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What do you think makes for a rewarding and engaging community in an MMO? I really only have experience with MUDs, but I would generally just say that when people talk to each other and show an active interest in each other, that makes for a great experience, even if they do not all get along.

I think playing MMOs can provide a lot of insight into who we are and how we function, especially in games where there is a tight-knit community. What, if anything, have you learned about yourself by playing MMOs?

What are the biggest dropped plot threads and unresolved loose ends in video game series (or, alternately, what are the most interesting ones)?

Is gaming the best source of stress relief for you, or are there some things that are equally good or better? It is definitely number 1 for me.

I’ve made a weird discovery that I have an easier time being responsible in games in some ways (i.e. for followers, items, etc.) than I do IRL. I think it’s because IRL, I am always distracted by the need to earn a living, which consumes all my spoons and leaves little for juggling the rest of my responsibilities. In video games, we don’t have those challenges, so it is easier to put more care into things. Can anyone relate?

Congrats, @Withywarlock! You deserve it! Also, a belated congrats to @Yaramaki 🙂

Have you ever gambled while playing a video game? I don’t mean the casino mini-games in RDR or such—I mean staking in-game money in multiplayer games with real economies. I played roulette in a MUD when I was younger. But I only did it once. After that, I learned about the Gambler’s Fallacy =D

Does anyone else find it difficult to remember the context for minor quests and characters in RPGs? What games do a good job helping to keep this context clear and readily available? Which do not?

What are some games that are almost universally claimed to be super relaxing and chill, but they just feel massively stressful for you?

Are there any deal-breakers for you in deciding to play a game specifically related to game content? For example, @The Blackangel has mentioned she will not kill a rat in a game for any reason, so if rat-killing is required, the game is out.

Generally, I expect really hard areas to be well away from newbie areas in open world games, but sometimes surprisingly tough areas are right nearby. As an example, I was surprised to find a Centurion in Shimmermist Cave in Skyrim given its proximity to Whiterun. Also, there is that notorious deathclaw area right near Goodsprings in Fallout: NV. What are some other examples?

I ruined a lot of sex shouting "The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim."

@Withywarlock I'm not sure I can think of any, honestly. I think most of the games I have played so far have been tonally consistent.

Nothing so much as what you described, no! Though I did not like having to kill the pig in A Plague Tale: Innocence.

Could video games help us combat or adapt to climate change in any way, even by just raising climate awareness or demonstrating simulated versions of possible solutions (i.e. I would to see a solarpunk open world that shows off what a city of the future could be like)? Have you seen any examples of games that have already done this?

Have you ever been really interested in playing a particular game, only to decide later down the line that you do not want to play it? If so, what ended up changing your mind?

Are there any games you have played that genuinely traumatized you in some fashion? What about them disturbed you?

What are some games that feature wildly unexpected tone changes? In which games do they work well, and in which do you think they just make the games feel uneven?

Are there aspects of gaming you initially did not really “get,” but later learned to appreciate? When I played MUDs, for example, I really didn’t get why anyone did quests. But in single player RPGs, I obviously learned to enjoy them.

On average, how much time passes between you buying a game and playing it? I realize it might be quite hard to figure this out, if it is sometimes days and sometimes years! I think with me, it probably averages out to about half a year.

I’ve also had good experiences with Converter App, and would recommend it. Tbh, it’s also the only one I’ve tried recently. What else is out there?

I agree with @DC - Crosswordle is ingenious. I also like those Fallout hack puzzles that are in this same vein, which is saying something, since I usually dislike puzzles in video games. I'm also curious what people here think of the "daily" nature of Wordle. For you, is that part of what draws you back time and again--the scarcity?

I've had to look up everyone's references so far =D

@Withywarlock For me, The Shivering Isles for Oblivion, as @Crazycrab mentioned, as well as DA: Origins: Awakening, as @m76 pointed out. Both of these beat their base games (which are both great games). Okay, well, I like DA: Origins' companions better than Awakening's, but I find Awakening's plot much more interesting. I'd mention the Citadel DLC for ME3 as well, but I'm not sure I'd call it "better." It is arguably my favourite part of the series, but it clearly builds upon what the base games are all about. Plus, I like ME3 much more than most seem to, including the ending (note that I only ever played the patched version though).

Try making a game reference you think that no one here may recognize, at least from their own gaming experience. I will start: “you are in a maze of twisty little passages all alike.”