Am I too old for videogames?

[Daisydooks]

My fiance is 41. He plays video games. He only plays when all other stuff is done however and gives me a heads up in case I've got something planned for us. Most nights we work out together, eat dinner and cuddle up watching TV with our cats. He will play games a few hours a week. Sometimes he goes weeks without playing. If he was neglecting me, us our his responsibilities, I may have an issue with it. The reality however is that I also like doing ME things and it would be super  annoying if he didnt have something to do sometimes at least! Hahaha We dont live close to friends and family so we spend a lot of our spare time together. I do enjoy just doing my own thing too, so video games gets him out of my hair a few nights a week so I can also do things I want to do/have to do. I need him to have an avenue to relax him as well. Happy Spouse, happy house.  

[Daisydooks]

19 hours ago, Woggle said:

This reminds me of when my wife was obsessed with Red Dead Redemption 2. She nearly cried at the end of the game.

That was a big game around our place too!!! 

[preraph]

5 minutes ago, Elswyth said:

There's no age limit to hobbies. As long as you're doing it in moderation and it doesn't take over your life, there's no difference between playing a video game, watching an episode on Netflix, playing football or collecting coins. H and I intend to play til the day comes when we run out of resurrections.

Mandatory in-game purchases that are actually required to progress (as compared to purely aesthetic changes) are IMO a very clear hallmark of a terrible game that's designed as a money-sink from the start. Any game worth playing will not be "pay to win". All of my games are a one-time purchase, with the exception of expansions (which are fine since they come out once in like 2 years, and contain a lot of new content, much like a whole new game.)

 All of the ones on Android at least, once you're past about the first level, you will have to pay to go any further.  It's a racket, but I mean, they're in it to make money, so...

[Els]

2 minutes ago, preraph said:

 All of the ones on Android at least, once you're past about the first level, you will have to pay to go any further.  It's a racket, but I mean, they're in it to make money, so...

Stay away from those! Some Android games aren't pay-to-win, but you'll have to pay for it at the start. They can't be free because developers need to eat too.

The mobile app game market is just borked, unfortunately. Part of the reason is actually the customer base - for some reason paying $4 to buy an app is unthinkable to a lot of Android users, whereas they'd happily pay that much for a coffee. So producers have to think of other ways to make money rather than just charging you right off the bat... which unfortunately turns out to be terrible for actual game quality.

[preraph]

I didn't find any that were a pay up front and no ingame purchases.  None.  Even if you google no inapp purchases, it will list all these games, but they all have it.  I tried playing for awhile and it blinded me, number 1, but also it was VERY expensive.  I didn't find any games besides like solitaire that weren't charging.  Not for phone.  That's why I was curious about x-box and those type console games.  I know my sister has one and plays a racing game, but it costs money too, on the x-box.  

[Els]

21 minutes ago, preraph said:

I didn't find any that were a pay up front and no ingame purchases.  None.  Even if you google no inapp purchases, it will list all these games, but they all have it.  I tried playing for awhile and it blinded me, number 1, but also it was VERY expensive.  I didn't find any games besides like solitaire that weren't charging.  Not for phone.  That's why I was curious about x-box and those type console games.  I know my sister has one and plays a racing game, but it costs money too, on the x-box.  

In-app purchases are very common on Android, but I play a few Android games that don't have them. My fave is "Out there" by Mi-clos Studios. H likes "The room" and "Mini metro". There are also some app-adaptations from popular PC games that are apparently quite good, like "Civilization", but I've not tried them. "Fallout shelter" was quite nice (and actually completely free if I recall correctly, because it was produced to hype up their upcoming PC release), but it got boring after a while.

PC and console games mostly don't have "in-app purchases". They are primarily a mobile thing.

Edited February 18, 2020 by Elswyth

[preraph]

Thanks for the suggestions! I like a laid-back game where you don't have to be frenzied and have all the time you need to do whatever you're going to do and those are rare. 

 

I looked at mini metro on PC just this week and might try that but it said in the description that you moved in a frenzied pace and I just don't have the patience for that. I don't like timers and stuff. I'm frenzied enough in real life!

 

I tried the room back a long time ago on PC I think but I used to like that type of game but I don't anymore. 

 

I'll check out fallout shelter. 

[Els]

7 minutes ago, preraph said:

Thanks for the suggestions! I like a laid-back game where you don't have to be frenzied and have all the time you need to do whatever you're going to do and those are rare. 

 

I looked at mini metro on PC just this week and might try that but it said in the description that you moved in a frenzied pace and I just don't have the patience for that. I don't like timers and stuff. I'm frenzied enough in real life!

 

I tried the room back a long time ago on PC I think but I used to like that type of game but I don't anymore. 

 

I'll check out fallout shelter. 

Yes Mini Metro is pretty "frenzied", lol! Out There is completely turn-based (so it can be as "slow" as you want it to be), but it's pretty unforgiving.

Edit: Have you looked at Stardew Valley? It might fit right up the relaxation aisle.

Edited February 18, 2020 by Elswyth

[preraph]

I will check them out!

[Pleasant-Sage]

1 hour ago, preraph said:

That's why I was curious about x-box and those type console games.  I know my sister has one and plays a racing game, but it costs money too, on the x-box.  

From my understanding, the model for ingame purchases is not quite the same between mobile and console gaming but are done for the same reason which is money.

A lot of mobile games are pay to win but the games are free to download. Some aren't necessarily pay to win as they generate revenue through ads but paying extra money definitely gives you an edge.

Most extra content on consoles is either cosmetic or additional game material to extend entertainment value. Some companies have tried to abuse this system and it ended up costing them a whole lot more money with people boycotting future games made by these companies.

I read Grand Thief Auto 5 has made a killing off in game purchases. I've seen people making fun of other people who have spent hundreds of dollars a month just to buy virtual junk. lol

What makes the game not get any criticism over this like the others is you can still enjoy yourself without spending any money at all.

[SummerDreams]

Ehm approaching 39 myself and I play WoW and Heroes of the Storm every day, sometimes also with my husband and his friends. Recently a colleague of his (younger than us) when he found out I play WoW with him, he was hugely shocked and told him he is jealous and he is searching such a woman himself. I think older people don't understand that the video games can be a way to socialize with people and make friends, you can meet in person etc and when they hear video games they think it's like tetris or something like this. Modern video games need a lot of thinking, skills and intelligence, they are not stupid smartphone games.

[Cookiesandough]

2 hours ago, SummerDreams said:

Ehm approaching 39 myself and I play WoW and Heroes of the Storm every day, sometimes also with my husband and his friends. Recently a colleague of his (younger than us) when he found out I play WoW with him, he was hugely shocked and told him he is jealous and he is searching such a woman himself. I think older people don't understand that the video games can be a way to socialize with people and make friends, you can meet in person etc and when they hear video games they think it's like tetris or something like this. Modern video games need a lot of thinking, skills and intelligence, they are not stupid smartphone games.

You have an ideal marriage 🥰

[SummerDreams]

3 minutes ago, Cookiesandough said:

You have an ideal marriage 🥰

Haha say this to my father in law, he wanted a woman for his son who would drag him away from video games and not play with him!

[Woggle]

Both my wife and I like story driven games that sometimes have better writing than some movies. The Last of Us and the Red Dead series rival some oscar winning movies.

[gaius]

I'm more embarrassed that I went to see the new Star Wars trilogy (awful) in the theaters than I am for playing any game in the Star Wars Old Republic series (excellent). It's not uncommon anymore to see video game writing vastly exceed traditional movie or television shows.

The Mass Effect series might be the second most beautiful thing I've ever experienced, my wife being the first. It would be silly to cut yourself away from stuff like that.

[Cookiesandough]

Mass Effect is without a doubt my favorite game trilogy.Ren shep forever 

Edited February 19, 2020 by Cookiesandough

[Els]

18 hours ago, SummerDreams said:

Ehm approaching 39 myself and I play WoW and Heroes of the Storm every day, sometimes also with my husband and his friends.

Lok'tar ogar?

H and I play WoW together too, it's a nice alternative to "Netflix and chill" on weekday nights when you don't have the energy to go out. We've always been gaming together in some way or another for the last decade - went through a bunch of MOBAs, RTSs, etc. I don't really like FPS, though.

I've also met my guildies IRL a few times and it was pretty awesome. Just like anything else, gaming is what we make of it IMO - a person can be a no-lifer letting it destroy their relationship, job, health, etc... or they can use it to enhance their life and their relationships.

[sothereiwas]

2 hours ago, Elswyth said:

Just like anything else, gaming is what we make of it

The wife and I used to play a few MMO type games, but her current obsession, ArcheAge, just doesn't cut it for me. In the past WoW and Rift were pretty big time soaks 

[Els]

1 hour ago, sothereiwas said:

The wife and I used to play a few MMO type games, but her current obsession, ArcheAge, just doesn't cut it for me. In the past WoW and Rift were pretty big time soaks 

I see ArcheAge pretty often on Steam! Just don't have the patience to start a new MMO, haha.

H and I have been on and off WoW for, oh god, 10 years or so... 🤐 I played a bit every expansion, but he stopped several years ago and only just came back now - and is loving the new mounts. 😂 BFA gets a bad rap (and deservedly in a lot of ways), but IMO as long as min-maxing isn't the goal, it's still pretty decent gameplay.

[sothereiwas]

10 minutes ago, Elswyth said:

I have been on and off WoW for, oh god, 10 years or so.

I was in WoW from the beginning until Lich King or whatever that patch was. The introduction of Arenas coupled with Bliz' obsession with constant rebalancing specifically for the Arenas ruined the game for me. I was out shortly after that. I suppose I have a stable of lvl 70ish toons still hanging around their DB someplace. 

[Els]

4 minutes ago, sothereiwas said:

I was in WoW from the beginning until Lich King or whatever that patch was. The introduction of Arenas coupled with Bliz' obsession with constant rebalancing specifically for the Arenas ruined the game for me. I was out shortly after that. I suppose I have a stable of lvl 70ish toons still hanging around their DB someplace. 

You might be happy to know that PVP now is very separate from PVE (they have their own talents, etc), but probably a bit less happy to know the direction the talent trees went in...

[sothereiwas]

6 minutes ago, Elswyth said:

You might be happy to know that PVP now is very separate from PVE

No, that's the problem. I don't want to have two identical toons that play completely differently (which is what they were starting to do), if my Warrior can't beat a well played Priest in PvP, that's the way it should be left. All the pissed off Warrior people can suck it up or roll a f***ing Priest if they think it's so OP. Names changed to protect the guilty etc etc but you get the idea. /rant

I levelled a couple toons up almost completely in the various BG areas when the cap was 50 and 60, then came the great v2.7 (IIRC) Ret Pally debacle, followed by a seemingly endless stream of PvP cluster-fiddlery. No thanks.

[SummerDreams]

If you think I'm the perfect gamer - wife, learn also this: We have not paid for WoW in like 2,5 years or so, since they made wow tokens able to be paid with game gold. I have bought wow tokens with game gold for both accounts since then and until September of 2021 or something. Just when you thought a wife could not get more perfect! 😛

[Ruby Slippers]

There are women out there who are also into playing hours of video games, and these are probably the women you're most naturally compatible with, so no harm in being open about it. I probably wouldn't put it front and center as a hobby unless it's really that important to you, as it can have negative connotations as an unproductive, time-wasting activity if done in excess. 

[Els]

1 hour ago, SummerDreams said:

If you think I'm the perfect gamer - wife, learn also this: We have not paid for WoW in like 2,5 years or so, since they made wow tokens able to be paid with game gold. I have bought wow tokens with game gold for both accounts since then and until September of 2021 or something. Just when you thought a wife could not get more perfect! 😛

I used to do that when I was in grad school and money was more valuable than time, but nowadays I feel like the reverse. Just want to log in and have fun for a while, screw the chores or profitable activities. I don't even have flying in BFA yet, lol!

What do you do for the gold farming?

1 hour ago, sothereiwas said:

No, that's the problem. I don't want to have two identical toons that play completely differently (which is what they were starting to do), if my Warrior can't beat a well played Priest in PvP, that's the way it should be left. All the pissed off Warrior people can suck it up or roll a f***ing Priest if they think it's so OP. Names changed to protect the guilty etc etc but you get the idea. /rant

I levelled a couple toons up almost completely in the various BG areas when the cap was 50 and 60, then came the great v2.7 (IIRC) Ret Pally debacle, followed by a seemingly endless stream of PvP cluster-fiddlery. No thanks.

I didn't mind the separation, although that's probably because I mostly just PVE. The main thing that grinds my gears about the current game is the inflexibility of the talent trees (I liked playing hybrid builds) and the generic abilities that the stupid neck piece gives every class. Oh, and daily/world quests - those can all die in a fire.

I think the in game art is fantastic nowadays though. And a lot of nice quality of life fixes like party sync so you can play with a friend who's a different level or at a different stage of the questline.

Edited February 19, 2020 by Elswyth