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 living the dream since March 16, 2006 |
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Take a break. That's all I can tell you. It's not the end of the world if you don't game everyday. When you actually want to play again, play. I know gaming is a lifestyle for many of us, but it's also a hobby. Don't forget that.
I kinda know how you feel. I've been in a BIG gaming slump, and I haven't beaten one game since probaly April or May. I haven't played any games seriously for the whole summer, it really isn't like me.
You played a game you didn't like for the sake of competition. Sorry sir, that's borderline retarded. Obviously you won't be able to go on forever unless you're some asshat who lives solely to feel like he's better than someone at a video game.
@Wry Guy
Jesus man, wasn't that a little too harsh?
@ Wry Guy: clean the sand out of your vagina before you make a post and maybe you will be less pissy
Maybe you're just getting older. That's what happened to me. I'm pushing thirty and still enjoy gaming but my tastes have changed considerably and a lot of games I would've jumped at a few years ago don't interest me in the slightest now.
I think everyone goes through a phase once in awhile where you just get burnt out with video games.
I know I've gone through a couple of them, you just have to wait for a game to snap you out of the doldrums. Try playing different things you might not play, play some indy games on the pc you might have not otherwise tried. Take the time when you're not interested in games to do stuff you've been putting off.
The passion for games will come back. It always has for me.
@Krow: He just said he spent months playing a game he hated. He pushed himself to join the tournament scene. I just speak the truth, and it should be obvious why he's burnt out now. So long as he starts playing games he actually likes again he'll be fine.
I'm not burnt out with gaming, but with the pressures of life I start to think whether I should be doing something more "purposeful" when I'm console gaming. Though that's only because I'm done with most of my current games.
I find that playing every major release that comes out will leave you burnt out from playing so many middle road/mediocre titles that blur together in their use of story and gameplay cliches. I've been keeping myself busy with game coding and dtoid community stuff, but other than that I just fit in one or so really good game per month based off of strong recommendations.
I'd say take a break or cut down on the "meat" games that you play just because they are current.
@Wry Guy
It's understandable to feel that way, but let me explain my infatuation. Just a warning, i don't know how long this comment is going to be, but I'm not writing another C-blog so soon, but I feel it important to address your comment.
I became heavily interested in fighting games about a little less than a year ago. I saw the famous video of Justin Wong playing Daigo in Street Fighter 3: 3rd Strike at Evolution 2004 (The video in question can be found here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pS5peqApgUA). When I saw it, I was awestruck. The level of dedication that was involved, and being able to execute such a feat under such immense pressure was exhilarating. To be able to perform such a feat was inspiring, so I dedicated a great portion of time to learning Street Fighter and it's system, how to cancel and try to understand my opponents minds during matches.
The reason I play(ed) Street Fighter 4 is indeed for competition. If I want to achieve a higher level of play, the best way to do that is to play the most amount of people possible. However, the system of priority, hitboxes, and cancelling in 4 is so different than most other Street Fighter games (not to mention serious balancing issues). It feels like most of what the game was built on has been thrown out, and replaced with random factors. For a game that's so well established in having a concrete set of rules, there should be no room for random elements.
Regardless, I still played it. I became somewhat good, as I talked about in my blog, but that's beside the point. I do love competition. I love competing because it brings out the best in everyone. It brings out a different level of skill and thought than if you were just playing with a few friends. It's tense and nerve-wracking, ask anyone who has been to a tournament, it's very taxing on your mind and body. The dislike of the game was offset by my love of competition and forming bonds with these players who felt the same way as me. Although I still don't like the game over earlier incarnations of the SF series, I saw it as a challenge to learn and manipulate this new system, and started to abandon my old techniques.
As far as winning goes, it certainly is better than losing. I think everyone can agree to that. However, I enjoy losing. As long as I can take away from a match why I lost, why they won, and a few other things, I'm happy. It's all part of learning and getting better.
Oh, and don't be such a cunt.
Catarct, you'll get your gaming habit back when you play some of the upcoming kick-ass games. I do think people use the words "having a burnout" way to often lately. I mean sure you don't feel like playing games for a while. But you're not in some sort of fucked-up mental state. It's only natural after playing games for so long. But like I said, you'll see when the big games drop in a few weeks you'll be good to go. I know I am.
This stuff happens. Just take a break and watch some movies. I suggest picking up a series and watching the whole thing through.
Or just fap a lot.
Playing competitively will do that to you. I had friends that would play Counter Strike all throughout highschool in CAL and stuff, and now they don't play any games at all. They used to play everything, and then Counter Strike came, and they just hated everything. Hopefully you haven't gotten that bad, but yeah, take a break. Read some books/comics, and when you come back, your favorite games aren't going anywhere.
@Cataract: Sure, I'll be less of a cunt. One thing you'd have to realize about Daigo in that famous video is the man has the inhuman ability to read your mind, so it's rather understandable you'd be awestruck.
Still I contend that if you want to continue competing you need to play games you have a fondness for. Competition in itself doesn't propel a person to greatness. You need a natural enjoyment of the source material to help propel you as well. As Sirlin once said, the people who become the best at their games are the ones who enjoy it enough to learn and experiment where other people don't.
Even if you love competition, you are facing yourself with a conflict that doesn't just automatically go away. I likewise share the dislike for Street Fighter IV, especially regarding the extremely obvious misbalances. No less for characters that are historically overpowered.
As I'm writing in a King of Fighters article, Street Fighter IV doesn't seem so much to propel the Street Fighter series so much as just keep it alive. Comparing it between Third Strike, Super Turbo, and Alpha 3 it feels less distinct and in some ways a step back. It makes me sad.
Unlike Wry Guy, I've got to respect your Street Fighter mission. I guess you've discovered that competitive high level play is not your jam, regardless of whether or not you're good at it (and you seem to be good at it). I can understand why you'd want to take something you love seriously, but if it changes the nature of your relationship with it, it's maybe not a good thing.
I get the impression you're worried that you don't love games as much as you thought you did, but it's possible to get tired of anything (heck, some days even I don't eat pizza). Just take a bit of a break. No matter the results of your Street Fighter experiment, there's no way you've ruined your appetite for gaming completely.
I definitely know how you feel. In fact, I've really gotten back into arcade games. I don't want to play games longer than 10 hours. I want a game that I can enjoy in small bits but offer good replay value. I started out in arcades and it seems I'm moving back in that direction.
@Wry Guy
I'll definitely agree to that. I still play HD Remix as it's probably my favorite iteration of the series, but there just isn't as much competition. It's sad, because it's polished, well balanced, and fun.
Trick you best be trollan. D:
You gonna play SF4 with us [THEUNDER]FOREVER.[/THUNDER]
We'll play HD Remix more I swear! D':
As others have said, take a break. Myself, I almost always burn out whenever I start to take any game "seriously" - for some reason it just takes some of the fun out of gaming. Take a few days or a week off and catch up on some movies or do something entirely different.
One thing that also works for me to renew my interest whenever I'm in a gaming funk is to play with friends (especially non-competitive "lets just all be assholes" games.) Play a game you're not good at with friends, join someone on your buddy list for a random game.
We all get gaming funks... they usually pass in time...
Or you could use it as an opportunity to indulge in other habits/hobbies. Sometimes I would rather not like video games so much, as it would free up my time for other things. But since I do enjoy it so, I'm not going to dwell in regret - and neither should you.
I have been in the same slump, for a month before my 360 broke I bought so many games off amazon(Good game: Bad company, Viva Pinata, DOA 4) for achievements and took breaks at night with my friends in Halo 3 but when my system broke I reliesed I wasn't having fun anymore. When i get my 360 back I'm gonna back to shadowrun and counter strike and see where that takes me.
@Cataract: It's a kind of ghetto solution, but I recently found there's some extremely talented dedicated players who hang out on GGPO. The lack of lag is very impressive. I personally use it to play Garou: Mark of the Wolves with people that are crazy good, but I'm sure there's some quality Super Turbo players as well. It's nicer than most home-made match making services because there's a dedicated chat room for every game.
I always tried to switch between movies , music and vydiagamez. Most of the time it prevents me from being bored and when I actually want to play it's way more interesting than playing games all year around.
Stella Wong did this to you with her beastly E. Honda, didn't she? STELLA! *raises fist to the sky*
Me and Stella both play Honda, which results in some very good matches. Although every match is usually close, she's definitely got a few over me. We play pretty differently, too. She's much more offensive, and I play on defensive/reaction.
I use work to get me out of the slump. Spend a few shit days at work, and you'll think "Man, I just want to go home and play some games!". Works for me!
@Char
there was one night where Stella just beat the living daylights out of us with her beastly Honda. It wasn't even close. Definitely made me quit for awhile ;)
Best to just take a break. It easy to get burnt out in the fighting game scene. When you come back you'll be more motivated to play.
I'd say everyone goes through this at least once. Just take a break my friend. The fightans(or games in general) will always be there waiting for you with open arms.
I'd say everyone goes through this at least once. Just take a break my friend. The fightans(or games in general) will always be there waiting for you with open arms.
<---This guy be trollin'
Nick,
Time to take up Sports Games.
I feel waves of this. Sometimes I say to myself "I really usually would want to be playing games now...but I don't..." Games are most fun for me when they act as a break in my daily routine. But when the games themselves become part of the routine, it begins to feel...well...routine.
Dont worry, it will pass soon :)
You can't let your hobby become a job or a chore. Do something else for a bit, then begin to play only when you have an itch.
Psh, we all know you got into competitive SFIV so you could woop michi's ass and make him leave for a month. That was the best month of dtoid ever.
Don't cry Cataract, I'll hold you in my bosoms and we will make sweet music together I MEAN VIDEO GAMES ARE AWESOME
i think im do for a break soon. it started last year when all those games came out in october. i started to get a back log, but kept getting games i wanted. so i would play a little here and there of different games, but just couldnt get into anything. even though i was enjoying the games i kept hitting a wall. and now i have these game si want to finish but every time i walk to my ps3 to turn it on i get this "ehhh why bother" feeling.
almost like i went to gamers anon and am taking some drug that makes me sick every time i see my ps3. like the clockwork orange treatment fr gaming.