Am I the Only One Who Hates Online Gaming?

[PracticalAl]

I'm only 24 years old, but boy do I feel "old-fashioned" when it comes to video games! I simply cannot stand the extreme focus on online multiplayer these days! It seems like if games don't include online-something they're automatically lambasted. Even worse, online modes are now shoehorned into games that have no business having them in the first place, often negatively effecting the single-player experience.

And what's so wrong about local play? I see such malice for it around the internet. Some of my fondest memories are playing Mario Kart 64 with family or a group of friends. Having them psychically there just makes for the better experience. (Can't punch someone in the arm while playing online, heh-heh!) I'd much rather play a local game of Starfox with friends than online with strangers. Is that such odd thinking these days?

Unfortunately, for people like me, I don't see this trend dying any time soon. In fact, I think the single player experience is on it's way out. The world seems to be moving towards injecting social interaction into every facet of life. (Merriam Webster.com now has a "comments section" for every word in their dictionary.. Or how about Facebook buttons on phones, anyone?..)

Now, I'm not saying online gaming is completely bad. Online gaming is great for games designed solely around it, such as MMORPG'S or competitive FPS's. Online is great for playing with long distance friends too. I've had alot of fun playing Mercenaries 3D online, but I've definitely had more fun playing locally with friends! I guess playing online with strangers just does nothing for me. To me it's a shallow and unfulfilling experience. Might as well be playing with AI-controlled players. And more than anything, I hate seeing what could be, great single player games, ruined with tacked on multiplayer modes. I feel old for thinking this way.. ..

[Darkmoon]

No, I hate it too. I will only play with people I know - for example, I'm currently playing a Blood Bowl League with friends. Friends I can hunt and kill. I'm willing to give people from here the benefit of the doubt too, but only just. Random strangers Sod off.

I'm still gutted Dead Island doesn't have local co-op - my wife really wanted to play too.

[Pikminister]

I'm so over the typical running n' gunning you can do online with some FPS games. It was addictive for sure. But in the same sense you get addicted to singing "Ninety-nine bottles of beer on the wall, Ninety-nine bottles of beer. Take one down, pass it around, Ninety-eight bottles of beer on the wall". You can't stop even if you hate it.

But still, some online gaming can be really fun. But I actually like local co-op better. Watching ppls reactions ads a lot to the fun experience.

[alexdz]

I don't like online gaming when it gets in the way of the single player mode (RE5 anyone?), I haven't been up to date with gaming for more or less the last 5 years so I can't complain that much, but I feel your pain, I wouldn't want my single player experience to be ruinned because 13 year olds want to call each other "faggot" over the mic.

[Xander Ashford]

I've actually hated only gaming since I first heard of it, which I believe was with Resident Evil: Outbreak. Sorry to those of you obsessed with the game, but I hate the game with the burning passion of a 1,000 white stars. The A.I. can never truly make up for an actual player, and that tends to be the downfall of games that feel the need to have online modes (or rather games that are more-so made to be primarily played online).

The only online modes I enjoy are things like Mercenaries/Versus (I only like Versus if the characters are actually wanting to play the correct modes; I cannot stand it when you're playing Slayers and they're going after you. ANNOYGA!).

Ultimately, I only go to online modes if I can't find someone to play with (like an actual person). Playing with an actual, physical person is way more fun.

[Mr. Spencer]

But real-time strategy games are fun to play online, look at Dawn of War!

[Enrico Marini]

I dislike Multiplayer, mainly because I can't stand randoms. Playing with friends is fine, rivalry and being cheap is just humourous with friends but when it comes to randoms, its never fun or relaxing to me.

Then there are games where it isn't vs, like Dead Island. Got it on steam, started playing it, didn't realise multiplayer was enabled from the word go. Bunch of lv 30s jumped into my game and whilst I was trying to enjoy exploring for the first time, they kept wiping up all the missions.

Yeah AI can't ever be as good as a human player but it also doesn't bitch, moan, racial slur, treat everything as serious, or be cheap for the sake of winning, like the Blanka's, Balrogs, Bisons on Street Fighter 2 turbo (which I just went with Chun Li to own them all as I got fed up of it).

To me a game should be fun, relaxing and leave you fulfilled, not stressed, angry and hating mankind.

[PracticalAl]

To me a game should be fun, relaxing and leave you fulfilled, not stressed, angry and hating mankind.

Exactly. This is why I stay away from online multiplayer. My first ever online experience was in Half-Life 2 death-matches. The first match I ever played, people kept spawning right next to rocket launcher drops and instantly killing everyone in a 5 mile radius. I thought, "Is this supposed to be fun?".. ..

[Beanovsky Durst]

I gotta say that it depends on the game.
For example, I love Gears of War for online gaming. But I tend to play it when my friends are around, so we can have a nice time shooting random dudes with a shotgun LOL.

But games like FIFA or fighting/racing games are a no-no. I hate rage quitters (if you lose, take it like a man, if that applies to you of course ).

What I do like about online gaming is that I can play with my friends more often, since we can't hang together very often.

I do agree with SP games being forced into multiplayer (Bioshock 2 comes to mind, Bioshock 1 was PERFECT without MP).

[Dracarys]

If you and/or your friends have busy lives it becomes extremely hard to find time to play games with them locally, sometimes hard enough just meeting up together anywhere.

[Scream]

Depends on the game and a lot of other things..

Some games are good to play with strangers like GTAIV, some like RE5 are unplayable under those circumstances... LAN is more fun but not always convenient, WAN play with a mic is a good substitute, not perfect but good enough..

Online is only good when it doesn't hinder the experience of single-player, like GTAIV or online-only/MMORPGs. You won't see it in games like Fallout NV because doing so would destroy the single-player experience too much.. which is primarily why those games are richer in atmosphere and other things and more compelling to play. Though I believe this is only a restriction of technology, soon there will be more multi-player games like FO..

[Dracarys]

The new FO games are buggy enough without online. Could you imagine...

[Scream]

I think they have online working with mods somewhat, very buggy though.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttfFhEwiE_k

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-6lgbKJ_Bm4 (think this is LAN play)

http://www.vaultmp.com/ (development project)

FO4 co-op would be very interesting if done right.. it would need to be PSO-style though, only one or two max players..

[Xander Ashford]

If you and/or your friends have busy lives it becomes extremely hard to find time to play games with them locally, sometimes hard enough just meeting up together anywhere.

Yes, I agree...But it is very different playing with someone you actually know versus a random match. I don't mind playing online with people I know in person or have met online and sort of know them. I can't stand getting matched up with someone who only wants to demonstrate how good they are at doing the same moves over and over. Street Fighter IV and games of the like, I will ONLY play with people I know in some way.

And another thing that pisses me off, and is part of the reason players are the way they are is because of the trophies/achievements. If you look at a number of trophies, you'll find ones that are along the lines of "Defeat 100 players online" or "Do 1000 finishing moves online." Rather than actually play the game for what it is, a lot of people want that cheap, quick win so that they can Platinum.

Conclusion: Only play with people you know.

[rehunk88]

Actually i love online play you get to play games with other people and not just alone
it makes the experince much diffrend specialy back in outbreak ( when the servers was up)
that was all worth it.