Anyone else watch TV while gaming?

[kevin_psx]

I find videogames to be less than exciting.
Solve that problem by watching TV at the same time.

I play my videogame on my main tv-- and also watch live television on a smaller set setting right next to it. Anyone else do the same thing?

[youruglyclone]

I listen to tv while I play although it's been somewhat of a detriment (sephiroth fight in kh2)

[davidbrit2]

I find television to be less than exciting.
Solve that problem by playing video games at the same time.

[DigitalSpace]

I don't, but my younger brother has two TVs in his room, and I'll occasionally see him watching sports on one and playing PS2 on another.

[hezeuschrist]

Actually I surf the net or talk online while playing games. Especially RPGs or between songs on Guitar Hero.

[Julio III]

I find videogames to be less than exciting.
Solve that problem by watching TV at the same time.


Maybe thats why "videogames are becoming too complicated" for you. Multitasking, you know its not doable.

[Snapple]

I do this all the time.

Watching TV especially helps to pass the time while you're grinding through an RPG, once you start going through the motions battle after battle.

[Dobie]

I only do it while watching a baseball match. The pace of baseball is slow enough that I can usually play a game, and pause it when things on the field get interesting.

[Griking]

I always have the tv on in the background though I never watch network television.

[slip81]

I find videogames to be less than exciting.
Solve that problem by watching TV at the same time.


Maybe thats why "videogames are becoming too complicated" for you. Multitasking, you know its not doable.

I was about to say the same thing LOL

I think it's a vicious cycle for you Kevin. You find modern games too complicated so you play the classics, which apparently are too boring for you so you watch tv. But at the same time you can't combat game bordom with more sophisticated games.

"Here is a ball, perhaps you'd like to bounce it."
http://www.redballproject.com/images/redball/ballshadow.jpg

[exit]

I use to do that when I was younger and it also helped solve problems when friends were over that wanted to watch TV/play a game.

I'd sometimes have a PSX hooked up to my big TV, a SNES hooked up to a smaller TV so me and a friend would fight over what system to play.

Those were the days.

[cyberfluxor]

When I do end up watching TV and playing a video game at the same time, it's with PC games. Generally when it comes down to older PC titles that take time for resources to gather and things to be built, I just que things up and watch some TV on the side to "speed" up the process.

As for consule gaming, I use to have 2 TVs on opposites of the room: One for classic, other for modern games; because one had just coax while the other had coax/avi/dvi (Plus was a bigger screen). But with watching on 1 and playing the other, no way, pointless. Most consule games I play require full attention and constatly changing environments.

On another note though, I will listen to radio or cds while playing video games and dim the games music. Sometimes I have better music in my playlists to go along. Classical sometimes sets better moods than techno or rock.

[Anthony1]

I've done this before, but honestly, I don't think it's a very good idea. What happens is that the video game experience and the TV part both are suffering very much when doing that, so you really end up enjoying either of them as much as you could. Now having said that, I've done it before, so I'm no better. But everytime I've done it, I've kinda regretted trying to do it, cause neither one becomes very satisfying when I'm trying to do that.


I can kinda watch a game or something on TV and be online at the same time. I've even watched Lost at the same time while being online, but only during commercials. Probably won't do that again, cause I missed a couple of minutes of Lost one time doing that. I got distracted with something online and didn't realize the show had come back on.

[Retsudo]

Well since I only have 1 tv, I watch it while Im playing games on my computer. Or should I say listen to tv while playing games. LOL

[Duece]

Sorry for bumping an old thread but this has become a problem for me. I've gotten used to (with the use of DVI monitors) playing games with the TV in the background.

When I first got my DVI to hdmi cord I was pretty excited but overtime Iv'e gotten tired of sitting so close to the screen and playing games mostly on mute. With sports games it's not much of a problem. With action adventure it is a major problem.

[Leo_A]

I do this a lot. I'll watch a old movie on Turner Classic Movies and decide I like it. So the next time I'm playing games on my HDTV (Especially if I'm achievement hunting or doing races in something like Forza 2), I'll listen to the movie again in the background on my CRT as I record it to a DVD-r since I'm only paying half attention to what I'm playing.

[retroman]

when i play games, that is all that i am focused on.

[Johnny_Rock]

Generally I only do it with action heavy games (fighting, racing, FPS, etc) or games with long stretches of no story or important dialogue. Though not TV, more like netflix, documentaries and music.

It gets pretty amusing playing soundtracks for other games over the one you're playing. Like the Silver Surfer stage music over Wipeout or the Marvel vs Capcom 3 victory music on while doing a boss encounter in a JRPG.

[JSoup]

Depends on what I'm playing. I need to multitask when I do things or I start to lose focus. Lately, I've been opening streams to random TV shows on JustinTV, then playing WoW over the top of it.

[BlastProcessing402]

In my decades of gaming, I've almost always had a TV on while playing on another set. However, this past summer I hooked up my 360 to an old VGA monitor I got for free, but it's in a place in the room that doesn't lend itself to having the TV on as well, so I've not been doing that so much.

Probably when I get around to playing some PS3 games I'll be back to doing it, since there's no decent way to hook a PS3 up to this monitor without spending a lot of money for a convertor box of some type.

[The 1 2 P]

I don't do this but I have a friend who insist on watching Hula while playing games. I personally like to focus on one or the other.

[joshnickerson]

I generally only do this if I'm playing a handheld, particularly RPGs where you have to grind for levels. I've probably leveled up hundreds of Pokemon while watching TV.

[heybtbm]

Every single Nintendo DS RPG I've finished has been played during NFL games. It's the perfect genre and system for watching TV. During a commercial or time out I open the DS and pick up where I left off. Love that standby mode.

[Cryomancer]

I'm boosting Red Faction on xbox live as I post this. I've got a laptop in front of the TV now so it's pretty easy to do. I'll watch stuff a lot when doing boosting, as it's often like right now where I can literally do my part one handed or by staying still.

[Kitsune Sniper]

I like to play stuff with DVD commentaries in the background.

I'm weird like that.

[Johnny_Rock]

I like to play stuff with DVD commentaries in the background.

I'm weird like that.

I've been doing that lately too. I absolutely love commentaries. I'm probably going to run through most of the John Carpenter/Kurt Russel ones this week and maybe John Waters' as well.

[LaughingMAN.S9]

i listen to music usually when im gaming

[kedawa]

I like having something on the television when I'm playing online games. I mostly just leave it on the news channels or the space channel, and pay attention to it during lulls in gameplay.

[SteveSpeeze]

I find videogames to be less than exciting.
Solve that problem by watching TV at the same time.

I play my videogame on my main tv-- and also watch live television on a smaller set setting right next to it. Anyone else do the same thing?

I watch movies while im waiting for raids to start on warcraft.

[Korppi]

Don't think I've ever done that, possibly once or twice. A game isn't worth playing or TV show worth watching if I can do both at same time. Bad habit, in my opinion, can't see anyone really enjoying it.

[NYLatenite]

I do that a lot when I'm playing a game but still want to keep tabs on something (sporting event, waiting for a specific news segment, etc) - For the most part, I'm paying attention to the game, but listening for a cue to switch my attention to the tv.

Also, in a mmo, I'll often watch tv during those endless grind or travel times!

[frogofdeath]

Only while playing GBA or DS. My house isn't big enough for two televisions, but even if it were, can't say I would play a home console and watch a series or movie at the same time.

[CapnCrunch53]

Personally I don't watch TV while I game since my room isn't set up that way, but if I really wanted to I would change my setup for it. I don't watch a lot of TV, and what I do watch is usually stuff I want to give my full attention (like Community or BSG).

What I do listen to while gaming though is podcasts. Sometimes I listen to a podcast to pass the time (for example, I listen to one about game music while playing Zelda: Ancient Stone Tablets since I'm already familiar with the music in that game). Often it's more that I'm playing the game to pass time while listening to my podcast; in particular I like playing through Super Mario World, mindlessly driving in a GTA game, or beating a long race in Forza while doing this. It's hard for me to sit idle while listening to a podcast. When I'm playing a game for the first time though I typically don't like distractions because I want to get the full experience, including the game's music and everything.

[hbkprm]

i got picture in picture on my tv and i do the tv and games at the same time sometimes

[Ludwig]

With shooters i put on some metal, otherwise i can't concentrate. On the other hand i do not tolerate any kind of distraction in any other games. I also love commentaries, but i actually actively listen to them.

[Nirvana]

I typically play fighting games, and if I'm not playing online, then I'm in training mode. Usually I'll have NFL Network on my TV at the same time.

[SteveSpeeze]

I have a friend named corey who has a scary but cool game room.
its pretty much a living room with 3 of the biggest flatscreens money can buy.
one on the left wall,, one in the middle,, one on the right wall. all matching.
he has a computer, xbox 360 and neo geo if i remember right.
but when he plays online games like warcraft.. its insane.
IMO thats going alittle too far.

I still use a GX tv next to my bed with a snes hooked up.
Nothing beats a good game of Pugley's scavenger hunt before bed lol.