Gaming behaviour and the change of age

[Tatsu]

Lately I've noticed a really anoying behaviour when I play videogames. The longer the more I can't really get into games and lose myself while playing for hours. I remember when I was younger (not really a kid but still at school) I could spend whole nights or after-noons trying to finish a game or playing RPGs. Be it with a friend or alone. I really love RPGs but I really have to force myself to spend time playing. As soon as I start I'm sort of stressed out and I'm waiting for the next savepoint. Just that I don't lose any of the progress I've made. As if it were so bad if I had to replay fifteen minutes of a game... I'm more relaxed when playing puzzle games like Columns or anything else that you can turn off or save anytime. Another thing that I've noticed that I'm more into "simple" games like hack'n'slay RGPs, even if I can't save at anytime.

It's not that I don't love gaming anymore. In fact I buy more games than ever, but somehow I'm not willing (or able) to spend time actually play them. Is that a sign of getting old or am I maye just stressed out in general? I mean I'm not that old and I do have a stressfull time right now. But still, there are great games around that are really worth my time (and it's not, that I have much better things to do ) but I still can't give them the time they deserve.

Anybody feel the same and has any tips or suggestions for me? Have you noticed any changing in your behaviour regarding videogames while you got older? Or maybe it's something in the games that has changed?

[Cirrus]

I see this in myself a lot, too. I used to be able to sink a good 60 hours into a great RPG, but now I don't seem to have the time, or maybe the patience. The kind of game I love now is more like Psychonauts: a lot of fun stuff to do, save anytime, and maybe put 12 or 15 hours into it. Jade Empire/Kotor is working really well, too.

I have started and stopped playing Disgaea about 5 times. It is a good strategy RPG, but the micromanagement get's me mad. Heck, I think I like SSX 3 more, and that doesn't seem right at all, but it's just the way it is. I think it was Super Mario 64 that started this trend for me: pretty long game, tons of semi-short missions, short term gratification, and the ability to "totally complete" a game, going back and getting every last star. I also love the first 3 Spryo games/Ratchet and Clank, etc... I'm growing into a child, it seems.

About not playing as many games: it's true for me as well. I find that the more I collect, the less I get into gaming. It's terribly fun to collect all of the games I played as a child, but I don't sit down and BEAT them like I did back then. I don't have the patience to sit and play and finish Golden Axe 2 like I used to: I did it before, but new games really interest me a lot more. I still love the games a lot, and I'd like to think I love them more, so why don't I play them more?

But once in a while I'll go back and play an older game, like Chrono Trigger, and I love it. But then I'm off of old RPGs, just like that. I also like the hack'n'slash new stuff, like you, but it bores me a bit.

Anyway, I'm tired and rambling... but I understand what you are getting at. I think it just comes with age, and frankly, I think it comes with collecting. For some of us, anyway.

[Ernster]

I'm in a similar position, for the last 6 months or more. I don't really enjoy gaming that much lately, well when Im alone anyway. I have NES, SNES, N64, GC and DS and I havent touched them in many months.

Theres so many GC games I should of bought but I just dont seem to "need" the new mario kart, or whatever game anymore. Anoter factor is I can't really afford to buy games these days, but that doesnt explain why I havent touched my NES in a good 6 months when last year and the last 14 years Ive been ADDICTED to the thing and alll my other consoles.

I think I've been playing games for far too long and the whole 3D era is really getting old now....

[fishsandwich]

I think this may be a fairly common thing. It's certainly happened to me.

I used to play my 2600, 5200, and NES for HOURS. Hours and hours and hours, all day long. Then I just quit when I hit my late teens.

When I was in college, me and my roomies would stay up LATE almost evry night getting high as kites and playing SNES, Genny, some NES, a surprising mount of old Gameboy hooked into the SNES Super Gameboy, a little 32x, and finally a shitload of PSX. It was like my second childhood. We played and played and played, both the old school and the new. I can't tell you how many hours we spent tryingto top our old scores and lap times on F-Zero for the SNES. I actually got to be fairly competitive using the shitty yellow car that was lightweight and had great acceleration but a low top-end and horrible armor.

Now I'm in my 30's and most of my friends and/or lovers aren't gamers, so any gaming I get is mostly solitary. I mean, I generally have a cat laying next to me on the couch when I play, but that's hardly the same thing.

I find it hard to get lost in a game... I can still play for an hour or even two when the mood hits me, but those days where I spent the bulk of the day in front of the TV and developed frickin blisters seems to be over now.

There was a period when I was dating someone who liked to play deathmatch FPS games on the Dreamcast... that was a lot of fun. After a period of serious ass-kicking on my part, we eventually became pretty evenly matched. That was fun.

Simple answer... yes, it's happening to me. I had a great time playing MONOPOY on the N64 a few days back. Man, I'm getting old. Soon i'll be knitting a shawl.

:/

[Cirrus]

I think I've been playing games for far too long and the whole 3D era is really getting old now....

I'm totally with you on that, to be sure. I would love to see some more great 2d games ASAP. Viewtiful Joe, etc... Two dimensional games are still possible, people! There won't be 4D, one-D would be terrible, so there are TWO CHOICES. How about some variety?!

And even when people do 2D, they do mock-3d crap. They let you rotate the camera (Disgaea) and then you see it's not 2d at all. Same with viewtiful joe, really. More Metal Slug, less Army Men. What about a totally 2D side-scrolling action-RPG like Popful Mail? Make it better, make it great, I will buy it.

[Tatsu]

It's interesting that the same thing is happening to other "old" gamers. Maybe it really has something to do with getting older. Or maybe it's just that we have much more stuff going on (like work, money and family) than in our childhood and teens. So it's more difficult to concentrate on gaming.

I've also noticed another things (when reading about gaming with another person): My girlfriend also likes videogames and got herself a PS2 some months ago. I got her some games and I've watched her play a lot at the beginning because it wasn't two-player games (Dark Cloud 2, Ratched & Clank). Only watching was getting boring very fast. I started reading a book or doing crosswords when she was playing, even if I still think it's cool that she plays. That wasn't the case when I way playing with a friend back in the days. Maybe that's another sign of getting old. On the other hand I do two things together a lot (like reading and watching TV), so maybe this is not really age but only my character.

I also agree about the 3d games. I'd die to see a sequel to the original Probotector games in 2D. Imagine a game like Super-Probotector but with much, much more worlds to play and a saving option. I guess we'll never see this but a game like this would be the non-plus ultra. Same goes for a game in original Castlevania style.

[THATinkjar]

Guys, I embrace you all. You've all summed up my feelings of late. I was going to start a thread, but I felt a little ashamed. Gaming has been my life but over the last five years, or so, things have changed.

I grew up with the BBC, NES, SNES, SMS, MD, GB and early PCs. A fantastic selection of gaming platforms to grow up with, I must say. But, after my initial excitement with the PS and Saturn wore off, I fell further into my PC coma. And from there, I begun a bad trend of buying "quick-play" games. Y'know, I suddenly wasn't interested in completing games. I merely wanted some form of skirmish/instant action mode to flaunt with occasionally.

Completing games was everything to me once upon a time, and then I couldn't care less. Sure, since then, there have been some exceptions. Half-Life and Half-Life 2. Burnout 3. Resident Evil 4 right now. Erm, Civilization 3, early FIFA games and Pro Evo Soccer are games I strived for perfection with since. But besides those, and one or two others, very few games draw me in. And yes, I also blame the third dimension polygonal processing technology we've smeared over gameplay. Despite owning the better releases, and almost never buying crap, I feel disgusted when I see yet another generic, bland 3D game hit the market.

3D may be more immersive. And I love a lot of 3D games. When 2D faded out, so did a lot of my interest. I think my love is returning, I think tagging myself a "collector" has helped. I don't know if getting older has had any influence. I don't know if buying my own games has had any influence. I just know I will always love gaming even if I never played another game again. Period.

Edit: I wonder if the explosion in popularity of video games has taken something away from us. It isn't just about us, anymore. It is about everyone and their dog, now. I feel less special sometimes.

[FlufflePuff]

I have the same problem myself. I have tons of RPGS, I still enjoy playing RPGs, but I can't seem to let myself go and just play them. It's always, "shit, I have to write this proposal, pay those bills, or spend time with the girlfriend." I find myself playing more episodic games like Fire Emblem, Disgaea, Mechassault, etc now. This shift in my playing habits disturbs me because I have at least 100 RPGs sitting on my shelf waiting to get played. Clearly what I need to do is win the lottery. Then I won't have to worry about bills or work. Or they need to make more RPGs like KOTOR. I was able to really get into that game and play for hours on end. I blew a whole Saturday playing from 11am to midnight. Didn't even realize how long I had been playing for. Sure I felt guilty that I didn't accomplish anything, but it was good getting back into a game with such fervor. Now I just need Jade Empire to become available in the MS retail shop.

[Graham Mitchell]

I find that I'm just too busy to play complicated games right now. I only get little 15-minute study breaks to play something, and I feel my time is better spent playing a solid game of Outrun than getting half-way through an area of Dark Cloud 2 and having to turn it off.

I still enjoy RPG's, and I wish I could find some that fit with my schedule better. I had a great time last year playing Phantasy Star 1 on the GBA because you can save anytime and anywhere. I did finish that, and I have great memories of my study breaks from my first year of med school, killing antlions on my GBA in the library.

But newer RPG's are kind of lackluster to begin with, and I don't feel like I get anywhere when I play them in short bursts. Plus, like somebody already mentioned, I really hate the whole "micromanagement" time-wasting of the newer RPG's. Every time I play Dark Cloud or FFX (which I've stopped playing entirely) I spend more time in the goddamn sphere grid or powering-up a weapon on the sub-screen after every fight than I do actually playing the game.

My friend recommends the Final Fantasy I and II remake that Square put out on the GBA recently, because you can save anywhere, at any time. Maybe FF3 remake on the DS will be the same way.

[Tatsu]

I can also recommend Dawn Of Souls. It's not to complicated and you can save anytime and anywhere. The difficulty level is a bit low but it's fun to play.

Maybe the problem I have depends a bit on the new games. I've started replaying Zelda - LTTP and Final Fantasy II on the S-Nes and it was really a good experience. Final Fantasy X on the other hand never really sucked me in. The Blitzball game didn't apeal to me and the story evolves very slow.

[The-Bavis]

I don't have much more to add than what is already said. I don't own any of the current-gen RPGs because the 40+ hours of touted gameplay is a turnoff for me. I think one of the main problems is that I now have more money and less free time than as a kid. So, I have more games and less time to finish them all. I know I was a little busy as a kid, but each year I had three straight months to play games. Amazing to think about now...

Also, I often have to cut gaming sessions short on a lot of current games because of the strain on my eyes. I don't need glasses or anything, I think I'm just trying to see every little detail on the screen or something. If I play an FPS for several days in a row (rarely more than an hour a day) my eyes get pretty bloodshot.

[Nesmaster]

I too, have noticed this lately. I've become big on the collecting part and not so big on the playing. Once in a while i'll sit down and play a good chunk of gameage, while other times i cant even look at my games cause i get such a strong boredom feeling. A lot of it has to do with getting my first computer not even 2 years ago also :P

[Promophile]

I'd just like to echo everyone elses thoughts. The only thing with me though is that I have TOO much time to play games. I've had about a year off now between High School and College (had a problem with my HS guidance department that caused me to miss all the deadlines and such.... long story). It's safe to say I've had a buttload of time to play games and, well, they just aren't fun anymore. I don't know if its because I've been overplaying games or if I'm actually getting tired with games in general. Just rented God of War, played through it, and though it was a horribly boring mediocre game. Same thing with Sudeki which I'm currently playing. I enjoyed RE4 to a point but after I beat it I kinda lost the aura of enjoyment. I found Viewtiful Joe to be too complicated and rather than try and master it I just decided to drop it. True RPGs don't fare any better. Suikoden 4 bored me to tears . I've seen these same goddamn stories rehashed over and over and over. The only game stories I've been interested in in the last few years have been Metal Gear and Legacy of Kain. Even games I DO enjoy I can only stand for about an hour or two before I get horribly bored. It really is depressing since for my whole life games have been my one and only escape from the pressures/stress of life. I need to find some new outlet or I'm probally gonna crack in a few years.

[Mianrtcv]

Where to begin on this... Well, if you are over 25. Odds are you work. Now add in family members, a significant other or god forbid children (kidding, I have one). Now maybe even friends. Time can't be spent like we used to do it. Even if a game is great, the friend you logged 500 hours playing astrosmash or yars revenge with isn't available or maybe you are not. I am getting back into my gaming. I did it by sneaking my gba and psp with me to most places. Dragon Warrior III is in the gba and i'm getting into it again. Portable systems is the quick fix for me. After that hopefully my consoles will get use too. Gee, theres only a bakers dozen of them.

[Mattiekrome]

Well, if you are over 25. Odds are you work.

Exactly why I crave the "simple" NES games of old. Like most others that have posted in this thread, its just hard to get into a game that requires SO MUCH work to accomplish anything. It would be great to be in college again and only have classes 2 days a week :)

[CatchFiveBats]

I completely agree with what everyone else has said so far, mostly, but I have a ton of free time (I spend pretty much all my afternoons and weekends sitting around in my room) and I find myself spending no more than an hour or two per day playing games. I got Arc the Lad: Twilight of the Spirits a little over a week ago, and I've only logged 2-3 hours in it. I remember when I got Final Fantasy VIII and had logged 7 hours the day I bought it.

I think the problem is that I have a large selection of games to play (I have over 200 games and have only beaten 15 of them, at the most) and I'm a little overwhelmed. I'm in the middle of playing pretty much every game I own, so I play one game for a little while, then end up taking a break at a save point and I just never get around to playing it again for a couple days because I can't make a decision on what to play.

My short attention span is probably to blame for this, but either way, I'm getting worried about myself. I have plenty of games to play and plenty of time to play them, but I just never get around to it. I can only hope that I will be able to find the motivation to play games with the same fervor as before.

[PDorr3]

I have the same problems, I used to be able to play 40 hour rpg's alot, but now I find myself getting bored 2-5 hours into them. I like playing portable games for my quick dose of gaming, but I am not as dedicated to pilling 50 hours into a quest as I used to be.

[Graham Mitchell]

I can also recommend Dawn Of Souls. It's not to complicated and you can save anytime and anywhere. The difficulty level is a bit low but it's fun to play.

Maybe the problem I have depends a bit on the new games. I've started replaying Zelda - LTTP and Final Fantasy II on the S-Nes and it was really a good experience. Final Fantasy X on the other hand never really sucked me in. The Blitzball game didn't apeal to me and the story evolves very slow.

Okay, you brought up blitzball. I had a major problem with that. I play video games because I'm really not into sports, let's put it that way. The fact that they put a REQUIRED sports event (that's really difficult to figure out) into what used to be a sacred series really irked me. It's just proof that they're not making games for the same people they were 10, or even 5 years ago.

This is going on in pretty much all of gaming, particularly with respect to the over-the-top violence and gore. Sometime's it's entertaining, but sometimes it's too much. I can't play Medal of Honor. I start crying. :embarrassed: I don't really know who they're trying to impress with all that. That's probably a big part of why I've got a really low interest in contemporary games.