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I've put this on the general games forum to get the thoughts of everyone who posts here. Sure, all of my references to games are about Nintendo ones because I used to be a big Nintendo fan, but the actual point of discussion for this topic is aimed at everyone.
I've just been playing around with ye old Xbox 360 controller on my PC, and the great thing about it is, it's compatible with Project64! Woo! So I've mapped the controls to a comfortable layout for me and decided to just test it out on a game which I haven't played in a while: Banjo Kazooie. Well, okay, I wasn't playing it long ago, but back then it was on the actual console and I was actually playing it to complete it because I decided to give it another try.
Not that I found it hard - that's not what I mean by "another try." I mean, it just took me much longer to get into it than normal, and I didn't feel comfortable playing it around people because, to be honest, it felt really childish. Now I've discovered what a great game it is, once you get past Treasure Trove Cove. I'm actually stuck after the quiz show bit now. I've done the quiz show, but don't have enough jiggies for the final door, so I have to backtrack. Am I the only one who gets lost in Gruntilda's lair and ends up at the wrong level entrance?
But yeah - I missed out on the greatness of this fabulous game for ages because I didn't give it a good enough chance, dismissing it as too childish and not a game I want to be seen playing. Now I want to properly complete it.
A similar scenario is with Zelda OOT, but I just can't get into that game. On my first attempt, I got to Lord Jabu Jabu and gave up with it. Now I'm at the water temple, and have given up again. But I never delete my games - that way I can carry on where I left off when I feel like giving it another chance. I'm sure everyone here knows how overhyped OOT is!
So how long do you think you should play a game before refusing to play it for whatever reason? How long do you spend on a particularly hard bit before giving up, or resorting to a guide? How long do you allow for a game to get going before you switch it off through boredom or embarrassment? And how long does it normally take you to think, "Maybe I'll give it another go. It might be better further on"?
I've just been playing around with ye old Xbox 360 controller on my PC, and the great thing about it is, it's compatible with Project64! Woo! So I've mapped the controls to a comfortable layout for me and decided to just test it out on a game which I haven't played in a while: Banjo Kazooie. Well, okay, I wasn't playing it long ago, but back then it was on the actual console and I was actually playing it to complete it because I decided to give it another try.
Not that I found it hard - that's not what I mean by "another try." I mean, it just took me much longer to get into it than normal, and I didn't feel comfortable playing it around people because, to be honest, it felt really childish. Now I've discovered what a great game it is, once you get past Treasure Trove Cove. I'm actually stuck after the quiz show bit now. I've done the quiz show, but don't have enough jiggies for the final door, so I have to backtrack. Am I the only one who gets lost in Gruntilda's lair and ends up at the wrong level entrance?
But yeah - I missed out on the greatness of this fabulous game for ages because I didn't give it a good enough chance, dismissing it as too childish and not a game I want to be seen playing. Now I want to properly complete it.
A similar scenario is with Zelda OOT, but I just can't get into that game. On my first attempt, I got to Lord Jabu Jabu and gave up with it. Now I'm at the water temple, and have given up again. But I never delete my games - that way I can carry on where I left off when I feel like giving it another chance. I'm sure everyone here knows how overhyped OOT is!
So how long do you think you should play a game before refusing to play it for whatever reason? How long do you spend on a particularly hard bit before giving up, or resorting to a guide? How long do you allow for a game to get going before you switch it off through boredom or embarrassment? And how long does it normally take you to think, "Maybe I'll give it another go. It might be better further on"?
Depends, some games take ages to get good as you have to get your character various skills and learn the various techniques for getting past various elements of the game with ease.
Too many examples really, Bioshock, Morrowind, Project Sylpheed etc etc
Too many examples really, Bioshock, Morrowind, Project Sylpheed etc etc
I tend to try most games that i can, mostly on the PC. I don't really have a time limit that i judge them by, i tend to play them all the way through and then make the judgement on if i like it or not.
It's very very rare that i wouldn't finish a game that i started unless something a lot better had a close release date and i wouldn't have time for both.
Most single player games you'll get under 20 hours out of and those that you get more than that there is a good chance they will have parts that are boring or a grind even to the most hard core fan of a series.
I think it more depends how you play games and in what time scale, i don't tend to play any game for more than two hours in a row really and if i do play longer it would have to be a hell of a gripping game.
Although i said earlier that i tend to try most games, there have been some that i just have stayed away from, mostly due to gameplay videos looking very boring or just not my cup of tea.
I think there are some games that no matter how loved they are by millions of people, there are other people out there that just don't get the attraction. (e.g i can't stand FF7)
As for giving up on hard bits or resorting to a guide, i tend to persevere and don't ever check guides for help as it kinda defeats the fun of working something out or improving my skill at the game, at least for me that is.
It's very very rare that i wouldn't finish a game that i started unless something a lot better had a close release date and i wouldn't have time for both.
Most single player games you'll get under 20 hours out of and those that you get more than that there is a good chance they will have parts that are boring or a grind even to the most hard core fan of a series.
I think it more depends how you play games and in what time scale, i don't tend to play any game for more than two hours in a row really and if i do play longer it would have to be a hell of a gripping game.
Although i said earlier that i tend to try most games, there have been some that i just have stayed away from, mostly due to gameplay videos looking very boring or just not my cup of tea.
I think there are some games that no matter how loved they are by millions of people, there are other people out there that just don't get the attraction. (e.g i can't stand FF7)
As for giving up on hard bits or resorting to a guide, i tend to persevere and don't ever check guides for help as it kinda defeats the fun of working something out or improving my skill at the game, at least for me that is.
I'll give a game about 24 hours before i give up if it's rubbish. I tend to get bored of average games after 4 or 5 days, by which time i will have completed most of them anyway.
To be honest i dont buy games anymore. I prefer to rent.
To be honest i dont buy games anymore. I prefer to rent.
I never actually finish my games, I've owned almost every Zelda and I've clocked maybe two. I need help with the last dungeon in TP but I hate using guides :|
I tend to be quite selective with the games I buy and they are usually games that I have some interest in, look fun or are in my favourite areas and have got good reviews. I try to get a general consensus of opinion and 99% of the time, I'm happy to play through the games I bought. I tend not to play demos, not sure why.
There is the occasional 1% where the game is so buggy it's almost unplayable or has control issues but it'll never stop me wanting to finish it.
I try to avoid using guides, I very rarely turn a game off because of boredom or embarrassment. Maybe I'm just crazy.
There is the occasional 1% where the game is so buggy it's almost unplayable or has control issues but it'll never stop me wanting to finish it.
I try to avoid using guides, I very rarely turn a game off because of boredom or embarrassment. Maybe I'm just crazy.
This is why demos can ruin or make a game. They're designed for people to spend just the right amount of time on a game to find out how good it is.
However, they don't always pick the first level of a game and first levels are crucial. The issue is that some games require quite a hefty piece of tutorial for you to understand the game and these in themselves can put people off (think Command and Conquer on the 360). Once you get past this, it's up to the storyline and the action to draw you in from the word go.
Now I pick my games carefully, so unless it's on a really good offer, I won't pick up a duff one. You do still get the odd game that you think is going to be better than it is, however. If I've spent money on a game, I'll try to get as far as I can, but the odd game I've given up after 2 levels so I could trade it in to get something else. I can't think of anything recent that I've done that with though.
However, they don't always pick the first level of a game and first levels are crucial. The issue is that some games require quite a hefty piece of tutorial for you to understand the game and these in themselves can put people off (think Command and Conquer on the 360). Once you get past this, it's up to the storyline and the action to draw you in from the word go.
Now I pick my games carefully, so unless it's on a really good offer, I won't pick up a duff one. You do still get the odd game that you think is going to be better than it is, however. If I've spent money on a game, I'll try to get as far as I can, but the odd game I've given up after 2 levels so I could trade it in to get something else. I can't think of anything recent that I've done that with though.
I've put this on the general games forum to get the thoughts of everyone who posts here. Sure, all of my references to games are about Nintendo ones because I used to be a big Nintendo fan, but the actual point of discussion for this topic is aimed at everyone.
I've just been playing around with ye old Xbox 360 controller on my PC, and the great thing about it is, it's compatible with Project64! Woo! So I've mapped the controls to a comfortable layout for me and decided to just test it out on a game which I haven't played in a while: Banjo Kazooie. Well, okay, I wasn't playing it long ago, but back then it was on the actual console and I was actually playing it to complete it because I decided to give it another try.
Not that I found it hard - that's not what I mean by "another try." I mean, it just took me much longer to get into it than normal, and I didn't feel comfortable playing it around people because, to be honest, it felt really childish. Now I've discovered what a great game it is, once you get past Treasure Trove Cove. I'm actually stuck after the quiz show bit now. I've done the quiz show, but don't have enough jiggies for the final door, so I have to backtrack. Am I the only one who gets lost in Gruntilda's lair and ends up at the wrong level entrance?
But yeah - I missed out on the greatness of this fabulous game for ages because I didn't give it a good enough chance, dismissing it as too childish and not a game I want to be seen playing. Now I want to properly complete it.
A similar scenario is with Zelda OOT, but I just can't get into that game. On my first attempt, I got to Lord Jabu Jabu and gave up with it. Now I'm at the water temple, and have given up again. But I never delete my games - that way I can carry on where I left off when I feel like giving it another chance. I'm sure everyone here knows how overhyped OOT is!
So how long do you think you should play a game before refusing to play it for whatever reason? How long do you spend on a particularly hard bit before giving up, or resorting to a guide? How long do you allow for a game to get going before you switch it off through boredom or embarrassment? And how long does it normally take you to think, "Maybe I'll give it another go. It might be better further on"?
I've just been playing around with ye old Xbox 360 controller on my PC, and the great thing about it is, it's compatible with Project64! Woo! So I've mapped the controls to a comfortable layout for me and decided to just test it out on a game which I haven't played in a while: Banjo Kazooie. Well, okay, I wasn't playing it long ago, but back then it was on the actual console and I was actually playing it to complete it because I decided to give it another try.
Not that I found it hard - that's not what I mean by "another try." I mean, it just took me much longer to get into it than normal, and I didn't feel comfortable playing it around people because, to be honest, it felt really childish. Now I've discovered what a great game it is, once you get past Treasure Trove Cove. I'm actually stuck after the quiz show bit now. I've done the quiz show, but don't have enough jiggies for the final door, so I have to backtrack. Am I the only one who gets lost in Gruntilda's lair and ends up at the wrong level entrance?
But yeah - I missed out on the greatness of this fabulous game for ages because I didn't give it a good enough chance, dismissing it as too childish and not a game I want to be seen playing. Now I want to properly complete it.
A similar scenario is with Zelda OOT, but I just can't get into that game. On my first attempt, I got to Lord Jabu Jabu and gave up with it. Now I'm at the water temple, and have given up again. But I never delete my games - that way I can carry on where I left off when I feel like giving it another chance. I'm sure everyone here knows how overhyped OOT is!
So how long do you think you should play a game before refusing to play it for whatever reason? How long do you spend on a particularly hard bit before giving up, or resorting to a guide? How long do you allow for a game to get going before you switch it off through boredom or embarrassment? And how long does it normally take you to think, "Maybe I'll give it another go. It might be better further on"?