2016 - The 12 Month Pile Plan

kergguz wrote:

Wish me luck!

IMAGE(http://cdn.meme.am/instances/500x/51788115.jpg)

Sounds like you've got a plan!

Dear Pilehouse,

I never thought this would happen to me, but I found myself posting in a 12 Month Pile Plan.

My backlog isn't scary, only a couple dozen games, and I know what I like and how I play, but I want to commit myself to something a little larger than the monthly threads because I want to shrink that modest backlog this year, before it gets any bigger. Why yes I am writing this on the first day of the Steam winter sale.

So I don't have a month-by-month plan, or even a projection for the whole year, but I have a general two-pronged attack. I can only play about two games at the same time, a narrative game and a non-narrative (read: racing). For non-narrative, I just picked up GRID Autosport from Humble Bundle, which bumps down RaceRoom, which I kept spending money on without spending time on. But I need a lighter racing game right now, to balance the wringer of Dirt Rally. So I promise to put some real time into RaceRoom's ADAC GT Masters Experience 2014 expansion after playing GA.

For narrative, I've had STALKER in my backlog for years. But first I need to play Assassin's Creed: Liberation, as it's the last 360 game I have. After that should be Remember Me, if I'm still in a third-person action mood (plus I can't consider Life is Strange if I have an unplayed Dontnod game). Only then can I start STALKER.

I also have all four Thief games which I should really finish (or start in some cases) this year. Styx: Master of Shadows must stay on the wishlist until I've finally completed my own stealth hajj. And I guess Styx: Shards of Darkness will be out by then.

If at some point in the narrative games order I find myself in an RPG mood, I have Alpha Protocol, so don't even think about buying Shadowrun: Dragonfall yet.

And I reserve the right to bump any and all games when Dishonored 2 and Mirror's Edge Cataclysm come out. One beneficial outcome of new AAA games launching at CA$80 these days is the sticker shock. It's D2 and MEC and that's it. I just can't afford anything else!

Alright, that's me so far. Here's to 2016, not buying a game I won't play immediately, and playing the games I already have.

I feel as if I'm already making progress in that I have gazed into the Steam Sale, it has gazed back at me, and my response was "meh".

I have two games on my horizon that I know I will be buying in 2016, both in February: American Truck Simulator and Firewatch. Torment: Tides of Numenera will be coming along sometime later. Otherwise I have no games I know I will be picking up. (Maybe No Man's Sky, but that will depend on if I ever manage to burn out on Elite Dangerous: Horizons, which has absorbed all my time of late.)

So I feel confident for 2016. Games will be played and The PileTM will be diminished.

I reserve the right to reverse that opinion at any time, of course.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

So what's everyone's goal for this year? Where would you like to be mid-December of 2016?

Not in a scramble trying to complete five games so I can better make a top 10 list by the 31st.

But recalling all the JRPG's coming out next year, this goal is laughable.

I'd like to get all of the achievements on the remaining TES/Fallout games I have on console. Also, I'd like to at least fully play Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect 2. I think I'd best stop there if I want to be realistic!

I'm gonna take a stab at this plan thing, though like others have said, it's just a starting point. Who knows what I'll actually be excited to play later in the year. Especially since I have more awesome games than I have hours to game. The general approach I think I'm gonna take is focus on 1 big game that will probably take more than one month, 1 or 2 smaller games that I can beat during the month, and then other games I can just poke at when I want to do something else for a bit.

Poke at whenever
Destiny
Etrian Odyssey Untold - Millenium Girl
Dark Souls
Bloodborne
January
Metal Gear Solid V
Outlast
Rise of the Tomb Raider (purchase)
February
Witcher 3
Resident Evil Revelations
March
Witcher 3
Gears of War Ultimate Edition
Crimes & Punishments
Sherlock Holmes
April
Fallout New Vegas
Legend of Zelda - Majora's Mask
May
Fallout New Vegas
Rayman Legends
June
Grand Theft Auto V (purchase)
Mass Effect (replay, purchase Mass Effect Trilogy)
Gears of War Judgement
July
Assassin's Creed Syndicate (purchase)
Mass Effect 2 (replay)
Paper Mario Sticker Star
August
Mass Effect 3
Deus Ex - Mankind Divided (purchase)
Resident Evil Revelations 2
September
Dishonored (replay)
Phoenix Wright Ace Attorney Dual Destinies
October
Resonance of Fate
Wonderful 101
November
Resonance of Fate
Hyrule Warriors (purchase)
December
Tales of Xillia
Lords of the Fallen
kergguz wrote:

Let's do this thing! The main thing I want to achieve this year, as well as pile reduction, is to just relax and enjoy what I'm playing, instead of trying to rush finish games to get to the next one.

That is a goal I can stand behind! Set a good example so I can follow suit.

robc wrote:
kergguz wrote:

Let's do this thing! The main thing I want to achieve this year, as well as pile reduction, is to just relax and enjoy what I'm playing, instead of trying to rush finish games to get to the next one.

That is a goal I can stand behind! Set a good example so I can follow suit.

Taking that pressure off my gaming helped me settle into enjoying what I was playing. The pile wasn't going anywhere, and I had to constantly remind myself that "although I wasn't closer to finishing, I was enjoying, and that's what I originally intended doing when I chose to play a game instead of 100 other things I could be diverting my time to".

So far, it's working. DriveClub and Fallout4 have been enjoyed, guilt free, for the last 4 months of free time. No regrets, no remorse.

It's not 2016 yet, but let's all stare at my bellybutton together for a moment.

I don't think I like playing games at launch. This is a surprise to me, because I've always thought I did, and because I love seeing movies on opening night. But thinking back over the last couple years, I've consistently had better experiences with games that I didn't play when they first launched. When I have played games at launch, there seems to be an even chance I'll either have a bad time with them or else barely play them and come back to them later. Or both.

For example: I bought Bloodborne at launch. I played a few hours of it, didn't get very far, and then set it aside and later said I wouldn't be playing any more of it. Nine months later, I picked it back up and have been completely absorbed in it. I had a similar bounce and recovery off Bravely Default, which I returned to later and adored.

What's the deal? Two theories.

First, when I buy a game at launch, I feel obligated to play it. It's brand new, I paid full price for it (usually), and all my friends are playing it! It should be what I'm playing right now, too. But games don't always release when I have room in my schedule for them, and I seem to be fairly loyal to the games I play. Playing a new, exciting, just-released game can feel like a chore if I'm already invested in playing something else. It becomes an interruption and an obligation to fulfill when I really want to be playing this other thing.

Second, when I buy a game at launch, I feel obligated to keep up with the other people playing it. There's something fun about playing games at the same time as other people, but when a game is brand new and people are eager to talk about it, I feel like I need to keep up with them in order to stay a part of the conversation. I put pressure on myself to not be left behind, and I put pressure on myself to remain someone that other players can talk to. But I'm a slow player, and I'm a distractible player, and my friends will almost always get to everything first. So by the time I'm digging into the second mission, they're at the endgame and theory crafting their second run. I feel left out and boring.

I'm not entirely sure what to do with this information, and I need to do some more thinking about whether or not this applies to all games or just to long-form RPG-ish games. But this does offer some immediate grounds for thinking about my plans for the year ahead and possibly making some adjustments. It would be strange to not get, for example, Dark Souls III when it releases, but maybe I'd be happier playing it in November instead of April?

ClockworkHouse wrote:

It's not 2016 yet, but let's all stare at my bellybutton together for a moment.

I don't think I like playing games at launch. This is a surprise to me, because I've always thought I did, and because I love seeing movies on opening night. But thinking back over the last couple years, I've consistently had better experiences with games that I didn't play when they first launched. When I have played games at launch, there seems to be an even chance I'll either have a bad time with them or else barely play them and come back to them later. Or both.

For example: I bought Bloodborne at launch. I played a few hours of it, didn't get very far, and then set it aside and later said I wouldn't be playing any more of it. Nine months later, I picked it back up and have been completely absorbed in it. I had a similar bounce and recovery off Bravely Default, which I returned to later and adored.

What's the deal? Two theories.

First, when I buy a game at launch, I feel obligated to play it. It's brand new, I paid full price for it (usually), and all my friends are playing it! It should be what I'm playing right now, too. But games don't always release when I have room in my schedule for them, and I seem to be fairly loyal to the games I play. Playing a new, exciting, just-released game can feel like a chore if I'm already invested in playing something else. It becomes an interruption and an obligation to fulfill when I really want to be playing this other thing.

Second, when I buy a game at launch, I feel obligated to keep up with the other people playing it. There's something fun about playing games at the same time as other people, but when a game is brand new and people are eager to talk about it, I feel like I need to keep up with them in order to stay a part of the conversation. I put pressure on myself to not be left behind, and I put pressure on myself to remain someone that other players can talk to. But I'm a slow player, and I'm a distractible player, and my friends will almost always get to everything first. So by the time I'm digging into the second mission, they're at the endgame and theory crafting their second run. I feel left out and boring.

I'm not entirely sure what to do with this information, and I need to do some more thinking about whether or not this applies to all games or just to long-form RPG-ish games. But this does offer some immediate grounds for thinking about my plans for the year ahead and possibly making some adjustments. It would be strange to not get, for example, Dark Souls III when it releases, but maybe I'd be happier playing it in November instead of April?

Strongly agree when it comes to feeling like I have to keep up with friends, or at least feeling let down when I don't. Other people are able to put way more time into games throughout the week than I can, so by the first first weekend I am often hopelessly behind. I want to be part of the conversation, but I also don't want the whole story spoiled for me. It is a problem. It is something that for 90% of the single player games I play pushes them out of the release window and into "sometime later" which then 50% of the time turns into "sometime never."

I like to take my time and explore every nook and cranny in a game, so I often feel that other players leave me in the dust whenever I'm playing the same game. It was especially noticeable back when I regularly played MMO's. I practically never pay full price for games anymore though (with Fallout 4 being a rare exception) so it may be years before I actually get to a game, so I suppose that in itself avoids most of the problem for me other than almost never getting to participate in new game discussion.

I'd rather not participate than feel that I need to try to rush through a game though.

I think this is the first year where I really need to be strategic about how I spend my game time. For some reason I really underestimated the amount of game time that would be taken over by my daughter and related baby activities. It doesn't help that I love big huge RPGs and I'm at least a semi-completionist. My goal for the year is to chug through some of the games I already have, and maybe only buy 1 or 2 (I'm looking at you, Deus Ex) in 2016.

Top priority:
Witcher 3
Fallout 4
Shadowrun: Dragonfall
Yoshi's Wooly World
Super Mario 3D World
Her Story

When/if I have time:
Wolfenstein: The New Order
Undertale
The Walking Dead: Season 2
Guild of Dungeoneering

I'd also like to sprinkle in a little bit of multiplayer and zen games if I have time. Had a ton of fun doing Diablo III seasons this year, and I really want to spend some quality time with Cities: Skylines. I'm sure I'd love Rocket League if I had it, but for some reason I've been hesitant to pull the trigger (probably the aforementioned lack of time).

The new WoW expansion is due out in 2016 too, right? No doubt I'll go crawling back like a bird on its belly for a month or two when that comes out.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

It's not 2016 yet, but let's all stare at my bellybutton together for a moment.

This is kind of related to what kergguz wrote above. The pressure to get through a game, no matter what the reason makes it much harder to enjoy the journey of playing the game - trying to get to the next game, keeping up with friends / conversation, etc. I just didn't have this problem pre-Steam, because I needed to make games last. Even after 100s games of Civ IV I was excited when the expansion came out to keep playing more Civ IV.

There are lots of people who buy games during sales, so don't feel like you need to play and complete a game when it first comes out just to be part of a conversation. If it is a reasonably popular game there is probably someone to share the excitement with.

People here seem pretty good about using the spoiler tag if you fall behind. Even if they are ahead doesn't mean they won't enjoy hearing your comments about some content they already completed.

If you want to be part of the release excitement, then go for it. Take things at your pace and be apart of the conversations you can, but don't let them interfere with playing at your pace.

I'm actually completely unconcerned about spoilers, which is part of why this is strange to me. It's more like I feel a certain sort of social pressure to be playing and talking about a new game. It's hard to explain.

chixor7 wrote:

For some reason I really underestimated the amount of game time that would be taken over by my daughter and related baby activities.

Yeah, about that... My eldest is four and it hasn't gotten any better yet. I was a total completionist, but those days are long gone.

Clocky, I always like your belly button, it's a fascinating and pretty one. I get what you're saying, but if you aren't playing at launch then you do run the risk of spoilers, unless you make an active effort to avoid them. I don't know that there's an easy compromise here. It is possible to not play a game at launch and yet still be surprised by a game, I've done it before (like KotOR which I played maybe five years after it was released), but it does require an effort I guess.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

It's not 2016 yet, but let's all stare at my bellybutton together for a moment.

I recognize some of the lint in your bellybutton, as I have picked it from my own at times. This past year, I've found the urge to keep up with everyone else has swiftly taken a nose dive. I'll come back from work, see a thread for a game I'm playing has 23 new posts, and just say "f*ck it, I'm outta that conversation" and move on. This is likely why I haven't felt pressured to sit down and play Xenoblade Chronicles X since my first few hours with it. The thread jumped to about 100 new posts, I saw folks were hours and hours and hours ahead, and I just figured "f*ck it".

So that helps me in that regard. It's easier to just play what I want, and when I'm done I can contribute in the forums or just post my thoughts on my blog.

But I think that whole "loyal to the games I play" is likely the better part of it. You were looking at Batman, and to that I ask: would Batman interfere with a game you're currently playing? Because chances are, moving from a game you're actively enjoying into a new game has you thinking you could be playing this game you already know is a good time.

I'd say in that case, only play new games when they happen to fall on an open spot in your play schedule.

Tagging this for discussion.

As far as declaring which games I'll get to in 2016, I don't know if I can, mostly because:

1. The quarterly JRPG thread was something I created for this exact issue. I plan to knock out 4 JRPGs minimum this year, since there are four quarters, duh. This doesn't take into account that there is a Gaiden thread, which means potentially 8 JRPGs total, less anything I've played already. If I get to 8, say each has an average of 40-50 hours, that's already 320-400 hours of gaming, just for JRPGs. That's roughly 10 weeks of work, or, more than an hour a day.

2. SallyNasty's Game Thread - this is monthly and can shoot for games up to 20 hours each. That's an additional 240 hours if I hit each one, at max.

3. Any new games that I stupidly buy and try to tackle on my own. This is an unknown and can happen anytime. Yoshi's Woolly World was (unfortunately) one that occurred this year. Not too long, but still. I'm sure Uncharted 4 will end up here, as will Dark Souls III and probably Zelda.

4. Games that I start on my own - I've been trying to clear some of my backlog independently as well, going with games I might not like. This is basically so that I can start something and either finish it or toss/sell it to make room for other backlog games that don't have a home. Currently my Genesis games are free floating and don't have a shelfy home, as are some others.

5. 'Endless' games - DOTA 2. 'Nuff said.

Damnable Bear, when I get 5 minutes, I'll add in your 1 and 2 to the OP, for the peeps that format would work better for.

Regarding "keeping up with the conversation" on new games... When Certis Locked the FO4 anticipation thread, and created a new Catch All, I didn't even bother with the link. I'm not going to be able to keep up with that. Almost a month and a half into it, and I've only clocked up a little over "2 days play" according to my save file, and I'm sitting on Level 15. Doesn't sound like a lot, but I've foregone sleep to get to those lofty figures, and I am yet to even set foot into Diamond City FFS.

Don't even mention Xenoblade Chronicles X (I realised I was out of that loop when I had to google what XCX was when people were discussing it).

So, yeah, keeping up with the conversation, eff that.

As an aside, NIER was a game that played perfectly to the "GWJers know that you get to it when you can, and no SPOILERZ for those LTTP" sensibility around here. Still one of the best games I've played, years after release, and played through 4 times to get to the "D" ending.

Eleima wrote:

Cocky, I always like your belly button, it's a fascinating and pretty one.

This absolutely delights me and totally made my day.

ccesarano wrote:

This is likely why I haven't felt pressured to sit down and play Xenoblade Chronicles X since my first few hours with it. The thread jumped to about 100 new posts, I saw folks were hours and hours and hours ahead, and I just figured "f*ck it".

Ha! I did the exact same thing with that thread. People's first impression posts turned into deep theorycrafting for 20 hours into the game seemingly overnight. That's exactly the kind of thing I can't keep up with.


Okay, every year I start out with new pile goals and rules and all kinds of stuff. Sometimes, they get absurdly complicated. It's all in an effort to curb my spending habits and enjoy gaming a bit more by not stressing about or feeling guilty about a backlog.

This year, I'm going to try just a single, simple rule: I can't get a new game if I'm already currently playing one.

I have a bad habit of buying games when they're on sale for "the future" and then never getting to them, or I buy games at launch but am too busy playing something else and never get back to the new one. This year, I want to do something really simple and just say that if I'm already playing something, I can't get something new. That includes both buying and borrowing.

This means I'm not beholden to play games I've already bought. I can string new purchases together, if I want. And it doesn't mean I can't buy something at launch or need to clear a certain number of games before I can get something new. But it does mean that anything I get will be on my schedule and when I'm ready for it.

We'll see how it goes!

Yeah, things moving too fast to keep up is why I stopped caring as much about playing at release. There are a few cases where I regret that, but it's mostly co-op stuff (the only examples I can think of at the moment is Bayonetta 2 and Gears of War Ultimate), and I'm sure I could find someone to co-op with if it were important enough to me.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

I have a bad habit of buying games when they're on sale for "the future" and then never getting to them, or I buy games at launch but am too busy playing something else and never get back to the new one. This year, I want to do something really simple and just say that if I'm already playing something, I can't get something new. That includes both buying and borrowing.

This sounds like a great idea, but I don't know that I could ever stick to it personally. Fortunately, I'm happy enough with the games I own that bouncing around doesn't necessarily mean spending more money.

I also backpeddled on GameFly. I went to cancel the membership and they do that annoying thing where they ask you at least 5 times if you're sure. That's shady crap, and I almost feel like I should cancel just because of that, but it got me thinking.

I have more expenses lately, pretty much all transition related, since my insurance doesn't cover anything, so I need to be smart about spending. I realized that even if I manage to pick up some games on sale, I'm probably still spending more than the subscription. Like, AC Syndicate and GTA V have hit $35 during the sales, so if I got them from GameFly and kept them for 2 months, I'd still be spending less. There are definitely games that I think I'll put enough time into to be worth buying outright, but not that many.

The other thing then is where I start to feel obligated to power through those games, and I think I just need to train myself out of that. Sending stuff back that I don't like is okay. Keeping one game for 2 months because I'm really enjoying it is okay. It also has the benefit that while I only want to play Awesome games, I don't have to be as certain about a game to try it out.

I'm glad, Clocky. *hug* Even if I fail to keep up with your belly button because the lint is usually JRPGs which are far beyond me. And speaking of keeping up, since we are on that topic. What works for me is that I've accepted that I can't and won't keep up. I just can't: I have a demanding full-time job, two kids aged four and two who have special needs to boot, and a husband who constantly gives me crap for gaming. There's no way I can keep up. What I do know, however, is that I'm not alone in this case, and that even if you chime in a thread weeks or even months after a release, when things have quieted down a bit, you'll always find someone to exchange ideas with, whether that's someone who's just started playing like you or someone so enamoured with the game that it stayed with them that long. The talks are then all the more fulfilling because we'll skip all the tinkering and theorycrafting mentioned above.

Eleima wrote:
chixor7 wrote:

For some reason I really underestimated the amount of game time that would be taken over by my daughter and related baby activities.

Yeah, about that... My eldest is four and it hasn't gotten any better yet. I was a total completionist, but those days are long gone.

Yeah that's what I figured. It might get a bit better once she starts sleeping all night and napping anyplace other than on me, but there's going to be a #2 eventually, and I'm sure once that happens I'll look back and think, wow, I had so much free time when I only had one!

I'm pretty much in Monkeyboy's position on FO4, though I've been making a conscious effort to try and stick to quests rather than wandering around aimlessly and building settlements since they seem like such a ridiculous time sink. My compromise is that I still collect copious amounts of junk, but I just hoard it in Sanctuary rather than actually doing anything useful with it. I know 100%-ing a Bethesda game is an impossible task, so I'm going to count this one done once I finish the main story.

I almost always buy games well after release - I think I played KOTOR in about the same timeframe as you, Eleima. It's kind of lame missing out in awesome discussions when the game is new, but the plus side is that everyone else has blazed a trail for you - most bugs are all patched up, difficult/confusing sequences have walkthroughs, and most theories have been crafted. I get really annoyed with min/maxing, so having guides already in place is a real bonus for me when I finally get around to playing something.

Eleima wrote:

What I do know, however, is that I'm not alone in this case, and that even if you chime in a thread weeks or even months after a release, when things have quieted down a bit, you'll always find someone to exchange ideas with, whether that's someone who's just started playing like you or someone so enamoured with the game that it stayed with them that long. The talks are then all the more fulfilling because we'll skip all the tinkering and theorycrafting mentioned above.

That's an excellent point. I've had times when I simply couldn't drum up conversation about an older game, but just as often, I've been able to go into threads sometimes years after their prime and still get help and feedback and commiseration. SallyNasty's game clubs have helped drum up conversation about older things, too, which has been really nice, even if I haven't always been able to participate.


First big test of my new rule against buying things while I'm playing something: two of the five games on my PSN wishlist just went on sale for the next week. I will hold strong!

Side goal for the year: I'd like to give Dragon Age: Inquisition just one more chance. I think it's the closest to a modern-style Western RPG I could enjoy, so I'd like to give it an honest shot. But rather than go in blind, I think it would behoove me to read up on the lore a bit and make informed choices during character creation. I had a really difficult time getting into it earlier this year when I found out that I'd accidentally chosen a tanking class. I hate tanking.

ClockworkHouse wrote:

Side goal for the year: I'd like to give Dragon Age: Inquisition just one more chance. I think it's the closest to a modern-style Western RPG I could enjoy, so I'd like to give it an honest shot. But rather than go in blind, I think it would behoove me to read up on the lore a bit and make informed choices during character creation. I had a really difficult time getting into it earlier this year when I found out that I'd accidentally chosen a tanking class. I hate tanking.

And most importantly, get out of the Hinterlands.

Kamakazi010654 wrote:
ClockworkHouse wrote:

Side goal for the year: I'd like to give Dragon Age: Inquisition just one more chance. I think it's the closest to a modern-style Western RPG I could enjoy, so I'd like to give it an honest shot. But rather than go in blind, I think it would behoove me to read up on the lore a bit and make informed choices during character creation. I had a really difficult time getting into it earlier this year when I found out that I'd accidentally chosen a tanking class. I hate tanking.

And most importantly, get out of the Hinterlands.

Thanks for reminding me to add the Trespasser DLC to my list of stuff I need to play. I bought it all, but I'll be happy if I can just wrap up the main story.

I'd suggest mage, Clocky, because it's so much more impactful, from a lore point of view. But I'm super partial to playing as a mage, it's my "go to" class, so to speak. As for the lore, perhaps reading up on the plot of Dragon Age: Origins and Dragon Age 2 for starters. The wiki is pretty good about having stuff in spoiler sections so you'll avoid Dragon Age: Inquisition spoilers, but staill have access to other info.

I envy you... Those first steps you're taking in Thedas...
But finish Memoria first!

ClockworkHouse wrote:
Eleima wrote:

What I do know, however, is that I'm not alone in this case, and that even if you chime in a thread weeks or even months after a release, when things have quieted down a bit, you'll always find someone to exchange ideas with, whether that's someone who's just started playing like you or someone so enamoured with the game that it stayed with them that long. The talks are then all the more fulfilling because we'll skip all the tinkering and theorycrafting mentioned above.

That's an excellent point. I've had times when I simply couldn't drum up conversation about an older game, but just as often, I've been able to go into threads sometimes years after their prime and still get help and feedback and commiseration.

Absolutely. Sometimes the best place to talk about a game is in its dormant catch-all. I necro'ed the Assassin's Creed thread, because where else could I talk about it, and we got another 2-3 pages of great discussion out of it.

I have a few goals for 2016 gaming:

1. Finish up games started in 2015...or cut my losses - I started quite a few games that I am not going to finish in the next couple days. My in-progress games list includes:
- Final Fantasy X-2 HD - starting Chapter 2 now; will definitely finish in 2016
- Valkryia Chronicles - about 2/3 through as part of the quarterly JRPG thread in Q4; will finish this in 2016
- Final Fantasy Type-0 - I'm about five hours in and some other shiny game must have shown up; I'll probably
finish this game although it isn't the most exciting
- Lego Batman 2 and 3 - I am playing these games with my son who loses interest from time to time in these
games so I'll get through them eventually
- Tales of Graces f - Ugh, I put this one down awhile ago; bland story/characters and confusing gameplay make me
hesitant to go back--button mashing got me as far as I am in that game so this one might get dropped

2. Try to keep up with the quarterly JRPG threads - I won't be able to do both of them but I like the push from others to clear some of my large JRPG backlog. Trails in the Sky is on deck for early 2016.

3. Annual FFT/Disgaea pledge - I want to get through either Final Fantasy Tactics or one of the Disgaea games this year. I own nearly all of the Disgaea games but have never finished one.

4. Other games that I want to play in 2016:
- Life is Strange
- Bastion
- Witcher 3
- clear out the remaining Ratchet and Clank games from my pile
- Dragon's Crown

5. Figure out what to do with the dusty, unopened 3DS and games purchased in 2013 - There was a great deal on Vita and 3DS around Black Friday 2013. The Vita arrived in the mail first and I haven't looked back. I know my shiny gold Zelda 3DS is in my games box somewhere but I haven't been able to set down the Vita to even open it. It seems like more RPGs are coming out in 2016 for 3DS so I might have to crack it open. Or maybe just sell it...not sure yet.

6. 2016 Purchases - Looking at the confirmed release list, I don't have a ton on the to-buy list yet but I'm sure that will change.
- Uncharted 4 (release day purchase)
- Darkest Dungeon (watchlist)
- Star Ocean (watchlist)
- Final Fantasy XV (assuming it is 2016)
- Gravity Rush 2
- Rise of Tomb Raider (PS4 release)

I know that I won't be able to get through everything on this, let alone make much of a dent in the pile but I am starting with a plan and going from there.

Given your interest in Final Fantasy games, I'm surprised you haven't tried Bravely Default or Legend of Legacy on that 3DS.

On the other hand, if you haven't broken out your 3DS by now, why keep it? And I say that as someone whose favorite platform maybe ever is the 3DS.

I love new pile tackling thread planning
Last year I started strong at not buying/pile diving until about March, when work got crazy until December! But I'm done teaching new courses, so I should have plenty of time to get organized again and stay on track. So my 2016 goals are one in-one out (no cheating!!), and try to finish a bunch of games with my son (rare replay, super Mario 3D world, and a newly acquired Snoopy's Grand Adventure).
On a smaller level, for January I'm going finish fallout 4 and sink a ton of time into Xenoblade chronicles x