Playing games vs reading about them

antonvaltaz · 03 November 2009, 12:27

Since I've got into 'retrogaming' (specifically the Amiga and the Spectrum) I've found that I probably spend more time *reading* about retro games, or taking part in discussion boards like EAB, or configuring frontends for emulators etc than I do actually playing the games...

Am I a freak, or is this quite common? I'm sure I can't be the only one - there are loads of people who post here on EAB so often I can't imagine they have much time left to actually play on their Amiga(s) :-)

TCD · 03 November 2009, 12:34

You set frontends up to play the games, otherwise it's a bit... hmm

Even if I spend quite some time here, I still spend a fair amount of my time actually playing games (I just pause them quite often nowadays). Currently (well yesterday since I got my WHDLoad key

) I'm playing It came from the desert again and it's really fun, so the amount of actual gaming and the stuff that 'surrounds' it should be somewhat balanced in my opinion

seuden · 03 November 2009, 12:38

I actually read more about games than I do play them, I wish I had the time for it to be the other way round.

Peter · 03 November 2009, 12:56

I know what you mean - I spend ages reading about games, configuring Workbench, trying to find lost games but that is part of the fun of it all for me - I do try to play games as often as possible as well...

gimbal · 03 November 2009, 14:00

same for me, more reading than playing

But the definition of "retro" is a little vague, I tend to play legacy PC games that are 3-12 years old. Is that retro?

Graham Humphrey · 03 November 2009, 14:00

I think this is a fairly common occurence.

I certainly read and contribute to EAB etc more than I play, but a lot of that is down to the fact I'm at work and I can hardly fire up my Amiga in the office but I can always have a peek at the web.

In my unemployed days it was a lot different.

EDIT: @gimbal - I'd say 3 years old definitely isn't retro but 10+ years old is a safe bet, in my opinion at least. But that's another discussion entirely I think

BrooksterMax · 03 November 2009, 14:03

What is the definition of retro? Hmmm, not sure, I would perhaps suggest consoles/computers no longer in production, so that would be the first Xbox, Gamecube and PSOne - but are they old and really "retro"? Not sure.

I do read more, than play on the machines. Still reading and actual gaming are just as good - its all part of the whole retro scene.

seuden · 03 November 2009, 14:15

Quote:

Originally Posted by Graham Humphrey

I think this is a fairly common occurence.

I certainly read and contribute to EAB etc more than I play, but a lot of that is down to the fact I'm at work and I can hardly fire up my Amiga in the office but I can always have a peek at the web.

Same here.

killergorilla · 03 November 2009, 14:20

My thoughts exactly!

TCD · 03 November 2009, 14:37

And what do you guys do when you're at home huh? Hey and don't mention this strange 'real life' thingy

cosmicfrog · 05 November 2009, 13:36

don`t play many games
try read up on some games though
if i see something I like I play it

got far to many games to play anyways, blimmin emulators

seuden · 05 November 2009, 13:48

Quote:

Originally Posted by TheCyberDruid

And what do you guys do when you're at home huh? Hey and don't mention this strange 'real life' thingy

Haha, ok. Without mentioning the 'real life' thingy I'm either browsing the web, watching TV or a film with the missus or I'm out.

The thing is, if I was to put a game on the missus would want to get involved or would say "isn't there anything we can do together?" so I'd rather her watch TV while I read about games. :P

Women (most) have this thing that they don't like us men entertaining only ourselves, we have to entertain them too. At least that's the experience I've come across.

antonvaltaz · 05 November 2009, 13:58

LOL, that's very true!

I find I can get away with playing on the laptop using keyboard, if I'm sitting on the sofa next to her while she watches X-Factor or Strictly Come Dancing... usually... :-)

mattbarton.exe · 05 November 2009, 17:15

I don't think there's anything strange or abnormal about this. Most of the time, talking about these games with your friends is simply more fun than playing them. There, I said it. :P

Really, though, we're social beings, so it's only natural that we enjoy having good conversations about our favorite games. Would you really want it to be the other way around?

Kitty · 16 March 2010, 17:27

Here's an interesting question ..

Do you find yourself talking about Amiga games (and hardware) more than actually playing the games themselves?
I get great satisfaction chatting on irc and posting threads on EAB, sometimes so much that when I think about it,
I should really be making more time to actually playing the games!
Also having total freedom to download any Amiga game makes things even more difficult!
Choosing which game to play and then playing it for for only 5 minutes before thinking 'oooh I wonder what
that game is like' and then loading a new one up.
For me its very hard to play one game for a long period of time!
There's just not enough time in the day!

TCD · 16 March 2010, 17:28

http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=48526

skateblind · 16 March 2010, 17:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kitty

Choosing which game to play and playing it for more than 5 minutes before thinking 'oooh I wonder what
that game is like' and then loading a new one up.
For me its very hard to play one game for a long period of time!
There's just not enough time in the day!

I have the same problem, but I just set myself the goal of completing any game I start, although with some games that could take years. Alien Breed was a game I tried that on and it took me a couple of days of casual playing just to get to level 2, so I eventually gave up, but one day I will get there...one day...

Predseda · 16 March 2010, 20:44

We are used to set "The month of..." every month here in our local community. It is not only about Amiga games, but various retro games up to 1995. Most of them is for Amiga, but we had months dedicated to Saboteur, Carmageddon, Fort Apocalypse etc. as well. Currently we have The month of Cannon fodder, which forces us to play the game a bit, and then we discuss our experience.

gimbal · 16 March 2010, 21:39

Well... yes.

As for replaying games, I'm currently more into Dos games than Amiga games (and I don't talk about Dos games that often, now that I think about it).

Graham Humphrey · 16 March 2010, 22:03

Threads merged

View Poll Results: How do you spend your 'retro Amiga time'?
I spend more time actually playing retro games	6	11.76%
I spend more time reading about and discussing retro games	30	58.82%
I split my time roughly equally	15	29.41%
Voters: 51. You may not vote on this poll

03 November 2009, 12:27	#1
antonvaltaz Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Oxford, UK Age: 43 Posts: 511	Playing games vs reading about them Since I've got into 'retrogaming' (specifically the Amiga and the Spectrum) I've found that I probably spend more time reading about retro games, or taking part in discussion boards like EAB, or configuring frontends for emulators etc than I do actually playing the games... Am I a freak, or is this quite common? I'm sure I can't be the only one - there are loads of people who post here on EAB so often I can't imagine they have much time left to actually play on their Amiga(s) :-)

16 March 2010, 17:27	#15
Kitty Registered User Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: London UK Posts: 1,532	Talking Rather Than Playing? Here's an interesting question .. Do you find yourself talking about Amiga games (and hardware) more than actually playing the games themselves? I get great satisfaction chatting on irc and posting threads on EAB, sometimes so much that when I think about it, I should really be making more time to actually playing the games! Also having total freedom to download any Amiga game makes things even more difficult! Choosing which game to play and then playing it for for only 5 minutes before thinking 'oooh I wonder what that game is like' and then loading a new one up. For me its very hard to play one game for a long period of time! There's just not enough time in the day!

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03 November 2009, 12:34	#2
TCD HOL/FTP busy bee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Germany Age: 46 Posts: 31,525	You set frontends up to play the games, otherwise it's a bit... hmm Even if I spend quite some time here, I still spend a fair amount of my time actually playing games (I just pause them quite often nowadays). Currently (well yesterday since I got my WHDLoad key ) I'm playing It came from the desert again and it's really fun, so the amount of actual gaming and the stuff that 'surrounds' it should be somewhat balanced in my opinion

03 November 2009, 12:38	#3
seuden uber cool demi god Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Kent/England Posts: 2,073	I actually read more about games than I do play them, I wish I had the time for it to be the other way round.

03 November 2009, 12:56	#4
Peter Still an Amiga user Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Kent Age: 55 Posts: 2,715	I know what you mean - I spend ages reading about games, configuring Workbench, trying to find lost games but that is part of the fun of it all for me - I do try to play games as often as possible as well...

03 November 2009, 14:00	#5
gimbal cheeky scoundrel Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Spijkenisse/Netherlands Age: 42 Posts: 6,908	same for me, more reading than playing But the definition of "retro" is a little vague, I tend to play legacy PC games that are 3-12 years old. Is that retro?

03 November 2009, 14:00	#6
Graham Humphrey Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Age: 37 Posts: 11,167	I think this is a fairly common occurence. I certainly read and contribute to EAB etc more than I play, but a lot of that is down to the fact I'm at work and I can hardly fire up my Amiga in the office but I can always have a peek at the web. In my unemployed days it was a lot different. EDIT: @gimbal - I'd say 3 years old definitely isn't retro but 10+ years old is a safe bet, in my opinion at least. But that's another discussion entirely I think

03 November 2009, 14:03	#7
BrooksterMax Registered User Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Norfolk UK Age: 43 Posts: 433	What is the definition of retro? Hmmm, not sure, I would perhaps suggest consoles/computers no longer in production, so that would be the first Xbox, Gamecube and PSOne - but are they old and really "retro"? Not sure. I do read more, than play on the machines. Still reading and actual gaming are just as good - its all part of the whole retro scene.

03 November 2009, 14:20	#9
killergorilla Lesser Talent Join Date: Jan 2003 Location: UK Age: 42 Posts: 7,957	My thoughts exactly!

03 November 2009, 14:37	#10
TCD HOL/FTP busy bee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Germany Age: 46 Posts: 31,525	And what do you guys do when you're at home huh? Hey and don't mention this strange 'real life' thingy

05 November 2009, 13:36	#11
cosmicfrog The 1 who ribbits Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: leek, Staffs, UK Age: 56 Posts: 3,557	don`t play many games try read up on some games though if i see something I like I play it got far to many games to play anyways, blimmin emulators

05 November 2009, 13:58	#13
antonvaltaz Registered User Join Date: May 2009 Location: Oxford, UK Age: 43 Posts: 511	LOL, that's very true! I find I can get away with playing on the laptop using keyboard, if I'm sitting on the sofa next to her while she watches X-Factor or Strictly Come Dancing... usually... :-)

05 November 2009, 17:15	#14
mattbarton.exe Registered User Join Date: Apr 2009 Location: St Cloud, MN/USA Posts: 328	I don't think there's anything strange or abnormal about this. Most of the time, talking about these games with your friends is simply more fun than playing them. There, I said it. :P Really, though, we're social beings, so it's only natural that we enjoy having good conversations about our favorite games. Would you really want it to be the other way around?

16 March 2010, 17:28	#16
TCD HOL/FTP busy bee Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Germany Age: 46 Posts: 31,525	http://eab.abime.net/showthread.php?t=48526

16 March 2010, 20:44	#18
Predseda Puttymoon inhabitant Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Tromaville Age: 46 Posts: 7,539	We are used to set "The month of..." every month here in our local community. It is not only about Amiga games, but various retro games up to 1995. Most of them is for Amiga, but we had months dedicated to Saboteur, Carmageddon, Fort Apocalypse etc. as well. Currently we have The month of Cannon fodder, which forces us to play the game a bit, and then we discuss our experience.

16 March 2010, 21:39	#19
gimbal cheeky scoundrel Join Date: Nov 2004 Location: Spijkenisse/Netherlands Age: 42 Posts: 6,908	Well... yes. As for replaying games, I'm currently more into Dos games than Amiga games (and I don't talk about Dos games that often, now that I think about it).

16 March 2010, 22:03	#20
Graham Humphrey Moderator Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Norwich, Norfolk, UK Age: 37 Posts: 11,167	Threads merged

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