Where'd all my fun go?

[Ragsnstitches]

Before we get into this, I'm not one to say that games today aren't fun... just to be clear. This is not a whine thread.

The long version:

Anyway, I find myself frustrated and unsatisfied by my recent gaming schedule. It all came out of nowhere. One week I'm thrilled, playing Deus Ex: HR, Trekking in Minecraft 1.8, rebooting Dawn of War (got through the original, played the disorder campaign of WA and moved on to Dark Crusade) and even revisiting STALKER with mods... and then suddenly nothing.

And it all happened after I bought this months PCGamer mag. It has an article in it, a preview of something close to 6 pages on Skyrim (8 including the interview with Todd). I remember reading through it, having my hopes for the game affirmed and reinforced. That same evening I booted up STALKER to continue my dystopian adventure, only for it to feel empty and unmoving. Which is odd, since I've played the game 6 times since I first bought it on release and love it even now, even more then its sequels.

Same problem with other games in my library too. Love is there, but satisfaction has vanished.

TL/DR:

I honestly think my anticipation for Skyrim reached such a peak, that it has numbed my senses. It's insane, I have never had such a reaction to a game before, not oblivion, not New Vegas, not even Deus Ex HR.

So fellow Escapee's, have you ever had such a reaction to an unreleased game? Or is this a strange and alien emotion I am having (I know... I'm not unique)

Also, can anyone recommend a new game that may reinvigorate my gaming pleasure? I'm not picky, just no sporty games (outrageous racing games are all good) and Single player only, since my net at this time is too bad for MP. Rage seems to be a fun trashy shooter... should I go for it?

EDIT: I have a decent PC, but nothing too good for the likes of Rage. I also have a PS3 which has sat in my living room for the past few months unused...

 

[SuperMarshmallow]

Rage plays fairly well on the PS3, but... it's good, but if you're looking for something fantastic to bring you out of your rut, it's probably not your game. The story is mediocre, the missions fairly linear and etc.. Alright game, not great, probably not what you need.

Find something that's made to be hopelessly addictive, like Civilization or an MMO. Should get your mind off Skyrim for awhile.

 

[wildpeaks]

Even I get frustrated with STALKER sometimes, maybe you're just too used to it. There are so many releases recently, I'm sure you can find somehting else to keep you entertained for a while

 

[viranimus]

Really? I seriously do not get this level of affection for TES. I mean really, you could always go replay Morrowind with the enhanced graphics patch, or Oblivion, or Fallout or New Vegas because really skyrim is essentially going to be more of the same things weve already seen with a fresher coat of paint.

I fully suggest Dark Souls, or if your cheap Demon's souls. Personally I find them to be better RPGs than what Bethesda has put out for the last decade.

 

[Neverhoodian]

I can't say I've ever had such an emotion, though I've had similar ones when I've played games for too long. I suggest taking a break for a bit and see how you feel later on.

As for game suggestions, X-COM: UFO Defense isn't exactly "new" (it was released in 1994), but it's worth a look if you haven't tried it yet. You can get it off of Steam for about $5.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

Rage plays fairly well on the PS3, but... it's good, but if you're looking for something fantastic to bring you out of your rut, it's probably not your game. The story is mediocre, the missions fairly linear and etc.. Alright game, not great, probably not what you need.

Find something that's made to be hopelessly addictive, like Civilization or an MMO. Should get your mind off Skyrim for awhile.

I was considering getting some fantasy or historically themed RTS or Sim game, currently all i have is Black and White 2... and it's just shitty really. Does it matter what civilisation I get?

A problem arises with MMOs for me. I tend to only like the PvP side to those games, the rest of the game is just chores before I can have my fun. That said, poor internet means crappy PvP experience... so not an option

I think I might look to getting the old diablo series, since I never played it and the 3rd one is looking fancy.

Really? I seriously do not get this level of affection for TES. I mean really, you could always go replay Morrowind with the enhanced graphics patch, or Oblivion, or Fallout or New Vegas because really skyrim is essentially going to be more of the same things weve already seen with a fresher coat of paint.

I fully suggest Dark Souls, or if your cheap Demon's souls. Personally I find them to be better RPGs than what Bethesda has put out for the last decade.

Different folks different strokes. I have standards of my own...

I've been a fan of Elder Scrolls for a good few years now. I grew up with it nearly, started on Daggerfall when I was like 8 (yeah I know, Boobies and willies didn't get old until I was 13... I lie, I still giggle). It's got a soft spot in my heart and it hasn't left it ever.

I want to avoid Dark Souls until I get into a better net situation since my love affair with Demons Souls was almost singularly due to the unique MP experience... the game was very good and I played it for many hours, but I sold it when I my net degraded to less then half a meg (just not the same). Then again, I may fold, it should be challenging enough standalone.

 

[NinjaDeathSlap]

Outrageous racing games are ok you say?

Well, if Burnout Paradise doesn't get your blood pumping, nothing will.

 

[JesterRaiin]

Same problem with other games in my library too. Love is there, but satisfaction has vanished.

There was an article about that a few months ago here, on Escapist.

Anyway : maybe you should stay away from gaming for a while and try something new instead ?
As for me, whenever i'm bored or feel empty i read some good book or try to write some stories.
It always helps.

 

[Irridium]

Thankfully my experiences with past Bethesda titles keeps me firmly rooted in the "not hyped" territory. Those experiences being buggy-as-fuck games, shitty stories, crappy writing, shallow characters, and instability up the ass.

So yeah, I'm not getting Skyrim right away. After Oblivion I've learned to wait a few months to get a Bethesda game.

A for what games to recommend, browse MDK 2 [http://www.gog.com/].

Or maybe a break from games will help. We all could use a good break every now and then.

 

[dickywebster]

I think its the new obssession with realism, while yeah its a gd game, ill hold gta 4 up as an example, as of the main 3D gta, gta 3, 4, VC and SA, id say 4 was the worst, cause it lacked the fun of the older ones and seems more intent on been realistic...
Just my opinion, but the games im enjoying more atm r the unrealistic ones where u can run around and have a bit of fun ^^

 

[Ragsnstitches]

I can't say I've ever had such an emotion, though I've had similar ones when I've played games for too long. I suggest taking a break for a bit and see how you feel later on.

As for game suggestions, X-COM: UFO Defense isn't exactly "new" (it was released in 1994), but it's worth a look if you haven't tried it yet. You can get it off of Steam for about $5.

X-com, though I know of it for a long time, I honestly have not a clue what that game entails... I know it's an old Isometric game. Is it turn based? Is it a strategy game? Is it an RPG?

Does the series have continuity or are they all standalone? I already know a couple of the games are duds (Interceptor(?))

Outrageous racing games are ok you say?

Well, if Burnout Paradise doesn't get your blood pumping, nothing will.

Own it... what platform is crash on though?

Same problem with other games in my library too. Love is there, but satisfaction has vanished.

There was an article about that a few months ago here, on Escapist.

Anyway : maybe you should stay away from gaming for a while and try something new instead ?
As for me, whenever i'm bored or feel empty i read some good book or try to write some stories.
It always helps.

It's not like I'm devoted to gaming... I read books, I watch TV (very sparingly), I draw as a hobby, I go out and meet friends and I have a job that takes up the bulk of my time. Perhaps you're right, maybe my happy gland needs a rest

Eh, it's normal to get bored of stuff you do a lot. There have been multiple times I've gone 2 months hardly playing games at all because I just get fed up of it. Similarly, I primarily listen to metal music, but it frequently gets pretty boring and I find myself having to broaden my musical horizons a bit.

Don't worry about it man, you'll be back. Find another hobby to do in the meantime.

18 years of my life gaming, from Sega Genesis/Megadrive up to PS3 and my own PC and I never had such a monumental buzzkill affect ALL my games, though I'm not worried as I said, the love is there but I think the guy above you is right... I've oversaturated my gaming indulgences as of late and the Skyrim news just caused it to boil over. This happened to me with my Drawing hobby once before, time apart helped.

It reminds of that episode of South Park where Cartman saw the funniest thing ever, and it ruined all other funny things for him.

Thankfully my experiences with past Bethesda titles keeps me firmly rooted in the "not hyped" territory. Those experiences being buggy-as-fuck games, shitty stories, crappy writing, shallow characters, and instability up the ass.

So yeah, I'm not getting Skyrim right away. After Oblivion I've learned to wait a few months to get a Bethesda game.

A for what games to recommend, browse MDK 2 [http://www.gog.com/].

Yet despite that, I get giddy for each release and I haven't been disappointed yet... different shades I guess.

I'll check it out... never played the MDK games, is the first one any good or should I just skip to 2.

I think its the new obssession with realism, while yeah its a gd game, ill hold gta 4 up as an example, as of the main 3D gta, gta 3, 4, VC and SA, id say 4 was the worst, cause it lacked the fun of the older ones and seems more intent on been realistic...
Just my opinion, but the games im enjoying more atm r the unrealistic ones where u can run around and have a bit of fun ^^

Well, I wouldn't say Dawn of War is realistic... neither is minecraft and they are 2 games I have been playing on and off for the last few weeks.

Realism is not my problem at least. Despite my leniency towards games, I am very selective... I pick up what I'm in the mood for. But right now, I don't know what mood I'm in :/

 

[MisterDyslexo]

A for what games to recommend, browse MDK 2 [http://www.gog.com/].

I second MDK2. Its just a fun, fun game to fool around with. Its nothing ground-breaking, but its something you can turn your brain off to and just enjoy, something that is somehow becoming rarer in games nowadays.

 

[Vuavu]

Haha I was up late the other night thinking the same thing. Skyrim is making me feel the way I felt about Christmas when I was a child. It's keeping me up nights. I've never followed a game so closely in my life...

 

[Blueruler182]

I have a great mental dissorder for this sort of thing. The more I'm excited for something, the more I'm it's going to suck. It usually ends with my watching or playing or reading something with so low standards that it can rarely duck them.

Just goes to show you, the more cynical you are, the less things can disappoint you.

 

[wildpeaks]

A problem arises with MMOs for me. I tend to only like the PvP side to those games, the rest of the game is just chores before I can have my fun. That said, poor internet means crappy PvP experience... so not an option

If you only like the PvP in MMO, you may be happier with multiplayer FPS as they also give a PvP feeling without requiring as much time investment: perhaps not a CS or L4D type of game, but one that requires levelling up (e.g. CoD or TF2) so that you're not totally outside your envirnement.

 

[Ragsnstitches]

A for what games to recommend, browse MDK 2 [http://www.gog.com/].

I second MDK2. Its just a fun, fun game to fool around with. Its nothing ground-breaking, but its something you can turn your brain off to and just enjoy, something that is somehow becoming rarer in games nowadays.

I'll put on my "get around to at some point list"... I love old games that don't take themselves too seriously either, and my brief info sleuthing on MDK comes across as such.

That said, I played Space Marine the other week, rented it, and that's exactly how I felt about it. Forgetting the grimdark lore of 40k, it was just fun to smash up orks in deliciously satisfying ways. I also think Rage looks like a good throwback to old school shooters, which in my opinon are the pinnacle of mind numbing fun. Though I haven't seen much gameplay on it to jump on it.

Haha I was up late the other night thinking the same thing. Skyrim is making me feel the way I felt about Christmas when I was a child. It's keeping me up nights. I've never followed a game so closely in my life...

Ha, that's a good observation... the closer I get to 11/11/11 the more I think about it. I won't be in on the day of release, but I will be scowering the net for reviews and youtube vids just to see if the fuss is just. I'm pretty optimistic thus far

I have a great mental dissorder for this sort of thing. The more I'm excited for something, the more I'm it's going to suck. It usually ends with my watching or playing or reading something with so low standards that it can rarely duck them.

Just goes to show you, the more cynical you are, the less things can disappoint you.

I can only recall one game (actually series) that I had hopes for, which where then dashed, repeatedly... Every Sonic game since sonic adventure. Sonic was my very first game and I keep hoping that SEGA stop being retarded with the Blue Mascot.

Despite that, I'm surprisingly lacking in cynicism. That's not to say I don't criticise games, but I can have fun even in brown generic tps cover based shooters with rpg elements and look past.

Well, I've had it before. I learned to deal with it by just playing other games. And I don't obsessively chase after the last little tibits of info on the games I want, either - that just makes it worse.

Funnily enough, I haven't... I watched the teaser, then the official trailer and a 20 minute demo and it coloured me excited from the first. But the Magazine just zapped my brain with so much awesome, all other awesome just turned to "meh".

Okay I'm exaggerating a bit. The article just convinced me that the game is going to be good (at the least, not a disappointment) even if it's not the 2nd coming. But it got me hyped so much that I keep glancing at the magazine next to my computer, with a cover depicting the frontman of all the trailers thus far shouting up to the sky with a dead dragon next to me (EDIT: See this is exactly what I mean, I meant him, but had already projected myself into the image )... and then I HAVE to look at the screen caps again.

A problem arises with MMOs for me. I tend to only like the PvP side to those games, the rest of the game is just chores before I can have my fun. That said, poor internet means crappy PvP experience... so not an option

If you only like the PvP in MMO, you may be happier with multiplayer FPS as they also give a PvP feeling without requiring as much time investment: perhaps not a CS or L4D type of game, but one that requires levelling up (e.g. CoD or TF2) so that you're not totally outside your envirnement.

I own TF2 before it went F2P, and I was living with a guy not too long ago with CoD MW2 and Blops. I've played both those cod games to 3rd prestige and I had 100 hours stacked in TF2 over the course of a month since it went to F2P.

But again, multiplayer isn't an option. Only have a 1/2 meg down speed at the best of times atm. That's serious delays, too much for my enjoyment and likely to have me kicked from every server everywhere.

Clegane]

snip

SKYRIM SKYRIM! SKYRIM?

There is a cure my friend, boot up Oblivion and climb high into the snowy mountains on the North East border. Keep going until you reach the "You cannot go this way, turn back" message.

This is as close as you can get to Skyrim. Repeatedly kill the adoring fan to whittle down the time until 11.11.11 - chances are there will be a bunch of other peeps there doing the same thing.

Don't think I haven't already ;P

I even had a mod that added giants and other beasties to the game, which made it feel slightly more Skyrimy in around Bruma(?). But I just recently finished a 40 hour return to both Morrowind and Oblivion so I'm sated... might boot up daggerfall though.

Also, Game of Thrones is win incarnate. Best series of the year (possibly last decade too).

 

[EHKOS]

I have this same problem. And while part of it is due to Skyrim, the other part is that games today just aren't made with the love and care they used to be. So, boot up some old PS2 games while you wait, or play a Pokemon game. Everytime I start one I loose 50 hours.