Jump to content

Is Don't Starve a "Time waster"?


Recommended Posts

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=y_lYEPEBdls

So after watching that I started thinking whether Don't starve is like such as well. The multiplayer version in particular. While single player does bring Adventure mode (which we probably will see in multiplayer later too) it still has that element of no real objective. You could stay in an adventure mode world for a very long time or even forever, depending on how you use your resources, meaning that your objective of trying to leave the world asap is vapourised! I think it isn't the content which the game lacks, but rather the objective gameplay. Sandboxing the game is awesome, however if you decided to try and move on, there isn't much anything on you can do about it!

What do you guys think?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have always thought DS was a waste of time, even though adventure mode is fun I have no need to play it because I have already beaten it. Personally for me DS became a good way to waste some time after I did everything I felt there was to do, which was a few months after I first played it. Even though I play it when I am bored, I find myself still liking the game. Of course I don't have DST so maybe once that is introduced to PS4 the game will become exciting to me again. I still love the game but usually I am only playing it if I am waiting on friends or my bf to get on PS4 so we can play Dying Light or Evolve or BL Pre Sequel together. Basically when I am alone and bored. At least ROG was added a little while back to keep my interest, I had stopped playing it all together after I beat adventure mode and then did day 300 with Maxwell. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

By our nature as humans, we like a lot having habbits and hobbies. That is because there is no biological or hormonal reward for doing nothing for a long amount of time.

 

Hunting, thousands years ago, was a sweet passion for people not only because they have something to eat at the end of the day, but our body developed the so-called "happy hormones". Especially dopamine, which is a hormone that makes you feel happy when it is released, and it is released in small doses after achieving a goal, big or small. It releases in higher doses the harder the achievement is.

 

This, and human's need of self-actualization, is why competitive games are very played (there are, of course, lots of factors, but this is the basic). People tend to play sandboxes a lot too, as Don't Starve is considered a base-building game, you can get happy from achieving something that way, or you can just be happy to spend time with your friends and use the game as a way to interact.

You can call it time-killer if you want, but artists spend thousands of hours with their passions/hobbies. And you can make a living out of both.

 

This is no excuse for not being productive at all, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's pretty easy to find that out:
Possibility 1: You are having fun when playing DS.   LIKELY!!!!!!
=>It's not a waste of time.
Possibility 2: You are not having fun when playing DS.  UNLIKELY!!!!!
=>It's a waste of time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

It's pretty easy to find that out:

Possibility 1: You are having fun when playing DS.   LIKELY!!!!!!

=>It's not a waste of time.

Possibility 2: You are not having fun when playing DS.  UNLIKELY!!!!!

=>It's a waste of time.

I don't think its a waste of time, I think its something to do to waste time.  :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I know how you feel, after a long time playing any sandbox without a goal you feel like you do nothing, I remember that feeling in prototype, GTA, infamous, etc, but those games have missions, objectives and a history mode that help to vanish that feeling for a while, in Don't starve together still missing adventure mode right? it still on beta so we should wait, but eventually that feeling will come in don't starve because in this game always needed more objectives and incentives to replaying, beat ourselves and get 1 day more turns boring fast, discover all secrets and creatures is the only replay value. This is an observation to the game, please klei, the game need more stuff to do, maybe cooperatively or not, the only thing that keeps the game fresh and replayable is the updates and new content, soon even those contents will not help the game especially if they feel apart of the game, as with the caves in the single player who had no purpose.

 

Maybe if you add a more hard and extense adventure mode, and make compatible with the future content, I still waiting for a caves chapter on adventure mode on single player game, maybe a boss fight too, now you have the horrible new dragonfly it could guard the last portal in the last chapter, and about chapters we need more of them, more variety of them that implement caves (if you will add it), chapters with RoG theme, like "the king of summer", giants, or something like that and trough the ages content (whatever it is). And  something for the most hardcore gamers could be the achievements with the trophy-thing from the ps versions

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I think a lot of games could fit the description of being time wasters. Any game where you have to make your own objective to continue like Don't Starve could be considered a "time waster." There's nothing wrong with that, and I don't think it makes Don't Starve any less of a game. It's just not everyone's thing. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

video games are a waste of time. And so is fun. And so is everything that doesn't ensure your survival.

I kinda get your point, though. Don't Starve has apparently no objective and very little progression, but the answer is right in the name. "Don't Starve". It could also be named "Survive" but Don't Starve sounds more original. That's the sole objective of the game, survive. Do whatever it takes to live without risking too much. I don't quite like this "time waster" label, because, afterall, you're always wasting your time when playing, and it sounds rather prejorative towards mechanics that aren't really detrimental to the game.

I'd steer clear of those "Top 10 whatevers in the whatever" videos if I were you. They are the true time wasters(and rarely provide any worthwhile content)

You know what's a bigger time waster? This thread.
Get out. >: (
Now Kiss.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

I get your point. It boils down to how long you're willing to spend on building a base, and eventually everyone reaches a limit. That's why I liked adventure mode, because it presented a challenge as well as gave me a sense of purpose. I was curious to find out what would happen at the end. It got me invested in the story and the characters. 

 

I don't think adding more content is necessarily the answer, at least in the same way as RoG. New things to discover are awesome for a time, but eventually you become a seasoned veteran and it's all old news. What would really make more of a lasting impact is more story. There's a lot we don't know about the DS world, the shadow watchers, or even the characters. I feel like the story and characters are what really differentiates this game from something like minecraft, and it could use more attention. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you feel like you're wasting time, you're probably not enjoying yourself, getting inspired, or growing personally from whatever activity you're doing. Maybe it used to feel that way and now it doesn't anymore. That's fine. Novelty wears off. You should stop playing if you personally feel like you're wasting your time.


There's nothing you can say to convince someone else that they are wasting their time if they don't feel they are. Everyone has different goals. This game fits into my life as a logic puzzle with varying parameters (i.e. starting conditions, map settings, and the randomness of other people) that can be solved over and over again. It has helped me with my social skills, and it has helped me understand a lot about game design through observing the devs' work and balancing. The game also provides me a medium to interact with and experience things with friends that might live far away. I play with both my husband (sometimes, he only somewhat likes the game), and my girlfriend, and with complete strangers, who scare the piss out of me in real life (due to severe social anxiety), but the game helps me to cope with some of those situations.
 

The "story," which there is very little of, is actually rather thoughtful. Your goal is to escape but (spoilers) you never do, it seems. I look forward to seeing where it's expanded to explain DST. It's interesting to think about what I would do in various situations that our characters are put into. 

I could believe that maybe it is a waste of time for you, but there is not much you could say to make me feel like I've wasted my time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

Please be aware that the content of this thread may be outdated and no longer applicable.

×
  • Create New...