1)To say fuck it and commit to a video games means playing an MMO that I actually get something out of for the amount of time I put into it. Flat rate per month, generally cheaper than buying other video games.2)Otherwise I would buy/download games and mess around with them and paying alot more money most likely.Option 1 is fine, but then I am playing an MMO. Which generally means that I feel compelled to play the game, will ignore the real world more and, eventually, actually plan my time around the game.Option 2 is fine, but its a complete waste of time. Nothing I do with this option will get me anything for my time other than general entertainment which I also get from option 1. Its more expensive, and you have to rely on a good game that you want to play actually being there to get.With general blanket statements this is my problem that I have. I am stuck in between college and the real world where I still want to play games, have to commit to the real world, and know all the downsides of playing video games in the first place.[Edited on August 2, 2009 at 6:48 PM. Reason : sdfg]
8/2/2009 6:46:15 PM
if i'm reading your post right, i have a similar problem.i really don't like the time/money that mmos require, but i'm pretty much uninterested in single player games. i could see myself getting into something like madden, except i refuse to buy a newgen console.
8/2/2009 7:19:11 PM
8/2/2009 7:57:36 PM
I disagree with the OP. Anyone who is willing to pay for MMOs usually goes enough months that the fees equal more than paying a one time price for a console game. Buying a used game from Play n Trade or Game Stop for $35 that you end up playing every once in a while over an extended period of time is way better then a monthly fee where you feel obligated to keep playing and it takes away from the rest of life. With the console game you can use it on your own schedule for as many years as you want.I still boot up the N64 to play Mario Kart and Goldeneye, both of which were great investments that I never had to pay for again.
8/2/2009 8:15:08 PM
i felt the same way back when i used to play wow. although, even though you are getting "returns" for your time, eventually you'll quit, and gone go those fictitious goods. I feel much better about life having a few games (mostly FPS style games) that i can pick up and play whenever, and not feel like i "have to spend a lot of time" in that game. because some days are laze around and play video games all day, and some days are go out and be social, or get some work done days. Better to just have games where you aren't obligated to play on certain days and screw up your schedule.
8/2/2009 8:18:28 PM
i tend to only purchase games with high replay value. i don't have the patience/attention span to sit and play a game for hours on end any more. so i'll either play halo with a friend of mine over xbox live or forza or some other goof around in a sandbox type of game. as long as its something that i can start and stop without much consequence.
8/2/2009 8:27:52 PM
maybe play a console rpg? it sucks having to waste so much time on an MMO to "accomplish" anything interesting.i'm in the same boat you are and will most likely end up reactivating XBL and just playing halo 3 and whatever else I have/feel like buying.
8/2/2009 8:53:25 PM
I had this problem, plus I was tired of games being shit. I got Gamefly and its been pretty decent for me. I used to play an MMO, but...yeah, fuck that. I enjoy having a life.With gamefly, you just keep it for however long as you want and then just send it back when you're done. I've run into the problem where I want to get the max out of my monthly fee, so I'll play a game for a little bit and then send it off before finishing it. Did that with Saints Row, Assassin's Creed, and another game I think. However, it has saved me from some real, real bad eggs that I might've considered buying had I not rented first (the new Prince of Persia, Assassin's Creed) and games that I would've never played again after beating it once (The Force Unleashed). I'm starting to learn to enjoy the game as much as I can . I figure if I get it in my head to send the game back, then I probably wouldn't have really enjoyed it that much anyway. And if you do really like the game, you can buy it for fairly cheap - especially considering the many $5 off coupons they give you. Shipping times suck, yeah, but then they know it does and are trying to make it better (or at least it seems).
8/2/2009 9:34:45 PM
It's pretty easy to be successful in an MMO while still having a life. As long as you only play that one, and don't play any other games...and you're willing to pick a certain part of the MMO that you want to concentrate on.
8/3/2009 2:24:24 AM
so what exactly are you getting out of a MMO that is useful and justifies a monthly fee?
8/3/2009 9:01:09 AM
I dont understand this thread.You are worried about recieving something in return for your time/money investment on video games?Since when is that expected? Its an entertainment hobby. The return is entertainment while playing. It doesnt matter the genre or price. They entertain you when you play, they dont entertain you when you dont play.
8/3/2009 9:04:50 AM
I developed a similar sentiment towards games when I was raiding long ago. Non-MMOs didn't give me any sense of accomplishment, and for a while I lost all motivation to play them. I didn't want to try any new ones because I knew I'd be paying $50 for something I could get maybe 20 hours out of (whereas, for $15 a month I could literally fill all my free time with playing and not get tired of it).
8/3/2009 9:35:21 AM
I was talking about cost, 3-4 months = $60[Edited on August 3, 2009 at 9:40 AM. Reason : depending on your plan, of course][Edited on August 3, 2009 at 9:41 AM. Reason : maybe its supposed to be more like 4-5, but still]
8/3/2009 9:40:42 AM
this thread baffles me...i think without reading every single word i agree with ThePeterI like playing games on my 360, I watched a streaming Netflix movie this weekend, as well as some other flick off a removable HDD...MMOs on the other hand aren't really my thing
8/3/2009 9:44:57 AM
I don't get this thread. To the OP, grow up and fulfill your responsibilities, then do whatever the hell you want during your free time, video games or not.I play WoW. I'm not in a 25man raiding guild. I have a fucking blast running 10mans and heroics and getting titles and shit. Uh-oh! I'm able to play and have a life at the same time.Going to the Durham science museum with my wife and daughter on Saturday. Guess I'll miss that 25man PUG I was invited to. Shucks.The bottom line is each person defines their enjoyment on whatever they're doing. Plenty of people get absorbed into games that aren't MMOs and fuck up their lives. Plenty of people get absorbed into toy trains and fuck up their lives. Or other hobbies.
8/3/2009 11:28:42 AM
8/3/2009 11:32:39 AM
If you cant balance your time, then remove the item that is taking all of your time up out of your life.Thats what I had to do with WoW. Couldnt balance the time in a way that was beneficial to me, so I cut it out all together.Im certainly not crying about all my 'investment' being lost though.
8/3/2009 11:38:22 AM
You should try joining a clan for a competitive game. While you may not fill your materialistic need for "lewtz", time invested still shows improvement. You can buy one game and play the fuck out of it. Whenever you are bored, you can pub it or play a different game without feeling guilty about the monthly fee.You never feel obligated to play for any other reason than improving your skills and team. I'd recommend CS, DoD, UT, Halo3, or CoD4.
8/3/2009 11:46:00 AM
^^That was obliquely my point. I'm not trying to call someone a pussy if they can't handle WoW and the rest of their life. Some people (my younger self included) enjoy MMOs too much to easily put it down and handle the rest of their shit. It is a lot easier for me to pause a console game and step away than WoW. But it became easier when I decided my family comes first. Even if I'm raid pulling if my family needs me it's /quit time. I found a guild that respects this and it's working out well.It also helps if your wife is into WoW as well. If you do this, make sure that you make an alt that you only play with her. I had a problem with out-leveling her and this made it less fun for her. Now I have a character that only logs on when she does and it's fun.[Edited on August 3, 2009 at 11:46 AM. Reason : .]
8/3/2009 11:46:26 AM
8/3/2009 12:40:21 PM
depends on the game type.
8/3/2009 1:40:29 PM
I never had enough fun playing an MMO to make it worth the time and money.Sure, you can play it for a long time, but it's never as much fun playing it as a well designed single player game or a multiplayer competitive game.
8/3/2009 2:53:16 PM
I have to strongly disagree with that. But obviously everyone shares different opinions.[Edited on August 3, 2009 at 2:58 PM. Reason : ]
8/3/2009 2:58:18 PM
At least Mafia Wars is free
8/3/2009 3:17:07 PM
The problem with mmo pvp is class balance. Honestly, I would recommend the OP check out GW or warhammer online.The problem with those two is more that its too late in the game to join. Guild wars 2 will be the shit, though. They can't possibly fuck it up.
8/3/2009 3:47:43 PM
But reallywhat is the last game you got and you played it and thought, man this shit is perfect, they fucked nothing up.Personally I have to go back to Metroid Prime on the cube
8/3/2009 4:00:47 PM
If I were to buy a single player game, beat it, and buy another to fill that time, I would be spending anywhere from 60-100 bucks a month.Certain games come with certain replay values. MMOs have a ton, Crysis has very little. So, assuming I dont download all my games, and I dont sign up for gamefly(because they only have console games) non MMO games are more expensive.Example: Right now.I have beaten or played the hell out of every game I own TF2, HL, Crysis etc etc(Mass Effect <3).So I have a decision to make, get on the MMO bandwagon (EVE), or go download/spend money on another game for about 1-2 weeks worth of time killer. Zombiegames.net has been rather enjoyable for all of 2 days (and good training for the zombie invasion). Even messed with facebook games. Restaurant city ftw!Literally, 30% of the issue right now is there is no obvious game that I am like BOUGHT, DONE, GO TIME! Example: Halflife 3, next Halo, ext. The games that you have to buy. Let me flesh this out VIA Google DocumentsAS YOU CAN SEE HERE!I feel retarded for even having this problem. I guess this is why people drink to fill there afternoons....or something.Anyone got some good suggestions?
8/3/2009 7:19:58 PM
The reality of video games is that you get nothing from them in the long term. In the end you're going to stop playing. All the hours you sunk into it are gone. They cost money and detract from IRL social interaction. If you're willing to accept all this then it doesn't really matter what you play as long as you're getting enjoyment from it and you are able to keep from over indulging. IMO the evils of MMOs are their highly addictive nature. To me and many others, they are like crack, and very hard to put down. I played WoW in extreme excess for a while before I woke up and realized I'd lost about 3 years of my 20s. However, if you play casually, and only spend a few(10-15) hours a week playing, the content can last for a long time.Just don't poopsock that shit!
8/3/2009 8:36:25 PM
Buy some long term & moddable single player games.Get Fallout 3 and Empire: Total War (and the previous games, Medieval 2: Total War and Oblivion).
8/3/2009 8:44:10 PM
Lets see, you value community and lots of game-time, but you don't want to pay a lot of money.May I suggest you step back from video games for a moment and consider something even nerdier, but far more fulfilling and social:
8/3/2009 9:41:35 PM
^In that same thread, you could honestly try MTGO. Never ending, ranges from very casual to world-class competitive, insane community, but (assumingly) without the addictiveness of an MMO. Cost is pretty high though.The last game I played (probably the very last game I ever played on PC) was Jedi Outcast II: Jedi Academy or w/e. It had a really good community and a wide range of play styles. Its like 5-7 years old at this point though[Edited on August 3, 2009 at 11:12 PM. Reason : clarify]
8/3/2009 11:10:26 PM
^ in the last couple of days I looked back at the standard mtg format, put together what I thought might be a competitive deck, looked up what all the singles would cost, and without sideboard I was looking at $300.Somehow I thought since it had been years since I last played it would somehow seem cheaper these days.
8/4/2009 12:06:15 AM
Haha, damn. I don't play it, so I didn't know prices were still that high
8/4/2009 12:08:25 AM
Dont step to MTG unless you're committedOtherwise I'll have to wreck your ass like I did to all those other fools in that thread
8/4/2009 12:12:14 AM
That is the damn rub. It is not worth it unless you are committed. It is not worth it to be committed.
8/4/2009 12:26:35 AM
[Edited on August 4, 2009 at 1:53 AM. Reason : lol]
8/4/2009 1:49:52 AM
I fully understand the importance of video games in today's economy and society. But is it somehow wrong that I don't play them? Video games really do seem like a colossal waste of time--but I waste time watching TV, too, and doing other meaningless things (posting here?).And it's not just an age thing. from what I gather, a lot of people in their thirties, forties, and beyond play video games these days: FWIW, back in the day, Tempest was my favorite video game: I realize that this probably seems like crayon compared to today's 3-D games.
8/4/2009 3:14:41 AM
meh be good at games then sell your shit when you're done :xhad my hunter for about a year in wow then sold it for 800 ...~200 investment , 600 return
8/4/2009 4:25:41 AM
I wish I had dumped my rogue or TF gnome when I had the chance...
8/4/2009 7:20:35 AM
Here's another thought, what's the cost of playing an MMO or console game compared to other forms of entertainment?I hate making assumptions but lets assume you already have some of the basic equipment (tv, computer, internet connection, etc). Console Games: You have to pony up the cost of the console itself before you can do anything. That's $200+ right there for anything new. Then you have to get something to play. You can either spend the ~$60 on a game that you will own (Just randomly pulled the price of Madden 10 from Gamestop), or pay $23/mo to rent unlimited titles from Gamefly. I can't remember, but I also think you have to pay a monthly subscription cost for some console's online services.MMOs: This one is tricky, because while almost everyone in their 20s has a computer, not everyone's computer can run a MMO. WoW is at this point very flexible as to system requirements, however laptops w/o dedidated graphics hardware will still have trouble. EVE didn't even run on non-Windows machines until last year. Those are just two examples. So like console gaming, you could potentially factor in the cost of a new machine, what else? In WoW's case, you've gotta buy the game, and if you're really into it the expansions. That's ~$45 every year and a half. Then you gotta pay the subscription, which is $15 a month.Watching TV: One could do this for free using the resources at hand; broadcast tv, the internet, hulu, and piracy. However I'd be willing to bet most tv-watching enthusiasts will pay for cable. If you get digital cable and a dvr that's about $60/mo. If you want hbo, shotime, or order movies its more.Going to the movies: Lets say you go to a movie once a week. At ~$9 a pop, that's $36/mo.Renting Movies: You can redbox that shit for $1/night (right lafta?). Netflix for a month is $9, but you gotta be patient and plan ahead. OnDemand I tried to group with cable, but that's $4-5 a movie. Drinking at a Bar: Gotta make a bunch of assumptions on this, so please feel free to impose your own drinking habits on this example. You could go out once a week and have 3-4 drinks at the bar with friends. Depending on what you're drinking, which night you go out and what specials are available, your costs can vary greatly. Including a tip, if you tip, $2 beers could let you escape paying around $10. $4 drinks will put you closer to $20+. So in one month of going out once a week drinking, you're out at least $40, if not a whole lot more. So to sum up all those words, I've raked from least to greatest the above on their per month cost, ignoring the initial investment:RedboxNetflixMMOsGameflyGoing to a movieDrinking once a weekCableHowever, out of all of those, only Cable, Gamefly, and MMOs let you have complete access to that form of entertainment for the entire month. The others have restrictions.*shrug*Just food for thought. These are just simple examples that I pulled out of my ass while drinking my morning coffee.[Edited on August 4, 2009 at 8:55 AM. Reason : .]
8/4/2009 8:52:47 AM
8/4/2009 8:53:44 AM
Seriously though - if you like MMOs, you'll like DnD. It offers that same productive feeling: "I'm gaming, but I'm also advancing my character". The players handbook and ddi character builder (a necessity for newbs) are available via torrents; the only investment you need make is a $5 set of dice.
8/4/2009 9:04:33 AM
8/4/2009 9:13:38 AM
I just don't think that gaining fulfillment and video games are mutually exclusive. It would help if you defined fulfillment.Is it what your kids or grandkids will care about in 40 years? Why would my grandkids give a shit about the IRL social interaction I'm having right now as opposed to video games? That's the thing, fulfillment means different things to different people. So stating that video games are counter to *your* fulfillment is valid. But not everyone's fulfillment is determined by spending every waking moment having IRL social interaction or preparing for said IRL social interaction. Some of us can relax, do what we enjoy and still have great and fulfilling lives filled with people that we love. And frag some bitches on the side.
8/4/2009 9:34:36 AM
8/4/2009 11:43:24 AM
8/4/2009 11:57:29 AM
Yes those are my words. But again, I listed two negative aspects of playing video games. No where in that statement did I say social interaction is better than playing video games. All I did was offer examples of what you give up while you're playing a video game. I could have used another example besides social interaction. It's just that, an example. You're not saying anything about the other example in that sentence; costing money. Why? I don't hate video games. Actually I love them. I'm just trying to play devils advocate. Ask any of my friends, especially HockeyRoman, and they'll tell you I'm a big game nut. But the reason I'm playing the hater in this argument is because for some people, not all, it's easy to go too far. Same thing with drinking, smoking, exercise, tv, food, etc. Do something you enjoy, but do it in balance with the rest of your life. Make smart choices. We're all allowed a vice or two, just don't let it take over your life. It sounds like you have a very healthy attitude and approach toward the hobby, and for that I'm really glad! I wish everyone was as even-keeled as you
8/4/2009 12:24:48 PM
OH GOD, SOAP BOX WANTS ITS THREAD BACK
8/4/2009 3:22:08 PM
speaking of games, i think, and this is slightly odd even to me that a online game of some sort could be a means of bonding with the more remote members of my family, mostly the cousins, (i'm the oldest).i'd really rather not play wow but am not against the genera. what sort of games (mmo's or other, would you guys recommend? d&do?
8/4/2009 3:27:29 PM
Setting up an online game w/ friends and family is difficult. All parties need to own the game, own the hardware, and set up times to play. Even then, with MMOs its difficult to keep everyone on the same pace of leveling. Your better off inviting ppl over for Mario Kart.
8/4/2009 4:01:02 PM