What are your before gaming rituals?

I'm curious if anyone else prepares before a game session. I tend to take a half hour walk outside, eat a decent meal, drink plenty of water and bring a water bottle with me while gaming. I find that makes me more capable while playing and reduces stress. If I play more than 3 hours, I tend to stop and take another walk and refill my water. Anyone else do anything similar? Or do you just sit down (or stand) and play whenever you feel like it?

Nothing much, I get something to drink like water or a pepsi and wash my hands so that I don't get my keyboard or controllers dirty. So, yeah, I always need something near to take a sip every once a while. I never eat while gaming. I also try to stretch every few hours if it's a longer session, makes me more awake and I think it's good for your body.

I go get a soda.

i make room for my cat.

I grab a beer.

My one cat already has her pad on the table, and the other often hangs on top of the chair

I put whiskey in a glass near me.

Put the kids to sleep

Wash my hands

I probably have fewer longer gaming sessions than I did when I was in college or in high school. Playing 30 to 60 minutes of Overwatch doesn't really feel like a session, but rather an "I'm gonna do something real quick". It is very rare I play a game for three hours straight without getting interrupted by something, and as such doesn't require a ton of prep work to get comfortable or whatever.

Not really. I mean, I guess the closest thing is just to make a mocha if I have the stuff available to do so.

Turn face down all the family photos and picture of Jesus. Get the jet black gimp suit. Make sure the ibex is watching.

@ripelivejam: That's pretty good! You are a pro.

Scroll through my steam list, wondering why I can't find anything that I want to play. Finally settle on whatever game I always end up going back too regardless of not really being drawn too it. Play it for 1 run/30-45 minutes. Put it down...go do something else. Realize I'd like to play a game, get back on my computer and scroll through my steam list......

Or. Ignore everything, sleep can wait, food can wait. I can hold my bladder for another hour. Must..Play..Game. No I don't care that its 3 am, No I don't care I've been playing for 12 hours of my day. I took the week off for this, I've been waiting for years. I will play this..every last bit of it until I see the ending/the best ending for "Witcher 3, Danganronpa V3, Persona 5,....or whatever the 1 or 2 games that come out each year I actually get a fire under me to play..

So, you know, totally normal addiction behavior.

I put the kids to bed.

• Kids in bed
• Read book (need to finish backlog)
• Read comics (need to finish backlog)
• Write (money good)
• Sometimes do accounting
• Grab a glass of Scotch or Cognac
• Play games!

I play for 3-4 hours before going to bed starting from 10PM so I have a cup of tea to give me some energy because I'm usually pretty tired at that point. Also maybe have a glass of water nearby.

Prepare a snack and a drink that i can slowly consume as i play.

Their quality differ based on the free time i have.

Either coffee or beer/wine depending on the game and time of day.

I used to smoke before almost every gaming session but I've really cut back on the smoking in the past year or two.

@bladededge: I do this as well. ?. It's funny, this weekend my wife will be away. I always get so stoked for those weekends where I can really binge games, but then when the day comes, analysis paralysis hits me hard.

Good. You're the winner.

FYI, I made this thread as kinda a joke. I just wonder sometimes if anyone does anything like I do. I wasn't expecting many serious responses. I do what I do before gaming to keep it a healthy hobby for me at least.

Before CS:GO I wash my hands, take out my gaming mousepad, take a duster can to my keyboard / monitor / mousepad and roll out my chair that gives me better posture. Then I crack open a can of unflavored seltzer water and I’m ready to go.

Half a gallon of mountain dew. 1/3 of that is diet md.

Very important.

I type 0451 ten times whilst humming the Final Fantasy victory music, then high-five my Sonic statue immediately after.

Nah, nothing that serious really. Just a bog-standard animal sacrifice.

Turn the lights off

I have an weird ocd kinda thing where I clap my hands really fast before I do something I like.

Generally now I play games mostly at night, so I do any chores that are needed to prepare for the next day, then get a beer.

Coffee and pot.

I do stretches and fill my water bottle.

Comfy pants man, comfy pants! Got to get in a good pair of sweats before a long session!

I also go for the La Croix bubbly water. I'll more throughout the time as a good way to stretch my legs.

Comfy pants and something to drink! Depending on the time water, sparkling water, coffee, a beer or bourbon. Normally when playing multiplayer games with friends at night I grab a beer or bourbon.

I have nada.

I push the power button and then I sit down.

I sit in a chair and boot up the game. Every half hour I make sure to get up and walk around. Sometimes I get a beverage during one of these breaks.