Forums » General Gaming

Your gaming habits

  • Mr.
    • 763 posts
    October 11, 2015 9:00 PM EDT

     Hey all,

     This question has likely been asked here in the site once already, but I feel it is time for us to get some input from the many newcomers and old members who may have changed their habits.

     We, gamers, all have some requirements or habits that are put in action when we sit down to enjoy some games. Be it weird ones or regular ones that shared between many of us. So, I'd like to know what is it, or if there is something that you see as a condition to avail of digital or any kind of gaming, be it inside of a particular game, be it in the surroundings you play.

                               What are you gaming habits?

    •      Do your habits change according to the game you're playing?
    •      Does one of your habits annoy the people who live with you (assuming there is someone) or, perhaps, even you?
    •      If the above is true, do those people respect your... "demands"?
    • 411 posts
    October 11, 2015 9:09 PM EDT

    I always wanna be the Bad guy during my first run if the Game Allows me. I also eat alot

  • Mr.
    • 763 posts
    October 11, 2015 9:09 PM EDT

     I admit, I'm a rather demanding person when it comes to the time I'm going to play games. For one, there has to be absolute silence, just the game. Not even my breath, which is possible thanks to the glory of headsets. Other than that, if the game has somewhat of a cinematic vibe, like TES or Fallout, it has to be in a dark room, there must be nothing distracting me, like a dirt in the screen, na insect or my cellphone ringing.

     And if someone or something disturbs me, there I go again... Restart the whole sequence I was in. But, thankfully, nobody is bothered by my habits (I think), they mostly respect it, especially if I ask them to. They leave me just like they leave me when they know I'm studying.

     Of course, those demands do not always have to be fulfilled. I obviously open exceptions when I'm gaming with my friends either in multiplayer, together, in co-op or when the game is more of a competitive thing (Kinect, like those sport games and Just Dance.  - What, it's a fun game to play!).

  • Mr.
    • 763 posts
    October 11, 2015 9:11 PM EDT

     Ah, I also tend to start playing as the bad guy in games like Dishonored. Otherwise, if I do the good guy first, there is a big risk I won't be able to play as a maniacal later on.

    • 1467 posts
    October 11, 2015 9:14 PM EDT
    I guess my only habit is needing to play a 'canon' character first.

    Dragon Age 2 for instance I had to play a male Mage Hawke, I tried playing through as everything else but couldn't get through it.

    Skyrim I had to play as a Nordic Dragonborn first up, sword and board just like the trailer.

    Oblivion I was an Imperial

    For Morrowind I played as a classic Dunmer (using all the skills they get bonuses to)

    And so on. Other then that I guess the only thin is me not being able to play if someone is watching, I need to be in my room with the door shut or I can't play.
  • Mr.
    • 763 posts
    October 11, 2015 9:20 PM EDT

     It's a terrible thing to play when someone is watching. For some reason, I get uncomfortable, and start doing things I normally wouldn't do in a game.

     As for the canon character, I'm totally on board with it. It just feels right, and I do it with all games except Dragon Age, for some reason. Those games I choose my favourite backstory and go with it, and that holds true especially for Origins and, to a certain degree, Inquisition. I haven't played DA2, though, so I can really speak for that game.

    • 1467 posts
    October 11, 2015 9:27 PM EDT
    I think I start playing like a normal person. I don't Roleplay when someone's around and make more logical choices (like allowing everyone and their mother to live), I just can't stand it, I want to butcher towns damn it.

    Dragon Age Origins is tough because Humans are boring in DA... The Human Noble origin isn't bad but it's kind of the worst of them in my opinion. To me Dragon Age 2 is just so built on you playing as a Mage that it was impossible to avoid, they have the most interesting play style, most varied skills and are so satisfying to Roleplay with...
    • 98 posts
    October 11, 2015 9:50 PM EDT

    I dislike playing with people watching as well. It's like I force myself to do ''impressive stuff'' to entertain them. Also playing while eating is a big no no to me as well. It annoys me greatly for some reason. 

    • 95 posts
    October 11, 2015 10:06 PM EDT
    As many have said before, I can't stand when people watch me play. That's mostly because only my friends ever watch me when they come over, and they play completely differently than I do. I'm a big roleplay-er, but they just play the game.
    It feels like they are constantly judging me for playing the way I do.
    • 177 posts
    October 11, 2015 10:49 PM EDT

    I have a few teeny weeny habits, but nothing major. For example, I always have my sound LOUD AS POSSIBLE. For some reason, I can't stand when I hear stuff around me, and I just love to hear and feel those shots from my minigun! I always try to keep the room dark, and cold. I usually don't like the cold, but for some reason when I play it just feels right. As you may have guessed, my habits annoy people, especially my girlfriend. Sometimes she will sit on our bed (Which is right behind the computer) and read/play on her phone/something else while I play, and will complain about the temperature and that she can hear my game clearly, but I never really mind it, as I can never hear her!

    • 404 posts
    October 11, 2015 10:56 PM EDT

    dang.

    • 694 posts
    October 11, 2015 11:30 PM EDT

    Yes! I completely get this. It's weird how self-conscious I get in that kind of scenario. I think it just the distractions in general also disrupt the mental process of roleplaying too, which doesn't help. I feel like in part, I also change how I play, like Xavier mentioned. I sort of assimilate how I'll play based on how they play, because it's just more casual in general. 

    Just as an example, I went over to my cousin's yesterday to hang out and when I arrived he was playing ESO. We just sorta caught up for a while as he played, then we decided to make up a new character. And well, the choices we made for it weren't necessarily something I would ever seriously play. Like it wasn't exactly a joke character, but it wasn't a serious one either. It was not typically how I play and not how he would play either, but it's still what we came up with together. And I feel like everyone probably has a story of this kind too.

    The self-consciousness thing is weird, right?

  • Mr.
    • 763 posts
    October 11, 2015 11:44 PM EDT

     Ugh, I can't stand even the thought of playing while eating too. I mean, it would only end up fouling my keyboard/mouse/controller.

  • Mr.
    • 763 posts
    October 11, 2015 11:50 PM EDT

     Perfectly put, though I don't really get annoyed when my friends and I arranged to play together, since, well, it was arranged.  Only when someone comes over while I'm quietly and peacefully playing in my room. Then I just start doing random stuff, hoping for the person to leave me with the game. I try to find ways to send messages to the person, like slaughtering an entire town. (That doesn't work with my little cousin, though, he seems to get awfully entertained. But with him I start reading books and in-game stuff )

  • Mr.
    • 763 posts
    October 11, 2015 11:55 PM EDT

     Heh, I too like to hear nothing but the game, but I rather continue to hear many more coming games, so I tend to leave the sound as low as possible. That's why silence is the first requisite for me to enjoy a gaming session properly.
      And your girlfriend sounds like a really patient person.

    • 694 posts
    October 11, 2015 11:55 PM EDT

    I don't have too many... The weirdest thing is that I have a specific chair that I drag directly in front of the TV. My living room is sort of spread out, and the couches and chairs are situated further back in the room. That just won't do for a gaming sesh. I need the detail up close, and I need to be immersed. So there's a light chair that I'll drag directly in front of the TV... maybe... 3 feet from it where I set up shop. 

    Oh, that and the animal that lives with me will immediately jump into the chair as soon as I've dragged it in front of the TV. He does it every single time without fail. To him that's the signal that it's about to be a long snuggle/sleeping sesh, since I don't get up or move much.  He makes for a good co-pilot though.

  • Mr.
    • 763 posts
    October 12, 2015 12:05 AM EDT

     Interesting, but I'm not sure an animal would enjoy sleeping in the same chair I'm in when playing certain games. If it's an action packed game, like a FPS, I usually move a lot, either to cheer or to curse the TV.  

     Sometimes, if what I did in the game is really awesome, I just get up and reenact the sequence.

    • 700 posts
    October 12, 2015 12:30 AM EDT

    When someone who doesn't know the game is watching me play, I play like I'm giving an E3 demo or two minute TV ad; show off the flashy stuff, give them something to enjoy watching.  I just don't want them to think it's boring for some reason.  

    "Seeeee?  There's more to it than making iron daggers!"

    • 694 posts
    October 12, 2015 12:57 AM EDT

    Ha, this is fair. Sometimes I'll give him a start but he's usually pretty firmly planted once he sits down.

    Also... I really, really want to see this in practice.

    • 203 posts
    October 12, 2015 8:52 AM EDT

    My habits definitively change depending on the game. If it's a hack and slash or fps, or even a simulation game I just play the game but if it's a roleplaying game like Skyrim or Fallout (to a lesser extent) I go for a full on immersion. I sometimes talk to the NPC's, yes out loud. And it really confuses one of my younger brothers, the other one does exactly the same and it's very confusing to have him play next to me (which we often had to do as Wi-Fi sucked at our place) especially when our responses seem to form an actual conversation. That's when my other brother comes out of a LoL session and calls us out for the maniacs we are. They are also the only people I don't mind watching me as I play as they tend to leave me alone.
    My brothers are awesome (even if they stole my room in my absence)

    Since I live on my own (in a university residence with 13 other people) it has become a bit different: If I don't draw the blinds, people (as in everyone in the flat opposite mine, as well as everyone walking around on the street) see what I'm doing all the time. While I don't tend to re-enact scenes from my gaming sessions, I do tend to do that when writing a fighting scene and it gets really awkward when people stop and actually look...

    • 64 posts
    October 12, 2015 2:59 PM EDT

    Hahaha I have some funny ones: My pc is on a big table. So what I ALWAYS do, is make a cop of coffe and fill a bowl of coco-pop (healthy I know), then i smoke a cigaret and get down to gaming.

    Meanwhile, my dog will lay at my feet (or on them) and i will tease him with my toes.  

    Ohh and by the way, gaming habbits like mine are not all that bad, i way 69 kg (dirty number) and play sports 3 times a week - smoking is not bad for you, it's just that the human body has not undeerstood that it should NOT get cancer 

  • October 12, 2015 3:38 PM EDT

    Idk if it's weird but when I play I make sure everything I might need it at arms length. Like to my left is my phone and laptop and to the right are my remotes and a 2 liter of Coke ^^ with a glass full of ice. When I'm gaming on my PC I just make sure I have my phone nearby since I use headphones and headsets, so I can't move around as much.

    And MOST importantly I cannot play anything seriously unless I lock my door, even when I'm alone.

    • 7 posts
    October 12, 2015 5:03 PM EDT

    For me when I first play, I play the game as it showed in the trailer, and have to have the volume up! Now however after I've gotten used to the game and know more I will fall upon personal preference for role-play and character skills, and I turn the TV volume completely down and sometimes blast the radio.

    • 1217 posts
    October 12, 2015 5:07 PM EDT

    I don't really have any habits. I suppose I like to sit a good six or seven feet from the TV, but as long as there's no glare on the screen, nothing short of intentional pestering bothers me.

    • 177 posts
    October 12, 2015 5:10 PM EDT
    Perhaps I should lower the volume a bit...but oh well! My hearing is probably too screwy wrewy for it too make any difference! And she is REALLY patient, I have no idea how she puts up with my antics, I would've shot me by now!