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When is *right * time to be playing games?
- Thread starter SkyHighTrees
- Start date
simpatico
Member
Rarely play on weekdays unless I’m off work. Only the very biggest releases get me to play on weekdays. A new From game, CDPR etc. Even then it’s not going to be a long, full effort session. For me it’s Fridays nights (with the aid of my espresso machine) and Saturday and Sunday mornings. For truly great games that will extend into Saturday evening.
Overall it takes me a long time to finish games now. I’m playing TLOU on Steam and it will take 6-8 weekends to finish.
Overall it takes me a long time to finish games now. I’m playing TLOU on Steam and it will take 6-8 weekends to finish.
Shadowstar39
Member
I feel your pain. I am in my 40s and my backlog grows day by day. It was easier when I worked a 4 10 hour shift but since been pushed to 5 8 hour shifts (i used to have days off when my spouse did not).
I play for 30 minutes or an hour if i am lucky during the week. I have other hobbies and a wife. I also play guitar and have a dog that needs walked, and I walk 3 miles a day to counter balance sitting at a computer all day for work.
Thats another thing. I game on and off all day on my switch or pc.
My home office has my work laptop, 3 monitors, and is a big "L shaped" desk. I have my personal/gaming pc on one side of the "L". So when emails start piling up or calls come in , I just swivel my chair. I can monitor my work situation on my laptop screen that sits right next to my gaming monitor. Any alerts are in my peripheral vision. This allows me to play strategy, city builders, etc.. Anything that doesn't require sound and has a pause button I can play.
The switch helps too, as I can pause that in an instant. I play a ton of jrpgs and roguelikes on that.
I own multiple systems and I don't expect to ever finish my backlog of 1000s going back generations. I don't expect to get through it all. In fact I am constantly adding to it. Just bought a stack of old ps2 games I never played years ago as I skipped that console gen( was pc only at the time)
I get up early on my days off and play for a few hours on weekends while my wife sleeps in. I schedule a night or two during the week to play a new release (like silent hill 2 remake, I made sure I have nothing else going on).
There is a balancing act between, work, sleep, eating, spouse time, other hobbies, exercise, etc... when you are young it feels like you have all the time in the world, when you are older it feels like the opposite.
I am hoping that by the time I retire in 20+ years emulation will cover any broken consoles, and I can enjoy my gaming in peace, like I did when I was a kid and didn't work.
I play for 30 minutes or an hour if i am lucky during the week. I have other hobbies and a wife. I also play guitar and have a dog that needs walked, and I walk 3 miles a day to counter balance sitting at a computer all day for work.
Thats another thing. I game on and off all day on my switch or pc.
My home office has my work laptop, 3 monitors, and is a big "L shaped" desk. I have my personal/gaming pc on one side of the "L". So when emails start piling up or calls come in , I just swivel my chair. I can monitor my work situation on my laptop screen that sits right next to my gaming monitor. Any alerts are in my peripheral vision. This allows me to play strategy, city builders, etc.. Anything that doesn't require sound and has a pause button I can play.
The switch helps too, as I can pause that in an instant. I play a ton of jrpgs and roguelikes on that.
I own multiple systems and I don't expect to ever finish my backlog of 1000s going back generations. I don't expect to get through it all. In fact I am constantly adding to it. Just bought a stack of old ps2 games I never played years ago as I skipped that console gen( was pc only at the time)
I get up early on my days off and play for a few hours on weekends while my wife sleeps in. I schedule a night or two during the week to play a new release (like silent hill 2 remake, I made sure I have nothing else going on).
There is a balancing act between, work, sleep, eating, spouse time, other hobbies, exercise, etc... when you are young it feels like you have all the time in the world, when you are older it feels like the opposite.
I am hoping that by the time I retire in 20+ years emulation will cover any broken consoles, and I can enjoy my gaming in peace, like I did when I was a kid and didn't work.
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ReBurn
Gold Member
This was my strategy for years, but I'm too old for that now.
Shadowstar39
Member
No one buys that many games at once. I have 1000s going back multiple systems and generations. When you are in your 40s+ it happens. Steam, psn and eshop sales don't help. Deep discounts on used games or old games on sale that you missed digitally. I buy so much that I don't ever play but may. If it goes under $10 I snag it.
Icymanipulator
Member
Find a girl who doesn’t want children, that’s what I did. Other then work and exercise, we game together.
Unless you're working +50 hours a week and have kids to take care of, it's all about pirorities. You can't hit the gym, cook every meal by yourself, have a partner, read a novel, help out in the soup kitchen, play video games, go on a trip on weekends and go fishing with your best buddy and work in your garage on your favourite handcrafted piece of wood.
As with games, you have to let go of those which ain't cut it. No time or energy for mediocrity, so choose wisely. If you like to work out and excercise, try calisthenics so you safe yourself the trip to and from the gym. Look for a job where commuting doesn't take an hour or try to move closer. Just add up all this time over the year... this is priceless life time. I knew people who commute like 45min to 60min or even longer... one way! This is ten extra hours per week, 520 per year you do nothing productive unless you can read, play on your Switch or listen to podcasts while you're at it. If you have to drive by yourself, tough shit. Move or get job closer to your home.
If you have a partner, play video games with her/him. Don't try to be too spontaneous; fix a date with your best buddy in advance and plan your week(s) accordingly.
If playing video games is so important, talk to your partner/family about it. I can't stress this enough: fix a date for yourself. Really. Jot it down in your calender. Thursday night, 7pm-11pm, game session. Why should everyone else's dates and needs be more important than yours?
For six years now one of my best buddies comes over every single Tuesday and we watch trailers, tv shows and ponder about video games. In a year there's maybe five weeks we can't make it due to illness or other things that really ARE more important. My wife knew this from the start and is okay with it; she does something on her own (she does it even more times per week). My other friends also know this. Tuesday is podcast night with my buddy. This is law.
Oh, and stop wasting time on social media. Stop scrolling and stop getting riled up by this brain rot spreaded on social media. Just do things you really enjoy. It's okay to drop things like video games, that don't enrich your life (people count, too).
As with games, you have to let go of those which ain't cut it. No time or energy for mediocrity, so choose wisely. If you like to work out and excercise, try calisthenics so you safe yourself the trip to and from the gym. Look for a job where commuting doesn't take an hour or try to move closer. Just add up all this time over the year... this is priceless life time. I knew people who commute like 45min to 60min or even longer... one way! This is ten extra hours per week, 520 per year you do nothing productive unless you can read, play on your Switch or listen to podcasts while you're at it. If you have to drive by yourself, tough shit. Move or get job closer to your home.
If you have a partner, play video games with her/him. Don't try to be too spontaneous; fix a date with your best buddy in advance and plan your week(s) accordingly.
If playing video games is so important, talk to your partner/family about it. I can't stress this enough: fix a date for yourself. Really. Jot it down in your calender. Thursday night, 7pm-11pm, game session. Why should everyone else's dates and needs be more important than yours?
For six years now one of my best buddies comes over every single Tuesday and we watch trailers, tv shows and ponder about video games. In a year there's maybe five weeks we can't make it due to illness or other things that really ARE more important. My wife knew this from the start and is okay with it; she does something on her own (she does it even more times per week). My other friends also know this. Tuesday is podcast night with my buddy. This is law.
Oh, and stop wasting time on social media. Stop scrolling and stop getting riled up by this brain rot spreaded on social media. Just do things you really enjoy. It's okay to drop things like video games, that don't enrich your life (people count, too).
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PanzerCute
Member
If you dont have Kids it should not be an issue. I work 45/50 hours a week, I have a very "time consuming girlfriend", I go out two nights per week and I can still destroy many RPGs every year.
Last time I had this conversation with a friend, I realized he spends most of his time wasting it on his phone or browsing shit shows on Netflix. (Not saying that its your case, OP, but still do double check on that).
Last time I had this conversation with a friend, I realized he spends most of his time wasting it on his phone or browsing shit shows on Netflix. (Not saying that its your case, OP, but still do double check on that).
UltimaKilo
Gold Member
Wait until you get older, especially if you want to be in a competitive field and are ambitious. You'll barely have time to wash clothes, let alone play games.
Last Hearth
Member
I gravitated toward turnbased games because those I can play long or short on my convenience.
Hawk The Slayer
Member
It's always the right time.
Salty Pickle
Member
I am 41 years old, have a wife and one kid that is 3,5 years old. Both me and my wife work, have high paying jobs but attached to that come long work hours but I still get about 1-2 h per day gaming time. On weekends I can get about 4-6 hours depending.
I mostly play online with friends in games like space marines and destiny 2, before that we played outriders and MH World.
Last game I got really immersed in was Cyperpunk and before that Hogwarts and Witcher 3. Play mostly on PS5 and some PC (that I desperately need to upgrade but are waiting on 5000-series gpu and Zen 5 x3d).
Have pre-ordered a ps5 pro.
I mostly play online with friends in games like space marines and destiny 2, before that we played outriders and MH World.
Last game I got really immersed in was Cyperpunk and before that Hogwarts and Witcher 3. Play mostly on PS5 and some PC (that I desperately need to upgrade but are waiting on 5000-series gpu and Zen 5 x3d).
Have pre-ordered a ps5 pro.
Hrk69
Gold Member
Are you washing your dirty clothes by hand?
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Shifty1897
Member
No, not at all. Find one game that you want to play the most, play that one game every night for an hour before bed until it's done, then start another one. Never jump around to a different game. The good news is with a backlog that big, you won't have to buy another game for a long time, and when you do, they'll all be super cheap on sale.
mayham2199
Member
When you only have work it's easier. When you have kids it can be harder but eventually you can even play while they play with their toys. The real fight begins when they get old enough to play the PS5 and they try to assert their dominance to get access to the PS5 over you.
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Putonahappyface
Gold Member
Hrk69
Gold Member
Shake Your Rump
Member
You don’t have time to finish even one game, yet you subscribe to PS+ extra?
deriks
4-Time GIF/Meme God
My weeks are not always the same, but I consider myself as very methodical, so I try to stick to one thinking
- 5h: waking up and getting to the gym
- 7h: shower, breakfast and got to work
- 8h to 17h: work, lunch, work
- 17h30: healthy snack
- 18h: gaming or studying
- 20h: dinner
- 21h: sleep
Saturday if I'm not working
- 8h to 12h: breakfast, watching something, doing some shore
- 12h: lunch, then playing until night
- 20h dinner, then watching something and then sleep or hanging out
Sunday:
- 8h to 11h: breakfast, watching something, doing some shore (yeah. basically the same to conclude if I didn't do everything the day before)
- 11h to 13h: gym
- 13h: visit parents, lunch and stuff
- 17h: back to my place, play something
- 20h: dinner
- 21h: sleep
- 5h: waking up and getting to the gym
- 7h: shower, breakfast and got to work
- 8h to 17h: work, lunch, work
- 17h30: healthy snack
- 18h: gaming or studying
- 20h: dinner
- 21h: sleep
Saturday if I'm not working
- 8h to 12h: breakfast, watching something, doing some shore
- 12h: lunch, then playing until night
- 20h dinner, then watching something and then sleep or hanging out
Sunday:
- 8h to 11h: breakfast, watching something, doing some shore (yeah. basically the same to conclude if I didn't do everything the day before)
- 11h to 13h: gym
- 13h: visit parents, lunch and stuff
- 17h: back to my place, play something
- 20h: dinner
- 21h: sleep
Deerock71
Member
I don't mind busting out my Steam Deck OLED during a particularly lengthy eulogy at a funeral. He's dead. We get it. He was awesome, blah blah blah. Look: two more of us just croaked waiting for you to take a breath you inescapable vacuum. CAN YOU SAVE SOME OXYGEN FOR THE REST OF US?!
It's like sports, when you feel you could make progress, the most is better, everyone understands sports.
I don't feel bad or push myself when I knew I won't make progress and just wasting my time.
The "Not feeling bad" strategy has made me beat hundreds of games and stay aim full.
I don't feel bad or push myself when I knew I won't make progress and just wasting my time.
The "Not feeling bad" strategy has made me beat hundreds of games and stay aim full.
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YT is addictive, they must get sued.After Dark
Guilty_AI
Member
stop being old then
sharp weiner
Member
Key to me is cutting down on things like working out and spending time with loved ones.
That opens up a lot of time.
And also when the E.D. kicks in you you can shift all that masturbation time to gaming.
But seriously I just play for an hour after my wife goes to bed. So I can’t get immersed in games anymore like what was described in OP.
That opens up a lot of time.
And also when the E.D. kicks in you you can shift all that masturbation time to gaming.
But seriously I just play for an hour after my wife goes to bed. So I can’t get immersed in games anymore like what was described in OP.
sloppyjoe_gamer
Gold Member
gooner4life_uk
Member
I'm in my 40's, have 3 kids (well one's an adult now and he has a full time job with me), 1 teenager and 1 in primary school still (2nd grade elementary for my American friends on here) and a wife.
I have my desk for WFH/Paperwork etc in the corner of the living room, so while my wife is watching TV I have my gaming setup here, we can still talk, engage with each other, she just get's to watch whatever nonsense she wants to watch in the evening and i get to sit and play some games as it's my way of downtime, i don't like sitting and watching TV really as i work in that industry and i'm surrounded by it during my workday.
Back in the day when I had my gaming setup in my mancave it was a problem for my wife, i'd disappear upstairs, she'd be sat downstairs, it wasn't good, this is definitely the way to go in my opinion as an older married gamer dad.
My 2nd grader daughter has her gaming setup in the opposite corner of the living room with a monitor, an xbox series x and own desk for homework and gaming, it works well.
I have my desk for WFH/Paperwork etc in the corner of the living room, so while my wife is watching TV I have my gaming setup here, we can still talk, engage with each other, she just get's to watch whatever nonsense she wants to watch in the evening and i get to sit and play some games as it's my way of downtime, i don't like sitting and watching TV really as i work in that industry and i'm surrounded by it during my workday.
Back in the day when I had my gaming setup in my mancave it was a problem for my wife, i'd disappear upstairs, she'd be sat downstairs, it wasn't good, this is definitely the way to go in my opinion as an older married gamer dad.
My 2nd grader daughter has her gaming setup in the opposite corner of the living room with a monitor, an xbox series x and own desk for homework and gaming, it works well.
ComputerBlue
Member
When I was going to school and working at the same time I played a few hours on the weekend and on holidays. You just got to deal with it and eventually things will settle down. Until they get busy again, and settle down again, rinse and repeat.
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Crayon
Member
I keep a long game, a shorter game and some arcade games in rotation so I've got something I can jump into depending on what kind of time I have.
Idk what to do if you never have time to sit down for that long game, though. With your school and work and a family, I'm definitely not the one to ask.
Idk what to do if you never have time to sit down for that long game, though. With your school and work and a family, I'm definitely not the one to ask.
cartman414
Member
Seventeen.
metareferential
Member
The reverse of "get a second job": get a second life.
TGO
Hype Train conductor. Works harder than it steams.
sloppyjoe_gamer
Gold Member
Late 40s gamer, work full time and have a fiance. My kids are all grown up and are on their own so no issues there, but when they were growing up, sometimes finding the time to game was a challenge. It got easier as they got older as 2 of them got into gaming also and we would play together and then eventually it was a thing where they'd play for an hr or so and then i would after.
These days, i game around 1-2 hrs a day in the evening before bed. Some days i don't get to at all because life happens, or something else comes up. Weekends too in the evening i play several hours. My fiance doesn't get on my ass about gaming which is great. She has her own "me time" things that she does so there's never an issue there. I have a PS5 and a Switch and my own Gaming room setup in the loft upstairs next to my office that's my "Gaming Cave" lol
You can be a regular adult gamer and still have a good life. I have 62 Platinum trophies and play and finish just about all of the main big single player titles each year, and i don't rush to do it or spend 10-12 hr marathon sessions to do so. Don't let anyone ever tell you that you can't be an adult gamer!
These days, i game around 1-2 hrs a day in the evening before bed. Some days i don't get to at all because life happens, or something else comes up. Weekends too in the evening i play several hours. My fiance doesn't get on my ass about gaming which is great. She has her own "me time" things that she does so there's never an issue there. I have a PS5 and a Switch and my own Gaming room setup in the loft upstairs next to my office that's my "Gaming Cave" lol
You can be a regular adult gamer and still have a good life. I have 62 Platinum trophies and play and finish just about all of the main big single player titles each year, and i don't rush to do it or spend 10-12 hr marathon sessions to do so. Don't let anyone ever tell you that you can't be an adult gamer!
Edgelord79
Gold Member
Yup short spurts in between hockey practice, swimming, baseball practice, camp, fishing, outdoors, etc… I have kids, solo it may be easier idk.
Gaming is a great hobby but most likely it won’t your main hobby when you get older just because of the time.
Gaming is a great hobby but most likely it won’t your main hobby when you get older just because of the time.
recursive
Member
Bro i stopped there. You made love to your video games? Wtf man?
ReBurn
Gold Member
Next step is dead
SkyHighTrees
Member
its retarded shit you feel me, just a nonsense jk
majorgamer10
Member
The circle of life???
Shake Your Rump
Member
Do what I do: walk during work hours. Every break I take, I am walking. Morning break, I eat some yogurt and walk 10 minutes. Lunch, I eat then walk 20-30 minutes. Walk walk walk. I get more exercise during days I work my desk job than when I have the day off.
Damageinc103
Member
Now that my children are grown i seem to have tons of time to game. But even when we were raising our children i would just go with less sleep.
dreamstation
Member
It's difficult for sure. Working 10 hour days, two kids. I'm lucky if I get 1-2 hours of an afternoon to play something which makes it hard to really feel immersed in a game. In all honesty I could probably play less and spend more time with the kids but it's all a balancing act that I don't always get right.
Alan Wake
Member
You can't play them all if you want to keep relations and spend time with kids etc. I play almost every evening when the kids are asleep, but it's for an hour or so. Then I spend time with the wife. When I was younger I had the time but not the money. Now I have the money but not the time to play all the games I want. It is what it is. So keep at the level you can and be happy you can still play some at least.
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