To start playing video games?

[Daisy523]

I was never crazy into video games like a lot of people around me, but I always played Sims pretty regularly as I was growing up. I stopped playing around the age of 19/20, when I was deep into college and starting my career. It’s been a few years since, and I’m pretty settled in my career and have graduated not once, but twice.

Now that that’s all done with, I’m finding myself with nothing to do. I work and sleep, and don’t do much else. I have severe social anxiety, so going out or partying was never something that interested me, and I’m not too bothered about tv or books. I don’t have any other hobbies I enjoy either. The only thing that looks somewhat fun is picking Sims back up.

Problem is, I feel stuck in the idea that video games (Sims especially) are childish wastes of time. That it’s stupid for me to spend time playing video games when I’m in my mid 20s.

AIBU?

I've just started playing the next Zelda game - Tears of the Kingdom. I thought BOTW was phenomenal but TOTK ... WOW! Just be warned it's very hard to put down.

I'm a relatively new gamer. I got a switch for my last birthday and enjoy playing a variety of games on it. I've got Zelda BOTW but yet to explore that. I'm currently playing Luigi's Mansion (but struggling with the piano ghost) and Super Mario Bros (but on an easy level) as I'm a bit rubbish , but I don't care. I'm enjoying myself and hopefully improving.

How do you game on a pc? Do you have controllers? Or do you use keyboard & mouse? Apologies for the complete beginner's question!.

Keyboard and mouse or tracker on the keyboard, the instructions are pretty easy to follow once you get into it (a,s,z,x are the usual main ones for control). Or you can buy a plug in controller if you find it easier!

I opened this thread with one eye closed, expecting to see posters ridiculing you but I’m so pleased to have found nothing but a bunch of gamers

I’ve just finished Hogwarts Legacy and AC Valhalla. We downloaded the Xbox Game Pass recently and there’s LOADS of stuff on there, I’ve downloaded a couple of little platformer games that I’m looking forward to playing.

If anyone likes big, open-world games then I highly recommend Far Cry Primal.

Video games are great.

I wouldn't recommend a lot of them for kids under 16. But GTA V, Witcher 3, Last of Us, Dishonoured (1 and 2), Red Dead Redemption are all masterpieces. The Uncharted series on PS are nice if you prefer a more cinematic experience. Playing them is cheap if you buy them a year or so after release.

It always amazes me how people think spending hours in front of the TV watching Easterenders and Love Island is acceptable behaviour for "a grown adult", but playing video games isn't.

They are both a way of passing time. Video games are a lot more immersive and challenge your mind more as well.

I guess the downside is that they do have a reputation (probably deserved) for being addictive. You can get very immersed in the role playing ones, and you have to really be able to control how much time you spend on them.

Whereas Eastenders and football vegetables only get theirs served up 3x a week. Or whatever.

DP and I have clocked a couple of hundred hours on our shared farm 😊

It varies from game to game.

Nearly all PC games are playable with keyboard and mouse since those are pretty much default peripherals, but a good number also support controllers and wheels. Sometimes you have to set the controller up in the options menu, but for the most part it's already functional so you can just choose whether to use default K&M controls or the controller.

Really, the choice of which platform should be made with a mind to which type of games you actually want to play. The big AAA titles are normally exclusive to one console but usually get a PC release as well, whereas a lot of small indi titles will only appear on PC, so if you are into weird, quirky style games like Stardew you are probably better off buying a gaming laptop or desktop than a console.

Oh, and for those who love Stardew, you need to take a look at Dave the Diver -

https://store.steampowered.com/app/1868140/DAVE_THE_DIVER/

Right?!?! I completely expected to be told a whole host of reasons why I shouldn’t get back into video games. I had this idea I would be told that I was childish, not a “real” adult, or worse be called names

Turns out those were just my own insecurities because there’s been nothing but lovely stories. I’ve actually just ordered a new laptop so I can really get back into it all!

I love video games - I tend to keep it quiet with my friends though as I know many find it a 'childish' thing, but I much prefer playing video games to sitting around scrolling on my phone or watching a lot of TV. I've played games since I was a child! Currently working my way through Hogwarts Legacy - this type of open world RPG is my favourite.

@HierarchyOfMugs most are possible on keyboard/mouse. Some only use keyboard/mouse. Many are kb/m BUT easier/more enjoyable using a controller. Look at the game info on store page of Steam and you will see which games have controller support. I use a PS Dualsense connected to PC via Bluetooth, and by cable to TV if doing Remote Play via Steam. I use the controller settings in Steam to map any game to the same controller (Including X box and Nintendo originals...I still play them with my PS controller).

This thread makes me so happy. I'm used to seeing people on here say adults gaming gives them the ick and they need to grow up. It's lovely to see there are gamers here too

Haha, my best friend tells me I’m a 14 year old boy trapped in a woman’s body. If she doesn’t get a reply to a text within a couple of hours, the next one I’ll get is “you’re on that fucking Xbox, aren’t you” 🤣🤣🥲

I'm mid 30s, successful career, raising a lovely Dd, exercise 4-5 times a week. I often spend spare time in the evening gaming with DH I like sims he prefers fighting games

Wow. I am seeing a whole new side to mums netters on this thread. I have to say I really like it.

Next we need to rehabilitate the boardgamers, that's less mainstream! 😀

Haha :D I was actually watching a video comparing all 4 last night and I rememebered there were some parts of 3 that I enjoyed, I had a Harry Potter neighbourhood with everyone from Harry's year milling around doing their thing, which was fun, but why is the lighting so messed up so everything is so dark? And the people look so round and vacant. I could only play sims 3 heavily modded, and I got fed up with that, because it had so many updates back when they were bringing out 783 expansion packs for it that it kept breaking every mod. I have been saying "I should try it again now the game is complete" since sims 4 came out.

Update: So I went and bought myself a new laptop (needed one for general household stuff anyway), and reinstalled Sims 4.

After playing for about an hour, I realized I had missed the Sims - The Sims 3, that is. Sims 3 is still the best Sims and I will die on that hill!!!!

LOL, but seriously, thanks to everyone who encouraged me to actually get back into this as a hobby. I truly expected to be told to grow up, but instead got to read so many wholesome stories!

I’m excited to dive back into the world of Sims, and I can’t wait to try some recommendations I saw here. Especially the goose game! A world where my only ambition is to cause as much unnecessary chaos as I possibly can? Sign me up!

Well done!

I am quite into the Sherlock Holmes and hercule poirot type games. They come out every year or so and are a pleasant few hours of solving murders in Victorian England. Look out for them (Syberia series too)

I have 2 apps ps deals and Xbox deals where I can track any games and it alerts me when the price drops so I can buy it (digitally) when it's 75% or so.

I love playing the sims. Sims 4 is better now with the infant update - very much life like. I would look at mods for the sims 4 if you don’t use them already - adds so much to the gameplay.

enjoy the sims :)

Glad you have got back into it 🙂

I'm mid 40s started playing games on the family computer when I was 5.

I love RPG and am eagerly awaiting starfield to come out. I like the look of baldur gate 3 too but can't afford it just yet.

just about to play RD2 again.

City skylines is one I dip into between other games.

for those that like Stardew Valley, check out both Slime Rancher and Slime Rancher 2 for that equally cosy feel (and the slimes are adorable)

The game I'm hopelessly addicted to, and have been since I got it, is Rimworld.
It's a sci-fi colony sim driven by an intelligent AI storyteller. Generates stories by simulating psychology, ecology, gunplay, melee combat, climate, biomes, diplomacy, interpersonal relationships, art, medicine, trade, and more.

It's a difficult game is master as the storytellers (there are 3 to choose from) will seem to have moments where all they want to "see" is your colony burned to ashes, and even after 3500 hours, I can still count the amount of times I've won the game on one hand.

I used to be a big gamer in my 20s (pre-DC) but it was only World of Warcraft I really played. Could spend hours at a time on it! Now the kids are older I'm getting back into it and play for maybe a few hours a week.

I dont see it as being any worse than sitting watching Netflix or endless TikTok videos - anyone who does that and finds fault with playing video games would need to take a look at themselves IMO.

Yes! Goose chaos!