I mostly play single-player PC games. I guess you have to be more careful with your choices if you are interested in multi-player games or mobile games.
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What is the most time in physical hours you've devoted to a video game?
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I met one guy who quit WoW and was relishing all the free time he now had. He used to play 40 hours per week! And that's in addition to 40 hours at his job, plus commute times! Him going out to play board games, or eat at a restaurant with others, even if it's across town paled in comparison to all that time in WoW!
One thing I've noticed with streaming services is ads can be really awful. I tolerated ads on Hulu and Paramount Plus because they were given to me at heavy discount ($2 per month) and for free respectively. However, I couldn't renew for the former, and I doubt I'll renew on the latter if it's offered again. I used to do a whole mess of ads when I was more heavily into mobile gaming.
YMMV. There are some truly toxic environments. Others aren't so bad, but are "elitist" enough that I wouldn't feel welcome nor have fun there. StarCraft 2's coop mode strikes a good balance there. I hardly run into trolls (if even any for any given year), but TBF, even though it has a large community, it no longer has support. OTOH, having to only match with exactly one other player makes getting into games easy. MP does increase replay value (and it's been neat to see how others play, despite having been in it for so long myself)
I used to play 2 of those games. One for 3 years, another for 8 months. They were A LOT of fun, but the ads, MTX, having premium currencies, and the grinding just wore me down. It gets to a point where I'd rather pay $20 to $60 for full games (like on Steam or Switch), although I have gotten away with sales
Yeah, that was my first thought too.
Also, many people have some vacation, sick leave and holidays. At my old job we used .85 as the effort factor, so closer to 1800 hours. Anyway, not wanting to be judgmental, but I am a bit blown away by some of the numbers on this thread.
Makes me feel better that my tf2 hours are over 7 years and not a single year. A guy I would scrim with had 10k hours in the game though.
I was too when I took a week to “cold turkey” games. I felt so time crunched beforehand, but afterwards it was amazing how much time I had. I felt better mentally too.
Honestly to anyone who spends a lot of time on gaming, I’d recommend taking a week where you force yourself to not play anything and do something else, preferably away from the computer.
Well a year is 8544 hrs if I did my math right.
...or ask yourself if not playing a game, what would you be doing? Most of the time I play would be during the time I used to reserve for TV. And my bet goes to TV for most people or some other casual hobby, but acknowledge sometimes it might be a mental/physical healthy hobby. See the bottom of this post.
If you are say 60+ video games exercise your brain on a variety of levels from reflexes to analytical thinking and arguably not a bad mental activity. Now I also spend a whopp'n 4.5 hrs of dedicated exercise a week, besides the stuff I do in the yard.
Naturally TV is a poor choice as well, and I won’t defend it over video games. I’m just of the opinion that spending time in front of screens is bad for ones mental (of course physical too) health. And it’s more difficult for people to tear themselves away from video games than other media....or ask yourself if not playing a game, what would you be doing? Most of the time I play would be during the time I used to reserve for TV. And my bet goes to TV for most people or some other casual hobby, but acknowledge sometimes it might be a mental/physical healthy hobby. See the bottom of this post.
If you are say 60+ video games exercise your brain on a variety of levels from reflexes to analytical thinking and arguably not a bad mental activity. Now I also spend a whopp'n 4.5 hrs of dedicated exercise a week, besides the stuff I do in the yard.
If your choices are television or video games then sure, video games is arguably the better choice (depending). But there’s a lot of other things that one could do that are more fulfilling, I believe.
No intention of being argumentative, but in the realm of free time or hobbies, what would more fulfilling be? I’m thinking personal preference. I’ve always had an interest in art, I have a commercial art degree, and about month ago started learning Unreal Engine and Blender to design relaxation settings for VR… in front of a screen.
There’s always arguments to be made, and in our modern world there’s plenty to learn and accomplish in front of a screen. I probably should have said my point in a different way.No intention of being argumentative, but in the realm of free time or hobbies, what would more fulfilling be? I’m thinking personal preference. I’ve always had an interest in art, I have a commercial art degree, and about month ago started learning Unreal Engine and Blender to design relaxation settings for VR… in front of a screen.
This is an interesting discussion. Although, I am older and retired, so much here does not directly apply to me. For example, I never gamed.
During the lock-down, our older kids (mid-20's) came home and worked remote. It was interesting to see their workday. By definition, when working remote, essentially 100% of your 8 hour day is in front of a screen. You aren't going to face-to-face meetings or walking down the hall to discuss issues with a colleagues or traveling to customer sites. Pretty much all interaction are on-screen. Many people are still in this paradigm.
When working remote, roughly 1/3 of your waking hours are spent in front of a monitor, so it is important to be mindful of how much screen time you spend outside of working hours. Thanks to the OP for starting the thread. It's a good topic.
During the lock-down, our older kids (mid-20's) came home and worked remote. It was interesting to see their workday. By definition, when working remote, essentially 100% of your 8 hour day is in front of a screen. You aren't going to face-to-face meetings or walking down the hall to discuss issues with a colleagues or traveling to customer sites. Pretty much all interaction are on-screen. Many people are still in this paradigm.
When working remote, roughly 1/3 of your waking hours are spent in front of a monitor, so it is important to be mindful of how much screen time you spend outside of working hours. Thanks to the OP for starting the thread. It's a good topic.
I am convinced that as Virtual Reality gets better, the ability for escapism will become even more pervasive and attractive although I admit my Oculus Rift has been collecting dust, because the technology is not quite where it needs to be iMO especially sub-standard resolution.
Lone Echo repair job
That said, the most impressive game I’ve ever played in VR, is called Lone Echo, where you play as a robot on a space ship assisting your Captain when a cataclysmic event occurs. This is being in, being surrounded by a space station, first person.
The qualification as to why it is impressive, is simply because at this point in VR development, it is an impressive immersive VR environment where you can wander through the station, pick things up, repair items, and just be wowed by the environment. You are weightless, you have wrist thrusters to push you, and when you want to stop, you reach out and grab a bulkhead With your hand. Soon this experience will be routine in gaming.
And heaven help the human race if anything like “simstim” as described in the novel Neuromancer (the father of cyberpunk) is invented. The technology as described allows your brain to tap into an artificial environment (construct) and experience it first person as if you are there, not unlike the simulation as portrayed in the Matrix.
Learn or get back into a musical instrument. Noise ordinances, or having roommates can hamper your practice time though. Some instruments like flute and guitar are not on the loud side at all, and they have practice mutes, but it's ideal to get in practice time without them as well.No intention of being argumentative, but in the realm of free time or hobbies, what would more fulfilling be? I’m thinking personal preference. I’ve always had an interest in art, I have a commercial art degree, and about month ago started learning Unreal Engine and Blender to design relaxation settings for VR… in front of a screen.
Hiking. Biking
Art is good, but you need more space than otherwise.
Sounds "bland", but I do more walking. It's nice b/c it's something I can easily do at work (they're not anal about "butts in chairs"), so it's a nice way to take a break from the screen, keyboard + mouse, and get in some physical activity while I'm at it
I gave guitar a good try for over a year before I faded with it. I should have taken first person lessons.
LOL.. I forgot I bought a guitar years ago! I haven't been bothered to even take it out of its caseI gave guitar a good try for over a year before I faded with it. I should have taken first person lessons.
In general with learning musical instruments, if you're in it strictly for fun, then self learning will suffice. However, if you're anything serious, it may pay to take lessons. Saves time in the long run, helps troubleshoot certain areas/techniques, and not to mention ensure bad habits don't spring up.
In my opinion, VR won’t “be there” until the issues with motion sickness are sorted out.
And if we’re talking far future, I personally believe that eventually (whether we like it or not), over a period of generations, people will completely decide to live in virtual space and completely abandon meatspace. (Whether or not a digital “copy” of consciousness and personality is real is up to your own philosophy)
In the interim I think we’ll get to a point where a social problem of people spending so much time in virtual space that they dehydrate or starve.
But that’s speculation about a time that’s beyond our lifetimes, and far off topic.
I took lessons for years, but eventually found out that branching out on my own was necessary. I think the social aspect of lessons starts as a good motivator to learn and lays the groundwork for improvement, but if you’re not willing to practice outside of that then you won’t get very far.LOL.. I forgot I bought a guitar years ago! I haven't been bothered to even take it out of its case
In general with learning musical instruments, if you're in it strictly for fun, then self learning will suffice. However, if you're anything serious, it may pay to take lessons. Saves time in the long run, helps troubleshoot certain areas/techniques, and not to mention ensure bad habits don't spring up.
At the time, I was gone from home, half the month with work and did not want to mess with a live instructor. I had a regular size electric guitar and a travel guitar, gave it “the good go” but with online courses, for over a year, learned how to read music, could play some stuff, but there were certain issues that a live instructor could of helped me sort out, yet, I ended up losing interest. In hindsight I’m disappointed in myself.LOL.. I forgot I bought a guitar years ago! I haven't been bothered to even take it out of its case
In general with learning musical instruments, if you're in it strictly for fun, then self learning will suffice. However, if you're anything serious, it may pay to take lessons. Saves time in the long run, helps troubleshoot certain areas/techniques, and not to mention ensure bad habits don't spring up.
I agree, motion sickness is a huge obstacle to VR. It’s interesting how your brain works, you can sit in an iMax and not get sick, yet once you lose that visual anchor look out. I’m certain that when technology allows it, (this is hard core SYFY territory) when it get’s good enough, along the lines of simstim, people will choose to if not live in virtual reality, spend a lot of time entertaining themselves there.
No idea how many hours, and certainly not more then those hard core gamers, I just don't have the time to sit in front of a game all day every day. That being said Red Dead 2 has consumed many many many hours. The game is so brilliant I would lose 5 or 6 hours at a time before I realized how long I had been playing. The level of detail that RockStar puts into games is second to none. GTA V is another game I have spent a lot of time in. Played both games story modes numerous times and still enjoy it. I have played both a little online but for Red Dead at least I prefer the single player story mode. It really has ruined other open world games, none of them come close to Red Dead and if they did I would probably lose a lot more hours exploring/escaping in that world.
Is that on a Mac? Do you use a steering wheel? I understand that with Big Sur nothing works.
No, I have a gaming PC. Always with a wheel, started with a Logitech G27 and picked up a Fanatec CSL Elite a couple years ago.
2325 hrs on STO. Who knows about earlier games I spent a large amount of time on: KotOR I & II, Fable II, or Madden (multiple gens).
Oh crap, between Mech Commander/MC Gold and Command and Conquer LAN parties almost every month (and some times multiple days or weekend marathons) with family and/or friends since oh .... 1998 or 99. Im guessing a couple thousand hours on each easily. ( lan parties are still so much fun throwing empty pop cans or random objects at other players in your room)
As a guy in his 60's, it is really easyto get judgmental about all of this time spent playing video games. But, that would be wrong. For my generation, TV was the only option as a kid, and people watched an unbelievable amount.
Perhaps another way to think about this is: how much screen time everyday? Of course, you would have to decide what to count and what not to count. For example, I would not count things like: work related projects and emails, reading books, research, school work, shopping, exercise classes, etc.. I would count: social media, Forums/Boards, videos, movies, TV, Games, VR, etc..
But , there is no clear delineation. For example, I play chess on my phone.....not sure that should count. My wife does the NY Times cross word puzzle on her iPad.....not sure that should count.
Anyway, I try to be aware of how much time I spend in the second group and keep it under control. That isn't to say I don't occasionally bing-watch a good series.?
Edit: BTW - I thing there are other things that make this confusing. For example, I spent a couple of hours research the best Handheld VHF radio to get for my boat. This involved going to online boards and watching some YouTube reviews. The internet is an incredibly useful way to get information about products and services....so not all Forums and videos are recreational screen time.
Perhaps another way to think about this is: how much screen time everyday? Of course, you would have to decide what to count and what not to count. For example, I would not count things like: work related projects and emails, reading books, research, school work, shopping, exercise classes, etc.. I would count: social media, Forums/Boards, videos, movies, TV, Games, VR, etc..
But , there is no clear delineation. For example, I play chess on my phone.....not sure that should count. My wife does the NY Times cross word puzzle on her iPad.....not sure that should count.
Anyway, I try to be aware of how much time I spend in the second group and keep it under control. That isn't to say I don't occasionally bing-watch a good series.?
Edit: BTW - I thing there are other things that make this confusing. For example, I spent a couple of hours research the best Handheld VHF radio to get for my boat. This involved going to online boards and watching some YouTube reviews. The internet is an incredibly useful way to get information about products and services....so not all Forums and videos are recreational screen time.
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