If you're comfortable with your gaming habits, you're probably fine with answering this question. But there's always the misconception that if you play too many video games, you're lacking the ability to have a real life outside of gaming.
I play alot of video games but I also enjoy many things outside of video games. I am sure this is so for many gamers. But from one gamer to another, how many hours do YOU think is too many? How do gamers define what is too much or too little? Do you think the amount of hours you play matters?
My gaming habits vary depending on the day or week I might be having. During any typical day I'll probably play around four to six hours. If I'm playing an MMO (and it's a decent MMO) I can have gaming sessions that are much longer. If I am reviewing games, my hours may increase. But what about your gaming habits? And what do you think qualifies a gamer to be 'hardcore' as opposed to being a 'casual' gamer?
It's funny how the media is ready to categorize gamers as one or the other. And if you play video games every day, you're addicted and nothing outside of a video game exists for you. At the end of the day, do you really care how your gaming habits may or may not affect others?
And what about the married couples and people in relationships. It would be good to hear from you about your other half and their gaming habits. Or perhaps you have what could be called a 'gamer's match made in heaven' where both you and your partner/boyfriend/girlfriend/husband play games together. We've all read or heard about the horror stories where couples have broken up or marriages have failed due to a partner's gaming addiction. I can honestly say that in all the years I've been playing games, I have never experienced this nor do I know anyone else that has.
I think it's great if you can find someone else to share your love of video games with. It can be extremely difficult dealing with a boyfriend, husband, wife or girlfriend that spends more time playing games than doing anything else. But how do you ask someone to stop doing something they love? You could compromise (and this probably works for some couples) but perhaps not for all.
So I guess in a way our gaming habits do (to a degree) say alot about who we are if we dedicate a big chunk of our time to playing games. But it doesn't have to be the only thing that defines you. Or does it?
Let me know your stories and as always, thanks for the responses :)
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how many hours do YOU think is too many?
In my opinion, I consider myself a hardcore gamer. But too many hours in one day in one sitting would be 15 hours.
How do gamers define what is too much or too little?
For me too much is 15 hours in one sitting for one game. I need to have variety. Too little is playing 1 hour in one sitting for one day.
But what about your gaming habits?
My gaming habits is what I would like to call my passion or my hobby. I love my hobby. My gaming habits include me getting addicted to casual games on facebook & playing on my 360 and Im a runescape fan. I love the leveling up & skills. Absolutely love it.
And what do you think qualifies a gamer to be 'hardcore' as opposed to being a 'casual' gamer?
I think a hardcore gamer is someone who plays religiously. But can still maintain answering on game forums, reading game magazines & yes even playing casual games that appeal to that person & reading game stories & possibly going to college for a game degree - any game degree. A casual gamer is just someone that just checks their facebook games & that's all. & plays less than 3 hours whenever they get the chance.
do you really care how your gaming habits may or may not affect others?
No I don't b/c everyone of my friends and family know I am a gamer. I have had to explain to them numerous times that I am a gamer & this day (any day) is when I will game. Now I do have a fiancee & he absolutely wants me to sell my 360 when I move in w/him. I hope he was kidding. :) Anyways, even though he still gets my attention then I can still play my games. Everyone is happy. :D
So I guess in a way our gaming habits do (to a degree) say alot about who we are if we dedicate a big chunk of our time to playing games. But it doesn't have to be the only thing that defines you. Or does it?
It defines a part of my life & my fiancee has accepted that, at least I hope so. Btw, he does have a ps3, but he works tons of time at work.
Sounds like you're very definitive about how much time you spend gaming :) I've had marathon sessions that lasted alot longer than 15 hours so I guess it all depends on the game and my dedication to it. On a normal day I'll probably spend 3 - 4 hours playing a game. But if it's a game I'm really into at the time (like BFBC2 recently and WoW over the last couple weeks), I'm happy to dedicate alot more time to the game.
It's also good that you're clear about boundaries for your gaming with people that are close to you. I think it's important to get other people involved but if you can't or they won't it's good to understand what does and doesn't work.
As for how I define myself - Hardcore seems to be the only word fit for me :)
how many hours do YOU think is too many?
I really wouldn't label any amount as too much so long as you aren't putting important things to the side or sleep-depriving yourself to a point where it's affecting you while you're doing the previously mentioned important things. If you've conditioned yourself to stay up for long stretches of time and you have nothing else to do, then doing a marathon session is fine. But if you've got work to do or even just need to water a few plants, then any amount that takes away from the time you need to properly do those tasks is too much. Which will vary depending on how fast you work and what you need to do. The simple answer is whatever doesn't eat into the time I need to do important non-gaming tasks, so at a maximum 16 hours limit in the event I have nothing to do but game and sleep.
How do gamers define what is too much or too little?
I already answered this to a large extent. Too much is whatever eats into time needed for important stuff. However, I would consider a session to be too little for a game whenever I don't have ample time to play through a piece of it at a normal pace. For something like Civilization this is going to be around 2 hours. For something like IWBTG (very frequent saves but EXTREMELY HARD) I'd put my minimum session length at about 5 minutes.
But what about your gaming habits?
I've been usually playing for around 4 hours a day recently as I've had much work what with finals. Now I expect my daily playtime to pick up to more like 7 (not counting time spent on game related internet activities) seeing as how I no longer have college concerning me for the moment.
And what do you think qualifies a gamer to be 'hardcore' as opposed to being a 'casual' gamer?
A hardcore gamer is someone with the determination, potential for skill, and devotion to gaming that allows them to take the time to learn a complex game, get good at it, and be capable of setting aside the time needed to keep playing it and/or other games without lacking the time needed for a decent play session.
do you really care how your gaming habits may or may not affect others?
I don't really affect anybody with my habits other than fostering what I hope is a growing interest in gaming within the mind of my younger sister. In the event that my gaming would affect somebody for some reason, I would limit it to give them the attention they need so long as my gaming isn't affecting them because they dislike it or I would need to limit my gaming time excessively (aka below 4 hours on a regular day). If somebody was affected by my gaming because they didn't like it then I really wouldn't pay any attention to it if I didn't think I could convince them to like it.
So I guess in a way our gaming habits do (to a degree) say alot about who we are if we dedicate a big chunk of our time to playing games. But it doesn't have to be the only thing that defines you. Or does it?
To describe myself in two words: Gamer Nerd. Gaming isn't the only thing that defines me but it's a very large part of who I am and has even fueled me to become a professional in the gaming industry (programmer/designer, which I'm working towards becoming full-time once I'm out of college).
Yeah totally agree about putting aside important things. I think alot of our gaming habits revolve around how we live the rest of our lives outside of gaming. I'm quite happy to spend an entire weekend locked away with a game I really enjoy but I would never give up seeing family or spending time with other people to game. Obviously for me it's a little different considering I work in this industry as a journalist but there are times when even I need time away from a console or a PC and that's time well-worth having.
Does that make me less 'hardcore?' - perhaps. I guess it all depends on how you like to live your life. There's nothing wrong with people who play games all the time and do very little else because if that's what they choose to do, that's cool.
I agree with fostering positive intentions through gaming. I think that's extremely important and it's great that you're rubbing off in a good way on your Sis :)