2012, end of the world, or end of your pile? - the 12 month thread

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And so another year has passed. How was 2011 for you? Did you get your game on, or are you drowning in the pile? If the answer to that question is more likely to be the second response, welcome, you are amongst friends.

Following on from the thread we ran in 2011, I am happy to give birth to the 12 month plan for 2012. For those of us not worried about the impending month of prophesied armageddon, this will be a loving, supportive home for the long term, repeat offenders of piledom.

As before, with the help of this thread, we will be committing to a reduction in what has now become our mountains of shame. This thread is designed to support those who need it, and complement Hemidal's awesome efforts in the regular, monthly, pile of shame threads.

It is recommended, but not enforced, that you get yourself over to the backloggery and set yourself up an account. If that all seems too hard, and you are serious about making this 12 month thing a commitment, send me a PM with your lists, and I will happily enter the details in for you. It is recommended you do it yourself, as some of us have found that particular exercise to be part of the process in reducing 'pile'. I know personally, entering in all 126 XBLA titles I had bought stopped me from checking the DotW threads for those particular must have purchases…

REMEMBER: This doesn't replace Hemidal's monthly thread, it just complements it for those of us that want that long term plan in place, some realistic dissenablement and to stop the impulse purchases (links will be added for each monthly pile thread here).
January: Out With the New and In With the Old
February: Short Month, Shorten the Pile
March: Back to Our Regularly Scheduled Pile
April: A Fool and His Pile
May: Don't Surender, It's Just the Pile
June: School's Out, Pile is in Session
July: Declare a Revolution Against Your Pile
August: The Dog Days of the Pile
September: The Pile is in Session
October - December: TBA

New this year is the creation of the Pile Charter. This is going to be based on a combination of , and Clockwork's Addendum. I have posted these in the first post of this thread. If you guys want to hash out the finer details of these, I think we can really get a good set of guiding principles for 12 month pile progress.

As we get this finalised, and agreed on, I will then add it to this OP, and remove all of this speculative gunk.

2012, we're coming for you!

Trueheart's Quartet of Contemplation (where it all begins).

trueheart78 wrote:

Hemidal's Law: Anything that can be added to the pile will be added to the pile.

I love the pile of shame threads, but I'm contemplating starting a support group of sorts that goes hand-in-hand with it.

It would comprise of 4 parts:
1. Listing the games in our collections that we want to finish.
2. Looking forward to the game releases for the year/months ahead and taking note of the games that we're going to buy and at what price.
3. Looking behind to the previously released games and take notes of the games we're going to buy and at what price.
4. Committing to certain games via and making sure we take part in the Pile of Shame threads.

Clockwork's Addendum (alternatively known as the remedy for recurring transgressions). Amend where needed for your own demons

ClockworkHouse wrote:

I will not buy any games except what's on The List until the unfinished portion of my collection is at or below 25%.

Addendum A: I will not sell any game from my pile until I've completed it or have determined that I couldn't possibly drag myself through the rest.

Addendum B: I will sure as sin not buy any more JRPGs until I've finished the seven that I already own or am borrowing.

Addendum C: Any new Metroid games announced will automatically be added to The List. Likewise, a North American release of Xenoblade Chronicles will be added.

Addendum D: Exceptions may be granted for Windows Phone 7 and/or 3DS games provided that I've beaten and/or completed the games I already own. I don't really have piles for those platforms and don't want to punish them for my Xbox Live Arcade-related indiscretions.

Addendum E: I should really stop reading the deals thread.

Addendum F: As I won't be buying games that aren't on The List, I won't shop for games online or in stores. Not even "just to browse" as that way lies madness.

But remember Minarchist's musings...

Minarchist wrote:

Tackling the pile is a good thing, but taken to the extreme it can impede fun.

IMAGE(http://members.iinet.net.au/~monkey.boy/MyPics/BoB.gif)
Quick Backloggery links for those that want them:

TrueHeart78m0nk3yboyshoptrollbeeporamaluggagephiluciferMaximusMinarchiststevenmackSallyNastyimbiginjapanhoneycut1mrtomaytoheadHiggledyAUs_TBirD (a massive pile) • VrikkcasktapperwalkeraGarden NinjaSteleMantidMaclintokfilthyspringbokFarley2kDemyxjdzappaUMOarsman • more...

Courtesy of ShopTroll (source: http://loldwell.com/comics/2012-07-1...)

IMAGE(http://members.iinet.net.au/~monkey.boy/GWJ/Gamestory.jpg)

And so it begins.

Basis for the Pile Charter, or start from fresh, you decide...

trueheart78 wrote:

Hemidal's Law: Anything that can be added to the pile will be added to the pile.

I love the pile of shame threads, but I'm contemplating starting a support group of sorts that goes hand-in-hand with it.

It would comprise of 4 parts:
1. Listing the games in our collections that we want to finish.
2. Looking forward to the game releases for the year/months ahead and taking note of the games that we're going to buy and at what price.
3. Looking behind to the previously released games and take notes of the games we're going to buy and at what price.
4. Committing to certain games via and making sure we take part in the Pile of Shame threads.

Clockwork's Addendum (alternatively known as the remedy for recurring transgressions). Amend where needed for your own demons

ClockworkHouse wrote:

I will not buy any games except what's on The List until the unfinished portion of my collection is at or below 25%.

Addendum A: I will not sell any game from my pile until I've completed it or have determined that I couldn't possibly drag myself through the rest.

Addendum B: I will sure as sin not buy any more JRPGs until I've finished the seven that I already own or am borrowing.

Addendum C: Any new Metroid games announced will automatically be added to The List. Likewise, a North American release of Xenoblade Chronicles will be added.

Addendum D: Exceptions may be granted for Windows Phone 7 and/or 3DS games provided that I've beaten and/or completed the games I already own. I don't really have piles for those platforms and don't want to punish them for my Xbox Live Arcade-related indiscretions.

Addendum E: I should really stop reading the deals thread.

Addendum F: As I won't be buying games that aren't on The List, I won't shop for games online or in stores. Not even "just to browse" as that way lies madness.

Thanks! Will get my Backloggery updated by the end of the year.

Tagging for later public humiliation.

I've made a deal with the wife. I'm getting 1 game per quarter next year (plus birthday, Christmas, Father's Day, etc...). The catch is my wife and daughter will be doing the research, asking the clerk, going to the store and purchasing it. So, no new games for me. With that said, the end of 2011 is seeing substantial pile additions due to some silly sales. I'll come up with some sort of plan for the year soon. Be back after the holidays!

plavonica wrote:
Minarchist wrote:

Tagging for later public humiliation.

Agreed.

Thirded.

Yeah I really need to spend some time filling out that backloggery stuff.

I will be the first to admit that I broke my no more new games in 2011 last night.

I was up with lilnastier at 2 in the morning, perusing the internet while she refused to sleep - and lo and behold, Space Marine was on sale for the price that I was willing to pay.

Saboteur!

Spoiler:

Speaking of Saboteur, I really want to play that game.

So how do you guys use Backloggery? Only games you already own or also ones that you have in mind but not yet purchased?

Ok I am in

Luggage wrote:

So how do you guys use Backloggery? Only games you already own or also ones that you have in mind but not yet purchased?

Games I own that I have an interest in.

Wishlist goes with the posts we'll make in here (at least, that's how I do it).

SallyNasty wrote:

Saboteur!

Spoiler:

Speaking of Saboteur, I really want to play that game.

Great game, highly underrated.

Spoiler:

easy to 1k too!

Luggage wrote:

So how do you guys use Backloggery? Only games you already own or also ones that you have in mind but not yet purchased?

Games I own go on the Backloggery. Games I'm looking to purchase go on the Backloggery Wishlist.

Games in my collection I want to finish/watch the credits roll.

  • Final Fantasy IV (DS)
  • DiRT 3 (360)
  • Fable 2 (360)
  • Final Fantasy XIII (360)
  • Forza Motorsport 3 (360) *
  • Gears of War 3 (360)
  • Rock Band 3 (360) *
  • The Elder Scrolls IV: Oblivion (360) *
  • Beyond Good & Evil (XBLA)
  • Metal Gear Solid 4: Guns of the Patriots (PS3)
  • Metal Gear Solid 3: Subsistence (PS2) *
  • Katamari Damacy (PS2) *
  • Torchlight (PC) *
  • StarCraft (PC) *
  • StarCraft Brood Wars (PC)
  • StarCraft 2 (PC) *

Status: 0 of 16 (0%)

* = In Progress
/ = Abandoned / Sold
/ = Finished / Completed

2012 Releases I will be purchasing - list of releases

  • Borderlands 2 (360) - Will await sale pending reviews
  • Diablo 3 (PC) - Pending a potential laptop upgrade, possibly week / day 1
  • Final Fantasy XIII-2 (360) - Will await sale pending reviews / Finishing XIII (360)
  • Mass Effect 3 (360) - Will await sale pending reviews, possibly week / day 1
  • Max Payne 3 (360) - Will await sale pending reviews, possibly week / day 1
  • Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance (360) - We'll see
  • StarCraft II: Heart of the Swarm (PC) - Pending a potential laptop upgrade, possibly week / day 1
  • Tomb Raider (360) - Will await sale pending reviews, possibly week / day 1
  • Torchlight II (PC) - Likely during the first sale

Status: 0 of 9 (0%)

2011 and Prior Releases I will be purchasing and at what price - list of releases
These are the games I will restrict myself to when the buying urge comes upon me, and for lower prices than I normally would purchase (unless digital). I will not necessarily buy all of these games.

  • Bastion (XBLA) - $10 or less
  • Batman Arkham City (360) - $25 or less w/ DLC
  • Dragon Quest VI: Realms of Revelation (DS) - $20 or less
  • Driver: San Francisco (360) - $15 or less
  • Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim (360) - $30 or less
  • Forza 4 (360) - $30 or less
  • Minecraft (PC) - $20 or less<
  • Orcs Must Die! (XBLA) - $10 or less
  • Rocksmith (360) - $40 or less

Status: 0 of 9 (0%)

Side Goals

  • Dragon Age 2 (360) - Play through a 2nd time, load up on DLC before I do.
  • Mirrors Edge (360) - Play through a 2nd time.
  • Prince of Persia 2008 (360) - Play through a 2nd time, this time with the Epilogue DLC.

Status: 0 of 3 (0%)

I, trueheart78, solemnly pledge to take part in the Pile of Shame monthly threads. Even if it is just for one game, I will put forth effort to clear my ever-growing pile, one game at a time.

I also pledge to do everything within my ability to restrict my game purchases to those that I've listed, and, if I should falter, will shamefully add them to the pile in full sight of this support group.

I heartily agree with the suggestion of using backloggery. Seeing those numbers and lists really gave me pause. For me, part of the solution is realizing that I just need to give up on ever reaching some of these games, so I can concentrate on the ones I really do want to get in before the end of the world.

An exercise like this is good so when the next "gotta play it" game pops up, you are forced to say, "okay, which other deserving game will I cut to make room for this?... because playing this means something else doesn't get played."

December: Folklore
January: Assassin's Creed: Revelations
February: Infamous 2
March: Mass Effect 3
April: Xenoblade Chronicles
May: Silent Hill Downpour
June: Deadly Premonition; El Shaddai: Ascension of the Metatron
July: Rogue Galaxy; No More Heroes: Heroes' Paradise
August: Nier; Shadows of the Damned
September: buffer month / beep's choice
October: Fragile Dreams: Farewell Ruins of the Moon; The Sky Crawlers: Innocent Aces
November: Tomb Raider (2012)
December: Bioshock Infinite

Portable pile (aka "bus, bed, bidet"): The 3rd Birthday (Parasite Eve 3), The Legend of Heroes: Trails in the Sky

Getting through more than one game a month is a little ambitious already. But assuming there are some that suck so bad I quit, here are the also-rans (aka games I desperately want to play but only will have time for if I am unemployed for an extended period). I list them mostly to ward of temptation to buy other games "in case I have more time"; PLAY THESE FIRST BEEP!!!: Arc Rise Fantasia; Grand Theft Auto IV: Liberty City Stories; Odin Sphere; Red Dead Redemption; Muramasa; Prince of Persia; Resonance of Fate; Wild Arms -- Alter Code: F

I'm willing to take suggestions on priorities but it seriously has to be "one in, one out." That's a stuffed year.

Can I make a request? That maybe gets to the OP? When you guys update these big lists you're creating, please just re-post the whole thing with your edits later in the thread, instead of editing your originals. That will seriously mess with thread tracking were you to do the latter.

I'm dividing my list up into games I want to actually finish and games that I simply want to put various amounts of time into. There are so many games that I want to play but I know that finishing them is neither going to be realistic or enjoyable that I feel the best thing is to acknowledge that and play up to the point where I feel 'done'.

Games I want to see the credits roll
The Witcher 2 (PC)
Metro 2033 (PC)
Alien Shooter 2: Reloaded (PC)
Space Quest 1,2 & 3 (DOS, with walkthroughs)
King's Quest 1,2 &3 (DOS, with walkthroughs)
Starflight (Commodore Amiga)
Starflight 2 (Commodore Amiga)
Star Control 2/Ur-Quan Masters (PC)
Wing Commander 1,2,& 3 (DOS/Windows)
Amnesia (PC)

Games I want to put > 10 hours into
STALKER Call of Pripyat (PC)
Mount and Blade: Warband (PC)
AI War: Fleet Command (PC)
Forza 4 (Xbox)

Special Category: Don't Stop For Nothin'
Rocksmith [PS3]

Game I Want To Finish:

1. 9 Hours, 9 Persons, 9 Doors
2. Ace Attorney Investigations: Miles Edgeworth *
3. Assassins Creed: Revelations
4. Batman: Arkham City
5. Broken Sword: Shadow of the Templar
6. Deadly Premonition
7. Dragon Quest IX
8. Gears of War 3 *
9. Ghost Trick
10. Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim *
11. The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword
12. The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks *
13. Professor Layton and the Last Specter
14. Rayman Origins
15. Star Wars: The Old Republic (get to Level 50 for at least one toon) *
16. Super Mario 3D Land
17. Tactics Ogre: Let's Cling Together

* - Currently Playing

Previous Releases I Plan To Buy/Rent:
1. Modern Warfare 3
2. To The Moon
3. Uncharted 3

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Games I own go on the Backloggery. Games I'm looking to purchase go on the Backloggery Wishlist. :)

That's how I do it, since I also use it as a display of my collection. Anything that lacks a "You Win" state gets Nulled.

I like trueheart's format, so I'm going to mostly steal it:

Games in my collection I most want to finish/watch the credits roll.

  • Vanquish
  • Nier
  • Resonance of Fate
  • Majin and the Forsaken Kingdom
  • Dead Space 2
  • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor Overclocked*
  • Pokémon SoulSilver
  • Ico*
  • Shadow of the Colossus
  • Persona 3*
  • Persona 4
  • The Legend of Zelda: Skyward Sword*
  • Lost in Shadow
  • Metroid Prime 2: Echoes
  • Sin & Punishment: Star Successor

Status: 0 of 15 (0%)

Games in my collection I would like to finish/watch the credits roll:

  • Assassin's Creed 2
  • Valkyrie Profile: Covenant of the Plume
  • Rune Factory Frontier
  • Super Mario World
  • Bastion
  • Hydrophobia
  • Trenched

Status: 0 of 7 (0%)

* = In Progress
/ = Abandoned / Sold
/ = Finished / Completed

2012 Releases I will be purchasing - list of releases

  • Bioshock Infinite
  • Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance
  • XCOM
  • Shin Megami Tensei: Devil Survivor 2
  • Xenoblade Chronicles

Status: 0 of 5 (0%)

2011 and Prior Releases I will be purchasing and at what price - list of releases
These are the games I will restrict myself to when the buying urge comes upon me, and for lower prices than I normally would purchase (unless digital). I will not necessarily buy all of these games.

  • Catherine
  • Dark Souls
  • The Legend of Zelda: Spirit Tracks

Status: 0 of 3 (0%)

Side Goals

  • The Wife, She Demands It! Replay Half-Life 2 and its episodes
  • For Switchbreak: Replay Deadly Premonition twice more for the last two achievements
  • This Year, We Go Platinum! Replay Bayonetta on Hard, beat Vanquish on Hard, and beat Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance on Hard
  • You Made Your Bed, Now f*ck In It: Have 0% of my pile marked as "Unplayed" at the end of the year

Status: 0 of 4 (0%)

I, Clocky, solemnly pledge to take part in the Pile of Shame monthly threads. Even if it is just for one game, I will put forth effort to clear my ever-growing pile, one game at a time.

I also pledge to do everything within my ability to restrict my game purchases to those that I've listed, and, if I should falter, will shamefully add them to the pile in full sight of this support group.

In addition, I'd like to put the following purchasing controls in place:

  • Items on The List (see above) are exempt from all these rules.
  • No 360 or XBLA games, not even if it's a kinda interesting game that's having a really good sale.
  • No DS games will be purchased after March 27th.
  • No buying games for any platform unless I don't have any unplayed games on that platform.

Looking over my list, I've got a damn good pile of games waiting for me.

That said, the WiiU release is really going to rock my boat.

Minarchist wrote:

Can I make a request? That maybe gets to the OP? When you guys update these big lists you're creating, please just re-post the whole thing with your edits later in the thread, instead of editing your originals. That will seriously mess with thread tracking were you to do the latter.

I can't make any promises, but I'll try.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

That said, the WiiU release is really going to rock my boat.

Same here. I'm trying not to think about that since there's not enough information to plan around that.

Since I've got a couple of multiplayer games listed, are there other people interested in co-op games in their piles? I know we have dedicated threads for that stuff, but this is a support group right?

Games already in my collection I want to finish/watch the credits roll this year:

(This is an amalgamation of 5 smaller lists: 2011 holdovers, nostalgia plays, series with 2012 entries, Indie gems, and games I started but never finished. I'm pretty happy with the results.)

Bastion (PC)
Chrono Trigger (DS)
BioShock (PC)
Magicka (PC)
Half-Life (PC)
Starcraft II: Wings of Liberty (PC)
Torchlight (PC)
Mass Effect (PC)
Borderlands DLC (PC)
Front Mission (DS)
Megaman X Collection (PS2)
Megaman Anniversary Collection (PS2)
Final Fantasy VII: Crisis Core (PSP)
Defense Grid (PC)
Super Meat Boy (PC)
World of Goo (PC)
Gish (PC)
Deus Ex: Human Revolution (PC)
Saint’s Row: The Third (PC)
Serious Sam BFE (PC)
Legend of Zelda Skyward Sword (Wii)
Orcs Must Die! (PC)
Bulletstorm (PC)
Metroid Prime 2: Echoes (GCN)
Need For Speed Underground 2 (PC)

Status: 0 of 25 (0%)

* = In Progress

2012 Releases I will be purchasing:

(I will probably be acquiring a PS3 this year so this list is subject to change)

Borderlands 2 (PC) - Day 1
BioShock Infinite (PC) - Day 1
Diablo III (PC) - Day 1
Starcraft II: Heart of the Swarm (PC) - Day 1
Xenoblade Chronicles (Wii) - Day 1
Final Fantasy Type-0 (PSP) - Day 1
Kingdom Hearts 3D (3DS) - Day/Week 1 pending reviews
The Witness (PC) - 1st month
Torchlight II (PC) - Dependent on completion of Torchlight
Carmageddon Resurrection (PC) - Possibly month 1 pending reviews
Luigi’s Mansion 2 (3DS) - Possibly month 1 pending reviews
The Last Story (Wii) - Pending NA release
Kid Icarus (3DS) - Pending reviews

Status: 0 of 13 (0%)

2011 and Prior Releases I will be purchasing and at what price:
These are the games I will restrict myself to when the buying urge comes upon me, and for lower prices than I normally would purchase (unless digital). I will not necessarily buy all of these games.

Batman Arkham City (PC) - $25 or less w/ DLC and Asylum beaten
Minecraft (PC) - $20 or less
Final Fantasy IV Complete (PSP) - $15 or less
Tactics Ogre (PSP) - $15 or less
Super Mario 3D Land - $35 or less by March
Mario Kart 7 - $35 or less by March

Status: 0 of 6 (0%)

Side Goals:

Status: 0 of 0 (0%)

I, shoptroll, solemnly pledge to take part in the Pile of Shame monthly threads. Even if it is just for one game, I will put forth effort to clear my ever-growing pile, one game at a time.

I also pledge to do everything within my ability to restrict my game purchases to those that I've listed, and, if I should falter, will shamefully add them to the pile in full sight of this support group.

In addition, I would like to accomplish the following:
1) No Game Left Behind: Actively work towards finishing games that were previous abandoned for shinier objects in past years.
2) Cap The Pile: 2012 releases must be played and beaten upon purchase. No exceptions.
3) Cold Shower: Steam sales are to be avoided except for DLC. Humble Indie Bundle is exempt.
4) Robot Rock: Further automation of Kingdom of Loathing to minimize time spent doing banal tasks in that game.

Reviewing what I have on the pile, I am actually fairly heartened to see a lot of the games are pretty straightforward and I should be able to make a pretty large dent before the new release cycle starts back up.

SallyNasty wrote:

I will be the first to admit that I broke my no more new games in 2011 last night.

I was up with lilnastier at 2 in the morning, perusing the internet while she refused to sleep - and lo and behold, Space Marine was on sale for the price that I was willing to pay.

Saboteur!

Spoiler:

Speaking of Saboteur, I really want to play that game.

See Clocky's Addendum F...

brokenclavicle wrote:

No game purchases until I have depleted my entire game library as it stands. This not counting replays.

Damn, man. Gauntlet thrown.

There are some people who want to enjoy whittling down the pile, then there's brokenclavicle.

Please don't punish yourself, enjoy the games

brokenclavicle wrote:

Games that must be completed to qualify for new games:

[multiple thousands of hours of games]

IMAGE(http://images.cheezburger.com/completestore/2010/11/18/a32485e7-7f2d-4ae9-90c1-25c08048394b.jpg)

I mean, you have to beat NIER alone at least twice, if not four times.

I'm interested to see what you think of Odin Sphere. I loved loved loved the art direction and concept, but for some reason the gameplay didn't click for me and I quit after beating the first boss. Still glad I gave Atlus my money for that one, though.

I've made a Backloggery account for current-gen games, and while I'm not prepared yet to set out my exact goals for 2012, I am making one pledge: I will not buy any new consoles until I don't have a backlog! This will almost certainly spare me the hassle of the next go-around's version of the red rings. (I had to send my 360 back for repairs five times.)

Link to your Backloggery or GTFO!

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