How much do you get out of Videogames today?

To put it into perspective, from my point of view, I get more out of Borderlands 1 than most other games I've played. Fallout 4 was good but it was the mods that really made the game.
 
Honestly nothing at this point, but I also stopped buying. The last game I put any significant time into was The Division 2 I bought for $3. Prior to that it was Battlefield 4. I have been waiting 6 years or so to build a new PC but nothing came out that justified the expense. Of course my computer budget has risen significantly now as a result, but it feels like a waste even if I could get a video card.

For me I don't think I will find gaming exciting until we have some sort of technological breakthrough, something like amazing AI. I just find I too easily see the treadmill when gaming and find it easy to hop off. Nothing feels like it does anything significantly different than 20+ years ago.
 
I absolutely love and cherish every minute I get to actually play games.
But those are getting scarcer and scarcer considering life and many of my other hobbies require a certain amount of upkeep so real things don't actually die.
 
I like games as an idea. I wish I enjoyed playing them more. At most I enjoy some Dominions 5 here and there. But as it stands now, it's hard for me to play a game and not think of that game standing for everything I find reprehensible about our society. People will do as they please, but I think gaming is a "dead-end" and anyone would be significantly better off investing that time spent into a more productive outlet.
 
I like games as an idea. I wish I enjoyed playing them more. At most I enjoy some Dominions 5 here and there. But as it stands now, it's hard for me to play a game and not think of that game standing for everything I find reprehensible about our society. People will do as they please, but I think gaming is a "dead-end" and anyone would be significantly better off investing that time spent into a more productive outlet.

Basically what it boils down to is staring at a screen with a light on it.
You can use your mind in order to engage in the world you see but only a handful of games do it right.
 
I like games as an idea. I wish I enjoyed playing them more. At most I enjoy some Dominions 5 here and there. But as it stands now, it's hard for me to play a game and not think of that game standing for everything I find reprehensible about our society. People will do as they please, but I think gaming is a "dead-end" and anyone would be significantly better off investing that time spent into a more productive outlet.

It sounds like you don't like games as an idea at all, lol.
 
as it stands now, it's hard for me to play a game and not think of that game standing for everything I find reprehensible about our society.
Same. Even more so when I use YouTube on my phone where I can't block the ads. The ads, man.. the ads kill me inside
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As an art, I assume games are like music. You're pretty much going to stick to the "genre" you grew up with. I'm gonna guess you're still listening to the same stuff in high school and early 20s as well?

Really though a lot of you guys are just getting old :)
 
As an art, I assume games are like music. You're pretty much going to stick to the "genre" you grew up with. I'm gonna guess you're still listening to the same stuff in high school and early 20s as well?

Really though a lot of you guys are just getting old :)
It goes to your personality. I've branched out to sample different kinds of music over the years but always come back to the same styles because I enjoy the complexity and emotions they evoke. The kinds of games I like are much for the same reasons. I don't mean to come off as snobby, but simple and mundane mechanics or composition (literary or musical) bore me to death, and nobody is going to stick with any kind of entertainment medium that makes you feel that way.
 
The music that I listen too has changed dramatically since I was in my 20s and I make a point of trying to find as much new music as I can. Hell, i go to concerts for bands that i've never even heard of because I find joy in discovering new music. If its live? Even better!

Games are the same way, there's more good games coming out at a record pace right now than I could ever possibly keep track of. I have access, through ROMs, to literally every single videogame ever made pre PS3, and yet the amount of truly worthwhile titles on SNES, N64, PSX, Genesis, etc. that still hold up today is noticeably less than even what the damn Switch Eshop has on offer. Because of the indie game explosion of the past decade, I could literally stop buying games today and I'd probably have enough games in my library to last me the rest of my life, however new games I want are coming out at such a fast rate that I don't have time to play my backlog of games - and thus the cycle continues.

Also Metroid Dread is less than 24 hours away and I'm fucking hyped. I replayed Super, Zero mission, fusion, AM2R and Samus returns in the past few weeks and while they're all amazing games, Super Metroid definitely felt old because nearly 30 years of QOL improvements make a pretty big difference to how we approached control schemes and such. Wish I started with the Super Metroid Redux Rom Hack TBH.

Frankly, as time marches on, I realize how little nostalgia actually matters. If I enjoyed something in the past and on rewatch realized that it wasn't as good as I remember - that's a growth of character for me, just because something is old doesn't make it superior for any fucking reason.
There's also a ton of old games, movies and music that I adore. Hitchcock and Kurosawa are some of the best directors of all time, Vivaldi wrote some damn bangers, Mega Man 2 still holds up today. Doesn't mean that I think everything from those eras are better or that modern media is any less worthwhile.
 
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Video games suck these days. I get more kicks out of playing remakes. Same gameplay, beautiful graphics.

I just don’t care anymore. Get off my lawn.
 
Outside of ARPG's like Grim Dawn & Path of Exile, I've discovered it's increasingly difficult to find a game that tickles my fancy....

(I'm about to turn 38 and starting to think the only reason ARPG's are still on "the menu" is due to the theory-crafting aspect)
 
I dunno, maybe try completing older games from your back catalog? You may have some baggage or guilt letting them slide, all lonesome waiting for you to give them attention, or something like living in a house full of garbage. You could sell stuff, gift your steam library, go all minimalistic even. One thing about childhood that we sometimes forget is that we owned basically nothingback then, so whatever we got our hands on we often felt like it was worth a lot. Something to think about nowadays
 
I dunno, as I'm getting older I notice my appeal for what I used to like is steadily declining. While shooters were my life in my teens to mid 20's, I'm just trying to relax and not worry so much if I'm a boss at sniping fools. RPG's and MMO's will hopefully always be around. And they'll likely always catch my attention if I continue to play games.
 
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It goes to your personality. I've branched out to sample different kinds of music over the years but always come back to the same styles because I enjoy the complexity and emotions they evoke. The kinds of games I like are much for the same reasons. I don't mean to come off as snobby, but simple and mundane mechanics or composition (literary or musical) bore me to death, and nobody is going to stick with any kind of entertainment medium that makes you feel that way.
lol I was just poking fun, but I mostly agree. There are still amazing games being released though, I think the last games that really enraptured me was maybe Witcher 3 or Horizon Zero Dawn...I played them more recently and well after their release. Hell Playstation seems to have the best single player games that come out anymore. (Seeing Spiderman, Ghost of Tsushima, etc)

Outside of those, the only games I tend to play end up being sequels or remakes, which is really upsetting considering the capabilities we have now. I partially blame this with how almost every game wants to be "service" based instead of a self contained game, not to mention devious marketing schemes seem to ALL have now.
 
I find gaming more enticing, enriching and even more fun then I was younger. You take a bunch of artists, from 3d modelers to actors to painters to voice actors, writers and get them working together using programmers with modern day feedback loops from players and historical data with ever increasing hardware compute ability -> what is there not to like? Alyx in VR is probably the most enticing game I've ever played due to a number of reasons. It is utterly beautiful how it is composed and plays out. I don't know, games to me are more than just the mechanics, it is art, color, composition, story which can be much better expressed today than previous decades. Being 61, gaming is very enjoyable and can be much better than let say watching TV, Beat Saber is one game everyone getting on with age maybe should play if healthy enough to keep their mind and body quick -> pure therapy for me. Maybe my perspective is different, I don't expect a game to engage me but for me to engage the game and mastering what is needed to win, learning the game world rules, back doors, secrets, story, characters. I love to also explore, look at objects, notice their complexity or lack of, textures, construction of objects, buildings and design -> there are some very intelligent folks making these game worlds along with the imagination and inspiration to make it all happen with the limitations throughout the years and decades.

In a nutshell, I enjoy gaming now more than ever.
 
I find gaming more enticing, enriching and even more fun then I was younger. You take a bunch of artists, from 3d modelers to actors to painters to voice actors, writers and get them working together using programmers with modern day feedback loops from players and historical data with ever increasing hardware compute ability -> what is there not to like? Alyx in VR is probably the most enticing game I've ever played due to a number of reasons. It is utterly beautiful how it is composed and plays out. I don't know, games to me are more than just the mechanics, it is art, color, composition, story which can be much better expressed today than previous decades. Being 61, gaming is very enjoyable and can be much better than let say watching TV, Beat Saber is one game everyone getting on with age maybe should play if healthy enough to keep their mind and body quick -> pure therapy for me. Maybe my perspective is different, I don't expect a game to engage me but for me to engage the game and mastering what is needed to win, learning the game world rules, back doors, secrets, story, characters. I love to also explore, look at objects, notice their complexity or lack of, textures, construction of objects, buildings and design -> there are some very intelligent folks making these game worlds along with the imagination and inspiration to make it all happen with the limitations throughout the years and decades.

In a nutshell, I enjoy gaming now more than ever.

Okay boomer. :D

I’m kidding of course. Hopefully when I’m your age I can feel the same way. It’ll be at least 30 years though. :(
 
Okay boomer. :D

I’m kidding of course. Hopefully when I’m your age I can feel the same way. It’ll be at least 30 years though. :(
Well in 30 years looking back, chip imbedded into skull, the holodeck would be laughed at. The game will come into your mind and use/animate all of your senses, a game dream world as real as reality, maybe with different rules as well, where you interact. Feel that knife, gun shot plowing into you with all the pain glory and blood loss as you sink into unconsciousness -> rinse and repeat. Or the boss biting your head off detaching you from your body, will all the sensations telling you this is really happening -> how marvelous that will be :D
 
Well in 30 years looking back, chip imbedded into skull, the holodeck would be laughed at. The game will come into your mind and use/animate all of your senses, a game dream world as real as reality, maybe with different rules as well, where you interact. Feel that knife, gun shot plowing into you with all the pain glory and blood loss as you sink into unconsciousness -> rinse and repeat. Or the boss biting your head off detaching you from your body, will all the sensations telling you this is really happening -> how marvelous that will be :D
Lulz. Reminds me of the smellovision!
 
Anyone who doesn't adamantly praise OG Tetris (be it Nintendo's or the legendary Tengen version) - you are not a gamer. Period.


Tell them old man. No slight, because I 100% agree with you; But good luck trying to get anyone under 30 to even try Tetris much less for enjoy it.
 
Anyone who doesn't adamantly praise OG Tetris (be it Nintendo's or the legendary Tengen version) - you are not a gamer. Period.



Oh man, this reminds me of that time around a decade ago when I suddenly was huge on 40 line tetris, learnt all the techniques like wall-kick and stuff. Was also around the time where PvP Tetris was getting big.
 
I don't think I'll ever stop vr racing and flight sims

I've always wanted to get into Racing Sims but the investment doesn't seem worth it. I had a blast with an el-cheapo Wheel+Pedals set (not even a 3 pedal one), but digging around for decent wheel + pedals + gearbox and suddenly it seems very expensive for a rather niche segment of the gaming sphere.
 
I do get something out of games but I think I need some time off from work to actually appreciate them.
 
I've always wanted to get into Racing Sims but the investment doesn't seem worth it. I had a blast with an el-cheapo Wheel+Pedals set (not even a 3 pedal one), but digging around for decent wheel + pedals + gearbox and suddenly it seems very expensive for a rather niche segment of the gaming sphere.
Your right the initial investment is a bit pricey but there's nothing like running flat out at Nordschleife in an R8 LM2 fully immersed in 3D.The 3D perspective really changes the game and your laps times. I shaved 14 seconds of my best lap there when I did it in 3D for the first time.
 
Your right the initial investment is a bit pricey but there's nothing like running flat out at Nordschleife in an R8 LM2 fully immersed in 3D.The 3D perspective really changes the game and your laps times. I shaved 14 seconds of my best lap there when I did it in 3D for the first time.

I have no doubt if/when I get into VR racing it'll blow my mind. I've already gotten my mind blown the first time I played a free climbing demo, looked down and almost shat myself. Does the feeling of speed get much more visceral in VR?
 
VR still sucks dont kid yourselves. But it is getting there. The only smooth motion devices still have blacks that look like the sun and jagged edges the size of a fist. Probably getting better scores because of input lag on your other displays.

The real enticing games right now are the legal sportsgambling sites. Just cant be a sucker that still lives in Cali for some ungodly reason

Games started sucking not just because of $$$ but because of the death of CRTs- an entire genre of games went to shit. Now that new TVs have very good input lag those games are coming back.

Cheaters also helped suppress quality games as well.

Give Hades a shot if you want to play a modern game that has an "oldschool feel." (And is also very good)

Gotta say PS5 with a new LG oled + surround sound system and being able to jump around seamlessly from a game to tv to internet with universal controls and never having to fuss with the audio/video settings after initial set up is amazing.
 
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very few games hook me anymore.

Its been years since I had a game that wasnt a free-to-play MMO that I put more than 10h into.

until Alien fireteam elite. For the limited content, I am nearly at 100h
 
I went from gaming 16-20 hours per DAY, some 10-15 years ago, to gaming maybe an hour per day at most. Sometimes not even that.
Currently play only Rocket League, because matches are only few minutes long and after 30-45 minutes I've had enough.
But I live in Sweden and November - April months are not the months I like to go out. During nicer weather (May - September) I ride my motorcycle, photograph motorsport events and simply hang outside more often. During colder months both motorsport events and motorcycle are unavailable, so I sit more at home, which leads to more gaming.

Diablo 4 though... just you wait lol.
 
I have no doubt if/when I get into VR racing it'll blow my mind. I've already gotten my mind blown the first time I played a free climbing demo, looked down and almost shat myself. Does the feeling of speed get much more visceral in VR?
Yes it does but four other factors become much clearer in 3D vs 2D racing. The cars attitude during roll pitch and yaw moments is far more apparent from the cockpit point of reference allowing the driver to make better decisions regarding available/loss of grip in any situation. The track surface irregularities and elevation changes also become easier to manage because they are simply more visible from that point of view. These things coupled with a decent FFB steering wheel multiply the immersion factor by 10 and really is "a game changer". I just can't do racing outside the 3D environment anymore because it just feels like there is too much missing.
 
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Yes it does but four other factors become much clearer in 3D vs 2D racing. The cars attitude during roll pitch and yaw moments is far more apparent from the cockpit point of reference allowing the driver to make better decisions regarding available/loss of grip in any situation. The track surface irregularities and elevation changes also become easier to manage because they are simply more visible from that point of view. These things coupled with a decent FFB steering wheel multiply the immersion factor by 10 and really is "a game changer". I just can't do racing outside the 3D environment anymore because it just feels like there is too much missing.

I've also stopped playing racing sims ever since I actually had to drive a bunch. It always felt "empty" and now I know why.

Now I gotta somehow manage a man cave for myself...
 
Honestly, I get a lot less out of it than I used to. Part of that is just lack of time to really get into any particular game, but mostly it's that greedy-ass AAA publishers are killing the concept of gaming as a whole. Microtransactions, only-online bullshit, and obsessions with PvP shit have all destroyed most of my enthusiasm for big titles. VR brought something new and exciting for awhile, but there is a lack of regularly-released high-end applications in that space. Nowadays I mostly just play indie stuff, or buy older games for sub-$5 to try. Most of them I barely touch, let alone finish.

There are some games, like the Monster Hunter series, that have kept me entertained, but on the whole I see tons of new games coming out and the vast majority of them I have zero interest in.
 
My personal feelings on this hasn't changed much. Estimate time versus game, $1=1 hour play time (hpt). If you can look at a $60 and estimate getting 60(hpt) than its worth your money. If you can't see getting 60(hpt) out of a $60 game, then best wait for a sale when you can justify it. New World I happily spent the $40 on after playing the open beta, have already put 60+ hours into it already. If it doesn't have a demo, thats one thing, you might need to watch a YouTube video or two on it to make sure you want to spend that kind of money on something.

Age has a lot to do with this too. When I was younger I didn't think twice about spending money on a game, I just SPENT the money. Now I do a bit more research before I purchase and so I don't waist the money. Most of my Steam account games were when I was in my 20's, so I have a lot of games, 430 or so I believe, a lot of those were spur of the moment decisions. I may have only played 10% of those for a short time, and of that 10%, only a few games have I dumped actual time into.

Of the games I do play however, I get into and enjoy. New World, GTA 5, Golf with Friends, Battlefield 4(5) etc. Those have gotten the most time from me and I have a great group of friends for each of those games. Maybe its time to move out of SP style games and move into more party/friends games that you can enjoy a night or two of gaming with.
 
I been loading up my old steam library of games from way back .. Made me wish we had hardware like this back then and these old games look all new again ..

 
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