Gaming, Maturing, Where you Stand?

[Luke]

I've been in a constant conflict with myself for the past year or so now. I want to know where you guys stand in this conflict.

As I grow older, I find myself "losing interest" in gaming, but here's the issue... I don't really feel as though I am losing interest in gaming, in fact, many games still catch my eye and I would really love to try many new games, etc.
The issue is mostly that I feel guilty when I play video games, I hate doing it because I feel as though that time could be spent reading, or looking for a job, or doing homework, or studying, etc.

In the past few months this issue is just getting more and more out of hand. I never know what to do with my free time and I stress out.

I could go play video games, I have a few I haven't beat yet. I could spend the time reading a book though, despite the fact that I've already finished six books since the beginning of January.
I could study for school, despite the fact that my marks are good. If I play a video game, I'm wasting time.

I feel like it's bad for me to be doing, but I really want to play a game that sucks me in.
Has anybody been where I am in this situation before? I need help, because right now I am very tempted to game, or look for a new game to try, but I feel so damn guilty if I do...

[SneakyGameBoy]

For me I never get tired of video games because I explore a variety of different styles of games. Sure I play the mainstream ones but I also play games that people haven't even heard before or played. This is what makes me play video games everyday and make it become part of my culture. I know it sounds pretty nerdy.

[Luke]

At 2/24/13 05:12 PM, SneakyGameBoy wrote: For me I never get tired of video games because I explore a variety of different styles of games. Sure I play the mainstream ones but I also play games that people haven't even heard before or played. This is what makes me play video games everyday and make it become part of my culture. I know it sounds pretty nerdy.

I want to play more games, more than anything in the world almost. I love gaming and grew up gaming all the time, which is probably why I am so bothered at the fact that I now feel guilty when I play video games. I can't do it with a clear mind anymore, because in the back of my head I am always thinking "I could be doing something much more productive right now".

I have bought many games in the past few months that I haven't even touched because of this. I want to get the Playstation 4, but I doubt whether or not I should even bother when it is launched, because I am gaming less and less.
There are games that grab me though, like Uncharted, and The Last of Us... I know for a fact that I will get that game and play it a lot, but I will still feel guilty doing it.

[ill]

Do things that make you happy. If videos games are one of those things, so be it.
If you're having fun it isn't a waste of time.

[saltovergray]

At 2/24/13 05:27 PM, ill wrote:
If you're having fun it isn't a waste of time.

Pretty much this. This can be said for any issue like this, and it always rings true.

[Back-From-Purgatory]

I've felt the same way... and I'm like 8 years older than you... But I've chalked it up to the fact that most games are like, "Been there, done that."

It's getting harder and harder for a game to grab me and not let go, because it feels like I've already played it all before.

This could be the same with you, and you just don't know it yet... or maybe you are just losing interest... I dunno... but that's my 2 cents.

[lvl1Syler]

Right now I've been losing interest in almost all solo-player/offline games.
Which is mostly console games.
Don't get me wrong I will still buy certain games because they're part of a series I love, such as..
Final Fantasy, Fire Emblem, Tales of, and .Hack// but that's just about it.
Unless a game as really caught my eye I won't buy it.

I'm into a lot of MMO's, but I know once I get older, I may just flop back into those solo player games.
That'll probably be when I have kids. Man.. I don't wanna think about giving up MMO's anymore.

[Ceratisa]

At 2/24/13 05:34 PM, SaltshakerClock wrote:

At 2/24/13 05:27 PM, ill wrote:
If you're having fun it isn't a waste of time.

Pretty much this. This can be said for any issue like this, and it always rings true.

cocaine?

[ZeroStrikr]

This is the first time I've seen anyone with this situation lol. Anyway, you shouldn't feel guilty, because video games is supposed to be a time waster. People seem to forget that. :X

[Sectus]

Really it just depends on your personality. Some people have gaming lost on them from their very childhood, while others are gamers for life. You should never feel guilty for doing something you enjoy, as long as it doesn't harm anyone else it is perfectly fine. I don't normally have the time to sit down and get a good play in on a game, but I never feel guilty when I do.

While gaming is fun, you shouldn't let it consume your life. If you have more important things to attend to, such as family and friends, you should always let gaming come second. It is a fun way to pass the time, and should be treated like a fun activity, not a job.

[Luke]

Well I gamed for about three hours after posting this thread, did some Red Dead Redemption, and then Guild Wars 2 with the girlfriend once she got home from work. Don't regret it, and I felt pretty good playing after I sat down for a bit.

I guess perhaps I just needed a break for a bit, to accomplish other things. It felt really nice to hop into the game though, and I want to play more. Sometimes I just feel really bad wasting time, but I suppose reading is a waste of time as well, as is everything really.

[killer32]

You should never feel guilty about shit that you like. and its most likely thats its not you who decided that you should feel guilty be the people surrounding you(friends, parents, teachers, fuck knows who). the truth is though, that you like videogames and it makes you feel good when you play them, and you can't change. Also, you are not a battery, you are human, and you need time to relax from time to time. What I'm really trying to say is that playing video games is part of who you are and feeling guilty about something like that never leads to anywhere good(I've seen cases where it lead to deep depression), and if somebody tells you to stop playing video games because you are to "old" tell them to go fuck themselves.

[kmau]

Videogames are a hobby. If you think about giving it up because you grow older you might have the wrong perception of adulthood like most people.

[Dean]

I can empathise with you to some extent. I don't play video games nearly as much as I used to and the reason for that is that whenever I have free time right now, I feel like I should be spending it on my coursework. So when you say that you feel guilty by playing video games, I see where you're coming from. I'm hoping that after I'm done with university that it wont be such an issue. Ideally I'll end up working 9-5 somewhere and outside of those hours I'll be free to do as I please. I'm not sure how realistic that will be though.

I don't think it's an issue of losing interest in games as you get older because I'm pretty sure the age of the average gamer is still over 30. I think it's just a case of the time you can spend playing them starts to feel a lot more restricted.

[Auz]

Don't feel guilty about having a hobby man :p

I know that feel when you look back and think that you've spend waaaay too much time playing video games in the past and regret not doing anything more useful instead. However, we're only human. We're not robots. We can't be productive ALL the time. You'll inevitably burn out sooner or later if you focus on working and studying 24/7 and you're probably not going to be a very happy and pleasant person in the end.

So you need to relax, and whether you do that by playing a video game or by watching dumb shows on TV or by reading a book or by playing a game of football doesn't really matter all that much. And as long as your grades and social life don't start suffering from it, there's absolutely no reason to feel bad about having hobbies.

I'm sure you've heard this talk often already, but I'm just trying to emphasize that it's really true.

On a side note, I wouldn't consider book reading being any better of a hobby than playing video games, but that's a different discussion.

[Luke]

You guys all have very good points, Auz and Dean especially, as well as killer32.
I like that point you made about being a human, and not a battery.

I suppose my main issue is that I feel all of my time spent in the day should be put toward constructive things, such as school work, studying, and finding a job / working. It bothers me when I spend too much time doing things that are not productive, but now that I've read some of the opinions posted on here, I'm really starting to shake my head at myself.
I guess I can only do so much in a day, and sometimes I need to take the edge off, and just relax a bit. So, gaming is a good way to do that.

Thank guys, you've helped quite a bit actually. I think after I do some homework, I'll go relax in front of Red Dead Redemption for a bit and work on that.