I think I have a "gaming syndrome" - is this bad?

[Icecap Veiwin]

By "gaming syndrome", I mean my gaming habits. I've been getting my hands on every action game, platformer, fighter, or shmup I can. I've played them, loved every minute of them. Practically every game is enjoyed.

Except for one genre: RPGs.

RPGs have become the little underrated alien. The fast-paced games have given me impatience -- I grow weary of the RPG's within two hours. Plus, the stories just seem dull and boring.

Is this syndrome curable? What are the remedies?

[FatCobra]

Mario & Luigi: Superstar Saga is an RPG that I like to call "the cure for the common RPG." The story is funny, and every battle has alot of interaction.

[crithit5000]

I used to enjoy RPGs. But much like you I moved onto shooters and other games that require more patience. It's not necessarily a bad thing, really.

[Stormwatch]

Force yourself through Myst.

[Vexorg]

I think the genre lost me back around FFVI or so, when things started getting too complex. All the espers, materia, blitzes and limit breaks just take too much figuring out. I don't think I've managed to finish an RPG since Lufia on the SNES. I did pick up Mario and Luigi: Partners in Time recently, and that one's pretty good, although I'm not sure if I'm ever going to finish that one either. I just don't have the attention span for RPGs these days.

[Dave_K.]

I think shmups have given me Attention Deficent Disorder.

[CIT]

Traditional-style Japanese RPGs bore me no end. I used to play them all the time about 10 years ago, but the last one that really got me hooked was Persona 2, which does a lot of things differently from other RPGs. Really, I can't handle the simple turn based battle systems anymore. I tried Golden Sun and Lunar Legend on GBA and those even have automated battles (actually, so does Persona 2), where you just lean back and intervene every once in a while to do some healing, etc, it's ridiculous. Why even use this battle system then? It's too boring!

So yeah, basically I don't play anymore traditional RPGs, what I still like though are Strategy RPGs and Action Adventures. Last one I finished was Dew Prism (Threads of Fate). Really nice game, although the early poly graphics are a bit "clunky" now.

I also have Princess Crown for Saturn lined up for this holiday season. Should be one of the best games on the system.

[SAM]

RPGs have become the little underrated alien. The fast-paced games have given me impatience -- I grow weary of the RPG's within two hours. Plus, the stories just seem dull and boring.

I got the more serious syndrome than you.

I can't play even platformer now... I don't have the patience wait for the platform to rise or lower to a better height. I go off running and jump right the way and usually getting myself killed...

RPG is even harder to me. I feel it very slow spase. I use to enjoy playing them in the old days, what had came to me?!?!

Is this syndrome curable? What are the remedies?

For myself, I think this changes is due to I got less and less time playing games and I want more action packed gaming section. And thus RPGs are nolonger suit me.

Unless you could relax and get yourself more gaming time, you couldn't enjoy a slow space game like RPG.

I play RPG (Dragon Quest VIII) nowadays when I am too tired for shumps... But then I usually end up playing slot meachine in the casino... I keep pulling the slot meachine till I fall asleep.... I woke up the next with the game still playing the casino music...

It seems that I would stuck in the casino forever.

[ST Dragon]

By "gaming syndrome", I mean my gaming habits. I've been getting my hands on every action game, platformer, fighter, or shmup I can. I've played them, loved every minute of them. Practically every game is enjoyed.

Except for one genre: RPGs.

RPGs have become the little underrated alien. The fast-paced games have given me impatience -- I grow weary of the RPG's within two hours. Plus, the stories just seem dull and boring.

Is this syndrome curable? What are the remedies?

Just try out Zelda III on the SNES and your syndrome will be cured in no time!

[professor ganson]

I think shmups have given me Attention Deficent Disorder.

Yeah, it's pretty much arcade action only for me these days. As I've said many times, fetch quests are just too much like my everyday tasks of running a household. I have no time for it: just give me fast-paced action.

There is a real cost: games that appeal to me in many ways, like those in the Zelda series or strategic games like Advance Wars, just don't fit into my life. That's a shame. I used to be very good at chess in my teens, and I've had to give that up as well.

[Ganelon]

Wait, are you trying to get rid of your "gaming syndrome" or your indifference towards RPGs? For the former, I wish I knew. For the latter, try a sidescrolling ARPG like Exile, Popful Mail, or Cadash first. If that interests you, go to top-down ARPGs and advance from there. Otherwise, if you like strategy games a lot, go for an SRPG first like Langrisser I-V, Tactics Ogre, or Final Fantasy Tactics (Fire Emblem is NOT recommended unless you enjoyed Advance Wars, in which case it's highly recommended). Then, try and move your way to traditional RPGs.

[Andi]

Wait, are you trying to get rid of your "gaming syndrome" or your indifference towards RPGs? For the former, I wish I knew. For the latter, try a sidescrolling ARPG like Exile, Popful Mail, or Cadash first. If that interests you, go to top-down ARPGs and advance from there. Otherwise, if you like strategy games a lot, go for an SRPG first like Langrisser I-V, Tactics Ogre, or Final Fantasy Tactics (Fire Emblem is NOT recommended unless you enjoyed Advance Wars, in which case it's highly recommended). Then, try and move your way to traditional RPGs.

For real. Action RPG's.

Or better yet - Sigma Star Saga. It's got some RPG shit but then battles are handled on a shooter screen.

[ST Dragon]

Why don't you play CastleVania SOTN?
That should get you started.

[umi]

I agree, play some action rpg's. My recommendation is the legend of alundra... damn that was a wicked game.

[ST Dragon]

Now that I think of it, Zone of The Enders 1 for the PS-2, even though it’s 3D Shoot Em Up, it utilizes non-linear gameplay, back-tracking level layout, a cool story line and quite a few adventure / RPG elements, compared to the visually superior ZOE2.

Also Hexen, Hexen II & their respective Expansion (PC), have tones of RPG/Adventure stuff to get you started.

These might help too.

[Rob]

Except for one genre: RPGs.

RPGs have become the little underrated alien. The fast-paced games have given me impatience -- I grow weary of the RPG's within two hours. Plus, the stories just seem dull and boring.

I used to feel this way for maybe two years. It passed on its own, I guess when I realized RPGs were far more relaxing and shooters can be just as boring (i.e. waiting for the first half or more of the game to end each time to get to the real action).

Alundra is maddening, don't play that. Try Beyond Oasis. 5 hours maybe, beat 'em up style action in an action/RPG.

[professor ganson]

shooters can be just as boring (i.e. waiting for the first half or more of the game to end each time to get to the real action).

The one (?) virtue of being only an average gamer! Usually shooters bore me only on the first level.

[umi]

I used to feel this way for maybe two years. It passed on its own, I guess when I realized RPGs were far more relaxing and shooters can be just as boring (i.e. waiting for the first half or more of the game to end each time to get to the real action).

Surely you play your shmups on max difficulty, then? :/

[Fighter17]

After playing and beating FFVII, FFVIII, and FFIV in a row, I gotten sick of tired of RPGs! I can still play a action RPG like Popful Mail and the newer Castlevania games, but that's it. I don't like RPGs that much, and I never will. I still love the platformers, like Sonic.

[Rob]

I used to feel this way for maybe two years. It passed on its own, I guess when I realized RPGs were far more relaxing and shooters can be just as boring (i.e. waiting for the first half or more of the game to end each time to get to the real action).

Surely you play your shmups on max difficulty, then? :/

I don't mean to brag, but levels 1 & 2 are a breeze.

[Neon]

I used to feel this way for maybe two years. It passed on its own, I guess when I realized RPGs were far more relaxing and shooters can be just as boring (i.e. waiting for the first half or more of the game to end each time to get to the real action).

That just means it's a poorly designed shmup. Gotta play one that'll take a lot of skill to clear the first level with a really high score, rather than just getting through. That way you always have something to work on.

I have problems with RPG's as well, I get impatient and the stories are typically dumb. Definitely not my thing.

[Rob]

That just means it's a poorly designed shmup. Gotta play one that'll take a lot of skill to clear the first level with a really high score, rather than just getting through. That way you always have something to work on.

Yep, this is why I have (only) about 5 shooters on standby. I can play 1 for months, because they're about perfect. Point I was trying to make is that shooters aren't universally more exciting. There are a lot of games that have a lot of boring.

[umi]

I used to feel this way for maybe two years. It passed on its own, I guess when I realized RPGs were far more relaxing and shooters can be just as boring (i.e. waiting for the first half or more of the game to end each time to get to the real action).

Surely you play your shmups on max difficulty, then? :/

I don't mean to brag, but levels 1 & 2 are a breeze. 8)

Mmm, so they should be... :P In any genre...