How has gaming affected your life? For good or for bad.

[Gamernyc78]

Serious question. Regardless of brand loyalty how has gaming affected your overall life? Gaming for me has always been a positive conduit where i can release any stress or frustration i might have at the moment. It has helped and has been actually therapeutic at times.

Obviously it has also affected me financially as i do spend quite alot on gaming yearly but i cant quantify the mental and therapeutic positives it has brought into my life. Doesnt matter how much i spend as long as my mind is right.

Look forward to seeing others responses. Positive or Negative.

@Sircaw chime in my brother.

 

[Jim Ryan]

I got a job out of it, even if I had no clue what I was doing. Pay was great.

 

[Gamernyc78]

I got a job out of it, even if I had no clue what I was doing. Pay was great.

Dope!

 

[RE4-City]

I just turned 30 in May and I have to say. How gaming has been more and more of hassle in my life. I still love the hobby but making time for it has been getting harder and harder. Then when you got some games that have some questionable design choices it makes me just want to only play just a few games. (RE4 2005, NFS Underground 2, paper mario n64, and ocarina of time.)
Maybe ots just nostalgia but 18 to 26 years ago was a sweet spot in gaming for me

 

[JAHGamer]

For good of course, it's the peak form of art and entertainment. Any free time I get, I'm gaming. Shows and movies these days tend to suck, while games just keep getting better and better. I can't wait till I'm retired and get to game even more, sometimes I slack off at work and play on my Switch or Portal And I'm seriously considering getting a Steam Deck OLED

 

[Entropi]

The moment I touched that Donkey Kong 3 arcade controller in 1986 changed my life forever. I immediately fell in love with video games and with tech in general. I made myself learn English at a very young age to understand the content in games, and I ended up making a career in technology. In the end, I’d say it changed my life for the better.

 

[Danja]

It's always provided me with an escape whether to distract myself from stress or aided my procrastination , but it's been my longest hobby alongside running and soccer.

I've met a lot of cool folks through gaming even in the Concord Beta I made new buddies, brought me to this forum as well and of course cost me lost of money I could have saved.

 

[Remember_Spinal]

It made me a true meathead douchebag like mrpyo

 

[Vertigo]

i don’t really watch tv and didn’t until the woman moved in. It was just gaming. My younger days was just gaming and working out. It was a whole bunch of us really. Kept me away from drugs and alcohol… even tho i was working nightlife and clubs at the time.

Now in my late 30s… it’s just a way to decompress after a day’s work and dealing with the day to day decaying condition of NYC. Especially competitive games. Those still keep me engaged. Narratives… not so much (since most stink). I try for an hour a day to game during the week and Saturday mornings from 5am till 1pm to raid and then my tv privileges are lost to the woman. I also usually have to earn that weekend with cooking, baking or … giving her sex

I do and don’t wish I spent less time gaming in my younger years. It is what it is… I wish I played less stinkers and didn’t waste money on plenty of stuff tho. Especially when I was reviewing stuff and doing games press — sucked all the fun out of it playing tons of mid trash non stop.

What I learned is not to give a shit about buying every major release cults of personality and console warriors shill for. Dudes will shill for any pos if it’s exclusive to their platform. Just spend your money wisely - I think eventually you have a good idea of what you legit like not to fall victim to bs hype. Resist

 

[Kokoloko]

My favourite from of electronic entertainment, even if I watch TV more now days, Video gaming is number 1 since i was a kid.

Still enjoy it to this day. Had multiple good jobs from it and enjoy every video game job Ive had

 

[Sircaw]

I find the world extremely depressing to a point that it really effects me. To add to that, I have many, many physical and mental ailments.

My depression levels are reduced by a couple of things: my writing of stories, being able to have some banter on these forums and being able to partake in a session of gaming.

Even just taking a 20-minute session doing something like Slay the Spire helps me relax and forget about all the bullshit around me.

 

[Kokoloko]

I find the world extremely depressing to a point that it really effects me. To add to that, I have many, many physical and mental ailments.

My depression levels are reduced by a couple of things: my writing of stories, being able to have some banter on these forums and being able to partake in a session of gaming.

Even just taking a 20-minute session doing something like Slay the Spire helps me relax and forget about all the bullshit around me.

I have your short stories book on my shelf at home

Yes, there was times where my body and mind couldnt handle alot of things. Just a bit of time on a certain game could remove so much tension, totally forgot about that part of the hobby lol

 

[Sircaw]

I have your short stories book on my shelf at home

Yes, there was times where my body and mind couldnt handle alot of things. Just a bit of time on a certain game could remove so much tension, totally forgot about that part of the hobby lol

Yep, it's such a great release to get away from things, games really can be brilliant at doing that.

 

[voke]

It provides me with a slew of things to enjoy. Art, sound/music, gameplay, stories, togetherness.... I genuinely believe gaming is the best form of media entertainment. I'll never quit or stop being enthusiastic about them.

As far as negative, I spent a disgusting amount of time playing online games in my youth, my only gaming regret is spending hundreds (or even over a thousand) hours on a single experience. that's not healthy IMO, I'm much happier now waiting for single player releases that don't eat too much time, and the occasional multiplayer experience. Online game addiction can be horrible for your mental health, and life.

 

[Vertigo]

There’s two harder modes for ronin. I only went one difficulty up from the default setting. Thing is… they slap you in the face up front like a souls game with punishment but you quickly break thru that barrier after the intro and where at now I feel too OP. Definitely gauged it wrong. I should’ve went even harder because while I recognize ronin as an rpg it looks like hardest diff would be needed to kit out your character and put that kit to use.

Otherwise it’s not that difficult bynjust reacting to combat and going for strength and health. Well not unless there’s a spike after Act 2… at the end of act 2 at the moment… 50 hour mark.

 

[voke]

i don’t really watch tv and didn’t until the woman moved in. It was just gaming. My younger days was just gaming and working out. It was a whole bunch of us really.

Relatable lol, I only enjoyed TV on occasion, until I started having girlfriends. My whole life I wondered why playing video games was such an issue when older folks just... watched TV all day, it's more or less the same thing, but video games are far more immersive and dynamic.

 

[Johnic]

I just turned 30 in May and I have to say. How gaming has been more and more of hassle in my life. I still love the hobby but making time for it has been getting harder and harder. Then when you got some games that have some questionable design choices it makes me just want to only play just a few games. (RE4 2005, NFS Underground 2, paper mario n64, and ocarina of time.)
Maybe ots just nostalgia but 18 to 26 years ago was a sweet spot in gaming for me

Just out of curiosity, what's your opinion on the RE4 remake?

Gaming's been pretty good for me. I played since I was 6 and it never got to one of those extremes where people ignore their lives for the sake of gaming.

And yet I play everyday. At least an hour. It's very rare for me not to turn a console on in a day. Still have more than enough time for everything else.

Also met some cool people. Met one of my best buddies through a Metal Gear forum, to the point we visit each other in different countries. And I mean a true friend. The kind you could leave your house keys with and not worry about a thing.

So gaming's been pretty great to me.

 

[John Elden Ring]

Im single becase of it i guess,

I used to play a lot more when i was younger, but due to depression playing game nowdays is a challenge.

 

[PropellerEar]

Gaming has been good for me.
New friends, and a way to keep contact with my brother and friends, play few MP games and talk some shit.

Nowadays I don't have much time for MP, mostly use gaming to take mind of work and other IRL stuff.

 

[BroodCorp]

Gave me something to feel a part of, to what benefit? I'm not sure. Gaming is so poorly gatekept that you don't even have to play video games anymore to technically be a part of the community.

My love of ambiance and environmental details was born through video games. It fuels the escapist in me. Nothing beats a well designed world or level that makes you feel like you're there. I wouldn't mind getting into environmental art.