Unplayed Owned Games Related Stress

Generic Dreadhead

A bit of a generic game commentary.
But does anyone else have kind of low levels of stress/anxiety about having started games but not completed them though you enjoyed them?
Or maybe yoyo wn games but never play them?

Between myself and my OH we've go a WiiU, Xbox 360, PS3, PC, 3DS and many previous gen consoles.
And with Steam, GoG, Games with gold, PS Plus free games, etc etc I feel i'm swimming against the tide in what I can play with my limited hours.

This is only really an issue as in previous generations (SNES, N64, Gamecube etc), i'd buy a game and always play at least 50% of it or more often than not, i'd finish it.
At present i've started all the following but haven't got more than 2/3 hours in: Dishonoured, Resi Revelations, TWD Season 1, COD BO2 and many many more

A lot of evenings i won't play anything if i feel it'll take too much time or i'll forget the controls, neither of which scenario really happens.

Just a quick disclaimer that i'm not really comparing this to any genuine mental illness so we're clear

Shiminay

Armchair Psychologist time:
You're seeing the completion of games as some sort of "responsibility" and that's causing you anxiety as you're worrying about fulfilling all your responsibilities in work, in life, in your relationship and now in gaming. You're describing avoidance of something that generally speaking, people do solely for entertainment and that seems unusual.

Try to remind yourself that games are a hobby and an unwinding tool and not a task to be completed. Easier said than done of course, this is why we have Cognative Behavioural Therapists for bigger mental health issues. You're not attributing this issue to mental illness, but I'd respectfully suggest you might have something genuine niggling at you that you didn't realise was there - I say this as someone with some fairly deep-set mental health issues and who has spent time on CBT and medication for them

Banjo

I sometimes wonder how the Darwinians are doing without me. I haven't looked in on them in years. Those goofy little dudes went through a lot.

gizmo

Maybe try not moving on to a new game until you finish what you're playing first?

Assuming you're enjoying it of course, baby steps and all that.

Personally I have a backlog that could kill several small children but I'm just slowly working through them in between new releases. I find playing games in something approaching chronological order also helps me keep my perspective as I play through them.

SouthTippBass

So I downloaded Pikmin 3 as my free Mario Kart 8 game. Absolutely loved it! Played through the first three worlds using the game pad, then didn't want to play any further as I wanted to try out the next world using a wii-mote and nunchuck. I didn't have those handy, but I had them in my parents house boxed up with my other old consoles. Well its been over a month I think since I retrieved those controllers and the Wii-U still hasn't been touched since. I will return some day, as its kinda bugging me now

o1s1n

Just don't play two timesink games simultaneously, that's what I do anyway.

I do play a lot of games at once, but only one timesink. Previously it was Dark Souls 2, I'm starting Mother 3 now.

While playing that, I'll also be playing lots of pick up and play games. (Shmups etc)

sin0city

I know what you mean OP.
I've only got a PS3 on the go for the very reason that I would feel under pressure to play games if I had more consoles and games. Especially given that the time I have to spend playing games is steadily diminishing.

With PS Plus and buying the odd game they mount up.
I could not enjoy gaming if I had the plethora of electronic entertainment you do.
I understand that's not really helpful but I can empathise with how you feel.

Even then I don't play more than 2 games at once. Like you say, otherwise I feel like I'll forget the controls or what's going on story wise. Also I just find it's a better experience when not interspersed by too much time or too many other games. I'm playing Mass Effect 1 for the first time now and that's enough on it's own.

Sephiroth_dude

Cormac... wrote: »

A bit of a generic game commentary.
But does anyone else have kind of low levels of stress/anxiety about having started games but not completed them though you enjoyed them?
Or maybe yoyo wn games but never play them?

Between myself and my OH we've go a WiiU, Xbox 360, PS3, PC, 3DS and many previous gen consoles.
And with Steam, GoG, Games with gold, PS Plus free games, etc etc I feel i'm swimming against the tide in what I can play with my limited hours.

This is only really an issue as in previous generations (SNES, N64, Gamecube etc), i'd buy a game and always play at least 50% of it or more often than not, i'd finish it.
At present i've started all the following but haven't got more than 2/3 hours in: Dishonoured, Resi Revelations, TWD Season 1, COD BO2 and many many more

A lot of evenings i won't play anything if i feel it'll take too much time or i'll forget the controls, neither of which scenario really happens.

Just a quick disclaimer that i'm not really comparing this to any genuine mental illness so we're clear

I Have the same problem,starting games,getting to a certain point and giving up and starting something else :-/,rinse and repeat,its a vicious circle :pac:

BeerWolf

I got sooooooooooooooooooooo many games unfinished --- I quickly grow bored of single player games.

The internet, and multiplayer, has completely spoiled me! :pac:

.ak

I never finished FFXIII. I thought I could go back and finish all the side quests after you leave the world map towards the end, but you can't.

So many sleepless nights...

.ak

It actually happens a lot. When I get towards the end of a game I always want to make sure I've done everything, and seen everything, before stepping into the final chapter. As such I tend to take too long to finish, then new game comes out and then I forget....

Fakman87

I can really relate to this.

The bethesda games bring out the worst in me. I love them but I feel compelled to finish them so whenever I start one I usually sink way too much time into it for about 2 months straight.

I've started being more selective now and only buying games that are very highly rated but even that is too much haha.

Plus I'm currently addicted to the last of us multiplayer so that's the only game I've been playing.

I have a problem

shreddedloops

I find something similar happens to me. I know I have a bunch of very good games available, I flick through them all and maybe find something that I feel I'm in the mood for, then after 10mins or so I quit to play something aimless like FIFA Ultimate Team or some multiplayer shooter.

I always though it was an attention span thing. Always thinking there could be something better to be doing.

What I think would really help (with regard to PS3 digital games anyway) would be a favourites system where you could 'star' one or two games that would be at the top of your list until you finished them. I might try that myself using the PS3 folders.

o1s1n

.ak wrote: »

It actually happens a lot. When I get towards the end of a game I always want to make sure I've done everything, and seen everything, before stepping into the final chapter. As such I tend to take too long to finish, then new game comes out and then I forget....

If it's just filler rubbish to pad the game out, don't bother with it. Just skip it and enjoy the main part of the game.

Lots of games are guilty of this. A short, fulfilling game experience is better than a drawn out tedious one

Shiminay

Can I just throw out a general bit of advice...

You don't wait till you have a big hole in your tooth to start brushing your teeth. You do exercise to make sure your body doesn't start misbehaving. So you shouldn't wait till you have genuine anxiety before talking to a doc about mental health too. It's really tough to claw yourself back to normality if you're in bad mental health because the very nature of your issues prevent you from seeing that you have them and from working on them.

Brains to not have health packs or regenerating health - you have to perform many different sorts of missions to get them back on track when they're acting the bollox

CiDeRmAn

Back in the days of dodgy copies of Dreamcast and PS games I had a massive collection of games that was added to weekly but, really, I would up playing sweet flip all.
Same when I had an R4 card.
Too much choice with little invested in each resulted in bugger all being played.
Now I have a huge collection of games across every format, bar CDi, and it's almost the same situation, though the games are at least genuine this time.
That said I find I have to use discipline to play a set few to completion, and as a result there's masses of titles that go barely played, such as Dishonored or Castlevania.
But I'm beyond getting stressed about it, and I know when I retire in 12 years at 55 I'll have plenty to keep me going into my twilight years!

nyarlothothep

I sort of get this but not in an anxious way. For example I have Planescape Torment which I've put on the long finger. I tried out Deadspace 3 but more or less immediately gave up on it because it's a Mass Effect clone (I think they even used the same models for the computers or at least very similar ones) and I found the whole plot ridiculously convoluted, awkward and silly in trying to be scary because it has what are basically 28 days later style zombies. I just thought it was cliched, dull and meh, so I have no issue giving up on a game like that. But other games like Planescape, I'm always thinking, one day I should complete that. In relation to games like Skyrim sometimes it feels like a job more than a game, in fact Bethesda games are particularly guilty of this as they're more defined by fedex quests. I'm not playing another one ever again, Morrowind got away with it because the world was so unusual and then there is the novelty in all these games of building up an incredibly powerful character with unique attributes but the seek and retrieve quests outweigh these aspects. I guess another thing is that I feel obliged sometimes to get my money's worth from games, but ultimately I see no point playing a game that isn't fun.

Dayum

I haven't been able to launch L.A Noire. Have had it for two years....bollox.

Fawk Nin

A useful tip (that I never follow but will start doing in future) is to only play one story intensive game at a time. Some people say to only play one game to completion then move on but I prefer having a few choices on the go. Instead, only play one game where the story is actually important, then you can keep the story fresh in your mind while jumping in and out of FPS's, racing games, sports games etc.

Kimbot

I have 80+ PS3 games still sealed at home, plus all the free ones on the PS+ for the last year. I gave my PS3 to the nephews for christmas so when I pick another up I have plenty left to play.

PS4 I have completed COD Ghosts/Battlefield 4/Child of Light so all the free games etc have yet to be played to completition. I will hopefully have stryder and stick it to the man complete this week as I have a few games arriving within the next week.

I dont stress about not playing the games as I will eventually get around to playing them.

marko93

Steam sales have truly ruined how I used to play games. Only ever played what I had till I completed it and then moved onto the next one. My steam game count sits at 150ish of which 30/40 I'll ever play. I like the idea of one story intense game and an FPS ( CS:GO ) I must give that a try.

pablomakaveli

I had the same problem but made a New Years Resolution to try and clear my massive Steam backlog (or at least make a dent).

I pick a couple of games and stick with them till im finished. If i get a bit bored of one ill play the other so that stops me jumping around between different games. I've managed to clear around 30 games so far and whats more i've enjoyed it.

I've played games that had been on my to do list for ages like Bastion and Dust.

I've also tried to ask myself before buying a game "will i play this in the next month or two which has helped a bit from me making to many impulsive purchases.

It's worth trying the above if you feel you have a massive game backlog.

Generic Dreadhead

I feel this has been constructive, I feel a bit less anxiety about the whole thing....

What i'm thinking is, I might let you guys help me pick what to play next, I have no idea why that would help

tok9

Go for it.. I'm at nothing so I need entertainment!

shruikan2553

What I do involves a few things.

1. Don't buy games unless I have been looking forward to them and they are 5 euro Max. This way you save money and if a game is bad you don't feel like you wasted money. Also prevents you thinking a game looks interesting so you pick it up and leave it in your backlog.

2. Pick any game that interests you at the moment, sometimes I might prefer shorter games as I can get through half my library in the same time it would take for me to play skyrim and fallout. I also don't play any games that I have already played unless I really want to.

3. Play it for a few hours but if you can't be passed anymore put it aside and choose a different game. You don't have time to play everything to 100% so no point playing a game if you feel you are forcing yourself. You can always go back to it and try again.

4. Finish the main story and if you want to do a bit of the side stuff or DLC pick an area to work on each time you are playing and when done with your daily finished game thing move onto to playing through a new game you picked out.


I've been doing this and have found it helpful. 100% any games I enjoyed without going insane at collecting 500 zombie hands while if I don't like it I will maybe try it later.

RobbingBandit

I just call myself a collector, seems/sounds less deluded than a games hoarder.

Greatest gaming regret so far for me though in this sense has been starting Final Fantasy IX and X and not playing more than 5 hours of either, need to get back to them now they're both on Vita.

murphyebass

This thread turned into a confessions of the gamer backlog pretty rapidly. I like it.

Personally I try not to chop and change games in each system unless for a quick run of an arcady game like a shmup. I attempt to finish them or get to a point where I'm hating it and will never return to it. I'll sell or trade a game like that.

So right now this minute I'm playing through:

N64: Zelda OOT, very early on in this one, just havent gotten into it yet but I've promised myself I will persevere. The problem here tbh is 9 times out of 10 I'm playing Lylat wars when I do swith on my N64, god I love that game.
PS2: Only arcady games here at the moment Shmups, Fighting and Driving games mainly as I've sooo many of them. Kinda cutting anything else on the system as I know I wont play them.
Xbox 360: Finished Enslaved recently. I'm yet to choose between Bioshock, Dead Space and Vanquish. I'll choose this weekend. Bioshock will probably get the nod.
Wii U: Zelda Wind Waker. 22hr'ish in and pretty lost at the moment trying to move big head statues. Will try figure it out tonight. So much sailing. Great game though.
Vita: Wouldnt normally use this for a shooter but playing the hell out of Killzone Mercenary. Will move on soon though. Stupid backlog built here from PS+. Have bought sfa for it and I'm still waaaay behind. lol

So yeah I play the 360/N64 when herself goes to bed and I can use the telly for a couple of hours non interupted.
I play the PS2 when she doesnt really want to watch telly because if I'm playing an arcade game I can still half converse.
I play the Wii U on the gamepad and Vita at all other times with one headphone in.

I never really thought about this until my first child arrived. I went ages without playing anything so I felt that I needed some sort of plan. I love "gaming" but if I dont have it half set up like this I'd never get through anything.

I've decided that I'm not bothering with the PS4 btw until xmas 2015 which should give me enough time to clear out some of the backlog. No point spending money when I have soooo many games to choose from for the consoles I have. And the games I still want to get are seriously cheap now. Dead Space for example was a fiver yesterday in xtravision. Bioshock was a fiver also on Gold recently.

Another good thing about this type of set up it makes you think before pulling the trigger on buying another game. I push myself to think hard about whether I really want to play/complete a game before buying it, unless its an arcade game as otherwise it'll just sit on a shelf wasted.

martomcg

I always try to polish off the main story line before I shelf a game. I also tend to buy 4-5 titles in a go and gradually make my way through them (xbox 360) and then buy another batch.

The one recent exception was FFXIII-2 - I just gave up after getting stuck at a certain part for 2 hrs. Game didnt really grip me enough to ever want to go back!!

Last batch was:
Complete:
Assassins Creed 2
Dishonoured
Assassins Creed: Brotherhood
Deus X: Human Revolution

In Progress:
Xcom Enemy Unknown

Not started:
Assassins Creed: Revelations
Dark Souls

I also keep Halo 4, BLOPS2 and GTA V on the burner when i'm in the mood for some quick play!!

Next batch will contain some of the following:
Diablo 3
Borderlands
Borderlands 2
Mirrors Edge
Skyrim
Left 4 dead
Left 4 dead 2
Deadspace 3
Batman: Arkham Asylum (2009)
Batman: Arkham City (2011)
Batman: Arkham Origins (2013)
Dead Rising 2
Metal Gear Solid HD Collection
Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance

Generic Dreadhead

martomcg wrote: »

In Progress:
Xcom Enemy Unknown

Why not Enemy Within? You're missing out, great expansion/update/DLC

murphyebass wrote: »

N64: Zelda OOT, very early on in this one, just havent gotten into it yet but I've promised myself I will persevere. The problem here tbh is 9 times out of 10 I'm playing Lylat wars when I do swith on my N64, god I love that game.
Xbox 360: Finished Enslaved recently. I'm yet to choose between Bioshock, Dead Space and Vanquish. I'll choose this weekend. Bioshock will probably get the nod.
Wii U: Zelda Wind Waker. 22hr'ish in and pretty lost at the moment trying to move big head statues. Will try figure it out tonight. So much sailing. Great game though.

Play a single Zelda game is a tough time sink, never mind 2 of them at once. Power through to the end of WW and then focus on OoT (really comes into it's own once you get your horse Epona)

Also Bioshock.... it's Always Always Always got to be Bioshock.
One of only a handful of games I've ever played that I get sad that I'll never be able to play again. Avoid youtube/online spoilers BTW though

tok9 wrote: »

Go for it.. I'm at nothing so I need entertainment!

Started a thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057274387

murphyebass

Cormac... wrote: »

Play a single Zelda game is a tough time sink, never mind 2 of them at once. Power through to the end of WW and then focus on OoT (really comes into it's own once you get your horse Epona)

Also Bioshock.... it's Always Always Always got to be Bioshock.
One of only a handful of games I've ever played that I get sad that I'll never be able to play again. Avoid youtube/online spoilers BTW though



Started a thread
http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2057274387

Yeah thats my plan on the zelda thing tbh. I havent touched OOT since I started Windwaker and in fairness theres waaaay more chance of me getting through Windwaker as I can play it on the gamepad on my sofa.

And yeah I think it will be Bioshock as the reviews it gets are pretty amazing. I've stayed clear so far of spoilers.

Potatoeman

I delete games from steam im not going back to. If its been there for over six months delete it. The exception would be games you might play again for a short run or have loads of hours clocked.

I went backand finshed the first stalker before the second came out and I was five minutes from the end. The last section was a pain.

I think you also need look at if going back will be fun or a chore. If the game is overly complex you might struggle to pick up where you left off.