Trying to Get Back into "Stamina" Gaming

So I get it, I'm getting older. Wife, two kids, busy job...but I want to get back into hardcore gaming. But with all the amazing content that's available, it's just total overload. I have the ability to get all the great games, on all the consoles, but I seem to be enjoying the purchase more than the playing...and I'm scared I'm just wasting money for a dream of free time that I'll never achieve.

Then to make it worse, when I get the time, I lose interest after maybe 45 minutes or so. I even joined this site to help to help re-dedicate my interest in the hobby. I mean for these dudes it's a career, and they don't have the time to play and dedicate time to enjoying everything.

Anyway, I know there will be common suggestions such as - start slow, ramp up, try to dig deeper into each game and increase the amount of your gaming sessions over time.

Holy crap I sound like an OCD person with ADD. GB...can you help??

It's the same old story, you either have enough money but no time or plenty of time and no money. I have the time and the motivation, but i dont have the money to buy all the games i want. Thank god for free to play games like lol and tribes:ascend!

@Casey25: Exactly, thanks man. But I do try and make the time, I just want to figure out how to dig in and get lost in a game like I used to. Playing games while pausing every once in a while to check email / twitter on my phone means I'm probably not focusing well...

Maybe turn your phone off during Game Time, or whatever. If you're getting distracted that easily, maybe the game you're playing isn't all that engaging, anyway. Switch it up until you find a game that really grips you.

I have the same problem with not wanting to play games really and I have plenty of free time.

When I do end up playing games lately it's either street fighter or marvel vs capcom because I'm trying to level up my game.

With non competitive games I seem to lose interest a lot of the time. Maybe try something that you can notice yourself getting better at so it's more rewarding like a rhythm, Fighting, or racing game.

Even things like geo wars are fun for that because you can see your score get better with time.

The worst thing you can do is force yourself to play games for hours on end when you don't want to. It sounds like you might be getting burnt out on them.

I hate gaming's focus on releasing all big titles at pretty much the same time, they say its to increase spending for the holidays but honestly I would actually buy more video games a year if they were spread out more. This holiday season I've already got Borderlands 2, RE6, and AC3 with Halo 4 next week and that is likely it for a couple months.

And I'm passing on X-Com, Dishonored, Forza, and Black Ops 2 not because I don't want them or can't afford them I just can't play them. Spread it out over a couple months instead of one month and that would have been another $240 I'd have shelled out this year on gaming had I been able too. Now they're not going to see my money because they feel the need to compete with one another not getting out of each others way like the movie industry does. And isn't this what its all about making money?

LOL FIRST WORLD PROBLEMS

@believer258 said:

The worst thing you can do is force yourself to play games for hours on end when you don't want to. It sounds like you might be getting burnt out on them.

This, this, this. Whichever way you spin it, "stamina gaming" sounds like an awful concept to me. If you lose interest after 45 minutes, then you've still played a full 45 minutes. I wouldn't call that bad at all. Gaming, much like anything, is to be taken in moderation. If you want to stop playing the game, just stop. There will be more time tomorrow to play, and you won't be forcing yourself to do anything you don't feel like.

Playing an hour or so and then stopping to go do something else is healthier anyway. When you're addicted to video gaming, and can't seem to stop playing even though you've just accumulated hours upon hours of playing games in a single stretch, that's when you're burdened with a real problem, not the other way around.

It seems to me, however, that your problem is not so much that you can't play video games for extended periods of time, but rather that you haven't got the time in your life to relax and stop thinking about work or the plights of family life. In that case, I can't really estimate what your situation is like with the demanding nature of your work and such, but try and get some more personal time to do with what you want. Take a couple of days off, maybe. In any case, don't force yourself to do anything your mind tells you it doesn't really want to do, i.e. keep on playing after those 45 minutes have passed. Otherwise, playing games will turn into a chore. Video game journalists have a reason for playing so many games they start feeling like work, but nobody else does. Just go with what you feel like doing at that moment.

I think you should only play games that really interest you. If you regularly follow Giant Bomb or other gaming media, it's easy to get caught up in this whole "Oh, this game looks awesome! This one too! And this one! Look at that shit! ASKJDHFKLJHASF" rat race. I find myself better served by really narrowing down what I want and sticking to that. That's how I grew up with games. I only got a new one every so often, so I played the hell out of each one. I made sure that each of my purchases was something I really wanted.

Other than that, I'm not sure. Maybe you need to turn your phone off.

@RAMBO604 said:

I hate gaming's focus on releasing all big titles at pretty much the same time, they say its to increase spending for the holidays but honestly I would actually buy more video games a year if they were spread out more. This holiday season I've already got Borderlands 2, RE6, and AC3 with Halo 4 next week and that is likely it for a couple months.

And I'm passing on X-Com, Dishonored, Forza, and Black Ops 2 not because I don't want them or can't afford them I just can't play them. Spread it out over a couple months instead of one month and that would have been another $240 I'd have shelled out this year on gaming had I been able too. Now they're not going to see my money because they feel the need to compete with one another not getting out of each others way like the movie industry does. And isn't this what its all about making money?

I don't understand the mentality of wanting to get every release on day 1. It won't kill anybody to wait a few months or so after the fact. You will even save some dough by the time you get to playing.

@Oscar__Explosion said:

@RAMBO604 said:

I hate gaming's focus on releasing all big titles at pretty much the same time, they say its to increase spending for the holidays but honestly I would actually buy more video games a year if they were spread out more. This holiday season I've already got Borderlands 2, RE6, and AC3 with Halo 4 next week and that is likely it for a couple months.

And I'm passing on X-Com, Dishonored, Forza, and Black Ops 2 not because I don't want them or can't afford them I just can't play them. Spread it out over a couple months instead of one month and that would have been another $240 I'd have shelled out this year on gaming had I been able too. Now they're not going to see my money because they feel the need to compete with one another not getting out of each others way like the movie industry does. And isn't this what its all about making money?

I don't understand the mentality of wanting to get every release on day 1. It won't kill anybody to wait a few months or so after the fact. You will even save some dough by the time you get to playing.

Yeah exactly. It is totally worth waiting on the games you aren't super excited for. I haven't bought Borderlands 2, or Sleeping Dogs or Max Payne 3 just because I know stuff like the steam sale at Christmas or next year during the slow season prices will drop and I can buy them if I want to.

@Oscar__Explosion said:

@RAMBO604 said:

I hate gaming's focus on releasing all big titles at pretty much the same time, they say its to increase spending for the holidays but honestly I would actually buy more video games a year if they were spread out more. This holiday season I've already got Borderlands 2, RE6, and AC3 with Halo 4 next week and that is likely it for a couple months.

And I'm passing on X-Com, Dishonored, Forza, and Black Ops 2 not because I don't want them or can't afford them I just can't play them. Spread it out over a couple months instead of one month and that would have been another $240 I'd have shelled out this year on gaming had I been able too. Now they're not going to see my money because they feel the need to compete with one another not getting out of each others way like the movie industry does. And isn't this what its all about making money?

I don't understand the mentality of wanting to get every release on day 1. It won't kill anybody to wait a few months or so after the fact. You will even save some dough by the time you get to playing.

Pretty much this, unless it's a game a bunch of my other friends are getting and I want to play with them/talk to them about it (XCOM for me) or it's a game I'm super hyped for, I don't mind waiting at all for a couple months until the next steam sale or something.

Lately, I find myself wanting to watch people play games far more often than I want to play them. That's how I came across Giantbomb in the first place. I've been pretty up front with people about the fact that the only games this generation that have spurred me into buying them have been the NBA 2K series and Rockstar games. I dabbled in some other games, like the first two Uncharteds and latest Madden and NCAA games via PSN, but I've come away disappointed by them. Killzone 2 was satisfactory but I traded it in after I beat the SP and a few weeks of multi-play. Same with the first Modern Warfare.

I owe a lot of thanks to PS+, since it let me play Just Cause 2 (which I sort of burned out on maybe a third of the way through, but still jump in every few weeks for an hour or two) and Outland (another game I give about a half hour a week) for free, and I never would have tried them otherwise.

I miss my Gamefly subscription, though the only game I remember trying with it is Assassin's Creed.

@brewcity said:

I do try and make the time, I just want to figure out how to dig in and get lost in a game like I used to. Playing games while pausing every once in a while to check email / twitter on my phone means I'm probably not focusing well...

It sounds like the problem is really that you're just getting distracted. There's some chance it might just be that the game/games you're playing aren't too enthralling, in which case you'll just have to stick with them until they get better (if they get better), or try other games. If you're really not sure what to play and want to ease yourself back into things then play a game that has some degree of familiarity to you or you believe you'll be really into. It's possible that you're also just tired, lack of sleep can be hugely detrimental for your attention span, even for things you want to be interested in. It may be that you've got other important matters on your mind but I doubt that's the issue, if it is you'll just have to deal with what you can deal with during the day and learn to shut it out during your free time.

I suspect the issue is that you're just distracted by your phone though. It's easy to get into the habit of repeatedly checking that kind of thing but just turn it off, leave it somewhere and make sure you don't have anything similar around you while you play like a PC or a Blackberry. Best of luck dude.

@Oscar__Explosion said:

@RAMBO604 said:

I hate gaming's focus on releasing all big titles at pretty much the same time, they say its to increase spending for the holidays but honestly I would actually buy more video games a year if they were spread out more. This holiday season I've already got Borderlands 2, RE6, and AC3 with Halo 4 next week and that is likely it for a couple months.

And I'm passing on X-Com, Dishonored, Forza, and Black Ops 2 not because I don't want them or can't afford them I just can't play them. Spread it out over a couple months instead of one month and that would have been another $240 I'd have shelled out this year on gaming had I been able too. Now they're not going to see my money because they feel the need to compete with one another not getting out of each others way like the movie industry does. And isn't this what its all about making money?

I don't understand the mentality of wanting to get every release on day 1. It won't kill anybody to wait a few months or so after the fact. You will even save some dough by the time you get to playing.

For big titles I like to play them when they're part of the conversation. For most things I do wait, but the experience always feels cheapened playing something huge out of the zeitgeist for it. Forza for example I'd love to buy it now but yeah there is no time for it and I will likely pick it up later when cheaper, there is no surprises in that title no expectations or fervor for it so its a non issue. Borderlands 2 I picked up because if I waited who the hell is going to be playing it six months down the road to do co-op with, that is a in the moment title.

Most things I buy day 1 are franchises that I am deeply invested in, this time of year dumps all of those. Assassin's Creed 3 and Halo 4 for example I have been waiting 5 years for a proper Halo sequel and 3 for AC, why when they're out would I want to wait a few months to experience them when its already been so long? Most multiplayer games too if you're not there right off the bat you might as well never play it. You're either going to be so far away from everyone else in terms of skill or the player base has moved on to the new hot game.

@brewcity: I hear ya man, I've been in a similar boat for several years. Games are supposed to be fun, it's ok if you don't enjoy them anymore. So don't force yourself.

personally I don't think it's the age, it's the added responsibilities and stress. If you are like me it's hard to relax your mind to be able to jam long sessions often. There's too much I know i'm supposed to be doing.

That being said, it does sound like your main problem (and probably affects other aspects of your life as well) is that you don't unplug. When I'm off work my work phone and email is off. I recommend it, it helps actually my productivity at work too as I don't wear myself down too much. If you never take breaks from the world it will wear you out. and I think your family will appreciate having your undivided attention.

As far as games go, I find shorter games and co-op, multiplayer work better for me in general now. I use it as a way to keep in touch with old friends which allows me to basically do two things at once, which is an easier sell to myself. It also focuses me more on the game.

@brewcity: Hey man, i hear ya. I'm in the same boat. Wife, kids, job..

Do what I do, aim for quality over quantity when it comes to games. I buy 1-2 long games at a time and then I invest a ton of time into them over the course of a few months. And by ton of time, i mean about 1-2 hours a night after the kids go to bed. I tend to beat the game, then try to S rank it. Or, for battlefield 3, I just play a few rounds a night and then go to bed.

The last two games I bought were DarkSiders 2 and Warhammer 40k Space Marine. I intend on beating them when I can and replaying them until I can get something else.

With with the sentiment that if you get bored after 45 minutes don't force yourself. If it has to be forced it's not worth doing.

@sear said:

@brewcity: @brewcity said:

But with all the amazing content that's available,

Wait, you mean recently? Like what, interactive movies that you can literally play blindfolded simply by mashing the controller aimlessly, and pretentious indie games built on gimmicks that can barely eke out 1 hour of gameplay before falling back on repetitive filler and chiptune soundtracks?

Gaming blows chunks these days, just grab the one or two titles worth getting each year, for you, when they go on sale on Steam or in the bargain bin. Save your money and time, it's just not worth it.

I'd like to see someone play X-Com or Dishonored or Sleeping Dogs while blindfolded and mashing the controller aimlessly.

I think you should look into handhelds and see if anything appeals to you, they have a lot of great games that are just as enjoyable in short bursts as they are in long stretches. It's not the speediest process but I've gone through a handful of games by playing something like half an hour of DS before I go to bed.

All awesome advice guys. Of course I'm not practicing what I'm preaching because I ran out and bought ACIII on release day and am going to try to hold off on Halo 4 but the early reviews are pretty tempting. Also - wanted to express my sincere appreciation for you all chiming in and offering suggestions on how to get through this dilemma. I'll work on shutting off the phone, letting the games absorb me on my own time, and not overextending myself if I don't enjoy it. I'm at swimming lessons for my son right now but when I get home I just want to get a giant Mountain Dew, a pile of junk food, and go all out. This community rocks...gamer for life. Thanks again.

@Oscar__Explosion said:

@RAMBO604 said:

I hate gaming's focus on releasing all big titles at pretty much the same time, they say its to increase spending for the holidays but honestly I would actually buy more video games a year if they were spread out more. This holiday season I've already got Borderlands 2, RE6, and AC3 with Halo 4 next week and that is likely it for a couple months.

And I'm passing on X-Com, Dishonored, Forza, and Black Ops 2 not because I don't want them or can't afford them I just can't play them. Spread it out over a couple months instead of one month and that would have been another $240 I'd have shelled out this year on gaming had I been able too. Now they're not going to see my money because they feel the need to compete with one another not getting out of each others way like the movie industry does. And isn't this what its all about making money?

I don't understand the mentality of wanting to get every release on day 1. It won't kill anybody to wait a few months or so after the fact. You will even save some dough by the time you get to playing.

Not everyone wants to listen to every talk about the game? No one really wants to wait? Even if they don't mind doing it to save some money? Not everyone needs to squeeze five dollars out of every, or even any purchase? Plenty of reasons exist. For me, there aren't any reasons to wait really. I don't give a damn about price, because I like paying for what I'm getting, not searching for the cheapest way possible to get it. I do like to play a game while it's fresh so I don't just hear everything about it. More people are playing it, you can get bonuses, etc.

If you can't afford it, fine. But if you can, why fuckin wait just to save a few dollars? That always comes off as "I'm 25 and live with my parents" or "Why the fuck should I PAY to be ENTERTAINED?" when I hear it from anyone who doesn't honestly have money issues to the extent of not being able to afford things.

@sear: Why are you even on this site? Jesus, you should just go live in a gaming hole if you hate the industry so much. There are PLENTY of awesome games coming out. Don't whine, it's unfavorable.

I have run into a similar situation this summer. I had my first full time job, plenty of money, but no time. I basically just started cherry picking the games that I buy, and dedicate my time to play them. For example this fall my two big buys have been xcom and borderlands 2. I plan to get some of the other big titles like AC2 eventually, but for now these two games are my focus.

Also maybe try playing games that are good in short bursts? This past summer I played a lot of league of legends. Its a fun game, difficult to master, and plenty of variety. The best part is each game is about 45 mins to and hour, so even if you only get one game in it is usually a satisfying experience.