Last One to Post Wins! v4

[Delta Crowned Sword]

This is interesting to me because given how long Chess has been around, and how popular it's been, you'd figure it'd become a solved game by now. Like the idea that with Tic-Tac-Toe, if both players know what they're doing, a game will always end in a draw. But Chess is something that people still play and still engage with to this day. I think that's really neat.

I am not an expert here, and had just learned playing on my own, hence don't consider my opinion as final.


If you go into beginner level, the people will teach you to play 1. e4-e5 games, whose sole target is to occupy the center. And then the wide array of games like Scotch Game, Italian Game, Ruy Lopez, Sicilian Defense, Austrian Opening, King's Gambit, Queen's Gambit, Bishop Gambit etc. are there, which many new players play. And in these games, first 10-12 moves are fixed.

But at higher level 1. d4, 1. c4, etc. are the most popular and are named Queen-pawn, King's Indian, English Opening, etc. with most robust and challenging being Queen's Indian Attack and Queen's Indian Defense, which is always said as QID. Queen's Indian is so much versatile that you can get the same pattern if even after 10-12 moves if you know what you are doing. Most Grandmasters play Queen's Indian in one form or another, hence for them ideas are fixed. If pattern recognition skills good enough then one can analyze the pattern, hence the games at that level is mostly wait and watch, and if no one makes terrible blunders, then both players shake hand and end the game as draw with mutual consent.



Statistically, chances of winning as white is around 35%, with black it is 30%.




Too bad that QID was shamed in the past because it was based on Indian Chess methods.........





















For me, games are only seen as mean of relaxation, because I am fully aware that achieving something there will not help to improve my life, nor it will reduce the difficulties which may arise. So I don't like to become completionist, and am rather content with whatever I can do.

I like the game where we make the high scores, because there is high degree of repeatability, rather than the games which most people play just due to story elements, and character arts. Though that's what I feel, and not expect anyone to agree with me.

 

[Megan]

I can relate to that feeling. There's a few games like Smash Bros that I've pretty much stopped playing entirely because it was frustrating to play against people so much better than me and lose constantly. Doesn't feel fun for me anymore which takes away my motivation to play it more to get better. Vicious cycle.

I think Smash is one of those games where playing as a casual player against others should always have all items enabled, all stages and their stage hazards enabled and of course: multple people playing. Like, you can be as good in competitive as you can be. But having to deal with all the mayhem should make it a little fairer. People play it for the skill but ultimately, it can still be played as a party game, as well.

 

[ReKoil]

Last time I played Smash was on the N64 with my brother. Never played it since .

 

[Lavender]

I play it with my older brother all the time!

 

[Delta Crowned Sword]

Only Mario game which I know is 2D side-scroller where we need to get past the levels. Apart from it, don't know anything about Mario.....

 

[Setsuna]

I think Smash is one of those games where playing as a casual player against others should always have all items enabled, all stages and their stage hazards enabled and of course: multple people playing. Like, you can be as good in competitive as you can be. But having to deal with all the mayhem should make it a little fairer. People play it for the skill but ultimately, it can still be played as a party game, as well.

Yeah, absolutely. It's often a lot more enjoyable with items or a funny weird ruleset or if we have people over and they want to play Smash instead of it just being the two of us on Battlefield or something. It's more interesting to have a unique experience instead of "the best person wins all the time"

Only Mario game which I know is 2D side-scroller where we need to get past the levels. Apart from it, don't know anything about Mario.....

Mario 64 is like the 3D video game, I think everyone should try it out even if they don't end up enjoying it or finishing it just to be able to see what it's like first-hand. Either that or so they understand the jokes when people reference them.

 

[ReKoil]

I played Mario 64 on the N64 and I mainly just remember a certain ice sliding penguin race being highly annoying for kid me xD

Still need to play the version from Super Mario 3D All stars, where I played the other two games first due to never having played those before =3

 

[Cosmega]

I don't think I've ever played Smash before.

 

[Delta Crowned Sword]

Mario 64 is like the 3D video game, I think everyone should try it out even if they don't end up enjoying it or finishing it just to be able to see what it's like first-hand. Either that or so they understand the jokes when people reference them.

Thanks for your explanation. I am grateful that you gave your time to explain this.




The real difference is that my upbringing had appeared without any games. I grew up playing sports, rather than games. Even the very first game which I played was Purple Place on Windows 7, which dates back to 2011, might be the time when I was in class 4th or 5th. It's not that my father can't buy me the game, but instead he wants me to be physically fit(though it deteriorated in 2018-19).

Hence gaming never became a thing for me. And even if I try to pick up the games, I can't play it for more than 2-3hrs as I will get bored rapidly, however the good the games are said by people.

I never got any things easily, despite that my father could do that. My parents taught me how to survive in situations which can check our calmness. I had even experienced the summer of 40+ degree Celsius without electricity in daytime as well, slept in winters without heating source at night, and had also traveled in the non-AC bus to commute to college by standing inside, and then walking the rest 2-3 km, and many more. If my father wanted, then he could have arranged a car from his office very easily, but he didn't. I am happy that I learned how to survive in the adverse scenarios.....

Games never became a thing for me, nor they will ever become. Hence I tend to stay away from talks which revolves around gaming, movies, songs, etc.....

 

[ReKoil]

I used to play Basketball a lot as a child, but the interest in it waned over time and then got killed off completely when the team I was on got... cancelled? Did only practice training for like 5 months and then just quit.

I've played games since a kid though, at first on a shared console with my siblings and later on by myself. Had to work and save up for anything game related I bought though.

 

[Setsuna]

Games never became a thing for me, nor they will ever become. Hence I tend to stay away from talks which revolves around gaming, movies, songs, etc.....

I dunno, video games are just fun to me. From reading your posts I get the feeling you're very dismissive towards them, but I genuinely believe they've made my life so much better and happier, and I don't like the idea of someone keeping themselves away from something that could give them enjoyment. I don't think telling yourself that they'll never become a thing for you is healthy. Obviously I'm not expecting to change your worldview but I want to speak up about this. I'm glad that you were grateful for my explanation. Out of curiosity, what do you do for fun, if it's not things like gaming, TV/movies, or music?

Obviously I'm not going to love every single one I play, that's like saying I'd be good at every sport or every form of art or whatever. But there are a lot of things I get out of my favourite video games that I wouldn't have if I didn't play them.
A lot of the time I'll play video games in order to relax or just to have something going on in my life. I think living without any hobbies or things you enjoy to do is boring. Even if I'm not super focused on the game I'm playing, it can help keep me relaxed and entertained. Especially if it's something with a lot of buttons I have to press, it can keep me occupied. I love the moments when I'm playing a more complicated part of a game while I talk with friends.
Video games can tell really good stories that have made me think harder about things or enjoy more things about life. There are a bunch of games where I've loved seeing two friends really happy being with each other and it makes me value my friends more. Some games have taught me how to cope with sad situations better or how to help someone who's hurting and make their life better. Even if a game doesn't have a good story, maybe it has a character who I think looks cool or pretty, and seeing them makes me happy. Playing a bunch of video games has taught me what I like about certain characters, and helped me find real life friends who have those same qualities.
They also give me a world that I can feel immersed in and feel like I'm part of. I love creating my own character to play as in a video game because I can feel like I'm a person in that world, and it lets me feel like my life can be more interesting or I can do things that I wouldn't be able to do in ordinary life. Sometimes I like just dressing up in a cute outfit in a video game and saying "This is my character, I made this". If I'm really into a game, maybe I can write about my character and give them a story and have fun with that, like how do they act, what do they like to do, things like that.

Maybe you just haven't found a game you enjoy enough, or aren't willing enough to spend your time on a game that you will enjoy if you gave it a chance? I didn't think I liked anime until I realized there were so many types and there were kinds I could enjoy too. Maybe they could be the same for you.

I used to play Basketball a lot as a child, but the interest in it waned over time and then got killed off completely when the team I was on got... cancelled? Did only practice training for like 5 months and then just quit.

I feel like a lot of people have that story of "I played sports when I was a kid but quit after a few months", mine was baseball. I remember being fairly good at it and it meant that I actually ended up being really good compared to the rest of my class when we had to do baseball for PE in high school. A lot of the time if I've ended up playing sports in school, I've gotten hit in the face or head with the ball. That usually sours my experience with it lol

 

[Delta Crowned Sword]

Very long passage ahead !!

⚠️⚠️⚠️☢️☢️

Spoiler:

From reading your posts I get the feeling you're very dismissive towards them

Indeed !!

Out of curiosity, what do you do for fun, if it's not things like gaming, TV/movies, or music?

As I had said to Megan, and had also put into my profile, that I don't have any hobbies which you mentioned. I only watch TV while having the meal, listen music when I am not able to fell asleep, play short games when traveling in bus or lying in train. And I don't like to watch movies at all.


Thinking a bit deeply, I don't think so that I do anything different for getting fun. If I am feeling bored, I just look around the room where I am or listen to various sounds coming at that moment, or just look out of the window to see birds flying, squirrels running around, etc. I usually don't do anything to get fun, hence I can't describe you what is "having fun". At the best, I go for some trip with my parents and enjoy the moments there.

Forum Games and Trivia are also the options.
Maybe I don't know what does fun means ? Maybe I need more clarity what does "fun" means ?

Writing the exact line from my profile, I only do two things; either I do my work, or do no work. When I do my things I do them, and when I not do that then I remain idle by lying on the bed, looking at the walls or ceiling. Otherwise I just observe what is happening around me.


Quite boring, isn't it ? But making me laugh is quite easy, and I can easily laugh even on dumb jokes.

Video games

Another thing which you missed knowing about me is that I get bored pretty easily. Even though I had played all Pokemon games till Ultra Sun, but I had never played any of them more than an hour at one sitting, because I don't feel the motive to continue and go ahead for longer time. Same happens with TV; I do watch matches but then I don't want to do it because something is always going back in the mind, which says me to just stop....

really good stories that have made me think harder about things or enjoy more things about life.

Doesn't our lives are story itself, which are affected by our choices ? Isn't it like nuzlocke, where we don't get second chance if time flies away ?


I usually don't enjoy fantasies and fictional things that much, and if I need to know the story, then I am better reading in books with texts, rather than comic-like presentation. I want to finish the story as soon as possible by reading, hence for that I don't want look into dialogues and presentation via arts.

I usually face lots of hardships which had eventually made me to think much more because I need to learn how to survive the phases by which I am going through.

There are a bunch of games where I've loved seeing two friends really happy being with each other and it makes me value my friends more.

So does this means that you didn't valued your friends that much before playing the games ?

I usually don't make friends anywhere easily, but to whom I had devoted my friendship are dear to me, and for that I don't need to play the games or watch animes.

Friendship proceeds on the ground of values and trust, respect and support.

My one-off friend whom I made during Bachelors was so much good that I can't describe. He taught me how to play table tennis from scratch, performed all the practicals with me only, prepared for all exams including end-sem and topic tests together, discussed many ideas, laughed on dumb jokes, talked a whole lot after the end of college. You won't believe, but he never went to his home before arrival of the bus to my area. I don't use any social media, hence any important announcement regarding our things was directly told to me by him on the call. During the off-hours, we used to go into our old classes to see and recall the memories there. Even our professors knew that we two are a team which is smaller on paper, but is better than other teams in the class.

And eventually we both ended up among the toppers by the end of course, with me being just 50-60 marks ahead !!

Now he is no longer in contact to me, because he went ahead, because I scored 5-6 marks less than him in the entrance exam, otherwise we two would have chosen the same institution. I don't remember when I had talked with him since January this year.....

We both never-ever quarreled or argued over any thing, and accepted the one which suited the best at the particular scenario.


It is much better than the story which you can find in the games, I suppose. I believe that I will also get the momentum to propel myself into the future which I want to get, and not miss the chance, like what happened last time.

it has a character who I think looks cool or pretty, and seeing them makes me happy.

I never like looking at characters.

Playing a bunch of video games has taught me what I like about certain characters, and helped me find real life friends who have those same qualities.

I disagree completely with this as well.

People automatically become friends with enough interactions and exchange of ideas.

I always sat at the last bench alone, which was the topmost bench as well. Entire class used to sit in front rows and the gap between the cluster was of 3-4 rows. I had never met or saw the friend about whom I mentioned in the past. On the 4th or 5th day of college, he came and sat at the other corner of last row, with myself being at left corner. Because we were strangers to each other, hence we just said hi, and discussed about what's happened so far in our syllabus. Slowly-slowly we both opened up, and then our friendship started. Our ideas were similar mostly, hence we didn't find it troublesome when we needed to complete the projects or assignments.


I don't believe in making lots of friends, but rather only one or two, but good enough to outweigh the entire hoards of friend-group.

They also give me a world that I can feel immersed in and feel like I'm part of. I love creating my own character to play as in a video game because I can feel like I'm a person in that world, and it lets me feel like my life can be more interesting or I can do things that I wouldn't be able to do in ordinary life. Sometimes I like just dressing up in a cute outfit in a video game and saying "This is my character, I made this". If I'm really into a game, maybe I can write about my character and give them a story and have fun with that, like how do they act, what do they like to do, things like that.

I see these as mean of dwelling away from reality. But the truth is that we can't go away from it unless we are dead, and those acts only delay the reality.


You used the term "ordinary life", referring to your own life. No life is ordinary in my opinion, and we should be grateful that we got to live. There are many people around the world who died at short age, or met unavoidable circumstances. Many people die every day; some even die after their birth, but see how great our life is that we are safe and enjoying each day, talking with people around the world.

I am not able to achieve what I want(that exam as of then) solely due to my wrong decisions. Had I made the correct choices during exams, then I could have done that.

Making myself topper, high-achiever and champion in the game will not turn me into that. And neither will making myself good there can turn me look like those characters.


And most importantly, it is important to know how our character is, than with making characters there. As Einstein had said that weakness of attitude becomes weakness of character. So it is important to improve our real life character by having better thought process and other related things which other experienced people can say, rather than me.

They also give me a world that I can feel immersed in and feel like I'm part of.

This is like daydreaming, and I am much better doing it while lying idle !!

Some games have taught me how to cope with sad situations better or how to help someone who's hurting and make their life better.

Experience is the best teacher; you might not have experienced tough situations that's why you wrote like that. You might have got comforts easily that's why you don't know tough situations.


I had experienced many adverse scenarios, for example, had you ever experienced living in the place with no electricity with temperature being 40+ degree Celsius; had you ever experienced the situation that when yours car got caught in middle of flood due to sudden heavy rain ? Had you ever faced life-threatening desperation ? Had you ever felt the pressure and mockery from 160-170 students around you ? Had you ever experienced failing in the entrance exam despite being topper in both college and school ?

Coping with the bad situation automatically develops if we are persistent to get through it, because time always moves ahead without stopping for us to get recovered. Hence we must keep going on whatever the situation is.

Maybe you just haven't found a game you enjoy enough, or aren't willing enough to spend your time on a game that you will enjoy if you gave it a chance?

I don't have any proper answer for this. But most probably it is second one, because my first target is to get what I want to do, and once I am settled, then I can think off enjoying the leisure. Even then, I don't think I can give that much time to happiness in the virtual world.

I tried to keep answer as simple as possible.


I usually remain frank, but the questions there brought me into serious mode, hence sorry if my reply hurt you.

 

[Megan]

That looks like depression and believe me: I know what depression looks like! ^^"

But it's still a good idea to open up for new things. If it takes you longer then that's alright. Everyone has their own pace.

 

[Delta Crowned Sword]

That looks like depression and believe me: I know what depression looks like! ^^"

But it's still a good idea to open up for new things. If it takes you longer then that's alright. Everyone has their own pace.

You will know much better than me for sure; but I am not much sure from my end.....
Except that phase in 2018-19, I had never felt so much pressure.



And again going through that reply, it seemed like you picked up the answer of what I do when I get bored(maybe). And thinking on it yet again, the reason why I wrote that has to do with my habit of observing things closely. I like the rhythmic sounds, be it sound of clocks ticking, birds singing, winds blowing, etc. I don't like to live in extreme silence, because that causes distraction due to some odd sounds.

My workplace(which is my room as of now) is not silent completely because fans are running, and birds are shouting outside. But then environment is calm because no one is around me.







I am lot more funny that what you know about me. Even if I am lying idle on bed, some sort of pranks are always building up in my mind to be honest. But I don't show my soft side to everyone around me. It takes me few days to know whether that person will like my humors or no, hence I don't show up much of my good side. At home, I usually use some sort of humor with people around me. Though I am not good at joking, but still something happens!

I am much better in sports which includes lots of them like football, cricket, handball, badminton, table-tennis, few of the track and field sports, cycling, trekking, etc. It is not like I don't play them now, but it has more to do with where I currently live, where I don't know anyone with whom I can play the sports. Hence cycling is my only game now. And I do that daily and go for 25km in a single go with around 1 hours of time. I am much more agile when it comes to sports.




And the main crux is that I enjoy more playing outside, than with playing and getting false feeling in virtual world. Games had never attracted me ever. My hobbies are based on fascinations in world of science, and that's why I don't want to talk much about it. Because it will become Study discussion then.

Since it has gone this much interesting, hence I need to clarify about games as well. All the games currently famous are very hectic and intensive which requires knowing all the elements. And as I had said, I want games for relaxation, hence I prefer very simple games which don't come with lots of theory and customizing. 2048 is one such game which I like. Flappy Bird as well, and other similar games which are minimalist in nature.

I don't like to watch anime and movies because I want to learn something, rather than looking and analyzing the story events.

I don't like musics because modern music offers so much pop, jazz, beats, which never felt relaxing and good to me. For me, music is all about melody and nothing else. But nowadays singers just shout in the mic to make people agitated(pointing at Taylor Swift), which is not a music at all for me. I am better off with the instrumentals with sense of calmness.


















Apart from that answer, I don't think any other answer is on that line. Because what I wrote for the rest is based on idea of living in reality and referring to our judgements to make new friends and learning from bad experiences.

If I missed something, then you should say me, and also please could you explain a bit how that reply was depressing, so that I can understand better ?


I wrote pretty much everything which I feel about those hobbies, hence I don't have more words to describe them differently.

 

[ReKoil]

I feel like a lot of people have that story of "I played sports when I was a kid but quit after a few months", mine was baseball. I remember being fairly good at it and it meant that I actually ended up being really good compared to the rest of my class when we had to do baseball for PE in high school. A lot of the time if I've ended up playing sports in school, I've gotten hit in the face or head with the ball. That usually sours my experience with it lol

I wouldn't call playing basketbal for 9 years on a team quitting after a few months

 

[Setsuna]

I wouldn't call playing basketbal for 9 years on a team quitting after a few months

Oh, that is... a long time. You mentioned doing practice training for 5 months so I figured it was just a few months like me. That's pretty cool.

 

[ReKoil]

Oh, that is... a long time. You mentioned doing practice training for 5 months so I figured it was just a few months like me. That's pretty cool.

hmmm... I probably didn't phrase it very clearly then...

I used to play Basketball a lot as a child, but the interest in it waned over time and then got killed off completely when the team I was on got... cancelled? Did only practice training for like 5 months and then just quit.

What I meant was: the team got cancelled, and then I did only practice training for 5 months due to not wanting to quit after all that time... but doing only training and no matches at all eventually had me quit anyway (after about 5 months). Doing practice only kinda became pointless to me.

 

[Delta Crowned Sword]

We see basketball as sports of US, and it is not popular as well here. I never got interested in basketball(as big height is necessary for getting selected).

Instead I went deep into badminton, where my comparative lesser height became an advantage to me against heighted players as my shots were very flat, hence I managed to catch opponents at awkward angles !!

 

[Setsuna]

What I meant was: the team got cancelled, and then I did only practice training for 5 months due to not wanting to quit after all that time... but doing only training and no matches at all eventually had me quit anyway (after about 5 months). Doing practice only kinda became pointless to me.

Ohhh, I see, that make a lot of sense. If you enjoy playing in actual games and aren't strictly interested in it at a practicing level I can imagine it can get stale if you aren't actually putting that practice to the test. Is it something you'd ever consider going back into if you found a group or a club or something to play with? Reminds me of a couple sports centers in my hometown that would have events like that, I imagine you could find a good pick-up game once in a while with any luck?

Basketball is the one sport I think I'd be interested in watching if I ever decided to sit down and watch one. Despite being Canadian and hockey basically being our thing, haha.

So does this means that you didn't valued your friends that much before playing the games ?

I usually don't make friends anywhere easily, but to whom I had devoted my friendship are dear to me, and for that I don't need to play the games or watch animes.

I'm not interested in continuing this conversation because I don't want this forum thread to just derail into a debate, but I want to make it very clear this is not true. That is not what I said and I'm not okay with people assuming this about me.

 

[ReKoil]

Ohhh, I see, that make a lot of sense. If you enjoy playing in actual games and aren't strictly interested in it at a practicing level I can imagine it can get stale if you aren't actually putting that practice to the test. Is it something you'd ever consider going back into if you found a group or a club or something to play with? Reminds me of a couple sports centers in my hometown that would have events like that, I imagine you could find a good pick-up game once in a while with any luck?

Basketball is the one sport I think I'd be interested in watching if I ever decided to sit down and watch one. Despite being Canadian and hockey basically being our thing, haha.

I don't think I'm fit enough anymore to get back into it tbh xD
I was a child/teen at the time (started when I was 7 or 8 iirc), but I'm an old geezer in his thirties now =P

I just liked playing against an opponent with the people that I practiced with as a team. I didn't care about winning or losing, I just liked working together and basketball can have some really nice team dynamics.
There were a bunch of people who I was on a team with regularly so we'd have some familiarity as well.