I can't stop reading spoilers, and it is ruining games for me

[laggyteabag]

I can't stop reading spoilers, and it is ruining games for me.

Whenever I play a game, I need to know what is happening next.

If I am playing a linear game, I will want to know what mission I am on, and how long is left.

If I am playing an open world game, I will want to know where all of the side missions are.

Most annoyingly, If I am playing a game where some kind of critical choice needs to be made - ie, save character A, or save character B - I will find myself reading extensively into the consequences of each, so that I can make the best informed decision, but in most cases, that just ends up making these decisions less impactful, and I just end up spoiling critical plot points further down the line.

The problem with this, is that I am just losing the mystery in a lot of games.

I remember back when I played Mass Effect 1 a few years ago, and I spent about 30 minutes, wracking my brain, deciding with myself about whether or not I wanted to save Kaiden or Ashley, but when I played Mass Effect 2, I followed an exact guide on what characters needed to do what during the Suicide Mission. Then going back to read about other people's posts about how cool the ME2 Suicide Mission was, and how tense it was, and whether or not they lost any characters - and I just couldn't relate, because I spoiled it for myself, and I already knew the outcome I would have.

I feel like I need to make an informed decision about every choice in every game, and the game isn't giving me enough relevent information, so I just google everything, and because I have just spent dozens or hundreds of hours in a game, I feel like I deserve to have the best outcome. The problem is, I have just come to the realisation that im just not having as much fun anymore, and the stories and writing are less impactful.

But I just cant stop, and I just don't know what to do about it.

Has anyone else been in the same position?

 

[Samtemdo8]

I'd rather watch the games on youtube then read a walkthrough if I want know what happens.

 

[happyninja42]

Has anyone else been in the same position?

Not really no. Aside from using walkthroughs for things like "Where the fuck is this weird ass item the game isn't telling me about that I need." I usually use walkthroughs to help with really vague conversation choices. Where the dialogue trees are terribly vague, so I don't honestly know what I'm going to end up saying to the person.

AC: Odyssey was really bad about this, where both lines would seem to state the same thing. Like "We will remember this!" or "This will go down in the annals of history!" and I'm like "....ok but she asked if I wanted wine with my dinner...the fuck is my answer actually meaning?!" I do this since this type of terrible dialogue options, will end up with the PLAYER making the CHARACTER do choices that are contrary to what they thought they were doing. Like in said AC game, I told a character "Hey I'm not like Markos" which to ME, sounded like me just calmly saying "Hey, I'm not him, don't judge me by his standards" . Which seemed reasonable given how she was treating me. However the game translated that as me literally looming over this old lady and threatening her with violence, until she was actually cowering from me in fear. THAT shit annoyed me, so now I will check walkthroughs to make sure the choice I'm making is actually in line with the outcome I want.

I don't really have a problem with not using them as well, it basically depends on the game and the context of what I'm trying to get information on.

 

[Catfood220]

My problem is looking at the trophy list if I think I can platinum a game. The trophies will sometimes spoil things for me so I know what's coming up, I do try to avoid glimpsing at the story trophies but sometimes its not always that easy. Doesn't ruin my fun, but it does take away the surprise a bit.

 

[SupahEwok]

Take a break from games and read some books. Especially nonfiction. Engage your mind in a different way and maybe your brain will learn to relax.

 

[MrCalavera]

Yes. Absolutely. Same.
It's why my playthroughs of RPGs can stretch to years sometimes.
I've been trying to change my playstyle for some time now, because of that.

 

[BrawlMan]

I can't stop reading walkthroughs, and it is ruining games for me.

Whenever I play a game, I need to know what is happening next.

If I am playing a linear game, I will want to know what mission I am on, and how long is left.

If I am playing an open world game, I will want to know where all of the side missions are.

Most annoyingly, If I am playing a game where some kind of critical choice needs to be made - ie, save character A, or save character B - I will find myself reading extensively into the consequences of each, so that I can make the best informed decision, but in most cases, that just ends up making these decisions less impactful, and I just end up spoiling critical plot points further down the line.

The problem with this, is that I am just losing the mystery in a lot of games.

I remember back when I played Mass Effect 1 a few years ago, and I spent about 30 minutes, wracking my brain, deciding with myself about whether or not I wanted to save Kaiden or Ashley, but when I played Mass Effect 2, I followed an exact guide on what characters needed to do what during the Suicide Mission. Then going back to read about other people's posts about how cool the ME2 Suicide Mission was, and how tense it was, and whether or not they lost any characters - and I just couldn't relate, because I spoiled it for myself, and I already knew the outcome I would have.

I feel like I need to make an informed decision about every choice in every game, and the game isn't giving me enough relevent information, so I just google everything, and because I have just spent dozens or hundreds of hours in a game, I feel like I deserve to have the best outcome. The problem is, I have just come to the realisation that im just not having as much fun anymore, and the stories and writing are less impactful.

But I just cant stop, and I just don't know what to do about it.

Has anyone else been in the same position?

The last time I ever read a walkthrough was in 2008. After that, if I was stuck on a puzzle, I would just YouTube it. You gotta learn some self control. I know it can be tough, but I almost always go in a game blind, because I love figuring things out myself. I only used vid guides if I am stuck at a boss, puzzle, or a gameplay mechanic is not explained well at all.

 

[Eacaraxe]

I'd rather watch the games on youtube then read a walkthrough if I want know what happens.

Pretty much what I do nowadays, except I'll watch youtube videos, walkthroughs, and "game movies" if I'm even interested in buying it. If I like what I see then I'll pick it up, but otherwise I'm not touching it. The contemporary games industry really is in such a sad sack state of affairs I won't even consider a purchase until I've had each and every last pixel of a game "spoiled" for myself, before I'd so much as download a demo or trial.

 

[SckizoBoy]

As someone with OCPD, I save-scum and plan meticulously (not to the extreme like some, but to enough of an extent that it draws looks from other gaming buddies who think I've just sacrificed a bunch of virgins to an ancient primordial deity that it may as well be that extreme, but whatever). So it depends on the game. If I'm invested in it enough, I'll play critical parts of it twice. Once optimally (i.e. how I would like it to end) and once naturally and see how much of a difference there is on the other side.

 

[The Rogue Wolf]

I have no idea what happens in SOMA, or Undertale, or Spec Ops: The Line, because I intend to play those games someday and I don't want spoilers. You just need to exercise self-discipline.

 

[hanselthecaretaker]

I can't stop reading walkthroughs, and it is ruining games for me.

Whenever I play a game, I need to know what is happening next.

If I am playing a linear game, I will want to know what mission I am on, and how long is left.

If I am playing an open world game, I will want to know where all of the side missions are.

Most annoyingly, If I am playing a game where some kind of critical choice needs to be made - ie, save character A, or save character B - I will find myself reading extensively into the consequences of each, so that I can make the best informed decision, but in most cases, that just ends up making these decisions less impactful, and I just end up spoiling critical plot points further down the line.

The problem with this, is that I am just losing the mystery in a lot of games.

I remember back when I played Mass Effect 1 a few years ago, and I spent about 30 minutes, wracking my brain, deciding with myself about whether or not I wanted to save Kaiden or Ashley, but when I played Mass Effect 2, I followed an exact guide on what characters needed to do what during the Suicide Mission. Then going back to read about other people's posts about how cool the ME2 Suicide Mission was, and how tense it was, and whether or not they lost any characters - and I just couldn't relate, because I spoiled it for myself, and I already knew the outcome I would have.

I feel like I need to make an informed decision about every choice in every game, and the game isn't giving me enough relevent information, so I just google everything, and because I have just spent dozens or hundreds of hours in a game, I feel like I deserve to have the best outcome. The problem is, I have just come to the realisation that im just not having as much fun anymore, and the stories and writing are less impactful.

But I just cant stop, and I just don't know what to do about it.

Has anyone else been in the same position?

It sounds like a control issue leading into unhealthy territory. Obsessing over various aspects of something that’s just meant to be entertainment. Games are complicated now but the internet makes it too easy to interfere with simply playing the damn things.

Perhaps take a break and read a book or watch a movie to try and recalibrate or reset your mindset, and repeat until the habit is corrected.

 

[CaitSeith]

If you can't actually stop yourself, then maybe you should just play in a more analytical way. Now that you know the spoilers, see if the game has tells about it, how they are managed, if the spoiler puts retroactively the characters in different light or perspectives than a non-spoiled run.

You could make your goal to play the games twice: once completely blind and the second completely spoiled. That way you don't worry about being optimal in your first try.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

I used to be like that with games I thought I would never get to play because they were on systems I had no interest in getting or were simply too expensive at the time.

 

[stroopwafel]

Personally don't care about spoilers. If a game is good it's good a spoiler won't change that. The spoilers for TLOU2 actually made me pre-order the game because I found it interesting. It's not like we haven't heard/seen everything already, it's all about context and execution.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

I was actually planning on making a thread about something like this.

I HATE choices in video games. I've been like OP for quite some time. When I play some RPG, its always with a laptop or phone open to see the outcome of my choices. The Witcher 3 was the latest example for me. I love the game, but damn are some of your choices barely related to the consequences. I gave away some magic acorns (because... magic acorns), and it turns out those magic acorns give you two whole skillpoints!!! Why the fuck would you ever give me the choice to do that???

Personally I hate the idea of missing out on any content in game. Makes me feel incomplete. And it seems like a waste of the developer's efforts too. I would much rather just play a fixed story, so I don't have to worry about doing the "wrong" thing. I can understand how people would enjoy that kind of thing, but its just really not for me.

 

[stroopwafel]

Personally I hate the idea of missing out on any content in game. Makes me feel incomplete. And it seems like a waste of the developer's efforts too. I would much rather just play a fixed story, so I don't have to worry about doing the "wrong" thing. I can understand how people would enjoy that kind of thing, but its just really not for me.

I would try to resist the temptation and play the game as intended. The designers expect you to make the 'wrong' choices that is why they were programmed into the game. There is no 'right or wrong' playstyle. It's kind of similar with save scumming. Trying to mitigate all the risks with constant reloading of old saves is also not what the designers intended. Just try and play the game on it's own terms.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

I would try to resist the temptation and play the game as intended. The designers expect you to make the 'wrong' choices that is why they were programmed into the game. There is no 'right or wrong' playstyle. It's kind of similar with save scumming. Trying to mitigate all the risks with constant reloading of old saves is also not what the designers intended. Just try and play the game on it's own terms.

I mean I have tried that. I got maybe 16 hours into Skyrim, realized I missed just way too much shit, and restarted. I'm sort of a completionist. Why would I want to play a game one way if it turns out a different way was something I liked more? I guess the intention is for me to replay it, but again, I'm just not into that kind of thing. I suppose that makes me a boring gamer, but that's just who I am.

 

[Yoshi]

get more self control.

 

[Dreiko]

Simply play the game more instead of reading about it. It's not that difficult lol.


Coming into this thread I thought this would be about upcoming games that are not yet out in your region but are out elsewhere that people got their hands on early and posted spoilers about. That or just looking up promotional material that ends up revealing spoilers about the games as a form of advertising. I deal with both issues since I hate spoilers myself. Mainly I just go into shadow mode and don't look into ANYTHING AT ALL about a game I wanna play. I managed to only see a part of the reveal trailer for ffviiR and then nothing else until I got the game, for example.


But no what you're describing is some weird instant gratification and lack of discipline mix. Just play the game and your questions will be answered when it is the right time. If they haven't been answered yet, that means it's not the right time. Obviously if you learn something in the wrong time that'd adversely affect the storytelling aspects of a game. Basic logic is enough to solve this.



Finally, no, you are not supposed to make an informed decision in an rpg. You're roleplaying as a person with their own facts and experiences, not as an omniscient god. Your character is working with partial information at best. Making a guess and seeing how things unfold and in some cases either leaving it to luck or relying on subtle hints that were thrown around the previous parts of the game is what it's supposed to be like. There's no right or wrong way to do something, even if you kill off chars who were saveable that's still just another valid way to play the game. In your next playthrough you can try something else.