Author Topic: Do you find that you're gaming less and less? (Read 2857 times)

Rman · « **on:** October 22, 2009, 12:59:59 AM »

I still love gaming and follow all the blogs, participate in forums and whatnot. However, I've noticed that I'm gaming less and less. I'm still excited about new releases, but I find my backlog growing and growing and recently purchased games still shrinkwrapped on my shelf. Uncharted 2, one of the biggest releases this fall, is still in still staring at me from my bookshelf.

My portable gaming time remains consistent, mostly due to my 2 hour a day commute on the subway. But juggling a social life, working out, making time for professional development, errands, and enjoying other hobbies, has really killed my gaming time and interest. Prole made a great point in a recent Borecast, about how his gaming interest sometimes ebbs and flows. I definitely find it hard to get motivated to play stuff these day. Anyone can relate?

duckman2000 · « **Reply #1 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:04:58 AM »

With free time narrowing down, playing games has become more of a luxury thing, but I think I appreciate it more now.

And there's more value to it, overall. In addition to being good wind down tools, I've actually gotten real practical use out of some games. COD, for example, has been very inspirational in designing "milsim" team events for the company, and Mirror's Edge pushed me to think about developing creative obstacle courses for groups of people not quite so interested in playing war.

demi · « **Reply #2 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:05:34 AM »

Easy, cut the social life, working out and other hobbies. None of that will help you in the long run. Game on

Joe Molotov · « **Reply #3 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:07:11 AM »

It depends, sometimes I'll go a month or two and barely touch a game, other times I'll get really excited about a certain game or a couple of games and I'll go on a gaming spree. Batman AA was one that really got me back in the groove for a while.

Rman · « **Reply #4 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:07:20 AM »

Yeah, it's definitely a luxury.

I would love to get engrossed in a nice long RPG.

Great Rumbler · « **Reply #5 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:13:27 AM »

I go in phases, the same with a lot of things. Sometimes I'll play for hours and hours on end, then sometimes a week will go by where I hardly play anything. *shrugs*

fistfulofmetal · « **Reply #6 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:14:36 AM »

nope. i game more. Gamefly

Don Flamenco · « **Reply #7 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:15:52 AM »

yeah, I haven't played more than an hour or two since beating NGS2. When I do sit down to play, I get bored in a minute. it's weird.

bork · « **Reply #8 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:29:15 AM »

Take a break for a week or two, and force yourself not to buy anything new until you've played a few titles out of your backlog. That's what I've been doing, and I'm sticking to my purchasing plan, no matter how tempting some new titles may be.

The biggest problem I have right now is that all my classes this quarter are online, so I am at home a ton now, and instead of studying, I'll get side tracked and start playing games or browse forums. :'( Like right now. It's 12:37am and I should have already done all the work for one my classes today, but wasted time the entire day. $:-\$

EmCeeGrammar · « **Reply #9 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:49:20 AM »

I don't value lengthy action-adventure games anymore. Mostly into the low commitment pick-up-and-play games that I don't have to remember where I left off of whatev.

pilonv1 · « **Reply #10 on:** October 22, 2009, 02:20:43 AM »

I was just thinking about this yesterday.

I've been wanting to get a new PC for (Borderlands & Dragon Age among others) but then I thought about it and I don't really need it, I can still run Football Manager 2010 on my laptop and I'd really have no time for it. But the thought of building a new PC and seeing what games looked like on it was exciting. Responsibility

Quote from: the lyte edge™ on October 22, 2009, 01:29:15 AM

Take a break for a week or two, and force yourself not to buy anything new until you've played a few titles out of your backlog.

This helps too but I've been buying less lately and still having this feeling Rman described. I think it's the ebb and flow as mentioned before.

Also getting Madden 10 and NBA 2k10 this year and having them as bug ridden pieces of shit out of the box made me feel like giving up sports gaming.

bork · « **Reply #11 on:** October 22, 2009, 02:51:06 AM »

Quote from: EmCeeGrammar on October 22, 2009, 01:49:20 AM

I don't value lengthy action-adventure games anymore. Mostly into the low commitment pick-up-and-play games that I don't have to remember where I left off of whatev.

This is what I mainly play a shit-ton of, with some exceptions. I played through and couldn't put down Mirror's Edge, Tomb Raider Underworld, Resident Evil 5, Uncharted, and Uncharted 2 this year. Beat each one in 1-2 days.

twerd · « **Reply #12 on:** October 22, 2009, 02:57:44 AM »

i own a wii, so yes.

but seriously, college.

Hollywood · « **Reply #13 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:03:40 AM »

That happened to me about 5-6 years ago. There's nothing new in games, you're still playing the same shit you played years ago with a new coat of paint.

Diunx · « **Reply #14 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:11:24 AM »

The last game I finished was DQ8 like a year ago.

Rman · « **Reply #15 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:20:37 AM »

Quote from: twerd on October 22, 2009, 02:57:44 AM

i own a wii, so yes.

but seriously, college.

Nothing, wrong with that. I actually went on a gaming hiatus in college for the most part. I was having tons of fun with college life to care.

ManaByte · « **Reply #16 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:26:33 AM »

My 360 and Wii haven't been turned on in more than six months. My PS3 is just a Blu-Ray player/media server now. Only thing I play now is TF2/CS on clan servers and other PC games. Mostly Total War and Civ, but also playing a little Batman.

Human Snorenado · « **Reply #17 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:27:19 AM »

It comes and goes in waves- I probably didn't play a game for a solid month or two for a while there but now that I have a semblance of a normal schedule with being back in school a couple days a week I find that I value my game time that much more, so I've been playing a good bit lately.

It helps that there are some pretty good games out lately- Borderlands is really fun, Brutal Legend was a fun diversion and I'm really looking forward to Dragon Age. Then the first couple months of 2010 look ridiculously stacked.

ManaByte · « **Reply #18 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:29:43 AM »

Napoleon Total War will be the first half of 2010 for me.

cool breeze · « **Reply #19 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:32:55 AM »

Maybe. I've been buying a lot less games lately since I had some bad habits in the past. I still play lot, just often times it's an old game I know is awesome instead of a new game I wanted to just try. I still buy an embarrassing amount of games from time to time, like pretty much next week.

duckman2000 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:42:26 AM »

I think it speaks to the quality of the top tier games these days that I don't necessarily feel the need to jump straight into whatever is next. And some games, like COD4, are still the go to games in their genres ever since release, and have never really decreased in entertainment value.

Purple Filth · « **Reply #21 on:** October 22, 2009, 03:49:53 AM »

Yea to the point that i still don't own any of the current gen systems yet.

the only thing i've played in a while is the PSP (currently slogging through Monster Hunter Freedom Unite)

Olivia Wilde Homo · « **Reply #22 on:** October 22, 2009, 04:13:13 AM »

I almost never play games.

I'd like to say it is a generation thing but I have a shitload of roms that I haven't touched.

The decline started a few years back when I bought a lot of games, new TV, etc. and maxed out two credit cards as a result. I stopped buying new shit for a while and my urge to game has been dying ever since.

At the same time, I feel I need to own a gaming console. Maybe since I've always had one since I was 5? I don't know.

brawndolicious · « **Reply #23 on:** October 22, 2009, 04:46:15 AM »

hills and valleys I guess. Sometimes I end up playing shitloads of hours for a week (usually marathoning through a new game) and then I realize I have a vitamin D deficiency and tests to study for. Few weeks later, I notice that I haven't played any games for a week and I wonder why I wasted all that money on those games. It's just back and forth.

I have three huge ankle-grabbers of tests this week so I might just spend next week playing a lot.

chronovore · « **Reply #24 on:** October 22, 2009, 07:50:01 AM »

There are periods where I feel like gaming less or more, those are just waves.

What's been strange for me is the sometimes strange begrudged feeling I get when firing up a game specifically to get an Achievement. I'm going to need to ween myself off of that drive; there's enough stuff I don't enjoy doing at work. Spending two days' worth of my limited gaming time looking for the last flag in fucking Masyaf, only never finding it, that broke something in me. It didn't turn me off of Achievements, but it did burn me out on mindless collection horsecrap.

tiesto · « **Reply #25 on:** October 22, 2009, 10:03:48 AM »

I don't find that I have any less time to play games, I still play DS on my lunch break, or console games on a weekend afternoon... it's just I've found myself very disinterested in following the new releases, I don't get hyped up very much anymore, and prefer to dive into the backlog rather than play something new. I'd definitely consider myself a 'retro' gamer at this point.

Bocsius · « **Reply #26 on:** October 22, 2009, 10:05:32 AM »

The concept you're looking for here is growing up.

Brehvolution · « **Reply #27 on:** October 22, 2009, 11:33:45 AM »

I always make time to game. It's my escape, my "me" time. After the kids are in bed, I crack open a cold brew and pick up a controller or sit at the PC and play. Now that the cold weather season is upon me, I'll get to game even more.

cool breeze · « **Reply #28 on:** October 22, 2009, 11:56:15 AM »

oh nice, so I shouldn't be worried that I have a growing backlog because I'm in my early twenties? Can't wait to finally play Persona 4 in the future.

tiesto · « **Reply #29 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:09:27 PM »

Quote from: swaggaz on October 22, 2009, 11:56:15 AM

oh nice, so I shouldn't be worried that I have a growing backlog because I'm in my early twenties? Can't wait to finally play Persona 4 in the future.

I can't wait till the year 2011 when I can finally play Persona *3*, lol

Himu · « **Reply #30 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:15:04 PM »

Nothing keeps me too interested too long, these days. The only game I've managed to beat this year is RE5 unless you count old games (FF12, RE1-4, Jak 1-3). I had a brief stint playing WoW and I think that's the cure, but I haven't re-subscribed. I've certainly played a lot of good games this year like Devil Survivor but aside from Civilization IV, Vampire: Bloodlines, Titan Quest: Immortal Throne and RE5 I get bored with them pretty easily.

After being burned from almost every game I've been excited for this gen, it's really hard to stay excited. Of course, there's been a few gems and surprised, but I can say without a doubt that gaming is no longer important to me at this point. That's not to say all the games out there are bad; on the contrary, there's a lot of GREAT looking games out there, but I no longer have the urge to play them. I think having a girlfriend, having a decent social life and more are the reasons for that. Oh well.

On the flip side, I've taken up more interesting hobbies like photography in gaming's stead, so it's all good.

Himu · « **Reply #31 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:30:09 PM »

Quote from: Hollywood on October 22, 2009, 03:03:40 AM

That happened to me about 5-6 years ago. There's nothing new in games, you're still playing the same shit you played years ago with a new coat of paint.

There's this too.

Honestly, this past summer I was considering selling my game collection for a fine mint. Could make a good 2000 bucks off of it.

Eel O'Brian · « **Reply #32 on:** October 22, 2009, 12:48:31 PM »

actually, i've been gaming more than ever over the past couple of years, now that i have narrowed down all the other hobbies i used to have

i missed out on a lot of gaming between the years of '96 - '03, especially a great deal of the PC stuff, so i feel like i'm trying to cram them all in at once

between all the sales and my natural impulses i've developed quite a backlog, so much that i've decided after this year i'm not buying any more games until i've caught up a good bit

Bocsius · « **Reply #33 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:01:44 PM »

The concept of having a backlog, particularly a lengthy one, is simply ridiculous to me. Buy what you want to play when you want to play it. It's far more economical, for one. There's no need to run out and get it day one if your intention isn't to play it, you don't get cool points for simply having the game. Buy it later and save yourself the money. You may find you never buy the game at all.

Otherwise, you'll waste far more money than necessary and accumulate a pile of games that your own actions confess your lack of interest in actually playing. You may one day trudge through them, not because of wanting to, but because you feel you have to. What a perfectly good way to remove the enjoyment of one's hobby.

Eel O'Brian · « **Reply #34 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:12:12 PM »

my backlog is because of $5 D2D and crazy Steam sales, though, i don't buy new games very often anymore

if i do buy a new game, you can bet i'm either going to play it to completion right away or quickly flip it on ebay if i end up disliking it

duckman2000 · « **Reply #35 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:12:59 PM »

Quote from: Eel O'Brian on October 22, 2009, 01:12:12 PM

if i do buy a new game, you can bet i'm either going to play it to completion right away or quickly flip it on ebay if i end up disliking it

Flipping on Ebay

Whether I like the game or not

Eel O'Brian · « **Reply #36 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:16:28 PM »

yeah, i do the buy/rent from time to time

jiji · « **Reply #37 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:17:14 PM »

I most definitely have less time, but as I become more removed from gaming and find more satisfaction in outside pursuits, I find it easier to neglect gaming without accumulating guilt over a backlog. Gamefly helps with that, too. I can try something on impulse and send it back without guilt over not having finished it. Less accumulation, less clutter, less waste.

Of course, I'm still happy to purchase sure-thing great games now and then, with the foreknowledge that I'll enjoy the hell out of them and keep coming back.

Thexder Neo

Demon's Souls

Fallout 3

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #38 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:49:36 PM »

I haven't played a game at all in two months.

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #39 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:50:05 PM »

Which begs the question, "... what has Cajole been doing the past two months?"

CajoleJuice · « **Reply #40 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:50:55 PM »

I ask myself the same question.

The Fake Shemp · « **Reply #41 on:** October 22, 2009, 01:58:17 PM »

Sounds like someone should be playing Borderlands.

Bebpo · « **Reply #42 on:** October 22, 2009, 02:59:42 PM »

No, but I blame that all on demon souls which has consumed me.

EmCeeGrammar · « **Reply #43 on:** October 22, 2009, 04:32:18 PM »

Quote from: Oscar the Grouch on October 22, 2009, 11:51:41 AM

I kind of have my ducks lined up so I'm in that "waiting to die" phase of my life that just oozes with free time.

Are you depressed dude
$:-\$ Noooo segata, you're the coolest g evah.

Human Snorenado · « **Reply #44 on:** October 22, 2009, 04:38:51 PM »

Quote from: Willco on October 22, 2009, 01:50:05 PM

Which begs the question, "... what has Cajole been doing the past two months?"

"...big black dildo."

Mr. Gundam · « **Reply #45 on:** October 22, 2009, 06:46:37 PM »

I have less time for gaming now, but the fact that there are few JRPGs for the PS3 means that I've been able to complete tons of games. I've beaten Sigma 2, Uncharted 2 and Arkham Asylum so far this month.

chronovore · « **Reply #46 on:** October 22, 2009, 08:04:36 PM »

Quote from: Willco on October 22, 2009, 01:50:05 PM

Which begs the question, "... what has Cajole been doing the past two months?"

Building a vast, underground lair?

brawndolicious · « **Reply #47 on:** October 23, 2009, 01:17:34 AM »

I have never had a backlog. I once bought some games on black friday, put them somewhere, and then promptly passed out and forgot I bought them. but I immediately played them when I found them a few months later.

Quote from: Jinfash on October 22, 2009, 09:03:06 PM

Add on top of that the university, where I'm really slacking off but I have to give the impression that I'm not, and you'll see how difficult it is to get my game on in this type of environment.

What do you mean? Does the uni like go through the dorms acting like a game nazi.

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Author Topic: Do you find that you're gaming less and less? (Read 2857 times)