• Hey, guest user. Hope you're enjoying NeoGAF! Have you considered registering for an account? Come join us and add your take to the daily discourse.

one issue i've kind of got on GAF

Keihart

Member
there have been threads like that but they never gain enough traction and get buried into the hot news and controversial ones, it makes sense since the forum format floats whatever has more engagement.
it's kinda shit, but it is like it is.
I've made threads with similar intentions but it never gets far, i guess the only way is to do a hot take on something and be very nuanced about why, maybe that would work, maybe, and even then, nothing guarantees a good discusion because the butthurt people enough to reply might just do surface level remarks.
 
Last edited:

Evolved1

make sure the pudding isn't too soggy but that just ruins everything
Any kind of nuanced discussion on game mechanics is exceedingly rare anywhere. 99% of it is reactionary hot takes, "this reminds me of this" comparisons, and other dumb shit.

Occasionally you'll find certain users worth reading, but they're few and far between. This isn't just gaming either... fact of life these days.
 

Beer Baelly

Al Pachinko, Konami President
Whats really annoying is the overabundance of reaction gifs.

Half Baked Boo GIF
 

Knightime_X

Member
In most cases, if you break down what is good or bad about a game, it might work against you and not seem all that negative. (or positive)
Additionally, you shouldn't use opinions as facts.

It's easier to just say good or bad with no explanation at all.
 

jm89

Member
Personally not really interested in depth discussion just haven't got the energy. I'd rather put that energy somewhere productive.......... someday
 

Calverz

Member
I know what you mean op. There’s times when I finish a game that I really enjoyed and consider doing a write up or a lttp on. But then I’m just lazy and think what is the point? Il just get told by someone else on how I’m wrong and what to think.

I actually think the emoji system needs to go in all honesty. This would help a little because it means people would then need to actually articulate a point/opinion.
 

tommib

Member
True story:

I had a lengthy post ready a few months back detailing my history with From Software games with screenshots timelines, game details, personal experiences, history of the company, etc. I was writing in Word with a nice layout and topics section - the whole shebang. And soon after I started to imagine all the shitposting coming. “From Software fans are cringe”, “From is overrated”, “From is shit for wannabe elitist GAmerZ” etc. I deleted the Word file and never posted.
 
Last edited:

Warablo

Member
Alright, I like TLOU 2 for its great graphics/animations and gore. The setting is great, but found the story pacing awful. Jumping back and forth. Tommy and Ellie turning into unlikeable characters while trying to build up Abby into a likeable character. Playing through the first half of the game building up to get to this conclusion then even another flashback that takes place for another 15 hours with flashbacks within flashbacks. You hate the switch but are forced to play through to see the end.

Then you are labelled into a bigot if you try to critique the game. So in short, TLOU 2 great animations, controls, and graphics. The story wasn't bad but found the pacing of the story telling of it bad.
 
Last edited:

feynoob

Banned
You know, dang it OP, you are right and good job bringing this to light. We need more legit, in-depth discussion about games around here.

I'm on board. Here's my critical analysis for why I like my favorite action game. Due to size, will put in spoiler tags.

wiiu_screenshot_tv_01nnoyz.jpg
Tom Cruise Smile GIF
 

Keihart

Member
i think another point to consider is that most people, have no idea why they like and dislike something, they are just used to say things like "the combat feels viceral" or "aiming is snappy" or "the pacing is so good" without any understanding of why, how and to what personal sensibilities does it appeal to feel like that, but this, this is not something i would expect from forum posters since not even most reviewers would bother to go to such lenghts.

Few people even care about how games do what they do, and even less people even stop to consider dev intentions.
 
Last edited:

MadPanda

Banned
I understand your point, but you have to realize that people don't have that much time to write essays on forums and even if they did, rarely anyone would read them beyond the introduction paragraph.
 
I’ve been on video game sites/forums for a while and one thing I’ve learned is that in depth discussion doesn’t really happen that much and most people just want to regurgitate talking points/buzzwords they’ve heard other people say once.

I’ve tried so many times on other sites to have decent discussions but usually the other party resorts to name calling or straw man arguments/putting words in my mouth and it’s gets nowhere.That’s why I stopped caring about it and mostly try and post funny stuff with the occasional serious point being brought up.
 

Bartski

Gold Member
nah, too much effort, drive-by gif shitposting is where it's at.

seriously tho there is more than enough good discussion to be had in OTs full of people actually playing the game in question and enjoying it.

Whats really annoying is the overabundance of reaction gifs.
peter dinklage middle finger GIF
 
I'd certainly be more active if there were more gameplay discussion threads, especially if I saw more aa and niche game topics.
 

64bitmodels

Reverse groomer.
this thread comes off as a bit hypocritical now seeing the abomination i made yesterday
i think another point to consider is that most people, have no idea why they like and dislike something, they are just used to say things like "the combat feels viceral" or "aiming is snappy" or "the pacing is so good" without any understanding of why, how and to what personal sensibilities does it appeal to feel like that, but this, this is not something i would expect from forum posters since not even most reviewers would bother to go to such lenghts.

Few people even care about how games do what they do, and even less people even stop to consider dev intentions.
Maybe it's because i watched a lot of 1+ hour game and TV show reviews but it's a bit strange to think that an enthusiast forum would have a hard time figuring out why they love something, especially considering that a majority of the people here are double my age
You know, dang it OP, you are right and good job bringing this to light. We need more legit, in-depth discussion about games around here.

I'm on board. Here's my critical analysis for why I like my favorite action game. Due to size, will put in spoiler tags.

wiiu_screenshot_tv_01nnoyz.jpg
hey a picture tells a thousand words so i'd say that counts!!!
I actually think the emoji system needs to go in all honesty. This would help a little because it means people would then need to actually articulate a point/opinion.
i think they're fine but like laughing emojis are a big culprit here. People who disagree with something simply LOL at it. If it's a reaction under a fully serious post it isn't much different from a downvote or a dislike. TBH i think thumbs up works for conveying that you found a post insightful/funny.
I understand your point, but you have to realize that people don't have that much time to write essays on forums and even if they did, rarely anyone would read them beyond the introduction paragraph.
true but you don't really need to type a whole essay. something like this
i think another point to consider is that most people, have no idea why they like and dislike something, they are just used to say things like "the combat feels viceral" or "aiming is snappy" or "the pacing is so good" without any understanding of why, how and to what personal sensibilities does it appeal to feel like that, but this, this is not something i would expect from forum posters since not even most reviewers would bother to go to such lenghts.

Few people even care about how games do what they do, and even less people even stop to consider dev intentions.
works just as well and actually promotes discussion about the game that isn't blind praise or hate. When you mention specific aspects and qualities about the game and how well you think they work it ends up promoting much more nuanced and intelligent discussion, which frankly we're in short supply of (not just in GAF but on the internet in general)
 

Humdinger

Member
I agree, although it's not specific to GAF. I've seen that at every gaming forum I've been a part of.

Truth is, providing thoughtful comments about a game takes time and effort, and most people don't want to expend those. They want to fire off brief ideas. Part of the issue is social media, too -- the Twitterfication of discourse plus the fact many are posting from cellphones, which makes issuing more than a paragraph a chore.

I am guilty as the next guy, although I try to avoid simple one-liners and memes, and I do occasionally post extensive thoughts about a game that I've put time into. I did that recently with Forbidden West:
https://www.neogaf.com/threads/thou...-west-from-a-big-fan-of-the-original.1642511/

I agree with your overall point, though. I wish there was more in-depth discussion of particular games. It doesn't have to be a long, detailed analysis -- in fact, I rarely read those. Some people can get really obsessive-compulsive and analytical about things. They go overboard, imo. I don't have the time or interest to read all the fine-grained analysis. Just hit the main points, the main pros and cons. It doesn't have to be a master's thesis.
 

LostDonkey

Member
I find this in daily life. I'll ask co-workers why they like a game and get the answer- because it got 10/10, it's a masterpiece!

I'm sure these people just blindfire their money at review scores, without even thinking about what they're playing. Like why do YOU think it's a good game, not the reviewer, YOU!

Most of them can't answer.
 
Last edited:
Top Bottom