The Grind

Yeah, OK, so it is that time of year again. The flash ads have begun sprouting up everywhere on the Internet, replacing the Singles ads on Facebook...

Tangent: Why do all the woman on these ads have really HUGE breasts? Do they think I'm stupid or something? I know those woman are just models with implants and aren't registered on the sites. Geez...oh snap, did I click that ad. Hmm, ok, I'll sign up. Ahhh, dammit!

...um, er, so anyways, I've recently picked up a new gaming rig and downloaded all the latest games. Thanks, EB! (obscure reference that only other avanaughts should recognize).

Tangent: It is soooooo nice to be able to go out and buy a bunch of games whenever I want. Some people think a job is for paying the mortgage/car lease/house crap, but NOOOOOO! A job is for paying for fun shit. Otherwise I don't see the point in having a job since it takes time away from having fun and isn't that whole point anyways? Oh god, if the whole point is to just make money to pay for boring shit (i.e. mortgage, car lease, house crap, etc.) then the whole meaning of life just sucks ass! I'd rather go to Somalia and join the pirate fleets, pillaging all the stupid transport ships carrying cars and house crap for the world markets. Aye, make'em walk the plank, maties! Hmmm, I digress...

The games are fun for the first couple of days and then the GRIND (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Grind_(gaming) )sets in. The Grind is what differentiates the casual gamer from the hard-core gamer. The Grind is the big giant waste of time that is required of all MMOs. The Grind is also why I usually stop playing a game. Ever since Everquest, the Grind has become an essential part of the genre. Why? I don't freaking know. Why can't the game be about the adventure and NOT the level progression? I don't care to get stronger armour so I can fight stronger NPCs (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Non-player_character), which are the same NPCs I fought a level or two ago, but with different hair color and stronger armor. Freaking booooooooooring!

Why not create a MMO that does NOT have leveling? How about having no increases in character skills, levels, or attributes? You get what you are dealt with at the beginning and that is that (kind of like reality). Your skill progression is determined by the skill in which you, the dumb ass who forked over $50 for the game and $15/month service charge, learns to play the game over time. Period. Skill? WTF is that? Well, instead of clicking the same 3 buttons for combat, include a wide range of actions that can have different results in different circumstances. Doesn't that sound like more fun? Say if you try to carve up a troll with a butcher knife BUT the troll is coming at you with some crazy ass fireballs. Maybe you should put up a shield and grab a tankard of ale to douse them with, then impale the troll with your pocket knife. Then, you can finish the ale while roasting marshmallows over the smouldering troll, you know, to help you heal the damage from the troll's fireballs. The game then becomes about having FUN and game designers would need to focus on the story (i.e. plot, etc.) instead of the numbers game. Imagine that!

Since the MMOs are supposed to get people addicted and willing to pay the monthly fee for years, all the current games have the same leveling structure. Because of this, I've burnt through a few games already (Conan, Warhammer, Tabula Rasa) with a fourth on its way...Aion. At this rate I should be back outside (and in reality) before the snow begins to fall and the ski resorts re-open! Yea!