Taking a New Approach

So, I’m working to get through my backlog, and, in being a bit more goal oriented in my gaming, I’ve found that…well I’m not very good at being goal-oriented in my gaming.

I’m the kind of gamer who needs to beat every sidequest, whomp every optional boss, get every achievement, explore every nook and freaking cranny of every dialogue option just on the off-chance that there may be a clue to uncover a secret character in the sequel.

This tendency of obsessive completionism just MIGHT be why I have such a large backlog in the first place. It’s a strong maybe, anyway.

I finally realized how bad my in game procrastination had gotten when I started playing more of inFAMOUS (thanks Sony!). I’m going the good-guy route on my first time through with the gravel-voiced Cole. The side quests in inFAMOUS aren’t exactly arduous, they mostly involve chasing something down and zapping it. They take a few minutes at best, and your options for distraction in a quest-sense are usually pretty quickly exhausted. The scope of my illness became apparent to me when I realized that I had been running around the streets of Empire City for over an hour without attempting a single mission! I would go a few steps, feel out the environment with Cole’s radar, and immediately get side-tracked. Oh, look a blast shard! Ok, just one more Dead Drop location and then I’ll start the mission. If that wasn’t bad enough, I realized that I was getting distracted from getting side-tracked from doing the optional missions by all the wounded citizens. I just couldn’t walk by them! I found myself slowly going up and down the streets, healing everyone in sight.

After I’d indulged myself in this bit of neurosis for upwards of half an hour, I abruptly came-to and realized that this was the very reason why I could never finish a damn game. I just get caught up in the on-the-side business. I think it’s because I tend to get overly absorbed in the worlds that these games have to offer. I don’t want the story to end because it feels like I’ll closing the door on all the good times I’ve had in these far-flung corners of universes that don’t really exist. This dallying eventually leaves me bored with various titles. My OCD approach to gaming isn’t doing me any favors. I started playing this way in an attempt to keep the game world alive, but my methodical approach winds up grinding out every last drop of enjoyment for me. The game becomes a chore.

Thinking on the games I haven’t finished, this started to make sense. It took me years to finish the first Mass Effect. I’m still not done with Dragon Age: Origins. I’ve been going through ‘Splosion Man over and over again getting the cake on each level. I stopped playing Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne for over a year because I couldn’t solve the “Puzzle Boy” side-quest. Just thinking about the Metroid Prime Trilogy made me feel exhausted!

I’ve been cheating myself out of a good time lately. I should be thirsting to play the Metroid Prime Trilogy, not dreading it. I need to be more willing to go along for the ride. I need to beat the game, but not into submission. I need to complete games without being a completionist.

This change of heart is really the only way that I’ll ever make a dent in my obscene backlog. Does anyone else have this problem? How have all of you come by your backlogs?

All right, in the spirit of trying to finish what I’ve started I’m actually going to go heal the Arl of Redcliffe in Dragon Age: Origins…after a quick jaunt to Orzammar…

So, I’m working to get through my backlog, and, in being a bit more goal oriented in my gaming, I’ve found that…well I’m not very good at being goal-oriented in my gaming.

I’m the kind of gamer who needs to beat every sidequest, whomp every optional boss, get every achievement, explore every nook and freaking cranny of every dialogue option just on the off-chance that there may be a clue to uncover a secret character in the sequel.

This tendency of obsessive completionism just MIGHT be why I have such a large backlog in the first place. It’s a strong maybe, anyway.

I finally realized how bad my in game procrastination had gotten when I started playing more of inFAMOUS (thanks Sony!). I’m going the good-guy route on my first time through with the gravel-voiced Cole. The side quests in inFAMOUS aren’t exactly arduous, they mostly involve chasing something down and zapping it. They take a few minutes at best, and your options for distraction in a quest-sense are usually pretty quickly exhausted. The scope of my illness became apparent to me when I realized that I had been running around the streets of Empire City for over an hour without attempting a single mission! I would go a few steps, feel out the environment with Cole’s radar, and immediately get side-tracked. Oh, look a blast shard! Ok, just one more Dead Drop location and then I’ll start the mission. If that wasn’t bad enough, I realized that I was getting distracted from getting side-tracked from doing the optional missions by all the wounded citizens. I just couldn’t walk by them! I found myself slowly going up and down the streets, healing everyone in sight.

After I’d indulged myself in this bit of neurosis for upwards of half an hour, I abruptly came-to and realized that this was the very reason why I could never finish a damn game. I just get caught up in the on-the-side business. I think it’s because I tend to get overly absorbed in the worlds that these games have to offer. I don’t want the story to end because it feels like I’ll closing the door on all the good times I’ve had in these far-flung corners of universes that don’t really exist. This dallying eventually leaves me bored with various titles. My OCD approach to gaming isn’t doing me any favors. I started playing this way in an attempt to keep the game world alive, but my methodical approach winds up grinding out every last drop of enjoyment for me. The game becomes a chore.

Thinking on the games I haven’t finished, this started to make sense. It took me years to finish the first Mass Effect. I’m still not done with Dragon Age: Origins. I’ve been going through ‘Splosion Man over and over again getting the cake on each level. I stopped playing Shin Megami Tensei: Nocturne for over a year because I couldn’t solve the “Puzzle Boy” side-quest. Just thinking about the Metroid Prime Trilogy made me feel exhausted!

I’ve been cheating myself out of a good time lately. I should be thirsting to play the Metroid Prime Trilogy, not dreading it. I need to be more willing to go along for the ride. I need to beat the game, but not into submission. I need to complete games without being a completionist.

This change of heart is really the only way that I’ll ever make a dent in my obscene backlog. Does anyone else have this problem? How have all of you come by your backlogs?

All right, in the spirit of trying to finish what I’ve started I’m actually going to go heal the Arl of Redcliffe in Dragon Age: Origins…after a quick jaunt to Orzammar…

Backlog usually comes not from doing too many side quests, but rather buying new games before you've finished the ones you have. I realized a while back that I was buying games for the sake if buying games rather than playing through and enjoying the ones I have. And no one outside of game reviewers, kids and hermit millionaire nerds have the time to play all the blockbusters when they arrive. Still, there is something to be said for maybe avoiding meningless side stuff with no benefit.

Still, at the end of the day I've come to the conclusion that whatever game I want to play at any given time I'll play that and enjoy my time with that. I'll get to the other games in due time if at all. The ones that can usually holds my attention through it all.