Every since I went back into my gaming schedule, I've noticed a few things different than how I used to game. Even though I never really abandoned gaming, it's been a while.
The high point of my constant gaming was during high school. During that time, I was pulling B+/A- minus averages in school for my honors classes, all the while playing role playing games and the like. For most of the Final Fantasy games, I easily surpassed over 100 hours. Final Fantasy 7, 8 , 10, 10-2, where 100+ hours spent on each. Final Fantasy 8 was less than 40 hours shy of the 200 hour mark. The last RPG I fully played was Final Fantasy 12. I didn't get everything, but I played it during college.
I'm done.
The high point of my constant gaming was during high school. During that time, I was pulling B+/A- minus averages in school for my honors classes, all the while playing role playing games and the like. For most of the Final Fantasy games, I easily surpassed over 100 hours. Final Fantasy 7, 8 , 10, 10-2, where 100+ hours spent on each. Final Fantasy 8 was less than 40 hours shy of the 200 hour mark. The last RPG I fully played was Final Fantasy 12. I didn't get everything, but I played it during college.
- Right now, I have no set schedule for gaming. Back then I would start playing after I finish my homework and reading or vice versa. Maybe it's because I'm in the workforce and I can do pretty much what I want. I could play for 8 hour straight on weekends and I'll probably end up completing that game
- Another thing: the achievement system and trophy system has made a huge impact on how people game. Heck, even I used to play like that in high school. If I haven't collected or accomplished everything a game has to offer, it's not complete and I don't move on to the next un-played game until then.
- I had my trusty PSM (Playstation Magazine) with their game reviews, previews, mini strategy guides, codes, etc. I have two boxes containing 5-6 years worth of PSM. The Official Playstation Magazine (OPM) tanked. PSM was the only Playstation dedicated magazine left in the market. Sony caved and bought the magazine and it became the new official magazine called "Playstation: the Official Magazine." I stopped subscribing in the midway through my college years. I had the internet to give me hints for games.
- I used to buy strategy guides for most of my big games... mainly role playing games. The last strategy guide I bought was the Fallout 3 strategy guide. However, I bought it just for the novelty of having it. I get all my hints online when I really need it. Having a strategy guide is best when you want to complete everything in a game. Right now, I'm not as obsessive-compulsive about that. The last time I did that was for Final Fantasy 12. I flaked out after almost a year and used gameshark to maximize all the stats to beat the tough bosses. Even then, there's a boss in the game with 50 million HP. The cool thing about this boss battle is that you can enter and exit the arena anytime you want. Any damage done to the boss is kept until you return. I didn't bother with this... I went ahead and completed the game only to be greeted by a lackluster ending sequence. The last great Final Fantasy with a Fantastic ending was Final Fantasy 10-2. They just don't make them like they used to.
I'm done.
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