How big a part does gaming play in your life? A poll about gaming habits

Ballad

Come share your gamings habits in as much detail as possible. How would you describe yourself as a gamer? How often do you play? Is gaming your main past-time activity or just one hobby among the rest, or do you perhaps make your living out of playing games? Have you ever had issues with your gaming or thought that it adversely impacted your life? Have your gaming habits stayed roughly the same or changed over time?

Feel free to answer all, some or any of the questions or possibly add your own. Also, you can include personal information such as age, sex and occupation if you wish.

Ballad

Personally, I fall squarely into the binge gamer camp. Though I don't exactly lack the free time, I try to keep myself away from games for extended periods of time. Every now and then, however, the urge to play gets too overwhelming or a long-awaited title comes out. When this happens, I totally lose myself in gaming. The rest of the world - school, work, relationships, other hobbies - fades to insignificance. I sometimes go days without even leaving my apartment, except for quick trips to the grocery store. If I'm forced to do something else due to obligations, I do it begrudgingly with minimal attention, and return to my gaming as soon as I'm physically able. I play and play until the game is over or I'm so physically and emotionally exhausted that I cannot take it anymore.

I am aware of how unhealthy my binges are and I try my best to "time" them so that I don't end up screwing my life up too bad in the process. Thankfully, I am very picky with my games; there are very few titles that manage to capture my attention, ensuring I only go on binges about 1-4 times a year.

I am a 25-year-old male, currently going to Graduate school.

lethaltoconcrete

Haha. 'Binge gamer' - I like that. Definitely what I am, too. I -used- to be a pretty hardcore/serious gamer at various points in my life, but for a while now, I've been trying to do more productive stuff with my time... 'Course, when I get ahold of a really good game, I get super addicted and can't help but play obsessively. If I had more self control, I'd probably let myself play games all the time >.<

FinneousPJ

Hardly play games at all anymore, but I'd like to. I'm also a student.

LadyRhian

I am… nerdier than thou.

ZaknafeinBaenre

I have spent time in almost every category. Once I was hardcore, but after getting a job and a wife, I've been downgraded to serious. I imagine if I have kids I'll have to take a further downgrade to casual

meagloth

Not to cause an argument, but This would probably be more accurate if it was anonymous.

Imperator

When I was unemployed and wasn't in the university yet, I was hardcore, mainly because I had nothing else to do than to play. Now with studies and a larger interest in playing guitar I spend less time gaming, but still a lot and wold like to spend more time in the magical la la land.

ZaknafeinBaenre

meagloth said:

Not to cause an argument, but This would probably be more accurate if it was anonymous.

My name isn't really Zak, so it kinda is anonymous -

CrevsDaak

I just only play BG, not many games are as good as it. Or at least I can't find them.

ScotGaymer

Number 1.

Cos TV sucks.

O_Bruce

I am playing too much. That's all I have to say.

Mrpenfold666

There are three things that i do not gaming. and one of those is just not playing videos games but instead playing warhammer and magic the gathering. on wednesdays i play various tabletop RPGs and i work to fund my gaming habit.....and house

booinyoureyes

I didn't play any videogames other than an occasional half hour of FIFA with a friend for about two years, then when BGEE came out I beat the game in about a week.

I also play Heroes of Might and Magic 3 about every three years for a week religiously, then wait for a couple more to install it again.

I am probably playing most regularly nowadays with Infinity Engine games, maybe 3 times a week for about 1-3 hours a session. It is a change actually. Baldur's Gate is probably the only game I don't get sick of after five minutes.

Awong124

I play something pretty much everyday. On weekdays I have to work so I only play maybe an hour or two when I get home before dinner though. After dinner I usually watch TV, then read a little before going to bed.

I probably spend most time playing racing games. My current obsession is F1 2013.

CoM_Solaufein

Thank you games, because of you, I have no life.

Son_of_Imoen

Games keep me alive. Together with friends and family and a sense of moral obligation not to abandon the people I fight for to make this world a more just place for living with mental illnesses, it's all the games I still want to play that act as an 'anti-suicidalicant'.

There's a downside too however, besides giving comfort and a way to forget once in a while this real world full of injustice (and exchange it for a world where injustice is being fought by swinging a sword and slinging a spell), the danger is gaming for too long when I actually should be sleeping. 0:00 is a sound time to go to bed, but sometimes I'm gaming till 1:00 or 2:00 at night, with ever rarer gaming binges where I can't stop past 2:00. I've been known to play games all night long till dawn when I was in my thirties, but my maturing age prohibits that now.

ChildofBhaal599

There was only one extended period of no games for me: the Mass Effect situation. Beyond that I play every day I can

demented

I play video games quite often, but they take a back-seat to other hobbies which are more important to me.

Then there are times when I get bored of playing (this has gotten worse with the homogenization of video games) and take a break from them.

jackjack

"Binge Gamer" describes my habits perfectly.

God

I don't always play games but when I do, it is mostly research.
I am a game designer myself and if I play something it means that I am either working on the game and need to run some tests or that I am looking for insights in others' creations of note.
And sometimes I pick a game at random for no reason whatsoever and analyse the thing as I play it, evaluating its merits and shortcomings. I've played Neverwinter Nights 2 lately, again. I hate that game. It is not only a mechanical nightmare but also a pain to the eyes (in my opinion it actually looks *worse* than the original Neverwinter Nights) and the ears (excessively repetitive and overly dramatic music and rather lousy voice acting, with a few exceptions). But all that is easily seen by those not involved in the industry. That is why I normally take extensive notes when playing a game, so as to capture every detail that makes me enjoy it or hate it. And so, after a few sessions of playing Neverwinter Nights 2, which would total to about 12 hours, I have some 40 pages of such scribbles. And I'm not even halfway through the original campaign. When I'm done with it, I will process the heap of paper, organize my findings and try to come to some conclusions. And that's when the fun starts. I will then compare what I will have found with the results of my earlier gaming sessions. Intricate connections between two seemingly unrelated games can be found this way. That and something much more valuable. Innovation.

ZaknafeinBaenre

CrevsDaak said:

I just only play BG, not many games are as good as it. Or at least I can't find them.

I don't even look.

CrevsDaak

ZaknafeinBaenre said:

CrevsDaak said:

I just only play BG, not many games are as good as it. Or at least I can't find them.

I don't even look.

I also don't, but because I've convinced that there is nothing as good as BG, then I found PS:T, and that changed me A LOT.

meagloth

CrevsDaak said:

ZaknafeinBaenre said:

CrevsDaak said:

I just only play BG, not many games are as good as it. Or at least I can't find them.

I don't even look.

I also don't, but because I've convinced that there is nothing as good as BG, then I found PS:T, and that changed me A LOT.

God I need to play PS:T

CrevsDaak

@meagloth you have to. Really. And not just because Destiny orders so.

Demonoid_Limewire

I had been a hardcore gamer once upon an ugly time... NEVER again! Now i have other hobbies, of equal or greater importance, interest, and good effect on my life.

jacobtan

I consider myself a hardcore gamer... who doesn't game all that much. Most of my time is spent planning parties, planning strategy, conceiving ideas on how to deal with monsters, preparing spreadsheets of game information, etc. LOL

OneAngryMushroom

Wat r u? casul? Git gud scrub.

Nonnahswriter

My gaming habits are like a roller coaster ride. Up down, up down, up down, up down!

I'm female, 21, and going to start looking for a second job soon... (while writing at home)

lolien

Since i have a family, i can't play hours and through the night until the sun rise. But if i get the time i play some.

Teflon

I knew it. This is forum of hardcore gamers.
Whenever house is vacant I play game. It is a guilty pleasure.