Magic in Videogames... why so fun?

[Ironsouled]

Sure, you can saddle up your psi powers and then go YAHHH and blow a random person's head off, or even Great Balls of Fire!... but what is it about this that (to most) make a magic type combat, at least as an option in the system so preferable to other games? Why is it that out of a game like Mass Effect almost every person I talk to says Adept! or maybe vanguard or Sentinel... never once have I personally talked to someone who chooses soldier or engineer. Granted, of games that actaully have the option to use all three, Mass effect is one of the few,,, but its not the only one.

Note: I'm not just talking RPGs here. If you can think of a game that you believe is better, or at least equivalent in combat system to one with magic of some sort, enlighten me.

 

[TheNamlessGuy]

DELETED

 

[Mr. Grey]

I always choose soldier, magic doesn't appeal to me.

I suppose the answer would be that you can always go an pick up an assault rifle and head out to war, but can you really implode a man's mind with a mere thought? If you can, good for you.

 

[Split Moon]

I don't know, theres just this sort of glee you get when you know your character can blow off someones head with a mere thorght.

 

[willard3]

I always choose soldier, magic doesn't appeal to me.

Pure magic doesn't usually appeal to me, but neither does straight-up soldier. I was a Vanguard in Mass Effect, because I like to get up-close and personal, but I like having a backup plan in case I get swarmed or run up against something tough.

tl;dr---I like to be balanced.

 

[Gmano]

I played as engineer, they kick ass!

OT: i think it is for a couple of reasons.

1. most often the magic class is the one that can heal itself. meaning it is often less annoying as you do not have to go back and get health items.

2. it is more fantastical, really helps you escape reality.

3. it is a usefull plot element, in most games where magic is present it is used as a major plot peice, sometime it makes up the entire plot.

 

[Daystar Clarion]

Because there's nothing cooler than when my cute little female mage, as friendly as she is, can instantly deliver burning death with a movement of her hand.

 

[mcgroobber]

i prefer brute force,i dunno why, but games are fun that why

but variety is always good

 

[WrongSprite]

So this is basically that other thread that you're clearly piggybacking?

Anyway, I never choose magic. I was either the soldier or the sniper in ME, I was every character except a mage in oblivion, I just find it an awkward and unnatural way to fight.

 

[YoUnG205]

I do not know I guess it is becuase magic is a lot more powerful in games than say guns/swords.

 

[Ralphfromdk]

magic is just plain awesome

even more so if you can handle a weapon at the same time magic weapons.... mmmm.... so much death ^^

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

Sure, you can saddle up your psi powers and then go YAHHH and blow a random person's head off, or even Great Balls of Fire!... but what is it about this that (to most) make a magic type combat, at least as an option in the system so preferable to other games? Why is it that out of a game like Mass Effect almost every person I talk to says Adept! or maybe vanguard or Sentinel... never once have I personally talked to someone who chooses soldier or engineer. Granted, of games that actaully have the option to use all three, Mass effect is one of the few,,, but its not the only one.

Note: I'm not just talking RPGs here. If you can think of a game that you believe is better, or at least equivalent in combat system to one with magic of some sort, enlighten me.

I'd just like it on record I was a soldier and they kick ass as they can be invicible and take on Armarture thingys. They are amazing tanks.

Also magic is fun and somethign people can't do in real life so of course they want to do it in a game because no one can use mind bullets to kill someone in real life.

 

[Julianking93]

Magic just is fun anywhere.

Being able to clear out a room with one spell while your friends try in vein to get up close with a dagger to kill the enemy is just pure awesome.

 

[dariuskyne]

Magic is just fun in any game, the ability to surpass the abilities of your enemies by simply waving your hand or to use a psi power to shoot bees at your enemies, it's just mass amounts of escapism fun, to be more than you are now... to be able to throw a car around with telekenisis, to take out a tank witha maximzed fireball, anything that lets you rain flaming destuction is just great. but typically in most games the ability to rain flaming death needs you to work at it, practice, levelling, or powering up, look at the typical lowbie magic user, weak, physically inept typically, and magically not powerful either, as an example i'll use d&d pen and paper or even in videogames, your average low level mage, can cast at best 2-3 spells a day. After that, they're stuck runnng away or failing to defend themselves with a dagger or staff. There's a reason most 1st level mages are called walking sleep spells. But when you get to around sixth level or (yay!) higher, you get great spells like fireball, or ligtning bolt, etc. that lets you become more useful and get, especially high level games, kingdom shaking abilities. you in effeect become equal to, if not better than, the same peers that lauged at your piddly single magic missle or sleep spell,and worse comes to worse you can now cast those spells (as more powerful versions) multiple times now, you know, as a back up.

 

[Axolotl]

I don't know. Personally I always go for a Fighter/Thief character.

But thats just because I like Conan more than Gandalf and no game has had Elric style magic.