I hate to say it folks, but video games have not been improving as of late. Certainly the exceptions being the gratuitous eye candy and special effects, but as far as things that make you sit back and go, “Wow that was fantastic!” have been few and far between. The other thing could be is that I’m just getting older (I started with Atari, that should date me quite nicely) and do not have the time, nor the desire to get good at any particular game. There are just too many other worthwhile things to be doing than gaming.
Reading, practising piano/voice, blogging, attending to chores, walking the dog, socializing with the wife – all come before gaming now. The rich experiences I remember from my younger years are just not happening in this new context. Gaming now rather than something to do, seems like a guilty pleasure of taking time away from what I should be doing.
Let us not be too maudlin about video gaming though. Mystro and I (and a few of my other friends) can occasionally rock League of Legends and Left for Dead, I do take great pleasure in owning face and killing zombies in the name of justice, don’t get me wrong. But the time needed to get good, as in mastering a particular games mechanics, is just too much for me now.
The lack of time is illustrated by the graveyard of games that populate my hard-drive. Fun for awhile but unable to compete for my time to get anywhere past “competently average” level of skill/dedication.
I know I have a few gamers that follow the blog, what do you think? Do we reach a point where we finally outgrow our video games and fully commit to the dowdy reality of adulthood? :)
bleatmop
Mystro
Dead Wild Roses 
7 comments
November 5, 2012 at 10:17 am
Jim
I used to have a mild interest in gaming, until my sons turned 12. It was then that I gave up childish things and turned my attentions to intellectual masturbation. Much less effort, and I was always a winner.
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November 5, 2012 at 10:18 pm
bleatmop
I firmly refuse to abandon video games and commit to any dowdy reality of anything, nonetheless adulthood. However, these adult responsibilities are really cutting into my gaming time. Back before my wife got pregnant, we used to spend many an evening playing L4D2, Rock Band 2, and Portal 2 together. Ever since the vomit filled confession of pregnancy, those days have been fewer and fewer, especially when the fps screen turning started making her motion sick. She’s mostly busy with our daughter now, but I try to sneak as many games of League of Legends in as I can.
I do agree that its no longer possible to dedicate the time to master the mechanics needed to be the best in a game anymore. When I was in high school, I remember spending entire weekends honing my skill in Duke Nukem 3d, Heretic and Hexen. Not to mention Doom 2 and Quake. I used to be a master of Warcraft 2 and Starcraft vanilla and Brood War.
It’s ok to me though. The rewards of parenthood and worth the comprimise. I still play games with my friends and have lots of fun with them. I’m just not playing in the top of the rankings anymore.
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November 6, 2012 at 6:12 am
bill
I can’t stop finding good games. Dust 514 has got me hooked bad. Im also really loving the short experiences in games like unfinished swan.
And if you think games havent been improving of late you haven’t been paying attention. I feel that their is the opposite problem, to much awesome hitting my ps3 every tuesday.
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November 6, 2012 at 8:43 am
The Arbourist
@bleatmop
I just checked some of your LoL stats, you are a beast. :) Good show.
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November 6, 2012 at 8:45 am
The Arbourist
@Bill
Hmmm…
Good point. I guess what I’m wondering about is the relationship between the time spent with a game versus its level of awesomeness. For instance, I enjoy playing League of Legends, but have zero interest in getting on the ladder and getting my ELO up. It just seems to be too much of an investment, although I do enjoy playing the game. :>
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November 6, 2012 at 8:48 am
The Arbourist
@Bleatmop
Do you remember Hertzog Zwei for Genesis? Carbon games has run with the concept and made it into a MOBA type experience, the game is called AirMech and I just started playing it and been having fun so far. You should try it and see what you think. It is easier just to log in with google than wait for them to get back to you in email.
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November 6, 2012 at 12:07 pm
Rob F
I always liked the Civilization series. I just like conquering the world!
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