do you game more or less nowadays?

[Hotsizzle77]

I do have a strange addiction for games throughout my life. I'm glad I found this forum because when thins aren't going well in my life I would lock myself in my room and play mortal kombat obsessively. I'm not too entirely as to why it is I do this but I love it. And so glad that I'm not alone, welcome gamers! Lol

[AnthroHeart]

For the first time since I started working I have $0 in my account, so can't afford to game.

[Steppingfeet]

The first NES hit sometime around the first grade for me. Though they didn't really have the money, my parents got my brother and me a system. We were hooked from then on. We still did manage to do things outside with the neighborhood kids, but gobs of our consciousness and childhood were devoted to Nintendo, then Super NES, then 64 I think, then PlayStation, among others.

But as my spiritual path took hold around 19 - 20 years old, gaming began to disappear from my life. Last game I remember really being into was I remember Tony Hawk's skateboarding game on PS. A big one for my group.

Since that time I've had this mentality which distinctly feels that time is too short, that there is too much to do, that I need to use my time as efficiently as possible, and that gaming does not fall into the category of "efficient use".

This is *not* to say that I actually make efficient use of time and opportunity - I'm still adept at indulging in distraction and escape. And this is definitely not to say that gaming is only distraction and escape. Like other posters have said in this thread, gaming can provide legit and valuable catalyst.

Just to say that, for whatever the reason, gaming fell by the wayside along with other activities and habits as the former life transitioned into the present life.

[Ankh]

Like Gary, I feel that life is too short, like there is no time for games or even TV-watching, but I also find most of it boring these days. But I still enjoy watching movies or TV-shows which have to do with what I am trying to learn - oneness and love.

But there is also another aspect, and that is in the past I played a lot of poker, Texas Hold'em. And I was good at it. And I played for money. Actually, when I got married, some of that wedding was sponsored by the money I made playing poker. I even thought to go semi-professional (not like Gus Hansen, but enough to make a living), but by some "unforeseen" circumstances, it never happened. And thank you, God. Today, I can't play poker at all, cause I know the math behind it, and can calculate it pretty fast when playing; that plus a somewhat ability to "read" the opponent - and there goes my STO polarization that I am so trying to build here. :/

[Plenum]

But there is also another aspect, and that is in the past I played a lot of poker, Texas Hold'em. And I was good at it. And I played for money. Actually, when I got married, some of that wedding was sponsored by the money I made playing poker.

makes a mental note: at Homecoming, if Ankh breaks out a deck of playing cards, plenum should leave the room immediately, and take all his US Currency and give it to Carla for safekeeping. Plenum should then cut his credit cards in two, and go and sit at the fireplace until Ankh has finished Texas Hold'Em'Up.

[Sagittarius]

Anyone given South Park the stick of truth a go ? Hilarious the whole way through, first game/tv/movie crossover I have played that has nailed the feeling of being in the show perfectly.

Not for the fragile though not that south park ever was haha.

[Rhayader]

Haven't played games since being a teenager really. Just not so bothered/do other things with my time. Got thinking about the first time in a while though recently. I figured a lot of games I always enjoyed the start, but never really followed through and finished them. Have a lot of old saved games which maybe should finish. Think thats an important aspect of my mind/life, so many loose ends. Start things but not finish. So I should go back and finished all the old saved games not got around too...or is that just an excuse??

[xise]

I like Texas Hold 'Em. I would say love but I played it twice a week for like a year straight when I was 22 and so I can't take too much of it anymore.

It's still fun to go to the occasional tournament though! I got third place in a 60-man AIDs Lifecycle tournament in 2012 and won like $400. I won a 30-man tournament Haiti Fundraiser in like 2010 - $300.

All of the money was donated to the cause, but it was fun nonetheless.

---------------------------------

I think the whole issue of gaming really ties into the bigger issue of actively learning versus distraction versus rest and relaxation. It's similar to any other activity. I've stopped judging myself for wanting to do things other than actively learn/process catalyst - I'm totally ok with time reserved for my own rest and relaxation. I also think I used to judge myself for "not being productive." But valuing oneself due to productivity (for any definition of productivity, be it work or spiritual learning), is an imbalanced orange ray belief.

You can have one beer to rest and relax, and there's nothing wrong with that (unless maybe you cannot relax any other way, and then there's nothing wrong, but it is sign that you're using for distraction purposes). Or you can drink to make yourself forget what's going on in your life and distract yourself. You can play games to rest and relax, or you can play games to forgot your issues and distract yourself. You can watch a few shows on netflix to relax, or you can watch it to distract you from thinking about a catalytic event.

I think there's a place for rest and relaxation on a weekly basis in this earthly existence, separate from both distraction and from active learning, but to each their own. Rest and relaxation certainly makes life wonderful to be able to enjoy things you find enjoyable without any guilt, whereas true distraction drains you as the catalyst gets stronger and stronger. And I personally find that I process catalyst better when I have periods of r&r multiple times a week and use the other time to actively learn and process catalyst than when I try to go balls to the wall and do actively learning 24/7. The whole issue of rest and relaxation comes back to taking care of yourself, showing yourself self-love, and orange ray. And I think a huge part of that is saying it's ok to have some rest and relaxation. It's ok to have a beer. It's ok to smoke a joint.

But if you find yourself doing these activities and being drained, if you find yourself doing these things and notice your life becoming imbalanced, if you find yourself unable to cope with time away from your activity, it's time to sit back and analyze whether you're doing it for r&r or whether you're using it as a distraction and coping mechanism for something else going on in your life.

[Alexis]

Less.

I used to play world of Warcraft. I kinda miss it sometimes, but it is a huge time waster.
I like fantasy role playing games, I liked dragon age, oblivian and skyrim although I never got to finish skyrim cause the xbox died. I won't be getting a new one cause I'm a mother now so I have less time for myself.

[xise]

best game evar

[Plenum]

best game evar

now you understand what life is like for a Capricorn now



- - -

I used to play world of Warcraft. I kinda miss it sometimes, but it is a huge time waster.
I like fantasy role playing games, I liked dragon age, oblivian and skyrim although I never got to finish skyrim cause the xbox died. I won't be getting a new one cause I'm a mother now so I have less time for myself.

yeah, I used to be HUGE into rpg's as well. Favourite genre.

now I can resist the temptation.

but when all is said and done, I think the best rpg I ever experienced was Dragon Age Origins. Just the perfect blend of all elements; the party combat system, levelling which felt like it had great payoffs, the voice acting of Morrigan and Alistair, the visuals, and the overall plot structure.

one of my great life experiences. I sunk over 50+ hours into that.

[Plenum]

[Jade]

That's why the kids play MMOs these days - no end ever!!!

The tears I spent when I finished my first RPG... (FFVIII )

[Nicholas]

I stopped gaming when I was 16 once I had completed 'Desert Strike' on the Sega Megadrive. I thought that was the pinnacle to the gaming experience. After that I would occasionally play the car racing games like 'Need for Speed' but only when pot smoking friends would bring their PS2's round for a session.

Smoking pot was much more creative!

[BlatzAdict]

Gaming has lessened yes im more inclined to connect to be here of assistance though conflicted when things get tough i do recluse into it. Right now im playing mechwarrior online

Nostalgia factor now that clan mechs and timberwolf is here.

Like clan wolf i hope to recreate the star league or extension of the confederation to this place i just dont know how. I know its just ego but its fun lol bringing peace with big giant metal robutts. In the game spore there are religious tanks that play instruments lol

[Spaced]

I've been on a bit of a gaming binge lately after a long period without gaming much. Current game is Persona 4.

[Adonai One]

I find myself tempted to try this.

[xise]

Haven't found a decent game in a few months...probably because I binged so much for the majority of 2013 hehe. That and I think games have become more formulaic and boring - last year I was playing mostly old/indie games anyway.

[Parsons]

Gaming has lessened yes im more inclined to connect to be here of assistance though conflicted when things get tough i do recluse into it. Right now im playing mechwarrior online

omg.. I think Ive seen you in game!!!. I tried to send someone named "blatz" or "blatzdict" a message in game but they didn't seem to notice. I think my name in game is LtParsons

[xise]

Gaming has lessened yes im more inclined to connect to be here of assistance though conflicted when things get tough i do recluse into it. Right now im playing mechwarrior online

omg.. I think Ive seen you in game!!!. I tried to send someone named "blatz" or "blatzdict" a message in game but they didn't seem to notice. I think my name in game is LtParsons

Haha if you guys played a few months back I was playing...I have one of those light 6 ML mech setups and that atlas with ECM haha. Haven't played in a while though. Has it gotten better?

[Parsons]

The classic mechs now get completely owned... So all but one or two classics are useless to me. I haven't played much because of that and because of their annoying business model.

They are selling exclusive, limited edition mechs (called gold mechs or something) for $500 a piece (yes, thats US dollars, not ingame cash)! See for yourself: https://mwomercs.com/clans#page3

[Bosphorus1982]

I used to game so much by the last year. However when i discovered computer games decreases IQ, i gave it up. Only maybe every 2 months. Instead of it, i read books and listen to music.

[unity100]

I use games as a means to experience - or at least get a little feel of - alternate realities, histories which we cannot experience on this planet, or do things which we could not do.

An adventure in space, a history game which you can create alternate histories for the world, games which allow you to be what you cant feasibly be.

They provide entertainment and little escapes, and if the game is well done, or the story (in a story based game) is well written, they can go pretty far as entertainment.

Its one of my main entertainment venues.

[Diana]

I love Oculus—an immersive virtual gaming experience. Some of the movie experiences are amazing. I just watched one called Paper Birds—really awesome. And there are a lot of fun games for free, and some are actually good exercise.

It used to be you had to build the computer for it if you didn't have the large video capacity, and it was expensive to do it. You can now just get the headset and hand controls, which is about $300.

If anyone has or gets one, try Plank.  Then let me know how you did.

[Minyatur]

Gaming has definitely really reduced for me as part of my spiritual path. Now it is more than not a social thing where I enjoy playing a few games with people when I get asked to and rarely play anything if not.

I still definitely can enjoy going through a story game from time to time. In 2020, I finished for the second time Ori and the Blind Forest before playing it's sequel that came out that year, Ori and the will of the Wisps. It definitely feels good for the soul to immerse yourself in a game with an amazing gameplay, stunning graphics and amazing music. Like anything, balance is key.

[jafar]

The frequency of 'gaming' has increased for me, especially due to the quarantine situation.
Just need something of 'change of scenery'.

The game that I often play is Cities Skyline, a semi-realistic 3d city building simulator.

Just love the feeling of building something and also solving issues that I can't solve in life (ie: traffic jam, overloaded subway, unemployment, poverty etc). And the part that I love the most on that game is the 'follow' mode, where we can 'follow' either a car, bus, train or even people and watch them how they go off from their home to their workplace and vice versa within the city that I built.

Experience the traffic jam on some section (if there's any) or waiting in a long queue on the bus stop. Once such experience detected I have the option to do something and solve the situation (adding more bus, built highway or tunnel to ease the traffic jam), something which is hard to do outside of the game.

It kind of give a glimpse on how seeing things from 'higher D' will look like..

In a way, the reason why we have this 'life' and play game is quite similar, to experience something.
What kind of experience that you like to have is up to you, there is actually no correct or incorrect experience, good or bad experience such as there is actually no 'good' or 'bad' game.

[sillypumpkins]

I used to play a lot of video games when I was growing up but now it's usually a social thing for me. Though I do own a nintendo switch so sometimes I'll play games on there by myself. I really like dead cells these days....

[unity100]

I love Oculus—an immersive virtual gaming experience. Some of the movie experiences are amazing. I just watched one called Paper Birds—really awesome. And there are a lot of fun games for free, and some are actually good exercise.

Yeah, virtual reality promises great things. Though it has to go through at least 2-3 generations before it becomes continually usable. Its in a place where 3D rendering was in early 2000s - gimmicky, but the potential is visible. Now 3D rendering is just de facto basis for all games, people dont even know about it, leave aside talk about it.

Resolution per eye needs to increase, binocular effect needs to go, headsets need to become lighter and more comfortable before VR becomes viable on an ongoing basis.

Now its just an enchanting temporary experience.

Experience the traffic jam on some section (if there's any) or waiting in a long queue on the bus stop. Once such experience detected I have the option to do something and solve the situation (adding more bus, built highway or tunnel to ease the traffic jam), something which is hard to do outside of the game.

Yeah, taking people to alternate realities, worlds, stories is a major benefit of gaming. When VR advances enough, the impact of such immersion can be much larger.