Games, wasting of life?

[LeonRegis]

I like games and try to play the minimum is possible, but sometimes when I'm doing nothing I go and play. When I finish play or the game i fell empty, I know that I have fun but I did win nothing (Useful abilities, projects, etc), when I'm truespacing (Modeling in Truespace), I don't have that necessity to play, but when I start a object and is hard to do certain part of it I go and play, I think I could do useful things instead play, like play guitar, read a book, model in Truespace, draw, paint, exercise, a lot of useful stuff...

I know that most of you are adults and don't play anymore or never was a player, but express your opinion about that subject one whose power of influence is huge and is taking control of all entertainment media!

Thanks

[nigec]

You could use Truespace to create games
You don't need to just use 3D game software, you can just render images for 2D and cubic engines, also TS has a flash plugin for creating swf's
there's loads of free 2D engines from simple text games to cubic panoramics, to name a few:
Adrift 4.51, text adventure system, VERY easy to use
AGS for classic point and click adventure games
Wintermute can do 2.5D ie 3D characters in a 2D world
Pipmak does cubic games, you need trueblues cubiccam from the other forum.. Pipmak isn't that easy and a WIP

not so free
Visionaire better than AGS
Adventure maker very easy to use but to expensive for what it can do

There is a load of 3D game engines that are free but your talking a whole heap of work..

Just messing about with game engines could help in the future, I taught myself Flash,learnt everything I could about a game engine, made a few small games and landed a Job for a an american games company, I also use TS for creating content for them..

Funny but I don't play that many games, I'm more likely to look at them and try to figure out how stuff was done, look at the controls and see if people like them and see what people liked and disliked about the game.


If you do try to do a game.. THINK SMALL! you'll never make a game like Monkey Island or another Call of Duty, just do a single room escape game and grow from there

[LeonRegis]

I was thinking do a game in truespace, but I first need to learn programing! Anyway the topic is abou Games and life, not about truespace, thanks for the information...

[Karthogen]

Depends on how you look at the games.

If you are stuck on a modeling problem and getting burned out, it is good to take a step back and relax so you can approach it from another angle in a little while. If the games help you relax, clear your mind and perhaps help you get past a modeling Block, then they have done something.

[Breech Block]

For me, the two go hand-in-hand. When I play games like COD or GOW, I find that they act as catalyists for me to create better work in tS. Modern computer games are filled with stunningly detailed characters, fantastic landscapes and some pretty awesome cinematics. Knowing they were all created in 3D inspires me and makes me think that if I apply myself to the task, then one day I will be able to create equally impressive work.

And, as already pointed out, when you hit a mental block or are battling some technical 3D issues, there is nothing like blasting away at some aliens for a few hours to help clear the mind.

[LeonRegis]

Great explanation Breech and Karthogen, thanks...

[moogaloonie]

Don't be so quick to assume that adults don't play. It seems like everyone plays something, even if it's someone playing Solitaire at work, or my mom playing Brain Age at home. A good game captures my imagination and makes me want to create something myself. You can't just make everything you do into something productive, you need to kill time once in a while. When you get stuck in a project, think of it like a game. Is the solution right in front of you? Did you breeze through the easy levels without leveling up enough?

I have the same problem. Years ago I built a car body from scratch in one night, in Aegis Modeler on an Amiga 2000, one triangle at a time. Except for a few basics and the mirror command, I could barely use the program. I just knew each triangle was one point added to the last and dove in and started modeling. Now I look at programs like zBrush, 3D-Coat, even trueSpace, and have no idea what to do with them. As the tools get easier to use the option paralysis gets worse. Less limits = more choices. Work from a drawing if you have to, just don't work without a plan as you will stall when it's not clear where to go. I should try it myself one of these days.

But I digress. There was a great quote from the father of Tetris, Alexey Pazhitnov, in an issue of Edge or Games magazine. He said that people were always coming up to him and saying that he had no idea how much time they had wasted with Tetris. He'd ask them if they had fun, and when they'd say yes, he'd say "then it wasn't time wasted!".

[LeonRegis]

I agree practically in everything, I know that is fun and Humans and Games are made each other but why do not have fun with other things and in the same time learn things, and develop abilities! And I know that adults use games and a know some addicted , I think is good with responsibility, it's like a drug: vitiate, you can have an overdose, lose your relationships, be fired, if you consume with responsibility you can benefit...

Anyway I think world would be better without games, we always give a way, and humans are the best for the fun, create parties, I don't know but games are not essential and we can distress with other thing more useful than games, but after his creation will never disappear

Thanks

[Steinie]

These games are permanently installed on my Computer and I go to them
when I want to relax.
Rome -Total War + Barbarian Invasion
F-1 Challenge 99-02
Silent Hunter III
2002 FIFA World Cup
Age of Empire III
Microsofty Flight Sim X
I played Wolfenstein since it was a sprite.
These obviously are not the latest games out there but a fun game
is a fun game.

I like all the Medal of Honor and Call of Duty games. I'm still in search of
the perfect Tank game.
See adults aren't so boring.

[LeonRegis]

Here is my game configuration

Combat Flight Simulator*
Rise of Nations*
Rise and Fall
Need for Speed 2*
Simcity*
Age of Empires 3 (All expansions)
World in Conflict*
Bus Driver
The Sims 3*
Pro Evolutions Soccer 2009
Star Wars Republic Commando
Spore

(I can post a fast review of all these games if anyone is interested in buy)

* Most Played

You can see that I'm a assiduous Strategy player

About the tank games, is really hard to found, I have this one if check up to see if is ''perfect''
http://www.zeroballistics.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Correcting the information: Some adults aren't boring

Best Regards