How do People Find Time to Play Games?

LTerrifiedBargainer on 14/03/2021 - 12:31
Last edited 14/03/2021 - 12:31

I know this is probably a stupid question, but I just started to play "My Time at Portia" and in the last two hours I only managed to walk around and complete the builders license quest. lol. It feels like I did not accomplish anything.

How is this productive at all that it takes so long just to do what seems to be just the tutorial of the game?

I'm here thinking how better people's lives would be if the games just got the point instead of dragging on like as if you are playing another life sim when you could be playing real life. This is why in the past I like to play games like PUBG. I was thinking of waiting until Age of Empires 4 came out as that generally has that short campaign feel to it. It requires strategy and you can get something done and feel satisfied by the end of the 2 hours or so as a casual player. It won't be a repeat of the older versions of the game because visually it will be more appealing and of course the strategy of the AI will have changed. Albeit, I don't even know if will feel like a waste of time since I've matured so much in the meantime.

Can anyone here recommend some good games that are AAA title that are completable in short bursts and that won't give someone who is busy with life, the middle finger?

Gaming

Comments

  • Muzeeb on 14/03/2021 - 12:35

    GTA V

  • toomuchdogfur on 14/03/2021 - 13:01
    +2

    Does it have to be AAA? IMO it's the AAA games that are the worst with respecting the player's time - so many of them are filled to the brim with tutorials (because they try to appeal to all skill levels so they handhold like heck) or cutscenes (because they fancy themselves as budding film-makers… I loved Metal Gear Solid series but my god MGS: Phantom Pain took 2 hours before it got to the main gameplay).

    I've been fond of Into The Breach recently - turn-based strategy which can have you thinking a long time between moves, but easy to drop in and out of as your time demands. I used to be an AoE/AoM player too so thinking this might scratch a similar itch for you. Not technically AAA, but it's a very polished game (as long as pixel art is fine by you).

  • Baa on 14/03/2021 - 13:02
    +2

    As somebody who is married, work full time, study part time and have two young kids the simple answer of how do I find time to game?

    The only fat I have in my schedule is sleep time, so on Friday or Sat I will have a big session from 10pm to 2am. May play a couple of games of Dota 2 during the week after 9pm once everybody is in bed.

    Recently I have also been trying to stick to one game and play it through instead of giving up on games early and moving onto something else.

    If you are looking for games to pick up and play, games like Hades, Dead Cells or even Hollow Knight are great to pick up and play.

    • ihbh on 14/03/2021 - 16:02
      +4

      Be careful - poor sleep hygiene can lead to neurodegenerative diseases down the track.

      • Lysander on 15/03/2021 - 12:35
        -5

        What kind of expression is "poor sleep hygiene"? Some "new age" thing or did somebody just want to make up a new term hoping it will catch on??
        This concerns sleep patterns and habits - it has nothing to do with hygiene unless you talk about someone sleeping on a mattress full of year old pizza, burger, and beer remnants.

        • ihbh on 15/03/2021 - 16:51
          +2

          Sorry for sounding like a smart arse - it's a term used by neurodegenerative disease experts (I'm not one but have an interest in prevention).

  • Kail on 14/03/2021 - 13:24
    +1

    I don't have kids so, quite easily c:

    You could try this website before buying a game: https://howlongtobeat.com/

    I thought Plague Tales Innocence was decent, it took less than 10 hours to complete.
    The Dishonored series are also good but a bit over 10 hours each.
    A lot less than My Time at Portia though, I haven't finished that but am already over 50 hours!

    If you like puzzle games, they are great for playing lots of short stints.
    Zachtronics has some pretty challenging ones if you're interested - Infinifactory, Opus Magnum etc.
    Papers, Please took me about 7 hours to complete but you can play a bit at a time.
    Beholder and Beholder 2 are also good, for a similar dark theme.
    Portal and Portal 2 were quite short as well if you haven't already played them.

    • happyhammer on 06/04/2021 - 14:19
      +1

      +1 for this website. As someone with kids and full time work I always use this as a guide. A 10-12 hour game I can complete in a week or 2 but the 40-60 hour games I just leave (other than Red dead 2 a few years back). I need to be able to remember the start of the game and why I'm playing it by the time i finish. Uncharted, tomb raider, shadows of colossus, detroit become human were all awesome and around this timeframe. Like OP said - sleep or gaming a couple of times a week is the only real choice if you don't want to be a deadbeat dad.

  • Jugganautx on 14/03/2021 - 14:18

    You should go play eve online. It takes 20 years to git gud.

  • scrimshaw on 14/03/2021 - 14:29
    +1

    I just play Beat saber nowadays, the game is fairly cheap, it's a good cardio workout, plus there are plenty of songs you can download online for free.

    And you won't be spending hours playing it because chances are your arms will be tired after 20-30 minutes.

    Used to while away my hours playing DOTA, Overwatch and Rocket League and even those are fairly short 1 or 2 hour sessions they still require to sit down for extended periods of time. Back pain put a stop to that.

  • SlavOz on 14/03/2021 - 14:49

    I play on average 3 hours a night. Not that hard. No kids or wife yet, usually order takeout so no cooking/clean up time required.

    I also don't like games that expect you to invest 50+ hours just to get to the good part (Xenoblade chronicles). My time at portia is definitely not one of those. It's supposed to be played slowly at your own pace. IIRC you can enjoy many of the game's great features in the first 5 hours of less. It gets better over time but you're not being held back uneccesarily.

    Look into Dark Souls, Nioh, Or Hitman. If you have the skill you can get max enjoyment out of these games from the first few minutes. They are very cleaning though.

  • dizzle on 14/03/2021 - 16:26

    Pretty much anything mission based. Things like GTA, RDR2, Mass Effect, Assissins Creed, Hitman. It's easy enough to do one or two missions, then pick it up a day or two later.

    I'm not so keen for multiplayer for short bursts as if you play with friends it depends when they are available. If you play with unknowns, you end up with a bunch of ****s.

  • Donaldhump on 14/03/2021 - 16:44
    +1

    get divorced

  • JPLengineer on 15/03/2021 - 12:01

    Resident Evil 2 (2019) and 3 (2020) are AAA and can be completed within 6 hours for all collectables / steam achievements.
    Otherwise a regular playthrough is around 90mins. Can get them on sale for around $30.

  • harveyworld on 15/03/2021 - 12:28
    +1

    I'm exactly the same…

    In fact my attention span is pretty poor these days that even if I had the time I don't have the patience and skills to sit in front of the screen going up and down the same paths or replaying the same levels and getting killed in the same place over and over. I did it about 10 - 15 years ago but I'm over 50 now so it could be my age.

    I prefer shorter games with quicker defined outcomes like Fifa or other sport/simulation type games.

    The last simulation game I played I was driving a train, got distracted and completely missed my platform stop and crashed into the barriers.
    Sleep easy tonight that I don't drive real trains…

  • the Unforgiven on 15/03/2021 - 12:38

    I am on a pension
    I just finished Cyberpunk 2077, and now I started Red Dead Redemption 2 last night, or was that this morning;
    I didn't get to bed until 5:30am
    I usually play until 2am, but sometimes I don't get tired, and I play until twilight
    Play any COD or FPS game as they are divided into scenes

  • casho on 17/03/2021 - 11:26

    Just play Civilisation /s :P

  • evilbamboo on 23/03/2021 - 02:10

    I'm like that aswell… except I'm 38. Gets dizzy playing FPS games and can't be stuffed getting killed again and again in RPGs.

    I play fighting, soccer or racing games that doesn't require much patience. Due to covid lockdown, I gave gaming another try (bought the PS5 and a 3060Ti, along with a few games that people have been raving about) but have been having second thoughts as in whether it is really for me. Like I couldn't really enjoy them and the time could be better spent even watching youtube

  • malich on 23/03/2021 - 11:02

    Gears 5 & Forza are fine in short bursts if you're on PC or Xbox.

    On PS, GoW is fine in short bursts as the checkpoints are very frequent.

  • pringles original on 15/04/2021 - 06:17

    i have 3 kids. and i sleep 9 or 10 pm and wake up 3~4am and play some games and i leave home 5 :40 for a work. now i am playing Rage2. GTA5. things.with 30fps….

  • thirtysixd on 21/05/2021 - 11:54

    walk inside house around 5-7

    light fire
    cook dinner

    yay free time 8-10 :D

  • the Unforgiven on 22/05/2021 - 18:21

    I went to bed at 8am this morning after playing Far Cry 3 all night,
    then I got up at a quarter to 2 to see my beloved Hawks play footy

    • ChillBro on 22/05/2021 - 18:24

      Far Cry 3

      The coop mode was awesome in that. Wonder if people still play it.

      • the Unforgiven on 22/05/2021 - 19:08

        I have never played co-op
        I used to have satellite for decades, now I have ADSL2+, but it is shaped at 12Mb/s :(
        After FC3, there is FC4, then FC5, then FC6 should nearly be out :)

        • ChillBro on 22/05/2021 - 19:29

          Shame, coop was amazing in 3. Only the free roam was coop in 4 and 5.

          • the Unforgiven on 22/05/2021 - 20:11

            @ChillBro: I put my name down for starLink, so I will finally be able to play online 1 day - yay. But I am in my 60's now, and my eyesight is not as good as it used to be

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