Hey guys, this has been lingering in my mind for quite a while and I never really sat down and truly reflected upon it until now. It is a brief analysis and not something I've extensively done personal research on, but it is a very important topic that could be addressed for the community:
Keep in mind, there are a significant factors to consider but essentially I am keeping the average avid consumer in mind as they tend to have a huge library of games unplayed.
Common sense is not so common
Something has dawned on me and conditions vary upon each individual but I've come to realize what with the vastness of the library of that which are video games, are we truly doing our best to discover games that satisfy our unique preferences or are we proactively hindering ourselves in investing an unnecessary amount of time on games we don't really care about?
Satisfying closure or stubborn closure?
Problem:
I believe I'm not the only one having experienced a great many times just staring almost without emotion or enjoyment when playing through a game. I'm not exactly enjoying this game but I'm continuously spending time on it for what purpose? The fact that I've spent money on it and I must get my money's worth or for being the sake of clearing my massive backlog?
Personal Example:
The Online Singularity and lack of closure
1) I've spent countless amount of hours on League of Legends. It has been a continuous motion of enjoyment and stress. The problem lied wherein the x amount of hours spent on League could have been spent on other video games that have closure. With that being said, this is of a personal preference. I like closure, therefore, why continue to invest a significant amount on a single game and waste the opportunity of discovering a plethora of gems that are within arm's reach?
The Backlog Continuum and Unsatisfactory Closure
2) I'm spending x amount of hours on x game. Although I'm not enjoying Nioh, I'm continuously spending time on it to reach the end and get it over with. Is the amount of time and stress worth it? No. So why have I chosen to beat it?
Solution:
Implement a (x) rule to decide whether to continue with (x) game or move onto the next. I.E. - I've spent 5 hours on Deus Ex: Human Revolution and don't really consider it fun enough to spend any more time on it. I should move on and choose the next game in my backlog. If it passes the 5 hour rule and I'm finding myself to enjoy it every session, then not only will it be satisfactory, the consistency to which that I enjoyed it can also offset a particularly shitty ending. (I.E. Radiata Stories)
Closure Results | 1-2 year time frame (?):
1) Continuously follow initial mindset
20 Enjoyable Games
30 Decent Games
50 Mediocre Games
Time wisely spent? Eh.
2) Try new method
70 Enjoyable Games
30 Decent Games
0 Mediocre Games
Time wisely spent and happy? Hell yes.
---
TLDR:
Are you spending your time wisely on clearing your backlog & is it truly worth the time spent on beating a game you don't enjoy for the sake of beating it.
Keep in mind, there are a significant factors to consider but essentially I am keeping the average avid consumer in mind as they tend to have a huge library of games unplayed.
Common sense is not so common
Something has dawned on me and conditions vary upon each individual but I've come to realize what with the vastness of the library of that which are video games, are we truly doing our best to discover games that satisfy our unique preferences or are we proactively hindering ourselves in investing an unnecessary amount of time on games we don't really care about?
Satisfying closure or stubborn closure?
Problem:
I believe I'm not the only one having experienced a great many times just staring almost without emotion or enjoyment when playing through a game. I'm not exactly enjoying this game but I'm continuously spending time on it for what purpose? The fact that I've spent money on it and I must get my money's worth or for being the sake of clearing my massive backlog?
Personal Example:
The Online Singularity and lack of closure
1) I've spent countless amount of hours on League of Legends. It has been a continuous motion of enjoyment and stress. The problem lied wherein the x amount of hours spent on League could have been spent on other video games that have closure. With that being said, this is of a personal preference. I like closure, therefore, why continue to invest a significant amount on a single game and waste the opportunity of discovering a plethora of gems that are within arm's reach?
The Backlog Continuum and Unsatisfactory Closure
2) I'm spending x amount of hours on x game. Although I'm not enjoying Nioh, I'm continuously spending time on it to reach the end and get it over with. Is the amount of time and stress worth it? No. So why have I chosen to beat it?
Solution:
Implement a (x) rule to decide whether to continue with (x) game or move onto the next. I.E. - I've spent 5 hours on Deus Ex: Human Revolution and don't really consider it fun enough to spend any more time on it. I should move on and choose the next game in my backlog. If it passes the 5 hour rule and I'm finding myself to enjoy it every session, then not only will it be satisfactory, the consistency to which that I enjoyed it can also offset a particularly shitty ending. (I.E. Radiata Stories)
Closure Results | 1-2 year time frame (?):
1) Continuously follow initial mindset
20 Enjoyable Games
30 Decent Games
50 Mediocre Games
Time wisely spent? Eh.
2) Try new method
70 Enjoyable Games
30 Decent Games
0 Mediocre Games
Time wisely spent and happy? Hell yes.
---
TLDR:
Are you spending your time wisely on clearing your backlog & is it truly worth the time spent on beating a game you don't enjoy for the sake of beating it.
