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General and Gaming => General => Topic started by: dakooldood on May 26, 2020, 07:29:31 pm

Title: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: dakooldood on May 26, 2020, 07:29:31 pm
I'm someone who tries to get enjoyment out of games, because I know it's easy to get sucked up in trying to clear the backlog. However, I still have a somewhat systematic approach to finishing games. This is partially because I want to be fully immersed in a game and not worry about anything else while I'm playing, and partially because I'm neurotic about that sort of thing. I only allow myself to play 1 game per console at a time, with the exception of PC. I try to keep PC down to 2 games at a time. 1 game online and 1 offline, because I like to be able to hunt for achievements and stuff, and that's very hit or miss when not connected to internet. Plus I do a lot of my gaming in between classes when I can't have a reliable internet connection. I was just curious if any of you all have a similar system to mine, or if I'm just crazy.  :P
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: retromangia on May 26, 2020, 07:45:04 pm
Nope, your not crazy.  The way you do it now is what I've always strived for.  I even went as far as making a list on my white board with the 2-3 games In playing just to try and stay focused.

Unfortunately it never works for me. After a week I kind of drift off onto anther game or stop playing games all together. With a combination of too many games, and life things to work on, games just never become a focus of mine.

It's time for me to thin the heard big time. As for you, keep up the great work  :D
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: wartoy on May 26, 2020, 08:11:02 pm
I try not to worry about it I play whatever im in the mood to play when im retired ill concentrate more on completing my must play before I die games.

Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: oldgamerz on May 26, 2020, 08:32:28 pm
Genre sorting, I put all similar video games together so I know were to dig when I'm in the mood. If I don't I probably would not ever play anything because I would not know where to look, if everything was scattered,

I made a thread about this idea and only one other person confirmed that they do this and others posted that they sort alphabetically. In which some others also confessed to gazing at their game rooms, for an hour before finding something to play. I shuffle between games often I play them whenever I'm feeling up to the challenge :)

I do still have a big backlog but that is because I practice a lot before completing the challenges and have fun with them.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: kamikazekeeg on May 26, 2020, 08:34:22 pm
I have a bajillion saved games from all the free stuff I get and with stuff like the Xbox Game Pass on PC, so I don't really consider having a notable backlog, because it would be literally dozens of games and its entirely unmanageable.  Like SNK just gave away like 6 of their games on Twitch Prime, I have so many due to Steam, Humble, Twitch, GoG, Epic, and other places lol

I usually play the games I really want to play no matter what, sometimes playing 2 or 3 games at a time but I always got some random thing around to toss on to see if I like it.  I get around to playing them in between the really big games, like I dumped 50+ hours into FF7 Remake, so I'll pick up something less involved to play like the crafting/survival games I brought up in my other post, because I can't usually go from like huge game to huge game to huge game.  My playstyle burns me out too much for that, so it's always nice to have some random game to play that I can just randomly pull out.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: Cartagia on May 26, 2020, 10:24:16 pm
Poorly.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: azure on May 26, 2020, 11:00:16 pm
Fetal position.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: emporerdragon on May 27, 2020, 12:50:41 am
I stare at it while it grows. When it got into the triple digits is when I realized that I'm a collector. Now, it's well into the quadruple digits.

As to how I work on it, I try to never have more than a few games being juggled at once, as otherwise, it's too easy to drop them and not pick them back up.
I divide them typically like so:

1 Core game, the main one I'm playing.
1-2 grinds, games where I'm either on clean up or grinding out a farther out goal.
1-2 multiplayer or old favorites, games that I can keep coming back to for a bit of fun.

So, right now this would look like for me:
Core: Lego Harry Potter Collection
Grinds: Bloons TD 5, Earth Defense Force: Insect Armageddon
Mp/Classics: Team Fortress 2, Civilization (III or IV)

Of course, the backlog still grows faster than I can work on it because I find myself drawn to games that take 50+ hours to finish (Hell, I've gotten all the achievements for Skyrim on 3 different systems now).

Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: oldgamerz on May 27, 2020, 08:48:51 am
I think that everyone who has video games should play them sometime, you won't live forever anyway.  I don't collect the same game for multiple platforms  unless it's an entirely different game. An example of this would be

"Call Of Duty 2" for Xbox360 vs "Call Of Duty 2:Big red One." for the PlayStation 2 and also

"Call Of Duty World At War" for the Xbox360 VS Call Of Duty World At War: Final Fronts For The PlayStation 2
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: ignition365 on May 27, 2020, 09:17:35 am
:shrug:

I play what I want largely.  I try to have 1 console game and 1 handheld game at the same time, so I can pick based on how I want to play.  Like right now I'm playing Clannad on Switch and Neutopia II on TG-16.  But I also tend to throw in an X1 game of some kind that I will super slow play so I can earn achievements every couple of weeks to maintain Xbox Rewards weekly status.

I also tend to try to do at least 1 franchise run per year, usually winds up 2 franchise runs per year.  I generally try to pick a franchise I've never touched before, but have always wanted to play, and run through all available games... sometimes I pick a franchise that I've played an entry or two with the goal of finishing the franchise.  This year I picked Devil May Cry and Resident Evil.  Never played a DMC game before and burned through all but DMC5, I need to get back to it.  Played Resident Evil 0, 1, 2, 4, and 5 previously, and this year I've played 3, 6, and Revelations 1 and 2.  Going to try and make an effort to get through 7 and Code Veronica X, and possibly make an effort to play some of the other titles like Survivor, Dead Aim, and Outbreak Files.

Some franchises are just too much for a franchise run in one year, so Dragon Quest for instance has been a slow franchise run where I'll play through a game when I get the chance.  I think I've played all but 1, 2, 3, and 8 (entirely excluding 10).  I might actually give 8 another go after I finish Clannad, my 3DS has been sitting on the charger for literally years (Late 2017) in standby mode with this game paused because I got angry and stopped playing it.  When I've finished the last of the DQ games, I've been pondering running through the Persona games.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: oldgamerz on May 27, 2020, 09:53:29 am
Just have fun while playing a game, don't beat them like you have pressure, I am currently playing mostly racing games now, so I don't rush through the game just to beat it. I try to take in one game as much as possible, I have multiple games I'm playing lately, and beaten none of them. but I'm makeing and effort to use these things I bought and I don't feel the need to stare at my collection, I just goto whatever I'm currently in the mood for, heck most of the games I played latly have no ending.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: bikingjahuty on May 27, 2020, 10:39:53 am
I've resigned to the fact that my backlog will always exists and I'll likely not complete it in my lifetime. Still, that doesn't stop me from trying to get through it and at least for when that time comes I hope I've made it through the vast majority of games I own.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: kashell on May 27, 2020, 12:03:27 pm
I trim the fat every now and then. It helps. Kinda.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: baileykun on May 27, 2020, 05:57:32 pm
I try to keep track of my to dos on a spreadsheets, but mostly I play what I feel like. I also don't really limit titles because I play a lot of long or endless sort of games. So I want to get up and play animal crossing in the morning on my switch, but play something else in the evening. I just accept my backlog, finishing everything in one sitting and dedicating myself is rough, especially since I sometimes take breaks after getting a number of endings or the like. It's hard to decide when some games are done.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: turf on May 27, 2020, 07:29:34 pm
It’s just like my ole gran-pappy used to say, “Just like eatin an elephant. One bite at a time. “

That’s not true. I never called anyone “granpappy”.

I treat it like a library, not work. Play what you want when you want. If you get sick of a game, put it on the shelf. If you want to replay something, pop it in. This is one place in my life that I don’t care about order. I don’t have a plan. I just do what feels good.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: droaa on May 27, 2020, 08:29:50 pm
In my 52 games challenge post on this forum, I have it setup so that I have listed one game per console I own to see what I have and what can be played. While I do at times go off of that, it is nice to have a list I can look up since for it me I have much more motivation if I have something written down rather than choose at random and never getting anywhere.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: Warmsignal on May 27, 2020, 09:47:40 pm
I don't keep one. I basically just browse what I have and pick something.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: dashv on May 28, 2020, 01:01:50 am
It’s just like my ole gran-pappy used to say, “Just like eatin an elephant. One bite at a time. “

That’s not true. I never called anyone “granpappy”.

I treat it like a library, not work. Play what you want when you want. If you get sick of a game, put it on the shelf. If you want to replay something, pop it in. This is one place in my life that I don’t care about order. I don’t have a plan. I just do what feels good.

This is kinda how I do it also.

Nothing worse than playing a game out of a feeling of obligation. Or playing a game you enjoy another time but letting yourself feel guilty about not giving a new game a try.

The games are there for me. Not the other way around. :-)
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: tripredacus on May 28, 2020, 02:23:27 pm
Once upon a time I didn't have a backlog. And then I did and it was due to me only playing about a half dozen games over a period of 8 years. Then I got back on track again, and then I started collecting video games... an old habit returned shortly thereafter, only playing 2-3 games over a period of a couple of years.

So currently what I have been doing is just playing a different game a day. Sometimes I swap them out for something else, but it is the best solution I can come up with. Games I'm currently playing I put the Currently Playing part of this site.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: mrkonasoni on May 28, 2020, 10:52:46 pm
Since I want to play most videogames from all consoles I follow the classic alphabetic order.

Sometimes I just play what I want or I am feeling confident I will enjoy.

I am also playing games that I had since 7 years ago and I never played till now.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: mark1982 on May 29, 2020, 02:31:18 am
(https://media1.tenor.com/images/bf19bb501a44a530caa5b8a4c7367647/tenor.gif)


I haven't had much time TBH to play games at the moment while having a baby in the house. My PS4 is back in the box and I'm playing exclusively on my Switch because of the portability ease of use. I don't mind though, once the little one grows a bit I'll be able to get back to it. ;D
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: shfan on June 03, 2020, 05:36:25 am
The backlog's something I've been struggling with for years, I've been through different priorities/moods like everyone else at one time or another, over time I've realized that yeah, actually I am collecting things I'm not ever going to play and I'm OK with that.

I've got rid of a few hundred games in recent times, refocused on only picking up stuff I really like the look of (or if it's cheap) and trying to play through what comes in, even then the backlog's still massive. It's felt more like a job, a lot of the time, when looking for something to play it's more about finding something that's unplayed or unbeaten on my Backloggery rather than what I'm in the mood for, then there's pressure of trying to find something with a short play-time and.. nah, sod it.

Only about half my games are with me in the house, most of those currently are unplayable because the system isn't set up or can't be used ATM, so it's becoming increasingly pressurised to claw through it, so I'm currently going through my Backloggery marking most things as null. I'll focus on playing what I want, replay or new game, when I please, it's all self-inflicted anyway (or has been), so it's all getting a lot more relaxed...
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: droaa on June 04, 2020, 11:59:56 pm
The backlog's something I've been struggling with for years, I've been through different priorities/moods like everyone else at one time or another, over time I've realized that yeah, actually I am collecting things I'm not ever going to play and I'm OK with that.

I've got rid of a few hundred games in recent times, refocused on only picking up stuff I really like the look of (or if it's cheap) and trying to play through what comes in, even then the backlog's still massive. It's felt more like a job, a lot of the time, when looking for something to play it's more about finding something that's unplayed or unbeaten on my Backloggery rather than what I'm in the mood for, then there's pressure of trying to find something with a short play-time and.. nah, sod it.

Only about half my games are with me in the house, most of those currently are unplayable because the system isn't set up or can't be used ATM, so it's becoming increasingly pressurised to claw through it, so I'm currently going through my Backloggery marking most things as null. I'll focus on playing what I want, replay or new game, when I please, it's all self-inflicted anyway (or has been), so it's all getting a lot more relaxed...

Almost forgot about Backloggery existing. I have account with them since almost the very beginning and these days is practically abandoned. Back when I first started, I had only 24 unfinished games. Now I couldnt even say. I like your comment about about this being self inflicted which it is and it goes with the line of thinking I've had for some time now.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: shfan on June 07, 2020, 09:15:33 am
Yeah, I think a Backloggery account can go either way and there's definitely a risk of turning it into a dragon to slay rather than a way of keeping track of your collection, which has totally happened to me. Human nature I guess, as is being unable to see or accept that things have changed. Games are cheaper than ever, my adult self has better access to them than ever, I don't have enough time on this earth to play everything that might be of interest so what's the point of being a slave to my games collection..
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: pzeke on June 07, 2020, 01:28:14 pm
By neglecting it.

Kidding aside, a game or two at a time.

In regards to Backloggery: most people I've come across don't use it properly: stop adding games, especially whenever you get a new one, and just add the one's you've beaten, plus any that you're currently playing. Sure, the website can be used to keep track of your collection, but I think doing so defeats the purpose of the website in the first place.

Just the way I see it, of course.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: droaa on June 07, 2020, 03:16:57 pm
By neglecting it.

Kidding aside, a game or two at a time.

In regards to Backloggery: most people I've come across don't use it properly: stop adding games, especially whenever you get a new one, and just add the one's you've beaten, plus any that you're currently playing. Sure, the website can be used to keep track of your collection, but I think doing so defeats the purpose of the website in the first place.

Just the way I see it, of course.

There was a time where I would do what you just mentioned and it turned out as well as you expect it. For game collection tracking, I dont really like but I did use for that for a while until I found this site.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: pzeke on June 09, 2020, 09:09:07 am
There was a time where I would do what you just mentioned and it turned out as well as you expect it. For game collection tracking, I dont really like but I did use for that for a while until I found this site.

I know a few people that use Backloggery as a way to track their collection, which is fine and dandy, really; but then a few of those same people bitch and moan when they see their backlog never going down. Might as well null the bulk of your collection and then slowly go through it, is my usual response.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: hoshichiri on June 12, 2020, 10:38:17 am
Back when I actually put effort into my backlog, I once took and old purse I wasn't using, filled it with slips of paper with game names on it, and literally drew a slip to pick a new game. I gave up on that becuase, eventually, you draw a slip for something you just don't wanna play- eventually it starts to feel like work, not fun.

I have accepted at this point, that there are games I may never devote a good, proper play attempt to anymore. I'm okay with that- I at least buy every game with an intent to play it, which helps keep me from grabbing whatever's around and cheap. One thing I am trying to work on- don't buy a whole series run until you've actually played a game or two in it! For example: I have the first 3 Darksiders games, but I haven't played one yet. I really didn't need to buy Darksiders 3 when I did... sure, it was on sale, but it's literally going for 5 bucks now. I could've done better. Especially since technically, I don't even know if I like these games yet! One side effect I've noticed of trying to stick to this is, it helps push me towards trying these games out! I started Yazkuza Kiwami when I was seeing the Remastered collection links coming up- basically telling myself 'you already bought Kiwami and Zero, play one of them before your buy more!' Turns out I enjoy Yakuza, although I feel hard into the Animal Crossing hole before I finished Kiwami. I need to do that!
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: droaa on June 12, 2020, 06:46:51 pm
Back when I actually put effort into my backlog, I once took and old purse I wasn't using, filled it with slips of paper with game names on it, and literally drew a slip to pick a new game. I gave up on that becuase, eventually, you draw a slip for something you just don't wanna play- eventually it starts to feel like work, not fun.

I have accepted at this point, that there are games I may never devote a good, proper play attempt to anymore. I'm okay with that- I at least buy every game with an intent to play it, which helps keep me from grabbing whatever's around and cheap. One thing I am trying to work on- don't buy a whole series run until you've actually played a game or two in it! For example: I have the first 3 Darksiders games, but I haven't played one yet. I really didn't need to buy Darksiders 3 when I did... sure, it was on sale, but it's literally going for 5 bucks now. I could've done better. Especially since technically, I don't even know if I like these games yet! One side effect I've noticed of trying to stick to this is, it helps push me towards trying these games out! I started Yazkuza Kiwami when I was seeing the Remastered collection links coming up- basically telling myself 'you already bought Kiwami and Zero, play one of them before your buy more!' Turns out I enjoy Yakuza, although I feel hard into the Animal Crossing hole before I finished Kiwami. I need to do that!

Im guilty of this. Always in the back of my head Im like let me start off with the first game, see what I think and then after the fact go for the others and needless to say I have failed doing that on multiple occasions. Yakuza is one of them from buying the ps2 games, then the PS3 games, the PS4 games as well as the remastered collection and never played a single one. I should be exiled for this.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: ffxik on June 20, 2020, 04:22:44 pm
Poorly.  I keep buying games, I keep telling myself I'm going to play them.  I never get around to it.
Title: Re: How do y'all handle your backlogs?
Post by: dashv on July 06, 2020, 04:51:37 pm
Poorly.  I keep buying games, I keep telling myself I'm going to play them.  I never get around to it.

Haha. This is also me. :-)