I have been thinking about the ever-growing stack of games sitting around my house, along with the mental list of the ones I have not purchased yet, and I am starting to wonder why I can never finish a game. I know that I used to be hardcore (and still can be if I apply myself). I just find that I play most of my games about halfway to 2/3 of the way through, and then move on to something else. I tell myself that I am going to go back and finish those games, but it probably won't ever happen (I usually end up looking at the strategy guide when I go to a game store to see how everything turned out). Am I the only one who does this, or is this the same experience that you have with games? And if I'm not in a minority on this, what does it say about game development, the gaming community, etc.?
Is the weather nice where you live? How old are you? 
I''m 26, and in Texas, so the weather is too hot to be outside for most of the year. I guess I should have mentioned that this question was not aimed at the kiddos...just the gamers with jobs.
I find that playing MMOG''s are what keep me from finishing most of my other games. If I just spent half the time I spend playing FFXI playing my other games they would probably all be finished. But actually to tell you the truth I would most likely just have bought twice as many games. Oh well I just chalk it up to A.D.D. 
I was just curious because I have had the same issue since I have been out of college and I definitely have trouble finishing games during the summer months.
I have even lost motivation to play a round or two of a first person shooter like Battlefield Vietnam. I decide to play Star Wars Galaxies over the variety of games I own and the current beta I am in, I can''t explain why really. 
There are tons of good single player game experiences out there to be had. I don''t think the game development is the problem, there are good games out there.
I think the industry as a whole has just grown accustomed to online play. People crave interaction and as much as a single player game can pull you in, it just seems more fun to talk it up with others online.
Used to be online was just for the PC gamers, but now all the consoles are going online and people who never used their PC''s for gaming (do people like that really exist, lol) are seeing how much fun it is.
I almost never finish my games either.
Been that way since Wizardry and Castle Wolfenstein on Apple][+, through Bard''s Tale on C64, on up to Neverhood and Morrowind on PC.
The first game I ever finished was some spooky adventure thing with my wife - Phantasmagoria or Some Gabriel Night thing.
Does it really matter if you finish?
Did you have fun playing? Was it worth the price?
For me, if I feel I got my $$ worth, I''m happy. If the game/story/characters are good enough - or bad enough, like NWN - to keep me engaged/in disbelief to the end, the good - or bad - for the devs. NWN I finished just because I couldn''t believe the story was that bad and that it was just the same game, copy+pasted over 4-5 different environments. So I finished just to spite the devs and in a vain hope that it got better. It didn''t. Sill, I like NWN if for no other reason than there are some great user created modules and some good conversions of the old B1-B* P&P modules.
Morrowind is another unfinished game, but I still play from time to time. It''s a sandbox with an optional storyline to me. Same with Wizardry, Bard''s Tale, Wizard''s Crown, etc. I don''t care if I ever finish, I care if I have fun.
Embrace your gaming ADD and enjoy the sightseeing.
along with the mental list of the ones I have not purchased
Step one, throw out your mental list of games and focus on what''s in front of you. In fact, pick one game and play it exclusively until you beat it.
In general, I have no problem with shorter 8 - 10 hour games since I''m way more likely to beat them than I am a twenty hour title with a lot of repetitive filler.
along with the mental list of the ones I have not purchasedStep one, throw out your mental list of games and focus on what''s in front of you. In fact, pick one game and play it exclusively until you beat it.
In general, I have no problem with shorter 8 - 10 hour games since I''m way more likely to beat them than I am a twenty hour title with a lot of repetitive filler.
Exactly. I have picked Dungeon Siege back up and this time I am not going to stop until I finish it. The real challenges will be Baldur''s Gate I & II and Morrowind- if I finish any of those I will be proud of myself.
![Pyroman[FO]'s picture](https://www.gamerswithjobs.com/files/pictures/pictures/picture-27.png "Pyroman[FO]'s picture")
My only problem is what Certis said about repetitive filler and then general suckiness. If the game is serviceable and not repetitive (or really good and repetitive) I''ll keep playing till the end. More often than not, I ask ""Why didn''t I finish this one?"" Usually, if I get bored, I quit.
I''m also with Certis on the other part, don''t worry about games that aren''t out yet. Anticipation does help make the game better, but don''t let it really take up much of your time. Just play what you have, even if you only have one game. Just grab whatever and play it, it''s way more fun that way.
I find that while I used to finish most games that I played, I rarely do anymore.
Only difference now is that I''m married to a non-gamer:)
If I''m *lucky*, I can get an hour of uninterrupted game play in per day. Most of the time, though I get to a critical plot twisting cutscene just about the time that my better half decides to start a gripping conversation on whether or not the dishes in the dishwasher are dirty or clean.
I love her, but sometimes I feel like Will Farrell in ""Old School"" when asked by the young kid what he was doing for the weekend:
""Well, um, actually a pretty nice little Saturday, we''re going to go to Home Depot. Yeah, buy some wallpaper, maybe get some flooring, stuff like that. Maybe Bed, Bath, & Beyond, I don''t know, I don''t know if we''ll have enough time. ""
sigh....I feel much better now:)
Only difference now is that I''m married to a non-gamer:)
I think this may be part of my problem - Limited game time, too many good games to play. I also still want to finish Baldurs Gate 1,2, and Morrowind but I have been working on those for years. I would have missed some great game experiences if I just buckled down and finished them and not picked up some other titles.
I have to have something different going on every day or so, or I go weird, start watching golf and thinking about what I''d add to my portfolio if I were a mid-level money manager. That means I don''t usually finish a game for a very long time. But I do get to try a wide variety of games, and enjoy them, yet I''m not so tied to one that I can''t stop to do the necessary things - you know, honey-dos and the like.
Could just be the way you are wired.
Robear
I agree about filler...and there is also the problem where games don''t live up to their hype, even though they may be good games nonetheless. For example, I bought NOLF2 because all the reviews talked about how it was more than your average FPS since you had all these cool gadgets, and how stealth was often a better way to go...Pfffffft. Bull-honkey. I shot my way through the game and never once used my gadgets -- and I never finished it just because I was disappointed that it wasn''t the game I''d hoped for.
For example, I bought NOLF2 because all the reviews talked about how it was more than your average FPS since you had all these cool gadgets, and how stealth was often a better way to go...Pfffffft. Bull-honkey. I shot my way through the game and never once used my gadgets -- and I never finished it just because I was disappointed that it wasn''t the game I''d hoped for.
So wait, you bought it because you hoped it was a stealth game where you used the gadgets, then played it like a run and gun, then you got mad at the game? I''m confused, why didn''t you play it as stealth?
Last three that I finished were NWN, Far Cry and Painkiller. Few times I was on the verge of giving up on NWN, but I manged it.
What else... Splinter Cell? Haven''t installed it yet and I probably won''t. UT2k4? Nah, that''s for MP. Hitman? Haven''t installed it yet and probably won''t. Thief? Yeah, you guessed it - haven''t installed it yet and probably won''t. BF Vietnam? 3 hours online flat. Over and out. What still reigns strong is CoD, I get a piece of that every time I can subdue my concience bite for not studying for a few hours...
See the pattern?
It seems that I am in the ""Wham-bam-thankyou-maam"" phaze. I like it short and sweet, no time for long-term commitments. I sincerely hope to wrestle myself out of it, and that is only possible through finishing the damn school. One more year... At least...
PS
Out Of Context Theatre buffs, go ahead, knock yourselves out.
I decide to play Star Wars Galaxies over the variety of games I own and the current beta I am in, I can''t explain why really.
For me MMOG''s are one step above vegging out on the couch and watching tv. My typical session consists of me turning on a movie or show I want to watch then joining a group and mindlessly killing one monster after another all the while watching tv just enough to get the general gist of the program. Single player games are much to engaging to allow me to do two things at once so I often opt for the less interactive massively multiplayer experience. For some reason it is just the most relaxing thing I can think of doing after working all day.
I probably only finish about a 1/3 of the games I start. If I start to get bored with a game I figure, ""why bother?"" Life''s to short to waste time on a game I''m no longer interested in. If I get back to it someday great if not, oh well. As long as I''ve enjoyed the time I did spend with it I''m content.
There are too many people experiencing this very thing for it not to be a developer''s problem. It''s getting hard for me to find a game worth finishing lately. The games probably haven''t gotten much worse recently; it''s just that my tolerance for any weakness in the plot (or game slowing filler) has really dropped. ""This is just like what happened in -Game X- !"" I''ll proclaim indignantly, and fling the game aside, never to be played again. 5 years ago, I probably would have just finished it and been happy.
When it comes to console games I have been on a good tear lately of games I''ve finished. It all started with Metroid Prime, then Zelda, LotR-RotK, True Crime, Prince of Persia, Mario Kart, Mario Golf...but came to screeching hault with Viewtiful Joe. I''ll go back and finish someday but now I''m working on Ralisport 2 and FSW. When it comes to PC games I''m miserable. I think the last PC game I finished was Myth 2 on the Mac.
Like Certis I prefer the 10 hour games. I''ve got a full time job, wife, and baby but I manage to get in an 1 hour or so of gaming a night when the gang falls asleep. TV and console(s)in the bedroom... So far it''s worked out well.
the less interactive massively multiplayer experience
Man, that has to have some game designers and theorists really tweaked.
And the flipside is
It''s getting hard for me to find a game worth finishing lately
Which probably has to do with every developer under the sun trying to figure out how to shoehorn an Online Multiplayer mode into every single game they make because people like the increased challenge and .... wait for it... Interactivity of playing online against/with real live humans instead of the crap AI and storylines that make it into so many games these days. I never did the play MMOG while watching TV/Movie, but I typically played a cleric-type and couldn''t just hit auto-attack and not pay attention.
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For example, I bought NOLF2 because all the reviews talked about how it was more than your average FPS since you had all these cool gadgets, and how stealth was often a better way to go...Pfffffft. Bull-honkey. I shot my way through the game and never once used my gadgets -- and I never finished it just because I was disappointed that it wasn''t the game I''d hoped for.So wait, you bought it because you hoped it was a stealth game where you used the gadgets, then played it like a run and gun, then you got mad at the game? I''m confused, why didn''t you play it as stealth?
Because there was no reason to play stealth. It was far easier, and in almost every case it made more sense to run and gun. It wasn''t like Thief where you were screwed if you got caught. It was more like they told you to be stealthy. But if you got caught you just popped the guy and moved on. Pretty soon you realize there''s not really any incentive to be stealthy.
My reason for not finishing games is time or lack of it. Game that take 10-15hr to beat usually take me about a month. I have like 10(Xbox), 4(PS2), 4(GC), 4(Mac), 2(PC), that I still either have not started or I would like to finish. 
How long was Jedi Academy? I think that game felt like perfect length.
There were only minimal parts where I felt, ""I dont want to go through this again"" syndrome. If there was just a hair more RPG to it, I would probably be playing it as much as I played Diablo 2 (off and on for years). It doesnt have much more replayability beyond good/bad and dual/staff sabers. All it would need is the jedi powers branched like a Diablo skill tree or if your character gained xp and leveled up their hp/energy according to play style. A special light saber move skill tree would be cool too.
Ok so anyways, Jedi Academy, MW2, and MC2 are my litmus test for game length. MW2 and MC2 are my goal targets for replayability.
Diablo 2 is also a standard for game replayability without feeling the need to finish it. (ive only finished Duriel/Hell with a Sorc (bnet), and Assasin (solo) and never got higher than level 77) Act 1 and Act 4 are the best in regards to stuff to do and brevity. Act 2 I like but you wander too much and Duriel is a Female Doggo. Act 3 should just start in Lower Kurast and skip all the forest stuff. Act 5 has a lot of stuff to do and the turrets make for interesting activity but it drags in some places and people would like it so much if it werent for the loot, xp and the ancients.
How long was Jedi Academy? I think that game felt like perfect length.
I think by the third or fourth time I finished it, I was able to do so in 7 or 8 hours. As down as I''ve been on LucasArts (and most everyone else) of late, Jedi Academy was a lot of fun. I finished it several times to get a good feel for the different force powers and lightsabre configurations.
A game doesn''t have to be ""epic"" in scope to occupy my time. If a game is really fun, I''ll play it a lot, even if it means a lot of replaying.
The reason I never finish games is because there''s so many good ones out there and my ""Sesame Street Generation"" ADD takes over before I can get close to completing a title. Back when I had my Atari 2600 or NES, I''d get one new game every 6 months and I''d play it to death. Now that we''re big kids with our own jobs, I do what I always said I''d do back then: buy whatever game I want, *when* I want! Take that, Dad! I showed you, Mom!
I think by the third or fourth time I finished it, I was able to do so in 7 or 8 hours.
Yea I seem to recall that too. But that was because you could do 3 out of the 5 of each set of nonstory missions. Which leads me to believe that first time through it was about 14-15 hours.
I just spent about 12 hours finishing Custom Robo. Well, the main story mode. Now there is a tournament mode and and arcade mode (instant action duels, 1v1,2v2,1v2,1v3) So there is several more hours of enjoyment out of that game.
Back when I had my Atari 2600 or NES, I''d get one new game every 6 months and I''d play it to death.
Yeah, some of those 2600 games were more than 40 bucks. That''s like a dollar a pixel.
You''re supposed to finish these things?
Hey Gorack, remember buying Berzerk at Albertson''s because it was new and was going to be the bizzomb? That game was the worst...
Personally, I rarely finish few games and I dont think it is because of a ""developer"" issue or lack of story or replayability or not necessarily even the length. I think it is because 1.) There are so many great games out there 2.) MMORPG''s exist today that take significant chunks of ""gaming"" time that would otherwise be spent on some SP game 3.) MP shooters like BF1942, BF-V, UT etc... that you dont ever finish you just play. The combination of the 3 almost dictates that if you have a ""real"" life ie job, family, outside the home obligations you wont ever finish a significant SP game. Unless you do what I believe Certis mentioned and pick up a game and play it exclusively (tell yourself you wont buy another game until you finish it) then you will likely have a lot of unfinished games. I have finished Diablo 1, 2, BG2, the Mechwarrior games and a couple of others and I own easily over a hundred various and sundry titles. The games are a form of entertainment and if you play one (price 49.99) more then 10hrs total you have far met your ""bang to buck"" ratio IMHO given the price of the average movie theater experience etc... as a standard comparison.
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