Do People Play Games ONLY to Feel Powerful?

[Apolyc]

Maybe im looking into things too much, maybe the dynamic of video games have changed and im from an older generation, but do people not want challenge anymore with games and only play to feel like a god? One doesnt have to look far on this forum to see the complaints of not being able to 1-shot enemies or overgear content. The complaints that the shouldnt have to use CD's or play cautiously to survive. The complaints you cant mass pull in dungeons or WQ's and come out without a scratch.

This is mostly in RPG's i see this. My brother was telling me of a D&D campaign he ran and he made it a little more challenging because his players were long time players and very experienced. He then told me how they did nothing but bitch and moan about how dumb it was they couldnt just steamroll enemies. (The campaign was more survival based where they were escaped prisoners who had all their gear stripped away from them, so yes they wouldnt be as strong as they normally could be).

Is this psychological? Do people only use games like this to fill some void in their life? To feel some semblance of control and power they dont feel in their real life?

[Advent]

It is not why I play games, no. But it is why I play RPG titles.

[UnstoppableErasor]

Games & books: To some people its to feel more powerful, to escape, to relief stress, to connect with people with similar interests.
When we pick up a book, launch a game, we step through a portal into a different dimension

[In Ogres We Trust]

I play games for the story and adventure (the gear and power creep is merely an ends to a mean), but I can see why some people play to steamroll content (to me, they're nothing more than toxic gamers).

[mingarrubia]

Do people play games only to spend an ever-increasing amount of time killing a random stupid seagull?

[Jtbrig7390]

That's one of the reasons I play.

Another is to experience a good story.

[rowaasr13]

This doesn't have anything to do with dynamic or older generation or challenge. Different classic games, including those considered "hardest" by many provided you with power-ups as you play. First Metroid, first Rock Man (Mega Man), R-Type and pretty much every other bullet hell/boss shooter, Contra. Now go ahead and try to say there's no "challenge" in them. Feeling like god is no problem if you have challenges worthy of said god. People just always loved power progression and always will.

[Dizson]

It's the basic fundamentals of RPGs, do you think I'm going to waste time grinding gear, when I don't get rewarded? You know WoW builds upon character progression, or do you think killing x mobs is such a good gameplay in 2018? Or even killing the 10000th boss that has the same abilites as the previous ones? Getting stronger makes you feel good and doing content that you used to have "trouble" doing but now easy because you progressed further into the game makes you feel really rewarded.
Current wow just feels like a story that always repeats itself, the hero started out in durotar but eventually he killed Ragnaros the mighty firelord with dedication, will and power, then he went back to durotar to kill boars.

Its just a scaling a problem after all, instead of tuning numbers around items, we get the mobs scaling up to you, it's just cheating, especially in it's current form in WoW. The guy who is naked simply should not kill any mob faster than those who have better equipment. I feel really awkward when some people who haven't fought for gear kills a mob faster because of lower ilvl scaling than I who spent days doing content that supposed to make me stronger.

[Wild]

In WoW I only play Healer. It does give me the feeling of a god, because without me, people would die right away.
It gives me that feeling of being superior, being important to a group. I also like the challenge, achieving something with other ppl.
I dont like single player games, I dont even like to play as DD in WoW.

[klepp0906]

vs PVE much of the time yes. (which blizz is taking away)

in PVP, depends on context. (blizz also taking away)

/waits for pantheon

[CogsNCocks]

I play games for the story and adventure (the gear and power creep is merely an ends to a mean), but I can see why some people play to steamroll content (to me, they're nothing more than toxic gamers).

Yep, content locusts. They are the worst. They aren't gamers they are addicts looking for a novelty buzz(and this forum is filled with them). Instead of appreciating and playing games in a wholistic kind of way, it's just about getting hyped up to maximize that dopamine rush. When the dopamine rush isn't great for them, then the salt comes and they start trashing on the game and abusing the developers. That's why you never see any genuine criticism from them, games are nothing more than a cheap high for them so why would they bother?

[Flarelaine]

Maybe im looking into things too much, maybe the dynamic of video games have changed and im from an older generation, but do people not want challenge anymore with games and only play to feel like a god? One doesnt have to look far on this forum to see the complaints of not being able to 1-shot enemies or overgear content. The complaints that the shouldnt have to use CD's or play cautiously to survive. The complaints you cant mass pull in dungeons or WQ's and come out without a scratch.

This is mostly in RPG's i see this. My brother was telling me of a D&D campaign he ran and he made it a little more challenging because his players were long time players and very experienced. He then told me how they did nothing but bitch and moan about how dumb it was they couldnt just steamroll enemies. (The campaign was more survival based where they were escaped prisoners who had all their gear stripped away from them, so yes they wouldnt be as strong as they normally could be).

Is this psychological? Do people only use games like this to fill some void in their life? To feel some semblance of control and power they dont feel in their real life?

Probably. But I don't think that is the only reason. Sure, I love powerful characters but not off the shelf. I like the journey to power more. Steamrolling moments are a blast, but steamrolling everything is boring.

As for D&D, yeah, I had similar experiences. I have a group of friends, some of whom have been playing for 30 years, but any time the GM tries to get tough, half the group pipes up against it not being fair. I still remember the faces when I took over for a oneshot and slaughtered them. (They were ambushed by drows and acted like headless chickens, hunting down and dying to foot soldiers while the single spellcaster kept wrecking them - from cover, but not really from hiding.)

[metzger84]

You're looking too much into it. It's just entertainment.

[Deleted]

I like a bit of both worlds. At max level, I want to steamroll those pesky mobs that posed a threat while I was leveling and I also want places that are still challenging, like dungeons and raids. I don't want to pull a full rotation on useless trash mobs in WQs or get dazed every 10 yards while travelling out in the world.

[Lightwork]

Escapism - the tendency to seek distraction and relief from unpleasant realities, especially by seeking entertainment or engaging in fantasy.

[Haven]

Depends on a person. For me personally, I mostly play for compelling, complex stories and relatable characters. The games are food for intellect (The Talos Principle, Planescape: Torment) and a sort of trainer for emotion (Telltale's Walking Dead season 1, almost any Final Fantasy game); once you live through grief and loss in game, you learn to better deal with it in reality.

[Vaelorian]

Maybe im looking into things too much, maybe the dynamic of video games have changed and im from an older generation, but do people not want challenge anymore with games and only play to feel like a god? One doesnt have to look far on this forum to see the complaints of not being able to 1-shot enemies or overgear content. The complaints that the shouldnt have to use CD's or play cautiously to survive. The complaints you cant mass pull in dungeons or WQ's and come out without a scratch.

This is mostly in RPG's i see this. My brother was telling me of a D&D campaign he ran and he made it a little more challenging because his players were long time players and very experienced. He then told me how they did nothing but bitch and moan about how dumb it was they couldnt just steamroll enemies. (The campaign was more survival based where they were escaped prisoners who had all their gear stripped away from them, so yes they wouldnt be as strong as they normally could be).

Is this psychological? Do people only use games like this to fill some void in their life? To feel some semblance of control and power they dont feel in their real life?

I play games to check if I can beat it. If I am not challenged by the game enough I will not play it any longer. But by beating it, I feel good about myself.
And those little increments of power (adding new better gear) does also feel rewarding. It allows me to beat the game. So the path towards beating the game is a good one too. But if you get rewarded too little... or the increment of power is too small... and the path to being able to beat the game too long... - this sucks too. So it is a fine balance. But as it currently stands.... pretty much feeling like a god in the game (especially the outside world) that is so lame. And this is why I am waiting for Classic.

But generally speaking: Games have gotten more and more people involved. While before games were played by a few, they are now played by millions.
So everyone, even grandma who has a shaky finger and will likely never be very good at anything really... is playing games. They can buy boosts, cheats or can just skip content by throwing cash at the game.

The other "old skool" players are horrified by the way the gaming industry is no longer catering to them. No more are there games without setting you back to level 1 after dying. No you can just log out and start from where you died when you log back in. Unlimited continues....
Playing a real RPG? Well it is next to near impossible to die. You have to be pretty stupid to die to anything if you put your mind to it. And if there is a "hardmode" on such a game... you bet it is only accessible after you completed it on retard mode. So the idiot who actually had issues with it, won't see the "hardmode" option until he clears the regular version and does not feel bad about starting with "retardmode". That said, I loathe games with different difficulty setting. Imo a game should start easy and then ultimately become very hard. That only repetitive playing will teach you how to win the game.

And honestly if I played a game on retardmode and completed it... I haven't got the stomach to do it on "hardmode" anymore. I have seen the story. More then half of my investment is already gone. I would only complete hardmode for bragging rights. And whom for? Myself? (non mmo)

From the moment I played PONG or Pacman... I was hooked on difficult games. And I have seen the prime of those during my years playing NES/SNES/Sega perhaps some games on Play Station. And one of my favourite games is Final Fantasy 7. This was not even that difficult. But had a kickass story with nice characters. How many games have been like that? Sure there are a few.

So what we have currently going on is an industry that caters mostly to my grandma. And if it has a story, it is a very weak one.

In short: the game industry makes more money by catering to my grandma instead of me - a person whom without; the gaming industry would not have gotten where it is now.

Do I blame the industry? No. Making money is what it is all about. It is only logical. But I do feel cheated on. Because I love games for the challenge. And now there are so few.

[Astro420]

Maybe im looking into things too much, maybe the dynamic of video games have changed and im from an older generation, but do people not want challenge anymore with games and only play to feel like a god? One doesnt have to look far on this forum to see the complaints of not being able to 1-shot enemies or overgear content. The complaints that the shouldnt have to use CD's or play cautiously to survive. The complaints you cant mass pull in dungeons or WQ's and come out without a scratch.

I think most people complain about tedious, easy tasks that are unnecessarily prolonged. At the moment, I feel like WQ mobs take a little too long to kill. I play an Assassination rogue with very little haste, so it means I have to wait for my energy to recuperate while I wait for another mutilate.

I voluntarily went into a normal dungeon 2 days ago and it stressed me out so much, I was thinking of quitting the game. Wiping 10+ times on the last boss of Mythic Tol Dagor literally filled me up with joy and I had butterflies in my stomach.

[Soluna]

Maybe im looking into things too much, maybe the dynamic of video games have changed and im from an older generation, but do people not want challenge anymore with games and only play to feel like a god? One doesnt have to look far on this forum to see the complaints of not being able to 1-shot enemies or overgear content. The complaints that the shouldnt have to use CD's or play cautiously to survive. The complaints you cant mass pull in dungeons or WQ's and come out without a scratch.

This is mostly in RPG's i see this. My brother was telling me of a D&D campaign he ran and he made it a little more challenging because his players were long time players and very experienced. He then told me how they did nothing but bitch and moan about how dumb it was they couldnt just steamroll enemies. (The campaign was more survival based where they were escaped prisoners who had all their gear stripped away from them, so yes they wouldnt be as strong as they normally could be).

Is this psychological? Do people only use games like this to fill some void in their life? To feel some semblance of control and power they dont feel in their real life?

Yeah well, I want challenge in m+, mythic raids, and solo challenges aka Mage Tower. I don't want to be 380 ilvl Uldir gear, and fear to pull 3 boars on my warlock unless I have voidwalker out because the content is scaled to be as tough as when I was a fresh 280 ilvl 120 level player. Rofl. Like, 'Oh I just killed G'huun, but these 2 boars are apparently as strong as him'. How about we consider wiping out the boars of the face of Azeroth then, cause you know, 2 of them have as much power as a world ending threat like G'huun. Can you see how fucking retarded this is?

[kamuimac]

Maybe im looking into things too much, maybe the dynamic of video games have changed and im from an older generation, but do people not want challenge anymore with games and only play to feel like a god? One doesnt have to look far on this forum to see the complaints of not being able to 1-shot enemies or overgear content. The complaints that the shouldnt have to use CD's or play cautiously to survive. The complaints you cant mass pull in dungeons or WQ's and come out without a scratch.

This is mostly in RPG's i see this. My brother was telling me of a D&D campaign he ran and he made it a little more challenging because his players were long time players and very experienced. He then told me how they did nothing but bitch and moan about how dumb it was they couldnt just steamroll enemies. (The campaign was more survival based where they were escaped prisoners who had all their gear stripped away from them, so yes they wouldnt be as strong as they normally could be).

Is this psychological? Do people only use games like this to fill some void in their life? To feel some semblance of control and power they dont feel in their real life?

"normal" people always played like this

it was you who had delusions it was ever different