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I Don't Think I Have the Patience to Play Video Games Anymore
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Thor McOdin

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:02 am    Post subject: I Don't Think I Have the Patience to Play Video Games Anymor Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Once upon a time, I used to play games a lot. In fact, many would probably say that I played WAY too much. I remember playing Shining Force II, Phantasy Star IV, Final Fantasy III, Chrono Trigger, and a few other games for hours-on-end nearly a decade ago. However, I don't know if times have changed, if I am "maturing," or if games just aren't entertaining anymore, but I just can't seem to get into games like I used to. Since late 2005, there are only three titles that I couldn't put down; Resident Evil 4, Suikoden V, and The Movies. However, even though these three games "rock my socks," I literally have 40+ games that I have yet to finish, including Genesis and SNES titles!

I guess I finally realized that games are becoming too complex...or not complex enough (a delicate balance). I love Dead Rising, but to unlock one of the features, you literally have to play for 14 straight hours. I lasted thirty minutes before turning my console off. Also, I guess I have become far too picky. Everyone told me to get Gears of War, but I personally feel that Rainbow 6 is better. God of War is great, but it would have been a lot cooler with more customization. Everything about Dragon Quest VIII is marvelous, and yet I haven't played it in about a month.

I also feel let down by many game endings (which may have something to do with this), including Suikoden. I finally beat a game only to be rewarded with an ending that I consider to be somewhat lackluster? Really? Damn. Guess I'll just go bar-hopping with my friends instead!

I will try to get everyone involved in this thread, so I ask you this:

What is your motivation for finishing a game?

Any tips for someone like me so that my cash doesn't amount to dust magnets on my shelves?
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

I kinda agree with you. Games lately do leave a lot to be desired, and I too have only had a few games hold my attention recently. Even then, I can't play for 5+ hours in a row like I used to. I think the only recent exceptions were Kingdom Hearts II and Suikoden V.

Hmm. I guess it would really have to be the story and characters that motivate me to finish a game. Aside from the two mentioned above, I haven't played any games lately that had stories that I wanted to see resolved, or characters that I cared about enough. For example, I hated Xenosaga Ep.II because of its horrible gameplay, but I kept playing it to see where the story would go, and because I cared about the characters.

There just aren't many games lately with really good stories or characters like in the previous generations.
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Axiose

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 4:05 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

I generally don't have the time to play games as much as I used to, so I'm very selective about the games I do pick out. I like to make sure I'm getting a game with a good plot, a nice design, nice gameplay features and interesting characters; as Thor said, it doesn't happen every day.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 4:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

I actually almost never finish my games. Simply because it gives me a reason to replay them. The games that I do finish are usually ones that have new game+ features that I deem worthy enough, or transferable saves into sequeals and such. So that's basically like Suikoden games, Arc the Lad and a few others.

But I have to agree with the whole "delicate" balance thing. Lufia II is a great example of that balance. I remember spending hours and weeks and even alittle over a month on some of the puzzles in that game. But I never once got bored with it. I have no idea why. Maybe it was because of the challenge of the mind, rather than simple tedium of having to dodge 200 lightning bolts, or jump rope 1000 times or pushing the same two buttons over and over as fast as you can.

I haven't had a game like that in years. And it kind of makes me a bit sad.
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Luceit

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 8:09 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

It's sad to hear about your lessening interest in games.
Quote:

What is your motivation for finishing a game?


Mostly to see a resolution to the story and I already put in so much time, might as well complete it eh? I can't stand the suspense.
Quote:


Any tips for someone like me so that my cash doesn't amount to dust magnets on my shelves?


You need to know what game suit you well first, then buy it. Try not to push yourself to finish a game either.
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Sophita

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 8:37 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

The overcomplexity of games is something that I think is becoming somewhat of a problem. I appreciate a challenge, but many of them aren't challenges, just grinding; Final Fantasy X is probably the most famous of example of this. Want Lulu's ultimate weapon? 200 lightning skips! Don't screw up at 199! It's fairly ridiculous. I don't have the greatest amount of time to play the game, so when I do I don't want it to feel like a chore. And dodging 200 lightning strikes is, in my opinion, even more boring than taking out the garbage. I appeciate that it's different from the usual "defeat this big scary monster dude" quest and all, but at least I could have defeated the monster in under 20 hours.

And 14 hours straight?! That's....ridiculous. Who has the time to play a game literally the entire time they're awake?! In all honesty, Thor, if I were you, I would have just run into a corner and set the controller down for 14 hours or so. :*laugh*:

The one requirement for endings that ticks me off the most, though, is the kind where to get the "good" ending, you have to be on new game plus. I'm sorry, but when I buy a game, I really expect that I should have the ability to unlock the full content of it without having to put around 60~80 hours of my life into it. And playing through a game twice in a row tends to be kind of drudging, because I'll still remember everything from the first time around, and the amount of games with different twists/charactes/etc. on a new game plus is pretty rare.

As far as finishing them...I'm probably not the best person for that. I don't tend to finish mine for a long while unless they're Suikoden games. ^^ I'm still trying to complete Shadow Hearts: From the New World which came out last year.

But as far as tips go...Maybe try renting your games instead of buying them? That wa y you'll get a chance to play them, but not out of money if you dislike them or get bored of them. Unfortunately selection may vary by what kind of rental places you have around you; there's also GameFly which I've heard of but never used, which appearently acts similar to a Netflix for gaming.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 9:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Like Luceit I like to see the story to the end, it gives me a sense of acomplishment. I also like to see the character devlopment, and if the gameplay is good..that too.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 10:43 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Quote:

What is your motivation for finishing a game?

To avoid spoilers. And because I have nothing better to do. There's another reason too, but that deserves its own thread as soon as I can find the words for it.
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SwissStopwatch

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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 1:01 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Being one of those people who has a habit of not finishing games (I left Final Fantasy VII a few years ago right before the final battles... maybe I should go finish that...), I pretty much understand what you're saying with this thread. I have a fairly long list of games to finish (not over 40, though), some of them from old systems, and I'm going to have to admit that I'm just not going to get through all of them. It doesn't mean I won't try to finish a few of the better ones, but it's just not going to happen.

I'm only inspired to finish a game if I find that I actually like it. Accordingly, finishing Suikoden games and most other RPGs hasn't been a problem. I liked Shadow of Destiny enough to actually get more than one ending (and it's one of the games higher on my priority list to go back to). Romance of the Three Kingdoms games present no problems for me; I tend to finish those multiple times as different rulers and officers, despite the fact that each game can take a really long time to play through.

On the other hand... if I don't like a game, I'm probably not going to finish it. Jade Cocoon got really annoying for me, so I just put it down. Legend of Dragoon? Uh, let's leave that one well alone. If there's something in the game I don't like, I'm just not going to bother with it, and try to leave it well alone. Sophita probably speaks for a lot of us with the lightning bolt thing on FFX, there... and, after just a brief walk through the area where those hit, I figured I wasn't freaking going to do that. If I had, it might've kept me from finishing the game, just out of annoyance. And yes, 14 hours straight is ridiculous. The way I think, the fact that something is in a game doesn't mean that you must go do it. It might seem like an obligation to get your money's worth, but it's really not necessary. Ruining your enjoyment of a game is to be avoided.

Anyway, generally, the best tip I have is to choose games carefully so that they don't become dust magnets (A lot of games just aren't that good anyway). Give some of the games you have up as lost causes, and concentrate on the ones you actually want to finish. If possible, finding one game that will occupy you for a long time without seeming to be a grind is ideal. RTK games are like this for me: RTKVII stayed interesting for me for a long time, and now that I have RTKXI, I'll be able to play that one for a while, win it many times, and still be able to put it back in for another go at conquering China if I want. It does end up saving money, just because I bought one game and played it a lot, as opposed to buying a bunch. And, if I want more than 1 game? I just buy it used later. There are quite a few games I want for the PS2, and a lot of them I can get used; saves me money (More in combination with a discount card, since I buy enough games to justify it), and I probably won't even need to buy a next generation system for a while.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:20 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

I as well, have a bad habit of getting to the final boss and then quitting (Did that to FFIV & VIII & some others) I have plenty of games to beat, usually I play up until I get to a place where I always die, get frusterated and quit. (FFXII & Valkyrie Profile 2 are my prime examples)

In one instance I played through a game I didnt like at all just so I could use the memory for the next installment to unlock something cool..yes that game was Suikoden IV..*sigh*

If I really like a game I will see it through to the end, like FF VI or any of the Suikodens (Sole exception of #4) and many others. But thats about it, I usually continue the game I got stuck on, much later. Im working on Star Ocean 2 again, 3rd try. XD
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 2:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

I too, seem to have lost a lot of motivation to actually play the games I buy. I currently have 20-25 games for my PS2 that I've yet to play at all, although some of those games I will never play because I bought them before I realized how much I hate action RPGs. So, games like Star Ocean III are already disqualified from consideration.

In addition to the loss of motivation, time is also a big factor. I have a lot of hobbies, between my DVDs, looking through the internet, and all the games I have, and I just find that I don't have the time to invest 40+ hours into a game anymore like I did when I was in college and around my games every day. With my job, yes I have two weeks per month where I do absolutely nothing, but then there are also two weeks per month where I am away from home and my gaming systems. Since it would take me close to my whole two weeks off to finish a decent RPG, I have to be willing to sacrifice DVD watching time. I did this for Suikoden V, and I still haven't caught back up. The last time I fell behind in my DVD viewing was when I used the two weeks to play Suikoden IV, and it took me a long time to catch up then too.

Another reason why I might not be so thrilled with getting going on my games is that in some cases I buy the game not because I want to play it right now, but because I was partially interested in it and I didn't want to find out years later that I really want to play the game, but now have to spend $100 on eBay to find it like what happened with some of my PS1 games. So, I buy them now and wait for the inspiration to get to playing them strikes. Not sure if that day will ever come with some of the games, but I have em, so if it does I'm ready.

Some games though, I have no excuse other than currently being very lazy. Games like Wild Arms 3 and Wild Arms 4 come from a series that I know I enjoy playing, but I just haven't gotten motivated enough. Other games like Valkyrie Profile 2, and Ar Tonelico are ones that when I bought them, I really was intending to play, and while I still look forward to them, I just keep finding reasons not to start.

Ultimately, I cannot help you find desire to play your games, because I too have lost a lot of motivation in the gaming department. I hate to think that it's because I'm getting older. I don't really think that's the reason why. I think it has more to do with the fact that my gaming environment has changed, and thus I don't feel as comfortable playing the games as I did before.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:38 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

Once have alot of games its hard to go back and finish some of them for me, Because I bought I game, and then when I started playing it, it was really fun but when I bought a new game I completely forgot the game I was playing earlier... I guess I tend to forget my old games.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

When playing a game, I look for lovable characters, lots of customisation in their skills and magic and a believable story. However most of the games these days lack one thing or another.

I too have quite a big game collection, but there are pathetically few games that I finished. Mostly because the rest made me lost interest half way through. But I keep buying games, hoping that one day I'll come across a good one like the past.
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PostPosted: Sat Mar 17, 2007 3:49 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

I have the seem feeling. I haven't finished Several games i have bought.(like FF12). And the MMORPG that I have played(Ragnarok Online) seem to have lost alot of appeal.

I don't know maybe I have just been playing too many video games and have lost general interest in them :shock:

Usually if I do get motivated to play its becouse I either a)love the story/characters or b) i love the gameplay.
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PostPosted: Sun Mar 18, 2007 6:52 am    Post subject: Reply with quote Add User to Ignore List

i think every game has a maximum potential attention span, and if you simply play the game out before its finished that would easily end the game for you. basically a race against your own attention span, which today has just become increasingly smaller as tiem goes on, everythign is delivered to us so quickly that spending 100 hours on a game now is so ridiculous it barely makes sense.
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