General Discussion

I keep seeing people talk about skill in new games. These very same games I try out, and you know what? I keep finding myself thinking a monkey could play the things.

This might be a personal problem stemming from me playing a lot of Go, Risk, Axis & Allies, Civ, and other strategy games along side shooters and tactical shooters. It may also be my continued love of Go along with tactical shooters and some RTS games as well.

Because when I hop on these games looking for a tactical challenge, I quickly figure out that it's mostly just routines.

A power vs B power requires you to do C, without fail.

Every game, it's a routine.  The NPCs don't learn new ways to counter you when you do the same thing over and over again, it doesn't adapt in any way.

And the players aren't really much better. Most end up using a small subset of predictable powers and strategies that I can counter, and rarely seem to have the upper hand unless the game boils down to a comparison of who has the bigger stick, which thankfully not even WoW is truly that messed up (within reason).

I guess I just need help understanding. What is it that people think skill is nowadays?

Because whatever it is, it's not what it used to be.

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Originally posted by Deivos
I guess I just need help understanding. What is it that people think skill is nowadays?

Because whatever it is, it's not what it used to be.

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Pillar-humping and bunny-hopping in circles around whoever you are trying to kill.

Originally posted by Deivos

I keep seeing people talk about skill in new games. These very same games I try out, and you know what? I keep finding myself thinking a monkey could play the things.

 

This might be a personal problem stemming from me playing a lot of Go, Risk, Axis & Allies, Civ, and other strategy games along side shooters and tactical shooters. It may also be my continued love of Go along with tactical shooters and some RTS games as well.

Because when I hop on these games looking for a tactical challenge, I quickly figure out that it's mostly just routines.

A power vs B power requires you to do C, without fail.

Every game, it's a routine.  The NPCs don't learn new ways to counter you when you do the same thing over and over again, it doesn't adapt in any way.

 

And the players aren't really much better. Most end up using a small subset of predictable powers and strategies that I can counter, and rarely seem to have the upper hand unless the game boils down to a comparison of who has the bigger stick, which thankfully not even WoW is truly that messed up (within reason).

 

I guess I just need help understanding. What is it that people think skill is nowadays?

Because whatever it is, it's not what it used to be.

Damn, the secrets out now. SOE will have to get their game play suggestions from a different species. You've done it now... the monkeys will not be pleased.

there really isn't that much in the way of 'skill', there just is people that play well and people that play poor. Leadership could be seen as 'skill' however. Managing a group or raid, when you have say some morons and also trying to keep people happy so as not to perhaps lose people.

I know old Everquest had a somewhat simple comabt system, but I always found it a challege to solo in that game.  You would have to come up with some crazy kiting strategies if you wanted to be able to solo mobs after a certain point.  I remember killing things in the Planes that could kill you in one or two hits if they got in range.  You always had to be alert or you were toast.