The Cold, Hard Truth about my computer gaming

JasonPratt · July 17, 2013, 01:51:38 PM

Quote from: undercovergeek on July 17, 2013, 04:19:43 AM
i think Jason tried that - and failed miserably

I made it four months, tops. Maybe only three. I got fuzzy toward the end there.

Then I discovered Steam sales and Gamersgate sales and GoG.

At least I'm spending much less on my gaming binges now...

W8taminute · July 17, 2013, 02:11:37 PM

I'm in the same boat as many of you are. I also enjoy the thrill of the hunt by purchasing a game when it goes on sale, especially when the price is dirt cheap. I have a huge backlog of games that I won't ever be able to finish.

If I take a step back and look at myself this game collecting thing is probably the most dumbest thing I could be doing now with my limited spare change. Why pay for something that you won't ever enjoy?

When I analyze myself further I realize that without games I would probably be destroying my life with drugs or alcohol. Gaming is a great way to escape the nonsense we deal with in real life on a daily basis. In fact, playing a good game beats watching a movie or a t.v. show any day of the week in my opinion. There is so much garbage and political propaganda on tv these days anyways that I feel like I'm not missing anything. I'm digressing now and this is another topic for another thread but avoiding the media keeps my brain from getting washed.

Back on point. Gaming allows me to lose a little stress that working out or going for a walk can't do. It's when the mind is engaged in figuring out the nuances of a good game that it can forget the misery of the real world. Working out relieves the body of physical stress, playing games relieves the mind of mental stress. Hence the reason why I collect games.

airboy · July 17, 2013, 04:43:07 PM

I think that you should consider looking at this in a different light.

There are a lot of good games out there. Thanks to GoG, Steam Sales, etc...... there are a lot of good inexpensive games out there.

We are truly blessed with both good new games and being able to play good old games on new machines.

I have bunches of games that are yet unplayed. But my total game spending is probably down from 10 years ago because so many purchases are on sale. Aside from a handful of games a year, I seldom pay full price anymore. When I do buy new games, they are almost always excellent. Strategic Command series, Panzer Corps series, Field of Glory, Fallout New Vegas. I bought them and loved them at full price.

Nefaro · July 17, 2013, 04:50:11 PM

Quote from: W8taminute on July 17, 2013, 02:11:37 PM

When I analyze myself further I realize that without games I would probably be destroying my life with drugs or alcohol.

This, indeed.

I shudder to think how much I spent just on alcohol, in my youth. Every night. Fortunately I shied away from the liver assault as I got older and became more sedate. ;D Now I'm just addicted to PC game sales. :o

Martok · July 18, 2013, 05:19:11 AM

Add me to the list of those who own FAR more games than I can find time to play.

Sales from GOG, GamersGate, Impulse/Gamestop, and Steam have forever corrupted me. If from this moment, I purchased no more games *ever*, I would still have enough to last me until death. (This is assuming I have another 40 years or so til I kick the bucket, which would be about average for an American male -- I'm currently 36.)

Quote from: Huw the Poo on July 17, 2013, 12:54:12 AM
Quote from: Toonces on July 16, 2013, 11:02:06 PM
But what's troubling is that, instead of focusing on all this new stuff I have, I find myself going back to warm and fuzzy games, or just playing the same handful a lot.

Yep, again, same here. I look at my list of installed games (literally hundreds) and just can't decide where to start, so I go back to Sins of a Solar Empire or something. :(

This is one of my big issues as well. I continue to regularly play "golden oldies" such as Medieval Total War and Birth of the Federation -- not as much as I used to, admittedly, but still enough that it significantly cuts into time that would otherwise be spent playing other games.

And I don't keep playing these older games out of a sense of nostalgia, either (or from a reluctance to try newer titles). I genuine enjoy them on their own merits.

Another issue is that I'll keep switching back & forth between different titles, especially as certain ones will suddenly -- but only temporarily -- be all the rage around here: Everyone's going ga-ga over Shogun 2 Total War, then Fallen Enchantress: Legendary Heroes, then Distant Worlds, then Civilization IV, then Empire Total War, then back to Legendary Heroes again... :o

Gah! It's too much; I can't keep up!

agathosdaimon · July 18, 2013, 07:05:43 AM

Wow, i think we are all in the same boat! prices on games have come down in many ways with something somewhere always on sale! and so much to choose from (though it seems like there is just never a game that is the game to end all games for its genre or historical period, though we search for it!)

I have around 70 games from GOG, over 100 from steam (many i have not even installed yet due) and easily over probably 200 of just old games i have bought and games i still own bought back in the 00's. Not only will it be impossible to play them all before i am dead let alone before my current computer harddrives probably die, i have over 13 books shelves of books. Ultimately i have to resign myself to teh fact that i will only be able to read a portion - and play a portion - playing what i feel like when i feel like it and part of the fun -(the costly part) is in just the getting of a game/thing - a collectors joy? or a hoarders joy? Though if i lost it all i doubt i would be rushing to build it all up again.

I think if i can at least play some solidly i am happy - no matter what i still enjoy playing what i can when i can

Rayfer · July 18, 2013, 07:20:10 AM

I have a friend who plays guitar. Most of the time he plays either his electric or his acoustic guitar. He also collects guitars and has them around his house on stands or wall mounts which he rarely ever plays. Maybe occasionally he will get one out to fool around with it then he puts it back on display. We are just like that with games. We are game-players and game-collectors. We have our handful of favorites that we play a lot then we have our collections that we might occasionally fire up and play a short while before going back to our tried and true favorites. Let's stop beating ourselves up over this. Collecting is a fun hobby, and so is game playing. We have the best of both worlds.....and with Steam, GOG, etc. they are really cheap. Let's celebrate and enjoy both the collections, which we only dabble in, and our favorites that we play a lot. We are in the golden age of pc gaming. It has evolved into a collectors hobby just like people collect stamps, coins, model trains and old books and we are at its cutting edge. Have fun!!

Barthheart · July 18, 2013, 07:28:04 AM

Quote from: Rayfer on July 18, 2013, 07:20:10 AM
I have a friend who plays guitar. Most of the time he plays either his electric or his acoustic guitar. He also collects guitars and has them around his house on stands or wall mounts which he rarely ever plays. Maybe occasionally he will get one out to fool around with it then he puts it back on display. We are just like that with games. We are game-players and game-collectors. We have our handful of favorites that we play a lot then we have our collections that we might occasionally fire up and play a short while before going back to our tried and true favorites. Let's stop beating ourselves up over this. Collecting is a fun hobby, and so is game playing. We have the best of both worlds.....and with Steam, GOG, etc. they are really cheap. Let's celebrate and enjoy both the collections, which we only dabble in, and our favorites that we play a lot. We are in the golden age of pc gaming. It has evolved into a collectors hobby just like people collect stamps, coins, model trains and old books and we are at its cutting edge. Have fun!!

QFT!