Welcome, Guest. Please login or register.

Login with username, password and session length

 
Advanced search

1411279 Posts in 69323 Topics- by 58380 Members - Latest Member: bob1029

March 28, 2024, 05:33:28 PM

Need hosting? Check out Digital Ocean
(more details in this thread)
TIGSource ForumsPlayerGamesHow do you consume games?
Pages: [1] 2
Print
Author Topic: How do you consume games?  (Read 1758 times)
ThemsAllTook
Administrator
Level 10
******



View Profile WWW
« on: April 03, 2017, 10:29:41 AM »

I've been noticing lately that my game playing habits are often wildly different from a lot of other people I talk to. It made me curious to find out just how much variation there is. Share your experiences below! Here's mine:

A few years ago I started doing let's plays. At first it was a casual thing where I'd spend an hour or two playing a game and recording it, then chop that up into episodes at my leisure. Over time, it evolved into a pretty specific schedule: Four different games alternating over a two day period, half an hour of each. So, each evening, I play two different games back to back, and shoot for about half an hour of play time in each. Every day I switch to the other pair of games that I'm playing through.

Having turned this into a habit, I'm now finding that it's pretty hard to go back to the other way. I start to get mentally fatigued if I play any one game for 45 minutes or more at a time. If I skip an evening (which is pretty rare), it feels unnatural, like I'm forgetting to do something important. Before I was recording stuff, I would always have a nagging feeling that I needed to be doing something else instead of playing, which made it hard to fully concentrate on the game. Giving the activity an external purpose made this go away completely.

The most common behavior I see that surprises me is people binging on a game and finishing it within days of release. Even 10 or 20 hour experiences just get blasted through in what seems like zero time. To those of you who play this way, is this fulfilling? Do you remember the experience clearly? I mean, I can see this going both ways - by stretching out the experience over a longer time period, I can focus much more on each small chunk, but my memory of some earlier parts of the game can become foggy as the days go on. I just feel like I hit a cognitive limit if I play for too long at a time, and can't really keep the events in my head very well.

In addition to the time aspect, there's also a lot of variance in social behavior. My preferred way to experience a game is in total isolation from external knowledge about it - no hints, no spoilers, no wikis, only the game in pure form as it presents itself. Doing this with an audience who can comment is sometimes a challenge, and information often finds its way to me through tweets, websites, and other means. I see Twitch streamers who are happy to get hints from their chat when playing a game for the first time, and people who will look up a guide if they get stuck somewhere, so this doesn't seem to be universal.

So, how do you do it?
Logged

rocky1138
Level 0
*



View Profile WWW
« Reply #1 on: April 03, 2017, 11:17:38 AM »

I've got too many games (1200+), so for my New Year's Resolution in 2016 I promised myself "NO NEW GAMES" and "FINISH THE GAMES YOU HAVE" and "NO ENDLESS GAMES" (Minecraft, CSGO). I am proud to admit I was almost entirely successful. I bought a game in November and December.

I like playing two games until I finish them. This way I won't be distracted by the huge pile I've got to get through. Right now, it's Oblivion (I gave it a bad rap in 2006 since I was such a Morrowind fanboy. It's actually really good, I have to admit) and Golden Sun.
Logged
Superb Joe
Level 10
*****



View Profile
« Reply #2 on: April 03, 2017, 12:21:18 PM »

i put neo geo pocket games into my ass hole
Logged
JWK5
Level 9
****

A fool with a tool is an artist.


View Profile
« Reply #3 on: April 03, 2017, 01:15:38 PM »

With some fava beans and a nice chianti.
Logged

My Art Tutorials:
 Here

"Today is victory over yourself of yesterday, tomorrow is victory over lesser men." - Miyamoto Musashi
J-Snake
Level 10
*****


A fool with a tool is still a fool.


View Profile WWW
« Reply #4 on: April 03, 2017, 02:46:51 PM »

The most common behavior I see that surprises me is people binging on a game and finishing it within days of release. Even 10 or 20 hour experiences just get blasted through in what seems like zero time. To those of you who play this way, is this fulfilling?
Of course. If you are offered a delicious cake and just follow your inner cravings, do you want to take it all in or rather consume just tiny pieces day by day?

Having turned this into a habit, I'm now finding that it's pretty hard to go back to the other way. I start to get mentally fatigued if I play any one game for 45 minutes or more at a time. If I skip an evening (which is pretty rare), it feels unnatural, like I'm forgetting to do something important.
Looks like a self induced mental loop, in other words an artificial prison for your mind.
Logged

Independent game developer with an elaborate focus on interesting gameplay, rewarding depth of play and technical quality.<br /><br />Trap Them: http://store.steampowered.com/app/375930
ProgramGamer
Administrator
Level 10
******


aka Mireille


View Profile
« Reply #5 on: April 03, 2017, 02:49:50 PM »

Also known as a habit.
Logged

J-Snake
Level 10
*****


A fool with a tool is still a fool.


View Profile WWW
« Reply #6 on: April 03, 2017, 03:01:41 PM »

It is more than just a habit, as it is actively self induced. Habits are automated passive loops.
Logged

Independent game developer with an elaborate focus on interesting gameplay, rewarding depth of play and technical quality.<br /><br />Trap Them: http://store.steampowered.com/app/375930
ProgramGamer
Administrator
Level 10
******


aka Mireille


View Profile
« Reply #7 on: April 03, 2017, 03:08:57 PM »

I wasn't really arguing about semantics, I was just trying to make it sound less dramatic in response to you calling it "an artificial prison for your mind".
Logged

Schoq
Level 10
*****


♡∞


View Profile WWW
« Reply #8 on: April 03, 2017, 03:11:16 PM »

I wasn't really arguing about semantics
then what the hell are you doing on this forum
Logged

♡ ♥ make games, not money ♥ ♡
ProgramGamer
Administrator
Level 10
******


aka Mireille


View Profile
« Reply #9 on: April 03, 2017, 03:13:12 PM »

Mostly lurking recently. School has me occupied somewhat, which cuts into the ProgramGamerPostingtm.
Logged

ProgramGamer
Administrator
Level 10
******


aka Mireille


View Profile
« Reply #10 on: April 03, 2017, 03:17:41 PM »

Anyways, I mostly play games in bouts of 1-3 hours at a time, most often after school. I don't plan to play any specific game, I mostly just play whatever seems fun to me. Recently it's been Overwatch and Doom 2016, but I nabbed the whole mass effect trilogy yesterday for 10$, so I'm probably gonna start playing that next.
Logged

s0
o
Level 10
*****


eurovision winner 2014


View Profile
« Reply #11 on: April 03, 2017, 05:56:10 PM »

according to my time and willingness to play them. i don't have a schedule. i don't force myself to finish games i don't like. i prefer playing at night vs during the day but that's it.
Logged
FreeFly
Level 0
**



View Profile
« Reply #12 on: April 03, 2017, 11:35:14 PM »

"NO ENDLESS GAMES" (Minecraft, CSGO).

I had to give myself the same rule, no Multiplayer FPS, no Football Manager, no PES or FIfa, no Civilization, and no MMO. In other words, I'm just playing graphic adventures at the moment :v
Logged
Schoq
Level 10
*****


♡∞


View Profile WWW
« Reply #13 on: April 04, 2017, 12:07:18 AM »

I've got too many games (1200+)
what's wrong with people
Logged

♡ ♥ make games, not money ♥ ♡
WarpQueen
Level 0
***



View Profile WWW
« Reply #14 on: April 04, 2017, 04:25:09 AM »

My favourite way to consume games is to just dive into a huge game head first, and live in the world. Like I would with an MMO, or Skyrim, Fallout etc. I learn EVERYTHING and have excel spreadsheets with important info, like where to find items or when to empty harvesters (in the case of Star Wars Galaxies).

Well, the spreadsheets are less necessary now than a few years back, the wikis tend to be better and pop up faster now.

Anyway. Now I have kids and can't really do that now since they demand attention, food and those sort of things. I will get back to it when they get older and can join me though. Smiley
Logged

Alevice
Level 10
*****



View Profile WWW
« Reply #15 on: April 04, 2017, 06:51:53 AM »

If you are offered a delicious cake, do you consume just tiny pieces day by day?
Thats pretty much what I do. I just have a slice. As much as I like cake, I dont like the idea of eating it all/most/whatevs in a single sit. I wish I could do the same with a good steak tho.
Logged

ProgramGamer
Administrator
Level 10
******


aka Mireille


View Profile
« Reply #16 on: April 04, 2017, 09:08:17 AM »

You can buy several small steaks, and cook them each on the day that you eat them.
Logged

J-Snake
Level 10
*****


A fool with a tool is still a fool.


View Profile WWW
« Reply #17 on: April 04, 2017, 09:58:19 AM »

If you are offered a delicious cake, do you consume just tiny pieces day by day?
Thats pretty much what I do. I just have a slice. As much as I like cake, I dont like the idea of eating it all/most/whatevs in a single sit. I wish I could do the same with a good steak tho.
May I ask if you are male or female?
Logged

Independent game developer with an elaborate focus on interesting gameplay, rewarding depth of play and technical quality.<br /><br />Trap Them: http://store.steampowered.com/app/375930
rocky1138
Level 0
*



View Profile WWW
« Reply #18 on: April 04, 2017, 10:19:38 AM »

I've got too many games (1200+)
what's wrong with people

LOL well... three things, in my defence: I've been collecting video games since I was 11, when I got my first Atari Jaguar. Second, I used to run a YouTube channel and gaming blog, so quite often (several times per week) I'd get free Steam keys for upcoming games to review/preview/look at. Third, in 2011 and 2012 Steam, Indie Gala, and Indie Royale were holding amazing bundle deals that were too good to pass up. Sometimes it was 8-10 games for $2.
Logged
Jason S. Longia
Level 0
***



View Profile
« Reply #19 on: April 04, 2017, 12:13:48 PM »

Well, I have a pretty erratic style of consuming games then.

I pick at some games only playing them for a few hours depending on how much they interest me, others I spend days on. Then again, I don't always do this and I like to hold myself back, so I can enjoy more of this game for another time.

I remember when playing NIER I stayed up until 6 in the morning to beat the game, but who doesnt? I like doing that though, it keeps things fresh. I currently have games that I get only to play them later, which I'm sure people do.

Frankly, I love it. I also like changing up my genre of games that I play as well. Whether it's RTS' (strategy), Action Platformers (Ratchet and Clank), RPGS (Collecting or 100%), I'm a bit of an inept renaissance man so it must be. 

Sorry for the wall of text.  Tired

Logged

Aliases: R3MR pronounced "Reemer or Remmer."
Powerword: Jason S. Longia (lol)

A pleasure to meet you all. I am Jason, an avant-garde composer.

I also dabble in the game making
and art making scene.

Gamejolt: https://remr.gamejolt.io
Soundcloud: https://soundcloud.com/jason-s-longia
Pages: [1] 2
Print
Jump to:  

Theme orange-lt created by panic