Computer gaming WTF?
Aug. 20th, 2008 11:01 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
amanda_loddenI've noticed that there are now several games out in which time progresses even if the game is not running. This makes sense to me for the multi-player online games, where others may be playing even if you're not.
But Big Fish has a couple of (apparently very popular) games that are single player that do the same thing: so far I've run into Virtual Villagers and Plant Tycoon. Presumably it's possible to get Virtual Villagers into a stable state in which they provide enough food for themselves while you're not playing to continue existing (mine didn't; I came back a few days later to find they'd all starved), but the plants in Plant Tycoon need consistent care. If you do not play, they die.
I can't help but think that someone really didn't understand the purpose of gaming. It's hard enough to keep up with the needs of customers and employees and cats and myself; I totally do not want to have to commit to a game as well. Who finds this sort of thing fun?
But Big Fish has a couple of (apparently very popular) games that are single player that do the same thing: so far I've run into Virtual Villagers and Plant Tycoon. Presumably it's possible to get Virtual Villagers into a stable state in which they provide enough food for themselves while you're not playing to continue existing (mine didn't; I came back a few days later to find they'd all starved), but the plants in Plant Tycoon need consistent care. If you do not play, they die.
I can't help but think that someone really didn't understand the purpose of gaming. It's hard enough to keep up with the needs of customers and employees and cats and myself; I totally do not want to have to commit to a game as well. Who finds this sort of thing fun?
