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Last post: 15 Dec 12 at 15:10
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Posted on 14 June 12 at 23:32, Edited on 14 June 12 at 23:38 by Dreakon13 |
I've loved games for as long as I can remember. I spent almost every night one summer (many years ago) playing through Legend of Zelda on my Gameboy. I've owned almost every console from every generation at some time or another (I think the Genesis and Saturn are the only two I never had)...
Lately though video games (and especially achievement hunting) have felt so pointless. You could say the same about TV, movies and music... but those have been pretty much cut out of my life at this point (outside of background noise as I get up in the morning or to make work/exercise less boring). On their own though, what are they accomplishing?
I've felt what it's like to just burn myself out on games, but I've never felt like this before. I'm not just bored of them. I'm literally questioning what function they serve in my life... and I don't have a ton to answer with. Even if they are just "fun", what good is fun with nothing to show for it? We all know that our achievements could be gone in a second should Xbox Live go down. It's not helping me develop a trade. It's not making me less pathetic physically or mentally.
I have a nice job (which is more or less developing the trade I mentioned earlier), friends I see every so often (as well as game with from time to time), a loving family and a fairly rigorous exercise routine... why do I feel like my downtime/video games should be more productive? Why does "fun" not feel like enough?
On the one hand, I feel like this is a sign that I should throw in the towel. Maybe my time as a gamer is up.
On the other, I really want to enjoy gaming again. I like being a gamer. Maybe it's something about this generation that's a huge turn off (I've been considering ditching the 360 and just playing through some old Dreamcast games for the duration, though my living room isn't really well suited for short wired controllers). Maybe it's just my brain.
Not sure. I just needed to vent really, agree with me or disagree as you see fit. I think I'm just hoping someone says something that makes so much sense I snap out of this funk I'm in.
How pointless is gaming as a hobby? |
Oh, they love us American boys. |
Last post: 11 Jun at 20:32
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Posted on 15 June 12 at 00:13 |
Personally I see a "Hobby" as something you enjoy doing, such as playing an instrument or collecting something, so really, if you enjoy gaming, then saying there is no point is nonsense! 
I myself collect Anime, and have shelf loads of all my favourites, and I'm still collecting and will do so until I collect all box sets of all the anime I love, I also play guitar, I have 2 Jackson models, one Dinky and one Rhoads, I play them almost every day, but there are some days I go without, but I never see it as being pointless =] |
"I pity you, you just don't get it at all, there's not a thing I don't cherish!" |
Last post: 28 Jan at 20:41
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Posted on 15 June 12 at 03:07 |
| If you're enjoying yourself doing something, it's not pointless at all. |
Last post: 15 Jun at 04:55
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Posted on 15 June 12 at 03:42 |
| When doing a leisure activity suddenly makes you think "Why am I wasting my time with this", its no longer something you do as a hobby, it means your spending too much time with it. |
Last post: 30 Sep 12 at 11:46
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Posted on 15 June 12 at 10:35 |
| If u enjoy collecting achievements or gamerscore it's no different from collecting anything in real life. It's all about what makes u happy. |
Last post: 15 Dec 12 at 15:10
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Posted on 15 June 12 at 20:46, Edited on 15 June 12 at 20:47 by Dreakon13 |
Roxas583 said:When doing a leisure activity suddenly makes you think "Why am I wasting my time with this", its no longer something you do as a hobby, it means your spending too much time with it.Maybe, but it's not so much "why am I wasting my time with it" anymore as "why does anyone".
As I said, gaming is still fun. I'm just losing touch on why unproductive fun is something anyone would do. I don't remember why it's something I used to do (or still do, but primarily as a distraction). |
Oh, they love us American boys. |
Last post: Today at 16:20
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Posted on 16 June 12 at 22:04 |
Personally, I play video games for two reasons other than just for entertainment and the fact that I like to play them.
First, video games are a means for me to get rid of stress (though sometimes I gain more ... some games are counter-productive). After a long day of dealing with asswipes in the real world, I like to come home, put on a very violent game and kill the shit out of anything and everything that moves. Splatterhouse, The Incredible Hulk, GTA 4, Dantes Inferno, etc. ... gives me an outlet for "homicidal urges" that I know better than to act on in real life.
Second, video games act as a effective mental distraction from things that are bothering me. Having anxiety disorder, panic disorder, and PTSD (on top of other emotional issues), as well as having a shit j.o.b. that I am way over-educated for (due to a lame economy, there isn't a lot of jobs in the field I have my degree in), I can forget about the fucked up shit in my life for a period of time. I can also distract myself more, and be a bit more constructive with the gaming time, by peddling on an exercise bike at the same time. |