This thread has become more of a discussion on how other people have coped when they've become tired or "jaded"
I don't know if I like the analogy that playing games is like reading. While there are millions of books, there's probably less than 100 games that can fulfill the same interest that those books would.
I feel like the gaming industry is getting a little saturated with the same shit, but we're gonna have another semi-golden age of gaming if HL3, D3, and SC2 come out in somewhat the same time frame.
This thread has become more of a discussion on how other people have coped when they've become tired or "jaded"
I don't know if I like the analogy that playing games is like reading. While there are millions of books, there's probably less than 100 games that can fulfill the same interest that those books would.
I feel like the gaming industry is getting a little saturated with the same shit, but we're gonna have another semi-golden age of gaming if HL3, D3, and SC2 come out in somewhat the same time frame.
Just more waiting until the next Qn
Right after DNF.
chamberlain on
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G RolDorsia? Nobody goes there anymore...Nell'sRegistered Userregular
edited July 2009
I think the problem with "game burnout" is largely due to the wealth of game sites and boards just like these. We know the ins and outs of any given game's play mechanics, graphical prowess, and "hooks" months before release.
Games have to take me by suprise to thrill me any more. The last game that probably did that was Mass Effect. I recognize that game was super-hyped, but I avoided it because RPGs generally aren't my thing. I picked it up on a whim and was blown out of the water by it.
I guess the game prior to that was Rez on PS2...just didn't know what to expect.
I've been going through the exact same thing, for the past year and a half. The actual enjoyment I derive from gaming has been on a steady decline. A side effect of this, I've found, is that I don't care enough/have a long enough attention span to really get "good" at games anymore. For example, "Modern Warfare". Everyone I knew was blitzing through that game for hours every night. I'd play for maybe 45 minutes and be bored to tears and frustrated by the fact that I basically spun around in circles getting shot in the head by 12-year-olds. This *shouldn't* be hard for me (as a kid I remember beating stuff like the Mega Man games, et cetera) but it is and, frankly, I find myself unwilling to devote hours of "practice" time to getting good at something that doesn't really transfer over to the real world in any meaningful fashion (and, yes, I've seen the articles about improved eyesight/contrast recognition in FPS gamers).
I also fell into the trap of buying into the "hype" for a game and not going just buying what genuinely interested me. For example, I played "Halo 3" for 15 minutes and sold it the next day -- a huge waste of money. Similarly, I owned "Final Fantasy XII" and *never even played it*.
And then there's the embarrassment of the games I *do* find myself enjoying/finishing. This year I've completed two -- "Ghostbusters" (the nostalgia factor alone would have driven me through that one... the fact that its normal difficulty was manageable enough to not frustrate the hell out of me helped) and (oh God) "50 Cent: Blood On The Sand". The game had a stupid premise/presentation, solid enough 3rd person mechanics, and the silliness helped keep me interested.
What I've done to help ease this is simply cut back on game buying. I picked up "inFamous" (lots of fun) and "Fight Night Round 4" (I like it but holy hell am I shitty at it) and that's about it. I let a bunch of "big name" titles slip right pack me (i.e., "Resident Evil 5", which the demo destroyed for me). And I keep "Fallout 3" in the background as my "return to when I feel it" experience. I don't have a lot of time each day to play, so that one has lasted me since it launched last year. Outside of that, it's mostly nostalgia packs and VC downloads (I never got to play "Phantasy Star IV" back in the day, so I was super excited to get it through my Wii). And, yeah, if anything else --reading a comic, watching something, working out-- supercedes gaming in terms of my interest at a given time I put down the controller and go do it.
Hmm.. I *did* fall into "SFIV" fairly hard, though. I even have the Tournament Stick. But again, that's driven in a lot of ways by my memories of playing "SFII" back on the SNES.
I think it is more difficult to get excited about games these days because of the vast amount of information that is out there and the ease with which we can access it. Months, even years before a game comes out we are treated with concept art, then trailers, gameplay mechanics, characters, story, environments, so that by the time we actually get around to playing a game we will have already seen it all. By now I already have an indepth feeling of what Starcraft 2 is going to play like and have probably already seen 90% of the units and abilities in that game.
Nothing will blow you away if it doesn't catch you by surprise. Before this whole internet gaming culture really took off, the only way guys like me and you got information was through printed magazine. These consisted of short previews with a few pictures that only left your imagination to fill in the blank. These days you just go on gametrailers and you can spoil yourself with hours of video footage before the game is even released. By the time the game comes out it doesn't have a chance to surprise you the way GTA or Half Life did when they first came out.
There's a lot of great advice here; I'll summarize what I've read here that I agree would be very useful.
-Try different genres. Strategy games and RPGs were never really an interest of mine, but I'm really enjoying them.
-Handhelds. The DS gets far more playing time with me than anything else.
-Play what you've bought! Stop trying to keep up with all the new hyped releases and such. I've got about 15 games I haven't beaten yet, and I've made a promise to myself not to buy another game until I've beaten at least half of those
EDIT: And I know this is going to sound strange, but I avoid gaming websites, except for this one. Strangely, reading on Nintendo Power for video game news is brining me back to my childhood; I remember reading copies of Gamepro and such, and holding on to a copy that had a preview of an upcoming game for months, reading the article over and over again. Stay away from online reviews, and especially online videos. Of course, this just does wonders for me, maybe it won't for you.
Green Destiny on
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DrakeEdgelord TrashBelow the ecliptic plane.Registered Userregular
edited July 2009
I've managed to avoid this by playing a large variety of games. One of the genres I go to when I get bored of "mainstream" games (FPS, RTS, etc) is wargames. Good old hex map, turn based, wargames. These games take me back to the table top days of the eighties, when my friends and I had time to invest in setting up and playing through these games. Table top wargaming takes a massive investment in time that we just don't have anymore. Having kids and gaining other responsibilities makes it nearly impossible to even get in a "simple" game of Red Storm Rising. Games like Carriers at War, Harpoon, Tac Ops V4, Korsun Pocket and others give me a chance to go back to that kind of gameplay on the PC. This eliminates the time it takes for set up and other pregame preparations, the turns go at a snappy pace with the computer handling all the rule calls and the single player AI in these types of games has been brutally refined over the decades. A lot of these games have scenario based game play that allows me to knock out a session while my son is napping, or get in a few turns before bed for the bigger, more involved affairs like Korsun Pocket or Tac Ops v4's larger scenarios.
Gaming is a huge hobby, perhaps you are just stuck in a rut of FPSRTSRPG. Exploring the niche's of the hobby could give you some more range in the experiences you are seeking but failing to find. Try seeking out indie dev's, "casual" games, or whatever. There's a lot of stuff going on out there that doesn't get much discussion even on sites like this one.
Brainiac 8Don't call me Shirley...Registered Userregular
edited July 2009
Green Destiny had a great idea that would work wonders I think...avoid online reviews and try out a game before purchase to make your own opinions on it.
Too many people use the Metacritic score to decide if they like a game or not, back in the day, when I got the first issues of Nintendo power I got a brief idea of the game, but I would rent games quite a bit to decide if it was worth buying or not. Review scores are mostly avoided by me just because most of them have the same fanboy tone that you see constantly around the net, the reviews are skewed based on their preference of system in many cases and are in no way neutral.
Just avoiding news, reviews, medie etc and being constantly on forums arguing about games does wonders.
But yeah, can't add much new, it's a leisure activity not a lifestyle and it's not weird not feeling like doing something at times, games are no exception.
Gaming among other things has been hard for me too, but mostly because my health has been very weak and I can't play for a few minutes without feeling bad and losing attention.
Just avoiding news, reviews, medie etc and being constantly on forums arguing about games does wonders.
But yeah, can't add much new, it's a leisure activity not a lifestyle and it's not weird not feeling like doing something at times, games are no exception.
Gaming among other things has been hard for me too, but mostly because my health has been very weak and I can't play for a few minutes without feeling bad and losing attention.
Man the health thing sucks. I busted my hip a few years back, and now it gives me chronic pain. Anything that makes me tense ratchets the pain up. I've gotten better at keeping myself relaxed but it's made the more action oriented side of gaming difficult to sustain for more than a few rounds online. Single player is easier, I can take a break any time, but I've always enjoyed my online FPS. I really miss being able to do the all nighters.
Here's a new one: play again some of those old favourites that you so much loved back then, but haven't touched for ages. Chances are, either one of these is bound to happen:
1. You DON'T like them. The games that turned you into a gamer now look childishly simple, crude, and poorly designed. You have no idea how your younger self could have looked past all the horrid design blunders, the painful graphics, and the clunky gameplay. Your inability to enjoy the games that made you so happy when you were younger leads you to realize exactly how much you have changed over the years. This makes you realize that you probably shouldn't even try to play the same kinds of games as before. You pick up new genres, and give a second chance to games that you earlier dismissed as "boring". With these new discoveries gaming feels fresh again! Or you'll just get a new hobby.
2. You DO like them. Under the rough edges you'll discover that you are not the only one who has become jaded; game designers have also. From these old, crude-looking games you'll find stuff you'd never get from a modern game. Most of all, you'll find the enthusiasm of the game designers, who were young hobbyists back then, and created games because they loved them. Nobody was analyzing the market. Nobody did focus-testing. Games were games, not "intellectual property" or "francises". Sequels were made because the creators were so involved with their series and wanted to perfect them further, not because they needed to take advantage of a well-selling franchise. Game companies were made and run by the creative people. The enthusiasm rubs off on you, and sheer nostalgia brings out the memories of why you fell in love with games in the first place. You remember it was originally about the games, not meta-gaming like hype or gaming communities.
Other than this, what other's have said. Quit cold turkey and come back later. Get into new genres. And stop looking at the review scores. Game reviews are written for the fabled "Average Gamer", and you, as over 30, is no longet it. Game reviews are not written for you anymore, so just let them go.
I think Class of Heroes is a recent example. The metascore of this game is 60%, which is pretty bad. If you read the reviews, however, you'll see that there are only a couple of reviews that call it "bad". The scores are just so low because the reviewers feel it doesn't appeal to the average gamer. There are quite a few people out there who enjoy the game a lot.
I spend more of my time on here READING about games than I do playing them.
I'm 27 now, I've owned most computers and some consoles (got in to the console game late, my parents didn't like the idea of a system that just plays games, whereas on the Amiga I could do school work too) and own the current 3 "Next gen" systems.
It's rare now for me to get the feeling of wonder that I used to when I played a game, and I think it's largely because I'm aware of the limitations. Options would seem infinite back then but now I (and I'm sure I'm not alone) can look at a game engine and see it's limitations quickly and know what's possible and impossible.
That said it doesn't mean I don't have fun. With work, outside hobbies, a wedding to plan and a fiancé to keep entertained I only get to play video games for a couple of hours a week and I've recently been playing Prototype. It's a fantastic way to unwind and the sensation of power is incredible. Sure I'm not quite drawn in as I would have been had I played it as a kid but I still have a blast with it.
You're not jaded, you've just grown up. Which doesn't mean you stop enjoying videogames, just possibly you enjoy them in a different way.
Not sure if the OP is going to respond, but in general specifically regarding exciting games, one needs to seek out cult classics and flawed gems rather than the latest open world third person shooter that everyone loves. An example for me: STALKER. Depending on how you approach it, you might get annoyed by it but there is a small chance it will floor you. It does things that no other game even tries.
Don't be afraid to try old games you missed. An example for me: Jagged Alliance 2. Despite loving squad tactical games, I never got around to plunking down the dollars for this and had to play it just recently. Literally amazing how well the older stuff recaptures the magic.
Jump into new genres. An example for me: racing, flight, and space sims. I never owned any peripherals when I was younger so I skipped these, and I'm stunned by how much I've missed.
I have been going through a significant backlog for the last 2 years and putting enough time into games to make a high school kid blush, and never get jaded but do have to take significant breaks between runs. Mostly because at the end of each run I am left with the games I have procrastinated on because they are not nearly as exciting.
Not sure if the OP is going to respond, but in general specifically regarding exciting games, one needs to seek out cult classics and flawed gems rather than the latest open world third person shooter that everyone loves. An example for me: STALKER. Depending on how you approach it, you might get annoyed by it but there is a small chance it will floor you. It does things that no other game even tries.
This is very true. High scoring games generally tend to be safe bets for a lot of people, however if you've been playing games for a long time, you're probably better off ignoring review scores and just getting games that sound good to you. For example, with me, my 2 favorite Wii games are Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles & Final Fantasy 4: The After Years, both games that got fairly average reviews of around 75% on gamerankings. My favorite horror game series of all time is Siren and those games average 71-77% on gamerankings. I absolutely love Mirror's Edge (79% score average for the 360 version which is what I have) and found it much more enjoyable than Mario Galaxy (97% average).
Now this isn't to say that high scoring games are bad; my favorite game for the longest time was RE4 (95% average). Rather, it's to say that if you just focus on what everyone else likes, you take a chance of missing those special games that were tailored just for you.
Also, just accept that a lot of games simply aren't that good, and others simply aren't for you. I find that the older I get (32 at the moment) the less patience I have for what I consider nonsense. For me that's stuff like QTEs and mini-games, unlockable skills like in Mass Effect (I want to be able to create my character the way I envision her, and not finally have the character I want after playing through the game. Replaying games only happens very ocasionally anymore to me). I don't like games where the first playthrough is simply a grind up to the "real play" (looking at you, Titan Quest), well... you get the idea.
So I've learned to simply put games I don't like on the shelf, or trade them in, and live with the fact I won't finish and enjoy every game I buy.
And then just when I feel jaded, I stick a hundred hours in Harvest Moon (who knew a farming/dating sim could be so much fun?) and the same with Pokemon Diamond. And just when I thought I'd discovered the whole grail of gaming ("I like bright and cheerful games now!") I find several games along the same vein that I don't like. And... I end up playing fallout 3.
Plus, as I said, if you don't like a game, and you've given it a fair chance, leave it be. I kept thinking I should finish every game I buy, resulting in a backlog, hours of frustration because I couldn't get past a certain point or simply resented the gameplay, and umpteen times reinstalling and retrying of games I didn't like in the first place (looking you here, Baldur's Gate. I'm sure you were great at the time, but i can't get into the 2nd Ed rule system)
And sometimes games you couldn't get into before click, and you do enjoy them, which I found recently with Disgaea.
Try out some indie stuff, and some relatively unknown titles. I just grabbed Drakensang recently, and while I'm only a few hours in so far it has been very entertaining.
So, what I'm trying to say is: there are no easy answers. No two gamers are the same and so we're never all going to like the same thing. You can either take a break, or just do what I do, and throw shit against the wall until some of it sticks. And it might surprise you what will stick and be fun.
stop reading reviews, start playing some demos and rentals, and borrow some games from friends if your friends game, that you normally wouldn't play.
Heck, I found several games in my daughter's gaming pile (as I mentioned, pokemon and Harvest Moon. Also I found My Sims entertaining for a while.)
Sorcha Ravenlock on
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Brainiac 8Don't call me Shirley...Registered Userregular
edited July 2009
The hours I spent playing and beating Baldur's Gate 1 & 2 plus the expansions were pure bliss.
Just avoiding news, reviews, medie etc and being constantly on forums arguing about games does wonders.
But yeah, can't add much new, it's a leisure activity not a lifestyle and it's not weird not feeling like doing something at times, games are no exception.
Gaming among other things has been hard for me too, but mostly because my health has been very weak and I can't play for a few minutes without feeling bad and losing attention.
Man the health thing sucks. I busted my hip a few years back, and now it gives me chronic pain. Anything that makes me tense ratchets the pain up. I've gotten better at keeping myself relaxed but it's made the more action oriented side of gaming difficult to sustain for more than a few rounds online. Single player is easier, I can take a break any time, but I've always enjoyed my online FPS. I really miss being able to do the all nighters.
We're in the same boat then Good luck with the hip.
Ignoring the reviews, mostly the scores themselves is indeed one of the best things one can do, even if you're not "tired" of gaming.
Your tale is all too familiar, OP. Most of my meager gaming these days is on my iPhone. I'd second the advice to look around a site like BGG. I have a hard time imagining myself sitting and playing a FPS, but I've been having fun playing the Doom board game with friends.
You get the "playing with rules and mechanics" feel of video games, but get to stare at buddies instead of a screen, and there's the whole pleasant tactile aspect of physical game pieces.
desc on
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Casually HardcoreOnce an Asshole. Trying to be better.Registered Userregular
edited July 2009
I dont want to make this in a PC vs Console thread, but selling my 360 and focusing on PC gaming made me a lot happier.
It isnt really about the games anymore, but it's also about tuning my rig and getting the best performance from it.
Also, I never ever buy a new game unless I have time to spend on it. My back catalog is zero, and I enjoy going to a used game store, stumbling across something, and be like "Oh yeah! I heard how great this game is way back when!".
I'm 33 now and have found my amount of playtime go down somewhat. Real life work, married life, etc all eat into what used to be solid playtime.
For me a big part of the issue is that I grew up on games that took under 10 hours to finish. I don't have time for 30 + hour single player titles in my life so I stick almost exclusively with multiplayer FPS's.
I still love the hobby though and follow the industry religiously.
I guess at some point you just accept you're getting older and the "OMG OMG OMG I'm going to Disney!" feeling just isn't going to be the same at 30 as it was at 12.
Bamelin on
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Brainiac 8Don't call me Shirley...Registered Userregular
edited July 2009
Sorry, at 30, I'm still as excited as my children when we go to Disney. No matter what, I get that feeling.
Sorry, at 30, I'm still as excited as my children when we go to Disney. No matter what, I get that feeling.
I've never been to Disney
It's the happiest place on Earth...for children or adults. :^:
I live in Florida so it's only a few hours from me...if you ever get a chance to, go to a Disney park...it awesome. 8-)
Wrong, it is only superb if you have kids to enjoy it vicariously through, can go with a significant other who loves it, or can go with some buddies to be hooligans with like you're back in high school.
If you go as a cynical geek you will wonder why you are paying for all this fake plastic shit, and it would be terrible to ruin it like that!
How often do you guys actually have fun with a game anymore? I mean, really have *fun?*
I've owned the following systems: C64, Amiga 500, Atari 2600, NES, Lynx, NeoGeo, Jaguar, Genesis, SNES, N64, Gamecube, GBA, DS Lite, PS1, PS2, Xbox, PS3, Wii and too many PC configurations to go into (currently high end).
I have a ridiculous back catalog of games and have played through many of them. I seek out fan and critically acclaimed games and a lot of games in between.
Here's the thing... I play a lot of them and while they're good, I rarely ever feel excited by a game anymore.
It feels like I'm going through the motions with 95% of titles now. Shit like splash screens when starting a game enrage me. I just want to play without all the bullshit and have it blow me away.
I have spent thousands upon thousands on this hobby. I love it and keep up with it daily. In fact, I have friends in the industry and hell, I beta tested Toejam & Earl on the Genesis back in the day. I would say I qualify as "hardcore."
I am 32 years old do not believe I have outgrown gaming. And yet nothing really excites me anymore.
Anyone else feel this way?
I've been gaming since right around the time the Atari 2600 was released. If a game isn't *fun* I quit playing it. Immediately. Since there are a lot of games I regularly play, I guess I'm not jaded. Though I'm definitely more discriminating and less willing to tolerate frustration caused by poor design (cheating AI, poor save structure, genuine bugs, etc).
I can't think of a time I had more fun with gaming than from early 2007 through late 2008. There have literally been dozens of GOTY quality releases during that relatively short period of time, across all genres and platforms.
I find that the older I get (32 at the moment) the less patience I have for what I consider nonsense.
I hear you. My "nonsense" includes a lot of traditional Japanese game design choices, like the use of save points and plenty of repetition. It's a real shame too, because I still do otherwise enjoy JRPGs. I didn't mind repetition so much when I was younger, but now I have no patience if I have to re-play parts because I couldn't save the game. There's nothing like mindless grinding for an hour and then meeting a boss that slaughters your unprepared party in two rounds. Fun.
I swear, some Japanese designers are absolute masochists whose idea of "fun" is hitting people in the face with a shovel and tell them to like it.
Board Game Geek website isn't that bad. Sure it's a bit confusing at first, but no more than Gamespot or IGN.
Posts
Even to sit at my computer now n days if Im not in vent chatting with someone I get bored pretty fast.
EDIT: Sanitized for public consumption.
This thread has become more of a discussion on how other people have coped when they've become tired or "jaded"
I don't know if I like the analogy that playing games is like reading. While there are millions of books, there's probably less than 100 games that can fulfill the same interest that those books would.
I feel like the gaming industry is getting a little saturated with the same shit, but we're gonna have another semi-golden age of gaming if HL3, D3, and SC2 come out in somewhat the same time frame.
Just more waiting until the next Qn
Right after DNF.
Games have to take me by suprise to thrill me any more. The last game that probably did that was Mass Effect. I recognize that game was super-hyped, but I avoided it because RPGs generally aren't my thing. I picked it up on a whim and was blown out of the water by it.
I guess the game prior to that was Rez on PS2...just didn't know what to expect.
I also fell into the trap of buying into the "hype" for a game and not going just buying what genuinely interested me. For example, I played "Halo 3" for 15 minutes and sold it the next day -- a huge waste of money. Similarly, I owned "Final Fantasy XII" and *never even played it*.
And then there's the embarrassment of the games I *do* find myself enjoying/finishing. This year I've completed two -- "Ghostbusters" (the nostalgia factor alone would have driven me through that one... the fact that its normal difficulty was manageable enough to not frustrate the hell out of me helped) and (oh God) "50 Cent: Blood On The Sand". The game had a stupid premise/presentation, solid enough 3rd person mechanics, and the silliness helped keep me interested.
What I've done to help ease this is simply cut back on game buying. I picked up "inFamous" (lots of fun) and "Fight Night Round 4" (I like it but holy hell am I shitty at it) and that's about it. I let a bunch of "big name" titles slip right pack me (i.e., "Resident Evil 5", which the demo destroyed for me). And I keep "Fallout 3" in the background as my "return to when I feel it" experience. I don't have a lot of time each day to play, so that one has lasted me since it launched last year. Outside of that, it's mostly nostalgia packs and VC downloads (I never got to play "Phantasy Star IV" back in the day, so I was super excited to get it through my Wii). And, yeah, if anything else --reading a comic, watching something, working out-- supercedes gaming in terms of my interest at a given time I put down the controller and go do it.
Hmm.. I *did* fall into "SFIV" fairly hard, though. I even have the Tournament Stick. But again, that's driven in a lot of ways by my memories of playing "SFII" back on the SNES.
Nothing will blow you away if it doesn't catch you by surprise. Before this whole internet gaming culture really took off, the only way guys like me and you got information was through printed magazine. These consisted of short previews with a few pictures that only left your imagination to fill in the blank. These days you just go on gametrailers and you can spoil yourself with hours of video footage before the game is even released. By the time the game comes out it doesn't have a chance to surprise you the way GTA or Half Life did when they first came out.
-Try different genres. Strategy games and RPGs were never really an interest of mine, but I'm really enjoying them.
-Handhelds. The DS gets far more playing time with me than anything else.
-Play what you've bought! Stop trying to keep up with all the new hyped releases and such. I've got about 15 games I haven't beaten yet, and I've made a promise to myself not to buy another game until I've beaten at least half of those
EDIT: And I know this is going to sound strange, but I avoid gaming websites, except for this one. Strangely, reading on Nintendo Power for video game news is brining me back to my childhood; I remember reading copies of Gamepro and such, and holding on to a copy that had a preview of an upcoming game for months, reading the article over and over again. Stay away from online reviews, and especially online videos. Of course, this just does wonders for me, maybe it won't for you.
Gaming is a huge hobby, perhaps you are just stuck in a rut of FPSRTSRPG. Exploring the niche's of the hobby could give you some more range in the experiences you are seeking but failing to find. Try seeking out indie dev's, "casual" games, or whatever. There's a lot of stuff going on out there that doesn't get much discussion even on sites like this one.
Or take a break.
You'll rediscover fun.
Too many people use the Metacritic score to decide if they like a game or not, back in the day, when I got the first issues of Nintendo power I got a brief idea of the game, but I would rent games quite a bit to decide if it was worth buying or not. Review scores are mostly avoided by me just because most of them have the same fanboy tone that you see constantly around the net, the reviews are skewed based on their preference of system in many cases and are in no way neutral.
Nintendo Network ID - Brainiac_8
PSN - Brainiac_8
Steam - http://steamcommunity.com/id/BRAINIAC8/
Add me!
But yeah, can't add much new, it's a leisure activity not a lifestyle and it's not weird not feeling like doing something at times, games are no exception.
Gaming among other things has been hard for me too, but mostly because my health has been very weak and I can't play for a few minutes without feeling bad and losing attention.
Pokémon HGSS: 1205 1613 4041
Man the health thing sucks. I busted my hip a few years back, and now it gives me chronic pain. Anything that makes me tense ratchets the pain up. I've gotten better at keeping myself relaxed but it's made the more action oriented side of gaming difficult to sustain for more than a few rounds online. Single player is easier, I can take a break any time, but I've always enjoyed my online FPS. I really miss being able to do the all nighters.
1. You DON'T like them. The games that turned you into a gamer now look childishly simple, crude, and poorly designed. You have no idea how your younger self could have looked past all the horrid design blunders, the painful graphics, and the clunky gameplay. Your inability to enjoy the games that made you so happy when you were younger leads you to realize exactly how much you have changed over the years. This makes you realize that you probably shouldn't even try to play the same kinds of games as before. You pick up new genres, and give a second chance to games that you earlier dismissed as "boring". With these new discoveries gaming feels fresh again! Or you'll just get a new hobby.
2. You DO like them. Under the rough edges you'll discover that you are not the only one who has become jaded; game designers have also. From these old, crude-looking games you'll find stuff you'd never get from a modern game. Most of all, you'll find the enthusiasm of the game designers, who were young hobbyists back then, and created games because they loved them. Nobody was analyzing the market. Nobody did focus-testing. Games were games, not "intellectual property" or "francises". Sequels were made because the creators were so involved with their series and wanted to perfect them further, not because they needed to take advantage of a well-selling franchise. Game companies were made and run by the creative people. The enthusiasm rubs off on you, and sheer nostalgia brings out the memories of why you fell in love with games in the first place. You remember it was originally about the games, not meta-gaming like hype or gaming communities.
Other than this, what other's have said. Quit cold turkey and come back later. Get into new genres. And stop looking at the review scores. Game reviews are written for the fabled "Average Gamer", and you, as over 30, is no longet it. Game reviews are not written for you anymore, so just let them go.
I think Class of Heroes is a recent example. The metascore of this game is 60%, which is pretty bad. If you read the reviews, however, you'll see that there are only a couple of reviews that call it "bad". The scores are just so low because the reviewers feel it doesn't appeal to the average gamer. There are quite a few people out there who enjoy the game a lot.
I'm 27 now, I've owned most computers and some consoles (got in to the console game late, my parents didn't like the idea of a system that just plays games, whereas on the Amiga I could do school work too) and own the current 3 "Next gen" systems.
It's rare now for me to get the feeling of wonder that I used to when I played a game, and I think it's largely because I'm aware of the limitations. Options would seem infinite back then but now I (and I'm sure I'm not alone) can look at a game engine and see it's limitations quickly and know what's possible and impossible.
That said it doesn't mean I don't have fun. With work, outside hobbies, a wedding to plan and a fiancé to keep entertained I only get to play video games for a couple of hours a week and I've recently been playing Prototype. It's a fantastic way to unwind and the sensation of power is incredible. Sure I'm not quite drawn in as I would have been had I played it as a kid but I still have a blast with it.
You're not jaded, you've just grown up. Which doesn't mean you stop enjoying videogames, just possibly you enjoy them in a different way.
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Don't be afraid to try old games you missed. An example for me: Jagged Alliance 2. Despite loving squad tactical games, I never got around to plunking down the dollars for this and had to play it just recently. Literally amazing how well the older stuff recaptures the magic.
Jump into new genres. An example for me: racing, flight, and space sims. I never owned any peripherals when I was younger so I skipped these, and I'm stunned by how much I've missed.
I have been going through a significant backlog for the last 2 years and putting enough time into games to make a high school kid blush, and never get jaded but do have to take significant breaks between runs. Mostly because at the end of each run I am left with the games I have procrastinated on because they are not nearly as exciting.
This is very true. High scoring games generally tend to be safe bets for a lot of people, however if you've been playing games for a long time, you're probably better off ignoring review scores and just getting games that sound good to you. For example, with me, my 2 favorite Wii games are Resident Evil: Umbrella Chronicles & Final Fantasy 4: The After Years, both games that got fairly average reviews of around 75% on gamerankings. My favorite horror game series of all time is Siren and those games average 71-77% on gamerankings. I absolutely love Mirror's Edge (79% score average for the 360 version which is what I have) and found it much more enjoyable than Mario Galaxy (97% average).
Now this isn't to say that high scoring games are bad; my favorite game for the longest time was RE4 (95% average). Rather, it's to say that if you just focus on what everyone else likes, you take a chance of missing those special games that were tailored just for you.
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So I've learned to simply put games I don't like on the shelf, or trade them in, and live with the fact I won't finish and enjoy every game I buy.
And then just when I feel jaded, I stick a hundred hours in Harvest Moon (who knew a farming/dating sim could be so much fun?) and the same with Pokemon Diamond. And just when I thought I'd discovered the whole grail of gaming ("I like bright and cheerful games now!") I find several games along the same vein that I don't like. And... I end up playing fallout 3.
Plus, as I said, if you don't like a game, and you've given it a fair chance, leave it be. I kept thinking I should finish every game I buy, resulting in a backlog, hours of frustration because I couldn't get past a certain point or simply resented the gameplay, and umpteen times reinstalling and retrying of games I didn't like in the first place (looking you here, Baldur's Gate. I'm sure you were great at the time, but i can't get into the 2nd Ed rule system)
And sometimes games you couldn't get into before click, and you do enjoy them, which I found recently with Disgaea.
Try out some indie stuff, and some relatively unknown titles. I just grabbed Drakensang recently, and while I'm only a few hours in so far it has been very entertaining.
So, what I'm trying to say is: there are no easy answers. No two gamers are the same and so we're never all going to like the same thing. You can either take a break, or just do what I do, and throw shit against the wall until some of it sticks. And it might surprise you what will stick and be fun.
stop reading reviews, start playing some demos and rentals, and borrow some games from friends if your friends game, that you normally wouldn't play.
Heck, I found several games in my daughter's gaming pile (as I mentioned, pokemon and Harvest Moon. Also I found My Sims entertaining for a while.)
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We're in the same boat then
Ignoring the reviews, mostly the scores themselves is indeed one of the best things one can do, even if you're not "tired" of gaming.
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quoted for truth.
Your tale is all too familiar, OP. Most of my meager gaming these days is on my iPhone. I'd second the advice to look around a site like BGG. I have a hard time imagining myself sitting and playing a FPS, but I've been having fun playing the Doom board game with friends.
You get the "playing with rules and mechanics" feel of video games, but get to stare at buddies instead of a screen, and there's the whole pleasant tactile aspect of physical game pieces.
It isnt really about the games anymore, but it's also about tuning my rig and getting the best performance from it.
Also, I never ever buy a new game unless I have time to spend on it. My back catalog is zero, and I enjoy going to a used game store, stumbling across something, and be like "Oh yeah! I heard how great this game is way back when!".
For me a big part of the issue is that I grew up on games that took under 10 hours to finish. I don't have time for 30 + hour single player titles in my life so I stick almost exclusively with multiplayer FPS's.
I still love the hobby though and follow the industry religiously.
I guess at some point you just accept you're getting older and the "OMG OMG OMG I'm going to Disney!" feeling just isn't going to be the same at 30 as it was at 12.
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I've never been to Disney
Holy fuck it's horrible.
It's the happiest place on Earth...for children or adults. :^:
I live in Florida so it's only a few hours from me...if you ever get a chance to, go to a Disney park...it awesome. 8-)
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If you go as a cynical geek you will wonder why you are paying for all this fake plastic shit, and it would be terrible to ruin it like that!
I have the cure right here:
This better be what I think it is.
(Please do not gift. My game bank is already full.)
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This.
Get Pandemic, Carcassonne, Battlestar Galactica, and A Game of Thrones.
I've been gaming since right around the time the Atari 2600 was released. If a game isn't *fun* I quit playing it. Immediately. Since there are a lot of games I regularly play, I guess I'm not jaded. Though I'm definitely more discriminating and less willing to tolerate frustration caused by poor design (cheating AI, poor save structure, genuine bugs, etc).
I can't think of a time I had more fun with gaming than from early 2007 through late 2008. There have literally been dozens of GOTY quality releases during that relatively short period of time, across all genres and platforms.
I hear you. My "nonsense" includes a lot of traditional Japanese game design choices, like the use of save points and plenty of repetition. It's a real shame too, because I still do otherwise enjoy JRPGs. I didn't mind repetition so much when I was younger, but now I have no patience if I have to re-play parts because I couldn't save the game. There's nothing like mindless grinding for an hour and then meeting a boss that slaughters your unprepared party in two rounds. Fun.
I swear, some Japanese designers are absolute masochists whose idea of "fun" is hitting people in the face with a shovel and tell them to like it.
Board Game Geek website isn't that bad. Sure it's a bit confusing at first, but no more than Gamespot or IGN.