I always find it it interesting that you don't like games. At this point I play much less than I did in the past but I still see some games as a form of art. The way I see it games(at least good games) are not so different from books and movies in a way that they are set in their own worlds and focus on interesting characters and stories. The difference is that you can have more impact to a game than to a book or movie. Your seemingly small decision in the beginning of a game can affect to your final outcome. So I believe that creating a good rpg game takes as much or more effort than writing a good book because in the book author likely tells one main story while in games those stories can branch out and change.

But you are right that a good influences are important. Had I interacted more with people who are not happy about Hive perhaps I would have also cashed out and quitted long ago...Without ever releasing true potential of this place. So I am glad that I was not surrounded by those negative people.