Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

[ClassActFan]

By too old, I mean too rusty. Not a direct shot at age or anything.

I know I'm probably overthinking this because I'm being an impatient nimwit, but from NBA 2K18 to Halo 5, I'm pretty awful. I also didn't play a single video game from January until I got the new 2K last month. I'm not as big of a gamer as I used to be. I play more in the winter than during any other time. So maybe I'm answering my own question that, hey, I'm just rusty after not playing so long.

But it's frustrating playing a game mode (SWAT) in a series (Halo) that you used to dominate 7-10 years ago. I know that Halo: Reach is considered by many to be the worst game in the series, but it's my all-time favorite. Late 2010 was a difficult time in my life. I reconnected with my childhood best friend, got together with other friends and we met some more online and played Halo: Reach, full blown all-nighters, on the weekends. Great memories, looking back, but we were playing almost non-stop SWAT and absolutely dominating. I'm terrible at it in Halo 5.

So, I know I'm just overthinking things and being impatient after such a long layoff from any kind of gaming, but does anybody else here feel this way, that they are inadequate when it comes to competing online?

[Pete1210]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

I've been feeling that way for a while. I also like to play a lot of different kinds of games, so I don't stick with one game to get better or level up too much. I never did well in COD. In Battlefield games I do better scoring points with objectives and support. I also like the squad feature in BF games to team up with friends.

I used to play with a large group of older casual gamers that would run private lobbies and online leagues. Those were the best times on Xbox live. Some of them left the hobby and others would rather play in public to level up.

Most of my online gaming lately has been coop with friends. I played the whole GR Wildlands coop. Did the Halo MC collection on coop and am in the middle of Halo 5. Only online sports I play are against friends. Besides more even competition I enjoy the social aspect. I have friends on Xbox that go back 12 years now.

[Smooth Pancakes]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

I don't know about too old to compete. My stick skills are still pretty decent and I can usually hold my own in games and learn new games and controls fairly quickly.

I think the thing more is as I've gotten older, my tastes and patience for games have changed. There are some game series I don't even give a second look anymore and instantly ignore them because they just don't draw any interest from me anymore.

I would say the changes in directions of games has a bigger effect when it comes to playing and buying games than getting older has. Look at how many ******* games have added microtransactions and loot boxes. While most games you can play and complete without microtransactions, a lot of them are designed to make it extremely more difficult or much longer time consuming to reach the same level as simply spending money.

When I have limited time between work and life to even play any games, I don't have the time or desire to spend 2 or 3 times as long playing to try and reach certain levels or get certain gear that I would get for shelling out $20 or $50.

That and loot boxes. I miss the days of Battlefield or Call of Duty where simply playing and playing good to level up and unlock new weapons or equipment via simply leveling up, instead of this loot box and microtransaction ****.

Both loot boxes and microtransactions are probably the reasons I tend to stick more to RPGs. Fallout, Mass Effect, Final Fantasy, Horizon Zero Dawn, Grand Theft Auto single player (and GTA Online to an extent since I can still have some fun in that without paying anything), games like those that don't have microtransactions or loot boxes (other than GTA Online) and outside of paying for DLC, you get a full singleplayer story and experience and can sink dozens or even hundreds of hours into without paying a cent beyond the initial purchase price.

As long as there are games and RPGs like those that remain pure and un-violated by microtransactions and loot boxes, I'll continue to happily buy and play them. But if the plague that is microtransactions and loot boxes continues to take over more and more games and more and more series, then that will probably be what pushes me out of gaming entirely, not diminishing stick skills or being unable to compete and keep up due to getting older.

[MrChainsaw]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

Yep, all the time. With a full-time job and "adult" responsibilities I hardly have the time anymore to sink hours into multiplayer games and "git gud." But I play games because I enjoy them, whether I'm getting annihilated or not. And when I do have the (very rare) great match it makes it that much sweeter.

[fishepa]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

I'm old in age, 39 here. I love FPS shooters. I can still hold my own a bit.


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[Pete1210]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

When I have limited time between work and life to even play any games, I don't have the time or desire to spend 2 or 3 times as long playing to try and reach certain levels or get certain gear that I would get for shelling out $20 or $50.

That and loot boxes. I miss the days of Battlefield or Call of Duty where simply playing and playing good to level up and unlock new weapons or equipment via simply leveling up, instead of this loot box and microtransaction ****.

I miss the days when there was no leveling up and progression. Equal playing field. Like the old Ghost Recon/RB6 games or Team Fortress 2. I think that's why I'm liking Fortnight Battle Royal.

[Smooth Pancakes]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

I miss the days when there was no leveling up and progression. Equal playing field. Like the old Ghost Recon/RB6 games or Team Fortress 2. I think that's why I'm liking Fortnight Battle Royal.

I would be fine with a return to those days as well. I figured a middle ground of at least getting back to just unlocking stuff by leveling up was a far enough move back without getting greedy, lol.

Sadly those days are long dead. Especially now when companies can just lock weapons and perks up in loot boxes and get idiots to spend tens or hundreds of dollars buying boxes to try and get specific weapons, gear or perks.

It's the same problem with sports games. Everything is focused on making max money from players with MUT, FUT, HUT and all the other ultimate team/my team crap. So all the focus goes on that and franchise modes largely get completely ignored or only minor token updates. The exact reason I haven't bought Madden in years, because all they give a damn about is MUT and couldn't care less about making large additions and improvements to franchise mode since there's no extra money in it for them.

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[x Stinkfist x]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

I'm old in age, 39 here. I love FPS shooters. I can still hold my own a bit.


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Damn you're old, old man. Hey what was it like to see how dirt was made? Man I'm glad I won't be old for a few more months...

[zanner]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

Only rust or lack of game hours. I still am pretty competitive but my ceiling takes longer just because I only have about 5 hours a week, late night, to play where as if I could sink the 3-6 hours a day like I used too then that would make the difference between where I'm at and being better.

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[LambertandHam]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

Not so much too old, but time invested. I find myself moving towards strategy games and solid single player experiences I can get lost in for hours. I still enjoy games like Warframe or Path of Exile, but a lot of newer FPS have player bases that come off as way too agressive for me now. I want to sit down and play a bit, sometimes with friends, not have some dude trying to make his MLG Youtube video scream at me.

[KSUowls]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

Think of gaming like a physical sport. You need to practice in order to get better and to stay on your game. The difference is that unlike a game of basketball where you still might dominate a 14 year old player even if you don't get to practice much because you still hold an advantage in physical maturity.

That's why younger people tend to be better at online games, even against others who grew up playing them. They have the time to practice and they are not fighting up hill against against someone with physical advantages like height or strength.

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[Flightwhite24]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

Not so much too old, but time invested. I find myself moving towards strategy games and solid single player experiences I can get lost in for hours. I still enjoy games like Warframe or Path of Exile, but a lot of newer FPS have player bases that come off as way too agressive for me now. I want to sit down and play a bit, sometimes with friends, not have some dude trying to make his MLG Youtube video scream at me.

Pretty much sums up how I feel about gaming now. At my age I want to just chill and enjoy games at my pace. Open World games are my preference.


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[pietasterp]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

I lack the fast-twitch and innate abilities that online FPS nowadays require. I learned that the hard way during my last (and likely final) foray into the world of online FPS that was "Call of Duty Black Ops". I think the absolute best I could ever do there was like be essentially neutral in K: D. Most of the time, though, I was just cannon-fodder. And no amount of practice made any difference; at some point, I just realized I'd never be able to catch up to how good the most average person online was at this game.

I really wish they had 'noob' or 'beginner/casual' areas in those games, so that people that basically aren't that great can still get in there and play and enjoy. Because I did think it was fun, despite being killed 400 times a game. I just eventually stopped because who wants to lose 5,000 consecutive games (and be the worst one on the team every time)?

Anyway, now I just play "Civilization" and offline sports games, with the occasional single player RPG. And complain about loud music at restaurants.

[War Eagle!]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

All the time. Whether it's playing Madden, NBA Playgrounds, Mario Kart, whatever it is it seems like I absolutely stink at all of them when it comes to playing online. Madden especially.

I can play with friends my age and have great games. Get online and look like I never played a down of football in my life.

Play Mario Kart against the CPU, do pretty well, get online and get absolutely blasted.

Heck, some games it doesn't even matter whether it's online or not I just suck. Take NBA 2k18 for instance. I remember back in the 2k10,2k11, 2k12,13 days I'd be beating the computer on Hall of Fame mode. Fast forward to now i've played about 20 games on pro mode and lost all but one.

With sports games I'll think I'm not playing with a strategy or something then again I'm like there is no way that every one winning at 2k is some basketball guru.

I've gotten to the point where my excuse is that they're making the games too realistic to be enjoyable. I've also got a theory about 4k tv's, refresh rates and better internet connections. All that to say I'm pretty sure it's just that i'm getting older and don't game nearly as much as I used to. I was never a hardcore gamer in my more youthful days but I know I played a lot more than I do now.

/end rant

[ODogg]

Re: Do you ever feel like you are too old to compete in games online?

I'm too old (47) to compete anymore in any but the sports games. But a buddy on Facebook told me it's less about age and more about what you play a lot and get good at so maybe there is some truth to that because I do play sports games more than the other types of games.

All I know is I just don't enjoy playing with other folks really anymore because I don't like the feeling of pressure to do well. For me games are about relaxing not trying to "beat someone"...

I am encouraged by the fact that more and more games are going the co-op type route. That's pretty cool.