etc), and the social/mental consequences are known but can be a bit harder to pinpoint. All in all, incessant traditional gaming can trigger a pretty sedentary lifestyle, and cause havoc on our health.

South Park's "Make Love, Not Warcraft" episode provides humorous commentary on the stereotypical gamer

So what about games that are designed to be sedentary in nature? Idle gaming is a fairly new genre, which include mostly browser-based titles. These games are almost overly simplistic - you start off by clicking an on-screen object or button. This is followed by more clicking, afterwards which you...yup. Click even more. Soon enough you are usually able to start purchasing upgrades, and this is where the idle factor starts to kick in. These purchases will supplement your mouse clicks (boosting your clicks per second, or CPS), and as you buy more upgrades, will start to replace the need for you to make physical clicks. Eventually, the need for clicks often become obsolete, and the upgrades will provide you with all the in-game profit needed.

One of the most popular examples of an idle game (sometimes known as idle clicking games) is Cookie Clicker, released in summer 2013 by French programmer Orteil. It has since received millions of visitors, with thousands of visiting on a daily basis. As the game suggests, the process of baking an endless number of cookies rests upon the activation of a giant cookie. Just like most idle games, there is no finish line - this however does not mean they do their best to dangle a shiny gold trophy in front of you.

Idle games reply on positive reinforcement to keep people playing. They will offer a slew of available upgrades your way, and offer achievements for completing certain tasks (which will occasionally increase your CPS). In order to keep things fresh, some idle games even offer an incentive to reset your game, starting back at zero with an added percentage bonus to your CPS (based on your progress in the previous generation). In an IGN article on the idle game movement, Justin puts it well  by saying that "the games are tuned to make you feel both powerful and weak, all at once. They thrive on an addictive feeling of exponential progress."

Even with their addictive nature, I find idle games much easier to keep open in another tab while I'm doing something else on the web, or even away from my computer. As such, I feel that idle games offer some the same basic needs for gamers (an objective, rewards, sense of accomplishment when you can finally afford that top-of-the-line upgrade) without the incessant need to stay glued to your chair. Assuming your Internet can allow as such, you could open up Cookie Clicker in the morning, spend five minutes getting any upgrades, and leave the house while the automated processes in game build up your cookie empire.

As long as creating virtual cookies don't make you hungry for physical cookies, and your jaunts while sitting to get your upgrades in order were fairly short, I see idle games as a potential fulfilling form of gaming entertainment to spend a couple minutes at a time between experiencing the marathon that is real life.

Here is a subreddit which includes links to several idle games. A throwaway mouse might be a good investment if you become addicted.

Are you a fan of idle games? If so, which one(s) do you enjoy, and what's the furthest you've progressed? Share in the comments below!

Game On, Game Off

So this morning I was watching The Karate Kid, because, well...it's a great movie. Besides making it crystal clear that refurbishing a home will tone your karate skills to "the best" (arouuuund), Mr. Miyagi provided a smorgasboard of sage advice. One such line went,"Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have a balance. Everything be better."

As he puts it, this can be associated with any facet of life. Balance and moderation is key to enjoying anything. Too much of a good thing inevitably may be doing you some form of harm, or so they say. In my case, I think my scale is a bit askew when it comes to gaming.

The thing is, my whole life is probably a bit outta whack at the moment. Sparing you the details, there's a whole lot I should probably be doing. I'm not exactly the most motivated person in the world, but I suppose that's for another story I may or may not share (doesn't exactly sound pleasant).

As a casual gamer, I often get the drive to game, and enjoy my time while doing it without the requirement to be judged on a professional basis. However, the pendulum also swings the other way, making me wonder when (and how) I should occasionally shut it down and face the real world with that same level of motivation. I have recently made a couple of baby strives toward that goal, but it often feels like the princess is in another castle, and I have many more stages to go. I just gotta remain positive, as usual, teetering my way into a more balanced lifestyle. Maybe learning that Mr. Miyagi healing hands technique would also make me a better minstrel...

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This week in gaming

• My grandmother & I managed to go from level 290-300 on her Candy Crush. While one or two levels were fairly easy to pass within the five allotted lives (the timed ones are very reactionary, so I get to feel useful by assisting), most felt very luck-based (as I have mentioned before here). Getting to 300 was our goal for this week's visit, so hooray for gaming accomplishment of the week!

• I also played a decent amount of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. I've been tackling the Career mode, which gives you a choice of police or street racer missions. Attaining medals via skill unlock new events to conquer. The police side has been more entertaining in particular, as it provides a more tactical and aggressive driving experience. I think I have unlocked all the police cars at this point, so plenty of zoom-zooming about.

Somewhere in that mess of lights is a hero...

• The other game I've given a whirl this week is Really Big Sky, which was offered for free with several other games last month. I guess Really Big Sky could be described as a shoot-em-up space roguelike. It has a pretty wide number of game modes, which let the player choose their difficulty. You may want to pass on this game if you are at risk for epilepsy - it's basically an interactive light show shooter.

Gaming, an Ongoing Battle

Thanks to a mixed-up sleeping schedule, I was up at around 3 this morning. As such, I decided to continue my second playthough of Far Cry 3 (first was on the casual mode - this is on Hard, though I could probably bump it up to Master). I'm still on the first island, though I have made sure to scale all sattelite towers and fully upgrade my equipment already.

Anyways, I suppose a couple hours passed while trying to rescue my amigos. My grandmother passed me while heading into the kitchen to make some coffee. We were chatting, and she glanced at my screen and saw Jason wielding a flamethrower (I had just finished a certain mission that some may know involving a field of...plants). Her immediate reaction: "Are you playing a war game?"

At first, I was hesitant to reply. I finally responded laughing, saying, "Noooooooo...," but then again I wasn't totally sure. I suppose if you consider Jason waging war on the pirates in order to rescue his friends, then yeh, I guess it would be. Then again, it could also be an open-word survival shooter. Matter or perspective, I suppose.

But I can imagine how age barriers for non-gamers (not counting Facebook games) can skew how one might view a game. Considering what she has gone through, a single glance at a weapon (regardless of intention) could qualify a title as a "war game" in her mind. That also made me feel really awkward playing the game with her present, so I saved and shut it down (so I could write this - and good thing 'cause I wasn't sure what to write about today).

Should I feel bad playing a game that includes violence in her presence? I mean, I understand the differences between the virtual world and the real one, and it's really just a form of entertaining escapism for me to pass the time. I think it's important for gamers to know this, as sometimes we get a bad rap based upon bad examples of gamers who don't understand the differences between worlds. I wasn't shouting out my kills, nor was I putting each animal skinning on display for PETA to see (I must say I wish there was more use for skinning beyond crafting and selling for a couple dollars).

Maybe I'm just overthinking it, and she's just messing around with me. There are so many different genres of games these days, with hybrids of genres coming out the wazoo (I'm quite fond of RPG hybrids myself). It seems hard to try and explain that non-competitive/professional gamers just enjoy playing video games for fun, and we're not all training to be soldiers or race car drivers, nor is that elf or halfling we're leveling part of an adult web site. I hope this post didn't come across as ageist...was just something swimming in my head at the time.

Random Thoughts on a Random Game

I am out of town visiting family this week, and as such my posts will probably be fairly short. I'll do my best to continue my daily schedule, but if I goof, I goof. I wasn't really sure how far I'd be able to go this month before forgetting to do a post one day or something, but it's been fun to keep up, and am happy just to be doing some form of writing on a regular basis again.

Anyways, visiting family here means one thing - I am currently tasked with seeing how much Candy Crush progress I can make for my grandmother. Of course, she is about 150 levels further than me on my own account, so at least I'm getting a good preview of what I'll be facing down the road (some levels of which I'm not looking forward to).

One of the things I'm not so hot about when it comes to Candy Crush is the random factor. While the starting level design is the same, the colors are all seemingly randomized. I understand that it's good design to make it this way for replay value (not to mention premium in-game purchases), but boy can it make some levels really frustrating. The moment you need just one more yellow piece is when they seem to run off into the sunset.

Perhaps this is why I sometimes enjoy playing Criminal Case, an item-search game on Facebook. Games like these rely on memory to be able to quickly recall where each item is located. Sure it'll take awhile to learn a scene, but the pieces won't be randomly placed on the board.

Maybe I just like being familiar with my gaming environments. Just like with LOTRO and other MMO titles, I enjoy learning the landscape, and exactly where my objectives may be located. Random factors are great to let the user replay with a fresh experience, but can be a pain in the rear if you are attempting to master a game. I suppose I'll always be learning something new with Candy Crush...at least until I lose it and these bombs and chocolates turn my brain into Skittles.

Be Kind, Don't Bind

As Wil Weaton puts it, "Don't be a dick." This can be applied to all facets of life - even in the wild jungles of gaming communities. Gaming can sometimes have a toxic splash. At times, the competitive nature of some gamers create rifts, which seem to swallow all semblance of human decency.

This is not to say you should never be competitive while gaming - the drive to achieve victory is inherently fine. It's the whole "ends justify the means" part that can be a bit cloudy. The most obvious example of this is the use of hacks & cheats. This is not only a plain-cut violation of games' Terms of Services (ToS), but it's a pretty obvious moral no-no. Bypassing normal gameplay by thrashing the rules of the game reflect upon your own character - and I don't mean your virtual avatar.

The waters can get a little murky at times when it comes to kindness in gaming. I generally do my best to remember that each virtual representation is not just xxNoobslayerxx, but (botting aside) another human being (let's call him Joe), with their own set of characteristics and issues.

Say you just beat the first boss in a dungeon while running with a random group (including Joe). You rolled on a piece that you and two other classes (inc Joe) can use. Congrats - you won with a 73! Later, you take out the next boss, and another appropriate piece drops.

Do you roll? I mean, you did put in your fair share of DPS - surely you deserve the luck of the RNG. Then again, you just won that last piece, and it looks like the other two guys could really use this one. But...I'm sure Noobslayer doesn't really care - he did kinda mess up on that one trash pull, causing a wipe, and I'm sure he'll just get this piece another day.

Then again, what if Joe (Noobslayer) does care? Maybe he had a terrible day, and gaming is his only daily consolation. Perhaps this is a player's first foray into a dungeon/grouping experience, and they did their best. 

While it's almost impossible to know exactly what a player's situation may be, it's always good to keep an open mind and heart about your fellow gamers. If the loot rules allow for Greed (which will put you in a queue to roll for an item after rolling for any that selected Need), maybe consider letting the other two roll first.

At the end of the day, it's your gaming experience, your decisions. While I can't tell you what to do, I urge you to remember that you're not the only cookie in the jar. Don't hog all the chocolate chips, don't crumble others mercilessly, and enjoy the time you have together before we're inevitably devoured by time.

Boy...that metaphor turned grim, though I do now have a hankering for some Oreos. On another note, due to recent events, I would like to add that depression is a serious issue. It can completely alter the direction of one's life, and in tragic situations, may even end it. If you or anyone you know is experiencing some form of depression, please do not hesitate to reach out to somebody.

Links, if you are struggling:
http://www.suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_suicide_crisis_lines

Unlocking a Chance

I'll simply go out and say it - I'm addicted to lootboxes. These virtual in-game caches of goodies are a staple of most free-to-play titles, and whether the company is charging premium currency for the crate, key, or both, they're an effective strategy that caters to those feeling lucky. There's no better feeling than opening a lootbox to discover a premium item well-worth your investment. Then again, the wheel may land on bankrupt, and you'll be left a dollar short and no candy bar.

That being said, I think the whole lootbox-sphere has come from pretty stringent beginnings to a more welcome hybridized model. Nowadays, the lootboxes themselves are usually available as droppable loot in many titles. Meanwhile, the key is often found as both loot for those with time to grind, or also offered through the in-game premium store. In some, like Neverwinter Online, the key will not drop on landscape, but those with the cash currency (Zen) can purchase a key from the store and sell it on the auction house for the premium earnable currency (Astral Diamonds). This system allows for players of different economic levels the chance to roll the dice and possibly earn a premium item (like a mount, which faster speeds are rare in Neverwinter).

Rift lootbox contents - meh

As for myself, I fall in the category where I mostly play the lootbox game when the opportunity arises or I suddenly feel compelled. Sometimes a lootbox/key will drop via landscape loot, and it's sitting there in the inventory, begging to be opened. Once in a while that same urge will kick in, and if my virtual wallet is stuffed enough, I'll skip on down to the local AH and peruse the selection of boxes/keys.

Speaking of urge, I'm feeling it right now. *live lootbox HYPE* Opens up Rift + LOTRO, purchases the proper goodies...pops open each box. Well, looks like Rift wants me to change my costume. Meanwhile, LOTRO gave me a decent haul - especially a stat tome, which should sell nicely on the AH for a profit at the end of the day.

LOTRO lootbox contents - much better

I think just the notion that I may end up on the plus side of the deal really drives me to opening lootboxes on a regular basis. Sure, I'm likely to lose every now and then, but then I simply remember that this is a virtual good, and all I have really lost is the time spent to accrue that gold. Time I currently have the opportunity to lose, thankfully.

This notion of virtual lootboxes has even emerged from the monitor, in the form of Loot Crate. This service allows the customer to sign up for a 1/3/6-month plan, and receive a monthly package in the snail mail. This "crate" will contain an assortment of geeky & gamer-inspired goods, based around a theme (ex: June theme was "Transform," and contained mostly Transformer franchise items). It's an interesting idea, and certainly inspires many "Loot Crate opening" videos posted online.

While I do enjoy opening lootboxes, I do understand that many could care less, and consider the box as junk. I tend to prefer systems that don't try and shove "YOU GOT A LOOTBOX - GREAT! NOW HEAD TO THE STORE AND BUY A KEY FOR ONLY 199 CREDITS!" tactics down our throats. As long as they remain fairly unobtrusive, I see no issue with allowing the ability to purchase keys from the store (especially if they also make it attainable in game, in some form). If it supports the company in such way to allow future game content developed, more power to them.


How do you play the lootbox game? Share below!

Matter of Perspective

Immersion can sometimes be a tough cookie to crack when it comes to gaming. While role-playing games (RPGs) strive toward a higher level of immersion and connection toward the game world, one could argue that most all games where you are given control of an avatar could loosely fall under being an RPG. That doesn't stop with organic personas - that racing game you play contains a smorgasbord of vehicles that you (usually) upgrade during progression, and you assume the role of a driver every time you decide in which event you'll be competing.

As game companies are designing their titles, they must decide if they will opt to develop multiple camera perspectives to accompany. What's our genre? Who will be playing our game? How do we want to convey our content to the audience? I'm no game developer, but I figure the work that must be put into developing multiple perspectives can be pretty darn tough (not to mention time-consuming for the art team to create all the proper shifting assets).

Need for Speed Hot Pursuit: Third vs. First-Person

So a game is released, and it has multiple camera perspectives. Is there a certain perspective we are "supposed" to use? How do you choose? For myself, it usually doesn't take all that long. I do love immersion in a game - it lets us forget our real-life issues, and just jump into the skin (or chassis) of an alternate reality. However, I find I can suspend the perspective aspect of immersion in many titles, for the sake of the real me gaining a tactical camera advantage. As such, I generally prefer to play in third-person to enjoy a greater field of view. Sure, it makes it playing safe that much easier, but sometimes I just need all the help I can get.

That being said, I don't mind a fixed-first person title, such as Far Cry 3 or a Borderlands title. As both make it easy enough to fluidly swivel on  the horizontal axis, I can manage to deep an eye on danger from any direction. When it comes to third-person, I never feel that I'm really "cheating" at any point, as there is no deviation from how the developers designed the game. Who knows, maybe I'm some strange floating orb behind the character, who happens to project a body-controlling incantation on my target. That being said, I also respect however any player decides to play, so I'm certainly not making it an ultimatum that third-person is king (especially when it comes to extremely immerse titles like the Elder Scrolls series, which I do prefer first-person).

Skyrim, one of the few titles where I need first-person to enjoy

Ultimately, it's up to you. I feel you can still enjoy an immerse experience in third-person by suspending the shifted camera angle, but I understand that others will not feel the same way. It can definitely jump from game to game, and will depend on the challenges each title presents to its hero. I suppose game perspective really is in the virtual eye of the beholder!

Do you have a set of rules when it comes to choosing from multiple game perspectives? Does it jump from genre to genre? Share in the comments below!