Do You Read Patch Notes?

Games being patched has become as commonplace as having nothing to do on Tuesday morning. Players spend countless hours twittling thumbs, tapping feet, perhaps even succumbing to “The Patch” dance every month. Basically, we have a lot of time to kill while Game X, Y and Z call down digital support from their selected reserve troops.

Personally, I spend at least a portion of that time going over the most recent patch notes. For most games, that means picking out material that pertains to me, my playstyle or my classes (depending on the game). Rarely do I ever digest the notes in their entirety, as that could be over a dozen pages.

Being that you’re obviously dedicated to your games (why else would you be reading a video game website?) I was wondering how you digest you notes. Do you spend arduous amounts of time pouring over that latest patch notes for all your games? Are you more fair weather fan, finding summaries of changes that boil down the main sticking points? Nerdrage is…all the rage, but has a change ever brought you back to a game? Ever find yourself reading patch notes for a game you didn’t play, or don’t play anymore?

Oddly enough, I tend to spend more time on the notes for games I no longer play. There’s a weird part of my psyche that believes if I keep up with the changes, I am still supporting the title. Or that I can participate vicariously in the universe.

I have an odd brain.

Since we’re on the topic of patch notes, I wish game companies, especially MMOG companies, would make it easier to find patch notes, specifically historical changes. Many developers secret the material away after the associated patch is a few months old, never to see the light of day again. I enjoy reminiscing on a game’s growth, and occasionally using them to win a bet (as in Heartbourne’s case about MC itemization).

He won. I lost, if you must know.