The Gamer's Quarter

[Ketch]

It seems to me that one of the main areas in which games lack is in the concept of personal property, because most power-ups / in-game items exist for the sole reason of being a usable gameplay element. Ie. Cars in GTA don't (really) belong to any of the characters, sure some drivers will chase you down if you steal their property, but ultimately it is there to be stolen by the player.

Likewise you can't go through their glove-box and find their identity papers with their photo on it, nor will you find individual touches like fluffy dice, religious symbols on their dashboard or rubbish in the back of their car.

Similarly even in a game like Beyond Good & Evil, you find items just lying around in lockers with no real reason to be there and no-one to object if you take them.

[Shapermc]

This is an incomplete thought. Are your going to go in the direction of why aren't things there for a reason? Well you need to play more Silent Hill (2 and 4 specifically). Dragon Quest 8 also adds some nice touches in this department. When Jessica stomps off and changes into her hussy outfit and joins the part you can go back into her room in her closet and get her nice clothes and carry them with you. There is also one room in which you are going through this woman’s drawers and find nothing, if you talk to her before you pilfer she will say "don't steal from me, I don't have anything to take." If you talk to her a second time (after attempting to pilfer) she will say "I told you I don't have anything." Smaller touches like reading glassing which improve your wisdom can be found in a library area.

If you want to go in the other direction, it frightens me that people will kill other men for virtual property in World of Warcraft (and other MMO games). There is also one MMO out there that is based solely on the function of real money and fake property, where you can own virtual land for real money and when you are done with the game you can sell any and all collected land either to the owners of the game for less money, or attempt to sell your property in a For Sale By Owner fashion. Can't remember the name of the MMO sadly.

[B coma]

I think it's Second Life that you're referring to.

That one is really something. People make real money from the exchange of... well, from what I hear a lot of it isn't just the normal exchange of property/3D models. Apparently it's a hot business for people to code and upload a lot sex-related modules. I find the whole creation aspect of the game intensely interesting, but maybe just a bit too real at the same time.

[dessgeega]

[Shapermc]

[B coma]

Thanks, mspainted it myself! Also, hi everyone.

[dark steve]

So have those punk kids shaken EVERYBODY out of IC at this point?

Hi B coma

[B coma]

Heh, maybe! Depends on which punk kids you're referring to. It's just a really strange place these days!