Is it the time of the year, or is it me?

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:23 am

Boys:

Normally I can't wait to play my Xbox when I return home from nearly three weeks in May in Indianapolis, working the Indianapolis 500. I almost always play the night of my return day, after my wife and kids have gone to bed.

Well, I've been home since Monday afternoon, and I haven't touched my Xbox.

Is it me? Is gaming losing its grip on me? Is it the time of the year? No big releases out there?

It's odd. I have no compelling desire to turn the thing on, either, unless somebody I know starts an XBL game of Forza or Close Combat. Even then, reading and watching stuff stocked on my DVR from my three weeks away seems more appealing after the kids and frau go to bed.

Anyone else feeling the same sense of detachment from gaming these days?

Take care,
PK

Dave · Post by **Dave** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:30 am

I have some of the same feelings, PK. Just got back from a trip to CA & Indy, and have been too busy catching up on other things, reorganizing the house, watching baseball, washing the car, etc.

Next week? I'll probably pop in Forza and get back into it, but probably not until then and it won't be as much as I'd probably like.

I think it is just that time of year--here, we are having our first stretch of good weather and my travel schedule keeps me busy until August.

mixdj1 · Post by **mixdj1** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:33 am

I've been feeling about the same way but I think for me it is mainly because of having a newborn in the house. When I game I like to focus on gaming and try to tune everything out and that is nearly impossible right now. Lately I've spent a lot more time in front of the DVR than my Xbox because it's easier to pause TV at feeding and diaper changing time. Plus I can't hold a bottle and hold my racing line at the same time.

davet010 · Post by **davet010** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:37 am

I'm now playing FM 2005 again, to tide me over til the football season starts again.

Oh, and CoH, which still makes me smile whenever I play.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:39 am

I just have the feeling of not having enough time. With the sun being out until 9pm, I'm usually outside with the kids or doing projects around the yard. By the time we get inside and get the kids to bed I have about 1-2 hours before bed.

I usually tend to play a game or 2, but I also want to watch a baseball game on TV from time to time, or even a movie. It's simply a matter of not having enough time for everything.

I think this also has something to do with my disinterest in the new consoles. I already have about 20 games I can still play without being sick of (Moto GP2, SW;Battlefront, Links, etc..). I'm set for a while, even if I don't get anything new.

PK, you seem to go into these droughts every so often. Like all the others, I'm sure this is just a phase. Don't worry, you'll grow out of it

jLp vAkEr0 · Post by **jLp vAkEr0** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:44 am

Maybe it's the fact that with the new consoles anounced, specs, features and all the hoopla, playing on this "older" consoles doesn't feel the same?

Heck, at least 8-9 friends have told me they have already sol their PS2 or Xbox to pre order the Xbox360.

AcemanPR · Post by **AcemanPR** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:47 am

Certainly not you pk. It is definitely more of the time of year. I think we all go through this every year. About August or September, we all dive back into gaming pretty hard, as the onslaught of games being released gets started. Then winter arrives, and there are less projects around the house to do, and we all become hermits in our homes again, as it is dark and cold outside. Come April and May, the sun is back out and the temps warm up, and it is time to escape from our controllers.

I think it is a perfectly normal feeling you have. Gaming is a hobby of ours, and like anything else, to much of it, and it is time to take a break from it. But, as gamers, we'll always have a passion to start back up. I bet by the end of the month, you'll be loving the Xbox all over again pk.

AcemanPR · Post by **AcemanPR** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:51 am

jLp vAkEr0 wrote:Maybe it's the fact that with the new consoles anounced, specs, features and all the hoopla, playing on this "older" consoles doesn't feel the same?

I certainly don't have the new console syndrome. Usually this time before the release of a new console, I am giddy and can't wait for it to come out. But, I'm not feeling it with the Xbox 360. Don't get me wrong, I am looking forward to it coming out, but it is just that the Xbox has a great library of games and an awesome online service. I haven't grown tired of the Xbox at all. There are a good 20 games on the Xbox that I can pop in and have a blast with at any time. The system doesn't feel outdated. No doubt the Xbox 360 will be an awesome machine to game on, but I supposed there hasn't been enough shown to me yet to go ga-ga over it. I'm sure one the PGR3 movies start trickling out later this year, I'll be counting the days down to it.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 9:56 am

I'm really hoping it's the time of year because I too am just not feeling that excitement about gaming. I'm not even remotely enthused about the upcoming releases of the new consoles.

I do think it's the combination of great weather, home projects, spring cleaning, playing with the kids, etc. I'd much rather be outside pushing my daughter in the swing, chasing my three year old son around the back yard, or working in the yard. My kids are at a wonderful age and I've already seen how quickly they grow up right in front of our eyes. My time is much better spent with them.

For whatever reason, games these days don't hold my attention like they used to. I don't know if it's because gaming has become less and less important to me, or I just don't have that "want" to divulge that much time to the hobby. I'm finding myself getting less and less excited about upcoming releases which never was the case even a couple years ago. I was just thinking about this yesterday. I remember vividly waiting impatiently for the new Madden or baseball title. Now, I really don't care one way or another. I'd rather just rent the game for a few days and get my fix. However, even renting games don't do it for me anymore.

Furthermore, I think I'm starting to realize there are other things I'd like to do with the money that I spend on videogames. Finish the basement, get new windows, carpet the upstairs, purchase a new road bicycle, etc. etc. etc.

Last thing. I just don't have the desire to stay up late and forfeit an extra hour or two of sleep to game. If I'm up past 11pm, then I'm the idiot. I've come to realize I need at least 7-8 hours of sleep. If not, I'm not all there and I'm a crab a$$ to the wife.

I really hope it's the time of year.....

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:03 am

matthewk wrote:I just have the feeling of not having enough time. With the sun being out until 9pm, I'm usually outside with the kids or doing projects around the yard. By the time we get inside and get the kids to bed I have about 1-2 hours before bed.

I usually tend to play a game or 2, but I also want to watch a baseball game on TV from time to time, or even a movie. It's simply a matter of not having enough time for everything.

Yeah, that's my problem. My typical weekday is get home at 6-6:30PM, eat dinner, clean up, and play with kids. It's 9:00PM before I know it. I'll usually watch a little baseball or TV with my wife and then go to bed to read or play a game or two on PSP. The weekends aren't much better with yard work, car washing, errands, shopping, family trips, exercise, etc.

I have not played my Xbox since a couple days after Forza was released. I doubt I will play much at all until NCAA Football is released.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:09 am

matthewk wrote:PK, you seem to go into these droughts every so often. Like all the others, I'm sure this is just a phase. Don't worry, you'll grow out of it

No doubt. But this "phase" is odd because usually I'm jonesing like mad to play after three weeks without a console.

By no means does this mean that I'm done with gaming.

Still, I can't say weather or longer days are a factor for me. I don't start gaming until 9:30 or 10 p.m., regardless of weather or season. I have fallen asleep earlier the last two nights, though, as I'm beat from 21 consecutive days of intense grinding at Indy. I think my last day off was May 1.

That's why my 40th birthday blowout this Saturday at the house should be epic! Pure hedonism, with around 80 people expected, a keg, bonfire, hopefully late-night nudity in the pool, etc., etc.

40-Stock is what I'm calling it already.

Take care,
PK

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:11 am

jLp vAkEr0 wrote:Maybe it's the fact that with the new consoles anounced, specs, features and all the hoopla, playing on this "older" consoles doesn't feel the same?

Heck, at least 8-9 friends have told me they have already sol their PS2 or Xbox to pre order the Xbox360.

Nope. I haven't seen enough software to get that jacked up about the Xbox 360, even though I'll get one eventually and the XBL functions look great. Plus the Xbox still has tons of life left in it.

Take care,
PK

AcemanPR · Post by **AcemanPR** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:13 am

pk500 wrote: That's why my 40th birthday blowout this Saturday at the house should be epic! Pure hedonism, with around 80 people expected, a keg, bonfire, hopefully late-night nudity in the pool, etc., etc.

40-Stock is what I'm calling it already.

Take care,
PK

What time should I be there?

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:19 am

sportdan30 wrote:Last thing. I just don't have the desire to stay up late and forfeit an extra hour or two of sleep to game. If I'm up past 11pm, then I'm the idiot. I've come to realize I need at least 7-8 hours of sleep. If not, I'm not all there and I'm a crab a$$ to the wife.

This is the same for me. I came to this realization by accident when I got the PSP. Since I didn't need to cram all my gaming into the hours of 10PM-12 or 1AM, I found that I started going to bed between 10 and 11:30PM. This gives me a solid 7-8 1/2 hours worth of sleep. I can't tell you how great it feels. I even go to be around the same time on weekend nights and that really helps as well. I don't even need an alarm clock anymore and sometimes wake up *before* the kids do on a Saturday or Sunday morning...LOL.

The DVR also really helps. I'll tape the end of late night sporting events (such as the NCAA Championship or west coast baseball games) and just watch them in the morning over breakfast.

Leebo33 · Post by **Leebo33** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:23 am

AcemanPR wrote:
pk500 wrote: That's why my 40th birthday blowout this Saturday at the house should be epic! Pure hedonism, with around 80 people expected, a keg, bonfire, hopefully late-night nudity in the pool, etc., etc.

40-Stock is what I'm calling it already.

Take care,
PK
What time should I be there?

LOL. I can be there too in 4 hours.

pk500 · Post by **pk500** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:25 am

Seriously, any of you cats who are in driving range and want to come are welcome. More the merrier. Meeting DSP buds always has been fun, as I've met Spooky, Pigpen and Tealboy at Indy.

Unfortunately, no spare beds here at the Kelly household. Bring a bag -- sleeping, that is.

Take care,
PK

anchester · Post by **anchester** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:43 am

i think it is b/c we are in a mature video game age. All games are fairly competant, but nothing really changes too dramatically as games tend to be just sequels and the sequels themselves are not much different.

Example. Madden has been competant for years. But its pretty much the same game we have been playing for a while. We have had good racing games for the last 2 or 3 years. Even the greatness of WE8, WE6 and 7 werent bad at all.

There just doesn't seem to be great leaps in gameplay or feel of games.

As for nonsports games, there really is a lack of newness. How many pretty shooters can you play b/f you get bored.

I remember Mario 64 as being so revolutionary in graphix and gameplay. The first tomb raider and resident evil on the PS1 the same way. But know, even the best games RE4 or god of war, are just amalgamations of games we have played before.

Zeppo · Post by **Zeppo** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 10:57 am

PK:

I just got back from a long weekend visiting my sister in Chi-town, and was a bit surprised that I turned the Xbox on, but never put in a game and played. I wasn't away for very long, but the feelings are similar to yours (of course, spending 6 hours at the Meadowlands after flying in to NY to enjoy a nice doubleheader to see Owen score a hat-trick, and then Guevara score a winner at the last possible instant to end the evening had me a bit worn out as well!).

Hence I am still sad about the end of our Tuesday night GR poker nights. Those regular sessions with a game a lot of DSPers owned and enjoyed had always been a million times more fun than solo playing in any game.

What say tonight we have a "PK's back from Indy" night of Forza, and see if we can't get a full crowd? I'll start up a thread.

thejake · Post by **thejake** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 11:27 am

I kind of had a lull for a while too. Then I decided i would finish the single player mode of halo 2 and play some single player black arrow. Now I am currently trying to beat prince of persia. And after that i have KOTOR2. I get all these games but usually end up playing mostly sports games, so I told myself that after MVP I wouldn't buy any games until NCAA Football and that has let me start enjoying all of my older games and getting my moneys worth on them. Prince of Persia is a great game. Everyday I can't wait to go home and play it. I havent played this type of game in a long time.

WillHunting · Post by **WillHunting** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 11:30 am

PK,

have you ever played Phantom Dust? I consider that one of the best Xbox games, the fully destructible environment plus infinite strategies + incredible atmosphere and weird story/background = one heck of an experience.

Also, if you can find it, try Spikeout Battle Street. I found a copy last weekend and while the graphics aren't too hot, the beat-em action is very fun and I hear it is even better on XBL.

And if those don't appeal to you, just take a break. You will come back and have more fun than you remembered!

dbdynsty25 · Post by **dbdynsty25** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 11:47 am

Will, you must have worked on that game...you seem to pimp it in every thread you post in. It can't be THAT good, can it?

kevinpars · Post by **kevinpars** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:08 pm

I get a lull in gaming this time every year. But being a big NCAA fan, I usually take June off anyway and get ready for some football in July and August.

But I just finished up with MVP for a while. Fun game, but something about the franchise mode keeps it from getting to High Heat levels. Gameplay is a blast, but I can imagine simming and playing multiple seasons like I did in High Heat.

It is the slow season for sports games and nothing else compelling out there for me anyway.

Inuyasha · Post by **Inuyasha** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:19 pm

I am no psychologist, but I think this disinterest is because at some level, we know with these new consoles coming out, we're going to be screwed with the same phony b.s. hype, the same phony previews, and the first batch or two of under-achieving games.

But what does that have to do with the current crop of consoles already out? I think we can all see the big picture down the road and don't want to go through the same old run around these gaming companies will put us through. Also, I think we all know that in the next generation we’re basically getting the same games as this generation but prettier. And of course for sports games in the next gen, we’re going to be stripped of most of the features we enjoy now for at least the next 2 years.

So I think we all feel like giving the industry a big F.U.

matthewk · Post by **matthewk** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:55 pm

So what you're saying is this may be some sort of natural defense system our bodies are putting us through in orer to wean us away from gaming? That way we don't go into full depression and shoot ourselves when we realize that we're getting the same thing with some new sprinkles on top

Personally, I'm in an anti-lull right now. Unplugging the PS2 and restricting my new game purchases has opened my eyes up to what I already have. Now I can't find enough time for Links, Moto GP2, Battlefront, X-men; Legends, ESPN NFL 2k5, MVP, SW: Galactic Battlegrounds, WWF No Mercy, Splashdown, MX Superfly, Amped, NBA Street 2, etc....

I'm also loving all the bargains on games like Burnout 3 ($20) and Oddworld ($30) that I held off on when they first came out. I also have WE8 still on my want list. I really think I could live in peaceful video game bliss for the next 12 months without a new game even being released.

sportdan30 · Post by **sportdan30** » Wed Jun 01, 2005 12:59 pm

Matt,

I'll sell you my copy of WE:8 if you're interested. Let m know.