What game has generated the strongest feelings?

[Morreion]

The Daily Grind: What game has generated the strongest feelings for you? (Massively)

There are some games that you just sort of play. You pick them up, you enjoy them, and then you walk away without any real feelings about them one way or the other. And then there are the games that you launch into a screaming two-hour argument with one of your closest friends about on your birthday, because they happened to say that they didn't like it. Or maybe you finished an intense, epic play session on the game, working your way through an emotional questline and roleplaying all the way, and you find out afterwards that you need to lie down for a little while. Or maybe they're just the games that inspire you to post long forum diatribes wherever you can about why this is the greatest game in history.

I'd have to say DAoC. It was a way of life for at least 3 years in a row for me. Leaving was painful, because it was such a significant daily experience within a good community.

Next would be Vanguard. I had high hopes for the game, and despite having some features that I dearly loved- a huge world, ships, housing actually in the world- the game went down in flames over technical issues. It was a bitter disappointment.

[dotty]

Well, I'll mention 4 that have had (will have?) strong emotions involved.

No question, my strongest feelings were connected to GemstoneIII. It was probably among the first of the popular multi-player games when the internet exploded in popularity. It's an all-text MUD type game thats extremely immersive and I was lost inside Elanthia for 7+ years. I argued with friends-family-strangers, shed many tears, and laughed until I hurt countless times. This started my internet addiction, my gaming/roleplaying addiction, and began my journey into geekdom! The character personalities I use today were created there, and one of which was born as an infant into the game. The poems I shared with everyone on Nimue - yup, they originated in Elanthia. The game still exists today (GemstoneIV), but I'm kinda scared to get sucked back into it. I might never see the daylight again.

Second Life - I know, odd to mention this, huh?! This 'game' has brought me the most in real life. I've grown and explored more things because of my involvement here. Discovered talents I didnt know I had, inspired me to work on my own problem areas, and even found my faith. This game has inspired the most salesman pitches (apologies if you've been a victim!), some tears as others band together to help each other through bad times, and laughing...so much laughing. I think it's just a thing with tiny avatars - they are tooo cute! and mischievous! There is NO proof that I start a riverdance and maracas playing madhouse wherever my dragon hatchie goes. They just kinda happen... yeah.

DAOC- Nimue was also very very special. No heated arguments, only once brought me to tears, and that keen caused a whole lotta laughter. Sharing stories is something I'd never done before, but I loved the event and wanted to support it. Taking a stage in front of crowds is extremely unlike me, but the lil keen sure had no problem jumping up on that log. Tiny lil bundle of silly/mischief/courage. I STILL miss my keen.

WOW - Wyrmrest Accord this actually might rival Nimue in my future. The lack of tiny races with a class I like is my current roadblock, but there is a good community here. So when cataclysm is released, maybe... just maybe... a goblin/gnome will be close enough to my keen. No arguments or tears involved here yet, but quite a few laughs.

[Morreion]

Whoa, that's quite a span of games, Dotty! As far as strong emotions go, DAoC definitely caused those for me- the many relationships with all sorts of fascinating characters in the game was mesmerizing; and Vanguard...well, I was a fanboy of the game before it released, not knowing of the disaster that lay ahead. I was a volunteer staffer on the VN boards, doing weekly news roundup columns about the game. I played it for months after release and passionately defended the game until I could no longer do so when the obvious stared me in the face. I will never be a fanboy again after this heartbreaking experience.

A barbarian Druid looks west over Thestra from the central mountains.

[sinaedh]

The "game" that generated the strongest feelings for me was roleplaying in chat rooms on AOL during the heyday of the Red Dragon Inn. I know that's technically not a game, but it certainly generated strong emotion, strong attachment to characters and storylines, and it was the best roleplay I've ever experienced.

Second to that were the early days (well, 2 or so years) of Percival in DAOC. Roleplay happened there as well, and added to that was the "real" danger of fighting enemies, of training my character in skills and in working with others for the good of the realm.

[Loendal]

I remember the Red Dragon Inn! Or at least a very tiny piece of it... I graduated on up into Black Dragon Inn (Which is still going strong, 14(?) years later.) There was alot of Roleplaying in there and emotions were always running high. Internet addiction is real, and I had it during my BDI years. I now pop in on occasion just to see who's around and what's new. Nobody I know is left, but it allows me to play into the "Old Veteran" mold I have for one of my longest running characters, Loendal

DAOC also had high emotions attached to it. I recall one event where I had Popo making a lovely Wormy Root Stew for a gathering and I (and Popo) were putting alot into it. First someone fell over drunk into it and spilled it everywhere and while I was upset about that (Popo and I both were...) there was another Lurikeen who came along and kept antagonizing my favorite lil Luri Zot Maker to the point where Popo got MAD... Now that's not something that happens very often, and it wasn't just me being mad and projecting it through Popo, the roleplay led to Popo getting really angry. It eventually got to the point where Popo ran off crying and hid under a tree. I found myself in tears too.

What does that say about me back then? I don't really know... Either I got WAY too far In Character or I'm insane, one of the two Haven't had such a deep Roleplay experience since.

[dotty]

I've heard of the Red Dragon Inn. I was just a hop away over in Gemstone. It was also on AOL (and genie), and I played during the pay-per-hour days. Monthly bills of $300+ were not uncommon. Ouch! Waiting eagerly for the modem to go through its long connection buzzing noises was also made more difficult if someone called and broke your connection.

[Regolyth]

Ultima Online for me. I loved that game. I tried to leave a couple of times, but always came back. When I left the final time, for DAoC, I wanted to go back, but I realized that UO had it's time, and it was time to move on. I felt the same for DAoC when I eventually left it. I had strong feelings for WoW too, but not to the extent that I did with UO and DAoC.