Do you ever feel like playing video games is a waste of time?

whiskeyman

I could easily spend a couple of hours playing the same games and feel I've wasted a lot of time after.
I'm trying to just go 'play between 8-9pm, then go read'.
I see their benefit as escapism and enjoyment.

I love playing them, but know I need to restrict my time better when I do.

piplip87

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Recently, I went on a 2-week holiday to the Middle East. I made sure I had a few days off work for when I came back. I thought I'd do something constructive with this time. Instead, I just sat at my PC playing a game (Crusader Kings II if you're wondering).

I'm in my thirties and I'm still playing games. Very different ones from when I was a young lad, mind but games nonetheless. I could be learning to code, reading more, getting more exercise, etc... I have a job, friends and other interest of course but do you ever feel that it's just a waste of time?

I'm my 30s too and don't see it as a waste of time. It's great to be able to destress from work, marriage and children by just playing away for a few hours weekly. It's those who don't bother Working, dating or anything else but games that should be worried

Sonics2k

I've basically burnt out on playing most games, the only one I was actively playing was Warcraft Classic, and given the recent events with Blizzard I decided to unsubscribe and quit entirely.

Right now I'm looking at the games on my PC and I just don't care about them, and the same can be said for any upcoming games.

It's not that I think video games are a waste of time, but they certainly do consume so much time and cab certainly cause balancing issues with your own life.

ancapailldorcha

Deleted User wrote: »

My ex was a WoW addict. Thats all she did. Reflecting back on the relationship, we did so little together, because WoW always came first. Anytime there was a work outing or event, christmas parties etc where wives and girlfriends were invited, anytime my friends were getting together, my fathers 80th birthday, I had to make excuses for why she couldn't make it, because she was at home playing WoW.

I play the odd game myself. I love Counter Strike. I have spent a weekend on a strategy game once or twice and its grand when its once or twice. Just like going out and getting hammered now and again is grand. its letting off steam, but like drinking or gambling or any other harmful, addictive activity, if its everyday, every night, every weekend, then its time to get worried.

My ex, I hope, will wake up soon, or in a few years time, look back at the past 10 years and go "What the feic have I been doing with my time?"

I have a decent job and friends. I travel regularly and go to events, the cinema and museums. I do spend a few hours some evenings on a game though. I don't think I've a problem, just that it's time that could be better spent on coding, learning a language, etc...

Greyfox wrote: »

True but an hour playing computer games is more fun

Dear God a truer thing has never been spoken.

TitianGerm wrote: »

What about an hour of ring Fit Adventure? An hour of gaming and exercise!!

Possibly but I doubt I'll get buff that way.

piplip87 wrote: »

I'm my 30s too and don't see it as a waste of time. It's great to be able to destress from work, marriage and children by just playing away for a few hours weekly. It's those who don't bother Working, dating or anything else but games that should be worried

It is unless you fail or make a mistake on ironman. Then it's more stress

GreeBo

No, now go away, I'm racing for the title of champion of the universe!

NIMAN

limnam wrote: »

It's interesting that you stopped playing games probably 25+ years ago and still read gaming forums.

I don't though.

I replied to this thread as it appeared in the LATEST posted ones. Not because I was in the GAMING forum.

As for gaming itself, I have posted the odd time in the VR Forum too, as my child has a PS4 and I often see him playing it. I do find some of the games amazing to look at, but still no urge to sit down and play them.

Had a go at a few of the VR demo's and even a bit of AstroBot, but the interest soon waned.

ancapailldorcha

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I have a decent job and friends. I travel regularly and go to events, the cinema and museums. I do spend a few hours some evenings on a game though. I don't think I've a problem, just that it's time that could be better spent on coding, learning a language, etc...

I dont for one second thing you do. My point was, and you said it yourself, some evenings a week. Absolutely grand. Its when its every night. Every weekend. Getting up early on Saturday morning to play. Thats when its an issue.

This time last night I was writing code. Tonight Im having a pint and relaxing.

limnam

NIMAN wrote: »

I don't though.

I replied to this thread as it appeared in the LATEST posted ones. Not because I was in the GAMING forum.

As for gaming itself, I have posted the odd time in the VR Forum too, as my child has a PS4 and I often see him playing it. I do find some of the games amazing to look at, but still no urge to sit down and play them.

Had a go at a few of the VR demo's and even a bit of AstroBot, but the interest soon waned.

I wasn't criticizing. Just thought it was interesting

Turtyturd

Don’t feel like it’s a waste of time but feel like I waste my time to play games. Have such a backlog of games yet the thought of starting a new one and learning a new control system and going through the initial tutorial levels is overwhelming and I end up playing some multiplayer game for a while.

ancapailldorcha

Deleted User wrote: »

I dont for one second thing you do. My point was, and you said it yourself, some evenings a week. Absolutely grand. Its when its every night. Every weekend. Getting up early on Saturday morning to play. Thats when its an issue.

This time last night I was writing code. Tonight Im having a pint and relaxing.

Sound. Don't think there'll ever be a game worth my weekend lie-ins ever released again to be honest.

Hoboo

Don't think it's a waste of time at all, it's a fantastic hobby. Had to give up completely unfortunately due to Skyrim, but I look back on those 20 hour sessions with no regret.

Rezident

No I have never felt that having fun is a waste of time. It's an exciting break after coding or exercise - plus I can do it even when I'm injured.

bucketybuck

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I don't think I've a problem, just that it's time that could be better spent on coding, learning a language, etc...

Why don't you wake up an hour earlier and do some coding?

ancapailldorcha

bucketybuck wrote: »

Why don't you wake up an hour earlier and do some coding?

I did two coding course this year. Not sure it's something I'm suited for as I didn't spend much of my extra time at it.

OptimusTractor

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I don't know. An hour at the gym is probably better than an hour at a computer game.

As the great Anne Perkins once said : "Jogging is the worst. I mean, I know it keeps you healthy but God at what cost?"

Calhoun

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I have a decent job and friends. I travel regularly and go to events, the cinema and museums. I do spend a few hours some evenings on a game though. I don't think I've a problem, just that it's time that could be better spent on coding, learning a language, etc...

Do you like coding/learning a language? Would that relax you? I firmly believe we need an outlet and cannot be always on.

Gaming is that outlet for me.

Nothing stopping you from doing the other two items if you wanted to do them and still game. The question that you have to ask yourself is what is it about them that stalls you and you cannot jump in and do it.

ancapailldorcha

Calhoun wrote: »

Do you like coding/learning a language? Would that relax you? I firmly believe we need an outlet and cannot be always on.

Gaming is that outlet for me.

Nothing stopping you from doing the other two items if you wanted to do them and still game. The question that you have to ask yourself is what is it about them that stalls you and you cannot jump in and do it.

I liked it but the second I fell behind and couldn't fix it myself I just became demoralised. I'm only really using coding as an example. I don't have some sort of deep rooted dream to become a programmer.

Retr0gamer

Well I can tell you from experience there's no 'just do one hour of coding a day'. You'd get nothing done. You kind of have to immerse yourself in it for hours at a time.

I dropped games for a while to try and create my own game and could have done it if it wasn't for the fact I was working a full time job and could only do a bit in the evenings. I ended up burned out and had to drop it despite having gotten quite far into the character movement and collision engine. It's something I'd have to do full time job and not possible while doing a full time job and wasn't healthy. Decided I actually like my day job and concentrate on just that. Think I've a much better work life balance now since I dropped my pipe dream although I did enjoy coding and was really good at it.

Kiith

I don't see gaming as any different then any other hobby (except it's better, obviously :pac:). I will happily sit and play games for multiple hours a day, and i don't see how that's anymore wasted time then someone who watches tv/reads a book. Could i be more productive with my time? Absolutely. There are a huge amount of things that i could be doing that would improve my life, health, finances etc...but this is my downtime, and i want to do something i actively enjoy.

I did play Starsector for 10 hours on Sunday though...so maybe i'm not the best person to talk to about this

facehugger99

Kiith wrote: »

i don't see how that's anymore wasted time then someone who watches tv/reads a book.

In my view gaming is more intellectually stimulating that watching tv,due to the interactive nature of it.

Conversely, I'd regard gaming as less intellectually stimulating than reading.

ShadowHearth

I am playing video games since I was 5 and right now I am 34. Never sow it as a waste of time and it took me through some very rough times in my life, made good few friends thanks to it too. What did change, I guess, is taste in gaming and which games I play more now. When I was younger I played everything. Now I prefer games like Stellaris, Satisfactory, Factorio.
I have a family and tried to get my daughter in to gaming. It did not lasted long. She just not in to it. So I am a big child in the house with all consoles, PC's, Lego, gaming related bits and pieces in my separate room just for me.
Being adult is not easy. :pac: 12h shifts at work, 2h commute, working all weekends when the rest of the family always off. When I leave to work everyone is gone ( or still sleeping if it's weekend ) and By the time I come back home everyone is sleeping already, so fire up xbox, put on head phones and play for bit, before passing out. On days off when nobody is at home and I do things I needaround the house etc, then fire up pc. Before everyone comes back I make dinner and then spend time with family. ( If they choose to spend it with me :pac: )
So I don't see it as waste of time. I work a lot and it's hard job, gaming gives me some escapism and relaxes me. It does not interfere with the rest of my life.
A lot of people saying that reading would be better... Well, I have 2h commute for work, so I decided to try Audible. Warhammer 40k universe was always fascinating for me, so decided to start those books. 7 books later I am trying to sort out some time off and try tabletop Warhammer in local "Nerd Den". So hopefully I will add that to my hobby too.

So tl:dr of the whole thing: it's not a waste of time if you manage it and don't put it ahead of everything else.

Kimbot

Im latish 30's and have been playing video games for as long as I remember. I have plenty of other interests so the way I see it is its a form of entertainment, I dont sit and watch TV for hours on end which is what I would compare modern video games to. The only difference is with gaming you are interacting with the story etc.

one armed dwarf

It depends on your relationship with gaming I suppose, if it is a replacement for something which could be more meaningful.

Tbh, I play a huge amount of games (mainly FFXIV and DMC). Enough that would qualify as too much for most people. But I'm also a sufferer of chronic pain and I do find I need that escape when my outlets are so limited. So your situation also matters. For me it's purely about stress mitigation.

I don't buy into what others say about reading being an equally big waste of time. Reading can be good for developing empathy/emotional intelligence. Or just intelligence in general. Gaming I think doesn't really impart anything like this, more often than not it's escapism/distractions.

Although maybe team based multiplayer stuff/MMO can be good for teamwork and leaderships skills, who knows. I'd like to see a study on that tbh.

(I'm 30, if that matters)

pixelburp

Every hobby is ostensibly a waste of time, insofar as it can be argued that it doesn't serve any immediate purpose; but obviously there's more to a hobby that fulfilling a quantifiable purpose. You get folks who sniff at gaming as a child's hobby, while they waste their Saturdays in pubs watching "the match". Swings & Roundabouts. Gaming can be a waste of time however if you spend too much time doing it, or gets in the way of things you probably should be at - but on the latter that's a procrastination problem, not a gaming problem. And suffer from that one myself

I'm 39, and TBH had drifted out from regularly gaming over the last few years; to the extent that I stopped following this forum; it was a combination of a laptop now incapable of running most AA(A) titles, while being recently married, it's not the most social pasttime to engage in either. I'd rather spend my evenings with my wife than hunched in the corner on my 4th hour of Civ5. It's just where my head is at these days.

However, I bought a Switch 'cos I did miss playing indie titles, and kinda wanted the option to game but without hogging the TV and still able to share some social space with my wife. Everyone's happy, with the Switch meaning I can be discreet, fit in an hour or two here & there but still "present".

Where there's a "problem", is that I'm finding that ease of use eating into my time and energy a little, other potential pasttimes falling by the wayside a little. Again I think it's the procrastination factor: gaming is such a zero-energy hobby, whereas all my other hobbies require some mental or physical exertion, thus it has often been a case of going "maybe an hour of Zelda instead". I like writing, yet I don't think I've written anything of note in months.

So like everything else in life, it's a question of balance, and finding the mental equilibrium to invest the right amount of time in the things that make you happiest. Finding that balance is the hard part, and beyond the scope of being an issue of Gaming.

pixelburp

pixelburp wrote: »

Finding that balance is the hard part, and beyond the scope of being an issue of Gaming.

Knew a full time diploma student, not me, who spent most of his non lecture hours playing Dungeons & Dragons and Cyberpunk all the way up to May, when the final exams for the year took place. He ended up doing August repeats too.

PopePalpatine

Nah, for starters there's no way I'd get insured to drive a Skyline GT-R without handing over five figures, and the novelty would wear off quick in Dublin traffic.

Taylor365

I look at the "Games completed this year 2019" thread and wonder how in the name of high holy do people have so much time to finish all those games?

I'd be lucky to finish 1 or 2 a year.




Probably because i play a lot of games with no end :pac: (Football Manager, Project Zomboid, Kerbal Space Program, Starsector).

K.O.Kiki

PsychoPete

I have often blown off social events if a particular game or console was out,herself does the same and often we do it together