Right now, actually. I'm done with gaming, probably for good.
I think the problem started when 4E came out, which looked like my perfect fantasy RPG on paper, but in play is really just a bunch of people reciting numbers at eachother. *yawn* People claim that this is a by-product of the group I was with, but those people are liars. No one has been able to provide a single recorded example of a game session wherein combat (the most common type of conflict in games) doesn't drone on in a litany of metagame language. 4E itself didn't kill my interest in gaming however, I pretty much hate all games these days. ESPECIALLY 3.x/Pathfinder.
I find that I just plain hate modern games. The problem as I see it, is that the companies that produce modern games figured out that the market has more players than GM's, so games tend to be player-centric, meaning that the games really make it a point to fellate the whole number-crunching, character-build culture that I just plain can't stand, while also relegating the GM from referee to powerless ass clown who's function is to provide imaginary punching bags and character rewards.
This development is bad, because it isn't fun. No, really, it isn't fun at all. Steamrolling every challenge with impunity is an empty way to play. Whether gamers realize it or not, they are never more engaged and immersed in the action, than when things are there most harrowing. You really get into the game when you think your character is going to die.
Maybe it's not accurate to say that I hate modern games. I hate modern gamers.
Old school games and their derivatives also suck. The rules are stupid and counterintuitive. The fluff suffers from having worshipped at the altar of Tolkien for far too long. I don't have any interest in sci-fi or war games. Superhero games have rules that are just as convoluted as fantasy games. Also, while I DO think that a large degree of risk is necessary for a game, I want more than just going room to room in a dungeon and avoiding death through battles of semantics with the DM ("You said you were checking for poison needle traps, not pendulous blade traps. Now roll up a new character).
Narrative games aren't my cup of tea. Many aren't set up for longterm games, and any character advancement rules are tacked on as an after thought.
Basically, every game out there fails on some vital level for me. Any game that people suggest I can guarantee that I will find 10 things I hate about it. Nevermind the fact that getting people together for a game that isn't D&D/Pathfinder is pretty much destined to fail. I'm not going to play a tabletop RPG online, because playing a social game online defeats the entire purpose of playing a social game for me.
So yeah, this hobby is pretty much dead for me and has nothing of value to offer any longer. I'm out.
I think the problem started when 4E came out, which looked like my perfect fantasy RPG on paper, but in play is really just a bunch of people reciting numbers at eachother. *yawn* People claim that this is a by-product of the group I was with, but those people are liars. No one has been able to provide a single recorded example of a game session wherein combat (the most common type of conflict in games) doesn't drone on in a litany of metagame language. 4E itself didn't kill my interest in gaming however, I pretty much hate all games these days. ESPECIALLY 3.x/Pathfinder.
I find that I just plain hate modern games. The problem as I see it, is that the companies that produce modern games figured out that the market has more players than GM's, so games tend to be player-centric, meaning that the games really make it a point to fellate the whole number-crunching, character-build culture that I just plain can't stand, while also relegating the GM from referee to powerless ass clown who's function is to provide imaginary punching bags and character rewards.
This development is bad, because it isn't fun. No, really, it isn't fun at all. Steamrolling every challenge with impunity is an empty way to play. Whether gamers realize it or not, they are never more engaged and immersed in the action, than when things are there most harrowing. You really get into the game when you think your character is going to die.
Maybe it's not accurate to say that I hate modern games. I hate modern gamers.
Old school games and their derivatives also suck. The rules are stupid and counterintuitive. The fluff suffers from having worshipped at the altar of Tolkien for far too long. I don't have any interest in sci-fi or war games. Superhero games have rules that are just as convoluted as fantasy games. Also, while I DO think that a large degree of risk is necessary for a game, I want more than just going room to room in a dungeon and avoiding death through battles of semantics with the DM ("You said you were checking for poison needle traps, not pendulous blade traps. Now roll up a new character).
Narrative games aren't my cup of tea. Many aren't set up for longterm games, and any character advancement rules are tacked on as an after thought.
Basically, every game out there fails on some vital level for me. Any game that people suggest I can guarantee that I will find 10 things I hate about it. Nevermind the fact that getting people together for a game that isn't D&D/Pathfinder is pretty much destined to fail. I'm not going to play a tabletop RPG online, because playing a social game online defeats the entire purpose of playing a social game for me.
So yeah, this hobby is pretty much dead for me and has nothing of value to offer any longer. I'm out.
