I don't really get the obsession with backlogs. Are you actually enjoying the games at that point? Are you playing this game because you want to play it, or because it's on your backlog and you want to be able to check it off the list and move on to the next thing - presumably, since your backlog is so big it warrants a guide - as quickly as possible? Just pick out a game you want to play and play it. Why spoil your own fun?
this post was submitted on 20 Jul 2023
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My backlog consists of games I've bought because I want to play them. But because there's always something on offer I end up buying more than I can get through. So this will be a way to stop myself spending money when I already have enough games to get me through to the end of this year. If I find I'm not enjoying one of them, I'll mark it "dnf" and hide it from my library. So I've absolutely no plan to play a game if it turns out to not be any fun.
If I find I’m not enjoying one of them, I’ll mark it “dnf” and hide it from my library
I think this is what the commenter above is getting at. You say you want to play the game, but "dnf" means "did not finish" which alludes closer to just checking it off a list.
And, I'm just curious here, what happens when you get to a game that doesn't have a traditional win state? Like multiplayer only, or some sort of factorio "endless" management game. When do you mark it done? Is it always "in progress"?
I think this is what the commenter above is getting at. You say you want to play the game, but “dnf” means “did not finish” which alludes closer to just checking it off a list.
My list is basically my library. I only buy games if I want to play them (I don't bother redeeming free games if I don't intend to play it). That said, just because I want to play a game doesn't guarantee I end up enjoying it. The great perhaps is one such game. Thought it was for me, didn't enjoy it, so won't bother finishing it.
You didn't even answer the second half of my comment...
We'll, excuse me 🤣...
I don't tag them with anything.
Yeah, the idea of a "backlog" just sounds like a chore to me. I just try to not buy as many games anymore - I think Steam sales and similar events got people in the habit of buying dozens of games at a time, and then your library fills up with games you've never touched.
I don't really buy games anymore unless I'm going to start them within the next week or so.
Some people just do it this way. This doesn‘t mean they don‘t have fun. I noticed this happens with books too; people buy books and then track how many they‘ve read, set goals etc. Some people think it‘s stupid, but for some it‘s fun.
Nor I. Honestly, I'd rather have a wealth of options I can play and never do rather than having a giant fuckin' chore list for something that is not supposed to be a chore.
I don't have to "get through my backlog" because it's not a backlog. It's an option set.
I agree with this. Except when it comes to games I've bought but not even touched. I've gotten a lot better about not buying games I won't get to for a while lol. But I still have a good chunk of games I want to at least start and see if I vibe with.
But yeah, if I'm not enjoying it, I won't force myself to finish
Obvious "this is what works for me and why I do it" disclaimer, but:
- I have a growing collection of games which spans multiple consoles and physical/digital media alike, so I need a way to track what games I have and where, so as to not buy them multiple times (I don't believe this to be a typical use case, but I could be wrong?).
- Aside from that practical element, I have a few lists on HLTB where I track what I (might) want to play next, but realistically it's pretty much always a case of checking out what I have and picking one based on my mood / gut feeling / whatever.
- Lastly, it's about actually finishing games - getting started with some form of tracking helped me tremendously get past the "pick up and drop after a few hours" mentality (?). I wouldn't have gotten to experience some of the best games I've played in recent memories, were it not for my backlog, because I probably would have forgotten I had them / wouldn't have stuck with them.
I basically have a spreadsheet to tackle my backlog, I add 10 - 20 games to my list of games that I've bought (mostly on discount, some from bundles, and some from PS+, some emulated games, etc), then I'd just stream them.
If I don't feel like the game is resonating with me, I'd just stop, assign Not Resonating tag and move on.
I do admit that when I see a big backlog, I tend to exhibit these behaviors:
- Guilt in buying new games, which is not bad, now I only buy full priced game once or twice a year, and mostly buying discounted stuff
- The need to power thru games that I don't like, until I started using
Not Resonatingtag, which I give games that don't click with me two tries, before giving up
Playing games on stream made me:
- Alternate between long and short games
- Alternate between AAA games and indies
How do you not resonate with Mario Galaxy 😔
I have hard time aiming the stomp, handling the motion control, and by the time I reached the underwater level, I'm exhausted.
It's a good game, but sadly it's not for me, at least not for long term session of playing. Maybe one day I will play the game in short bursts, but platformer is sadly not my genre.
Whenever I hear of a game I might like, or buy one on a whim I add it to a list. I do something similar with books and movies. The purpose of the lists aren't to put pressure on myself, but to remind myself of all the things I'm interested in and to avoid the feeling of "I have nothing to play/read/watch". If I'm not enjoying something, I just won't finish it and I check it off the list so I know I tried. For me, deciding what to do with my limited time can give me analysis paralysis. I don't see the list and backlog as a chore, but more of an easy menu of options that I've already considered.
I have so many games I'll probably never play lol I just play the ones I like. Backlog problem solved.
How do you know if you like them if you haven't tried them 😋?
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