Topic: The Chit Chat Thread

@JohnnyShoulder Agree. There are so many 10-15 hour games.

If you don't want long games, don't buy open world games. You're basically setting yourself up for disaster if you go on and buy a game in that genre, expecting a playtime of less than 20 hours.

@Kidfried @JohnnyShoulder Certainly, I agree. I typically like to mix in some indies for variety. And it’s not that I don’t like larger games. A lot of the time I do like to be lost in a good game for dozens of hours. It’s just that the average length and size of them is growing and so it is indeed making me need readjust my expectations.

Taking the Metal Gear franchise as a nice typical example of the trend of which I speak. Starting with Metal Gear and going through to Metal Gear Solid V The Phantom Pain, here are the average playtimes roughly rounded to nearest hour (according to howlongtobeat, using the main+extra, which is usually about where I settle in on my personal playtimes):
MG- 5, MG2- 6, MGS- 11, MGS2- 14, MGS3- 19, MGS4- 21, MGS5- 82!! (And you could effectively add another 6 hr of MGS:GZ which is an extension of TPP.)
And man, I loved MGS5. One of my favorites of this generation. It never felt bloated or got old to me. Many would argue that though. But the point is, for me it was a superb experience. And I want to have those experiences and not miss out. But you can see the trend if it were graphed is a perfectly rising curve that then skyrockets with the last game. If there would be a MGS6, where would it plot out on the graph? Probably at about 120 hours or so.

In years past, I wouldn’t feel as put off by a game that would require 100 hours, because it would be one of only a handful of good games out there I wanted to play. Now, with the growth of gaming, there are dozens of quality and tempting gameworlds beckoning to be experienced, so it’s hard not to feel the pressure to do them all.

But yes, I agree that mixing in the shorter indies is a great way to keep from the open world fatigue (recently did Oxenfree which fit the bill perfectly at about 6-8 hrs). But I also constantly keep my eye open for AAA quality games like Detroit Become Human and Uncharted Lost Legacy or Ratchet & Clank which can give you that nice game length variety but still have that impressive AAA shine.

Edit: @KratosMD - just saw your post. Another Oxenfree shout out! 😋

@KratosMD No worries my friend. Thank you for your kind words!

Gaming is so good for losing yourself and taking your mind off real life and it's stresses. I remember about 20 years ago my Dad got made redundant after working almost all his working life. He had no hobbies as such so I gave him my old ps1(had got a ps2 by then) and some games. He still says to this day that probably saved his sanity as he was getting worried about getting a new job and stuff. He is still playing games to this day and he has turned 70 this year.

Hope you enjoy Axiom Verge, I had a great time with it. I'll share some of my thoughts on it when you written something UP.

EDIT: Another recommendation is Yoku's Island Express. Its different to the other games too. So colourful, charming and cute without be over saccharine.

@Th3solution If there will be another MGS game, I imagine it would be a games as service. So not even 100 hours to complete, it will be never ending. Gulp. 😝

@KratosMD I want to put up a key I think in wasting time. The difference you feel in time spent doing nothing and playing a good game are so big. The former is definitely wasting time, but the other can be time well spent as long it's not too much. Everyone "wastes" time in different ways, some just like to think theirs is better.

On the other subject at hand, I might really need to give what you guys have said about indie games some thought. You see, on the one hand, I see these awesome looking AAA games, and of lot of them are awesome with good stories to tell. I also want to keep somewhat current - so I've been catching up on games - but next year I've got some pre-orders down. Next year I want to be in the GOTY discussion, but on the other hand, perhaps getting burnt out of some of these games is more real than I've realized and playing some shorter indies could be really good. I think keeping track of the gaming news each day on Pushsquare probably contributes to the desire to keep somewhat current too. I'm always seen the latest, always seeing cool AAA stuff to play. And if it doesn't really stick out to me, I've always had a harder time taking a gander on indie games.
It's funny how something that should be such a simple hobby to enjoy can get so complicated.

@JohnnyShoulder @KratosMD Can you guys tell me a little bit more about what "A Night in the Woods" is and why you guys liked it?

@KratosMD As far as the sentiment of video games being a “waste of time” that could be said of any hobby. I think fishing is a waste of time. As is sewing, gardening, and chess. And don’t even get me started about watching football. 😉

So in hilarious, and depressing, work news:

One of our four forklift drivers has resigned. Half of the cleaning staff have resigned. About 5 of the replenishment staff have resigned.

One of floor managers, and one of the two nighttime supervisors, has resigned. 4 people from the till staff are sick, leaving them pulling from other departments.

Two of the supervisors for day staff are off indefinitely.

On the plus side, it means a few people are probably going to be promoted.

@KratosMD I like the art style, it has dialogue choices, and you play as a cat, and it shouldn't be too long a of game. I think I might need this.

@Jaz007 I really liked the art style too. The humour is quite funny, the cast are all great, and some of the themes around returning home are really on point too.

For the most part the writing is excellent too but (non spoiler spoilers) the ending is just SO bad.

It’s a perfect sized map as well which encourages proper exploration each day. Plus, the game within a game she had on her laptop is quite addictive too.

Video game are a perfectly valid way to spend one's time. They keep the mind active and often require problem solving skills. Games have helped me through some tough times over the years. We are very lucky that they are available to us in the countries we live in. The rich stories in many titles are beneficial if they are enjoyable and may even get people interested in new topics. I don't see how they can be considered a waste of time when the alternative for most British people is spending two hours a night watching the soaps.

@Knuckles-Fajita That's a lot of resignations! Any particular reason so many left at once?

@mookysam Better offers elsewhere, wanted to move on. Usual stuff. Some just vanished entirely.

Its only been two months.

Let it be said if there is something wrong with my body, it's never simple.

To be blunt, the problem with my knee is...it's not where it should be. I have patellae maltracking which means the joint sits in the wrong place and moves around a bit. This causes discomfort and wear that leads to pain and all the problems I have been having.

Solution? I need to strengthen my hip muscles, as when tested I couldn't really do much with them, which will then strengthen my thigh, and that should pull my knee into place.

After that, move on to dealing with the joint itself.

@Knuckles-Fajita Hopefully those exercises will help ease your knee and then you can go from there. You should be referred to an orthopaedic consultant. Good luck and hope you feel better.

You reminded me about my own physiotherapy. To help with my foot pain my physiotherapist gave me exercises to loosen and strengthen my calf muscles, as they are abnormally tight and means more pressure it put on my feet than normal. In turn the feet have caused more strain to be put on my knees and hips. The human body is stupid. :-s

@mookysam Its not so much to ease my knee as it is....to literally put it back in the slot its meant to be in.

I have no idea how I managed at work

Busy busy week for me at work. Starting tomorrow I have to go out of town to help set up a store. We are talking 12 to 14 hour days for the next 2 weeks. Nice thing though it will be a nice check!!!

@Tasuki Sounds like good pay. The guys who came in to set up my store did 4 weeks at head office pay grades.

@Knuckles-Fajita Yeah I will just be getting my normal pay grade, but after so many hours it's double time.

@Tasuki That's really not bad. Heck, kinda jealous given I'm minimum wage. On nights though it was time and a third. Now since it's only until midnight I dont get that. Kinda miss it. No customers, ever.

But now I also need to explain to my supervisor how Ive managed to work so long. But with all the staff leaving I see either more hours, or a promotion coming my way.

The former is preferable.

@andreoni79 I totally gave in and ordered that copy of Zelda: Wind Walker for the Gamecube you sent me the link for.

Good price and condition was great. Just sat at my desk with the game staring at me.