When I stopped coming to this forum, which was roughly for a couple of months.
Gaming though my eyes had a bleak future. After the over hyped next generation consoles were released, that was it for me. Also, I was quite busy and my Saturn was not loading backups properly. Lastly, the collapse of my retro gaming blog did it for me.
I basically stopped playing games for about a decade. My last system was a Genesis, which a played less and less through high school. I still liked it, but I got busy with other things; mostly mind altering substances and girls. Then I went into the army, and lost track of everything. I knew a guy who had a PS1, but honestly, the controls just confused me. I also watched my sister's boyfriend play Goldeneye frequently (and now that I think on it, I'm pretty sure all that kid did was play that game and smoke weed). Still, I wasn't really tempted. I almost bought a PS2 when they first came out, even went as far as putting money down for it, but decided against it for various reasons. I'll never forget the look on the guy's face a EB when I told him I wanted to take my name off the reservation list. I may as well told him I was from another planet.
Then, about a year ago, in the wake of a bad breakup, I got really bored, and for some reason decided to get a Saturn. I always wanted one as a kid, and figured I could pick one up for cheap just to have around. Well, as it turned out, I got a DC first. Then a Saturn. Then I got an excellent deal at a thrift store on a pristine N64. Then my sister was cleaning out her garage and gave me a Genny model 2. Then...well, you get the picture.
Right now, I'm enjoying my systems, I might add to them. I'm looking at a PS1, mostly because I've never played FF7, as well as a SNES, because I never owned one as a kid, and emulation just isn't the same. Still, I think eventually I'll narrow them all down to just a handful, and enjoy those.
I kind of stopped playing games for the most part in about 2002, up until late 2004. I had a PSX and gamecube and my brother had a PS2 and Xbox at the time, but there weren't any games that really made me want to play them.
Atari 2600 (AV mod), NES, SNES (region switch for PAL), Virtual Boy, Gamecube, Wii (D2CKey), PSX (Stealth V), PS2 (independence exploit w/ 160 GB HDD), Goldstar 3DO, Philips CD-i, Dreamcast, Saturn (racketboy's chip), Sega Genesis 2 + CD2 + 32X + Power Base Converter, Game Gear.
I never really stopped, there are some periods where I play less as I have less free time but I do make an effort to keep it up when I get a sliver of free time (I don't really watch TV, I don't even have one currently).
Handhelds really help though, I REALLY should have gotten one much earlier.
From when I pretty much stopped playing the Amiga 500 and CD32, until I got that first handheld, I was exclusively gaming on the PC though (includes some emulating here and there though). Then I decided to actually get some more console and handheld hardware (namely, a Saturn, then some other stuff). I'm quite glad I did that. On the flipside I think some or many of you guys completely eschew PC gaming and you're really missing out on lots of stuff (some freeware games are true gems). Cost of a gaming rig is a fake issue - you are in a retrogaming forum... You don't need to play the latest games, and a regular PC that doesn't cost fortunes and that you upgrade once in a while, to use for web browsing or whatever will often be good enough to run great games from 3, 2 or even 1 years ago.
I've pretty much ditched gaming now. I had more time when I worked a 9-5 job, but since I've started working in law enforcement, that's gone out the window. 12 hour shifts and trying to make time for a gf don't leave a lot of time for much else.
Chris Mapp wrote:I've pretty much ditched gaming now. I had more time when I worked a 9-5 job, but since I've started working in law enforcement, that's gone out the window. 12 hour shifts and trying to make time for a gf don't leave a lot of time for much else.
At least you seem to have your priorities ordered
Fortunately I usually have some free time, I can suggest an idea though: what about trying to get your gf playing, that way you may be able to squeeze time for games into the time for gf.
Even though I plan to keep gaming as long as I can, I've been feeling lately that this might be the last generation I get a new console. Overall, I'm not as excited as I was in previous generations. So far only the 360 has really grabbed me, and the PS3 is still a slow burn. The Wii, well let's not even discuss that one. The 360 no doubt has some great titles, but what's been my bread and butter is achievements. Such a silly thing, but at the same time so addictive. Why must something like achievements govern my soul?!
Anyway, does anyone here ever feel like you'll eventually reach a point where there's enough in your collection to keep you content for a long time? I've been considering sticking with the 360 until it's life-span is over, and then just add games every once in a while to systems I already own along with building an emulation box to hook up to the TV. I've recently fell in love with my PS1 all over again, and I've been picking up stuff I missed out on like Granstream Saga and Soul Reaver and playing them on ePSXe. I even have about 10 - 15 unfinished games, along with a couple still in shrink-wrap. Yeah I know, I'm bad.
So is this totally crazy or am I just getting old?
I can't say that I have ever ditched gaming per say as it was always there in one form or another. Whether it be playing Madden with my football teammates or playing an old RPG. There was definitely times when it had to take a backseat.
While I was working my way through college was one of those times. I went months on end without playing any games as I couldn’t find the time, plus there was no way I could justify the price tags the latest and greatest games were going for. I would play my old game in spurts when I’d get the chance.
I have fond memories of playing Final Fantasy Tactics for a couple days after finishing finals. It was an amazing game and still remains my favorite game to this day.
yeah i remember i did. It was in highschool. I think my junior year and up untill my 2nd year in college. What was i thinking?! Stupid rice rockets and tricked out cars. what a fad that was. waste of money imo.
