You've identified in the first part that you don't understand what's going on in the rest to the degree that you can separate them (as well as separating when you should and should not buy something). Some people are motivated to do something by mere urges, some people are motivated to do those same things for much more.

So some people like me bought a bunch of games on GOG because i wanted DRM-free games before the whole damn market goes into DLC hell and such. So i'm going to have a bunch of "old games" that i'm hoping to be able to play 20 years from now when gaming is out of control with games as a service (or the market crashes).

[modded: please refrain from discussing poltics and posting offtopic/feeding a troll - ponczo_]

If you really want banned, i'm sure a support request could be made, but you'll just remake an account anyway. Like my old man keeps telling me he buys junk food so i'd eat it, but can't hold himself back, so i tell him not to buy it for me anymore, and he continues to claim i asked for it. I point out that the reason he buys it is he can't keep himself from buying it by the same lack of willpower that makes him gorge on it, and that if he wants to solve the problem the mind games just aren't going to work, but instead he needs to target the source of the problem: he probably hasn't been eating all the right foods so the snacks become a temptation for a never-ending desire for a nutritional element that he never gets.

EDIT: Oh, and free speech is great because while you always have some idiots going the wrong way, it prevents a situation where we risk forcing everyone to go the wrong way. Society can be wrong, and without free speech we can't try turning the boat before it smacks into an iceburg before we all sink. Nice thing is with free speech, we all sit on a distributed number of smaller boats, so not everyone sinks.

Dude, what the heck are you even talking about? OP just wanted some advice about how to stop buying so many games he isn't going to play. Your political ranting is totally besides the point here.

You could try reading twice. I actually addressed the issue and how it's related to the politics. I understand that he didn't actually want to talk about the politics, but since he brought it up, it's a good analogy for everything else in the post, too, such as the people egging him on saying he doesn't have enough. Take the time, slow down, and read, 'cause i imagine based on your response that you have something to learn from it.

EDIT: Nvm, you probably won't pick up on it. The common denominator in all these issues is that he doesn't take the time to understand people and their motivations for doing these things. Also, no one can stop or change the other side, especially because they can't understand the other side or their motivations. Similarly, he has no idea why he's being these games, but he just wants it to stop, without taking the time to actually figure out why he's so compelled to do so. Since his request is so shallow, ti's safe to bet his purchasing determination is as well, and it's his subconscious that's actually making the purchase, and that subconscious is looking for something it's not finding and i keeps vainly trying to find it in these purchases. This is not unlike how the lockdown hysteria was making people buy so much toilet paper: it was something physical to hold to feel prepared, even though you weren't, which then you couldn't have enough because it was not what you actually needed (long storage food and water).

oh dear

You're way too wordy, I'm not going to read your walls of text. Try to be more concise.

For the record I wasn't egging him on nor saying he hasn't enough.. just that he actually hasn't got it bad persay so long its games he got on sale cheap and the like compared to those with way more on their accounts . But ya he atleast realizes he has a promblem to a degree .. so its good if he does indded have a problem he realizes it and wants salutations .. for me I don't see it as a problem if those games he got most on sale and cheap

For a example of me knowing I have a problem and related to games loot boxs/microtransaction any games with those .. I have sworn off till they get ripped out of the game as I am aware I have a problem with loot boxs/microtransactiond as afew times lets say I without realizing screwed myself two months in a row and thuse I neber touch games with such a thing unless by the time they are retroactively aidded I am way too invested in the game like say Fallout 4 for example microtransactions was retroactively added to it .. but atleast thats not loot boxs

SLAM DUNK!

Well, there's a few steps to actually solve these problems. First you have to understand that you're looking at the wrong problem. The problem isn't lootboxes, but why you engage in lootboxes. For me, this has been cosmetic DLCs. So, for the sake of helping you and others, i'll go down this path with why I have a problem with DLC (and how I was able to actually address it).

I first realized I had a problem with Dead or Alive 5. As stated in my previous posts, my reasoning for buying games with a back log is that i want to play them some day. I'm not necessarily a "collector," but for all practical purposes, seeing me as one would certainly be an accurate approximation. So, here i am, on a 60 dollar game, spending hundreds and hundreds (i think we found out at some point there was over 1000 USD of DLC) of dollars on DLC. My mentality was, it was part of the aesthetic and necessary. The real problem was i wanted a game, and the reason i was always buying it was i felt that the content was functional, or at least that it would bother me to have an "incomplete game." I finally hit bottom with that game's DLC when it wouldn't even work, anymore, because the game would timeout reading all the DLC verification codes. The order in which i installed the DLC affected which DLC would count as "not purchased." Of course, reather than admit their game was buggy, they blamed my brand new solid state hard drive that i had installed a month before. It was then that i realized that what i was even looking for in the DLC would never come: completeness. Fighting games can only be completed once the next version has come out. So, if I want a fighting game, i need to prefer old games or get games that don't have much DLC. Some people have a similar problem with games, movies, etc in a certain series, but I know that with retconing and other cannon breaking features/attitudes that you just cannot afford to have that mentality with any series that's not completely dead (so, to me, Elder Scrolls ended with skyrim).

With people who have backlogs of games but notice there's a problem, there could be any number of reasons. Maybe they have a specific itch they need to scratch (notoriously, TES fans will try scratching that itch with games that aren't TES) and they can't find a game that scratches it, so the keep buying trying to scratch it. Some people feel the need to complete serieses (which isn't even possible with how some games are spread out over several different platform exclusive releases). Some people feel the need to have certain games because people they respect have those games. The list goes on. Once you realize the problem, then you need to address it.

With lootboxes/gatcha mechanics, you can almost guarantee it's a "complete the pokedex" or "I really want the cool thing" thing at play. Alot of times, the designers of such games actually don't intend for you to approach the games with that mentality of "having it all," nor do alot of companies with alot of DLC (i'm assuming Tecmo-Koei thought people would only buy the DLC for their facorite character, not all characters, for example). Such mechanics are a good way to solve the problem that was introduced with multiplayer turn-based RPGs, for example. The idea was "how do we get two people with mewtwos to have one mewtwo work differentl than another mewtwo making them feel unique?" Thus IVs and EVs were created in pokemon. The problem with that mechanic is people will still try to max the IVs and EVs. While it's good for making money, i believe the original intent was by making people spend money on bad rolls, they'd be less likely to constantly try to get "perfect rolls" and just learn how to "roll with what you got" (something you learn quickly with games like nethack or diablo). However, this clearly turned into something else entirely, especially when this crowd usually almost never actually gets halted by the process and either spends themselves into oblivion or doesn't get involved in the first place. The problem is, we want to have it all, and we also want to have things that no on else has, which is why these things turn into chaos. The moment you realize that, and get on board with the "i gotta try to use what i have better than the guy who has the better starting point," the sooner you can play games with such mechanics without loosing control of yourself. You can even buy a few loot boxes without going out of control, but you have to adopt the mentality of rolling with what you have, instead of demanding what you do not have.

And the thing with all this, too, is that it often comes from something deeper in our psychology, as well. Why do i need complete games? Because I want to enjoy my games forever. Why? Because i want to keep these things that i have as an adult that I couldn't keep when toys were lost or thrown out when I moved alot as a child. Of course, Tecmo-Koei had no idea that my spending behavior was brought on by such a thing, but it's not really their business to interfere nor should they even if they had somehow known. It's my responsibility to find out why i do the things i do and to understand my temptations as a result.

And for your benefit, I am aware of some games that uses lootbox/gatcha mechanics without using IRL money as well as some games that force you to roll with what you have through other methods. While i do have access to an android device, i don't like the idea of gatcha mechanics, so i bought one game (and i downloaded the demo of another game) that actually have gatcha mechanics in them, however they don't use real money. By playing them, I can experience the mentality first hand in a much safer way to better empathize with others with the problem. Unfortunately, the game I bought and the demo of the one have R18 elements, so i can't link to them here. I also am aware of some PG games like Nethack (free and open source, even) that make you roll with the loot you end up with. Games like minecraft with heavy randomization can help with this to a degree, too. Another avenue you can go is to actually look for games out there that have such mechanics intentionally, but don't use real money (given i found 2 on dlsite that have them, i imagine there's more there, and it seems to either be for people who like the mechanics [and specifically learning to roll with it] but don't like the real world cost or people like you who have a stated problem). There's stuff out there to help you fight your addiction without giving up on gaming (or at least the games you already have).

Thanks though I think I have gotten it slightly under control mix of things as I found some games with like ya said only in game curreny not able to buy the currency either having to earn it in game and the games that well don't push one to such lootbox style deals. and a thing set up with my bank to cut off my funds if it passes so much from a specific digital store or place

Also FYI for me I buy dlcs when they are on sale dirt cheap as I want a complete game I admit ... I can easilly go without em.. but for me if the DLC isn't cosmetic only .. I will feel like the game is incomplete otherwise but I will buy the cosmetic dlcs when they are dirt cheap in a ''why not its dirt cheap so might aswell add abit of spice to things'' but thats it for me buying anything cosmetic.. not downplaying your DLC problem just saying thats how I handle DLCS I almost always wait for em to be dirt cheap.. I would think that stems from my past growing up I was taught to be frugal and save when possible even on things one wants do to lack of money my household had.. Which I think is also one driving factor why on sales on G.O.G I go abit heavy on several games I wanted but never had a chance too play and they are dirt cheap on sale at the moment so ''nab for later playing '' aswell as ''so many games are going live service and always on line wanna aviod that so great backlog is good '' mindset..

But ya I am as some might cales a ''sales addict'' or a ''thrift addict'' Granted other then games I only spend on stuff I know I or my folks need or will need in the near enough future when it comes the physical ideas I get on sale and if they set around from finding out they won't be used any time soon.. I donate them to some charity that they'd go somewhere they'd be of use to someone.. So at the very least my one ''getting deals '' mentally does bring good to others on some level

Another easy suggestion to OP: stick to a budget. I also use a dollar / hour entertainment metric too. Say if a game can't provide you with <= 1 GBP / hr entertainment, then it's not worth buying for now.

---

Here's a summary:

1. OP doesn't know how their mind works
2. Current market is DLC hell, glad to have DRM-free games when games are subscription only in the future
3. People hate China for various reasons
4. Philosophical suggestions of why people subscribe to Christianity
5. Hating Trump won't get you banned on the forums, I voted for Trump myself
6. Contact GOG to delete your account
7. Free speech is great

1. Re-read again, post relevant to politics because OP brought it up
2. You, morolf, are too dumb to understand my messaging and OP has a subconscious issue with his buying problem

1. I had a problem with modern fighting games before I realized how evil DLCs are and how much money I spent on them
2. People are buying more than what they need to scratch an itch they feel compelled to including series and canon collections while disregarding older games that didn't have DLCs
3. Multiplayer lootboxes, gatcha, DLCs, microtransaction models are bad because they force people to spend money to stay competitive
4. Corporations shouldn't be exploiting psychology to make a sale
5. If you have to play a lootbox or gatcha game for your psychological needs, stick to one where you can get them for free

Quite an over-response to the OP just looking for ways to reduce their spending on games.

thx for the helpful summary, must have taken a lot of mental willpower and effort to read all of Kohlrak's posts :-)

I make exceptions when necessarily appropriate.

Haha, did you even read OP's comment? He was asking about advice how to stop buying games, this thread was never intended as a serious discussion of religious issues.

I know his point, I was just responding to his line I found interesting. Anyway, I don't know how to help with buying games you don't want. I mostly stopped doing it, but only after years of being stupid. I don't think anything triggered me being smarter about it other than just realizing I'll never play them.