GAF. I need Help. Gamer ADHD here. Force me to complete a game and hold me accountable please

CrimsonTide

CrimsonTide

Gold Member
I've got almost 800 Steam games. (Up from just under 600 last year)

I've got hundreds on PS, Xbox and switch.

I need help and direction. Booting up a game. Can do. Playing for a few hours. Can do. Completing is next level for me. I just bounce around too much.

What do I do?

What game should I tackle? I kinda Always end up playing dark souls AGAIN. (Still not done all its quest lines)
 
My best recommendation and please dont get offended. Go to the doctor and get medication for this condition because your quality of life will improve very much and you'll be able to focus properly when playing. If you dont treat it, you are gonna have a hard time focusing on anything for too long.
 
Gonzito said:
My best recommendation and please dont get offended. Go to the doctor and get medication for this condition because your quality of life will improve very much and you'll be able to focus properly when playing. If you dont treat it, you are gonna have a hard time focusing on anything for too long.
Click to expand...
Sorry to derail, I've always been extremely skeptical of the value of treating my ADHD through medication. When you speak of a higher quality of life, are you speaking from personal experience.
 
ReasonBeing said:
Sorry to derail, I've always been extremely skeptical of the value of treating my ADHD through medication. When you speak of a higher quality of life, are you speaking from personal experience.
Click to expand...

I am speaking from experience of having an anxiety disorder and panic attacks since I was a child and medication absolutely saving and transforming my life. For ADHD there are very good options too that can help the person live a much better life. The brain is a muscle and sometimes it needs to be treated as any other part of the body 💪
 
I used to not finish games. One day, I just consciously decided to stop that behaviour and push through. I now finish (at least credits) most games I start, unless I'm really not vibing with them. I usually find that the experience was worth it. Even if the game I just finished wasn't the best, at least I gained some gaming knowledge and it can help me make better choices in the future.

Don't overthink it. Pick a game you might like and get through it. Forget about FOMO and ADHD and whatnot. Might be easier said than done, but that worked for me.
 
Gonzito said:
I am speaking from experience of having an anxiety disorder and panic attacks since I was a child and medication absolutely saving and transforming my life. For ADHD there are very good options too that can help the person live a much better life. The brain is a muscle and sometimes it needs to be treated as any other part of the body 💪
Click to expand...
Genuinely myself have no disorder

Just a gamer
 
Play short games, like super short, so you can reach the end before you get tired of them. Learn to enjoy the feeling of seeing the credits roll. Slowly move over to longer games.

First game recommendation:
Inside - length ~4 hours
 
Here said:
I used to not finish games. One day, I just consciously decided to stop that behaviour and push through. I now finish (at least credits) most games I start, unless I'm really not vibing with them. I usually find that the experience was worth it. Even if the game I just finished wasn't the best, at least I gained some gaming knowledge and it can help me make better choices in the future.

Don't overthink it. Pick a game you might like and get through it. Forget about FOMO and ADHD and whatnot. Might be easier said than done, but that worked for me.
Click to expand...
It's so much easier for me to finish small games.

Yet, what's weird is I've finished some long ones.

Witcher 3
Cyberpunk 2077
Dark souls
Etc

So it's not like I can't do it. But it's REALLY gotta hook me bigly
 
Fess said:
Play short games, like super short, so you can reach the end before you get tired of them. Learn to enjoy the feeling of seeing the credits roll. Slowly move over to longer games.

First game recommendation:
Inside - length ~4 hours
Click to expand...
LOVE me a quick 3-6 hour beauty.

Killer Frequency is a game. Brilliant one. 7 hours or so. Did it in 1 sitting. Was just hooked and in love. It's $9 on Steam.

I need more like that
 
Okay, here's what worked for me. First off, I started a document on my phone that tracks every game I've beaten each year. I considering a game "beaten" if I've gotten to the main credits. The first year I did this, I only beat like 8 games, but that was 8 more than I had beaten the year before.

Here's a picture of this year's document:
agGUSfjmeRISrXMo.png

tBHbxiXOvM90FaJ2.jpeg

As you'll notice, a lot of the games I've beaten this year (especially early on) are super short games. I decided to run the Mario gauntlet, which I do once every five years or so.

Once you start getting games on the board, it becomes more addictive and fulfilling to actually complete them.

Step 2: Visit howlongtobeat.com

I use this site a lot when picking my next game. Usually if something is over 30 hours, I don't even consider it. I'm looking for that 8-16 hour range when at all possible. I've got a very limited amount of time to play games, and so I don't even want to look at some 100+ hour RPG.

I've got gaming ADHD too, and I probably have a handful of games this year that I started and won't end up finishing. But as long as I keep tracking the ones that I do finish, I find that it helps give me that extra push to finish more.

Hope this helps, OP.
 
Dacvak said:
Okay, here's what worked for me. First off, I started a document on my phone that tracks every game I've beaten each year. I considering a game "beaten" if I've gotten to the main credits. The first year I did this, I only beat like 8 games, but that was 8 more than I had beaten the year before.

Here's a picture of this year's document:
agGUSfjmeRISrXMo.png

tBHbxiXOvM90FaJ2.jpeg

As you'll notice, a lot of the games I've beaten this year (especially early on) are super short games. I decided to run the Mario gauntlet, which I do once every five years or so.

Once you start getting games on the board, it becomes more addictive and fulfilling to actually complete them.

Step 2: Visit howlongtobeat.com

I use this site a lot when picking my next game. Usually if something is over 30 hours, I don't even consider it. I'm looking for that 8-16 hour range when at all possible. I've got a very limited amount of time to play games, and so I don't even want to look at some 100+ hour RPG.

I've got gaming ADHD too, and I probably have a handful of games this year that I started and won't end up finishing. But as long as I keep tracking the ones that I do finish, I find that it helps give me that extra push to finish more.

Hope this helps, OP.
Click to expand...
Love a good Mario gauntlet

Not beaten SMB3 in well over a decade

Yet if PRESSED could beat in 2-3 hours. Warp whistles of course.

How long to beat is fantastic agree. I cant Say I'm clinically diagnosed with ADHD. More like "gamer" ADHD.

Thank you for your contribution and I'll take that advice
 
CrimsonTide said:
True. I mean how can I finish Witcher 3 and cyberpunk 2077? That's giant games

But I was Hooked in. Also If all else fails I'll just boot up Dark Souls and fuck around. It's my comfort food
Click to expand...
Play games that excite and stimulate you. Ignore your backlog and change your purchasing habits.

There is a reason why you dropped games and still haven't finished them. Find the ones that really compel you.
 
I was the same many years ago. So I started putting games on easy so I didn't have to do much side stuff and could just breeze through the main story of bigger games. This allowed me to finish bigger games like the witcher 3 and assassins creed origins.

Then a few years ago I started craving more challenge so started playing on normal or hard again. now I'm back in and finish most games I start nowadays.

The real secret I'm afraid is only to play one game at a time. I even go as far as only installing one game at a time so I dont get distracted.

On a side note I've just upgraded my PC and play at 4k hdr on a 65 inch QD oled with a full height speaker atmos sound system. Games look and sound so good that I'm constantly awed at how good the experience is which helps me lock in and finish games.
 
CrimsonTide said:
I've got almost 800 Steam games. (Up from just under 600 last year)

I've got hundreds on PS, Xbox and switch.

I need help and direction. Booting up a game. Can do. Playing for a few hours. Can do. Completing is next level for me. I just bounce around too much.

What do I do?

What game should I tackle? I kinda Always end up playing dark souls AGAIN. (Still not done all its quest lines)
Click to expand...
Take a sabbatical from games and any digital distractions for a few years, go on long walks without headphones on, fix your diet. You're just going to be a dog chasing cars until you fix some fundamental problems. This might sound silly right now, but the end stage of this current trajectory of yours isn't a happy one. Least you can do is chat to a professional, life coach, shrink etc.
 
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bighugeguns said:
Take a sabbatical from games and any digital distractions for a few years, go on long walks without headphones on, fix your diet. You're just going to be a dog chasing cars until you fix some fundamental problems. This might sound silly right now, but the end stage of this current trajectory of yours isn't a happy one. Least you can do is chat to a professional, life coach, shrink etc.
Click to expand...
Fix my diet? I'm healthy as can be.
Now I need A shrink?

Holy fuck my ass this is hilarious 😆
 
buenoblue said:
I was the same many years ago. So I started putting games on easy so I didn't have to do much side stuff and could just breeze through the main story of bigger games. This allowed me to finish bigger games like the witcher 3 and assassins creed origins.

Then a few years ago I started craving more challenge so started playing on normal or hard again. now I'm back in and finish most games I start nowadays.

The real secret I'm afraid is only to play one game at a time. I even go as far as only installing one game at a time so I dont get distracted.

On a side note I've just upgraded my PC and play at 4k hdr on a 65 inch QD oled with a full height speaker atmos sound system. Games look and sound so good that I'm constantly awed at how good the experience is which helps me lock in and finish games.
Click to expand...
Pretty much just always stay on normal or default. I'm no where near good enough for these hardcore modes. Yet also can't bring myself to click "easy". Lol
 
I think organisation is the way.

Someone may have to help as I don't have the name, but there is a tool that can sort your Steam library into categories based on howlongtobeat.com. That way you can give some short games a go. And if you don't like them after giving them a chance, give them a new tag called "Didn't like" or something along those lines. You can slowly work through your library. You might feel bad looking at a list of games you paid for but won't finish, but you pad for them either way.

Also consider mods. They can help streamline some boring stuff that you don't want to waste time on and make a game more enjoyable as a result. Steam guides can help, as can pcgamingwiki.

As for finishing games, it doesn't actually matter. Games are there for fun, and if you jum between games or just play ones you like then you're doing what you want to do. You wouldn't go back to Dark Souls if you didn't want to.

And if you suffer this elsewhere in life maybe consider taking the advice to seek assistance to improve your quality of life.
 
Soodanim said:
I think organisation is the way.

Someone may have to help as I don't have the name, but there is a tool that can sort your Steam library into categories based on howlongtobeat.com. That way you can give some short games a go. And if you don't like them after giving them a chance, give them a new tag called "Didn't like" or something along those lines. You can slowly work through your library. You might feel bad looking at a list of games you paid for but won't finish, but you pad for them either way.

Also consider mods. They can help streamline some boring stuff that you don't want to waste time on and make a game more enjoyable as a result. Steam guides can help, as can pcgamingwiki.

As for finishing games, it doesn't actually matter. Games are there for fun, and if you jum between games or just play ones you like then you're doing what you want to do. You wouldn't go back to Dark Souls if you didn't want to.

And if you suffer this elsewhere in life maybe consider taking the advice to seek assistance to improve your quality of life.
Click to expand...
Good work. Yes. Agree. Organization would be a start.

My life itself is fine. Just too many games is all lol 😂 not saying I don't have problems. We all do. But generally. We fine.
 
You need to sit down and force yourself to finish games for a time. It'll become a habit after a while. I guarantee it as I went through the same thing.

Has it's downsides too though. I'm at that point now where I finish games no matter what. Gotta keep that backlog at zero. Hence I have to be real careful what I buy. Still, better than starting millions of games and never finishing any of them.
 
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CrimsonTide said:
Hey. You leave my addiction on cheevos out of this. Cheevos are NOT in the room with me now.

right?

RIGHT?
Click to expand...

I have the same problem as you 😂 but I have a bigger cheevo addiction. I can still finish games, but if I have to play it 4 times on all difficulties... Ill do it months later. Still have games I need to finish 😐 I finished Dead Space 10 years later.
 
Fahdis said:
I have the same problem as you 😂 but I have a bigger cheevo addiction. I can still finish games, but if I have to play it 4 times on all difficulties... I'll do it months later. Still have games I need to finish 😐 I finished Dead Space 10 years later.
Click to expand...
Did we just become best friends?
 
Dacvak said:
Okay, here's what worked for me. First off, I started a document on my phone that tracks every game I've beaten each year. I considering a game "beaten" if I've gotten to the main credits. The first year I did this, I only beat like 8 games, but that was 8 more than I had beaten the year before.

Here's a picture of this year's document:
agGUSfjmeRISrXMo.png

tBHbxiXOvM90FaJ2.jpeg

As you'll notice, a lot of the games I've beaten this year (especially early on) are super short games. I decided to run the Mario gauntlet, which I do once every five years or so.

Once you start getting games on the board, it becomes more addictive and fulfilling to actually complete them.

Step 2: Visit howlongtobeat.com

I use this site a lot when picking my next game. Usually if something is over 30 hours, I don't even consider it. I'm looking for that 8-16 hour range when at all possible. I've got a very limited amount of time to play games, and so I don't even want to look at some 100+ hour RPG.

I've got gaming ADHD too, and I probably have a handful of games this year that I started and won't end up finishing. But as long as I keep tracking the ones that I do finish, I find that it helps give me that extra push to finish more.

Hope this helps, OP.
Click to expand...
If you're playing on steam you don't even need an outside document like this. On steam just add your completed game into Completed folder, at least that's what I do
 
buenoblue said:
The real secret I'm afraid is only to play one game at a time
Click to expand...
This is the way. I have about 30 game installed on my PS5 and it makes it easy to jump between games. It's a bad habit and I'm making an effort to focus on one game and finish it before moving on to the next now. Not easy though, with new games releasing all the time you don't want to miss out on some of the "new" experiences.

But in all honesty there are only a small handful of must play games every year. They could stop releasing games now and I would probably still be good till I die.
 
Kenneth Haight said:
This is the way. I have about 30 game installed on my PS5 and it makes it easy to jump between games. It's a bad habit and I'm making an effort to focus on one game and finish it before moving on to the next now. Not easy though, with new games releasing all the time you don't want to miss out on some of the "new" experiences.

But in all honesty there are only a small handful of must play games every year. They could stop releasing games now and I would probably still be good till I die.
Click to expand...
If no game ever came out again. No question I'd be able to live and thrive gaming wise on my backlog. Likely not even notice
 
Most of my spare time for gaming is replaying my favourites. Rarely ever complete new games these days.

I'd say it's probably a common thing with a good chunk of us here.

Nothing fun about forcing yourself to finish something you've got tired of.
 
Ellis said:
Most of my spare time for gaming is replaying my favourites. Rarely ever complete new games these days.

I'd say it's probably a common thing with a good chunk of us here.

Nothing fun about forcing yourself to finish something you've got tired of.
Click to expand...
Its always a difficult decision for me… hmmm do I want to play a new jrpg or completed persona 5 for the 3rd time 🤔🤔🤔
 
CrimsonTide said:
I've got almost 800 Steam games. (Up from just under 600 last year)

I've got hundreds on PS, Xbox and switch.

I need help and direction. Booting up a game. Can do. Playing for a few hours. Can do. Completing is next level for me. I just bounce around too much.

What do I do?

What game should I tackle? I kinda Always end up playing dark souls AGAIN. (Still not done all its quest lines)
Click to expand...
Bro, u are perfectly normal, u dont have to complete every game, we on gaf here buy/play usually tens of games yearly(some even over a hundred), its fine to enjoy games w/o completing them, i obviously finish 10-15games/year and i play way more, hell i got some i played and didnt finish thay i trully enjoyed, few even from last gen of very high quality (90%+ meta/high userscores too).

Only time i really finished (almost) every game i played was in the 90s when i was teenager, aka very restricted funds+ tons of spare time, once u become adult and finances(for the most part) arent ur limiting factor u gotta aproach gaming in a different way, ur time is ur limiting factor and its perfectly fine to stop playing particular game if u see u get more fun playing other one- no point having bad concience for the reason of not finishing it.

Same way like back in our teen's days we had to manage our cash while gaming, now when we are adults we simply gotta manage our time instead, as long as u enjoy games u get best of ur time- its fine :)
 
digimaster7 said:
Its always a difficult decision for me… hmmm do I want to play a new jrpg or completed persona 5 for the 3rd time 🤔🤔🤔
Click to expand...
The "I've just spent £60 on this new game so I should complete it" used to make me feel somewhat obligated to finish, but I broke that thought after a while, as it was happening with literally every new game.

I've tried to curb buying games on release now, and picking up a few months/years down the line. Resident Evil, Yakuza, and From games are pretty much the only games I'll still buy on Day One.
 
Games will only ever get cheaper so stop buying games unless you absolutely are going to play it through to completion there and then.

Stop playing for achievements (if you do).

Next pick 3 games to rotate and complete. If you dislike them you're falling into the trap of thinking because you're a 'gamer' you will like every game and feel some mental pressure to complete them.
 
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