next »

[agj]

Most games out there are fun to play for one reason or another. I don't want to cause controversy or much debate on the matter, but I know that there are games that can't be sensibly described as fun, but are good, nonetheless. I've been having trouble coming up with examples, though, and I hope you guys can help me.

There is, for instance, increpare's recent compo submission, Defect. This game has no puzzles and no challenges (unless you count the purely intellectual ones), yet is a game I will remember for some time. Does that mean it's fun? I don't know, so just use your own criteria to judge what games should be considered boring.

[PaleFox]

Rameses cannot be considered fun, but that isn't the point. It's sort of like the Catcher in the Rye done in IF, I guess? I don't know how to describe it properly, but it's really good. I can't talk too much about it to avoid spoiling it, though, in case you plan to check it out.

[GregWS]

I'm a little confused at what you're getting at.

Are we supposed to mention games that are interesting/good but not necessarily "fun?"

[Inanimate]

I'm a little confused at what you're getting at.

Are we supposed to mention games that are interesting/good but not necessarily "fun?"

I am thinking games with a purpose not to entertain, but some other purpose is what this is all about?

[lofighost]

Myst is a pretty boring yet fun game. I love it, but the experience is a little boring. I don't think it is a bad type of boring. It's like having fun thinking.

Sim City is another boring yet fun game. In its case it would be like having fun thinking and having an acute sense of godliness, with different speed settings.

[agj]

Are we supposed to mention games that are interesting/good but not necessarily "fun?"

Hopefully games that are the opposite of fun, or at least of what is traditionally associated with fun in games. I guess it's a challenge.

Some good ones have been mentioned so far!

[Problem Machine]

Does !fun == boring?

[GregWS]

Huh, OK.

...this is a lot harder than I thought; I guess Passage, but that's kind of obvious, heh?

Well...shit...I should find this a lot easier than I do.  I'll try and post something when I think of...something.

[Gr.Viper]

Wargames. I've spent almost an hour setting up pieces in one operation in Combat Mission 2, then in the first battle I didn't fire a single shot. Afterwards all I did was order a gun or MG to stop hiding and open fire. It was pure slaughter.
In WinSPMBT it took me an hour or two to move VC units all the way across the map. Then there were lots of clicking to order suppressing fire. But we did wipe US trenches clean in the end.

Civil flight simutators like MSFS (or FlightGear). Nothing ever happens there unless you order it. Combat flight sims with dynamic campaigns which generate dozens of nearly identical missions (sometimes with no enemy in sight) are boring and cool too.

Maybe those games are not "boring" but "meditative", BTW?

[ChevyRay]

People think Endless Forest is fun. I know I wouldn't be the first to call it boring

[policedanceclub]

I dont think any game that I consider good is boring to me.

So, are we discussing games that are good, but not fun in the traditional sense, or games that are good and boring?

[JackBread]

Um... I'd say Runescape but it's more of a good concept... 
CastlevaniaRL is good, yet boring.

[Peevish]

Yeah, Passage, Gravitation. I would say Knytt Stories is a wonderful game but I'm not sure "fun" would be the right word for it. I'd never call it boring, but if someone (some horrible monster of a human being) hated Knytt Stories, I imagine they'd call it boring.

Maybe old adventure games? LOOM wasn't exactly "fun" but it was perfect.

[letsap]

I dunno why, but Xardion for the SNES had a "good" vibe while being a deeply flawed, unfun platformer.

[Capten]

I think Another World is pretty boring, but it had good visuals and atmosphere.

[Gainsworthy]

I think Another World is pretty boring, but it had good visuals and atmosphere.

 

Erm, no, but really? Found it entrancing. WHATEVER.

I have no contributions of my own, but is this an extension of "Removing fun from the designer's Lexicon" thread? Regardless, interesting. Will post if I think of something.

[mirosurabu]

Every "art game" should be listed here. For they, as far as I can understand, don't go for traditional style of entertainment. This is what makes them "boring" in the eyes of people who expect traditional style of entertainment.

"Gravity Bone" is an example of such game. And I am probably an example of person who expected wrong kind of entertainment from it.

[sergiocornaga]

I also think that boring is a strange way to describe Another World, especially given the frustration involved in some of its challenges.

[ஒழுக்கின்மை (Paul Eres)]

I think boring is almost a personality flaw of the person being bored -- if you try hard enough or approach things in a certain way, you won't get bored of anything, not even watching clothes dry. Boring isn't a quality of a game, being a person who gets easily bored (having a short attention span) is a quality of the player.

When you're young almost everything is boring; I remember when I found news boring and when any show that wasn't a cartoon was boring, etc., but as you appreciate something more and give it a chance you are no longer bored with it.

So most of the time I find games bad, but not boring. Almost all the games I play now I don't think very highly of, most of them are terrible, but I seldom find them boring.

[GP Lackey]

So most of the time I find games bad, but not boring. Almost all the games I play now I don't think very highly of, most of them are terrible, but I seldom find them boring.

Heh, I find almost the opposite: that I'm playing games that might be decent in design or execution, but just don't do anything I find interesting, or compelling, or worthwhile enough that I want to keep playing.  And that the games I do end up enjoying aren't very good, but interest me.

I think your actually talking about games that are interesting (not boring then) but just not fun in the "makes the endorphins go" sense.  Silent Hill is the first thing I can think of.  That game was a chore, but compelling.

I think Another World is pretty boring, but it had good visuals and atmosphere.

Hey, what!  Another World is exhilarating.

"Gravity Bone" is an example of such game. And I am probably an example of person who expected wrong kind of entertainment from it.

Also, what!  Gravity Bone is just a jolly packet of entertainment, charmingly done.