To understand where I come from, I am a long-time veteran of video games, having mainly played simulation and strategy genres, with Grand Theft Auto series being a major exception to these usual genres I played. However, in my early years of video gaming back in the early 90s (born in 1985 here), I also often played games (on consoles such as Super Nintendo and Sega Genesis) in other genres such as Earthbound, Super Mario World, Sonic games, et cetera. There are certainly some parallels between Earthbound and Streets of Rogue 2.
But it was on Super Nintendo that I was first introduced to building in a digital world and which I have came to love: SimCity. Since then, I would play games over the last 30 years with building aspects of varying degrees and of varying natures like SimTower, SimFarm, Minecraft, Stardew Valley, Cities: Skylines, Eco, et cetera.
Furthermore, I am also a prolific builder on online 3D multi-user virtual reality building platforms called Active Worlds (active from 1999 to 2011; since then retired from there) and Virtual Paradise (currently active there since 2012). One may be more familiar with the better-known Second Life, which are similar to these platforms. In fact, all of these three platforms are directly or indirectly inspired by Metaverse from a science-fiction novel entitled Snow Crash, published in 1992 by Neal Stephenson. Active Worlds was the first of the three to come into existence in 1995. In these two platforms I have been on, I have built a number of towns and many buildings under my username Legion.
Building for me isn't just limited to physical buildings or cities, however, as I also take on strategy games that involve building of empires such as Europa Universalis, Stellaris, Victoria, Civilization. I also played business simulation games such as Capitalism Lab.
One other major aspect I like to do in games is exploring, of the world at least. In this, Grand Theft Auto series with its ever expanding world is among the games that fulfils it.
I have a strong preference for sandbox mode, with ultimate control and freedom, with very little constraints.
My main real-life passion is history, but I also take interests in architecture, urban planning, geography, economics, et cetera. Essentially, I have interests in the physical world that we live in.
In sum, I have always been interested in worlds both small and large. An expansive and immersive digital world, 2D or 3D, to explore and to interact with, containing both rural and urban areas, is definitely something that would interest me.