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Thread: Relaxing game mechanics

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     Master of the Fork Cid's Knight Freya's Avatar
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    Default Relaxing game mechanics

    Times be stressful, yo!

    What do you like in a game to relax you? What mechanic in a game relaxes you?

    I'm a fishing fan, fishing minigames are my jam


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    Slothstronaut Recognized Member Slothy's Avatar
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    Doom (the 2016 version) is the most relaxing game I've ever played. So apparently what relaxes me is hell, demons, balls to the wall action and slaughter, and a pounding metal soundtrack.

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    Memento Mori Site Contributor Wolf Kanno's Avatar
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    I'll second fishing mini-games. I also love Rhythm Games for this as well barring DDR which is pretty much exercise, but even it has a few nice mellow tracks to get your heart rate back to normal between sessions of getting a high score on MAX 300.

    Dragon Quest is also a series I find relaxing, as well as old platformers like Mario and Sonic.

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    Turn based rpgs are always relaxing to me. Rhythm games as well.

    Also, Flower and Journey are both some of the most relaxing games to me.

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    Master of Kittens Galuf's Avatar
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    not really a ,echanic, but grinding. sometimes, if im stressed or angry gaming itsef is just calming btu grinding especially. if im nto though, grinding is boring so its kinda both relaxing and not

  6. #6

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    I have a mental disorder where relaxing in games makes me feel like I'm wasting time. Building houses, decorating, grinding out material, making or upgrading clothes or weapons. I spend 4 hours doing stuff and then walk away having no real progress; it bothers me for some reason



  7. #7
    *permanent smite* Spuuky's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Vyk View Post
    I have a mental disorder where relaxing in games makes me feel like I'm wasting time. Building houses, decorating, grinding out material, making or upgrading clothes or weapons. I spend 4 hours doing stuff and then walk away having no real progress; it bothers me for some reason
    Is it... a mental disorder to think that wasting time is wasting time?

  8. #8

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    Well, I mean I wish I could find more fulfillment in just enjoying a game. But I put such emphasis on progress, that games like Minecraft, Terraria, 7 Days to Die, etc. all feel like I'm not actually accomplishing anything. Some people get fulfillment just mucking about in them. Stardew Valley was good about blurring the line at least, so piddling around actually made it feel like you were getting somewhere in the grand scheme of things.



  9. #9

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    I don't find fishing minigames relaxing, I find them stressful as hell! ^_^

    Synthesising items in Atelier, that's quite relaxing. Actually, doing pretty much anything in those games is pretty comfy.

  10. #10

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    Exploring. Not necessarily open world, but large enough to allow snooping around. Especially if it has weather mechanics like rain. So comfy.

    Also fishing sometimes. I spent a lot of time at the fishing hole in Ocarina of Time.


  11. #11

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    Grinding levels, playing older RPG's, some FPS games I find relaxing like Minecraft and such... that's really about it.
    - I'm getting sick of this! Thou art such a pain in the...! Confound it all! I'm starting to talk like you! - Sabin (FFVI)

    - Shut up! You spoony Bard! - Tella (FFIV)

  12. #12
    Yes homo Mr. Carnelian's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Darth Ganon View Post
    Exploring. Not necessarily open world, but large enough to allow snooping around.
    Agreed. A nice view also helps.

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    Edge7's Avatar
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    I find progressing through collectathons to be relaxing. I've always been a fan of Jak and Daxter, and Super Mario Odyssey is also really nice. There's something rewarding about being rewarded for light platforming and exploration.
    Returners Represent!

  14. #14

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    The most relaxing games for me are adventure games because they have no real skill-testing component beyond solving puzzles (except for maybe a mini-game here and there). You're free to enjoy the art, music and writing without tense combat, platforming or anything like that. I think that current games have really lost that sense of slow pacing and thought - getting stuck in an adventure game will let you stop for a while and think about a puzzle to perhaps return later when it comes to you. With a focus on progression, completion and repetition in the mechanics of most modern games it's rare to simply appreciate the creative work that went into building the story and world of a game. I think the classic FF titles were similar to adventures in that, outside of the turn based combat, a lot of the games were just text, environments and music that could be appreciated without losing concentration on an action required of the player beyond reading/movement. I'd like to see a game with a AAA budget that just allows you to explore environments without combat. I guess I need to play more "walking simulators."

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    Eggstreme Wheelie Recognized Member Jiro's Avatar
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    One example that I enjoy is the ability to engineer near-automation. Setting up solid gambits in Final Fantasy XII, for instance, allows you to kind of take a mental backseat and just cruise around looking at the effects of your hard work or ingenuity.

    They see me rolling. They hating, patrolling.
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