My Fear - Playing Old Games Too Much

[Abe Sargent]

One of my fears at reaching middle age is to move to redo things I've always done rather than push myself into new:

1. Listen to old music almost exclusively
2. Watch old movies I;ve already seen more frequently. Ditto TV shows
3. Reread old books more frequently


4. And...

Replay old video games. How often do y'all go back?


This year I've played only a small subset of new games, I find myself replaying older games much more frequently:

1. In the past year I've played:

A. Evil Genius through three times.
B. KOTOR 1 and Kotor 2 for the third time
C. BG1 and BG2 each twice, for the 4th and 5th time.
D. EU4 multiple times.
E. I have replayed the main dynasty in Battletech twice
F. One more play through of Guild Wars, which I have done at least TEN times
G. One more play through of Ur-Quan Masters, the free version of Star Control II, which I do at least every two years and I want to do again!
H. Two plays through of SC Origins
I. My FOURTH playthough of Stardew Valley
J. Two attempts at The Movies
K. Another Sim Golf attempt; my 5th at least
L. Another Sid Meier's Pirates, at least my 6th


My gaming previously devoured newer games, and I would play a game religiously for hours on end, and play one or two a week, sometimes fewer if it really grabbed me. I haven't done that in a year. I feel like I have middle aged games.


How do you spend your game times? Are you doing what I am doing now and redoing older games with the majority of your gaming time? Or are you still doing a lot of newer games?

[Edward64]

Nope, not me. The only old game that I boot up occasionally is Space Rangers. Otherwise my curse is FO76, Stellaris, Civ 6 and know I'll be spending a lot of time on the new Crusader King.

[spleen1015]

My problem is I buy too many games and don't play them that much.

There's maybe been 5 games over the last 20 years that I have gotten my money out of.

[sabotai]

I used to do it a lot more than I do now. I can't count the number of times I went back to Skyrim only to stop playing ~10 hours in.

It dawned on me that it wasn't so much that I wanted to play these old games again, it was that I remember how fun the games were and how that made me feel, so I tried to experience it again by going back to the old games over and over again. But of course, that doesn't work, because you can't play Final Fantasy 7 for the first time again. (Not that I don't or anyone shouldn't play through games several times to try different style of playthroughs.)

So I've consciously stopped myself from playing old games. Not entirely. I do go back from time to time, but I have a Steam library filled with games I haven't played for the first time yet, and I'm slowly working my way through them.

[dubb93]

I went from blowing through giant RPGs in a week and action games in a few days to now I’ve been playing Pillars of Eternity for like 2 months and I’m still in act 2. Adulting has left me with almost no game time. I’m lucky to finish 6 games a year.

[JonInMiddleGA]

Eh, it goes through cycles. Plus, define "old" maybe? I mean, is Civ 6 on console old now? Or still new? Or do games not become "old" until the DLC cycle expires?

I don't think I've played anything on console more than 18-24 months old for more than a session or two in quite a while now. And I don't buy very much new, I just binge on whatever my last 2/3/4 games have been.

Then again, I've played the same coupe of app games everyday for the past 6 years and only one addition to that routine has been made in a couple years now I guess.

[Icy]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

My problem is I buy too many games and don't play them that much.

There's maybe been 5 games over the last 20 years that I have gotten my money out of.

Same here, I fool myself all the time, buying like a new game per week (steam or PS network) that probably won't ever play once because lack of time or I just jump between games not finishing any of them.

I guess it's a way of OCD.

[CrimsonFox]

everty few years I play Unreal and Thief The Dark Project again. I love those

Serious sam also gets some play

but my latest craze is achievemnt hunting
I have a LOT of steam games, mostly indie title and lovelovelove trying out new indie games
al kinds
It's my main hobby really.

I don't buy new games anyway . Just humble bundle stuff. By the time I get to a game it's already several years old and I'm cool with that. So if I get a big company blockbuster game (which i rarely do anymore) it is passed its peek.

don't feel bad about playing old stuff you like. You are playing it for a reason. It makes you happy. It's like reading a book over and over or watching the same TV show you've seen a million times

[CrimsonFox]

also abe you should stop by the steamkey giveaway thread and pick something up and try it. no disadvantage at all

[Bobble]

For me, I don't have as much energy to climb that learning curve that I once did. Maybe energy and time... Seems like a more daunting task to get into a new game when, combined with the nostalgia, I probably already have a game of that genre in my arsenal.

[thesloppy]

Originally Posted by Bobble

For me, I don't have as much energy to climb that learning curve that I once did. Maybe energy and time...

I have gone through this act a few times where I get a new game, and as I'm installing it/firing it up I am thinking about all the tutorials I am going to have to go through and the 4-5 hours I am going to have to spend playing some skeletal, intro version of the game while some NPC bellows gamepad controls at me, and then when the main menu finally fires up the first time, I just choose 'quit' instead.

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by thesloppy

I have gone through this act a few times where I get a new game, and as I'm installing it/firing it up I am thinking about all the tutorials I am going to have to go through and the 4-5 hours I am going to have to spend playing some skeletal, intro version of the game while some NPC bellows gamepad controls at me, and then when the main menu finally fires up the first time, I just choose 'quit' instead.

I'll often watch a Let's play like i did with Ostriv.

Abe

[QuikSand]

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Abe Sargent

I'll often watch a Let's play like i did with Ostriv.

Abe

Watching anyone else play a game that looks good just makes me want to play it even more. Then I do... for 30 minutes then things get complicated.

[Izulde]

For me, it's not that I have a problem starting new games. It's that I have trouble finishing them because I get distracted by something else.

Lately the following have occupied my time:

Disney Heroes: Battle Mode (first mobile game I've ever dropped real money into. For the social aspect as much as the fun of collecting and upgrading Disney heroes. Plus they update frequently with new heroes)

Crusader Kings 2 (an obvious all-time great)

Fire Emblem: Three Houses (got the DLC a month or so ago. Best tactical strategy game since FFT)

And that's pretty much been it other than single sessions of the oddball title here and there. If I can find my old NES and my copy of Ghost Lion (I'm pretty sure they're in a box somewhere, or at least I hope they are), I'd love to fire it up and finally beat that game.

[Kodos]

My gaming time is very limited, but I've been playing a mix of old and new over the past couple of years.

1. I invested a good deal of time into Red Dead Redemption II. Fun game, and I mean to get back to it (although I may have messed things up moving my save to an external hard drive and trying to play it from that drive on a second PS4. I'm hoping my save file still works on the original PS4.)
2. Jedi: Fallen Order - I put aside RDR II to play this one a bit earlier this year. Fun game. Not sure I will finish it.
3. Madden 2020. I've dicked around a bit with this edition, and like it better than any edition since Madden 2008 or so.
4. I've also resumed playing NCAA 2014 after a year layoff following the end of The Ladder OD here at FOFC. I've made it a challenge by not using any of the coach points, no audibles unless the QB has a certain awareness rating or higher, and restricted recruiting rules. I'm losing a lot, which is good. I should be losing right now with the team that I have.

I do also tend to favor older "comfort food" entertainment, especially in music. There's not much new stuff out there that works for me, so I listen mostly to my iPod. I do try to dive deeper into groups I liked but was only a casual fan of, like Green Day. Turns out, they have a lot of great songs that I didn't know about.

TV-wise, it's a mix of old and new. My wife, son and I are watching Lost right now. The wife and I have binged some newer shows like "Dead to Me". We've started Space Patrol. I think she likes it more than I do so far. I've also been introducing my son to M*A*S*H, which isn't my wife's favorite because it can seem a little sexist when watched in 2020. Everyone cheats on their wife without a second thought, for instance.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Izulde

Fire Emblem: Three Houses (got the DLC a month or so ago. Best tactical strategy game since FFT)

I second this.

[CrimsonFox]

go here for excitement and NEW fun to chase those fears away

Quarantine Game Giveaway - Front Office Football Central

[Abe Sargent]

Originally Posted by Kodos

My gaming time is very limited, but I've been playing a mix of old and new over the past couple of years.

1. I invested a good deal of time into Red Dead Redemption II. Fun game, and I mean to get back to it (although I may have messed things up moving my save to an external hard drive and trying to play it from that drive on a second PS4. I'm hoping my save file still works on the original PS4.)
2. Jedi: Fallen Order - I put aside RDR II to play this one a bit earlier this year. Fun game. Not sure I will finish it.
3. Madden 2020. I've dicked around a bit with this edition, and like it better than any edition since Madden 2008 or so.
4. I've also resumed playing NCAA 2014 after a year layoff following the end of The Ladder OD here at FOFC. I've made it a challenge by not using any of the coach points, no audibles unless the QB has a certain awareness rating or higher, and restricted recruiting rules. I'm losing a lot, which is good. I should be losing right now with the team that I have.

I do also tend to favor older "comfort food" entertainment, especially in music. There's not much new stuff out there that works for me, so I listen mostly to my iPod. I do try to dive deeper into groups I liked but was only a casual fan of, like Green Day. Turns out, they have a lot of great songs that I didn't know about.

TV-wise, it's a mix of old and new. My wife, son and I are watching Lost right now. The wife and I have binged some newer shows like "Dead to Me". We've started Space Patrol. I think she likes it more than I do so far. I've also been introducing my son to M*A*S*H, which isn't my wife's favorite because it can seem a little sexist when watched in 2020. Everyone cheats on their wife without a second thought, for instance.

You think that's sexiest? Try watching the film its based on!

[thesloppy]

[Drake]

Originally Posted by Kodos

TV-wise, it's a mix of old and new. My wife, son and I are watching Lost right now. The wife and I have binged some newer shows like "Dead to Me". We've started Space Patrol. I think she likes it more than I do so far. I've also been introducing my son to M*A*S*H, which isn't my wife's favorite because it can seem a little sexist when watched in 2020. Everyone cheats on their wife without a second thought, for instance.

Last year, I walked through the entire collection of Bond films in order with my 21 y.o. son.

He just kept saying "You could never make this movie today. Women would burn down the movie studio."

[Warhammer]

Originally Posted by Kodos

I've also been introducing my son to M*A*S*H, which isn't my wife's favorite because it can seem a little sexist when watched in 2020. Everyone cheats on their wife without a second thought, for instance.

Not that I agree with it, but in wartime there is a lot more cheating going on because you don't know which bullet has your name on it.

[NobodyHere]

Originally Posted by Warhammer

Not that I agree with it, but in wartime there is a lot more cheating going on because you don't know which bullet has your name on it.

What happens on deployment, stays in deployment.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by spleen1015

My problem is I buy too many games and don't play them that much.

There's maybe been 5 games over the last 20 years that I have gotten my money out of.

This is me to a T. Although I've started making myself go back through my Steam list to install something I never played much to see if a fresh look helps. I've been good about not purchasing any more new games on Steam. Tonight I splurged $4 for This War of Mine.

As far as consoles go, I don't purchase many games besides the annual Madden/NHL games, so I like to replay games like Borderlands, Tomb Raider and Far Cry 5.

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

This is me to a T. Although I've started making myself go back through my Steam list to install something I never played much to see if a fresh look helps. I've been good about not purchasing any more new games on Steam. Tonight I splurged $4 for This War of Mine.

As far as consoles go, I don't purchase many games besides the annual Madden/NHL games, so I like to replay games like Borderlands, Tomb Raider and Far Cry 5.

Steam has a new(?) feature where, alongside your regular library of games, there is a list of games called "Play Next". I saw that and eye-rolled hard enough to get a headache. "Here's Steam fishing for more of my money. Look, they list This War of Mine and Warhammer: Total War. Sure, those sound fun but I'm not paying for them." Then I realized those are a list of games I ALREADY HAVE IN MY LIBRARY!

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Bobble

Steam has a new(?) feature where, alongside your regular library of games, there is a list of games called "Play Next". I saw that and eye-rolled hard enough to get a headache. "Here's Steam fishing for more of my money. Look, they list This War of Mine and Warhammer: Total War. Sure, those sound fun but I'm not paying for them." Then I realized those are a list of games I ALREADY HAVE IN MY LIBRARY!

HAHA! I feel your pain!!!

[Kodos]

Originally Posted by MizzouRah

so I like to replay games like Borderlands, Tomb Raider and Far Cry 5.

Man, Tomb Raider was such a blast the first time through. It was like I get to be Indiana Jones. So great! I've never been able to get into any of the sequels like I did with the original.

[MizzouRah]

Originally Posted by Kodos

Man, Tomb Raider was such a blast the first time through. It was like I get to be Indiana Jones. So great! I've never been able to get into any of the sequels like I did with the original.

I enjoyed Rise of the Tomb Raider quite a bit, but Shadow of the Tomb Raider is my favorite.

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Bobble

Steam has a new(?) feature where, alongside your regular library of games, there is a list of games called "Play Next". I saw that and eye-rolled hard enough to get a headache. "Here's Steam fishing for more of my money. Look, they list This War of Mine and Warhammer: Total War. Sure, those sound fun but I'm not paying for them." Then I realized those are a list of games I ALREADY HAVE IN MY LIBRARY!

haha yeah I saw that too. It actualy is kinda nice. it's telling you. "Hey dude. I see the types of games you really like playing and I did some uh calculatin' and discovered these other games you ALREADY PAID FOR YEARS AGO and just sittin ' there. I thinkyouz guyz would really like plkaying DESE NUTZ here."

[Bobble]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

haha yeah I saw that too. It actualy is kinda nice. it's telling you. "Hey dude. I see the types of games you really like playing and I did some uh calculatin' and discovered these other games you ALREADY PAID FOR YEARS AGO and just sittin ' there. I thinkyouz guyz would really like plkaying DESE NUTZ here."

Yeah, the only thing that feature is missing is a title that says, "Hey, Dumbass...".

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Bobble

Yeah, the only thing that feature is missing is a title that says, "Hey, Dumbass...".

it would be right about me.

and as a result I HAVE been playing games it tells me about that I forgot about

[Brian Swartz]

The worst thing about this series of posts is it reveals that there are people who haven't played This War of Mine yet. It's a rare game IMO in that it's one that everyone, even non-gamers, should play. The environment it puts you in, and choices it requires you to make, do as better job than any game I know of in personalizing and making you deal with the underbelly of what happens in a modern war.

[Edward64]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

The worst thing about this series of posts is it reveals that there are people who haven't played This War of Mine yet. It's a rare game IMO in that it's one that everyone, even non-gamers, should play. The environment it puts you in, and choices it requires you to make, do as better job than any game I know of in personalizing and making you deal with the underbelly of what happens in a modern war.

I've read about this game and have thought to play it but decided that I'm not sure I want something that 'heavy'. You are right, everything I've read said it does a good job. But hey, I'm kinda shallow with my game play.

[spleen1015]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

The worst thing about this series of posts is it reveals that there are people who haven't played This War of Mine yet. It's a rare game IMO in that it's one that everyone, even non-gamers, should play. The environment it puts you in, and choices it requires you to make, do as better job than any game I know of in personalizing and making you deal with the underbelly of what happens in a modern war.

I've played it for 19 minutes.

[CrimsonFox]

it's not another telltale pos is it?

[Thomkal]

My fear right now, running out of space on both my hard drives for more games..GASP!

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

My fear right now, running out of space on both my hard drives for more games..GASP!

just uninstall the ones you aren't playing duh

[Izulde]

Originally Posted by Brian Swartz

The worst thing about this series of posts is it reveals that there are people who haven't played This War of Mine yet. It's a rare game IMO in that it's one that everyone, even non-gamers, should play. The environment it puts you in, and choices it requires you to make, do as better job than any game I know of in personalizing and making you deal with the underbelly of what happens in a modern war.

For me, the immersion factor was overhyped. I just couldn't get invested in it. Clocked in 2 hours and was like okay, next.

[Thomkal]

Originally Posted by CrimsonFox

just uninstall the ones you aren't playing duh

But then what happens when I wanr to play them again?

[CrimsonFox]

Originally Posted by Thomkal

But then what happens when I wanr to play them again?

uh...reinstall them and uninstall oither things?
i know it's a vicious cycle but that's how steam/epic work