Dads of Anandtech: Do you still play video games?

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linthat22

Senior member
Dec 2, 2011
207
2
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We have a 14 month old whose been walking since she was 4 months old and I've had no time what so ever. I'm lucky if I have an hour in the evening, but sleep is such a hot commodity that when she goes down by 8, I'm ready for bed too. Especially since she wakes up between 4:30 and 5 every day.

For those reading this thread without kids, I suggest not having any lol.
 

cytg111

Lifer
Mar 17, 2008
23,049
12,719
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All my life I played video games.

I got married, I still played video games- nothing significantly changed.

Then I became a dad. Holy hell, that turned my life upside down.

I'm exhausted 90% of the time. When I do get a break, playing games is the last thing I want. I'd rather watch TV.

I used to play DOTA pretty intensely (4.5K). Now even during free time, the last thing I want to do is play such an intense game (which require no breaks). I even lost interest in Hearthstone- I just can't keep up with the ever evolving meta.

Learning a new game feels more like a chore than a fun discovery. Therefore most RPGs turn me right off, a genre I used to LOVE. I just can't be bothered with it.

I just watch Netflix in my down time. Or play a very easy mindless pick up game like GTA 5 or indie styles like The Binding of Isaac.

Does this get better? I think video gaming just might be end for me. As kid(s) grow up, I'd rather spend time with them or sleep.

Haha, yessir, i got a teenage daughter and we're killing it.. from cod, cs:go, left4dead's dota, lol and.. Its one of many ways to spend time together
 

cytg111

Lifer
Mar 17, 2008
23,049
12,719
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..For those reading this thread without kids, I suggest not having any lol.

- disregard that, you dont know what living is, is about, if you dont have kids. It is like playing a game and never unlocking that final level. You're missing out.
 

ultimatebob

Lifer
Jul 1, 2001
25,135
2,445
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- disregard that, you dont know what living is, is about, if you dont have kids. It is like playing a game and never unlocking that final level. You're missing out.

Yeah... you haven't had a REAL gaming challenge until you try to play a console game with a 2 year old climbing up your back :)
 

happy medium

Lifer
Jun 8, 2003
14,387
480
126
I'm 45 and my kids are well into their 20's. Did I game less when they were young? Yes, but now mabe I'm getting too old because most new games don't interest me any longer.
It's the same old same old game in a different graphical package.
How I miss games like Half-life 2, that wowed me. I play games like Grid once in a while and CSS but I do that on my laptop HDMI out. I was gonna build a new gaming rig , even bought a new case and psu,but that's been sitting in my closet for months. I've been playing games since around the Atari 2600 era and been playing PC games online since the 56k flex modems were popular (1997?) and Battlezone was the best thing out there and that wowed me. Now it seems games are cool but nothing new.
 

linthat22

Senior member
Dec 2, 2011
207
2
76
- disregard that, you dont know what living is, is about, if you dont have kids. It is like playing a game and never unlocking that final level. You're missing out.

Trust me, as someone whose little one was an accident (ie., failure of the pill) you will not resent the hours of missing sleep and how much 'you' time you have (that includes you and your spouse (or significant other)).

Just saying. That's two separate mindsets.
 

Staples

Diamond Member
Oct 28, 2001
4,952
119
106
No joke, Atari 2600

Yeah, its pretty much what comes to mind when I think of primitive games. I have a modded Xbox that I have not used in forever but I feel like dusting it off because I used it only for running emulated 8 bit games. I'd still use it as I love those 2d games but the cords kill me. Wonder how good of an emulator box the Oyua is. Used to have an Android tablet and bought an NES/SNES emulator for a few bucks. It worked well and I was using a PS3 controller with them. Passed it down to my daughter though.

I noted the other games mentioned in response to this question as well and will keep an eye out for deals on them.
 

JTsyo

Lifer
Nov 18, 2007
11,709
871
126
On a related question for dads, what are some games that kids can play where you have 1) unlimited lives 2) no time limit 3) no enemies that will kill you if you stand still for 10 minutes.

I have an Xbox 360 and the only games I have that fit this criteria are Lego Indiana Jones and 2 free roam car games. As I have figured out, there are not many games that let a child get used to the controller as most games will kill you if you stand still for 10 seconds.

I have a PS3 and games that work for them include things like Flower, Just Dance and Toy Story Mania!

Not sure about the Xbox but maybe something like the Rabbits game.
 
Feb 19, 2009
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I don't think we can grow out of video games, it's so cultural now.

And yes I still do, 2 young babies and a loving wife. Just less time invested than prior. Kids are the biggest change.
 

Concillian

Diamond Member
May 26, 2004
3,751
8
81
I still play a lot.

It was more difficult when my kids were younger and needed to be able to check a crying baby at a moment's notice. My youngest is now 7, and we played Toontown Rewritten together yesterday.

The kinds of games are different now, though. Can't play games like League or DoTA, games last too long, there's never a time I can dedicate a block of time large enough to get satisfaction from it. You need 2-3 games to feel like you're improving in a game like that. No, I play games like Civ, XCOM, Hearthstone, etc... that can be taken in smaller chunks of time and you can get up from.
 

Alienwho

Diamond Member
Apr 22, 2001
6,766
0
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Rocket League is the best game I've played since becoming a dad (3 year old girl and 18mo old boy). The kids love sitting on my lap and watching me play. Cars and a giant ball with lots of pretty colors? Kids love it. 5 minute matches. It's the perfect game for me.
 

el-Capitan

Senior member
Apr 24, 2012
572
2
81
Lol, yeah. I have a 1 year-old daughter. I managed to clock 4hrs of gaming last week. That was a good week!!!
 

GodisanAtheist

Diamond Member
Nov 16, 2006
6,719
7,016
136
3yodaughter and yes, I still game. Granted, its much less than before and my tastes have skewed almost entirely to rpgs (working through da:I slowly but surely) but I clock a few hours per week. It's actually gotten easier as my daughter has grown older as she has become more independent and has some interest in the cinematic quality of modern games.
 
Feb 6, 2007
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1 year old daughter, and I still game, albeit not as much as I used to. But frankly, I was already starting to cut back a bit before I had a child. I went to a LAN party, sans child, last weekend, and I spent much more time drinking and talking with old friends than gaming. It doesn't help that the current gaming trend of MOBAs and RTSs has never been up my alley. I just picked up Witcher 3 cheap, so I'm guessing I'm going to get some hours in over the next few months.
 

MrPickins

Diamond Member
May 24, 2003
9,011
558
126
4 month old daughter, playing in short bursts, but lately I'd rather take a nap when I get the free time. :)
 

Blue_Max

Diamond Member
Jul 7, 2011
4,227
153
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What better way to know your kids are playing age-appropriate games than to be there right beside 'em? ;)

The baby days cut the time way down, but as they get older you can play with them both electronically AND out in the real world. We're going through a Minecraft craze at the moment. Three-way networking setup. GRAND fun! They BEG me to join in and they'd play all day if I let 'em! ;) Rewarding chores & exercise with extra playtime seems to be working nicely (hint, hint, other dads!) ;)
 
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SLU Aequitas

Golden Member
Jul 13, 2007
1,252
26
91
18 month boy and daughter on the way this January. Between the son and our renovation projects, don't have much time for gaming (and perfectly happy with that). Teaching my son to swim and finishing out the theater is simply more fun for me at this point :)
 

HumblePie

Lifer
Oct 30, 2000
14,667
440
126
After being married my game time dropped somewhat to spend some quality time with my wife on some nights, but it wasn't a huge hit to my game time.

Then I had a kid. He's 13 months now and where I used to have some nights where I didn't play, I would have other nights I was able to get in 4-6 hours of solid play still. Now I am lucky if I get an hour or 2 to play on my "game" nights.

Right now it has mostly been work and be away from home for 10 hours of the day, make breakfast and dinner for family, watch kid for 2-3 hours so my wife can have some time away from the kid she has been with all day, and then wife wants cuddle quality time together of at the very least watching some tv together before falling asleep. So I am lucky if during my 2-3 hour stint of watching the kid after work if I can get in a few games of Hearthstone. That is if my kid decides to sit in my lap quietly while I play the game 1 handed. Otherwise I'm stuck more or less entertaining him so he doesn't just cry constantly or preventing him from doing stupid this to either destroy items or hurt himself.

That's the work week. On weekends, since my wife doesn't get to go out (according to her) during the week, she has to have us go do something on the weekend. Which tends to usually be window shopping and I'm more or less walking around all day and having to play cop on the purse strings so she doesn't spend money on stuff we don't need. Usually I do well, and we don't spend much except what it costs to eat lunch out. Problem is lately it is birthday season for my family and people we know so we've been to 5 different birthday parties in the last 7 weeks. Which means buying gifts for kids that aren't mine.

So because of my lack of time I can dedicate to games, I pretty much stick with Hearthstone or Heroes of the storm as I can knock those out fast without too much dedicated time to them.
 

DarkRipper

Golden Member
Jun 29, 2000
1,351
0
71
I've been gaming on PC or console since 1989 (Nintendo!).

I have an 18 year old and three step kids who live with me, 16, 14, and 11.

I still game. I gamed while my kid was in diapers.
 

chimaxi83

Diamond Member
May 18, 2003
5,649
61
101
We have a 14 month old whose been walking since she was 4 months old and I've had no time what so ever. I'm lucky if I have an hour in the evening, but sleep is such a hot commodity that when she goes down by 8, I'm ready for bed too. Especially since she wakes up between 4:30 and 5 every day.

For those reading this thread without kids, I suggest not having any lol.

Is this unheard of child development marvel documented anywhere?