Shorter attention span in video games

[Kit]

When I was a kid and a young adult, I would play a game for hours and hours trying to defeat a boss or a level. I would even spend a couple hours trying to get a star in Super Mario 64 or spend several hours trying to get a shrine in Mario Sunshine.

I noticed as I got older and older in my twenties, I just started to not have patience anymore for this stuff. I won't spend 20 minutes on a level in Mario Maker trying to beat a level. I will just skip it after I die a few times or if I had worked hard going through that level and then I die and have to start over, I skip it.

My 9 year old told me it's part of playing the challenge when you try to get a star when we were talking about Mario Galaxy in Mario 3D All Stars. I told him when he becomes an adult and gets older, you start to get less patience for video games.

I tried to play Mario Sunshine again and forgot how hard it was and remembered why it took me two years to beat the final boss and why it would take me hours to get a shrine. Now I don't have that patience and I quit that game and moved onto Mario Galaxy.

Anyone else gotten less patient with video games and gotten a shorter attention span for them?

I wonder if age has to do with it, the older you get, the less attention span you get for video games and less patience.

 

[Bolletje]

I’m not sure whether it’s a shorter attention span in my case. Since I was very busy at university and afterwards I got a very demanding job, I want my videogames to be pure unadulterated fun. I don’t have as much time to spend on games as I used to, and I don’t want to spend that time trying to beat the same level over and over again. So I’m more likely to switch to a different game or map if I struggle with 100% completion that I was in the past.

 

[Misery]

I found that what it really was for me was simply that my preferences in terms of game types changed.

For instance, way back when I used to play alot of JRPGs. But these days I never touch the genre, and tend to stray away from any game that threatens to have too much story, because characters wont shut up and I dont want to watch cutscenes. I also started to tire of a number of rather inane design tendencies that often appear in big-budget games. The games were slow (and I have zero patience to begin with) and usually too easy... I need a very high level of difficulty for something to hold my attention.

These days I play almost entirely indie games, with a high focus on the roguelike genre. The challenge is very high, it's constantly engaging, and each playthrough is vastly different.... that's what makes that genre so enticing to me.

AKA, simply expanding my boundaries and trying some totally new things is what did it for me. It was never a matter of patience (again, never had any to begin with)... my likes and dislikes within the hobby had changed without me being aware of it until I started experimenting with other things.

It can also be other things too. I need *constant* mental engagement, which I notice doesnt seem to be something most people want. Like, I cant sit and just watch a freaking movie. That's 2 hours of me not DOING anything. For those that need a sort of wind-down period in their day, that can make it harder to pursue hobbies, whatever those hobbies may be. It's just something I personally dont often experience.

 

[Joshua the Writer]

I don't think I would ever have low patience for video games themselves. I have always enjoyed them since I was little and I don't see myself stop playing them as much as I do now. Sure, I have grown out of certain games, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the games I still do like.

However, I have little patience for tryhards and hackers ruining people's fun in games. If you want assistance from an external program, just use autoclicker. Not these aimbots, fly hacks, speed hacks, wall hacks, or whatever have you.

I also dislike tryhards and I think the pro eSports community is somewhat ruining the shooter game community, as well, but that is a rant that would probably be able to go in its own thread.

 

[Misery]

I don't think I would ever have low patience for video games themselves. I have always enjoyed them since I was little and I don't see myself stop playing them as much as I do now. Sure, I have grown out of certain games, but that doesn't stop me from enjoying the games I still do like.

However, I have little patience for tryhards and hackers ruining people's fun in games. If you want assistance from an external program, just use autoclicker. Not these aimbots, fly hacks, speed hacks, wall hacks, or whatever have you.

I also dislike tryhards and I think the pro eSports community is somewhat ruining the shooter game community, as well, but that is a rant that would probably be able to go in its own thread.

Yeah, honestly, that's typically how I feel about multiplayer in general these days.

As I've often mentioned, I've been into fighting games for a long time, but... lately, I barely touch them. People just suck all the fun outta them. The community is a special brand of awful, and there's just too many jerkbags. Honestly if I have to hear the word "scrub" just one more bloody time, I shall be forced to stab something. Same if I have to listen to someone trying to tell others about the "right" way to play being the only way. Just.... ugh.

And yeah. Cheaters. Just... just no. That one doesnt really happen too much in fighting games (you cant just aimbot ol' Zangief or whoever into unconsciousness, after all) but it sure happens in every other bloody genre. I just dont even bother anymore. Cant tolerate it, never could, so I just dont play anything online at this point.

 

[Joshua the Writer]

Yeah, honestly, that's typically how I feel about multiplayer in general these days.

As I've often mentioned, I've been into fighting games for a long time, but... lately, I barely touch them. People just suck all the fun outta them. The community is a special brand of awful, and there's just too many jerkbags. Honestly if I have to hear the word "scrub" just one more bloody time, I shall be forced to stab something. Same if I have to listen to someone trying to tell others about the "right" way to play being the only way. Just.... ugh.

And yeah. Cheaters. Just... just no. That one doesnt really happen too much in fighting games (you cant just aimbot ol' Zangief or whoever into unconsciousness, after all) but it sure happens in every other bloody genre. I just dont even bother anymore. Cant tolerate it, never could, so I just dont play anything online at this point.

I often use weapons in games that are either considered "overpowered" for whatever reason by a shooter's community, or a weapon that "isn't in the meta" and is instead something like a niche gun that isn't used much outside of people equiping it right after they unlock it.

They are some low-ranked weapons in an FPS game on Roblox I play called Phantom Forces, and I end up enjoying revisiting them now that I am higher rank, and now see that I underestimated them.

 

[Kit]

Cheaters are the worst and I play Farmville 2 Country Escape and Disney Magic Kingdoms.

 

[Soleil]

I've always been able to just sink into video games and spend hours at them without realizing it. But nowdays I do tend to take quick breaks every now and then, so straying too far from a save point can sometimes make me a little anxious (like, what if something happens in real life and I have to stop playing?)

My longest playing session was probably on WoW, back when I used to play that.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

You're an adult and childish things no longer are as exciting or fill you with the same wonder. It's natural to not be too interested in beating a game.

 

[Misery]

You're an adult and childish things no longer are as exciting or fill you with the same wonder. It's natural to not be too interested in beating a game.

That's a big misconception though.

The idea that games are for children died off a couple of decades ago. Frankly that idea actually wasnt around all that long, and even back then... wasnt quite true. PARTICULARLY with PC games, considering that even most adults could barely even control a computer due to how arcane they were.

I mean, it'd be like saying that TV or movies are all made for children. Which would actually make more logical sense: Those dont require interaction, thinking, or anything resembling skill, dexterity, or coordination. You sit and stare and that's it. Yet TV and movies are definitely NOT all made for kids.

It's the same with books, those are a mere pastime for most yet arent purely childish. Well, same with most hobbies really.

At this point, the vast majority of games... both in the AAA side of the industry and the Indie side... are made for adults. Even games that are often SAID to be "kiddy" usually arent.

Besides. Alot of people always go on about "you're an adult! You're supposed to be mature! Go do ADULT activities!" and then they themselves will go do something fantastically childish like get in nonsensical arguements about politics, or drink themselves stupid. That's always bugged the hell outta me.

REAL maturity is being yourself and making your own decisions, and to heck with what anyone else thinks. It has nothing to do with your chosen hobbies.

 

[Kit]

You're an adult and childish things no longer are as exciting or fill you with the same wonder. It's natural to not be too interested in beating a game.

People are blunt here as they are on Wrongplanet

The idea that games are for children died off a couple of decades ago. Frankly that idea actually wasnt around all that long, and even back then... wasnt quite true. PARTICULARLY with PC games, considering that even most adults could barely even control a computer due to how arcane they were.

We have shooter games and games for ages 17 and up. Some games are even restricted from minors if they are under 17. They won't be able to buy it, online or in real life unless they lie about their age online by putting in a false year they were born.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

People are blunt here as they are on Wrongplanet




We have shooter games and games for ages 17 and up. Some games are even restricted from minors if they are under 17. They won't be able to buy it, online or in real life unless they lie about their age online by putting in a false year they were born.

I didn't mean to sound blunt. I'm sorry. I actually really care about peoples' feelings and I didn't mean to sound that way.

I said that because I can relate. I actually play a lot of video games. I'm kind of obsessed with Sim City. I often play for hours. But I am forty years old and I don't have the same drive to play games as I used to.

 

[Yeshuasdaughter]

That's a big misconception though.

The idea that games are for children died off a couple of decades ago. Frankly that idea actually wasnt around all that long, and even back then... wasnt quite true. PARTICULARLY with PC games, considering that even most adults could barely even control a computer due to how arcane they were.

I mean, it'd be like saying that TV or movies are all made for children. Which would actually make more logical sense: Those dont require interaction, thinking, or anything resembling skill, dexterity, or coordination. You sit and stare and that's it. Yet TV and movies are definitely NOT all made for kids.

It's the same with books, those are a mere pastime for most yet arent purely childish. Well, same with most hobbies really.

At this point, the vast majority of games... both in the AAA side of the industry and the Indie side... are made for adults. Even games that are often SAID to be "kiddy" usually arent.

Besides. Alot of people always go on about "you're an adult! You're supposed to be mature! Go do ADULT activities!" and then they themselves will go do something fantastically childish like get in nonsensical arguements about politics, or drink themselves stupid. That's always bugged the hell outta me.

REAL maturity is being yourself and making your own decisions, and to heck with what anyone else thinks. It has nothing to do with your chosen hobbies.

Like I said on the previous post, what I said came out all wrong. I was trying to reassure her that it's normal to not be as into it as she was when she was younger. I am obsessed with Sim City and I play a lot of games. But I am not as excited about trying to beat a game as I was when I was younger, and I can easily delete a game and walk away.

I'm really sorry that my grammar made it seem like I was mocking the original poster or that I was acting superior. I was trying to show that I relate. And I am sorry for sounding so cold.

 

[Hylian]

I routinely played video games for hours without breaks as a kid and I still can do that, but now it's not with most games. I think that's because my attention span has been affected from stress and other things, so I can only focus on ones that I've liked for a long time and already know how to play. I don't have the mental energy to figure out a bunch of new games.

 

[Misery]

Like I said on the previous post, what I said came out all wrong. I was trying to reassure her that it's normal to not be as into it as she was when she was younger. I am obsessed with Sim City and I play a lot of games. But I am not as excited about trying to beat a game as I was when I was younger, and I can easily delete a game and walk away.

I'm really sorry that my grammar made it seem like I was mocking the original poster or that I was acting superior. I was trying to show that I relate. And I am sorry for sounding so cold.

Oh, it's okay. I frankly do that alot too... sound cold and such when I really dont mean to. My speech patterns, maybe? Heck if I know.

Just one of those super fun communication traits that alot of us here tend to have. At least on this forum, it's easy to just explain "yeah, I meant it like this actually" and not have people then get angry because they dont believe you or something. Cant count the number of times I've seen that happen OFFline...

Ugh, that's a whole other rant for another day though.

People are blunt here as they are on Wrongplanet

Honestly I think it's a tendency for those of us on the spectrum to just be blunt most of the time. It sure aint just a Wrongplanet thing (though, that place has other issues, as you probably have seen).

Heck, I usually just say whatever is on my mind at any given time, and it usually doesnt occur to me to sugarcoat it.

 

[Bolletje]

But I am not as excited about trying to beat a game as I was when I was younger,

It’s funny you should say that, I think you just hit the nail on the head for me. I used to want to beat games, while these days I think it’s more about the experience. When I really like a game (especially RPG’s) I actually make an effort to postpone the end of the game as long as possible because I don’t want it to be over.

 

[Streetwise]

When I was a kid and a young adult, I would play a game for hours and hours trying to defeat a boss or a level. I would even spend a couple hours trying to get a star in Super Mario 64 or spend several hours trying to get a shrine in Mario Sunshine.

I noticed as I got older and older in my twenties, I just started to not have patience anymore for this stuff. I won't spend 20 minutes on a level in Mario Maker trying to beat a level. I will just skip it after I die a few times or if I had worked hard going through that level and then I die and have to start over, I skip it.

My 9 year old told me it's part of playing the challenge when you try to get a star when we were talking about Mario Galaxy in Mario 3D All Stars. I told him when he becomes an adult and gets older, you start to get less patience for video games.

I tried to play Mario Sunshine again and forgot how hard it was and remembered why it took me two years to beat the final boss and why it would take me hours to get a shrine. Now I don't have that patience and I quit that game and moved onto Mario Galaxy.

Anyone else gotten less patient with video games and gotten a shorter attention span for them?

I wonder if age has to do with it, the older you get, the less attention span you get for video games and less patience.

It's possible to be stress ,exhaustion,depression,brain diseases,boredom etc,I avoid video games too upsetting

 

[Kit]

I didn't mean to sound blunt. I'm sorry. I actually really care about peoples' feelings and I didn't mean to sound that way.

It's okay, we all have that problem here I am sure, even me.

Honestly I think it's a tendency for those of us on the spectrum to just be blunt most of the time. It sure aint just a Wrongplanet thing (though, that place has other issues, as you probably have seen).

No but I have seen lot of negativity about that place and I think lot of the "baddies" are just people who are blunt, don't know when to not give advice, there is just lot of miscommunication, even I have dealt with it myself there. But people can leave that place all they want and they will face that same problem here and on every autism forum and any other. No doubt there are some users there who are a problem because they want life to be the 1950s again for women and minorities or someone who is fine with people hating on gays, etc. Those people I just avoid and not interact with.

Lot of times I don't bother reporting users. It's a anxiety thing.

 

[Misery]

No but I have seen lot of negativity about that place and I think lot of the "baddies" are just people who are blunt, don't know when to not give advice, there is just lot of miscommunication, even I have dealt with it myself there. But people can leave that place all they want and they will face that same problem here and on every autism forum and any other. No doubt there are some users there who are a problem because they want life to be the 1950s again for women and minorities or someone who is fine with people hating on gays, etc. Those people I just avoid and not interact with.

Lot of times I don't bother reporting users. It's a anxiety thing.

Ehhh.... not quite what I meant.

Having hung out there for a good 3 years myself, and then having been here fore quite awhile now, well... this place doesnt have what that one does, in terms of issues. It never had anything to do with bluntness or bad advice or even miscommunication. Bullies and what I'm going to call "weaponized moderators" are just a couple of examples of issues. It's the only place I've ever been to online that reminds me of dealing with people in highschool. I left upon realizing that.

I wont go into more detail than that though, it's a whole long ramble and another topic entirely.

Havent had any problems here aside from occaisional mild confusion. But then, mild confusion follows me like an adoring puppy.

 

[WildCat]

Though I don't play as often as I used to, I've got more patience than ever before with about the same lengthy attention span. Certain games used to drive me up the wall, and then I realized that trying to be Superman was never the goal in the first place. I also appreciate a good challenge now more than ever, so my money gets spent mostly on games that deliver just that.

Except for cutscenes or FMV...I want to play a game, not watch a movie. Stories can come later when I'm finished.