I don't know if what I've been seeing is a majority opinion or if it's simply a very vocal minority, but I keep seeing this argument expressed and it's driving me crazy. The simple jist of it is:
"People use damage meters to compare themselves to other players instead of minding their own business and enjoying the game; therefore, a game without damage meters is better."
So let's see if we can break this down. Damage meters are a tool of measurement. I think we can all agree on that, right? Furthermore, those measurements are objective observations rooted in fact. That is to say, the numbers shown on damage meters are reasonably accurate (as opposed to a random number generator that would just make shit up.) So really, a damage meter isn't all that different from say a tape measure or a measuring cup. Are you with me so far?
So logically, the implication is that measuring things is bad. Well if that's the case, then does having a speedometer or a fuel gauge ruin your driving experience? Is it wrong to ask about square-footage when buying a house? If I check my computer to see how much free hard disk space I have, am I taking all the fun out of owning a computer? If I ask someone for the time, am I a jerk for wanting to know how much of the day is left? What if your local electric co. charged you for how much power they "felt like" you had used in a given month?
If measurements are bad, then the corollary is that ignorance is a virtue - which it isn't.
The truth is that there is absolutely nothing wrong with damage meters. It's the behavior of a subset of players who obsess over them that can be annoying. If you want to call those players out and denounce their behavior, I'm with you, but when you blame the damage meters you look like a moron.
I think your comparisons are a bit like apples and oranges. The speedometer in your car measures your speed, it isn't showing the speed of all the cars in a 40 yard radius.
ReplyDeleteTo some degree I agree that meters can suck a lot of enjoyment out of a game, but at the same time they are a useful tool to helping a player or group of players be successful. Despite what those arguing against them say, doing well in the game is a key component in having fun.
If I were designing it, I would make it so a player can see their own damage information so they can learn from it and improve their play. Optionally, I'd make it so they could share it to a group for comparison... IF they choose. So if not sharing your damage meters is a big thing for you, don't -- but you also shouldn't expect to be raiding with people that want the group to be at it's best. You're going to be raiding with a bunch of 8k dps LRF kids.
I dunno man, I can pull up beside anyone on the free way, match their speed and tell you roughly how fast they're going.
ReplyDeleteSecond, a comparison I didn't think to make before is that of damage meters vs. the giant scoreboard that pops up at the end of battlegrounds that shows KB, deaths, HKs, damage done, healing done, etc. It serves the same purpose, but you don't ever hear anyone complain about it. You know why no one complains? Because it serves a purpose. It gives you all the vital information about what happened in the BG, but no one is running around linking battleground scoreboards in chat calling each other out.
Like I said in the post, it's a purely a behavioral problem when people focus solely on a damage meter like it's the only thing that matters. It has absolutely nothing to do with the meters themselves ... unless you just suck at the game, then I could see why you'd prefer no one be able to see how bad you are.
True, the speedometer information can be derived... I guess I should have said fuel gauge. Or that you don't know how much disk my computer has or the billions of other computers... you just know your own OR what people/systems choose to share.
ReplyDeleteI'm in complete agreement as to their value and in the case of WoW would really like to see Blizzard incorporated it into the game rather than relying on a mod which has sync issues.