Personal Game Rules

[aegix drakan_v1legacy]

All Elder Scrolls games: First character is ALWAYS a Kahjiit thief who is reasonably noble of heart. And possibly a former Skooma addict.

Skyrim in particular after my first run: Use Live Another Life Mod to get a random start, use the Class and Birthsign Mod to give myself skills related to what situation I start with, try to survive and find a logical faction to join, complete questline, assign second main goal, once I'm done that and I'm really well known, end run. Skyrim stops being fun when everyone knows who you are, I find.

(This time around, I started as a bandit in the tower next to whiterun. Meaning that my primary goal is the Thieves guild questline and I try to avoid going to any town with whiterun guards. And I ALWAYS pickpocket or kill-and-loot travelers on the road, unless I'm not sure I can take them all out and avoid a bounty. This includes skooma dealers. Easy kills! Oh, and I'm trying my hardest not to use a map unless I'm fast traveling from a major town, forcing me to rely on memory. I've legit gotten lost a few times and it's been a blast.)

In any game that allows stealth: Try to run a stealth build on the first run. Stealth is fun.

Games with Mage skills: Seriously consider running a mage, especially if I can go stealth too.

EDIT:

Also http://www.scenariogenerator.net/ is pretty fun for determining rules for rpgs, 4x games etc.

This is really neat, thanks.

 

[WolfThomas]

I tried doing an "Arrow/Hawkeye" run of Farcry 3. That was hard, I was limited to only using recurve bow, flaming arrows and exploding ones. At some points I had to bend those rules, but for the most part it's a fun challenge.

 

[CrimsonBlaze]

When it comes to replaying a completed Pokemon version or playing a fresh new version:

* Always choose a different party: I get that it might become difficult since I've restarted several versions numerous times, but as long as no two parties are exactly alike (i.e. Starters & Legendaries), it's fine to have previous veterans in a new party.
* Explore everything before completing the PokeDex: Gen 4 is notorious for this, as I felt I needed to complete the RegionalDex before exploring the Post-Game content. See and experience all there is and then get down to the nitty-gritty of training and collecting.
* Complete the Dex as much as possible before moving to a new Gen/Version: Call me completionist, but I don't like to leave things undone. Thankfully, several complete versions and a progressively easier methods to completing the PokeDex have made this less of a tedious chore and more of a do-able undertaking.

As for other RPG greats that I've completed like Final Fantasy X, Tales of Symphonia, and the Xenosaga series:

* NEVER AGAIN! YOU COMPLETE THESE GAMES TO DEATH (or as much as possible [stupid ultima weapons]) AND THERE IS NO NEED TO REPLAY THEM EVER AGAIN!!

 

[Silvanus]

I used to make up self-imposed rules back when I used to replay the same few games over and over (when I was likkle). Playing Banjo Kazooie and only walking, for example, though I usually gave up on that one before long. Completing all the castles in Super Mario World in a row as fast as I could, without picking up extra powerups in-between. That sorta thing.

I also have a strong aversion to save-scumming, though I broke that rule to my shame in Mass Effect.

 

[Adam Locking]

I never use gold orbs in DMC4, it's essentially cheating.

If the game has a stealth option, go with that.

If the game has an evil path, do that first.

 

[MASTACHIEFPWN]

In every RPG I ever play, I always remove all equipment and armour and destroy it at the beginning of the game. I must win the game on things earned, not things given.

You wouldn't last a day in the Witcher 3.

OT: In Deus Ex: Human Revolution, I always prefer non lethal means to lethal means, at least on henchmen; unfortunately, non-lethal ammo types are considerably more rare than lethal ammo types. This always leaves me in the awkward position of having to kill some people in a room, while harmlessly knocking out others. I imagine it to be pretty awkward when they wake up.

 

[gmaverick019_v1legacy]

I also have a strong aversion to save-scumming, though I broke that rule to my shame in Mass Effect.

curious, out of all the games in world to break that rule for, why mass effect? I can't remember a moment off the top of my head that was save scummy, at least relative to alot of other games.

 

[Lightspeaker]

When characters have unlockable outfits or skins, I almost never change them from their default look. You usually don't get the option to change them until you've finished the main campaign anyway, so it's rare I even have the choice to mess up how everything's meant to canonically look, but even when I'm playing the game through again for giggles I'll leave everything as is.

This is especially apparent in fighting games, where most games will give you the 10 different colour palettes for each character to define yourself from the hoard of other people online. But even then I just use their standard colours. That's how they were designed to look, that's how I want 'em to look.

I know what you mean here. I'm very, very picky about what outfits characters have. I like to play dressup with some sometimes but once I've found a specific style I like I'll cling to it like crazy even at the expense of some stat upgrades. And if I like the base design I'll frequently never change it from that in the first place.

Hyperdimension Neptunia was a good example of this for me. Game has a whole load of costumes and accessories for all the characters...I always left their base costumes on.


I've outright played games whilst lacking certain armour pieces specifically because I prefer without them. Even when its a terrible idea, like leaving a helmet off in a shooter.

 

[Axelotus07]

Metal Gear Solid: Always save Meryl on the first playthrough. If I'm feeling ballsy I'll try to beat it through without the aid of the SOCOM suppressor.
Resident Evil 5: Lately it's a personal challenge of mine to complete the entire game with just the starting pistol.
F.E.A.R.: Dual-pistols actually kind of suck. I make it a rule to avoid picking up an extra at all costs.

Those are just a few instances off the top of my head. I feel like I'm always making up little dumb rules-to-go-by for the sake of a more immerse experience.

 

[FirstNameLastName]

In pretty much any game where applicable, I avoid the enemy-tagging system like the plague. I find it spoils the stealth to be able to see enemies through walls, especially if I intend on sniping from a distance. I consider perception to be a major part of stealth games, so I prefer to use my eyes and ears.

 

[Mudman1234]

I find this hilarious. You do realize they're just bits of code yea? Not legit people hard-up for a buck.

Don't get me wrong, I've never seen the appeal of using prostitutes in GTA or punching random civs in any sandbox, but *respect* them? lol that's just odd considering they aren't real people, how exactly do you treat them with "common decency and respect"?

*gasp* They aren't real?! O_O Holy shit balls! Are you serious!? Of course I know they're not real, but the game establishes them as something in the game, and I try and behave like I'm not a fucking asshole. I know, shock of shocks for a video gamer, to not just indulge whatever random petty impulse they might have and lul about it afterwards. I find it petty, childish, and silly to do it in games, so I don't do it. "Hah! I punched that whore in the ****! Lul!" *takes money back after having sex with her to replenish health* That's just a dick attitude to have, and I don't do it. I like to play (for most games) in a way that would reflect how I personally would behave. So I don't act like a dick if I'm given the option not to.

Find it hilarious all you want, I don't really give a shit.

"I treat videogame hookers with respect because I"m not an asshole"

Proceeds to go full asshole over a guy who got a chuckle out of hearing that. The irony is delicious.

OT: I prefer not having a shitload of weapons on me at any one time. Even then I hate going full auto with an assault rifle in shooters. As former military...that's not how you fucking shoot, I also absolutely loathe when most sidearms are used with one hand. Any game that uses proper shooting stances I stick with normal, boring weapons because they're actually doing it right.

 

[EHKOS]

If I'm facing a human player, I never use an Ubers Pokemon.

A rule I end up breaking almost every time is "collect everything." Fuck the helix glitches, I just collected the last Riddler trophies across four games.

In 007 Nightfire I have a game I play with myself that I can never stop moving. It turns the game into one big flow. People talk shit about shooting and analogue sticks. I'd like someone to show me up in that game.

Oh, and in RE4 I limit myself to two weapons. The Striker and the Red 9. I only grab the first shotgun, trade that in and up, and the same as the pistol, except for two little things. I do get the Punisher, but I never use it, just sell it. And I grab the free RPG and use it on Salazar.

 

[Headsprouter]

Recently I developed a rule for Fallout 4. If a legendary enemy drops a legendary I've already got or one of those useless safecracker's armours, I allow myself to re-roll from the 70 possible legendary weapons/armours in the game and then roll a legendary effect from the 40 (for weapons) or 27 (armour). It's also good for when for some reason a legendary just doesn't drop a fancy item for some reason. Might start doing it for mirelurk queens and behemoths too. Seems right that something that big should drop more than just sub-safe level loot.

Some of the better legendary items I've gotten have still been from random drops though. That's how the RNG goddess has had it so far at least.

 

[Wary Wolf]

A lot of Skyrim ones. I prefer the simple: Dead is Dead, Legendary Difficulty. Much swears always occur when I lose a character. Skyrim rouguelike is pretty fun. As is Fallout. My only still living character thus-far is an Argonian fisherman who stays away from that combat crap.

Final Fantasy runs usually involve solo character runs. XII is best for it, as then I don't have the moron AI in the way... Wait... I program the AI... Never mind. Actually the Low Level Challenges in Final Fantasy are always fun.

As for something other than RPGs... In StarCraft not zealot rushing in the first 10 minutes? Well, not unless they rush me first.

They can suck my Death Balls later.

 

[wings012]

Back when I played Monaco with friends, we'd make sure to collect every coin. Even if it meant jeopardizing the whole thing and having to redo or take 3-4 times longer than it should. It also made games fairly hilarious due to the extra layer of challenge.

I don't replay many games but I tend to have a few things I always do for those I replay.

In Fallout 2, I always kill Tubby and Flick in the Den. They are fairly unimportant shopkeepers and really easy to kill as they don't exactly use their inventory against you. And the stuff you get brings you from an idiot with a spear and pipe rifle to someone capable of making their way to Vault City. I usually kill Tubby first. I'll block the door and make sure Sulik is inside. Tubby and his staff resort to really bad melee, so I just pipe rifle/spear them to death. Or rather just make sure the door stays blocked while Sulik pounds their shit in. From his loot there is usually a 10mm SMG, which I use to finish Flick off in a single burst.


In Deus Ex, I always use the baton to knock out the guy that comes to get the NSF leader just so I can get an early assault rifle. You find ammo for the stupid thing a lot earlier than you get the gun. Granted it's a fairly crap gun, but it allows me to do the 'alternate ammo' trick for when you actually find a gun in the world, netting you 30 HE grenades. Saves me on a lot of lockpicks or multitools...

 

[Issurru]

In KoToR I always try to complete all of the quests on Taris without leveling up at all (other than the one level up you need to do on the Endar Spire) always makes the game more fun for me. Because then I get more levels as a Jedi which is awesome. But a huge pain in the ass because fuck the last fight in the arena, such a pain in the ass at level 2.

 

[sageoftruth]

In Thief 2: Don't kill guards and don't use the blackjack unless a guard is stunned from a flash bomb, or I need to knock him out for the mission.

Mark of the Ninja: No stealth killing, unless the mission demands it. The game is far too easy when played with stealth kills.

 

[Xeros]

I'll go off of my current Fallout 4 run.

-One melee weapon, one primary weapon, one sidearm.
-3 mags of ammo for the sidearm; 2 for the primary.
-Only a small medkit's-worth of triage supplies. (3 stimpacks, 2 Radaway, 1 of each non-drug chem)
-3 meals, and 3 bottles of water. After they're used, hunt.
-Eat, drink, and sleep regularly.
-No perks that give me inhuman abilities (No breathing underwater, no making traps meaningless.)
-No fast travelling.
-If a lock is on the ground, kneel before attempting to pick. (No more than 10 lockpicks to start out with.)
-Actually hold my breath to stabilize a rifle. (You'd be surprised how fun this can be. Sure, it's difficult to mimic holding your breath after being winded from running, but it still adds a nice little touch.)
-100 lb. weight limit. (I cannot personally carry my weaponry and a boatload of typewriters, neither can my character.)
-Even if junk is within weight limit, if it takes up an unreasonable amount of space, I leave it. (No brooms and such.)
-If I have a follower, I hold them to the same standards. If my companion is Dogmeat, or Codsworth, they get nothing.

 

[CaitSeith]

When a game offers moral choices in my first playthrough I choose the good option (or at least what I consider good. Infamous and I kinda disagreed what being good meant in one occasion), and then I replayed it as a bad guy (or girl, in case there is a gender option)

 

[Spider RedNight]

Uhmmmm most notable example but I don't ever go back to pick another decision in Life is Strange during those instances where you can choose one and no matter which you choose, Max is like "oh noooo maybe I should've done the other option" - one of my least favourite parts of that game (which I'm only playing for a friend anyway) is the whole "time travel" bit.

In Telltale games, my first playthrough is always natural, never "oh well I'll just choose that one next time" or "time to load!" and play most the characters as the strong, silent type (exception being Rhys because Troy Baker).

Other than that, I just always pick the rogue/stealth ways to go and I'll ALWAYS use a sniper no matter how useless it is.

In Skyrim, since I play on a console, each of my characters compulsively collects something - I have one who's a Cabbage Saviour, one who has every troll skull he's ever seen littered in his house and a chick who has tonnes of butterfly wings. Everywhere.