Playing With Yourself Feels Good, Doesn't It?

Are you the type of gamer who thrives on the rich worlds of EVE Online or World of Warcraft, worlds made more realistic by the semi-real interactions with other flesh and blood gamers? 'Cause, man, I am so not. And neither is Wired's Clive Thompson, who writes today about the joys of playing solo, even in games that simulate, in a fashion, big open worlds filled with personalities like Fable II.

To some degree, I can chalk up my own disinterest in the tedium of massively multiplayer online games. Grinding away on "kill X number of Monster Y and report back" style missions just aren't my thing. But it's really the potential for social interaction that does these games in for me.

Obligation gaming, the guilt of not being available for a gaming session, regardless of the genre — I even hate feeling trapped by first-person shooter social calls — is what makes me a gaming shut-in. A virtual Man's Best Friend, like the one in Fable II is about all I can handle.

Thompson looks at it a bit differently, writing "The fact that I know I'm the only person actually alive makes the game seem all the more dreamlike, as if everything — those mountain ranges, those creepy beetles — really is taking place inside my head."

True, bots suck, as does being verbally berated online by little boys who have just discovered the F-word.

Even in a perfect world, though, where everyone else might be a gentlemanly good sport, I think I'd prefer to do most of my gaming alone. Am I the only one?

http://kotaku.com/5075486/playing-wi...good-doesnt-it

For me it depends entirely on the game. I have, over the years, been less and less involved with MP gaming. That said I wont buy a MP game and never experience the MP!

I find that with games that have no MP, ie BioShock, DeadSpace, Mass Effect,etc. The storyline is usually top notch and the overall gameplay is just as good (less glitches). Some multiplayer games focus on the MP to much and the SP suffers as a result *cough*Battlefield: Bad Company *cough*

Peace

I do believe I am in the same boat with you. There is nothing better than sitting down with a brand new game and working through the story. Don't get me wrong though I will boot up a FPS and frag a few people but the repetition of killing, dying, spawning brings only so much enjoyment. To me the story is what makes me want to purchase a game especially the Final Fantasy series, love them all.

Young people who play games online really do dwindle a positive experience in pretty much most cases. Example being my younger brother age 15. He does absolutely nothing but sit on his 360 and play Call of Duty 4. When you come into hearing range of him all you hear are curse words and other people in the match saying obscene things and thats it, nothing productive. You never hear strategy being talked about or anything like that. It is either, F this F that, or in one case someone repeating "suck my balls" for 30 minutes. I for one do not want to hear that for 30 minutes of game time.

I like your point about the obligation to the gaming. It also raises a question though, is that the reason for playing the game like it will cease to exist the next day or is the game really that good? Personally, I get no enjoyment out of MMO games for I see no actual point to the game and being that it has no end when do I stop playing? I see MMO games as a fad that goes out of style the next time one is released or friends/clan/guild members move on.

In conclusion I'd rather play by myself also (that sounds funny).

The only multiplayer games I enjoy now are co-op games like Gears of War, or the good old Halo 3 death-match.
MMORPGs are my bane. I used to love FFXI and PSU, and I hate them. Every time I tried to get into it, the time sink involved was physically painful. Not to mention all the elitist ass-hats who feel the need to criticize you about your gear, and people who try to micro-manage you. Most people were nice, but there were some elitist schmucks.
The only online game I am looking forward to is LBP (xmas present), and Animal Crossing Wii.

Yeah its fun :)

I honestly thought for a second this post was a joke, but after reading it is pretty valid. It's sorta like puzzle games when you play by yourself, which are of course fun.

but then there are also games which combine the best of both worlds. from out of no where F.E.A.R. that had a great story line for those who were actually brave enough to play it through, and also a fun and fast multiplayer, which was also released free.
Love F.E.A.R.
but better single player :P