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Digital Gaming => Computer Gaming => Topic started by: jomni on October 30, 2018, 01:46:28 AM

Title: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: jomni on October 30, 2018, 01:46:28 AM
As I grow older, it seems that I prefer games that are quick. Simulators (DCS, X-Plane, SABOW) are out, no matter how much I want to fly them. Campaign gaming like EU and Total War are seldom played despite their presence in my Steam Library.  These days, I just play quick bouts of War Thunder and Field of Glory II multiplayer.  Anyone feel the same?  Or notice some changes?
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Grim.Reaper on October 30, 2018, 04:20:35 AM
not really any changes in what i like, just an overall change in the amount of time i play games....i still buy a lot, but tend to play very little for some reason....love the anticipation of new games coming out but the excitement wears off way too fast....
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: jomni on October 30, 2018, 04:44:26 AM
It's the (limited) time we have for playing I guess.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Yskonyn on October 30, 2018, 04:53:37 AM
Definately! Games like EU4 keep my interest, but every time I try to sit down with such a game I realise that it's going to take a fair bit of time to learn how to play. I am not much of a 'let's fiddle about and see where it ends' kind of player anymore.
When I was younger I somehow didn't mind ploughing through a game making only little progress each sessions, but as free (even less game) time is at a premium I prefer games with which I can use that time as efficiently as possible.
So that means I play games I am proficient in (regardless of difficulty) or simpler, quicker games indeed.

It's hard to have to acknowledge that I just won't be able to play every single game that holds my interest and this results in me still buying into various games I end up playing very little.
Each time I say to myself that I need to work through my backlog before buying something new, but resistance is futile.  :idiot2: >:D
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: bbmike on October 30, 2018, 05:16:19 AM
No changes in game preference but I do have game paralysis now. I'll sit down to play a computer game and end up staring at my near infinite game list and can't decide what I want to play.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Jarhead0331 on October 30, 2018, 05:35:18 AM
Yup. The golden age of gaming for me was high school and college. No game was too complex or too involved. It was all downhill after that. While my tastes havent changed, per se, my attention span certainly has and my ability to take the time to really get engrossed in a deep game has waned.

I just mentioned this about Red Dead Redemption 2. It's a fantastically deep game, but it requires too much of a time commitment to play and as such, I figure I'll never be able to get too into it. This is a real drawback to a game and it's not a critique that I ever see any of the other commercial reviewers mentioning. They are all gushing over the game...it's getting 9s and 10s almost across the board...but just how deep is too deep, and if a game requires such a time investment that it must necessarily become a second job, is this a good thing? Isn't this a failure in some regard to strike a balance between game and real life or hobby and profession?  RDR2 really drives this dilemma home for me like no other game, for some reason, but it's not the first to make me feel this way.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Tuna on October 30, 2018, 05:39:52 AM
I think I went in the opposite direction. When my boys were younger, I loved FPS's Battlefield, Call of Duty. Now I'm more into strategy games.. Total War/Civ type stuff, attention span is less for deep learning curves as well.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Grim.Reaper on October 30, 2018, 05:47:22 AM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on October 30, 2018, 05:35:18 AM
Yup. The golden age of gaming for me was high school and college. No game was too complex or too involved. It was all downhill after that. While my tastes havent changed, per se, my attention span certainly has and my ability to take the time to really get engrossed in a deep game has waned.

I just mentioned this about Red Dead Redemption 2. It's a fantastically deep game, but it requires too much of a time commitment to play and as such, I figure I'll never be able to get too into it. This is a real drawback to a game and it's not a critique that I ever see any of the other commercial reviewers mentioning. They are all gushing over the game...it's getting 9s and 10s almost across the board...but just how deep is too deep, and if a game requires such a time investment that it must necessarily become a second job, is this a good thing? Isn't this a failure in some regard to strike a balance between game and real life or hobby and profession?  RDR2 really drives this dilemma home for me like no other game, for some reason, but it's not the first to make me feel this way.

i think i am the opposite...so far really enjoying it and the depth.  but i am looking at it from a long term investment, not something i knew i would complete in a short time.  i do understand though that some people would prefer being able to finish in a shorter time but i hope this is something i enjoy fir months.  there are a few things i don't care fir yet such as how the controls seem like too many and complex and at times feels like being an actor in a movie versus game player.  we will see...even liking it the chances i will ever finish is slim but isn't because of the game, it's because i have never finished any game besides the sniper series)
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Jarhead0331 on October 30, 2018, 05:56:22 AM
It's not that I won't devote substantial time to a game. We know that is not the case, I put 20 hours into Assassins Creed Odyssey over an approximately 2 week period or so. Same thing with Ghost Recon Wildlands...dozens of hours. I think the problem with RDR2 for me is that it just takes a lot longer to accomplish anything noteworthy in a single sitting. There are just too many distractions along the way. Too many people to talk to. Too many things in the environment to see and interact with and too much time to move from point A to point B. I find it draining for some reason...
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: jamus34 on October 30, 2018, 05:57:33 AM
I kinda see both of these.

Agreed that my time commitments typically don't let me get into the deep games so I'll play a lot of "fast food" like Heroes of the Storm.

That said if there's a game that really captures me I'll put the time in to learn the systems. Endless legend, endless space 2, monster hunter world come to mind.

Then there's just really good games. Spider-Man right has its webs deep into me. Horizon Zero Dawn is also really good but I need to give it the time it deserves
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Huw the Poo on October 30, 2018, 06:31:45 AM
Quote from: jamus34 on October 30, 2018, 05:57:33 AM
Horizon Zero Dawn is also really good but I need to give it the time it deserves

As incredible a game as Horizon Zero Dawn is, it made me yearn for shorter games.  I've done shitloads in that game and enjoyed every minute, but from what I can gather I'm nowhere close to the end.  But I feel like I should be, and I want to be rewarded for my investment.

To address the topic at hand, it's definitely because gaming time lessens as you get older, especially if you have kids.  By the time I'm done with everything for the day, and the kids are in bed, I'm too exhausted to play anything deep.  I'd rather just fire up something fun for half an hour and leave it at that.  I end up playing things like GemCraft and Carrier Deck when I'd rather be playing Endless Space 2 and GalCiv 3.

I'm hoping the situation will improve as the kids grow up and stop giving a shit about me!
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: rwenstrup on October 30, 2018, 06:35:05 AM
I thought it was just me ... I have stared at the list of games many times and just haven't been able to get in to it ... tend to play the old favorites ... but playing less overall. What are the games that seem to work for those who share this issue?
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Yskonyn on October 30, 2018, 06:58:28 AM
Quote from: rwenstrup on October 30, 2018, 06:35:05 AM
I thought it was just me ... I have stared at the list of games many times and just haven't been able to get in to it ... tend to play the old favorites ... but playing less overall. What are the games that seem to work for those who share this issue?

Well I can tell you which genre definately does NOT work; MMO's!
For example: I am really into the world and lore of Final Fantasy XIV. The combat is a bit meh, but despite that I am having fun each time I log in. However, because of the time constraints mentioned above I am always behind the curve of 90% of the playerbase.
I don't have routine doing Dungeons, I don't have the time to go Raiding and I often end up feeling behind more and more not being able to catch up to where most people are having the (end game) fun.

FFXIV is just an example; almost any MMO I have played made me feel like this in the end. MMO's really are a hobby it seems even though certain titles claim to cater to the casual player as well. I don't think that's true, or perhaps I just don't want to be the casual player. :P

Anyway, games that do well generally (for me at least) are turn based games. You always end up having accomplished something at the end of a session.
RPGs vary, but I must admit that my interest in computer RPGs has waned over the years. I much rather play PnP RPG's.
Which brings me to boardgaming; that's the best bang for the buck in time vs social fun I've come to realise.

Console wise I find Destiny 2 is absolutely great for short sessions, preferably with friends. It has bite sized events you can play and a variety of game activities to keep things fresh. But the lure to become a powerplayer and join the grind is definately there. Which would certainly cause burnout for me given the above.
Monster Hunter games are a great fit for me as well. While a quest can easily take an hour, its always rewarding to complete and on top of that the game also allows you to just free roam and gather materials if you have less time.

Monster Hunter Generations Ultimate recently released for the Switch; so combine TV console with handheld option definately gives you lots of oppertunities to cater your gaming session to your needs!
Just too bad Nintendo now activated to payware multiplayer service, cause MH is most fun with others.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Geezer on October 30, 2018, 07:26:11 AM
I've always enjoyed The Gamers games.  Recently I tried to get back into the OCS (Operational Combat Series) games but after reading the rules and setting up a game of Smolensk: Barbarossa Derailed it just sat there unplayed.  Tried playing it but I spent more time fumbling through the rules than actually playing.  Tried switching to the BCS (Battalion Combat Series) but my eyes glazed over before even finishing my first pass through those rules.  So I went back to their SCS (Standard Combat Series) games.  Only 7 pages for the series rules and about that many pages in the Autumn for Barbarossa game specific rules.  The Germans took Vitebsk and Mogilev on turn 1 and I'm having a blast.   :)

So yes, somewhat sadly, my love of great detailed "simulations" has given way to the reality that I just don't have what it takes to play them anymore.  Thankfully there are alternatives. 
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Steelgrave on October 30, 2018, 08:09:44 AM
I will play a game I enjoy for hundreds of hours....but my tolerance for learning a new game is much, much shorter than it used to be. Like Jarhead, game complexity was never a barrier for me when I was younger, but nowadays if I can't jump into a game and have some idea of what I'm doing fairly quickly, odds are I will drop it and move onto something I'm comfortable with. I'm the same way with shoes  8)  Now, I might hit YouTube for playtips and I don't have a problem with restarting a game I've bungled, but my days of slogging through ASL-depth rulebooks are long over. And to echo Huw, if I only have an hour or less to play, I'm going with what I know.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: acctingman on October 30, 2018, 08:42:27 AM
I'm leaning toward console gaming now. Just bought a new PS4 Pro and started Witcher 3. Also, bought Madden and the new Spider-Man game. These games I can boot up and play for 20-30 min and get something done. PC games, not so much. I'm also a MMO'er and play World of Warcraft. I used to play 4-6 hours a day when it first came out. No way in hell I can do that now. I play with some friends one night a week for a couple hours and that's a huge stretch for me these days.

I think PC games take a longer investment time than console games, but of course, this is just my observations.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Sir Slash on October 30, 2018, 09:16:06 AM
Good topic. I still like the games I like but being older I have much less tolerance for games that are 'buggy' or have a steep learning curve. That stuff used to not bother me so much. That feeling even extends to some of the 'Let's Play' videos of games where the guy will talk and talk and talk and not play the dammed game, so I usually just shut it off.  :pullhair:

I don't mind re-starting a game to see what works and doesn't work or to try a new approach but if it's moving too slowly for me I find myself loosing interest rapidly. Also, I've noticed a tendency for me to judge a game positive or negative just by the look of the game than I ever did before-- something I should know better than.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: MengJiao on October 30, 2018, 12:01:31 PM
Quote from: Sir Slash on October 30, 2018, 09:16:06 AM
Good topic.

   I've been working out what is of interest when you play solitaire.  At the moment I play some shooty stuff multiplayer (Post Scriptum -- if I get my microphone working again -- and War thunder (where a faint set of headphones can save your life)) BUT I'm beginning to work on what makes a good solitaire game -- paradoxically perhaps -- Elusive Victory works well, as do other games of slightly twisty complexity BUT I'm putting in more time on simplifying a lot of the mechanics since I sorta just want to roll the dice and see what happens next -- BUT I think my most recent discovery is that the game should be close to an equilibrium and not require capturing X, Y and Z in record time since with a lot of solitaire self-inflicted randomness that is always going to derail pretty badly.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Gusington on October 30, 2018, 01:07:23 PM
Like many above, I still like the same genres of games...mainly military themed, dark fantasy and horror, as well as combinations of those three like Warhammer TW. Also like many above my slowly atrophying brain just does not have the capacity for learning new systems. If a system is too complex I just can't hack it anymore. I also HATE not being able to save anywhere in a game. Save slots have ruined some games for me.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Huw the Poo on October 30, 2018, 01:14:56 PM
Quote from: Gusington on October 30, 2018, 01:07:23 PM
I also HATE not being able to save anywhere in a game. Save slots have ruined some games for me.

I have a suspicion that I almost single-handedly sunk a game on Steam for this.  It didn't have a save option which meant playing large maps was totally unfeasible for people like me.  Added to that, the developer didn't give a shit when I emailed them, so I left a warning review which went on to become the highest-rated review for the game (and remains so, I believe).  The game didn't sell very well and very quickly ended up in all the bargain bins of the internet.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Sir Slash on October 30, 2018, 01:50:05 PM
That would've been a deal-breaker for me too.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Huw the Poo on October 30, 2018, 02:28:13 PM
The thing is it's an otherwise decent game and my review might well have been positive.  It's their attitude when I contacted them that pushed me over the edge.

Either way though, the lack of a save option would have featured prominently.  I don't give a toss how difficult it is to code; if you can't do it, don't make a game that requires it if you aren't willing to spend hours in a session.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: DoctorQuest on October 30, 2018, 03:45:52 PM
I am still mainly a flight simmer from a gaming perspective. Probably always will be with my inherent interest in aviation. Like most folks with a real life my gaming time is limited and I stick with what I like.

I do occasionally work through a shooter or play around with the liked of Cold Waters (which is sort of a sim in my opinion).
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: FarAway Sooner on October 30, 2018, 03:56:32 PM
I still find myself drawn to the same types of titles (e.g., turn-based strategy), but I play a lot less.  Partly, that's just a function of a couple younger kids and less time.

But it's also a function of games getting awfully derivative.  Most of the games I see today are based on the hex-based wargame model that became famous in the 1970s or the Civilization-based 4x model that Sid Meier created in 1990 (if it wasn't already out there from Populous or some other such title?).

I play some tablet games, but the play-to-win twist on tablet strategy games turns me off. 

Maybe I just need to break out my first edition War at Sea desktop game and get back to basics?
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Huw the Poo on October 30, 2018, 05:03:46 PM
Quote from: FarAway Sooner on October 30, 2018, 03:56:32 PM
Most of the games I see today are based on the hex-based wargame model that became famous in the 1970s or the Civilization-based 4x model that Sid Meier created in 1990 (if it wasn't already out there from Populous or some other such title?).

Nah, Populous was a pure god sim.  I don't recall any game being particularly Civ-like before Civ itself.  I think it was unique when it was released.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: sandman2575 on October 30, 2018, 07:29:43 PM
Quote from: jomni on October 30, 2018, 01:46:28 AM
Simulators (DCS, X-Plane, SABOW) are out, no matter how much I want to fly them.

+1

Quote from: bbmike on October 30, 2018, 05:16:19 AM
No changes in game preference but I do have game paralysis now. I'll sit down to play a computer game and end up staring at my near infinite game list and can't decide what I want to play.

++++1

Quote from: Huw the Poo on October 30, 2018, 06:31:45 AM
By the time I'm done with everything for the day, and the kids are in bed, I'm too exhausted to play anything deep.  I'd rather just fire up something fun for half an hour and leave it at that. 

++++++++1

Quote from: Huw the Poo on October 30, 2018, 06:31:45 AM
I'm hoping the situation will improve as the kids grow up and stop giving a shit about me!

I'm not so optimistic...
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: sandman2575 on October 30, 2018, 07:35:50 PM
Quote from: Huw the Poo on October 30, 2018, 02:28:13 PM
The thing is it's an otherwise decent game and my review might well have been positive.  It's their attitude when I contacted them that pushed me over the edge.

Hey Huw, any chance you're talking about Naval War: Arctic Circle - ?
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: PanzersEast on October 30, 2018, 08:20:03 PM
I've given this some thought as I am in the same spot you are.  Although you may say age has something to do with it, I feel the biggest factor is experience.  The more exposure and experience you have, the less the desire to play.  When you are first getting into gaming, everything is new to you.  All of the genres, the different approaches to games... you find worlds and things you can build.  The investment is rewarding.  However, as time goes by and as you play more and more, the noticeable variations become less and less.  There maybe some new mechanics, however you will never obtain the same feeling unless it goes beyond the skin, theme, slight mechanic change, variation stage.

For example, if you played a lot of Masters of Orion 2,  that game was ground breaking at the time.  All that has sense followed has been more and more variation of the same and now you are playing MoO 5.0.  I think it feels the same and thus your attention is like, have been here and done this and interest is held less.  EU IV is a great game, however it is on iteration 4 now, I mean if you started from the beginning, you have played the same game a lot!  Never-mind the changes, the core theme is still there. 

So I feel yes age, but coupled with that is experience of playing...... it is the been there done that syndrome.  Compound all this with work-life balance and that makes things a lot tougher and adds a whole new equation......  as there now has to be a lot of value in the game as time is more limited.  There is a lot that goes into the weight of play here.....

(https://www.grogheads.com/forums/proxy.php?request=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.mymoneydesign.com%2Fwp-content%2Fuploads%2F2015%2F05%2FLaw-of-Diminishing-Returns-Bell-Curve-Example-2.png&hash=b2d36ff410966e17f69251fbc5b320a3b58be0a2)
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Stryker07 on October 30, 2018, 09:42:51 PM
LoL, I was thinking of NWAC when he said that too.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Toonces on October 30, 2018, 10:07:59 PM
I simply don't play computer games as much as I used to, for a variety of reasons.

But like some of you, when I do sit down to play, I find that I almost always go with one of the handful of games I already know how to play.  I'm not afraid to tackle a game like CK2 where it will take a while to finish, but I am very reluctant anymore to invest the mental energy to actually learn something new.  I think DCS is a perfect example of a game where I would probably really enjoy it, but every time I get an urge to play, the thought of having to configure the controllers, then learn how to fly the actual aircraft, and finally how to make it work in a single player or MP environment...Ugh.  I end up simply booting up Falcon BMS or WoFF and just getting on with it.

The last few sales have really passed me by.  I keep seeing games I want to buy, but then I don't, and I realize later that I really don't miss them.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Huw the Poo on October 31, 2018, 01:37:47 AM
Quote from: sandman2575 on October 30, 2018, 07:35:50 PM
Hey Huw, any chance you're talking about Naval War: Arctic Circle - ?

Ha, good guess!  But nope - Spacecom (https://store.steampowered.com/app/263860/SPACECOM/). :)
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Anguille on October 31, 2018, 03:36:44 AM
I haven't changed my tastes...still enjoy the same type of games. But it's clear that i won't be able to feel the same magic i did when i first played Master of Orion. Everything was new.  The other "problem" i see is that there as so many new games coming out and that we still can play most of the old games. In 1995, i had only Master of Orion as 4x in space. When Imperium Galactica came out, i had plenty of time just for that game. Now, when a new games comes out, it is in competition with so many other games.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Grim.Reaper on October 31, 2018, 04:25:46 AM
Quote from: Jarhead0331 on October 30, 2018, 05:56:22 AM
It's not that I won't devote substantial time to a game. We know that is not the case, I put 20 hours into Assassins Creed Odyssey over an approximately 2 week period or so. Same thing with Ghost Recon Wildlands...dozens of hours. I think the problem with RDR2 for me is that it just takes a lot longer to accomplish anything noteworthy in a single sitting. There are just too many distractions along the way. Too many people to talk to. Too many things in the environment to see and interact with and too much time to move from point A to point B. I find it draining for some reason...

yep, i can see that point of view...i am still pretty early in the game but do hope it opens up a bit where i can go nuts with my revolver and shoot a lot of stuff versus firmly embedded in a movie.  also things like having to pet your horse and such could see getting a bit tedious after awhile.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: W8taminute on October 31, 2018, 08:25:02 AM
Love this thread, great idea. 

I'm seeing a lot of common themes here and many are similar to what I've been experiencing as I get older.  To further complicate things however I noticed another problem I'm having lately.

My game tastes have not changed since my youth but time, or lack thereof, is dictating what I should play at any given moment.  For example I find myself wanting to play a few rounds of an FPS because I can squeeze that gaming in even though I'd rather be playing a deep strategy game. 

Then I have this other complication.  I've got three really good board games I want to play [Twilight Imperium 4, Star Wars Rebellion, and War of the Ring] but every time I head for the table to begin setting up one of these games something inside me says "this is going to be too much effort, just jump on the computer and play something right now quickly!"  I feel like the 'game devil' is tempting me away from playing board games. 
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: PanzersEast on October 31, 2018, 10:25:55 AM
Quote from: W8taminute on October 31, 2018, 08:25:02 AM
Love this thread, great idea. 

I'm seeing a lot of common themes here and many are similar to what I've been experiencing as I get older.  To further complicate things however I noticed another problem I'm having lately.

My game tastes have not changed since my youth but time, or lack thereof, is dictating what I should play at any given moment.  For example I find myself wanting to play a few rounds of an FPS because I can squeeze that gaming in even though I'd rather be playing a deep strategy game. 

Then I have this other complication.  I've got three really good board games I want to play [Twilight Imperium 4, Star Wars Rebellion, and War of the Ring] but every time I head for the table to begin setting up one of these games something inside me says "this is going to be too much effort, just jump on the computer and play something right now quickly!" I feel like the 'game devil' is tempting me away from playing board games.

Spot on how I feel as well.....
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: ComradeP on October 31, 2018, 01:26:51 PM
My preferences have changed as I've moved to different genres than the games I played as a teenager some 15 years ago, but I find that the main reasons for me not enjoying a game are either a) I've done it all before, in a similar or better game or b) the game hasn't really aged well in terms of functionality.

Sequels or copycat titles are, as others have mentioned, a good example of type a.

I have no issues with playing the games I grew up with again, as I am familiar with their flaws so they don't really bother me, but I really don't have the patience to dive into a new game with poor mechanics, be it a wargame or some other title. If, with several decades worth of game design knowledge being available, a developer can't create game with clear, functional and interesting mechanics, that studio won't be getting my money.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: MetalDog on October 31, 2018, 08:31:07 PM
I have a very limited group of games: Civ IV BtS, M2TW (I don't play the battles and just empire build), Warlock I, ramping up/running pnp D&D.  That's it.  There's others that I will play, Age of Wonders 3 & Sovereignty: Crown of Kings got a lot of my time in the last four months or so.  And if the mood ever strikes, I would go back to Hearts of Iron 2 in a heartbeat.  I want to learn something Ageod, but the system escapes me.  The maps are simply gorgeous.  That's about the limit for me.  I would take the time to learn something involved, but, it would most likely have to be something MP.

A thought for those who express too much effort/too little time, specifically board games and flight sim configurers, when the mood hits, take advantage of it.  Go into it knowing you are only going to accomplish the set up.  Or learning one point of the rules that has you a little stuck so the next time you get back to the board, you can move forward.  Just my .02
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: GroggyGrognard on October 31, 2018, 08:59:23 PM
Great topic.

Since I was a teenager, I've always been interested in anything historical--whether it has been tabletop wargaming or console gaming. In my 20's and early 30's I played alot of console gaming, peppered with some tabletop wargaming. Starting in my mid 30's, I started to move away from console gaming, the majority type console games being FPS shooters, action games, or any other "twitch type" games. When I hit my 40's, my focus started to realign more towards tabletop wargaming and turn based strategy games on the PC. In a similar way to what others have mentioned in above posts, I've had a feeling of "been there, done that" with console gaming. I guess, despite the advancement of graphics and depth to console games, the novelty has worn off for me. Nowadays, I mostly play historical strategy/RPG turn based games on the PC and tabletop wargames. Once in awhile I will play some historical flavored action or RTS game on the PC.

Quote from: Geezer on October 30, 2018, 07:26:11 AM
I've always enjoyed The Gamers games.  Recently I tried to get back into the OCS (Operational Combat Series) games but after reading the rules and setting up a game of Smolensk: Barbarossa Derailed it just sat there unplayed.  Tried playing it but I spent more time fumbling through the rules than actually playing.  Tried switching to the BCS (Battalion Combat Series) but my eyes glazed over before even finishing my first pass through those rules.  So I went back to their SCS (Standard Combat Series) games.  Only 7 pages for the series rules and about that many pages in the Autumn for Barbarossa game specific rules.  The Germans took Vitebsk and Mogilev on turn 1 and I'm having a blast.   :)

So yes, somewhat sadly, my love of great detailed "simulations" has given way to the reality that I just don't have what it takes to play them anymore.  Thankfully there are alternatives.

The Gamers games are fantastic. There have been only a handful of times I've tried the OCS series with a friend of mine, but we've always defaulted back to the SCS games because they are much more accessible and easier to learn. I've sworn to myself I would get back into the OCS series games when I retire, but who knows.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: W8taminute on November 01, 2018, 12:47:12 PM
Quote from: MetalDog on October 31, 2018, 08:31:07 PM
...A thought for those who express too much effort/too little time, specifically board games and flight sim configurers, when the mood hits, take advantage of it.  Go into it knowing you are only going to accomplish the set up.  Or learning one point of the rules that has you a little stuck so the next time you get back to the board, you can move forward.  Just my .02

That is an excellent piece of advice MetalDog!  The more I think about it the more I like it.  So what you're saying is go ahead and setup the board game.  It will probably take about 30 to 45 minutes after which I'll be 'exhausted' and stop.  At least the itch was scratched so to speak.  Maybe I can take that one step further and when I get tired after the setup I'll walk away and leave the game on the table as is.  (Now that I have a half done man-cave I can afford to do this without fear of someone disturbing my game.)

Then the next time I get the itch all I have to do is start playing since the board has already been setup.   ;D
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Barthheart on November 01, 2018, 01:25:55 PM
Quote from: W8taminute on November 01, 2018, 12:47:12 PM
Quote from: MetalDog on October 31, 2018, 08:31:07 PM
...A thought for those who express too much effort/too little time, specifically board games and flight sim configurers, when the mood hits, take advantage of it.  Go into it knowing you are only going to accomplish the set up.  Or learning one point of the rules that has you a little stuck so the next time you get back to the board, you can move forward.  Just my .02

That is an excellent piece of advice MetalDog!  The more I think about it the more I like it.  So what you're saying is go ahead and setup the board game.  It will probably take about 30 to 45 minutes after which I'll be 'exhausted' and stop.  At least the itch was scratched so to speak.  Maybe I can take that one step further and when I get tired after the setup I'll walk away and leave the game on the table as is.  (Now that I have a half done man-cave I can afford to do this without fear of someone disturbing my game.)

Then the next time I get the itch all I have to do is start playing since the board has already been setup.   ;D

This is how most of my table gaming gets done. But you do need a place you can set up for the long haul....
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: MetalDog on November 01, 2018, 08:52:03 PM
Glad it struck a chord, W8!  I hope it spurs you forward  O0
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: W8taminute on November 02, 2018, 01:37:29 PM
Quote from: Barthheart on November 01, 2018, 01:25:55 PM

This is how most of my table gaming gets done. But you do need a place you can set up for the long haul....

Indeed I do.  Well maybe the space is not ideal for long term but I need to test how secure my area is so why not start now? 


Quote from: MetalDog on November 01, 2018, 08:52:03 PM
Glad it struck a chord, W8!  I hope it spurs you forward  O0

I'll keep you posted for sure.  l plan on starting this weekend.  Let's see how it goes.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Redwolf on November 06, 2018, 01:44:55 PM
I always needed "efficient" wargames.

Games that allow you to quickly express to the game (tell units) what you want units to do. The time spent on mechanics to express your thoughts should not be more than thinking about real-world-like tactics.

TacOps and CMx1 were very good at those. TOAW is OK.

Games with lots of useless icons graphics are bad. Dialog boxes with limited scope are bad.

Unfortunately game very developed in the direction of what I need. CMx2 is not efficient. The majority of "new" wargames are actually going toward being more like boardgame - transparent in mechanics but need a lot of clicking.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: jomni on November 08, 2018, 08:05:51 PM
Quote from: Redwolf on November 06, 2018, 01:44:55 PM
I always needed "efficient" wargames.

Games that allow you to quickly express to the game (tell units) what you want units to do. The time spent on mechanics to express your thoughts should not be more than thinking about real-world-like tactics.

TacOps and CMx1 were very good at those. TOAW is OK.

Games with lots of useless icons graphics are bad. Dialog boxes with limited scope are bad.

Unfortunately game very developed in the direction of what I need. CMx2 is not efficient. The majority of "new" wargames are actually going toward being more like boardgame - transparent in mechanics but need a lot of clicking.

Have you played Greaviteam games. It's more top down than CMx2. Some say it plays itself and don't like it.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: MikeGER on November 10, 2018, 04:53:22 AM
late to the party  ...and here you already see a symptom i have developed

In the past years i have become a seasonal gamer and kind of a meta-gamer (occupied with the topic but not active) 

I just cant sit in front of a screen when the weather outside is clear and warm. (and this year we had the summer of a century in Germany)
and late night i am to tired and rather watch a Let's play or telly

In the past years i have developed a habit that came with checking out new games (most got the news of its upcoming existence here from the Grogs) to not read text previews or AAR anymore.
i look for a preview and at YT those by my favorite Letsplayers and these often turn into a longer Let's-play series that i follow.... summed up, these are many hours of time diverted from active gaming
(for example i liked to watch Xcom2 stuff by Christopher Odd then starting my one campaign, also i like some previews of  DasTactic and German Writing Bull, esp when it was about his Civilisation series)   
   
so when i am on the fence about a game i often stick with those Let's-play series and don't get the game at all ...or sometime get it later when on sale, fire it it up once, but don't play it much. the itch seems to had been scratched already with following the Let's Play ...but i still want to have it in the Steam collection for when the itch may come back.
so at the end of the day/month i didn't play as much as before

age issue: eyesight
yeah there are glasses but its not working completely and so i can read small print in games but it is a burden and don't comes naturally like it was in the past. I like Stelaris but the text is often just a bit to small for my comfort.

age issue: mood swings
i cant stick to a game as long as i should and as long as it deserves.
and my game topic (and impulse purchases) are often stimulated by an impulse from the outside.
Watched a documentation about Nam, in the mood for Nam, seen the latest StarWars , in the mood for StarWars... reports about Stan, now its Stan  ...but all that fade rather fast when the itch got scratched.       

next issue: immersion
i have a problem to immerse myself in a game as deep as in the past. maybe there are to may RL problems and sorrows plus the interdictions that are nagging at my nerves to just let go.

but, today the first rainy weekend since maybe April and so interest in active gaming are coming back.
and found time to write a piece about habits for the forum


Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Gusington on November 10, 2018, 11:19:07 AM
I am seasonal in almost everything I do too.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: Sir Slash on November 10, 2018, 10:53:28 PM
Truly a Grog for all seasons.
Title: Re: Changes in gaming preference.
Post by: 88mmkwk on November 12, 2018, 01:52:11 PM
Quote from: MikeGER on November 10, 2018, 04:53:22 AM
I just cant sit in front of a screen when the weather outside is clear and warm. (and this year we had the summer of a century in Germany)
and late night i am to tired and rather watch a Let's play or telly

In the past years i have developed a habit that came with checking out new games (most got the news of its upcoming existence here from the Grogs) to not read text previews or AAR anymore.
i look for a preview and at YT those by my favorite Letsplayers and these often turn into a longer Let's-play series that i follow.... summed up, these are many hours of time diverted from active gaming
(for example i liked to watch Xcom2 stuff by Christopher Odd then starting my one campaign, also i like some previews of  DasTactic and German Writing Bull, esp when it was about his Civilisation series)   
   
so when i am on the fence about a game i often stick with those Let's-play series and don't get the game at all ...or sometime get it later when on sale, fire it it up once, but don't play it much. the itch seems to had been scratched already with following the Let's Play ...but i still want to have it in the Steam collection for when the itch may come back.
so at the end of the day/month i didn't play as much as before

This is the exact situation I am in.

I have an odd obsession with the deepest of computer games due to a strange fascination with the discovery process of trying to mentally peel the onion of their complexity.  For example, I look at a game like Distant Worlds: Universe and find myself drawn to it due to the richness of the creation, yet I know that I would never be able to commit the hours that would be required to gain the skills to play it with any sort of efficiency.  I bought TOAW III years ago and probably played it 3 times.  I liked how flexible the system was and how deep a simulation it was.  But I never ended up spending any serious time playing it.

In a really weird irony, the things (complexity/richness) that draw me to a game are the very things that deter me from playing it (due to the time commitment required).  I then end up with a sort of purchase-depressive mood where I ask my self "why the hell did I buy this - I know I'll never play it..." type situation.  The adrenaline rush of acquisition soon fades and I simply have another game that collects digital dust...

I've recently spent more time watching Let's Plays than actual gaming, with RimWorld being the most current time sink.  I'm fascinated by the game and appreciate what a solo developer has managed to accomplish.  But by watching others play it instead of me having to invest time learning it and playing it, I can more easily devote the smaller chunks of free time life provides me at my age.  I also am a "social type" gamer and watching the Let's Plays with the associated narrative of the player makes it feel somewhat like a fun social gaming session with a buddy.

As a case in point for my condition, today the last day of a four day weekend from work with the Veteran's Day holiday.  Got all excited to have time to fire up Strategic Command WWII : War in Europe, which I bought a year ago with the hardbound manual.  Starting reading through the rules, and went up on Matrix games forum to look for an answer to a question I had.  Immediately encountered tons of threads saying to not solo the game as it will teach you bad habits playing against the AI - instead get into a game in the tourney ladder where you'll get your butt kicked but will learn the right strategies.  Without time to schedule regular meetups with an opponent to play it, it was a total buzz kill and I ended up not playing at all.

So after making my mandatory Groghead forum visit, I'll soon head back to YouTube to watch some Mius Front Let's Play videos.....  :dreamer: