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Why Ever Stop Playing Video Games

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Re: Why Ever Stop Playing Video Games

#41

Post by CardenB »

robertcorey wrote: post #36

Playing starcraft 2 totally consumed my life from about 18-22. It was very similar to a drug addiction except I convinced myself it was positive because I would eventually be a professional. My addiction prevented my from working on the underlying issues that caused my to seek refuge in the game. It also left me with a host of physical RSI problems that have been a huge negative to my life + career. Although if I had…

Hey man, live and learn. You came away from your experience with valuable lessons.

Re: Why Ever Stop Playing Video Games

#42

Post by cgh »

arcanus wrote: post #2

>155 million Americans play video games, more than the number who voted in November’s presidential election. And they play them a lot: According to a variety of recent studies, more than 40 percent of Americans play at least three hours a week I'm among them. I play a few hours a week, after my wife and child go to bed. I barely talk about games with any of my fellow adult friends, because for some reason it is still…

Same here, a few hours a week at most. It's nice to drop into an immersive, interactive world now and then and it feels more engaging than most movies.

Currently trying to avoid a "High Chaos" rating in Dishonored 2...

Re: Why Ever Stop Playing Video Games

#43

Post by vvvv »

2Pacalypse- wrote: post #34

I've been playing a single video game for more than half of my life (I'm 30 now). I've dabbled with other games, but this game and the community around it contributed a lot in making me the person I am today. I don't plan on stopping any time soon. In fact, for the past few years I've shifted most of my free time from playing that game to helping a friend develop cool shit[0] for it, so we can hopefully prolong its l…

Hello brother, this game almost broke me and then, I guess, made me in many ways. I can't play without getting too into it, though to be fair, I haven't tried in a while.

Re: Why Ever Stop Playing Video Games

#44

Post by droopyEyelids »

M_Grey wrote: post #28
laplace2 wrote: post #25

I've found learning and creating to be more fulfilling activities than videogames. That's not to advocate against gaming, or to generalize all games, but I've thought about how much time I spent playing games in the past and if I was happy with what I gained from it: I largely was not. I felt as if I was lacking in skills that I wished I had, and believe I could have learned in that time. I'm happier with myself afte…

I find that videogames fill my "brain in neutral" space very nicely. If I'm just not in the mood to read, or get out, pick up some new skill or polish an old one, hang out with friends or do something productive (and sometimes you truly want to do nothing )... I find that videogames are a nice choice. I especially enjoy combining them with unabridged audiobooks that I might not otherwise bother reading/listening to o…

I believe the essence of what you're saying is true, but I dispute the overall reasonableness of what you describe.

The vast majority of video games are either built around the principles of addiction, or require a tremendous amount of time in muscle memory training.

What you're describing seems like describing how enjoyable it can be to smoke one cigarette a month. (assuming that actually felt good). Could be true- but the odds are certainly stacked against people attempting that behavior.

Re: Why Ever Stop Playing Video Games

#45

Post by no_wave »

alexchantavy wrote: post #12
overcast wrote: post #3

Honestly I don't see the thirty something generation ever giving up video games. They've been a part of our entire lives at this point. Once we're old, it will be a case where no generation has ever been without video games in some capacity.

There's also probably going to be a huge market in making games that older people can play when this generation hits retirement age.

The aging of the gaming populace is I think a large part of why online CCGs (like Hearthstone, Shadowverse, Eternal) have been getting so popular - while there are obviously a lot of kids who play, many of the players are older.

As I've gotten older I've lost the wherewithal to focus on mechanically difficult games like SC2.

Re: Why Ever Stop Playing Video Games

#46

Post by ajeet_dhaliwal »

Games, especially Japanese video games are why I got into programming, got into the games industry, why I'm on this site.

I limit my time playing them now due to work, my entreprenuerial engagements, wife and two children but I just got finished with Final Fantasty XV two days ago and it was the most magical time. Ignis is my new favorite game character. I'm convinced games are a better story telling medium than books, movies and TV. I never remember the details of anything I've watched but with a game I always remember because i actively participate in caring for the characters, healing them, making them grow.

There is a negative side, they can be too engaging, too much fun and too rewarding in an instant gratification sense. Sales at your startup not going well? A game can make you feel good, getting bullied at school? A game will help, but really we should deal with the real problem and then make time for games. If you do that they are great and I'm convinced they will get better and we have not seen anywhere near the full potential yet.

Re: Why Ever Stop Playing Video Games

#47

Post by r00fus »

laplace2 wrote: post #25

I've found learning and creating to be more fulfilling activities than videogames. That's not to advocate against gaming, or to generalize all games, but I've thought about how much time I spent playing games in the past and if I was happy with what I gained from it: I largely was not. I felt as if I was lacking in skills that I wished I had, and believe I could have learned in that time. I'm happier with myself afte…

Some people like listening to music while doing productive things, some like watching TV.

I play slow online turn-based games when at home doing really boring work. I can context-switch, engage my creative mind for 15-30s, and jump back into page 57 of the design doc I'm reviewing.

As for intense gaming sessions, I have young kids = unless it's appropriate for them (more and more the case as they grow up) I don't have time for it.

Re: Why Ever Stop Playing Video Games

#48

Post by ashark »

rthomas6 wrote: post #19

I used to play games a lot, and I don't now. It's not that I don't want to or that I wouldn't enjoy it, I just want to do too many other things more. I have a wife and a kid who demand a lot of my time, I lift weights, I try to play board games with friends, I work on hobby projects, I read books, I do chores, I go on trips. As much as getting immersed into the new Witcher game would be enjoyable to me, I just can't…

Similar situation here. With the time constraints imposed by kids you have to drop entire categories of activities, not just moderate them, because the baseline time commitment ("oh god, last time I played this was 2 weeks ago and I only played an hour then—I have no idea WTF was going on or how the controls work") and money (PC upgrades every couple of years, new consoles) required just can't be sustained at the incredibly low levels they'd have to to fit in with kids plus a bunch of other things.

You kinda have to pick 3-4 things to focus on and drop the rest entirely, not just cut back. If one of those is "stay sort-of in shape" then you're really limited. Most gaming just doesn't fit in any more. :-/

Re: Why Ever Stop Playing Video Games

#49

Post by VonGuard »

r00fus wrote: post #47
laplace2 wrote: post #25

I've found learning and creating to be more fulfilling activities than videogames. That's not to advocate against gaming, or to generalize all games, but I've thought about how much time I spent playing games in the past and if I was happy with what I gained from it: I largely was not. I felt as if I was lacking in skills that I wished I had, and believe I could have learned in that time. I'm happier with myself afte…

Some people like listening to music while doing productive things, some like watching TV. I play slow online turn-based games when at home doing really boring work. I can context-switch, engage my creative mind for 15-30s, and jump back into page 57 of the design doc I'm reviewing. As for intense gaming sessions, I have young kids = unless it's appropriate for them (more and more the case as they grow up) I don't hav…

OK, now I want to know what games you're playing. I do this too with Starcraft II Arcade offerings.

Re: Why Ever Stop Playing Video Games

#50

Post by tehchromic »

Because beekeeping and ping pong are more fun!

That said, I'm interested in farm integrated gaming. I think there are ways to make automation adventurous. Properly this will be different than what we call gaming today, however I think the answer to your question is that when tech assisted activities are diversion from reality they tend to go out if style. When they amend it and make it cooler they tend to become it!

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