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"Are browser based games more addictive than graphical games?"

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Tue 27/11/01 at 14:05
Regular
Posts: 787
I have recently been playing a browser based game called Planetarion. Although it does not have any graphics, it is played in real time, and is very addictive. I know that many good video games are also addictive, but would these motivate you to get up at 3 o'clock in the morning just to improve your score? The fact is that these games give you a realistic chance to play dictator. In real life you would not see the units you control fight and destroy the enemy. So why should you in a game? It makes it more unrealistic and even on some occasions boring after short periods of time.
I admit, some browser based roll playing games are the extremes of boredom, but most take a very intelligent person to be able to play them effectively. I believe that these games can draw you to such lengths as you will break friendships or stay up all night due to the effective realism of the game, you actually start believing you are the person you are playing at being.
I would like to get feedback on what other people think and if you have any reccomendations of good strategy games on consoles or PC.
Tue 27/11/01 at 16:41
Regular
Posts: 23,216
"the characters using them were quickly deleted. Permanently."

Jese.
Tue 27/11/01 at 15:21
Regular
"Copyright: FM Inc."
Posts: 10,338
Yep, browser based games are very addictive purely because you are up against not just a couple of mates but up against hundreds or even thousands of human opponents, so the better you can do the better you will feel about your gaming prowess.

Trouble with Plantarion is the bots. People don't actually physically login to improve their scores, they have scripts running the game for them, they just login once a week to select specific targets for their alliance if called upon.

So I left PA at the end of last round, there was no way I was going to compete in a game which didn't have and still doesn't have a level playing field.

Now I'm playing Legend of Mir instead, it's pay to play, but less cheating, although there have been the odd speedhacks used (they allow you to strike an opponent about 9 times faster than usual, making you pretty much invincible), but the characters using them were quickly deleted. Permanently.

The other reason browser based games are generally so addictive is the fact that the more time you put into developing your ingame persona the more you get out of the game, both in terms of the thriving communities that invariably spring up around the games, and in terms of the power that you can wield ingame. Those that invest more time than others will generally have a much bigger advantage than those that only play on a weekend or a weekday evening.

Developers are now trying to address this second issue by various methods (one RPG allows you to level up, but only at certain times, so no matter how fast you hit level 10 for example, you'll still have to wait a few weeks before you can start levelling from level 10-15 and so on). This allows the part-time players, who've paid the same subscription as you have, to catch up and compete as fairly as possible.

The final reason for the addictiveness of browser based games is generally the length of time that the games run for. Some RPGs are open ended with no limits on how far and powerful you can make your character.

Legend of Mir caps players at level 50, but in 6 months or so the highest level attained is around level 40, level 50 won't be attained for at least another 6 months at which time they will increase the cap to 70 or so.

In Planetarion a 'season' lasts 2-6 months, usually at the whim of the creators, again there is no limit to how fast and large you can make your score (although with PA last round as soon as your score hit 2 billion you went into negative figures and dropped off the leaderboard, simple bug, but annoying nonetheless).

These types of game usually stop being addictive when you personally get 'hammered', i.e. a large alliance decides they've had enough of you and crush all your hard work that you've built up over the last few weeks or even months. Even then, it can still be fun to get some payback on the smaller more irksome players that you have encountered previously, or attempt a comeback by rallying friends and acquaintances in game for a retaliation strike.

The browser based games genre is a dog eat dog world, but yes, very addictive.
Tue 27/11/01 at 14:36
Regular
"Not your monkey"
Posts: 2,104
not a browser game but i just thought i would mention it because it is so damn addictive...........

DOPE WARS!!!!!!
:D

The maker of that game is a genius and should be knighted
Tue 27/11/01 at 14:31
Posts: 0
I play browser based games all the time at school as its the only GOOD thing that hasnt been blocked! and they do get quite adictive !!!!!
Tue 27/11/01 at 14:16
Posts: 0
I agree. There are many browser-based games around at the moment such as Planetarion and Mechwars and they are much more addictive than graphic-based games. Although some graphic-based games will provide hours of enjoyment but Planetarion has had me staying up simply to launch fleets of ships against a long-lasting enemy or to organise a galaxy attack on an opposing alliance. The fun never runs dry!!
Tue 27/11/01 at 14:05
Posts: 0
I have recently been playing a browser based game called Planetarion. Although it does not have any graphics, it is played in real time, and is very addictive. I know that many good video games are also addictive, but would these motivate you to get up at 3 o'clock in the morning just to improve your score? The fact is that these games give you a realistic chance to play dictator. In real life you would not see the units you control fight and destroy the enemy. So why should you in a game? It makes it more unrealistic and even on some occasions boring after short periods of time.
I admit, some browser based roll playing games are the extremes of boredom, but most take a very intelligent person to be able to play them effectively. I believe that these games can draw you to such lengths as you will break friendships or stay up all night due to the effective realism of the game, you actually start believing you are the person you are playing at being.
I would like to get feedback on what other people think and if you have any reccomendations of good strategy games on consoles or PC.

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