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I can't believe I played the whole thing

 
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helicopterp
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Joined: 13 May 2006
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 8:39 am    Post subject: I can't believe I played the whole thing Reply with quote

I'm curious as to what games you all have played that you put way more time into than you ever thought you could.

Pikmin 2 fits the bill pretty readily for me. The first Pikmin was pretty short. I played it through twice and probably put no more than eleven or twelve (blissful) hours into it. So, naturally, I picked up Pikmin 2. I had read that it was a meatier game than the first, by which I understood that it was maybe ten-to-fifteen hours more substantial the first time through. Add to that the fact that I didn't initially like it nearly as much (the bigger quest and the dungeons detracted from the first's arcade-y charm, I thought) and I assumed it wouldn't have much staying power with me. Well, I was wrong. I checked on my game yesterday to play some challenges with a friend, and I have spent over 41 hours on it so far. I have put in at least sixteen hours since I paid off my debt and 'beat' the game; I still feel compelled to save Louie and collect the rest of the trash off the planet. I'm flabbergasted as to how I got so sucked into the game. Falling in love with it really blindsided me.

Anyone else have experiences like this? I think this could get interesting if y'all included anecdotes of your respective (to plagiarize Malcolm Gladwell) tipping points. What moment in the game let you know you were in it for the long haul?
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Mr. Mechanical
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 9:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Somehow I've managed to sink hundreds of hours into the PS2 GTA games. I think I spent something like 200 hours alone on GTA3, over the course of a couple years of course. But still, what the hell was I doing all that time?
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ryan
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 22, 2006 12:25 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Mount & Blade is one. The game isn't even finished, so half of the content isn't there and there isn't an ending. It was when I became so proficient with the bow and arrow that I was shooting people in the neck a hill away that I knew there was no stopping. Starting out, when you try to shoot an arrow your arms wobble and the targeting reticule doesn't focus tightly or timely, causing shots to take a long time to get off and to fly off course. After training and putting points towards it, I was the Tom Berenger of archers.

I had become a killing machine, with increased hit points, strength, and one-arm weapon abilities. I would often engage superior forces just to try to kill them all before they could reach me. After my hard drive crashed I started again, creating a character that was the same as before and going on in the same manner. Even after an update that deleted my saved games, I started again and did the same thing. Once you sell your enemies into slavery, amass an army of peasants, knights, and archers, and are killing 15-20 people before they reach your lines with an overly expensive bow there's just nothing else like it.
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Harveyjames
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 7:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I used to visit my Dad's house every saturday, and the only chance I'd get to play games all week would be on his computer. He borrowed lots of games from friends at work and didn't mind me staying up late, so it was the ideal oppotunity to play all the games I wouldn't get to play otherwise. Trouble is I'd only have the one night to play them, so I played all the way through Kingpin and SiN in a night each. This thread title sums up exactly how I felt after completing each.
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purplechair
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 11:11 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I occasionally go through periods of downloading loads of GBA roms and testing them all out to see if any of them are worth paying the extortionate prices. I can usually make my mind up within the first few levels, then delete the rom and write a one-word review somewhere.

Against all expectations, I played my way all thr way through The Sims: Bustin' Out.

I still don't quite understand why. It wasn't even that good.
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simplicio
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 24, 2006 11:58 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did a cross/around-country roadtrip with a copy of FFTA, logged 80+ hours without beating it, and I haven't picked it up in the two years since to finish it off.
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dessgeega
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 12:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

i completed the single player mode in the gba mario party.

(single player mode in mario party.)

i have never really understood why.
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vf10a
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 2:17 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

simplicio wrote:
I did a cross/around-country roadtrip with a copy of FFTA, logged 80+ hours without beating it, and I haven't picked it up in the two years since to finish it off.


I did exactly the same during a holiday that involved a lot of coach travelling. I put in about 100 hours and I still haven't really done much.
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Ryan - SuperWes' Bane
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:00 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

128 hours into FFX last time I checked.

More than 99.59.59 hours in FFVII

And about 40 hours into Xenosaga II, which is way too long to play that shit game.
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Harveyjames
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:12 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I put 100 hours into Pokemon Leaf Green! This is long after the magic had gone out of the series for me. I wasn't even going to buy it, until one of my uni friends did and needed someone to trade with. I don't know where 100 hours came from.
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Dracko
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:03 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I bothered to fully complete Metal Gear Solid 2: Substance. All the VR missions and everything.

God knows why. It's an awful, lifeless game, but yet, strangely addictive.
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Alc
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 5:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Disney's Atlantis for PC. A dreadful FPS. The most lifeless implementation of the Lithtech engine I've ever seen.

Why? I got the CD for free somehow (thrown in accidentally/purposely with some ebay thing I think), started playing for a laugh and didn't stop. It wasn't particularly long, although I do remember one level being really, really tough.
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SuperWes
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 7:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Alc wrote:
Disney's Atlantis for PC. I got the CD for free somehow


I got it too. Out of a cerial box! I never played it though. Apparently I wasn't missing much!

-Wes
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dhex
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 8:14 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

recently, sin episodes.

less recently...shit, stonekeep.
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Nana Komatsu
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 12:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Metal Gear Acid. I have no idea why I finished other than maybe a recent obsession with beating games. It was especially annoying that one of the last missions was what I thought the worst designed in the entire game.
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ApM
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 1:02 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote


It's actually kind of charming, to be honest.
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Shapermc
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 3:48 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

SuperWes wrote:
Alc wrote:
Disney's Atlantis for PC. I got the CD for free somehow


I got it too. Out of a cerial box! I never played it though. Apparently I wasn't missing much!

-Wes

HA! Me too! Well, my wife played it. She claimed to kind of like it.

I am actually friends with one of the designers for that game. You may know him better as the former Fat Pixels Radio Podcast host who is now doing Gamasutra's podcast.
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simplicio
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

dhex wrote:
recently, sin episodes.


But you aren't done yet!

Are you (or is anyone) coming back for seconds there?
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helicopterp
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 5:34 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shapermc wrote:
I am actually friends with one of the designers for that game. You may know him better as the former Fat Pixels Radio Podcast host who is now doing Gamasutra's podcast.



*****SPOILER ALERT*****

His name is Tom Kim, right? The fatpixels/gamasutra podcast was what made me actually like podcasts. The most recent one featuring an interview with John Baez of The Behemoth was sensational.
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Alc
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PostPosted: Tue Jul 25, 2006 6:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Shapermc wrote:
Well, my wife played it. She claimed to kind of like it.
Under the surface it was reasonably capable, they'd spent money on decent middleware. I can remember thinking how surreal it was though, because the whole game was barren, totally devoid of detail. Like in early 90s sci-fi films where they show very basic, barely textured 3D but in unfeasibly high resolution. It was a lonely, odd game.

Not particularly recommended though.
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TheRumblefish
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 12:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I recently finished Armored Core 2: Another Age, beat every single mission and somehow got every single part, except one. I decided that no matter how cool "The Ground Torpedo" is, I will probably never bother to try and attain it. I'm about to finish Eternal Ring, definitely on an From Software/Agetec kick as of late.
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dhex
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Quote:
Are you (or is anyone) coming back for seconds there?


i'm not. someone else may have a higher threshold for misery, however.
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Swimmy
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:27 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

You know Yoda Stories? The PC version?

I, uh, kind of beat well over 100 missions on that thing.
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dessgeega
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 1:32 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

yeah, i think i've played pretty close to that number.
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Six
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 8:42 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Swimmy wrote:
You know Yoda Stories? The PC version?

I, uh, kind of beat well over 100 missions on that thing.
I had a demo for that at one point. Don't all the missions just sort of... blend in to one another, eventually?

I can't believe I'm playing Mega Man Legends 2, right now. I've never played anything that's simultaneously boring and enticing to this degree. I'm almost falling asleep running through endless sets of big, empty, single-textured rooms, but then you shoot an enemy and all sorts of colourful little gems pop out and I'm like "Squee! Candy!" Then I feel guilty. Rinse, repeat.
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ryan
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PostPosted: Wed Jul 26, 2006 11:04 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Six wrote:
..."Squee! Candy!" Then I feel guilty. Rinse, repeat.


I'm going through that with Legend of Heroes 2 on the PSP. I nod off during the meandering conversations, carbon copy towns, and unimaginative enemies to hear that sweet *ting* of leveling up and using the newly acquired spells to check out their grandiose animations.
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helicopterp
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 7:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Oh, I just remembered a good one. I think I played Donkey Kong 64 all the way through three times just because for the longest time I didn't own a copy of Super Mario 64. I might add that I also watched the entire music video for DK's Jungle Rap more than a few times.
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Lestrade
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 8:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ApM wrote:

It's actually kind of charming, to be honest.


I've always wanted to get this. Doesn't it have penguins?
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Pijaibros
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:21 am    Post subject: Reply with quote



And Seals!

It's actually quite nice. Everyone can play pong! It was nice diversion in college along with Bust a Move and Puzzle Fighter to give a nice set of thigns to rotate.

Very casual gamer friendly so there was always fresh meat.
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ApM
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 9:27 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It sure does!

Though my favorite is the clown that spits coloured balls at you, which you must deflect onto coloured targets on the side of the playfield, which will disappear when hit and create holes that the ball will fall into and make you lose every single got-damned time. Good luck finding a screenshot of that bastard. Bastard.
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Pijaibros
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 11:24 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

ApM wrote:
Though my favorite is the clown that spits coloured balls at you, which you must deflect onto coloured targets on the side of the playfield, which will disappear when hit and create holes that the ball will fall into and make you lose every single got-damned time. Good luck finding a screenshot of that bastard. Bastard.


I hope we're thinking of the same level.



I found all the boards enjoyable, though as a traditionalist of the old screens you slapped on your screen from the original Odyssey, I really liked the sports theme ones. Doing penalty kicks in the soccer level was a nice extra touch. Seeing my little paddle attempt a futile dive for the ball as it zooms past is cute.

One thing I sorta wished for was a cut in some of the animations. In some boards I was always wanting them to go at a faster pace. Though sometimes the extra touches took solong, that any momentum fails to build.

Too bad unlocking just straight up black and white pong takes a bit. It's still a good diversion, however. Not a bad attempt for when making every franchise 3d became the in thing. It's all pretty simple and clean.

Y'know with all this pong sidetracking, maybe I shoulda taken this to that 90's 3d remake thread. Still, I can't believe I played the whole thing. Having others that were interested in the title gave me enough of a push to go unlock everything.
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ApM
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PostPosted: Thu Jul 27, 2006 12:45 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

oh god that fucking clown i fucking hate that fucking clown

That level's where I stopped playing.
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a_plus
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PostPosted: Fri Jul 28, 2006 9:15 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I think I started doing this with Final Fantasy 7... I just randomly threw it in earlier in the week and now I'm about 10 or so hours into it! It's rather frightening. I haven't played it in something like eight years, and while it's not nearly as god-awful as I thought it was going to be, it's also not as god-wonderful as the legions of 14-year-old males seem to think it is. I'm blandly entertained, I guess. It's dumb, but I just got my first chocobo, so we'll see how far I go.

The music is still horrendous.
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dhex
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:28 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

chocobos are what made me put down final fantasy 7.

well, that and barrett. i kept waiting for him to stomp up and down while yelling "I PITY THE FOOL WHO DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M #$#@$ TALKIN' ABOUT WILLIS!"
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OtakupunkX
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PostPosted: Sat Jul 29, 2006 11:54 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've played through Love Hina Advance multiple times. I also spent a whole day once playing the first Evil Dead game...
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sawtooth
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PostPosted: Mon Jul 31, 2006 8:31 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

simplicio wrote:
I did a cross/around-country roadtrip with a copy of FFTA, logged 80+ hours without beating it, and I haven't picked it up in the two years since to finish it off.


hey, me too! Except it was 120+ and I finished it (didn't get all of the missions, though, somehow)
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JasonMoses
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PostPosted: Tue Aug 01, 2006 9:21 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Star Ocean.

It took me 13 hours to finish and I can't believe I did, if that tells you anything.
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J.Goodwin
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:07 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I've put well over 200 hours into Oblivion...I wouldn't be surprised if the actual number is over 300 or 400, but I'm on about my third character, and it only counts live playtime on your current character, so if you play and die without having saved in between (something I did frequently before the latest character), then all that time is not counted.

I knew that the game was going to be big and consume time, but I had no idea that I would actually put that kind of time into it.

I've put a lot of time into some rather short games through replay: Dungeon Explorer (you can easily beat the entire game in well under two hours, even alone), Neutopia, NiGHTS (I wanted to like that game initially, and hated it, then I discovered chaining...and my head exploded...I had scores well into the 7 digits eventually, compared with scores of maybe 10,000 initially).

Bomberman '94. I don't know if Phantasy Star (the original, not the shitty Genesis games) counts, there's a lot of hours in that game initially, and it demands to be replayed from time to time...
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J.Goodwin
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PostPosted: Wed Aug 02, 2006 7:15 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

This morning I was actually thinking about games that I really enjoyed but had no intention of ever playing again.

Cosmic Fantasy 2 (though I may give that one a replay soon before playing CF3), FF3(or 4, or whatever), Super Mario World, Tomb Raider Legend...

It kind of occured to me that a lot of JRPGs fell into that category. It was kind of 'been there done that' when I started thinking about playing them again, as opposed to action RPGs, where I often wanted to go back and play them again (the exception is, of course, Phantasy Star, and maybe Grandia).

This was in the context of the games that are coming this month for the 360...99Nights and Enchanted Arms specifically. I found myself wondering whether I should actually buy them, or just sign up for a gamefly membership instead. I can definitely see those being games that I want to play, will definitely complete, will probably have a good time with, and then never want to pick up again.
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