Gaming Days probably coming to almost an end.

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matmico399
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Gaming Days probably coming to almost an end.

Postby matmico399 » August 9th, 2018, 6:44 pm

Hey Folks,

I have to admit I have been selling off my systems and games as fast as I can. I am 48 and dealing with middle aged life. I just don't find gaming nearly as enjoyable as when I was younger. When I was a kid I frothed at the mouth about the next Atari 2600 game that would be released. I remember particularly waiting for Berzerk to be released on the 2600 as that was my fave arcade game of all time at that point.

I took several years off from gaming and didn't get back into it until my early mid 20's on the Genesis. I luved those old games. And for he last several years I tried to recreate the fun along with modern systems. It worked for awhile but now I have just mainly grown bored to it. It's just not a lot of fun anymore to me. I sold off my 2600, Sega CD, Saturn, Dreamcast, N64, Gamecube and several more. I have kept only my PS2 and 360 along with a Retron and some Flashbacks. The thrill has worn off on me. Maybe the state of modern gaming being so greedy and nostalgia not feeling the way I thought it was.

Gaming had always been a big part of my life but now it disillusions me. I have a few meager cartridges and discs that I play somewhat often. But to me mostly the thrill is gone. Sadly. What a lovely time it was back in the day......

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VideoGameCritic
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Re: Gaming Days probably coming to almost an end.

Postby VideoGameCritic » August 9th, 2018, 10:14 pm

Are you getting good deals selling your stuff? Was it a good investment?

Voor
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Re: Gaming Days probably coming to almost an end.

Postby Voor » August 9th, 2018, 11:20 pm

I feel ya. I’m 38 and I’m in the same boat. The harsh reality is that for me, solo gaming just can’t hold a candle to the joy of playing with family or friends.

There’s a couple of games I’d still like to explore (Earthbound and Okami), but that’s about all I’m interested in.

However, I’m always down for a game of Mario kart and had a blast playing turtles in time with my brother the other day.

BanjoPickles
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Re: Gaming Days probably coming to almost an end.

Postby BanjoPickles » August 10th, 2018, 12:15 am

I’ve been experiencing something similar to this myself. I’m thirty-seven, and any time I boot up a game and invest time into it, I almost get depressed because....well, life just seems to be moving at such an accelerated pace, and I feel like I should be investing that lost time into something more productive, something that will make me a better person, or something that will lead to the creation of great memories. I hate the idea of saying goodbye to a lifelong hobby, but it’s creating this void inside of me in the very places it once filled.

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scotland
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Re: Gaming Days probably coming to almost an end.

Postby scotland » August 10th, 2018, 9:11 am

Voor wrote:I feel ya. I’m 38 and I’m in the same boat. The harsh reality is that for me, solo gaming just can’t hold a candle to the joy of playing with family or friends.

There’s a couple of games I’d still like to explore (Earthbound and Okami), but that’s about all I’m interested in.

However, I’m always down for a game of Mario kart and had a blast playing turtles in time with my brother the other day.


I feel much the same with social vs solo gaming. Worlds apart.

I think its fine and healthy to move on to new interests.

goldenband
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Re: Gaming Days probably coming to almost an end.

Postby goldenband » August 10th, 2018, 12:57 pm

What's staved this off for me is a combination of two things: having specific, defined goals when I play -- for example, beating all the games in a series, or in a certain genre -- and actually logging all my gameplay time. The former puts limits on my play and creates a sense of purpose; the latter makes me accountable.

Both things help to make it seem like the time I spend isn't just written on water. That said, I've definitely lost some motivation this year, for a variety of reasons. But as soon as I get in the groove with the right game, some of that old feeling comes back. It's just hard to get started, sometimes; too many options, and too acute a sense of the passage of time.

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Matchstick
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Re: Gaming Days probably coming to almost an end.

Postby Matchstick » August 10th, 2018, 2:22 pm

goldenband wrote:It's just hard to get started, sometimes; too many options, and too acute a sense of the passage of time.


Oh, I hear that. What little bit of my time isn't taken up by work, family, pets, or the yard is very precious to me. It's hard to justify spending that hour or so of time each day sitting down in front of a TV. In my mind, I think to myself, "Is this really the best I can do? Isn't there something else more important?" It can be fun to waste time, sometimes, and it can help you relax or unwind. Like you said, if you find yourself getting into a groove, and it all just clicks, that's when it becomes time well spent.

Anyway, Judging by the reactions you're getting on here, it seems you have a lot of support, matmico. Good for you! It's always a difficult decision to make, parting with your belongings, especially when they hold an emotional or historical significance for you.

I used to love skateboarding. Growing up in the 80's, it was definitely "the thang" for a while. After enough concussions and broken bones, though, I came to understand that it was time to move along. As much as I skated in my childhood and through high school, I never thought there would be a day when I didn't own a skateboard, or didn't spend nearly every afternoon burning down a sidewalk somewhere, but, well, here we are ^_^

As they say, with age comes wisdom. Sooner or later, we all get to a point in our lives when we realize "you can't take it with you." I think the greatest gift a collector can give is sharing their experiences with a younger generation. If you have kids, or know someone that does, and they take an interest in your hobbies, it's never a bad idea to share what you know.

Many of us here on the VGC forums seem like we have kids or younger family members who have played the games in our collections before. I love these stories! What's the point of having a collection if it just sits on the shelf and never gets used? I have a niece and nephew, myself, and while my wife and I worry that our nephew may play too many games for his age (he's 10, and a prime target for a lot of the marketing out there) he likes playing games on systems older than himself, such as the SNES and N64. His Dad, my brother-in-law, used to share games back and forth, and he currently has around 10 games that my wife and I technically "own." I don't care if I ever get them back, despite what they may be worth on eBay or whatnot. Our nephew and his Dad play them and share the memories together, which, to me, is worth more than any amount of money.

Not saying I don't like money, though - quite the opposite! But in all the times I've thinned out my belongings, through moving or what have you, I've always preferred to find a "good home" for my stuff over straight selling it off. It can be a real challenge, but finding someone who truly wants something of mine, seeing their face light up when they get it, is, to me, a thrill that can't be matched.

At the risk of hijacking your thread, I'll try and wrap this up. I applaud your decision to move on, sir! It can be a difficult thing, letting go, but like a lot of things in life, you know deep inside when the time is right. As scotland said, it's perfectly healthy to move on to new interests in your life. Better to do it now, when you're still young and able enough to make your own decisions about your property. It's a mindset I've tried to follow for years, and while I definitely have more than I really need right now, I've always tried to avoid a life of excess, and consciously strive to keep my belongings to a comfortable minimum. No matter what I do or don't have, one day, sooner or later, it's all going to belong to someone else.
Last edited by Matchstick on August 10th, 2018, 3:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.

jon
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Re: Gaming Days probably coming to almost an end.

Postby jon » August 10th, 2018, 3:10 pm

The developers are what keep me coming. SNK, Nintendo, Sega, etc. I've been playing my FPS football and baseball games like it's 1995. If those companies didn't exist I might barely play video games. If anything, I'm more excited than ever to play video games, with lots of all time great 2d action games, not to mention legendary computer games. Are there really that many better things to do than play video games. If I had Bill Gates money, I'd still play a lot. Maybe it's just the hunger for competition, even if it's against a (in the case of Neo Geo games) rock solid computer. It's all about lifelong devotion to developers.

Voor
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Re: Gaming Days probably coming to almost an end.

Postby Voor » August 10th, 2018, 6:24 pm

goldenband wrote:What's staved this off for me is a combination of two things: having specific, defined goals when I play -- for example, beating all the games in a series, or in a certain genre -- and actually logging all my gameplay time. The former puts limits on my play and creates a sense of purpose; the latter makes me accountable.

Both things help to make it seem like the time I spend isn't just written on water. That said, I've definitely lost some motivation this year, for a variety of reasons. But as soon as I get in the groove with the right game, some of that old feeling comes back. It's just hard to get started, sometimes; too many options, and too acute a sense of the passage of time.


I can relate to this. This is why I enjoy speedrunning so much. You take a game you love, but have beaten 100 times, but learning to develop and implement speedrunning strategies introduces a whole new dynamic.

You can set personal goals, race others, etc. see below fo example:l. My favorites for this are smb3 and super Metroid. But I admit, I have just as much fun watching other better runners than playing myself sometimes.

https://youtu.be/APl7Wk8Nx00

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scotland
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Re: Gaming Days probably coming to almost an end.

Postby scotland » August 10th, 2018, 7:27 pm

Its also been 40+ years since video gaming really took on a good hold. Since many of us grew up gaming, we might feel pressure to keep gaming, and keep up with trends in gaming, etc.

Forget it. Relax and enjoy whatever bit of it still interests you, if at all.

Maybe you have some interest for a small niche of gaming, at least now and again. Spiceware is an Atari 2600 homebrewer, a pretty technical niche. I find myself far more interested in early tech than anything made today. Maybe its to hit a arcade now and again, whatever.


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