The Double-Edged Sword of Nostalgia

Xixor

First off, I would like to say that Baldur's Gate I and II are my favorite games of all time.

With that being said, I have had some mounting depression over the years with regards to replaying these, and other classic games from my youth. What I mean is that back in the early 2000's, I replayed these games several times to completion. In subsequent years I have started the games a number of times, each time getting less and less into the game before I just stop playing from boredom. I guess the bottom line is I have a continuing URGE to play these games over and over to obtain that nostalgic feeling of pleasure that I got when I initially played them, but when I actually start the game up, it doesn't deliver like it did back in 1998.

I am not sure if this is because the game content becomes stale after a while because I know where everything is and what to expect, or if I as a person am changing in a way that prevents me from obtaining the same amount of enjoyment from these and other games as I used to when I am younger.

I used to sit in class thinking about that new armor that I found the night before and how I am going to use it when I got home from school and could play again, or how that new spell I got will help me through the next battle. When I play now, I find that I don't have this kind of connection with the game that I used to.

Does anyone else experience this with these or other games that you used to play? Do people ever "outgrow" video gaming in general? Is there an ideal "age group" that is able to take full advantage of the actual gaming experience that others (older) are not able to?

Will the enhanced edition rekindle the awesomeness that I experienced back in 1998, when I was 15 years old? I don't know (sigh), but I for sure will find out (hands money to Beamdog)

Discuss....

Rapscallion

I can empathise partially with you, but fortunately it's not just nostalgia in my case. BG2 is my favourite game of all time and I've completed it every 6 months or so since it was released. For me, starting up a new BG game is like coming home and having a loving partner greet you with a hot cup of tea and your slippers. These last few months have been like agony for me as I've abstained from playing again until the EE comes out.

All I can say is that I hope your love for BG returns with the release of EE, and the additional content will ensure that you stay till completion this time

kraed

Xixor said:

I guess the bottom line is I have a continuing URGE to play these games over and over to obtain that nostalgic feeling of pleasure that I got when I initially played them, but when I actually start the game up, it doesn't deliver like it did back in 1998.

I think this sentence sums up almost every single retro PC game I have played in the last year. Part of what made these games so awesome was discovering things you didn't know and exploring the world, fighting amazing bosses for the first time, unexpected story revelations etc. When you know where everything is and how to do everything you're essentially just running through the motions rather than playing the game. Unless you radically alter your playstyle you're probably gonna end up doing all the same things again too. It's not so bad for console games where you directly control a character (I find SNES games to be easily replayable and still enjoyable to this day), but PC games generally have you playing from a disconnected bird's eye view of the action. When you're not actually directly controlling an avatar you're basically just watching the cast do the same things you saw them do a decade ago.

I think BG: EE will probably be the same for you really. You might get some joy out of the additional content, but it's still the same game in the same world with the same graphics and (mostly) the same mechanics and people. The only thing I can really recommend is each time you pick up a game again resume from where you left off, don't start a new game over and over. You'll end up replaying the same first hour a dozen times and be bored silly because you're repeating that one hour, not because you're bored of the game.

Space_hamster

You're only a virgin once.

Xixor

kraed said:

The only thing I can really recommend is each time you pick up a game again resume from where you left off, don't start a new game over and over. You'll end up replaying the same first hour a dozen times and be bored silly because you're repeating that one hour, not because you're bored of the game.

Yes, I agree with this. Every year about once a year I'll reload and start up the game again only to kick myself for not keeping the save games that I had from the year before because I deleted the game from my hard drive. After about the 10th time through this you would have thought I would have figured this out. I'll not make that mistake again with BG:EE.

Nimz

I've only played BG2+Expansion
any only completed it once

This was aprox summers of 2008/9 after being continually recommended it by a friend of mine who had played it on its release

My conclusion was that is was one of the best and most immersive games I have ever played and certainly the best RPG I have ever played.

This is why I am looking forward to BG:EE so much as

1. I havent actually played BG1 yet loved BG2
2. I only played it 3/4 years ago for the first and only time so it is not nostalgia that is holding my interest

For me I think it says alot about a game that it can be still be so good long after its release.
Having never played BG1 I may dislike it, but judging on my experience with BG2 and generally opinion I get about BG1 I really cannot wait to try it.

g314

I usually abstain from playing my favorite games (BG included =D) for two or three years before playing them again. Replaying a game you loved too many times gives you that "been there, done that" feeling, so I wouldn't recommend it.

Yeah, I hear you: sometimes it hurts, like you're on a strict diet, but when you play them again you feel like you're a little surprised when you don't remember that particular detail or name here and there. It's somewhat like (re)playing a new game. Not 'new' like the first time, but still...

wissenschaft

I've played BG series of games several times over the years and I've yet to get bored of them. Of course, I tend to let a year or 2 go by before I play through them again. After all, they are long games and with limited time to play usual take me a few months to beat. The long gap between playthroughs prevents the game from becoming stale, especally if I switch classes/Party Members.

etagloc

Its almost sad getting older sometimes..(puff the magic dragon)... but im pretty sure bg has some special kinda magic that still will last to this day.. i played torment recently and really enjoyed it.. screw gfx.. rpg is all about story and cool characters.

i wish i never played bg.

so i could play it again for the first time ; )

Samiel

I think that it is possible to have played the games so much that it can start to become routine and mechanical. One of the things I find is the genius about the Baldur's Gate series, is actually the graphics. Playing the first one on Tutu, with widescreen mods, what you are basically looking at is high res, art done by hand. Which has the interesting effect of allowing the games to age remarkably well.

I often find when going back to really old 3-D games, that the graphics don't quite have the immersion and luster they had back when they were cutting edge, and that can really take me out of the experience. I have never once experienced that playing an infinity engine game.

My advice to the original poster is I think time will fix the overplayed factor. If you get the EE, and find the boredom sets in, leave it a few years and come back to it. Once you have moved on a bit, and it's less second nature you'll find some of that old magic returning!

decaba

Mods help keep it somewhat fresh, I've found.

CoM_Solaufein

Yes they do. One reason why I can't put down Fallout 3 and New Vegas, all of the mods those games have.

decaba said:

Mods help keep it somewhat fresh, I've found.