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How has your gaming habits changed as you've aged?

hiryu

Member
i buy a lot more games and play them a lot less.

Same here, although recently after selling my EQ and WoW beta accounts I have been playing games like mad. If anyone saw my stack of unplayed and unopened games they would probably cry. I imagine after WoW comes out I'll be back in the only playing MMORPGs and letting my games just sit there routine. I should wait and buy them when they are cheap but it's a hard habit to break. My taste really haven't changed much, I still love Nintendo games, fighters, platformers, and adventure games and still don't enjoy racing games too much.
 

Slo

Member
Like the rest of you, my time and attention span have dwindled over the years. I don't really play RPGs anymore because of I don't have time, and games that are considered to be hard like Ninja Gaiden don't get much time from me either. Gaming should be fun, not work. :) Yeah, I know I'm weaksauce. I also found out that I enjoy gaming a lot more when I'm not trying to keep up with the fickle GAF crowd. I love experiencing games at the same time as you guys, but some of you people will consume a 60 hour RPG in 3 days and then discard it like it never existed. That's not my way of life anymore. :-\

So yeah, for a while I was gravitating to shorter games. Ones that I could finish in 10 hours. It turns out that this is very cost-ineffective. I really can't afford to spend $5/hour on entertainment on an almost daily basis. So now I tend to look for games that can be played in short bursts and have great replay value, usually online. My favorite games so far this year have been UT2k4, Madden, and PGR2. I just got HSG4, and it looks like it will fit into that groove pretty well.
 
Buy more and play less...but even that's changing. I'm only going after really good games at this stage. (married, work, school, etc.)

I tend to stay away from platformers, shooters, and racers now. The only twitch gameplay for me may be FPS and an occasional fighter (Soul Calibur type).

I'd rather have a good solid 20-30 hour game than TOS 70 hour types. Mainly though FPS will probably be most of what I work with because they're easy to pick and play in multiplayer and you don't need two hours to get to a save point. ;)
 

Vitten

Member
Mine have certainly changed for the worse.

As a kid I could play no matter what game for hours and usually right untill the end no matter how long or how dificult. I would keep trying and retrying untill I knew the entire game by heart and could play through hardcore NES stuff like Castlevania , Mission Impossible, Life Force or Contra without losing a life.

Now i'm a LOT more impatient and saturated. Most games just can't seem to hold my attention for long and if I'm stuck at a hard part I'll easily get frustrated and just give up on it.
 
F

Folder

Unconfirmed Member
I'm drunk when trying to play games a lot more these days. Which never really works out so well.

*finds latest reason girlfriend dumped me*
 
When I first started playing games I wasn't so concerned about what other people thought of it - only if it was fun or not. Looking back I played a lot of garbage games on the Atari 2600 and Master System but I still found myself enjoying them at the time.

I had a really big habit through the 8 and 16-bit eras. Gaming was a big part of my life when I was a kid. I used to have my friends over on a Friday night and play well into the early hours of Saturday morning. We once did a 14 hour stretch on MK2 alone. Street Fighter 2 and Mario Kart were staples. It was relatively cheap to rent games so I tried pretty much everything except movie license games.

I was enthusiastic about gaming up until the first year of the PSX on the market. After that my interest waned. For about four years I went off gaming altogether. I think I bought only 2 games in a one year period once. Then the DC rolled around and reinvigorated me. I found also what others have encountered - my patience had plummeted. I was buying a lot of games but I was getting caught on small things in games. I still do now I guess.

Currently I buy about 3 games a month depending on how many bills I have to pay. I stick to the genres I loved as a kid. Chiefly - racing, fighting, platform, RPG (a bit of a problem in Japan as my nihongo isn't so crash hot) and shooting games. I have always hated sporting games, with the one exception being NBA Jam. At the very least I buy one game. I'm not as bad as I was with the DC (the record stands at 6 games bought in a 30 period) but I consider myself a pure gamer. My patience has slowly improved recently. Games like Gradius V have forced me to relearn a lot of old habit I had when I was younger. It's definitely a good thing. It's just a shame that there aren't many games out there like Gradius V.
 

User 406

Banned
I'm still a slave to my gaming addiction. I still play for hours at a time. I still beat games 100%. I still persist against frustratingly high difficulty levels. I still enjoy a wide variety of game genres.

I'd say the only gaming habit I've lost was the tendency to replay games over and over, and that has less to do with willingness than it has to do with lack of time due to the fact that there are just too many good games that take much longer to complete nowadays.

For me, the announcement of a game delay is a joyous thing. :p
 
My tastes and gaming habits have changed alot in the last few years. I think I peaked as a "Hardcore" gamer in the late PSX/Dreamcast days. Looking back it seems like a I was buying up everything that was coming out for the DC and all of the PSX RPG's. Now that all seems like it was a waste of time and money, I own a PS2 but I've been very slow to grow my collection. I also tend to look for deals or use discounts whenever possible.

The only games that I bought this summer were Front Mission 4(@$40), Madden 2005(@$35 using an old gift card), and just recently Gradius V(@$20). I used to be buying a game every other week during the summer but now couldn't be bothered. Also with all of the great games coming out this fall the only one I plan to buy at full price is MGS3: Snake Eater, I'll wait for games like GTA:SA and GT4 to drop in price before picking them up or I'll just rent them.

It's not that I don't have the time, it's just that I think I'm moving into the realm of the more casual game player.
 
I also find that game with extremely high difficulty I may tend to avoid, mostly due to time constraints. I can't afford to play something over and over. I guess now it's more of a 50/50 thing. I look for 50% challenge and 50% entertainment/fun.

As I think back playing R-Type on the turbo grafx was challenging but I don't remember the fun part (some bosses were near impossible to beat). A couple good shooters I remember though are Aeroblasters and Blazing Lazers for the TG16. Those were somewhat challenging but I enjoyed them immensely as well (so those I played over and over again.
 

bob_arctor

Tough_Smooth
Well, it's not really the age, but the responsibility. I figure if I wasn't a married father of 2 I'd still be pulling in crazy gaming hours regardless of my age (just turned 32 last Tuesday). I can remember the Dreamcast-era as the last time I was true gamer--I finished everything I bought and my backlog was pretty much a non-issue. Nowadays, I am all about racing, sports, fighters and multi-player FPS. Games like Riddick, Otogi, Pandora Tomorrow, Zelda, KOTOR, all sit and collect dust on my shelf. I dabble, but hardly ever finish. The last 2 games I really devoured from beginning to end: Panzer Dragoon Orta and the 1st Splinter Cell (Rallisport 2 as well, but that's a racer so it doesn't count). Metroid Prime gets a mention since I am totally in love with it and will see it through, definitely before Echoes, but damn if getting those last 2 artifacts isn't annoying as all hell.

Off topic, the Echoes demo is all kinds of dope. Very dark and eerie.
 
They haven't changed too much, really. I still play the same kind of games I played in 1987. I do, however, find it hard to sit down and play a game for hours and hours like I used to. So I don't play nearly as many RPGs as I used to.
 
I am now 27. I buy more games but I spend less time playing them. I still love the same types of game (i.e. action adventure, jrpg, horizontal/vertical scrolling shooters, and turn base strategy, good single player fps and old school pc adventure game). However, I have extremely low tolerance of getting stuck in games. If I am getting stuck for 10 mins, I will go to gamefaqs.com right away. Don't have time to fuck around. I also stopped from being a game finisher. I usually play through 1/3 of a game to understand what the game is all about and move on.
 
The more games less time definitely holds true for me too. At 26, I still play primarily JRPGs, but I no longer get to play them every day or for very long. I also have far less tolerance for games that make me replay to hone skills (such as Contra) than I once did. I also have come to hate FPSs.

I still get everything from Square, but I would probably be much more selective if I didn't get them all for free. I also buy most other major JRPG sequels to series I have followed, but I no longer feel bad about passing up decent RPGs due to time constraints.

The biggest difference between now and even a few years ago is that my GBA gets more time than my consoles, since I can play it on breaks at work. I also have little time to play games with friends and few of my friends play the same games I do. So far, my girlfriend only likes racers and classic Sierra adventures, but I intend to get her into 4 swords and anything else I can.

I do like replaying the first level of some games over and over without playing any more (such as Contra: Shattered Soldier, or older gradius games).
 

SaitoH

Member
I prefer shorter games.
I'm more concerned with completing games then getting good at them.
I buy more games and put them in a lovely pile I've jokingly dubbed my "to-do" list.
I'm addicted to MMOs ... which completely contradicts my original statement.

>_>
 
I can still have sessions where I play games for 6-8 hours, but now I only play games that are accessible; mainly action games. I don't fuck with RPG's or any game where there are long dialogues- GTA series probably being the exception. I just want to get to the meat of the game as quick as possible.

The idea of multi-player no longer excites me like it used to. And sadly, things like online gaming and secret characters and such do nothing for me. I can still enjoy a good mp game but those things are no longer selling points to me.

Right now the only thing I'm interested in is this year’s crop of Basketball games.
 
I haven't played a videogame besides maybe an hour or 2 of Fire Emblem in the past month. And I don't see that changing. I don't have time here in college, nor the urge to play. I don't have a TV or my gamecube up here anyway. Although, I want to play Burnout 3 so fucking bad...but no one is really all that into videogames here at all.
 
I don't have any patience for "hardcore" or difficult-on-purpose games like Gunvakyrie, Maximo 1 (what was up with the save system?) or even Ninja Gaiden. Don't have the time to "master" them. If a 14 year old wants to call me "weaksauce," I'll live.

I love platformers but don't have the time for collect-a-thons.

I still play the old games found in anthologies. A friend came over and all we played was Joust on Midway Arcade Treasures.

I try to avoid gratuitous button mashing games. My fingers aren't as nimble as they were (I blame years of testing).

I love pick-up-and-play games like Burnout 3, Crazy Taxi or Gradius V.
 
open_mouth_ said:
increase in age
increase in # of games i'm interested in

decrease in time
decrease in patience

That's pretty much it. I didn't used to have a backlog of games to finish, but I do now.
But I still try to take the time to finish my games, game by game. I'll try to finish a "heavy" game but I'll come back to short game sessions of light games (Donky Konga, Katamari, 3rd Strike).

I have a lot less patience for RPGs. I got Tales of Symphonia (played for 1 hour), Knights of The Old Republic (played for 1 hour) and Morrowind (haven't started) in the last 2 weeks and I don't feel like playing any of them right now, but I am eager to play Shin Megami Tensei Nocture when it comes out.

Hell, right now I'm playing Breakdown and I think I'm enjoying it more than I'd enjoy any of those RPGs and I absolutely loved every drop of Baldur's Gate 1 and 2, I sorta find KoTOR dissapointing in that respect.
 

Limedust

Member
My interest in gaming remains relatively high and I still keep a good watch on the industry.
(this doesn't mean I give a shit about sales figures)

Disposable income to purchase games is way up.

Disposable time to play games is way down.

I'm also a hell of a lot pickier about what I'm willing to play anymore.
(I believe that's known as being an elitist snob)
 

Future

Member
Just play a lot less because of less time. Still love the same genres though. The harder they are, usually the better because most games seem so easy now. At the same time, I've lost all patience with wandering around in games and finding stuff. The instant I don't know where to go or what to do I get pissed. I like figuring out puzzles still, but I don't like not knowing where the puzzle is if that makes any sense. Cuz of this I tend to play more action games where I can get right to the core gameplay.

Street Fighter anniversary really showed me how much I changed. I used to be able to put up with the old SF2 cheating AI on hardest difficulty, win without losing rounds, etc... but I'm having a hard time playing through it again. Got better once a remembered the strategies needed to beat the cheap cpu, but I could never play that for as long as I once did.
 
Jumpman Jr. said:
Maximo 1 (what was up with the save system?) or even Ninja Gaiden. Don't have the time to "master" them. If a 14 year old wants to call me "weaksauce," I'll live.

I would've given up on something like Maximo in my younger years, but nowadays it's the kind of game I'd be more incline to play. I'm with you on the trying to master them.
 
I work in computer graphics now and spend all the time staring at a screen. Don't really like to sit passively and play games/watch movies much. Love GAF though.

Playing a lot less games; very little patience but will stop for AAA+ games.
 
Im still very young and I play anything. I try to get an hour or two if I can get the time. usually more on weekends. I've started GCSE and thats sucking my game time, along with my social life and family. When i find a job though, I need to find one that has less hours so I can fit everything I want to do and that includes games, friends and family.
 

Vormund

Member
DaCocoBrova said:
Buy a whole lot more.

Play a whole lot less.

I used to do that in the DC era, I have heaps of unfinished games for that system.

But one day I came to my fucking senses.

So I very carefully buy games now.
 

maskrider

Member
I had always been buying a lot, play a little (or none on some of them).

I have changed my habit recently, buy less, play more. Sold another batch (already sold 3-4 big batches) of games woke me up.

Basically, 2 games had me kept playing for these past 3 months, they are Silent Hill 4 and Tenchu Kurenai, I am still playing them, delve much deeper than I was playing other games before. A little time was occupied by Burnout 3, heh !

That same 3 months I would have bought around 15 games if I hadn't changed.
 

Poody

What program do you use to photoshop a picture?
Seems like the Gamecube was my last system to be a fanboy. I dont have time anymore to play teh kiddie games now, with school and all.
 
Also due to lack of time I hit gamefaqs now a lot more than I used to. If I get stuck at a point in the game that is not clear due to bad game design or puzzles that are illogical or just plain poorly executed I'd rather take the gamefaqs route than pour an hour into something that won't make much difference in the end anyway.

I only buy the cream of the crop now and leave the poor/average and "hard core" games to the sheep.
 

Ranger X

Member
What i'm waiting for is the next game to really fit my reality of playing a videogame nowadays; GTA SA.
This game will last forever and i can jump in it anytime and just play 10 mins and feel satisfaction. Can't wait for the 26 of october.
 

kevm3

Member
Gaming has taken a backseat in my life and thank goodness for that... I mostly play multiplayer games to keep friends entertained, but I'd rather spend my time reading and doing something productive. I guess it makes up for the shitload of hours I spent in my younger days playing games. School and all my other priorities don't allow me to get into games as I once did, and I hate being totally immersed into a game because real life sucks when you're not in the game... Heheh, kind of like a drug. I still play them occasionally but I soon want to rid myself of the habit altogether...
 

JayFro

Banned
My gaming time has been cut down quite a bit as I get closer to 30 (30?, dear god!). Some of my favorites as a youngster were Double Dragon, Contra, Life Force, Super Mario Bros, Tecmo Bowl, Punch Out, Golden Axe, Road Rash, and RBI Baseball.

I never played games to escape to some weird fantasy world, I played them with friends for enjoyment and for competition. My favorite games today offer much of the same, Topspin, Splinter Cell, NFL2K5, Ninja Gaiden, Moto GP 1& 2, and Halo.

I guess I've always enjoyed head to head competition in sports or action games against friends and I love co-op still to this day. That's one reason why Xbox Live appeals to me, you get that head to head competition when you don't have friends that are easily available to play. Wife, kids, blah blah blah :)

Zelda, Metroid most Japanese games didn't appeal to me when I was a 5th grader and they don't appeal to me now. I guess some things never change, but I am surprised I was able to finish both Splinter Cell 1 & 2 and Ninja Gaiden. I was never much for single player games that take 20+ hours, but I was determined to finish all three of those games. I look forward to Splinter Cell 3.
 

nitewulf

Member
was always a more action gamer than anything. now i cant stand anything with lengthy cutscenes and slow gameplay. now all i can play are games like katamari, gradius v, alien hominid. diffculty isnt the problem...i can cope with that, i just wanna turn the console on, hear some pumping beats, blast through tons of stuff, get to boss, figure out pattern, defeat boss, and move onto next level. games like NG, shinobi and DMC as well, but even then i dont have the patience for block puzzles, levers and what not. just wanna platform through while slicing and dicing, get to boss, kill boss, move on.
so may be taste wise i became hardcore, but i only have patience for reflex based action games or quirky stuff nowadays. losing the taste for rpgs.
cant play for more than 2 hours even if i try, get bored.
 
I dont really play videogames as much i as i used to, girlfriend, life, school and other activities sort of came between me and videogames, I still buy games hoping to spend some time beating them, but eh, i get bored as soon as i turn on the console. I will usually play for a good 30 minutes then turn it off.

I either got jaded or lost interest......oh sure you'll find me bitching about nostalgia and worshipping Nintendo into 3rd heaven but do i even play the shit i buy from them? Hell no, they just sit there on my gaming shelve for bragging rights.

The last game i actually enjoyed was ICO....go figure.

oh well at least i'm still loving my GBA SP, the games are hard and fun....long live 2D
 
I don't try to 100% games any more, I don't play RTS's anymore, and I play much less multiplayer.

I put all three things down to a much more diverse taste in games, which means I have less time to put into any one title. RPGs, turn based strategy and simulations are out.

Action sports games, platformers, adventure games, quirky games and first person shooters are my primary interests now.
 

Kiriku

SWEDISH PERFECTION
Perhaps it's changed because I've grown older, or if it's just been there all along but...

...when I was younger, I used to enjoy action games and platformers...well, just about any game for a quick gaming session. Back then, you didn't have many movie-like games with a lot of atmosphere.

Now as I'm older I see myself enjoying the movie-like games. Games with lots of atmosphere, story and cutscenes. Of course there are exceptions, but I generally play games to have an experience rather than to have pure fun nowadays.

And I'm more distracted by other things in life now. Too many things to do, which makes me feel like "maybe I should be doing something else right now" when playing games. It's harder to sit down and just play, without feeling, I don't know, guilty about it.
 
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