[Zach M. Stafford] Pervis

I have a strange remedy (that worked for me of course. YRMV): take up reading of you currently don't.
I admit it was a long journey to call myself a "gamer" again, but hear me out.
I'm a 30 year old dude who works long hours. I got myself into the trap of, "oh I don't have time to play this game, maybe some other time." When I found I did have time, the games just weren't holding my attention. "This game isn't immediately fun, and when am I going to have this much time to play again? Playing this is a waste of time. Might as well watch TV or something." Sure, every now and then a game like vampire survivors would come up, I'd be addicted to it for a week or two, and then stop. But big games with stories or something? Forget about it.
I started reading books at bed time. A chapter or two at a time. Eventually I would find a few books I couldn't put down and I read them all the time. This started scratching itches I have completely forgotten about. Some sort of deep thinking itch that was also fueled with curiosity and wonder. Reading books also re-taught me to be more patient too. It's not like I can completly absorb a story while skimming pages, right?
At some point, my headspace around my leisure time changed. If I can be happy enough just sitting down a few hours reading, then what's stopping me from being happy playing video games?
I bought Baulders Gate 3 finally and now I can't stop playing it.
It's hard to explain, but it's almost as if I've re-learned how to enjoy my time again. If only I could sedate my anxiety about everything else going on in the world. 😅
But take up reading! Try to just read 15 or 30 minutes a day. One doesn't need to completely stop doom scrolling. Just taking a break from it. Don't go into it with the headspace of "if I read, I will enjoy gaming." Just focusing on enjoying the book.
Worst case scenario? You might not be into gaming, but hey, you're a reader now!
- I have noticed switching my gaming to more indie titles to be easier for me to pick up and play. The big games with the big stories are just too much. I still having finished AC:Black Flag, but I enjoyed sailing around. I think there was just too much to do in big games.
  I'm playing Blasphemous now, but there are so many games to check out. Most people know Hollow Knight or Ori series, but Katana Zero was interesting. If you like reading Disco Elysium is a fun game that you need to read. And there's copyright fuckery for the creators of DE, so pirate away without shame.
- I wish I could do this, I swear as a mom if my spouse or kids see me doing anything like having earbuds in, playing a game, reading they MUST interrupt me. I try to listen to books but I find that having ear buds in is by far the worse for interruptions. I don’t understand what it is about me being preoccupied that makes everyone in the house make a B line to me but being interrupted constantly while reading makes it impossible, at least gong I can easily put down every two minutes to attend to someone else’s cry for attention but book reading or listening is impossible
  
  When they come to you to ask you for something, ask them to do something (chores, etc.). They'll stop asking you as much for stuff or they'll free up some of your time to be able to have leisure time later. Win-win for you.
  
  bathroom doors have locks and if you bring snacks you can live inside them for long periods of time.
- I just want to say I love this comment.
  I have a lot of jaded feelings towards gaming and I have to say that when I have found books that pull me in it does wonders for me.
  I love the connection you're making here.
- My gaming days are behind me it feels like. I get into stuff with my kids here and there, but my love for gaming kinda went away, and that's okay.
  I got into reading big when I was a lifeguard. I worked at pools that nobody came to, and so I'd just read. It ebbed and flowed in my 20s, but I'm 37 now, and reading is my go-to leisure activity. I'm big on fantasy because I guess I want to escape reality, but there just isn't really an activity comparable to getting into a good book.
  So this certainly isn't to dissuade any sort of gaming, I did play BG3 and loved it, because I played the shit out of BG2 back in the day. But I will wholeheartedly stand behind your suggestion to others, if you aren't a reader, take it up. There are so many worlds out there that you'd never think of.
- Totally!
  My kindle with the entire Expanse series of novels is my go-to solution for doom scrolling. I keep it handy around the dining room table, and I want to set a good example for the kiddo. Works pretty well since I can stay in the family conversation, absorb words, and put it down in an instant.
  If you like paper, tons of bookmarks are a good thing to.
- The main frustration I had with Baldur's Gate 3 while being busy is that I would have sessions where a glitch would silently compound over a couple hours of gameplay, and when the glitch finally manifests, I had to reload a very old save to fix it.
  In my case, >!Shadowheart killed Laezel in camp, but Laezel was somehow still alive and in camp. Later, this causes problems where the game will acknowledge she's dead, and then she will show up in a Githyanki Creche conversation, and then disappear again. So, she is effectively not part of our story but then also is a secret party member. !<
- I had a somewhat similar experience. Two years ago, I stopped playing video games when I noticed, I only did it by habit not because I enjoyed it so much. I remembered reading a lot when I was younger, so I picked it up again to fill my evenings.
  It was hard at first. I wasn't used to focus my attention like this anymore. But as you said, I learned to be patient over time. Now, I look forward to continuing my book every day! It is a great hobby to calm down and relax. As a side effect, my language skills (not english) improved a lot.
  
  Yeah, my e-reader tells me about how many pages I read in an hour, or something like that, and it was kind of fun to see how fast my reading got over time. I think I've plateaued though 😅.
- Mom always said you'll never be lonely if you have a book 😊

I saw the controller and tv and honestly thought the comic was going to end with him being forced to update to play, and then not having time anymore once the update finished. At least that's always my experience with my console, which is probably why I don't play on it anymore lol
- I think not being in control of your environment, by not making sure your stuff is playable and updating ahead of time if needed is the most childlike behavior.

Oh god that's dark

Real

I feel this.
I feel this in my dried up inner child bones.

Who’s cutting onions?
- Probably not Pervis, he's bones

Nope.
The inner child occasionally adds another layer around itself, i.e. the adult suit. But it will always be inside you and never leave, until you die. :]
- So..... like a skeleton?
  
  Yes. But with flesh. And direct access to the outer adult's thoughts and feelings. That's even scarier, I think.

the hell did you call yourself?
- The character’s name is Pervis… unfortunately

lol, why am I finding this so funny at the end? LOL
- I dunno. Why do you find it funny at the end?

Gaming is uncomfortable now. Back pain takes me out of it. I don't really enjoy it much when I'm "in" the game either. It's just meaningless stimulus to pass the hours.
- We couldn't afford much growing up and my parents were very anti gaming, after all these years I could finally afford to buy games and get a gaming laptop only to find I can't tolerate sitting in front of my computer and the pressures of being an adult suck the joy out of spending a lot of time gaming. Maybe getting a PS or Xbox for couch gaming might be a solution but I don't like the idea of having to buy the same games for multiple platforms. Maybe I'll try setting up Moonlight on my PC so I can stream my games to my tablet and play them from bed.
  
  What about a steam deck? Seems perfect for your situation.

Clair Obscur threw a Phoenix Down on my inner child and casted Curaga on it
Edit: sp
- I can't wait to play this, but I refuse to buy digital copies. You can't find a physical copy of this game anywhere!
  
  I totally understand your concerns. It's unfortunate
- Completely agree. Been playing it every chance I get for the last 2 weeks (except Wednesday, those are Andor days). Absolutely phenomenal game!
  Now if FFX could get a remake and have similar mechanics, that'd be great.
- Is it that good? I threw it on my wishlist but haven't come back around to it.
  The last really excellent RPG I played was Metaphor: ReFantazio, any opinions on how it stacks up against that? Because M:RF is legitimately excellent and I still need to go finish that. But Clair Obscura has been grabbing my attention recently...
  
  Idk, maybe my opinion doesn't matter, I have never played M:RF. CO has really gotten me though. The characters are likeable and mature. They act like mature adults, not teenagers. They have disagreements but they talk it out and move on. I feel like I know them. I'd get along with them and they'd like me too
  The combat is completely crazy and new and looks and plays amazingly well. It feels so fresh (note: I don't play Soulslike games in general, so I don't know if my opinion means anything anyway).
  I recommend it. There's a little jank like the lip-sync is not good (I assume the original voice work was in French). But at the end of the day it just doesn't matter. It's that good

Nah, I'm good. I played like half an hour today and it was pretty great. Looking forward to tomorrow's session of Resident Evil 0. I'm finally getting around to tackling that series.

This happens every time I sit down. I could enjoy watching Jeopardy or I could get some extra work done so tomorrow isn't as much of a cluster fuck as today has been. A moment's rest is a moment wasted.

Either that or he run away but I can even play the one I used to all day long...

I just sit in front of my computer absorbing the crimes against humanity via the imperialist empire of ameridumb thinking one day someone will listen to me.
BAD RELIGION - BORED AND EXTREMELY DANGEROUS (WITH LYRICS) https://youtu.be/IU0Oy7lEP5Q

This “video games are for kids” attitude is still alive in 2025?