Thread: What are your thoughts on video games?

Waste of time or a legit hobby?
I played often in my youth but my last gaming system was a Playstation 3. Some of the games I like can be time consuming.
I have thought about getting a Playstation 5 or a Nintendo Switch.
Some of the games seem like fun but I already have PS3, PS2, NES, and Super NES consoles.
What are your thoughts on video games?

I usually played PS2 and PS4.Then I changed to PC,playing paradox games like EU4,HOI4 etc..
I used to play so much before graduating college. Now I don't feel like playing it. My hobbies changed throughout years.
Now I like coding while listening to boom bap music,reading books,learning things and working out with buddies.

Who cares if its waste of time?If I want to play video games,I download one on my pc and play it.

A video game can give you a feeling of achievement unlike a modern society and happiness unlike a wife.

Originally Posted by user97972

I usually played PS2 and PS4.Then I changed to PC,playing paradox games like EU4,HOI4 etc..
I used to play so much before graduating college. Now I don't feel like playing it. My hobbies changed throughout years.
Now I like coding while listening to boom bap music and working out with buddies.

I know what you mean about hobbies changing.
I do coding all week at work so that's one thing I'd rather not do outside of work.

Originally Posted by user97972

Who cares if its waste of time?If I want to play video games,I download one on my pc and play it.

A video game can give you a feeling of achievement unlike a modern society and happiness unlike a wife.

Do you prefer PC games? I think I prefer console as I tend to post on message boards and aimlessly surf the net when I'm on a PC.
I think I'm l am still looking for something to fill the void left by the dating sites I used to troll. Eventually realized that it was like beating my head against the wall lol.

Yes,I do. I feel better where I have full control. I used to love consoles but they are a liability as they are an extra piece of hardware. I like to do everything on my laptop. Last games I usually played before leaving gaming altogether was counter strike 1.6,sims 4,europa universalis 4 and stellaris.

I grew up a techie,always in front of a computer so coding for me is both fun and work.

I stopped playing them back around 2000 or so when I had a N64. Up until that time video games weren't overly complicated and there weren't THAT many games. After that they seemed to get more complicated or something and I wasn't willing to put in all the time to be good at them. I had friends at the time who would spend just day after day after day playing and I was happier shooting hoops in real life.

I guess if people like playing it's as good a hobby as any. Kinda funny how many women I've heard complain about how much time their hubby/bf/ex spends playing video games and not giving them attention.

Here are my thoughts on video games:

Not for children, educational games a possible exception. For responsible adults, fine, enjoy to your heart's content.

Too many kids, especially boys, today are not learning important real-world stuff because they are playing video games instead. They aren't learning how things work, how to operate things, how to figure out problems, how to make repairs. Even yesterday's hobbies often had an educational component, such as learning about electricity and simple repairs from having an electric train set. Most video games have none of that. You now have young guys who have no clue about simple activities such as how to run a washer and dryer in a laundromat, let alone maintaining a car.

Many video games have a violent kill-or-be-killed premise that is not healthy for children to absorb. Responsible adults don't have a problem with such games, but certain impressionable kids in particular might learn the wrong lessons from such games. I'm not saying that most children will become violent killers from playing GTA5, but a certain number who are already dysfunctional seem to go that way. The problem is you often don't know who will be dysfunctional until it's too late.

This is similar to the observation that many kids who grow up in poverty-stricken single-mother homes turn out all right, but some are irreversibly warped and become a problem from having that background. The ones who turn out all right don't make growing up in that environment a good thing. Ditto for children playing video games, especially as a primary activity.

Originally Posted by Edwardhaskell

I stopped playing them back around 2000 or so when I had a N64. Up until that time video games weren't overly complicated and there weren't THAT many games. After that they seemed to get more complicated or something and I wasn't willing to put in all the time to be good at them. I had friends at the time who would spend just day after day after day playing and I was happier shooting hoops in real life.

I guess if people like playing it's as good a hobby as any. Kinda funny how many women I've heard complain about how much time their hubby/bf/ex spends playing video games and not giving them attention.

You know I think that's another reason I lost interest in gaming.
I like how the old games were pretty straightforward and there was not much of a learning curve. I just don't really have the time to be spending hundreds of hours on one game, although I did love the old NES strategy games.

Originally Posted by K-Dog

Here are my thoughts on video games:

Not for children, educational games a possible exception. For responsible adults, fine, enjoy to your heart's content.

Too many kids, especially boys, today are not learning important real-world stuff because they are playing video games instead. They aren't learning how things work, how to operate things, how to figure out problems, how to make repairs. Even yesterday's hobbies often had an educational component, such as learning about electricity and simple repairs from having an electric train set. Most video games have none of that. You now have young guys who have no clue about simple activities such as how to run a washer and dryer in a laundromat, let alone maintaining a car.

I have spent plenty of time learning these skills (house/car repair) to the point where I'm a bit burnt out on it. Seems like there is always some house or car issue to deal with that sucks up my free time. Sometimes I think I should just live in a condo and lease a car LOL.

With that being said, I know what you mean. That's crazy that these kids are so deficient in these basic skills when they grow up.

Originally Posted by K-Dog

Many video games have a violent kill-or-be-killed premise that is not healthy for children to absorb. Responsible adults don't have a problem with such games, but certain impressionable kids in particular might learn the wrong lessons from such games. I'm not saying that most children will become violent killers from playing GTA5, but a certain number who are already dysfunctional seem to go that way. The problem is you often don't know who will be dysfunctional until it's too late.

This is similar to the observation that many kids who grow up in poverty-stricken single-mother homes turn out all right, but some are irreversibly warped and become a problem from having that background. The ones who turn out all right don't make growing up in that environment a good thing. Ditto for children playing video games, especially as a primary activity.

The ironic thing is that video games are seen as more of a kids activity. I spent plenty of time in my youth playing video games, a lot more than I do now. But yeah I'm sure there's something to this. Not everyone can handle it.

Originally Posted by Brock

Waste of time or a legit hobby?

Both.

As with nearly everything, it's a matter of degree and not kind.

Look at alcohol. There's a huge spectrum between being tea total and waking up in a gutter covered in vomit. While having a glass of wine with a meal or a few cocktails while socializing and killing a case of beer or quart of liquor every day all involve drinking alcohol, it's obvious they are not the same. It's a matter of degree and not kind.

Are you playing during your free time? No problem there. We all need to take a break sometimes.

Are you playing while your apartment looks like a dumpster, your laundry builds up, junk food gets delivered, you haven't exercised in moths, and you're missing enough time to put your job at risk? Now you have a problem.

I read every day, actually set aside time to do so. I love to read and have a stack - physical and virtual - of books waiting for their turn. As much as I love reading, that love does not keep me from all those other necessary things.

Degree and not kind.

Been gaming for 2 decades, it's just a hobby like any other - long as it isn't an addiction it's just entertainment then.

The worlds & stories in video games are far more interesting than anything we have IRL tbh, they're like interactive story books - or keep you mentally sharp if playing competitive one's.

There were no electronic games when I was a kid. Slot cars were my thing, and racing was only part of it. You had to build a car that could take a full throttle crash, or at least tune and maintain a store bought car. I spent at least as much time fixing as I did racing. And like a real team, you had to budget you couldn't bust. I learned and practiced many skills beyond driving. Could you learn as much as I did driving an electronic car? I don't think so.

Originally Posted by Prokopton2

Both.

As with nearly everything, it's a matter of degree and not kind.

Look at alcohol. There's a huge spectrum between being tea total and waking up in a gutter covered in vomit. While having a glass of wine with a meal or a few cocktails while socializing and killing a case of beer or quart of liquor every day all involve drinking alcohol, it's obvious they are not the same. It's a matter of degree and not kind.

Are you playing during your free time? No problem there. We all need to take a break sometimes.

Are you playing while your apartment looks like a dumpster, your laundry builds up, junk food gets delivered, you haven't exercised in moths, and you're missing enough time to put your job at risk? Now you have a problem.

I read every day, actually set aside time to do so. I love to read and have a stack - physical and virtual - of books waiting for their turn. As much as I love reading, that love does not keep me from all those other necessary things.

Degree and not kind.

Reading is another activity I enjoy. There are so many books to read, video games to play, movies (mostly old) to watch, TV shows to watch, podcasts to listen to, websites/message boards to visit and isn't enough time in the day to pursue all of that.

Originally Posted by JustWannaRetireFk

Been gaming for 2 decades, it's just a hobby like any other - long as it isn't an addiction it's just entertainment then.

The worlds & stories in video games are far more interesting than anything we have IRL tbh, they're like interactive story books - or keep you mentally sharp if playing competitive one's.

How much time would you say you spend per week on gaming?

I have several different systems and a number of video games. Have been toying with the idea of buying a Nintendo Switch or PS5 but I don't even utilize the stuff I already have.

Originally Posted by frog

There were no electronic games when I was a kid. Slot cars were my thing, and racing was only part of it. You had to build a car that could take a full throttle crash, or at least tune and maintain a store bought car. I spent at least as much time fixing as I did racing. And like a real team, you had to budget you couldn't bust. I learned and practiced many skills beyond driving. Could you learn as much as I did driving an electronic car? I don't think so.

Nothing beats real life experience.

My grandfather and his friends were into drag racing and raced at a local drag strip. Unfortunately the drag strip closed down long ago and it's increasingly unaffordable to maintain race cars.

Originally Posted by Brock

Nothing beats real life experience.

My grandfather and his friends were into drag racing and raced at a local drag strip. Unfortunately the drag strip closed down long ago and it's increasingly unaffordable to maintain race cars.

The good ole days! The only thing dragging these days are queens!
For the love of god, please, somebody flush this cultural toilet!

Originally Posted by frog

There were no electronic games when I was a kid. Slot cars were my thing, and racing was only part of it. You had to build a car that could take a full throttle crash, or at least tune and maintain a store bought car.

Yes! Back in the 60s I built and raced my McLaren Elva at the slot car tracks, 8 lanes wide.

As for video games, I always did pretty good on Tempest, but Centipede stressed me out too much.

Originally Posted by Brock

How much time would you say you spend per week on gaming?

I have several different systems and a number of video games. Have been toying with the idea of buying a Nintendo Switch or PS5 but I don't even utilize the stuff I already have.

Usually 20-30 hours maybe more if something good comes out but that's not often these days - just stick to PC gaming as most stuff comes to it anyway. Gonna get a VR setup eventually, it's come a long way.

One thing you young guys might not realize. I was pushing forty when I got my first video game. My Genesis machine was the envy of my friend's kids, let me tell you. There was only one problem, I started too late, and I sucked.

There was a desert storm helicopter game I eventually mastered. But formula 1, that I should have been good at, first demoted me to the Zero Force team, then said I was a poor driver, and it was game over. I did no better with the other games I had.

I've considered getting a play station. Are new games realistic enough that a geezer might have a good time despite having a serious lack of talent?

Originally Posted by frog

One thing you young guys might not realize. I was pushing forty when I got my first video game. My Genesis machine was the envy of my friend's kids, let me tell you. There was only one problem, I started too late, and I sucked.

There was a desert storm helicopter game I eventually mastered. But formula 1, that I should have been good at, first demoted me to the Zero Force team, then said I was a poor driver, and it was game over. I did no better with the other games I had.

I've considered getting a play station. Are new games realistic enough that a geezer might have a good time despite having a serious lack of talent?

Age and motor neuron talent? Ever see a frog leaping from blade to blade in a blender that steadily graduates to puree? That's what video games are to me, they're set up to challenge reflexes we simply don't have.

CHOP CHOP CHOP!

Originally Posted by JustWannaRetireFk

Usually 20-30 hours maybe more if something good comes out but that's not often these days - just stick to PC gaming as most stuff comes to it anyway. Gonna get a VR setup eventually, it's come a long way.

Wow! That seems like a lot (especially in my case since I stare at a screen all day for work) but I probably spend just as much time surfing the net and watching TV. Maybe I should give gaming another shot.

I nearly bought a Nintendo Switch but not sure I will go that route. There are a few games I'd like to play that are on the PS4, and the games on the Switch that I want to play are either on the PS4/5 or PC. I suppose games like Mario and Zelda are the major draws of the switch. I liked those games in my youth but can't say I was good at them.

And I hate to buy a Playstation 5 when I already have two Playstation consoles (2 and 3). They should come up with a unit that is backwards compatible with all previous systems and not just one.