Buying more games than I have time to play... (1 Viewer)

[Chris Bardon]

I'm sure I'm not the only one who does this, but I've found myself with a huge stack of games that I haven't finished yet. So far, it's looking something like this:

Xbox
Gladius
GTA Double Pack
Enter the Matrix
Blinx
Hunter:The Reckoning
JSRF
Quantum Redshift
Silent Hill 2
Sphinx and the Cursed Mummy
Star Wars:Starfighter
The Thing
Tony Hawk Underground

Gamecube:
Billy Hatcher
Resident Evil:Code veronica X
Sonic adventure DX
Viewtiful Joe
Wario World
Zelda CE Bonus disc.

Even with all of this though, I keep buying games. Admittedly, a lot of those were picked up used (either at EB or Blockbuster) for a decent price (blinx was worth $10, but not $50), but it's taking an amazing amount of restraint not to go out and buy Ninja Gaiden tonight. Am I the only one who finds themselves doing this?

Maybe I just need to call in sick to work for a month or so...

 

[Rob Speicher]

Don't bother. And if it's still shrinkwrapped, just return it.

 

[James T]

I actually didn't mind Enter the Matrix. It was only the last few levels that I didn't like because it was too repetitive and you were pretty much going in one big circle.

 

[Chris Bardon]

Yeah, I really didn't think too much of Enter the Matrix on PC when I tried it, but grabbed the Xbox version since it only cost me $7, and I figured that it might be slightly more playable than I thought before. We'll see though-I just started Gladius last weekend, and it looks like I'll be taking a LONG time with that one (especially if I end up going through twice to get both stories).

 

[Joe Spratley]

Chris,
I'm in the exact same predicament as you only worse. I have about 57 games that I've bought over the past year and a half and only have completed about 5, yet I have an overwhelming urge to go get ninja gaiden and prince of persia. I don't even play games that much so I don't know why I keep buying them. I think part of it is to test out my home theater equipment. A game will get rave reviews and I'll want to see what it looks like on the big screen and hear the surround sound. Actually I've noticed this with movies as well. I seem to enjoy reading the forums, reading specs, figuring out how to connect components, comparing qualities etc. than actually using the home theater. Don't get me wrong I like to watch a good movie on the big screen but I can only take about 1 or 2 a week, any more than that and I feel like I should be doing something better with my life. I think I like the intellectual part of the home theater hobby more so than actually using it. Maybe I should have bought some crossword puzzles instead, it would have been a lot cheaper. Anyway I probably have enough games to last me for the next 5 years.

 

[Tony Whalen]

I can't claim to have a pile like that... but I recently got these:

RS3
Fallout: BOS
D&D Heros
GTA Double-pack
Wolfenstein
and I *finally* bought a copy of KOTOR. (I'd rented it several times...)

I don't even know where to begin! (Although lately, KOTOR has been taking all my time, as I started fresh and I'm playing a complete Dark-side character.)

 

[Dave Scarpa]

You too huh?

Problem is too many good games are coming for the Xbox and with Live the single player games suffer I still have The Bond game waiting, Ninja Gaiden is on the way, as well as Dead Man's Hand and MVP Baseball. I've bearly scratched the service of alot of games.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Don't even get me started on movies Joe I have about 90 disks still shrinkwrapped. I'm averaging about the same as you 2 a week, then I have what I tivo and what I've bought for TV Box sets.

I'm really starting to question buying alot of disks becasue watching them should be fun and I'm trying to keep up which is becoming a chore and not what the hobby should be about.

 

[Joe Spratley]

I know what you mean. It does feel like a chore sometimes. Since I spent the money I feel like I have to watch the movie or play the game. I also have an ultimate TV with the 105 hr. upgraded hard drive that tapes a lot of movies. However I find myself not wanting to watch them since the PQ isn't that great on a 100" infocus x1 screen especially compared to DVD's that look great. Lately I find myself usually watching one of the dumb reality shows while I eat dinner. With the ultimate tv I can skip the commercials and boring parts which usually comes out to about 30 minutes for a 60 minute show. I'm thinking about downgrading my directv platinum package to just the basic package and saving the $50/month.

I remember when I first got the xbox there wasn't many good titles to pick from. I bought several games that I wouldn't buy now just because there was nothing else at the time. Now there are a bunch of good ones.

 

[Dean Martin]

I have a large stack as well. Slowly but surely I finish the games that are worth having. If you have kids though, you can live vicariously through them. My son almost finished Bond before I did.
As long as you enjoy having a nice library it's worth having a number of games and playing a couple of new levels here and there.

 

[DaveF]

Have you considered the tradeoff between having lots of movies to choose from at your whim versus more than $1000 (maybe even $2000) sitting there in DVDs not being used. For that you could upgrade your TV, buy a new computer, pay down your home mortgage, etc.

I'm tempted at times to buy new stuff just for the immediate thrill of having new stuff. Usually I remember just how much time I spend playing games and watching movies, and delay the purchase until I've got time to really enjoy it. But I'm frugal. I'd rather have a thousand bucks in savings than piled up in DVDs.

But if you're paying your bills (and not living with credit-card debt) and saving some for the future, then spend your extra cash however you want.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

Well I've been thinking about it more and more especially since I can netflix alot of it... I expect to be thinning out some disks very soon.

 

[Tim Markley]

I can't even remember the last game that I actually finished. I haven't been buying anything new lately though since I've gone back to playing DAoC.

 

[Scott L]

www.gamefly.com!

Do you really need to drop $50 on these titles when you don't have time to play them? Well the answer is simple to me anyway.

 

[Ryan Wishton]

Well, I buy only a couple of games a year... The best of the best... I play them, beat them within a week or two, then sell them and make a tiny profit...

So, my video game fun actually pays me...

It's strange... Most times you wont see me playing a game... But, when I do, I am there at every possible moment until I finish...

I must have an addiction... Thats why I only feed it a couple times a year... I cant believe how fast a week can go by playing a game...

I have to agree though... Dont buy things you never use... It's just a waste of money... You can save that for better things... Pay a little more on your mortgage each month... You will save a hell of a lot of money in the end and have even more money to buy what you want or need...

 

[Joe Spratley]

I'm curious how you make a profit on them?

 

[Jay Mitchosky]

Scott L

That sig photo continues to freak me out!

Too many games, too little time has plagued me for a while. I've come to think of the last few months as an embarassment of riches for quality titles. I sympathize with you multi-platform owners! Right now I'm wrestling with...

• Prince of Persia
• GTA III (with Vice City in tow)
• Crimson Skies
• Beyond Good & Evil
• Armed & Dangerous

I'm pretty sure I'm missing ones there. That and I'm still trying to get Gotham 2 time when I can. Plus there are other games that are on deck that I want to pick up (Metal Arms, Voodoo Vince now that they're cheap). Still want to get MotoGP 2. Rallisport Challenge 2 is coming soon. That new Bond looks cool. Couple more weeks and Sam Fisher is back in town with Splinter Cell: Pandora Tomorrow (which I'll buy immediately).

By the way, for Voodoo Vince can you change the horizontal and vertical axes? On the OXM demo they were inverted (both) which I hate in platformers and no setup option was provided to change them.

It's a good time for games, no doubt.

 

[Dave Scarpa]

voodo vince I believe does have the invert option a friend of mine has it and he always inverts his sticks. VV is one I'll pick up as some point. I also would like to pick up that Battlestar Galactca game.

 

[Mark Giles]

Joe, you hit the nail on the head...I have way too many games and movies but too little time.

Do what I do...I have a tv setup right next to my computer monitor. I'll play a movie in dvd drive and play my ps2/xbox while listening/watching a movie. That's 2 VERY productive hours!

 

[Dustin Wind]

I have over 50 x-box games.
I haven't even opened half of them lol. Way to many to enjoy.
Play for 20 minutes then put it away.