Getting too old for this sh!t?

blue

please understand
Super Mod
Sep 11, 2013
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As I cross into the latter half of 33, I find myself having less and less time for video games. I would like to think this happens to most people, regardless of hobby, when you reach a certain point in your life. I would like to think a lot of things.

It doesn’t necessarily mean the interest is gone. I just don’t have the time. Sh!t is just real busy right now. Could be work, school, life, whatever. However, it’s always been comforting to know that once things settle down, I’d have some gaming to catch up on. It used to be, anyway.

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I will never beat you, Nazis! I truly never will.

I may be enjoying Wolfenstein: A New Order but goddamnit, there’s a basement that seriously needs to be cleaned; there’s a yard that needs to be tended; my dog needs and deserves attention--so does my wife! I haven’t worked out, and I should probably put a load of laundry in, too. At the very least I should empty the damn dishwasher. When the f#ck am I going to find time to beat this game?

As much as I hate to admit it, my time devoted games has been tempered greatly by age and responsibility. And I’m not even that f#cking old.

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Yes I will take your Chrono Trigger for 5 bucks. Yes I will be patronizing.

I was that lanky a$$hole working at Software Etc. setting the best trade-ins aside so I could spend my entire paycheck on them every other Friday. I had roommates to split the rent. I ate food, too. Sarku for lunch. Yeah I’ll have extra sauce why the f#ck not? And you better believe I was playing Lunar: Silver Star Story Complete along with every SNK fighter and Capcom fighter I could afford for my import Saturn.

There was a time when I spent 500 dollars on SNK VS Capcom: Chaos and thought nothing of it--I thought nothing of it. 500 dollars was a substantial amount of money for me at the time. It’s not so substantial now, but Good Christ I spent 500 dollars for SNK VS Capcom: Chaos; I’m not going to spend 500 dollars on any game, ever. Not now in my life. Back then? Well sh!t yeah, have you seen Violent Ken?

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500 goddamn dollars.

I’m excited for Destiny. I can’t wait to pick up Diablo III for PS4. Will I find time to play both as much as I would like? Nope. And then there is the inevitable wave of fall releases I’ll probably pick up during a Buy 2 Get 1 sale. Or Play 1 Shelve 2, as it will be for me.

What I find depressing is having to be selective on how I spend my free time. Do I want play a game? Watch a movie? Read? Play the drums? Write? Space out reading forum posts? Ten years ago I somehow found time for everything; now I can’t find time for anything.

Anyone else look back with bemusement at the utter devotion to games? Anyone wish you had that free time back? Or at least, the reckless abandon to continue on the samurai quest in Final Fantasy XI at 3:00 a.m. when you had to be at work at 7:00 a.m.?

I know I do. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I really need to beat Wolfenstein.

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I find the same happening to me. Whenever I try to make a decision if I should play a game, watch a movie or TV show, or possibly read, video games seem to come up last rather often. I do have my binges. I'm know to binge on a game I get and try my hardest to beat it that first day. Sometimes it takes a little while longer. When CoD comes out I'll usually get about three weeks to a month of the game before I get bored with it. There hasn't been a game I've played months and months after. It just hasn't happened. As I've gotten older it's become more and more common.
 
Yup. And I'm alright with the change. I dont have the time to play video games the way I used to but when I do have thirty minutes or an hour, I make sure to enjoy it. But spending ungodly amounts on gaming now?, no way! I especially can't not spend time with my wife because of them. Thats my partner and she deserves my attention, not to mention my dog. Well, my dog doesnt care. He'll just fall asleep next to my feet and wait until he feels me get up from the couch. it finds it's place in my life though, and I have no complaints. There's even times when I might binge play a particular game for a little while, and I just count that as me enjoying games for that time limit, the way I used to when I was younger and with less responsibilities. But don't ever lose that child in you that likes to play video games, or create etc. Thats one of the biggest mistakes you'll ever make.

So many people tend to "be responsible" as they get older. You arent supposed to "be responsible". You're supposed to" be you".
 
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The last time I touch a game is a month ago, I think. Also I tend to favor more casual games like Brothers. I no longer like to spend time on games that need to take tine to master.
 
You take the good, you take the bad,
you take them both and there you have
The facts of life, the facts of life.
 
Yep. I'm 44. I'll go binges or if it's a really good story, I'll stick with the game. That's why story in games are the top of my list when playing a game. Then again, if you have 30 minutes to spare, playing Guacamelee might just be enough.

On the weekends, I'll have a cup of coffee, read emails, check news and sports. In the back of my head, I'm deciding if I have time to play a game. Nope, got to mow the lawn. By the end of the day, I'm so tired, I rather watch something on TV then turn in.

I did finish Ep. 4 of The Walking Dead: Season 2. A game that gives you just enough gameplay and is short enough to get through 1 sitting.

I'm also picking up Destiny for XB1. I intend to play. How often? Not sure. My wife likes me enough that she'll give me my time to play, so I'm grateful

Hit me up if you ever wan to do Destiny on old man hours. I can't do any of that 2am crap anymore.
 
I find myself much more selective of what to play and far less tolerant of games that try my patience.

Something has to be really bloody good to hold my interest, I won't tolerate average stuff just to get through it and say I have completed it.

I tend to play a level per session, so the average single player game can last me quite a while. I still only have a 360 and there are more great games in its library than I am ever going to find the time to play.

I don't even have children and believe in the Wayne's World saying of 'Marriage is punishment for shoplifting in some countries'.
 
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Its funny, I had this problem and you know what I did, I changed my gaming times to night time. from 10PM to 12am I game. Depending on what I have to do the next day will determine if I can get another hour or two.
 
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Its funny, I had this problem and you know what I did, I changed my gaming times to night time. from 10PM to 12pm I game. Depending on what I have to do the next day will determine if I can get another hour or two.
Jesus Christ, you game for 14 hours straight?!?!?!!!
 
Its funny, I had this problem and you know what I did, I changed my gaming times to night time. from 10PM to 12am I game. Depending on what I have to do the next day will determine if I can get another hour or two.

That was exactly what I used to do but with the recent addition of a dog I can't any longer. He wants me to go to bed so he just gets up in my business and barks until I finally give in. Who's the master in my house??

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He's cool, though.
 
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That was exactly what I used to do but with the recent addition of a dog I can't any longer. He wants me to go to bed so he just gets up in my business and barks until I finally give in. Who's the master in my house??

I can be at my desk playing a game and my dog will bring me a toy and then look at me.
 
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I understand Blue. In my youth, when I had disposable income and time, I found myself buying at least 1 game a month and not having a backlog. Now I'm lucky to purchase a game every 3-4 months due to other responsibilities. I can definitely see myself slowing down. And its not like the passion for the hobby isn't there. Heck, we're discussing this on a dedicated video game forum so I KNOW the passion is still there. But now like others, I've grown VERY selective of the games I choose. I simply don't have the option of wasting time or money anymore.
 
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Luckily both my wife and daughter like to game. Family time a few weeks back was teaming up on the destiny beta yelling between rooms because party chat kept crashing.
 
That was exactly what I used to do but with the recent addition of a dog I can't any longer. He wants me to go to bed so he just gets up in my business and barks until I finally give in. Who's the master in my house??

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He's cool, though.

Do not know about cool. He has a creepy undead/werewolf eye job going on in this pic.
 
Yeah. An hour an evening during the week before bed, if I'm lucky. Usually a couple of hours on a Friday night and Saturday night then after my wife falls asleep. I don't watch TV much so gaming is all I really do with my own free time.
 
I'm 50 and my husband is 52. Kids are all grown up and out on their own now so just the two of us and the dog. I'm home because of health reasons so have all the time I want to game but that wasn't always the case. My husband doesn't have as much free time so when he's not working/doing chores I try to give him his gaming space so he can relax. It's good we both love to game so that helps a lot. Yes, the dog also wants her attention but she's a lazy little thing and when she does want to play she usually gets bored quick. On weekends, though, she expects "daddy" to take her out on a nice, long hike and she will be persistent and pushy about it.
 
I just don't have the money for this stuff lol.

Actually, I'm starting to look into retro gaming a little. Maybe play some old-school fighters, but no more long-ass campaigns and RPGs.

The biggest trend I've seen for myself is just jumping into multiplayer to deathmatch a few sessions. Or I cheat to get through the campaigns faster :cool: mostly just to save on time.
 
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I'm lucky if I get 2 hours a week of gaming lately. Think that is why I prefer shorter games now.
 
I'll be 32 in a couple months. I don't play games as often these days. It's not because of a lack of time as much as it is less interest. I usually play in shorter sessions which is why I love Steam. I can just fire up a game real quick while I'm at the computer.

I only buy maybe 2-3 games a year if that. I only spend long sessions gaming if it's a game I've been waiting for for several months.
 
i became 40 this year got 2 kids a wife full time job but in the end i still need my moment of gaming mostly at the late evening when all went to bed.
things sure has setteled used to do gaming sessions with buddy's brinning pc togheter and play in lan in the old days of Quake and counterstrike nowits more relaxing gaming over the internet with buddys via xbox or pc but still from time to time the old habbit dont die :)
 
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33 years old and just made full time house husband status after moving to AZ. i thought just going to school would free up way more time? f*** that i still have no time to game....
 
I hear ya loud and clear. I'm 36 and look back to the days when I'd think nothing of gaming for a whole Saturday, the new Capcom/Namco fighters out ill pick that up, along with the new Mario, Final Fantasy, Tomb Raider, if it looked good I bought it.

Now it's work on the house, yard, car, hang with the wifey and boys among 20 other things. I get my gaming fix a lot now by watching/playing games with my son. I did play the s*** outta the Destiny beta, a coupe nights till after 2am, that kicked my ass at 6:30 when I had to get up...
 
I'm happy to read the members here are so decrepit. I can't wait to start a geriatric team in Destiny.
 
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37 and I have an Xbox One I bought a month ago unopened and untouched in my living room. That should give you an idea how much time or desire for gaming I have.
 
37 Married 2 kids,2 dogs,own a house. Yeah busy. I make time for gaming but its after everything is done for the days and it amounts to maybe a solid 8-10 hours a week. So I only buy games I know I really will play.
 
It is nice to know I'm not alone...