DNF: Why This Geezer Plays Offline

[Da_Czar]

Great Article !!! Lots of excellent posts as well !

[BigSho31]

Quote: Originally Posted by 209vaughn

My main reasons I prefer offline dynasty modes. 1) LAG: This is the largest reason I do not play online. I cant play a game of FIFA offline, then go and play online. It's two very very different experiences. The flow, the strategy, the timing is all much different and its frustrating to try and adjust for latency issues. If all you play is online, this is not so much an issue. 2) INVESTMENT: Offline modes I feel like I can invest my time, thoughts, emotions into to create my own little virtual world where I can rise and fall in my sports universe. Online play is much less involved. Game times are shortened, there is no investment into my personal team, no season or career, only static meaningless games, that affect some vague 'ranking'.

As I read all of these comments I find myself lamenting a couple things:

1) I wish the computer AI could adapt like a human being so I wouldn't NEED to play other people
2) I wish the online servers were so good that you wouldn't be able to tell the difference b/t on and offline play
3) I wish I could find guys in the same stage of life as me who had the same skill level as me to play offline

I used to be awesome at NCAA and Madden...but then the games got harder and my aptitude to adapt, read coverages/blitzes, etc just went away. I played in two online dynasties and scores were in the 100s when the human players played the CPU. I haven't scored 100 points in NCAA since I created the University of Alaska penguins in the first edition of Create-a-School. So needless to say I got "BLOWED OUT" whenever I played the other players. Add lag to that and the fact that I could never get people to play when they were supposed to and it just didn't work for me.

I REALLY WISH I could find the ultimate gaming experience online because I would prioritize it to the point where I would play more often than I currently do.

[swiftychampleone]

That's cuz yous old, man! Ha! Ha!!

But to be serious, I'm not big on online gaming similar to the reason 209vaughn gave. I rather be emotionally invested in my offline franchise in a sports' game and lag can be a pain. The only people I'll play online would be my closest friends or family in a quick game. Another thing, I buy games used when they drop to $35 after a few months. So by the time I get the game, most people would be moved on to the next big game that's been released.

As far as developers/publishers with that $10 online pass threat if you buy the game used, that doesn't phase me at all. I don't need online to begin with.

[Bootzilla]

I play offline 100%.
I game to escape.
I have no desire to be social.
I have to communicate and be social in my everyday experiences.
I have tons of friends.
I honestly don't want/need anymore.
Honestly, most players are pretty cheesy and I do not have the time or desire to find the ones that aren't.

[The Real Ma$$ive]

Agreed with article... Some of my best times were drinking beers, smoking, and playing Tiger woods golf on the gamecube with 4 friends with a little money purse involved... It was our Friday night wine down before we were captured by our girlfriends...

But, to take up for online gaming, some experiences like the OS Vets Madden 10 league, and another league I was in, were teams were picked 3 months before Madden even came out. Everyone in the league had to submit a photo of themselves, and it was put by your team. We all came to know each other pretty well, and trade talks even day to day discussions of the previous weeks were something of a round table that ESPN would be proud of.

When you can find that special group of people where you play online franchise every year in basketball, and football, each season gets harder, and harder as you guys grow, and learn each other.

[jergrah]

A solid group of people in NCAA Online Dynasty, 2K Hoops League or Madden Franchise is the best way to play sports games in my opinion. Ive been playing with the same group of local friends in an NCAA Online Dynasty and the same group of online/message board guys for Madden Online Franchise for 2+ years. It's hands down the best gaming experiences I have.

[jeremym480]

Good write up! I agree but., I only spend about 10% of my gaming time playing online. Let's just say if something happened & there were no more offline games then I would probably just quit gaming altogether.

[raneman85]

I agree with the article. I wish there were rooms exclusively for adult players. When I do play online, I usually get some trash talking flunk out punk telling me how much I stink. I at least limit my kids video game play and encourage them to have a life outside the video world. On the other hand, I have had some positive experiences with a few, some kids who respect old gamers trying to have some fun.