2013 - 12 month pile thread. Hello New Year, good bye pile!

My list for the year thanks to Garden Ninja for the backloggery images. Battlezone is a huge stretch since it's defeated me multiple times before, and I'm not even sure if I can install it on Win 7 64 bit.

Sorted by most recent purchase first.

  • Dark Souls (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif)IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Borderlands 2 (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • The Walking Dead (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Uncharted 3: Drake's Deception (PS3) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif)
  • Torchlight II (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Infamous 2 (PS3) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Quantum Conundum (PS3) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
    --
  • Civilization V (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Insanely Twisted Shadow Planet (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • From Dust (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Batallion Wars 2 (Wii) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif)
  • The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask (Wii VC / N64) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif)
  • Space Pirates and Zombies (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Castlevania: Lords of Shadow (PS3) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif)
  • Psychonauts (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Dead Space Extraction (Wii) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Prince of Persia: The Sands of Time (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Jamestown (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Magicka (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Valkyria Chronicles (PS3) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Kirby's Epic Yarn (Wii) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Sin & Punishment: Star Successor (Wii) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Super Mario Sunshine (GCN) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • The Legend of Zelda: The Wind Waker (GCN) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Flingsmash (Wii) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • FEAR 2 (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif)
  • FEAR (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Metroid: Other M (Wii) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Alien Swarm (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Blaster Master (Wii VC / NES) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Mega Man 9 (WiiWare) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)
  • Battlezone (PC) IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif)

I also noticed that the 1st 2 games on my list are the most recent purchases and most time spent. Dark Souls has 79 hrs already and I just got it on January 2nd.

January wasn't as productive as I would have liked. Work stuff, sick kid and Ni No Kuni saw to that. Here's hoping that February is a little better.

Now Playing:
Radiant Historia (DS) - have to be getting close to the end of this one
Pixel Junk Shooter 2 (PSN) - much more difficult than the first one; will take a bit more time
Ni No Kuni (PS3)

Games to Play in 2013:
3D Dot Game Heroes (PS3)
Little Big Planet (PS3)
Need for Speed Hot Pursuit (PS3)
Ratchet and Clank: Tools of Destruction (PS3)
Ratchet and Clank: Crack in Time (PS3)
Lego Lord of the Rings (PS3)
Lego Batman 2 (PS3)
Jeanne D'Arc (PSP)
Tactics Ogre (PSP)
Burnout Revenge (PS2)
Prince of Persia: Sands of Time (PS2)
Odin Sphere (PS2)
Dark Cloud 2 (PS2)
Disgaea 1/2 (PS2)

2013 Games I Am Interested In:
Ni no Kuni: Wrath of the White Witch - purchased
Lightning Returns (FF XIII-3)

Completed in January:
Pixel Junk Shooter (PSN)

I have several editions tonight.

We decided to get a second xbox to have in the bedroom, for convenience, and so we can play co-op games but each have our own screen. It came with Skyrim and Forza 4. Oddly, Forza 4 is a physical disc, in the usual green case, but Skyrim is a download code for the Games on Demand version. Both are going on the pile. Skyrim I had planned to wait for the inevitable GOTY edition, but hey, free game. As for Forza 4, I typically prefer races on the arcadey side of things, an from what I understand, the Forza series is rather simmy, so I may not finish it, but I want to try it out.

(We also would have bought Ni No Kuni, but we didn't see it in the PS3 section at Best Buy, so that will wait for later.)

The copy of Assassin's Creed III that I traded with a fellow Goodjer for arrived today.

And finally, I decided to add Two Worlds II and Dragon Age II to the pile. I've had both of these a while and hadn't added them, simply because we bought both of them for my girlfriend (she finished DA2 but has even put the TW2 disc in). I'm interested in both of them, so they were going to be added eventually. May as well be now.

EDIT:
I realized that keeping the Status column up to date was duplicate effort, and it could be calculated instead. I've updated the spreadsheet, but unfortunately, it won't be reflected in any copies people have made for themselves. The only way to get the changes to is make a new copy, or make the edits yourselves.

Here's what you need to do.

  • Make sure any filtering is off and no rows are being hidden before you update anything as it could mess up the formulas. You can refilter after.
  • Add a new column to the left of the "Off Pile Date" column, which should be column J. Call the new column "Dropped". The "Off Pile Date" column should now be column K and "Dropped" should be J. Put any value in this column for games you want to treat as dropped. Blanks will be treated as beaten, assuming the Off Pile Date is not blank.
  • Update the first non-header cell (Row 2) in the Status column F with the following formula and drag it down to the rest of the cells in the column:

    =IF(ISBLANK(K2), IF(EQ(H2,0),"Unplayed", "Unfinished"), IF(EQ(J2, "Y"), "Dropped", "Beaten"))

Now the status column will be calculated for you

  • Unplayed - the Dropped and Off Pile Date columns are both blank, and the Played Hours column is also blank, or is set to zero (0).
  • Unfinished - the Dropped and Off Pile Date columns are both blank, and the Played Hours column is a non-zero number
  • Beaten - the Off Pile Date column is filled in and the Dropped column is blank
  • Dropped - the Off Pile Date column is filled in and the Dropped column is not blank

I also noticed when making these changes that the conditional formatting for the "Est. total hours" column was lost. If that happened, so can fix that by right clicking on the "Est. remaining hours" column and selecting copy. Then right click on the "Est. total hours" column, choose "Paste special", then choose "Paste conditional formatting only".

Thanks for all the info, GardenNinja!! This spreadsheet is soooo useful, I can't stop gushing about it! I do have one question, though, I'm a bit at a loss as to how I input pre-orders and kickstarted games: I ended up just putting the estimated release date, so I end up with negative days on pile. Which isn't really a bad thing, and balances the whole thing out, but looks weird.

I designed it just to hold the current year's pile, so it doesn't really handle future purchases, or your whole collection. It might work, but I think it would probably mess with the stats. I'll think about it tomorrow, and see if I can come up with something. For the moment though, you can still track everything (Pile and collection) in Backloggery, and use the wishlist feature for planned future purchases.

Yeah, I'm crazy like that, I added aaaaaaall of my pile, and future purchases. Just as a friendly reminder that I already have too many games (yeah, that's right, subconscious, I'm talking to you). No biggee, though, don't waste any time with that, the backloggery wishlist feature works well, and I'm really nitpicking more than anything (please don't hate me for it!).

You guys keep talking about this spreadsheet, but it's unfortunately not linked in the OP. You need to link it, blabbermouths!

After Antichamber, it feels like I'm in new releases withdrawal. That new game fix would be so good right now. I just need to stay strong and stick to the pile.

Here's mine, for what it's worth, but all credit goes to Garden Ninja and his own fabulous spreadsheet.

And I've managed to knock Resident Evil 6 off the pile. Tuesday, however, Aliens gets added.

Just put The Cave into the "Completed" status on Backloggery. I think I need to 100% more of my games while they're fresh experiences, instead of putting them away and saying "I'll come back to this". Feeling really satisfied knowing I won't have three games hanging over my head waiting for me to return to them again.

Time to return to Bone since I'm still in an adventure game mood

cyrax wrote:

You guys keep talking about this spreadsheet, but it's unfortunately not linked in the OP. You need to link it, blabbermouths!

After Antichamber, it feels like I'm in new releases withdrawal. That new game fix would be so good right now. I just need to stay strong and stick to the pile.

I know, I've been a bit lax in that regard, apologies. I'll update the info shortly, just need to get me some quality time squared away.

I'll add in a link to the Backloggery FAQs as well and some other useful info (and take out a lot of my waffling too).

ccesarano wrote:

And I've managed to knock Resident Evil 6 off the pile. Tuesday, however, Aliens gets added.

So from one infestation to another. Good luck with the next extermination!

Finally played my first game for 2013 and put it away a day or two later. Really enjoyed Mark of the Ninja while it lasted.

I picked up Hotline Miami 2 weeks ago, and despite really enjoying most of the 4 hours I played of it, I'm dropping it. If ever there were a game that didn't need a boss fight, this was it. Up to that point, the game is one hit kills for you and the enemies, and the maps are mostly tight corridors. There are open areas, but they should be avoided. There are also occasional brute characters that are slower, but can't be meleed, and require either a shotgun blast, or several bullets from a different type of gun.

Spoiler:

There was the Biker boss fight, midway through, and that has a crap setup and changed the game. The contrived a reason to not have weapons and stick you in this open space, which is a drastic change from the rest of the game already. Then they pit you against an enemy who basically has the Bane AI from Batman Arkham Asylum, and takes 2 hits to kill. It was crap, but at least felt doable.

The Mob Boss in chapter 19 is complete garbage. First, you walk up to his desk, in his massive office without weapons, and stand in front of his 2 panthers. You have to run away and grab a trophy off the shelf and beat the panthers with it. They each take two hits. Then the ninja throws a knife at you that will hit you anywhere in the room, even behind a fountain that looks like it should provide cover. I died 15 or 20 times to the throwing knife, before looking up a guide, which said it was near impossible to avoid. Supposedly, if you avoid the knife, you can throw the trophy at the ninja to stun her, then beat her to death. After that, supposedly the mob boss pulls a shotgun on you.

Yeah, no thanks.

trueheart78 wrote:

Finally played my first game for 2013 and put it away a day or two later. Really enjoyed Mark of the Ninja while it lasted.

Mark of the Ninja is amazing. I beat it, then went back to get all the seals and scrolls. I made it about halfway through New Game+ before I got bored / sidetracked and moved on. It really takes a special game to make me want to jump in for another playthrough right away.

Yikes. Earned myself the poison tag on Backloggery for 3+ new games in a row. Definitely not getting February off to the kind of start I had in January.

I bought Dark Souls On January 2, 2013. I finished it on February 11, 2013. I played it for 101 hours.

I've added some new features to the spreadsheet.

No changes to the "Pile" tab, but I've made some pretty serious changes to the "Stats" tab. If you have a copy already, it is probably easier to just recopy the stats tab, rather than try to make the changes yourself. You will probably have to manually adjust the named range called "Stats", which is available under the "Data" menu.

IMAGE(http://i.imgur.com/d6byA32.png)

Partially, this is just rearranging what was there, but also, in addition to tracking progress based on number of games, it also tracks based on hours of game time.

Hours progress is calculated as Estimated total hours removed for both Beaten and Dropped games, plus number of hours played against games that are currently unfinished, minus the estimated total number of hours added from new games.

For example, my current progress is

Remaining games: 42 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) (23 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif))
Progress (Games): 6 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) + 3 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/null.gif) - 16 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif) = -7
Est. remaining hours: 765 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) (480 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unplayed.gif))
Progress (Est. total hours): 22 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/beaten.gif) + 42 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/null.gif) + 117 played IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/unfinished.gif) - 323 IMAGE(http://backloggery.com/images/new.gif) = -142

IMAGE(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x340/clever_id/0f11c970-7778-4515-aaa4-45edab5fe0af_zps17e5d5b0.jpg)

Finished Tomb Raider: Underworld.

The cookie decided on The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition, also adding Monkey Island 2 Special Edition: LeChuck’s Revenge.

clever id wrote:

IMAGE(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x340/clever_id/0f11c970-7778-4515-aaa4-45edab5fe0af_zps17e5d5b0.jpg)

Seconded!!! Thank you Garden Ninja!!!!! **hug**

Hey Garden Ninja, what do you think about adding a Cost column to the main tab and $/hr column to the stats tab? I've already added the cost column, but if you skip it, I'll likely insert my own $/hr column and try to find out how to reference other tabs for the first time ever.

mrtomaytohead wrote:

Hey Garden Ninja, what do you think about adding a Cost column to the main tab and $/hr column to the stats tab? I've already added the cost column, but if you skip it, I'll likely insert my own $/hr column and try to find out how to reference other tabs for the first time ever.

Question time:

/puts on software developer hat

Cost meaning how much it cost you to buy it? Full price at release? Lowest sale price?

Then would the $/hr basically be an average of total amount spend divided by total hours?

Would the hours be based on Estimated total hours, or actual hours played? They are both essentially asking "How much game is there?", but total hours is more general, and played hours is personal.

I personally don't usually update my hours played once I've beaten / dropped a game, since I have mostly been using Est total hours and played hours it to calculate remaining hours. This could be an incentive to keep it up to date.

What happens when played hours is more than Est total? Since it was to help me figure out how much game time I have left, my plan was to update est total if that ever happened. This is more general, I guess, but how it figures into cost could change that.

Should $/hr be on a per game basis as well, or just in the aggregate?

What about gifts, which have a cost of $0?

Spreadsheet lesson

To reference another tab, you just type the name of the tab, then an exclamation point, then the range on that tab you want. For example, let's say you added the new Cost column after Acquired Year, which is column E, so the new column is column F.

To reference that entire column, you would use Pile!F:F.

mrtomaytohead wrote:

Hey Garden Ninja, what do you think about adding a Cost column to the main tab and $/hr column to the stats tab? I've already added the cost column, but if you skip it, I'll likely insert my own $/hr column and try to find out how to reference other tabs for the first time ever.

I was working on adding that to my version, but it seems like our topiary shinobi is up for it to I'll just hold off

My approach was going to be:

Garden Ninja wrote:

Cost meaning how much it cost you to buy it? Full price at release? Lowest sale price?

How much you bought it for, but a additional release price column would be interesting as well.

Then would the $/hr basically be an average of total amount spend divided by total hours?

Yep. Until we get carried away with statistics

Would the hours be based on Estimated total hours, or actual hours played?

I was leaning towards actual play time, but again, both would be cool.

What happens when played hours is more than Est total?

Estimated $/hr and Actual $/hr.

Should $/hr be on a per game basis as well, or just in the aggregate?

I was thinking per game, but aggregate would be boss as well.

What about gifts, which have a cost of $0?

I was looking up the steam price history and matching it to the gift date using my account data or emails, but for non-steam I was just estimating using various sources.

That's just my 2¢. I feel like I should be paying for software development.

Spreadsheet lesson
While not an expert, I'll add a tidbit of my own for those interested. I prefer having value drop lists for certain fields like category, platform and status. In google spreadsheet you can select a column or range and right click, then select "data validation".
IMAGE(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x340/clever_id/dv_zpsd4b20cfd.png)
I use "enter list items", enter the values and bingo, drop box of values.
IMAGE(http://i1176.photobucket.com/albums/x340/clever_id/list_zps79961256.png)
You can select allow invalid data if you do the whole column, which allows for the header.

Pretty much what cleverid said, except I just use $0 for games I got as gifts / PS+ games. Of course, my tracking that is also to see how much I spent for the year.

This started for me at the end of 2010 when I went way over board and spent $700 on games (Super Mario Galaxy 2 was the only game I paid full price for) on top of building a new gaming PC for ~$1000, bought a $700 tv, a PS3, and a stereo receiver.

Here's the link again.

Made a bunch of updates last night, and stayed up way too late doing it, considering Valentine's Day plans! Oops.

I rearranged the fields, so all the manual inputs are on the left, and the calculated columns are on the right. I figure that will make data entry easier, which will also make it easier for anyone who needs to make a new copy, since manually making these updates would be a pain. Eventually this thing will be stable (or I'll actually finish the website) and you won't have to reenter your pile data.

New columns on the pile tab:

Release price
Acquisition price
Original release year
Est. cost per hour
Actual cost per hour
Age when added
Current age
Age when off pile

New columns on the stats tab:

Total cost
Est. cost per hour
Actual cost per hour

This pile tab especially is starting to get unwieldy. I may need to add a new tab for a "Report" view, and make the pile tab the raw data. That would also make it easier to add a nice display format for time deltas (Ages, time on pile), so that I can display it as (for example) "1y 3w 4d" instead of 390 days.

Garden Ninja wrote:

Here's the link again.

Made a bunch of updates last night, and stayed up way too late doing it, considering Valentine's Day plans! Oops.

I think we need to give Garden Ninja some relief from the pile for the effort on this spreadsheet. Or could you consider Excel a game?

And as swiftly as it was placed on, Aliens: Colonial Marines is knocked off the pile.

walterqchocobo wrote:
Garden Ninja wrote:

Here's the link again.

Made a bunch of updates last night, and stayed up way too late doing it, considering Valentine's Day plans! Oops.

I think we need to give Garden Ninja some relief from the pile for the effort on this spreadsheet. Or could you consider Excel a game?

Agreed.

Garden, does the link key change for each revision? Just wondering from the standpoint of updating the OP as the changes happen.

I haven't forgotten about updating the OP either it's just real life is a little crazy right now. Friend of ours, expecting triplets, went into hospital at 26 weeks as one of the bubs was getting distressed. We've been rallying around Dad and kid number 1 for the past week while mum has been in hospital. They're in the same boat as us, no immediate family to call on.

ccesarano wrote:

And as swiftly as it was placed on, Aliens: Colonial Marines is knocked off the pile.

Care to elaborate if you beat it or dropped it? The only words I've heard associated with that game are train wreck.