No time for gaming - A slight rant

[Marc]

Thinking about this this morning, and I'm seriously pissed off. I have a pile of Xbox games at home that I started, another pile I haven't even begun, I picked up Midnight Club 3, Steel Battalion and San Andreas last week (even though Vice City took me over a fucking YEAR to finish) and I've just realised I simply don't have the time for gaming anymore. There's so much stuff I really want to play. I'd love to finish Burnout 3, Fable, Beyond Good & Evil, Psi-Ops and Thief 3. I'd love to be able to start San Andreas, Midnight Club and Halo 2. I'd like to go buy American Mcgee's Scrapland and Ninja Gaiden, but there's no point, because I simply don't have the time for mainstream gaming anymore. I haven't fallen out of love with it, I just can't keep up with it. Doesn't help when I stick on a shmup for ten minutes uncomplicated gaming, and end up there for an hour and a half trying to top my best on Shiki 2. I don't know, maybe I'm just getting too old for gaming, anyone else feel the same?

I used to play one game solely until completion, maybe I bought too many games at once, maybe I just need to slow down and explore some of the stuff I have, but thinking about it makes my head hurt and I just can't get started. Plus I got my girlfriend currently into Gods Of War (which looks awsome, wouldn't mind playing that) and Haunting Ground on PS2, fighting me for TV time.

Only thing other than Shiki 2 I'm playing recently is Wario Ware on GC, and that thing is too damn addictive as well.

[Elixir]

It's called "sticking to one title and playing it."

Difficult, I know.

[Marc]

Dude, sarcastic replies to two of my posts in the same day. Someone get ou of the wrong side of the bed this morning?

Problem is, when some of them are 30+ hours, feels like that time could be much better spent. I hate to start games and leave then uncompleted, but always feel like I should be playing something else when I stick to one game for too long.

Shit, I bought Scrapland anyways, another to add to the pile.

[marcus12024]

I feel the same way these days, but for a different reason - I make games in my spare time. So instead of spending several hours playing games, I spend 4-5 hours a night making my own games. Right now I'm working on a console-style RPG, with my cousin doing artwork, and my friend doing the story, and a music professor doing the soundtrack. It's consuming all my time, so I rarely play games anymore. And that's okay, too. I know that when I need a break I'll have tons of games sitting around, waiting to be played.

There's nothing wrong with having more games than you can play - if you enjoy having those games, for whatever reason, then keep them. Keep buying them, and supporting the companies you enjoy. I buy 2-3 new games a month, and maybe get time to play one of them. But I keep buying them, and my friends are always happy 'cause they can borrow whatever they want

But it may still be a good idea to take a day every once in a while, and spend some time with some quality games. I'm 24 and I still pick the odd day to just veg out with a good game for the better part of a day.

[system11]

I keep buying them, playing 5 minutes and trading. Like an idiot. All the time, I still find myself playing the same two or three games constantly. Currently these are Midnight Club 3 and Rainbow Six 3:Black Arrow (still!)

MC3 has turned into the biggest timesink since MC2, I've racked up over 400 hours now, only 10 or so offline.

[Marc]

bloodflowers Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:02 pm Post subject:

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I keep buying them, playing 5 minutes and trading. Like an idiot. All the time, I still find myself playing the same two or three games constantly. Currently these are Midnight Club 3 and Rainbow Six 3:Black Arrow (still!)

MC3 has turned into the biggest timesink since MC2, I've racked up over 400 hours now, only 10 or so offline.

Fucking hell, that's... well, I'm speechless. That's actually sitting in my 'to play' pile at the minute, any good offline?

[theevilfunkster]

bloodflowers Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:02 pm Post subject:

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I keep buying them, playing 5 minutes and trading. Like an idiot. All the time, I still find myself playing the same two or three games constantly. Currently these are Midnight Club 3 and Rainbow Six 3:Black Arrow (still!)

MC3 has turned into the biggest timesink since MC2, I've racked up over 400 hours now, only 10 or so offline.

Fucking hell, that's... well, I'm speechless. That's actually sitting in my 'to play' pile at the minute, any good offline?

Yes, very good. It's all I've been playing for the past week. Only got the bike races left which I cant stand.

I've got a shitload of games that I've not played yet, mostly rpgs. I'm starting to go through them one by one now though as I'm pretty much a bum now with loads of free time. Currently doing Shining the Holy Ark, then maybe Wind Waker.

[Elixir]

Dude, sarcastic replies to two of my posts in the same day. Someone get ou of the wrong side of the bed this morning?

Problem is, when some of them are 30+ hours, feels like that time could be much better spent. I hate to start games and leave then uncompleted, but always feel like I should be playing something else when I stick to one game for too long.

Shit, I bought Scrapland anyways, another to add to the pile.

No, I'm naturally sarcastic. Perhaps if you put as much effort into your typing as you did your gaming, you would actually have time for it.

[Dave_K.]

I'd recommend just playing the DEMO versions of these games if you really just want a feel for it. This is the reason why I subscribe to Xbox and PS2 mags. But to tell you the truth I don't even have time for the demo discs anymore (just went through my backlog of discs this weekend...about 6 months worth!). I'll probably stop subscribing now, and am in now way interested in the next gen consoles at this point.

[PaCrappa]

I pretty much play one "story game" a year. Sometimes two. This year I was injured multiple times so I played Gun Valkyrie, Robotrek and now Final Fantasy Tactics for my busted foot. Everything else is short bursts of serious action. Arcadey type stuff. I still buy most of the story games that look good to me but since I'm only 32 and have about 50 years left, I've been big enough to not impose deadlines on myself. Those games'll still be there for me when I'm ready. And that is a happy feeling.

Pa

[Ganelon]

I'm having difficulties getting through any RPG nowadays...

[Rob]

1 Yeah, I'd suggest buy less, play stuff you have.
2 Start with Beyond Good & Evil. It really is just 10 hours max.

I'm having difficulties getting through any RPG nowadays...

Me too, but mostly because they're sucking. Skies of Arcadia was the last interesting one I've played, interesting enough to complete (not: FFX, BOFV, SO3).

[thesuperkillerxxx]

I'm having difficulties getting through any RPG nowadays...

Yeah what he said....

All my friends give me shit for gaming, yet I couldn't tell you the last time I spent more than an hour a day(excluding last weekend).

[system11]

bloodflowers Posted: Wed Sep 07, 2005 2:02 pm Post subject:

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

I keep buying them, playing 5 minutes and trading. Like an idiot. All the time, I still find myself playing the same two or three games constantly. Currently these are Midnight Club 3 and Rainbow Six 3:Black Arrow (still!)

MC3 has turned into the biggest timesink since MC2, I've racked up over 400 hours now, only 10 or so offline.

Fucking hell, that's... well, I'm speechless. That's actually sitting in my 'to play' pile at the minute, any good offline?

Yes, very good. It's all I've been playing for the past week. Only got the bike races left which I cant stand.

I've got a shitload of games that I've not played yet, mostly rpgs. I'm starting to go through them one by one now though as I'm pretty much a bum now with loads of free time. Currently doing Shining the Holy Ark, then maybe Wind Waker.

The offline game (for me) was fun but just a learning procedure required to unlock the cars for online play. Get yourselves online! Don't use a car unlock cheat before going there though, a poor driver with no track knowledge in the fastest car will get pounded by anyone good in the slowest. Learn manual gearshift for the best speeds, the cars accelerate MUCH quicker that way.

[Ex_Mosquito]

i tend to stick to games i know how to play these days, like super turbo on xbox clive 99% of the time. I just cant be arsed to learn anything from fresh these days, too much effort.

[Marc]

The offline game (for me) was fun but just a learning procedure required to unlock the cars for online play. Get yourselves online!

Been thinking of getting on Live, but that just adds to the problem

[system11]

The offline game (for me) was fun but just a learning procedure required to unlock the cars for online play. Get yourselves online!

Been thinking of getting on Live, but that just adds to the problem

Actually, kind of removed it for me - I just play the same few games with my friends, I just need to learn not to buy the crap I will inevitably refund or trade without playing.

[E. Randy Dupre]

Problem is, when some of them are 30+ hours, feels like that time could be much better spent. I hate to start games and leave then uncompleted, but always feel like I should be playing something else when I stick to one game for too long.

I really wouldn't worry about that with a lot of the stuff you listed. Fable is about twelve hours long if you don't bother with the side quests. BG&E is about the same *with* the side quests and 100% completion. Much the same applies to Psi-Ops, only there are no side quests (well, there are secret missions hidden away, but they're only a few single room puzzles).

All three look like they're going to be longer than they are, right up until the point where you suddenly realise that you're at the end. BG&E is especially bad for it.

I also wouldn't worry about feeling the need to 100% Burnout 3. You get a certain point, relatively early on, where everything that comes after it is exactly the same as what went before.

I've been pretty broke for the majority of the last two years, so anything I've bought I've had to make sure I complete fully. That's meant that I've been dead careful about what I've spent my cash on - no point in paying any more than £20 for BG&E when I know it'll be finished in a weekend, but Disgaea and Pokemon are still bargains at full price, because they'll last me forever.

[FatCobra]

I've pretty much gave up as far as updating goes. Mostly now all I usually play are Command & Conquer games (Red Alert 2 and it's expansion pack Yuri's Revenge being my favorites at the moment) I've gave up on handhelds and consoles and now focusing on PC gaming. I still find time to game, however.

[PaCrappa]

Gave up on the SNES already? I thought it was some kind of love affair we were talking about.

Pa

[FatCobra]

Gave up on the SNES already? I thought it was some kind of love affair we were talking about.

Pa

Oh no, I still play that on a regular basis. As far as updated stuff is concerned, I simply don't have the time or the money for it.

[Thunder Force]

There's nothing wrong with having more games than you can play - if you enjoy having those games, for whatever reason, then keep them. Keep buying them, and supporting the companies you enjoy. I buy 2-3 new games a month, and maybe get time to play one of them. But I keep buying them, and my friends are always happy 'cause they can borrow whatever they want But it may still be a good idea to take a day every once in a while, and spend some time with some quality games. I'm 24 and I still pick the odd day to just veg out with a good game for the better part of a day.

I agree with those sentiments... Also I've always seen having a game library similar to having a personal video arcade. You aren't expected to play all your machines every week, you just play whatever you feel like in any given week.

What's bothersome fo me is taking long breaks from some games and often forgetting where I was in the campaign up to that point. Makes it very hard to pick up months later and keep playing. Sometimes I wonder if I'm better off just restarting rather than loading up old savegames. It's almost like half-finished savegames act like a kind of deterrant from picking up the unfinished game again, and should be wiped clean for a fresh start. I'm thinking of trying the "wipe your savegames for more fun" approach with a few selected titles, I wonder if it works?

[Marc]

What's bothersome fo me is taking long breaks from some games and often forgetting where I was in the campaign up to that point. Makes it very hard to pick up months later and keep playing. Sometimes I wonder if I'm better off just restarting rather than loading up old savegames.

That's exectly how I am, if I don't carry on with a game once it's started, it won't get finished, any break in play just causes me to loose interest.

[PepsimanVsJoe]

You think that's bad?

Shin Megami Tensei 3 Nocturne was one of my most wanted PS2 games since the day of the JPN release. When it finally got a US launch I had it preordered and everything, got the game first day and proceeded to quit 20 hours in.

This is partly due to me losing to a certain boss after not saving for two hours. Also and more ridiculous is that between that time I must have bought 40 or so games. I might end up just gamesharking through Nocturne just to see everything because I no longer have the time to devote full attention to use propr strategy to beat the game. It sucks really because Nocturne deserves better as IMO from what I've played it's the best RPG this gen.

I don't want to talk about the hundreds of hours I've thrown away towards Halo 1 multiplayer and Morrowind, time that could have been used to y'know beat Nocturne and the all of the other games I've bought.

But I'm improving I think. I snapped my Halo 1 disc in half (The only true way to beat this game) and deleted Morrowind off my HD. Last night I played some Nightshade(already beat it on easy so time for normal) as well.

[marcus12024]

I've recently also run into the problem of buying more games than I could ever possibly finish. My total collection grew from about 350 games, all the way up to 500 since January 2005 - that's a problem! Before you think I'm insane, many of the games I've purchased are those that I had "backed up before owning", and then beaten, so I decided that I should buy real copies of them. I was starting to feel bad. Many of the games are also older cartridges that I never got around to picking up back in the day. But still, I've got about 120+ games that I've never really played more than 5 minutes on.

I have now started to not care how many games I can finish, instead just playing what I enjoy. This way of thinking allowed me to finish Resident Evil 4 three times in three days. It was great. Who cares if I'm not making "progress", or finishing a bunch of games. It's all supposed to be fun, not a job.

[Zero]

Only buy the games you are seriously into. Thats how I do it other wise I would be just like you. Playing a game for 4 hours then quiting and going to the next. But since I have game that I SERIOUSLY want to play I don't mind spending long hours on them.