Do You Know What You're Doing?
Do you know what you're doing? For clarification, this question is regarding video games and not how you run your life. The latter would make for an interesting discussion but that is not what I am asking. On this occasion the question is to establish whether you are the sort of player who strives to understand the mechanics of a video game? Do you make it your business to become au fait with all the statistics and the formulas behind them? Do you keep a spreadsheet filled with data pertaining to your gear or build? Do you fully comprehend the consequences of swapping out an item and seeing a particular statistic increase or decrease. Does all of this inherently appeal to you and contribute to overall the enjoyment you get from a game? If the answer is yes, then bravo. I kind of admire your dedication to this aspect of gaming. Because I tend to switch off when it comes to min-maxing.
I suspect that I’m not the only person like this. That’s not to say I have no understanding of what all the numbers mean in any given video game. I usually have a broad overview but nothing more. Take the MMORPG The Lord of the Rings Online for instance. I know what statistics are important for my primary character, the Lore-master. Hence, whenever I replace gear, I naturally choose items that will increase key numbers. However, that is as far as my knowledge goes. In a game such as LOTRO that can be sufficient to get by. Fortunately the game doesn’t punish players for their lack of understanding. High end gear is available from several sources and you simply pursue that which is achievable. Sadly not all games take such an equitable approach, with many delighting in their own arcane nature. I find both Star Wars:The Old Republic and Star Trek Online to have very complex gear mechanics. Furthermore, both games do a poor job of explaining themselves.
The most practical solution to these complexities is to simply follow a build that other players have posted online. I did this recently while playing Dragon’s Dogma 2. I found a gear and skills loadout for a ranged class which suited my play style and replicated it on my character. I subsequently stuck with it throughout my play through. I guess this is a textbook example of “standing on the shoulders of giants” but I suspect that a substantial percentage of gamers do this. For many, the complexity of in-game systems is actually an impediment to gameplay. We all approach games differently and therefore do not necessarily find enjoyment in the same things. Some players like the challenge of learning and understanding underlying mechanics. The idea of researching, tracking data and ultimately finding a formula for an optimal build is integral to their overall gaming experience. Others, myself included, expect a learning curve but balk at excessive “homework”.
There is another aspect to this element of gaming. Some game developers see the complexities of gear, builds and systems as a means to monetise their games. Star Trek Online excels at this. Getting the right mix of gear and traits on an appropriate ship massively increases your survivability and DPS output. Again, this is a game where the builds can be very complex and the mathematics behind them intricate. Hence most players try and get by following the prevailing game meta. However, the most effective builds will often include items that are only obtainable by spending money, such as a trait or console that can only be found on a premium ship. I recently tried to replicate a build based around Beam Overload but could only easily source 60% of what was required. To get the remaining 40% of items would have cost £30. So I improvised. The result has been functional but not optimal.
I wrote a long time ago about “the average LOTRO player”. I used that MMO as a personal frame of reference but I thought at the time that the points made in the post were applicable to other games. Having recently re-read the post I still stand by assertions. Many gamers are not “ high end players”. They often buy a game primarily because they want to have fun and play with their friends. Although most gamers acknowledge that a new title has a learning curve, that doesn’t mean that they will by default spend hours reading and watching videos prior to playing. Jumping into the proverbial deep end is by far the most common approach. I suspect that very few players truly play a game in the manner that the developers expect. So in answer to the question “Do you know what you're doing?”, I suspect the most common answer is “not especially so” and that is the way the majority of gamers like it.
