Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

[Phobia]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

thanks for the heads up on that Heavy Rain. I just went to Gametrailers and it looks pretty freaking amazing. I seriously need to work on getting a PS 3. The show and a few of these other titles may just be enough.

not a problem bro

[mgoblue]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

I don't really play sports games a ton anymore...I'm big on the single player games that take me hours to finish...Sports games just lose their fun and become more work after a while.

[budsticky]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

I'm in my mid thirties and I've been gaming since Atari 2600.

I had a couple pauses in gaming. One came during my first two years of college when I was a tail chaser like many others on here. This was from 92 to around 94. I got back into it around 95. I consider my last two years of college to be my own personal golden age of gaming. I got a Genesis and Madden 95. I had a friend that I would play against constantly. We had some epic battles. Then I got a PS1 and Tekken. Me and my roommate at the time wore out our controllers playing that game..and then later Tekken 2 when it came out. We would stay up all night drinking, getting high, and playing the bejeezus out of those games. That was definitely the most fun I've ever had gaming.

My second pause in gaming came right after I graduated college. It was a combination of getting my real life started and simply not being interested in gaming as much without my former gaming cohorts.

These days I still play, but it really has never reached the pure fun of those days. Don't get me wrong, I still like certain games, and the online aspect of games like COD and Halo can bring some of that fun back, but it's nothing like the great times I had with my old college friend playing Madden and my old roommate playing Tekken. Maybe it's just the nostalgia of it and the fact that I had little responsibility then other than to maintain my grades and graduate. Whatever the reason, I look back on those days of gaming fondly. As archaic as those games seem now we never got bored with them. On the rare occasion when we tried to play a different game it always seemed to end up back in the box after a half hour and either Madden with my one friend or Tekken/Tekken 2 with my roommate back in the console.

I've even gone so far as to never get rid of my copy of Tekken 1 on PS1. I still have it packed away. It's in one of those huge plastic PS1 cases and the case is just scratched and beat to death. That game case took more tumbles to the floor than I can count, but it never broke. It also served as an occasional beer coaster and a surface for preparing wacky tobacky to be rolled into something suitable for smoking. Ahh..those were the days.

[stlstudios189]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

Every once in a while I go through a slump where I am at a loss and just can't seem to get the urge to play but, 2-3 months later I get fired up again. My last slump was 2 years ago when my 2nd daughter was born and I was just to tired to get into my gaming and enjoy it.

[Gotmadskillzson]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

I been gaming since the coleco vision. I slowed down a ton during the last few years of the PS2 life cycle. But when I got xbox 360 and they started rolling out demos and indie games on a weekly basis, I am hooked once again.

Besides this year, the story telling is finally catching up to the graphics. Games like Modernwarfare 2, Batman, Assassins Creed 2, etc have blown me away this year.

[Hova57]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

For me there were a couple of years where I barely played anything i bought. now i getting into a grove where i can play and still be effective the next day. but I am stuck in my ways sports games and one action game . no shooters or rpg i can't do it.i still get excited to play games but usually if demo is half decent i just play that over and over

[ehh]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

I tried to give up on sports gaming in April '08, I sold my 360 and all my sports games and bought a Wii. That lasted until July '08 when I bought a PS3.

I think people should stop gaming when they stop getting enjoyment out of video games. It seems like many people on OS are never satisfied or have insane, unrealistic expectations. Why do you spend your free time with something that frustrates you so much?

I'm not as crazy about video games as I used to be, though back in the day I was a mega-cheeser - though that was when I had the most fun. In our multi-user dynasties in college with NCAA '02/'03 we'd have four people in the dynasty and we'd play three minute quarters on Varsity. We'd basically see who could win the Heisman (aka compile the most obscene stats) and then win the conference (usually the ACC or SEC, we were always all in the same conference) and then the national title. And of course the recruiting battles were a lot of fun as well. It wasn't realistic at all but it was insanely fun. I don't get that feeling with many sports games these days. It is also rare that I'm really, really pumped to play a video game these days, though I think that has to do with maturing and being an adult with other responsibilities.

[duke776]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

I think people should stop gaming when they stop getting enjoyment out of video games. It seems like many people on OS are never satisfied or have insane, unrealistic expectations. Why do you spend your free time with something that frustrates you so much?

I tend to agree with this, when the enjoyment stops there's not much reason to force yourself to continue to play the games. I remember I got tired of gaming for a while, I think I went 6 months without touching a game because I stopped enjoying them.

I'm not as crazy about video games as I used to be, though back in the day I was a mega-cheeser - though that was when I had the most fun. In our multi-user dynasties in college with NCAA '02/'03 we'd have four people in the dynasty and we'd play three minute quarters on Varsity. We'd basically see who could win the Heisman (aka compile the most obscene stats) and then win the conference (usually the ACC or SEC, we were always all in the same conference) and then the national title. And of course the recruiting battles were a lot of fun as well. It wasn't realistic at all but it was insanely fun. I don't get that feeling with many sports games these days. It is also rare that I'm really, really pumped to play a video game these days, though I think that has to do with maturing and being an adult with other responsibilities.

I remember doing stuff like this, it was probably the most fun I've had with games ever. Roscoe Parrish will always be my favorite player in video game history, he was my first player to beat out one of my brother's player for the heisman.

I've gotten back towards the if I can have fun with the game, I'm good. I don't need a super realistic game anymore, as I was unrealistically wanting for a while(although if the game doesn't do something right I will complain, but it won't ruin the game for me).

[MrNFL_FanIQ]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

I haven't outgrown it by any stretch...but now in college, I find I don't have a whole lot of time for it. In the past, easily 4-5 hours a day playing something. Now, I might take a quick break here and there, but I just don't have time.

Plus, games just seemed more...fun...years back. As nice as some of the shiny new games look, I've logged many hours (and will log many more) on Mario Kart 64, Star Fox 64, Tecmo Super Bowl, etc.

[sadams33]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

I haven't outgrown them i just don't have the time that's why i don't play online because of all the interruptions in life like kids and wife it wouldn't be fair to others, i usually only play late at night on weekends

[Rassklot]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

Average age for gamers has changed... im prob gonna be playing video games for a long time

[MizzouBravesFan]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

Time for a major bump for this topic...was discussing this very topic with my wife earlier so it made me think of this, was watching True Life: I'm Addicted To Gaming as well.

I got burnt out a few years ago and with everything that was going on in my life (moving, new job, getting married, etc.) I had to make some critical life decisions and giving up gaming was one I made. I sold my 360, games, etc. and seriously gave it up for a while...it sucked. Now that my life is settled and I'm on good ground in all aspects of my life, I've got back into it (bought new 360, Live, etc.) and I couldn't be happier. Since I'm married, I don't go out anymore and the gaming takes up that void very well.

There's just something about sitting down in front of a game and getting totally immersed in it...it's beyond relaxing. No matter what happens at my job, at home, or anywhere else I know that I can boot up the 360 and not have to worry about things for a few hours.

I love gaming more now than ever and I won't be slowing down anytime soon. One of the key aspects of it for me was to get my wife into it some...she was always a casual gamer but nowhere near my level. We bought a Wii before I got another 360 and now she frequently plays it and I've even got her into games like Left 4 Dead...I dare say gaming has brought us closer and is something we can do together and that's fun for us.

Also I think it's imperative to have some perspective and not get overly obsessed with it...after watching that show earlier, it was scary to see how those people lived. Now I would say I'm obsessed lol but not to that level...I know where gaming fits in my life and how it works for me.

[Tomba]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

23?

Come on? Outgrow?
You do something because you love it not because it's just there. Gaming is a part of who you are. Trust me if anything it's a hobby an interest. What can you outgrow too? A big house with a lawn with a nagging wife telling you to help her clean the house and cut the grass every weekend?

OK OK we all have gripes about the games and then theres me who does what he does but its all out of fun first. If it get unfun you have to find what made it fun in the first place.

It's like saying when do outgrow a friendship...When does that happen? because you guys part ways etc NO it's because youre not trying anymore you've given up and anything worthy of your time and effort before should continue on...

[SouthernBrick]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

I could not imagine myself outgrowing gaming. Unless I was that busy in my life that I couldn't play them anymore then that would be the only way to keep me from them.

There are times I do become burned out though and I'll go about 2-4 weeks without even touching my 360. I believe this is the first time this month I've played my 360 and It's the 19th. Sometimes I'll go about 2-4 weeks playing every time I get the chance but, my on and off switch isn't as frequent as it sounds.

[DickDalewood]

Re: Outgrowing gaming: How do you recognize it??

I'm 27 and play more than ever... it's a great escape from the daily grind.

Outgrow videogames? HA! I feel like I've grown into them.