Hey all! Welcome back to Cream Basics. Sorry for the last post, but it's better late than never right? Toxicity between different gaming communities has been a thing for awhile now. "Sony ponies" making fun of "Nintoddlers" and so on. To be fair, we grow up with these companies and have some of our fondest memories playing their games, so it makes sense that we'd feel a sort of attachment to their hardware and software. And it's natural to be defensive when someone attacks something you hold so close. Maybe a certain franchise really stuck with you, or maybe you prefer a certain aesthetic to your games. You might've had some of the best times of your life playing Halo with your friends (and still do) and so attacks against Microsoft hit extra hard. Perhaps you're like me and grew up with Nintendo and love how colorful and cheerful their games are, so you feel personally attacked when someone discredits them as a company and dismisses fans of the Big N as "mindless fanboys." The thing is, these attacks always come from another gaming community. The same person who dooms the Nintendo Switch's year-one lineup will be defending Sony's lackluster E3 showing to the grave. It's all subjective. Microsoft's Xbox One X reveal might've struck out hard to one person, but another might've seen everything they wanted to out of that conference. Everyone's entitled to their opinion, but it's when people state their opinions as facts where things go left. Opinions are just that--opinions. What any one critic thinks isn't going to impact a company's success or your enjoyment of that company's product. No matter how objective they try to sound, their views weigh just as much as yours. Some media personalities have reach, and gaming journalists have an audience, but in the end, none of that should shake your foundation of enjoyment or happiness that comes from the games, developers and console makers you hold so dear. People love trolling fans to get reactions, always making themselves sound objective when in reality, they're just as passionate about something else. Trolls love to be fed man.
This is what happens when you lean too hard one way: it can have adverse effects. Being part of a gaming community is one of the best feelings ever, but when you're in that bubble for too long it can brainwash you. Over time you begin to think that your views are facts because everyone agrees with you, and you start to laugh at other gaming communities when, in fact, you're just as much of a fanboy as they are. And before you know, you're mocking other fanboys for their love of certain companies and developers and games. And you don't even think you're wrong for doing it. So guys, it's okay to be a fanboy or fangirl. We're all passionate about games and have ties to certain companies and communities. But hope for the success of others too. Share your thoughts, but be open to different thoughts. Wish the best for members of other gaming communities because you know how important yours is to you. In other words: Be a fanboy, but don't be an asshole. --Brent FC: 0251-7251-8736
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I think RPGs are made for those with the wildest of imaginations. They require a suspension of disbelief that not every gamer can muster. It's one thing for a racing game enthusiast to become lost in the joy of driving their favorite cars, or for a strategy purist to focus intensely on thinking 10 moves ahead of their opponent. For one to love RPGs, however, it takes an extraordinary willingness to be both open-minded and personally creative. Not only is the player stepping into a fictional (and, oftentimes, foreign) world, but they also have to be invested in making decisions that shape their character and gameplay experience. Though a wide array of people and personalities can be drawn to the genre, there are definitely several characteristics that they all share in common.
People come to RPGs in different ways. Some are attracted to the promise of huge open worlds to explore and multitudes of enemies to overcome. Others love the ability to customize their character and take them on a life-changing adventure. Still others are quite young when they're introduced to the genre via mainstays like the Pokemon and Final Fantasy series. This last one was definitely me; the first RPG I ever played was a Pokemon game, like many others born in the early '90s--specifically Pokemon Red. I'd played many other games by that time from a wide array of genres, but my first experience playing Pokemon changed my outlook on gaming forever. The bond I felt with the first five Pokemon I caught (plus my starter) was strong enough that I never swapped them out; I continued to catch others, but always kept my primary six. Traveling through the land, meeting new friends, and battling with my pals was incredible, especially the traveling aspect. From there I moved to something more traditional--Final Fantasy III. The first and only main series FF game I've finished, it blew my mind open to the excitement of traveling with a more traditional party and growing close to the characters over the course of the story. My love for games like Children of Mana, Tales of Symphonia, Blue Dragon and others all comes from the countless joy-filled hours I put into FFIII. The fantastical worlds and colorful characters appealed to my appetite for fantasy, and I found myself enjoying the escapism and storytelling I got from the game equally to that of Harry Potter, my favorite series of novels. There really is something about RPGs that just satisfies an innate craving in my soul for adventure and fantasy. But what about you guys? Do you feel the same way, or is it just me? Leave a comment below or hit me on Twitter @CreamBasics and let me know your experiences and thoughts with/about RPGs. Peace! Lately I've been spending more time watching people on YouTube and Twitch play games than actually playing myself. Though there are a few games I'm currently in the middle of (and I'll make a "What I'm Playing" post soon), it's been awhile since I've really felt invested in a game the way I used to be with childhood favorites. There's a certain spark that's been missing from my gaming life.
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