What changed in me?

[Catchy Slogan]

I'm 19. The same thing happened to me. I used to be able to play Halo 2 over and over, but now, it's become difficult. I think it's because I'm used to these games, and they don't seem to change much anymore.

EDIT:

As someone who's almost 30, I have a different tack on things.
Rather than whether games are better or worse or harder or easier, I can break it down to a couple of basic facts:

1. I have a LOT less time to game than I used to. Between the wife and the job, this is no huge surprise.

2. I have a LOT more games than I used to. I used to play games over and over and over because I had much less choice of what to play.
Now that I've got my shelf collection, Steam, Greenhouse, GOG and a bunch of other libraries available to me (and that's only counting the PC), I'm spoiled for choice.

Recently I've taken to playing only one game at a time, with the sole purpose of actually finishing my games. And there's still a tonne I'll probably never get around to that I already own.

Now that I think about it, these reasons seem to be plausible for me also. (except the wife part) I hadn't thought about it like that.

I've recently been going through games that I never had the chance to when they came out.

 

[Jungy 365]

I've recently thought the same thing about myself, and I can think of a number of reasons, at least for me.
As I've grown, I've developed new interests on top of my love for games, and I have significantly more work than I did as a kid, so I have less time to play games, so I try to get through each experience so that I can enjoy as great a range of games as I can, so that I don't feel like I'm wasting time. Then of course, I would say that games are going through a period of development that is resulting in a wider range of game types, and each type of game has in itself several games which are worth trying, so, in order to keep up, I've had to give up going back and re-doing games I loved from my past.

 

[standokan]

The same thing happened to me with pokemon, I used to love but nowadays I can´t bare playing the games.

 

[bassdrum]

Easy: six or seven years ago, you were 10. Ten year olds are easier to entertain, and won't mind repetition quite as much. I remember playing games over and over and over when I was that age, but now I'll turn to multiplayer (where the experience is much more unpredictable) to get more out of a game).

Also, even if you haven't played a specific game, most of the mechanics will feel familiar--the thrill of combat dulls after you've been doing it for years in more or less the same way. By now, you've probably gotten used to playing the style of game that you enjoy (be it RPG, FPS, RTS, etc.), so simply going through the motions of the gameplay will be less exciting to do again and again.

Basically, what's changed in you it's that you've gotten older and more experienced.

 

[4RM3D]

This also came up in the following thread: http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.287486-Have-I-outgrown-gaming [http://www.escapistmagazine.com/forums/read/9.287486-Have-I-outgrown-gaming]

Gonna say the same thing here:
It might not be that you have outgrown games, but rather that games have changed over the years into something you enjoy less. At least, thats the case with me. I am still playing games and I probably always will be playing games, but it ain't the same as it was in the days of old.

 

[Verlander]

I think that's growing up. I remember when I used to get excited for things. Never happens any more...

 

[Jodah]

Choice. Pure and simple. When you were 10 you likely only had 1 or 2 games. You had to make them last and you made damn sure they were ones you were going to like before you bought them. As time goes on games become more affordable, especially with things like Gamefly. Now if you don't like a game you just send it back or get a new one.

Case in point, I recently got Army of Two via Gamefly. It seemed like a decent game but it froze up on me twice in the span of 20 minutes. Ten years ago I would have dealt with that and made it work somehow. Now, I just put it in the envelope and send it back because I can. Why should I deal with a buggy or mediocre game when I can merely get another.

 

[AbstractStream]

...On a side note, You've been gaming a while, like a lot of us. The more you play, the less interesting it gets because you'll realize many games are very...very similar..

I agree. Also, as "gamers," our tastes mature. Haha, sounds weird saying it but that's what I've realized. I find it difficult to be truly satisfied now-a-days.

Difficulty getting satisfied, huh? Well, why don't w- No, no. I will resist the urge to make a terrible joke.

Hahaaaa, I see what you were trying to do there xD

OT: People grow. People mature. People change. *shrug*

Yep, that's the bottom line.

 

[sergnb]

To begin with I am 17 now and I have been playing video games almost my whole life. But six or seven years ago I could play a game and then want to replay it at the most 5-6 times! Nowadays its hard for me to even get through some games on the first try. Granted if there is a game I really really enjoyed, Bioshock and Portal come to mind, I may play a game once or two more times, but it isnt the same as when I was a kid.

Has this happened to anyone else, or do you know why this is who I am now? Thank you.

You are now not easily amused anymore. You demand better experiences, more challenges, more engaging storylines, more fun gameplay mechanics.

Also you'll find that rarely there's a game that is unique in all aspects. Everything nowadays is a retoast of a remake. The first time you play something it's fucking awesome. The 9th, not so much. I still remember my first MMO experience. I have NEVER experienced such amazement ever, in my life. I couldn't believe my eyes. Now I take it for granted. It's a natural brain process.

Welcome to the hardcore gaming club.

 

[WorldFree55]

As others have said already, your grown up. You now have higher expectations games then you ever did before because you have already played the great ones over and over again in the past. Because of this, games that would normally have you play over and over again instead have you thinking "played it once, beat it, but don't want to play it again anymore".

 

[LandoCristo]

I have the same thing. I used to be able to play a PS2 game 3, 4 times in a row after I got it, but now, unless it's multi-player or a really deep RPG, I can't go back to it immediately.

I think it's just that I've grown up, really.

 

[FieryTrainwreck]

People keep using the phrase "I grew up", but that's not it exactly. You definitely have less free time for gaming as you take on the responsibilities of adulthood, but shouldn't that increase your enjoyment when you do manage to fit it into your busier schedule?

I think "gaming fatigue" has a lot more to do with experience than age. If you've gamed for a solid decade or so, you've seen and played just about every kind of video game. 98% of new releases probably resemble something you've already played into the ground at one point during your gaming lifetime. We're all human, and the human brain thrives on new experiences. If you can't find something completely different to challenge your perspective on this hobby, you won't rediscover that "love".

Best advice, then, is to step way outside your comfort zone and try to play something truly different. There are some unique games out there if you're willing to look for them.

 

[LightningBanks]

To begin with I am 17 now and I have been playing video games almost my whole life. But six or seven years ago I could play a game and then want to replay it at the most 5-6 times! Nowadays its hard for me to even get through some games on the first try. Granted if there is a game I really really enjoyed, Bioshock and Portal come to mind, I may play a game once or two more times, but it isnt the same as when I was a kid.

Has this happened to anyone else, or do you know why this is who I am now? Thank you.

I can personally blame the quality of games for some of it. I remember enjoying some TERRIBLE games back in the day, whereas now I can tell from the get go every flaw in the game.

Im the same as you though. I think part of it is because games arent 'magical' anymore. its too realistic nowadays, I remember the days where almost every game had something out of the norm which made it awesome. And theres a big push on violence nowadays too.

Then again, another thing I blame it on is multiplayer. I play team fortress 2 alot on pc, but when I go to a game shope like GAME, I see that new game that looked interesting, buy it, play it for a bit, but as soon as I miss my rocket jumping, I get invited to a game, or some new content comes out, BAM! back on the TF2, and my newest purchase is forgotten.

Then again, I like TF2 alot, so I cant really say that I hate multiplayer games, cuase I dont.I guess Im just buying games when I dont really need too, but thats the thing, I rarely buy a game bcause Im bored with the games I have, but because its a game I want. If I didnt do this, I would save tons of money and still have fun with games (then again, playing TF2 TOO MUCH in succesion might put me off it)

Also:

...lol

 

[putowtin]

more games, more choice.
Dat be my answer!

 

[PlasmaFrog]

You're growing up?

It's actually not that difficult to see people taking more important interest to things, supposedly.

 

[TrevHead]

People keep using the phrase "I grew up", but that's not it exactly. You definitely have less free time for gaming as you take on the responsibilities of adulthood, but shouldn't that increase your enjoyment when you do manage to fit it into your busier schedule?

I think "gaming fatigue" has a lot more to do with experience than age. If you've gamed for a solid decade or so, you've seen and played just about every kind of video game. 98% of new releases probably resemble something you've already played into the ground at one point during your gaming lifetime. We're all human, and the human brain thrives on new experiences. If you can't find something completely different to challenge your perspective on this hobby, you won't rediscover that "love".

Best advice, then, is to step way outside your comfort zone and try to play something truly different. There are some unique games out there if you're willing to look for them.

This^ as a gamer who is 31 and been gaming since I was 5-6 what has kept me intrested in games is been open minded and trying out new genres when they come along and been able to see what the attraction of different genres. What I mean is different gamers like games for different things like story, challenge, comunity whatever. If you as a gamer can play games for different reasons youll also have a much better time in been open to new genres.

I am very much a subscriber of the "its not the game (genre) thats bad, its the gamer who isnt approaching the game properlly"

Also its worth analyzing how you play each game you seem to have trouble playing to completion. Is there a way you can play the game to make you playtime more enjoyable? Do you find you are spending too much time on the game doing sidequests, grinding or otherwise getting sidetracked doing the little things so that you find yourself spending too much time playing each game as you try to 100% complete it? (I have this problem myself) Or you could be the oppersite and ignoring large sections of a game in a effort to complete it ASAP so you can move onto your next must play title.

In short play as many different genres as you can, do you research on each genre. Possibly join a game fan forum as if your not a dick towards them they will tell you what the attraction is and whats the correct mentality to play the games. For example many competative gamers (eg SSFIV players) come off as been elitist and arrogant, while this is true in some ways, many casual gamers misstake those ppl having an healthy competative attitude as been elitist and a bad thing, which it isnt

EDIT: Its also noting that joining a fan forum can work miricles for ones enjoyment of the game itself. For example when I trully became a fan of shmups (eg raiden, gradius type games) is when I joined the Shmups Forum and found out how to properlly play the games ie for 1CC / score (info which 99.9% of gamers dont know about). Been part of the community is great aswell, kinda like been part of an MMO community but without all the other crap.

 

[AgentNein]

If you're anything like me it'll get worse in ten years. I sink more than three hours into a game these days and in the back of my head I start to think of all the time I'm wasting with it, and then I just forget about it. It's bad.

This isn't by the way me saying that only games are time wasters though. I mean, really in my life right now anything that I don't see as directly productive of my art and music as a time waster.

And the worst thing is? I STILL WASTE TIME! I still buy games, books, tv shows, Now I just buy more of them cuz I never finish any of them.

Last game I finished was Uncharted 2.

 

[TrevHead]

Yeah not spending 8 hours gaming per day helps. Anyone would get bored after a decade of that. Go out and get a life if you havnt already.

 

[danintexas]

35 here and I have systems that are older than alot of you. I am actually going to disagree with some of the older gamers here.

I think it is the games. My current gen titles I can count maybe 3 I can play forever - Disgaea series - Oblivion - Saints Row series. Other than that I usually last about 5 hours with a game.

However you throw me in front of Gold Cart Zelda on Nes? Hell even Megamania on the 2600 and I can sit there for freakin hours and forget to eat.

I think these days games are going more for flash than substance. Doesn't mean that is a bad thing - just that is how I see the current gen compared to old gen. My current Disgaea save has well over 150 hours on it - but look at it. It is a PS2 game. Not a Next Gen title. The real gems are still out there. They just are stomped on by the endless see of EA and Activision titles.

Forgive me if I ramble. But bringing up those makers bring FPS to mind. I still load up the old 90s title Tribes. I still play the hell outta that. But Call of Duty? Halo? 5 hours - toss it in the pile for me. No real soul to some of the AAA titles. They were made in sweatshops and it shows for me.

 

[Outright Villainy]

It's a sort of jadedness. I don't think games have gotten any worse overall, just back in the day everything was newer, even repeat playthroughs felt fresh. But I've seen it all now, played it all, so only the new will keep me interested for the most part, hence single playthrough only most of the time. Exceptions like Portal exist, since the mechanic is still fresh, or Fallout when I can make radically different choices from the get go.

Heavy rain is a bore playing through again.