ExploderWizard
Hero
A roleplaying game is videogamey if the possibilities and activities within the game are limited largely by factors other than the people actually playing the game.
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What does Videogamey mean to you?
- Thread starter howandwhy99
- Start date
TwinBahamut
First Post
Honestly, I have never heard any kind of definition for "videogamey" that made much sense. More often than not, when someone uses the term "videogamey" they come off as ignorant and elitist, and the only meaning they get across is that they don't like whatever it is they are talking about and apparently think videogames are some lesser form of entertainment that can only contaminate tabletop RPGs. All told, I have never seen it actually help a conversation.
Personally, I dislike the term with a burning passion. Particularly since people who use the term "videogamey" tend to want to avoid any potentially meaningful conversation about what videogames they might be referring to.
Honestly, even some of the definitions used in this thread don't make a lot of sense to me. Saying that videogamey means "lots of cheap +1 items rather than singular Excaliburs" doesn't make a lot of sense, because that portrayal of items is almost a pure D&Dism, and just about any videogame that uses that system is showing an influence from D&D. Many games actually use the opposite approach, especially if you get outside of the RPG genre (the highly influential action game Devil May Cry only has four objects you can call magic items, and they are extremely defining to your character's abilities and don't have any numerical aspects). Saying that videogamey means "lots of transparent access to the math and construction of things" doesn't necessarily make a lot of sense to me either, since I find that the opposite is true for most videogames (in most videogames, the actual numerical side of the game is almost frustratingly obscured and undocumented).
Honestly, I think the staggering variety of videogames and the large number of different perceptions people have regarding videogames makes it basically impossible for the term "videogamey" to have any meaning that two people can agree upon.
Personally, I dislike the term with a burning passion. Particularly since people who use the term "videogamey" tend to want to avoid any potentially meaningful conversation about what videogames they might be referring to.
Honestly, even some of the definitions used in this thread don't make a lot of sense to me. Saying that videogamey means "lots of cheap +1 items rather than singular Excaliburs" doesn't make a lot of sense, because that portrayal of items is almost a pure D&Dism, and just about any videogame that uses that system is showing an influence from D&D. Many games actually use the opposite approach, especially if you get outside of the RPG genre (the highly influential action game Devil May Cry only has four objects you can call magic items, and they are extremely defining to your character's abilities and don't have any numerical aspects). Saying that videogamey means "lots of transparent access to the math and construction of things" doesn't necessarily make a lot of sense to me either, since I find that the opposite is true for most videogames (in most videogames, the actual numerical side of the game is almost frustratingly obscured and undocumented).
Honestly, I think the staggering variety of videogames and the large number of different perceptions people have regarding videogames makes it basically impossible for the term "videogamey" to have any meaning that two people can agree upon.
This topic has somehow turned into a anti people who use the term video gamey thread.
I have used the term videogamey to describe a certain roleplaying game, and yes I understand that game quite well considering I still have groups in it, ran through the entire epic quest that came out with the game, a house game of my own that lasted until level 15, and have played D&D for decades. I understand the game and why it was made the way it was completely.
That said videogamy under my definition would be where a game tried to dumb its self down to the choices you would get to make in a video game. For example, in world of warcraft my paladin gets these spells on these levels, I move them to a hot bar and I can use them every so often. In other games I get these powers to pick from (talent trees?) each level every things is generic to balance, and they recharge at specific times.
How about the fact that certain people who make certain games, admit they tried to make it more like popular video games because its more what people are used to.
Please read the directers cut books that came out before the edition. I can call an edition videogamy while still understanding the system, playing the system and liking it for what it is.
To many single minded people have to go militant against the other party and think they are they only people who are not bashing the others. The OP wanted to know what video gamy means not to hear you bash people who use the term.
I have used the term videogamey to describe a certain roleplaying game, and yes I understand that game quite well considering I still have groups in it, ran through the entire epic quest that came out with the game, a house game of my own that lasted until level 15, and have played D&D for decades. I understand the game and why it was made the way it was completely.
That said videogamy under my definition would be where a game tried to dumb its self down to the choices you would get to make in a video game. For example, in world of warcraft my paladin gets these spells on these levels, I move them to a hot bar and I can use them every so often. In other games I get these powers to pick from (talent trees?) each level every things is generic to balance, and they recharge at specific times.
How about the fact that certain people who make certain games, admit they tried to make it more like popular video games because its more what people are used to.
Please read the directers cut books that came out before the edition. I can call an edition videogamy while still understanding the system, playing the system and liking it for what it is.
To many single minded people have to go militant against the other party and think they are they only people who are not bashing the others. The OP wanted to know what video gamy means not to hear you bash people who use the term.
Leatherhead
Possibly a Idiot.
Videogamey means "Like a video game"
The use of "like" means it is objective.
I am surprised this is even a discussion.
The use of "like" means it is objective.
I am surprised this is even a discussion.
FireLance
Legend
The choice of words and expressions often has a significant effect on how a message is perceived. For many people, the use of phrases like "dumbed down" conveys the impression that the poster is making a veiled insult or a negative value judgement. Even if it was unintentional, others may perceive him as engaging in bashing, or take it as a sign that he has hidden biases, and respond accordingly.
re
I think it only stands out to those that have played MMORPGs.
In MMORPGs you have three distinct types, possibly four if you include crowd control.
Tanks: These guys do less damage. But they are responsible for holding aggro. They have no real analogue in any edition of D&D save for 4E. 4E calls them defenders.
They usually have higher hit points, aggro holding abilities like taunt, and heavier armor than any other class along with other abilities that make them unique.
Healers: These guys heal. They can do a little damage if needed, but usually not too much though they have damage builds if they are not needed to heal.
These have an analogue in every edition of D&D known as clerics. 4E provides more options for a healer that other editions of D&D usually don't provide. MMORPGs usually have many options for healers, which was a nice thing about MMORPGs that previous editions of D&D lacked as you can't build a paladin to be a healer. You can do a druid, but they aren't as good as a cleric or even close.
Damage Dealers: These guys deal damage. They may have a touch of crowd control or some other useful ability like debuffing. But they primarily hammer and hammer hard.
These are strikers in 4E. And everyone dealt damage in every edition of D&D in some way. So no real analogue prior to 4E as damage dealing was just damage dealing.
Crowd Control Everquest had a dedicated crowd control class called an Enchanter. All this class did was control the monsters. Mesmerising them, stunning them, and debuffing them. They allowed the entire party to win battles they would otherwise die to. Beholding a good one of these in action was pretty amazing. Having a bad one though was a nightmare.
This has no real D&D analogue. Even the Controller is a pale, pale version of an Everquest Enchanter. You can build one of these in 3E, but you would have to take odd spells like illusion and enchantment spells one would not normally take. It would probably be alot of less effective due to how many creatures are immune.
I think that's why many see 4E as videogamey, at least those of us that have played MMORPGs. Aggro control by a melee class is something I haven't seen save in an MMORPG. Now they have it as part of 4E. And classes defined as Defender, Controller, Leader, and Striker is much more like the class definitions in an MMORPG (Tank, Damage Dealer, Healer, and Crowd Controller).
You can very much see the 4E rules setting up for being made into an MMORPG. I'd probably play that MMORPG. It will probably be fun. The old D&D rules weren't very compatible for MMORPG play. The new 4E rules are going to be perfect for MMORPG play given the current technology. So I bet it will be very cool.
I think it only stands out to those that have played MMORPGs.
In MMORPGs you have three distinct types, possibly four if you include crowd control.
Tanks: These guys do less damage. But they are responsible for holding aggro. They have no real analogue in any edition of D&D save for 4E. 4E calls them defenders.
They usually have higher hit points, aggro holding abilities like taunt, and heavier armor than any other class along with other abilities that make them unique.
Healers: These guys heal. They can do a little damage if needed, but usually not too much though they have damage builds if they are not needed to heal.
These have an analogue in every edition of D&D known as clerics. 4E provides more options for a healer that other editions of D&D usually don't provide. MMORPGs usually have many options for healers, which was a nice thing about MMORPGs that previous editions of D&D lacked as you can't build a paladin to be a healer. You can do a druid, but they aren't as good as a cleric or even close.
Damage Dealers: These guys deal damage. They may have a touch of crowd control or some other useful ability like debuffing. But they primarily hammer and hammer hard.
These are strikers in 4E. And everyone dealt damage in every edition of D&D in some way. So no real analogue prior to 4E as damage dealing was just damage dealing.
Crowd Control Everquest had a dedicated crowd control class called an Enchanter. All this class did was control the monsters. Mesmerising them, stunning them, and debuffing them. They allowed the entire party to win battles they would otherwise die to. Beholding a good one of these in action was pretty amazing. Having a bad one though was a nightmare.
This has no real D&D analogue. Even the Controller is a pale, pale version of an Everquest Enchanter. You can build one of these in 3E, but you would have to take odd spells like illusion and enchantment spells one would not normally take. It would probably be alot of less effective due to how many creatures are immune.
I think that's why many see 4E as videogamey, at least those of us that have played MMORPGs. Aggro control by a melee class is something I haven't seen save in an MMORPG. Now they have it as part of 4E. And classes defined as Defender, Controller, Leader, and Striker is much more like the class definitions in an MMORPG (Tank, Damage Dealer, Healer, and Crowd Controller).
You can very much see the 4E rules setting up for being made into an MMORPG. I'd probably play that MMORPG. It will probably be fun. The old D&D rules weren't very compatible for MMORPG play. The new 4E rules are going to be perfect for MMORPG play given the current technology. So I bet it will be very cool.
I understand your point about my post and accept it. I should have used the term simplified. They simplified the options you have to something more similar to the choices you would have in a video game, but my point is people become to militant against this issue right off the bat, some people like one game some like another and there is no reason to bash everyone who has an openion, i like FFV better than FFVII. And I am alowed to. You like FFVII because of its story and its graphics, I like FFV because of its story and its class system, neither of us are 100% correct. So we should live with eachothers openions, and play the game we like best. Or as I do play both and not worry about these pointless arguments.
Psst! See my post above when I said it reminded me of arcade fighting games!
billd91
Not your screen monkey (he/him) 🇺🇦🇵🇸🏳️⚧️
4e very much reminds me of City of Heroes with the way the roles break down, even with the fighter tanks collecting aggro. Spamming the At-Wills to pound on an a hp-bloated solo reminds me of quite a few video games. Those elements would be "videogamey" features of 4e for me.
In general, videogamey would be anything that strongly reminds me of video game play that I am familiar with. As such, I think it really stands best with elaboration about what those videogamey parts or reminders are.
In general, videogamey would be anything that strongly reminds me of video game play that I am familiar with. As such, I think it really stands best with elaboration about what those videogamey parts or reminders are.
lutecius
Explorer
this...
... and this. marks, special-move gauges and actions resulting in unrelated flashy effects are the worst offenders imo.
to me, "vidogamey" mostly means "gamey" because those features are more commonly found in videogames (again, it's a continuum) but this is becoming less true with the new generation of videogames and the recent err... trend in tabletop rpgs.
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