This can potentially be hard for some people to do, but basically it is a good idea for people to think of their game libraries as just that - libraries, just like a public library for example. When you go to the public library, any of the books are available for you to read if and when you want to, but at the same time you are under no obligation to read any of them. You simply select a few titles of interest and read them at your liesure.

The difference is that you actually own the library, presumbly because the games were so cheap that it was worth grabbing them to build such a library with small amounts of disposable income that is insignificant.

The mistake some people make is to feel that because they did buy all of these games that they now feel obligated to play all of them either to get their money's worth, or because they feel guilty for buying something and not playing it. Don't fall into that trap though, because then you don't own your games - your games own you. Don't treat the entire library as a "Now I _MUST_ play all of these oh fuck, what am I going to do!!!!" but instead treat it as a library bookshelf full of books that you might or might not read some day.

Games are supposed to be entertaining, not a TODO list of chores. If you feel like you want to be entertained, decide if a particular game or game genre or whatever is to your appeal at a given moment and rifle through the library and find something that you personally feel interested in playing at the moment and install it and play it. Don't feel obligated to solve it or play it any longer than it is enjoyable at the moment, or to ever play it again if you don't care for it. Switch to some other game whenever you're bored or want to try some other experience.

If one's game backlog causes anxiety or feels like a list of chores or task list from your boss at work, then it's less likely to be something fun and entertaining, which defeats the purpose of playing the games in the first place.

Just remember why it is that you actually want to play games - it is to fulfill one or more needs, in particular a need to be entertained is at the root of it, but there may be other reasons, perhaps other specific emotions one wishes to experience. Ultimately being entertained is all about experiencing something that causes us to feel emotions. Joy, excitement, anger, love, hate, whatever it is, we do it to experience emotions because we are emotional creatures that have needs. Choose games that meet your emotional needs at a given moment and you'll enjoy your gaming much more than if you play games because you feel obligated to as if it was a homework assignment or list of chores that need to be done.

Hope this helps.

I'm very glad you started this thread and grateful for the interesting replies. We have the same dilemma.

Wait, so you don't have any kids?

OH THANK GOD!

You know, I told myself I'd finish the three big RPGs (original sin, wasteland 2, pillars of eternity) over my holiday period. It never happened, and I didn't even touch them during. I played other games casually. Games that I enjoy... games that I took as long as I wanted with. I think I finished one game in the last 5 months. I'm not bothered by it at all.

Just play whatever you feel like playing, and have fun with it. Never force yourself, or it ends up feeling like a chore.

Hardly. I have three little ones, and still find time to game casually. I'm also about to start full-time uni for my second year, and I'm looking to start up tennis... maybe go back to the gym. I've actually told myself to sacrifice all gaming until I'm out of the study period. Life has only gotten better. I'd love to discuss further, but I don't want to hijack this nice person's thread.

For people that have to spend money on games (aka "not traders") then I'd imagine it'd be more of an investment. Spending $5, $10, $20, $60 on something and not playing it would be a waste. So the first deterrent is money rather than time. Secondly, you should be taking care of life before spending time on entertainment anyway. You don't set aside time to play games, it's more like "I'm not doing anything right now and I've been wanting to play that". So you do. It'd be silly to schedule out family and friends for virtual things. :P

And for how I keep up, I don't. I wait for sales and trade free virtual stuff for games, or I win contests. So I save money, I add to my collection, and there's no investments or obligations like 'normal' people would have with their real money. It's just paying for the convenience of having something *now* and I'm a very patient person when free is an option. :>

As for my backlog, that's usually in sync with my bandwidth limits. I can't download more than 80gb a month. So investing in a big game or several small games is a monthly affair for me to decide on. And it really depends on the type of game too. If you're talking about single player lengthy adventures then sometimes you just lack that luxury depending on your priorities in life. But anything new lacks depth so it's usually not a problem.

It has simply converted to something else. There are delights to be had that I haven't seen even close to being replicated elsewhere.

You know the shit that happens between sleep times.

I see people going about their lives from one boring commitment to the next, seems like a death sentence to me.

That's kinda non-negotiable unless you're a millionaire or you don't mind living in poverty. The question is, when you'll already be giving away most of your life working, do you want to give the rest of it away to fucking kids and a woman? Lol

I'd rather fuck the woman than the kids...

ha ha

Remember that after she marries you she'll get fat and behave like she deserves to be treated as a princess...

I suspect you have yet to find the right woman for you. While I make those same jokes at times, being married has definitely been a good thing for me. No kids, though: circumstance / fate / bad luck / whatever helped make that decision for us.

Anyway...

The traveling job means I have a good bit of game time while on the road, so that's where most of my play time comes in. When I'm home there is enough other stuff to do that it eats into this time. When I do play at home, the wife doesn't give me any guff about it - she knows this is my hobby and that's that.

As to the backlog, I look at it as having purchased options. Those titles in your backlog are games that you have the option of installing any time you want to try a new game.

I'm pretty impressed seeing how adult gamers managed their time and mental state to still enjoy gaming with tight schedule.

Im ain't strictly on DRM-free, if the game is not available in here, or barely receive updates I will go to steam.
More like GOGbears and Gaben teaming up to blow my head up. xD.


I actually stop buying games and start listing it on notepad instead of putting it on my library. Used to do impulse buying on games on sale usually at the end of the year.

My fav genre RPG/Adventure games might be the problem as it usually takes tons of my times.

Thank you. Thats a pretty good advice. Boobs, beer and other shit.
I think hes given up growing up.
That took an unexpected turn rather quickly.