How to Defeat your Backlog, the SuperDerek Way
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- Опубликовано: 12 сен 2021
- Over 8 years I've beaten (and reviewed) 100 RPGs while juggling real life commitments, a full-time job and a RUclips channel. If you're feeling overwhelmed here are some strategies to help you regain control of your RPG-Playing destiny!
Do you have a ton of unfinished games sitting on your hard drive? Is your backlog preventing you from progressing in your JRPGs?
In this video, we're going to teach you how to defeat your backlog, the super Derek way. We'll talk about how to prioritise your games and how to break them down into manageable goals. After watching this video, you'll be able to overcome your backlog and be on your way to becoming a Super Derek! 
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My number 1 piece of advice: do NOT attempt to "complete" an RPG. Example: Tales of Zesteria has an average beat time of 63 hours. My save, which is still 1st play through at Part Three (of Four, not counting 'Post Game content'), is at just over _250 hours._ I don't know where the time went, and I got so sick of the game that I dropped it years ago & had to look online what the story is & how to play it when I popped it back in the other day.
If you want to "complete" a game you _really_ like then go for it. But only one at a time, and don't "complete" every game. Focus on just _beating_ the game, instead.
Yeah, completion should definitely be reserved for your absolute favorite games, and even then be careful! Great point!
I think trophies and achievements have contributed to the mentality that, in order to have experienced something, you have to have all of them, which usually entails doing absolutely everything there is to do in a game.
At least to me, that is a very unrealistic approach and maybe the wrong mindset to have when experiencing a game.
Enjoy it for what it is, however you want to do that for you to get what you want from it, and don't feel like you have to do everything it has to offer.
I was quite a bit happier playing games when I stopped caring about some arbitrary number or symbol telling me what I've achieved in a game and just started playing it for me.
@@SuperDerek that's my biggest down fall :) great advice in general in your video man
Oh yeah good point. I almost never even try the games “optional super hard” dungeon.
@Shika I certainly understand that feeling.
When they were first introduced with the PS3/Xbox 360, I thought the idea was a fun way to add something to a game I was already playing, but after awhile I started to wonder why I cared at all.
I was doing things in the game that normally I wouldn't, sometimes long, drawn out things I wasn't enjoying, for some arbitrary reward system that ultimately was taking away from my experience, not adding to it.
I realized relatively quickly that I wasn't enjoying chasing them, so I just stopped paying attention to it.
I only check the list now if I absolutely want a reason to keep playing a game I've run out of content for.
I think we should stop of thinking of a backlog as a dept. it's just nice to have this selection and if you start a game and it's not hooking you enough or it's just not much fun to you, just stop playing it and don't feel bad about it! For most people the time is the limiting factor not the games so there is no need to play through all games you ever started.
This is the correct answer. The backlog is not a to-do list. I feel comfortable knowing I have a vast library of beautiful games and stories to dive into and take my time with. RPGs are deeply personal journeys and they should be played slowly and savored. Not rushed just to check it off a list.
The impetus for this video is hearing so many people say things like, "I wish I had enough time to play RPGs" or "I used to play RPGs and now I just can't keep up" or "How do you avoid burnout." The idea of defeating a backlog is really just a short way for me to imply helping people with these other problems, if they think it's a problem.
I certainly have a massive backlog of maybe 600 RPGs I own and haven't played yet. I may never get through them all, but I will be giving it my best shot! :)
I definitely go for shorter games so I can play more of them but yeah game backlogs aren't a real thing we don't talk about any other medium in the same vein .
Like how often in common parlance do you hear, I want to watch this new show but my back log is already massive. "I can't start mad men until I watch the godfather trilogy."
I like this answer, but to the contrary as well, for me personally I've picked up an RPG and played for around 10 or so hours and didn't feel that hook only to come back to it a few weeks or months later and get REALLY hooked! I think, in addition to your thought, one should keep in mind that maybe what isn't settling with one now may settle much better a little while from now.
Yeah I don't feel bad owning a ton of games. I buy only 2 full price games a year. Most games I own were $10, usually less during sale. I'll spend $60 during a sale for a bunch of genres I can bounce around during the year.
Scrolling through that list I'll be surprised seeing a game I've wanted to play only to realize I own it get excited install it & play
This actually has a lot of advice applicable to life and other hobbies or interests, not just video games!
My backlog is my greatest enemy.. it’s ever growing and I just keep playing only rocket league 😂
Lol that's my exact story. I sit down and just end up playing rocket league or Overwatch
Saaaaame rocket league and now genshin
I'm here to say, 2 years later, me too. Rocket League is my friend and my enemy 😭
Generally, I'm pretty good at focusing on 2 games at a time; one RPG and one game from a totally different genre, like a platformer. This summer, my focus was completely lost, there were a lot of great releases and I started way to many games and now I feel overwhelmed. Derek, your video came out at a good time. It's reminded me to bring back that focus. Half-way through your video, I paused to get a notepad and pen and started my list.
Heck yeah! I hope you kick your backlog's butt! :D
As a married man in his mid-30s with 2 small children, I realistically only have time to game at night when the kids are asleep. However, I do have two additional tips that I'd want to share: 1) Create a document that has a section for notes on all the current games in your backlog. I tend to write down my next objectives and any important storyline developments that had just happened in case I forget after a few weeks/months. 2) I generally opt to get the portable version of a game (especially if it's available for Switch/3DS/DS/etc) I notice that the convenience of portability is a huge factor whether or not I finish a game. Especially if it's a RPG.
Great tips!
I have time before and after work to play but I still waste time a lot on RUclips. Sometimes I get through a chapter only to get overwhelmed having to do it all again on another chapter. Even if the story is fun, it's a chore. I gave up on many rpgs because of that.
@@celticlord88 dude I’m on the can right now is why I’m watching this video but I’ve been noticing how much of a time sink social media can be in general. I’ve realized that I watch RUclips videos about video games more often than I play them anymore. Lol. Definitely something that needs to change for me
That takes time away from the few precious hours i have left when the kids sleep before myself has to go sleep. I hate portable versions. A grand rpg is not meant to be played on a tiny screen. The guy has no fucking clue. He has no kids yet, only a wife to "please" from time to time.
@@FrogSpl4sh I was just telling my older brother this that hopefully when your kids start getting a little older then maybe they wouldn’t mind watching you play some RPGs or something. Or at the very least maybe there are some coop games you guys can play together.
I’ve have struggled with backlog for years… and sometimes it makes me feel stupid for even saying it out loud. But this video really treats the issue with thoughtfulness and guidance. Think I’ll apply some of these techniques. Thanks.
I'm glad I could help. This video exists because I hear from a lot of people who struggle, or say they wish they could play more. You're not alone, it's not stupid. I hope that some of these can help!
My number one tip is to never play on a difficulty more than "normal."
@Saturn Man just because a game is hard doesn't mean its worth playing or beating. likewise, just because a game is easy doesn't mean its not worth playing. I personally always do the first playthrough on easy. if its good, Ill do a second playthrough on a harder difficulty. if its bad, ill move on to the next game at least knowing I wasted the minimal time and effort on it. case in point, bioshock infinite is a great game and Ill love to attempt it again on a harder difficulty. personally, I didn't like killzone shadow fall and I would never play that game again, especially on a harder difficulty.
Depends on everyone taste i guess.
I rather spend time challenging myself on a harder difficulty setting and getting the difficulty trophy/achievement in one go than being bored rushing trough the game on easy, disregarding any mechanics the game has to offer just for the story.
Going to try to finally start AND finish threads of fate on ps1 this weekend. Wish me luck
Good luck pending 😁
Good luck and enjoy
I beat that game! I remember nothing!
@@justanimage5012 update.. started it, liked it, didn’t finish lol
I often get paralyzed by the sheer amount of choice for what game to play. I joined and was pretty active in an online RPG club for about a year which helped a lot. Just cast a vote and wait for the results to know what to play. I beat an RPG every month for that year.
That's a great rate of play! I wonder if there'd be any interest in a RPG Book-club in the Discord.. Hmm...
@@SuperDerek yes, this sounds amazing
We're starting one in October, it's official. Get joined up if you haven't already! discord.me/superderek
Aside from varying the types of games I move on to, or the length, change of setting, etc., I also try to be really honest with myself in that there are games I think look interesting, but deep down I know I'd never actually get around to it if I picked them up.
Those games, I will pull up a let's play or longplay of and watch or listen to while I do other things.
Time is very finite, so this allows me to get to experience the story while I'm productive in other aspects of my life.
Such a good point honestly. I’ve recently culled a ton of games off my switch wishlist after going through each one and *really* asking myself, am I ever going to play this? It’s easy to get swept up in hype but take a step back and try to picture yourself ever playing XYZ and you realize…I probably won’t.
I was in my MS program when Skies of Arcadia released and, during an especially busy week, I had to postpone my progress for a couple weeks. Now in 2021 I'm always just about to get back to it. Someday...
That's a great game to stagger every other day with an Action RPG title like _Ys._ Skies of Arcadia is a great game, but man...it can get _long_ (I'm looking at you, Flutterflies discovery).
My strategy that has worked. Some are similar to yours:
Definitely focus on a handful of games you want to finish and don’t make the list too big.
Try to diversify styles of games so you don’t get bored. But also, sometimes I’ve experienced a “momentum effect” where if you haven’t played one style in a while and you really get into it again, take advantage of it and string together another one of the same genre. Because once you “fall out” of favor with a certain style, it can be hard to rekindle.
If able, keep your phone and devices away from you while you game. Wanting to check a phone for news or texts can be distracting for text heavy games like RPGs.
If you’re fast reader and impatient, don’t be afraid to not wait for the voice acting to finish completing dialogue, and skip ahead of it on your controller. It adds up, and it can cut down RPG time by several hours if it’s a text heavy RPG.
Avoid platinuming games unless you absolutely need to. That more than anything can contribute to burnout.
I usually play with the sound off with rare exceptions like really good music like smt/persona or ambient sounds in animal crossing so the text is necessary for me and definitely is faster to read than listen to.
There are so many backlog tackling videos. But none rpg focused where games are typically much longer to beat. Thanks for the great video!
Interesting! I've actually never watched anybody else's video on the subject, but I'm glad I could help put my unique spin on the subject!
@@SuperDerek What I found works for me is to alternate between what types of RPGs I play. And at the same time have a game of a completely different genre in progress at the same time. Otherwise like you mentioned in the video, I start to get burnt out toward the end. So it keeps both games feeling fresh and exciting up until I finish them.
Thank you so much for this, I was just thinking about this and you addressed it. Keep up the amazing work you’re doing, it is greatly appreciated!!!!
I have loved and watched your content for a long time. thanks for the continuing battle.. I haven't joined to watch your streams, but don't be surprised to see me pop in..
I can definitely relate to a lot of these points, particularly playing only one game at once and settings goals. The only issue with that for me is that I refuse to play other games until the goal has been met xD.
This was a great video, Derek. I really enjoy discussions on the dynamics of collecting, playing, displaying, etc. All that side stuff that goes along with being a gamer. Nice work.
Thanks Will! I wasn't sure how interested people might be in this kind of video, I'm glad to see that it's resonating with a lot of people out there! :D
Thx for all your work on RGPs Super Derek!! I appreciate it !
I like having all my lists hand-written and posted on a wall or corkboard, whether it be a TV show, errands, or games. That feeling of taking a sharpie to the list and crossing off each item really feels good and my monkey brain starts craving more. "Me like crossing out item. Me do more"
Excellent video that really helped me out. I have such a huge back log and tons of games still in the wrapper but I also continue to buy new games and the cycle never ends.
I’m loving these types of videos! I really needed some of these tips.
Good to see you in the comments, Sebastián! :D
I hope you can fit some of these tips into your play-style. You got this! :D
This is just in time for me, thank you for the advices!
Such a good, helpful video. You brought up some really great points that I didn't realize I was doing, like getting in my own way by stopping short at the end of a game or being distracted by starting 8 different RPGs at once.
My favorite piece of advice you gave was the idea of making a schedule to budget my time. Personally, when I have too much free time staring me down, it gets overwhelming and it's easy to lose focus. But your suggestion to be more intentional and set a focus on how to arrange the time in a specific direction was super helpful. So many of your tips can help in other areas of life too.
Thanks for this video. I love your content man. I appreciate it so much more now, knowing that you have so many other things going on in your life too! Keep fighting that good fight bro! Happy gaming!
The timing on this video couldn't of be more perfect. Thanks so much for the content!
I just love your positive mental attitude. Keep up the good content, it's appreciated.
Bro thanks for the video, this has been my struggle for years now! Just subscribed! :)
Thank you so much for this advice. It really helped me a lot. I got so much satisfaction out of making my list of RPGs to play which goes well into June 2022. It made me feel like I was in charge and that I would get to everything I wanted to play in time, now that I'd scheduled them. Much appreciated.
Thanks for the pep talk. We backloggers needed that. I'm guilty of adding games to the list that I want to get back around to, only to make the list grow impossibly long. As you get older, treat time as a resource and pick your battles. And my suggestions are to tier your backlogged games. Rank things you REALLY want to play higher than more novelty stuff, so if you don't get to those, no biggie. I agree that playing one game at a time is a good strategy, and that switching genres completely for a game or two, something far shorter, to keeps RPGs feeling new and different.
hhmmm, ....thoughtful AND thought provoking. Just what I've always come to expect from you. I'm loving the barrage of content lately. I think you're one of the best. cheers, mate.
Thank you so much for sharing. I've been looking for new ideas of how to tackle my backlog of things (especially video games). And your idea gives me something new to play with. 😃
It was the beginning of 2020 when I decided I was tired of just playing a bunch of games but never finishing them. I now focus on one console game and one handheld game at a time until I beat the game. Since January of 2020, I have beaten 35 games ranging from Super Nintendo to PS5. I am 30 years old, with a wife and son, and a daughter on the way, and a full time job. It has been a great balance between family, work, and games and I have never had more fun playing games than I have in the past year and a half. It can be done, you just have to find the balance that works for you! Great video, SuperDerek, it's good to have you back!
Thanks for your advice bro. These tips may help get back in the mood for streaming and beating down my backlog. Best of luck backlog battlers!
I've never seen anyone make a video like this. Its very helpful as I struggle with this all the time.
I'm a fan of your channel man. Keep up the awesome work
Watching this as I just recently made a list and plan to really focus on my backlog. You are 100% right about staggering and mixing subgenres or just general genres, settings, game lengths, etc as being a great way to avoid burnout. The more fresh the games feel, the more motivated you'll likely be to be interested and keep playing.
Just wanted to chime in and say that I appreciate the advice and its nice knowing that I'm not alone. I love RPGs, but ever since I started working it's been a struggle to get back into them because my preferred way is to binge them from start to finish.
Will definitely try implementing some of these tips!
Thank you for making this video. I needed something to help me get through playing every persona, fire emblem, ace attorney game.
Honestly I gotta say, not only is this video helpful for me who's got a large bucket list for games, but its like any time about to feel worried about problems in my life that could get in the way later, you bring this comforting vibe that reminds me that games should be for fun instead of an obligation. So for that, I thank you a lot for this.
This is video was super helpful as a guy with a full time job and a wife with a huge backlog as well. Thanks! I keep wanting to play RPGs, but keep ending up playing Tetris, Medieval Total War, and This War of Mine.
Thanks for passing on the super useful info.
Awesome video about time management. Thanks Derek.
Hi Derek! Thank you so much for this video. It has certainly changed my gaming life but maybe more than that too. I strictly play one game at a time and make sure I finish it. Even I don’t enjoy it I keep at it because I might end up enjoying it by the end but also because the experience of having played it is important to me. I am certainly happier as a result of watching this video when you posted it.
Thanks again for this thoughtful and thought-provoking content. Have a great day!
This absolutely made my day to read, thank you Viper! :)
The editing in this video, specifically at 3:06, but really throughout, is absolutely awesome. Man, top tier content.
Thanks! I was just paying around having fun with stock footage, but maybe I'll do something similar in Fridays follow up video! :)
Great video Derek. Look forward to more secrets to rpg mastery 🙏
Yes, Making the list is the most important step here, as it get's it out of your head (which removes a lot of the stress and depression), and when you have game time, you are not in doubt about which game to play...
This video really blew up.. Good job 🙂
Damn I heard the first 30 seconds of this video and knew I needed to sub. Great content man. About to put the wraps on the dark fact in Ys 1.
This is all great advice. I’ve already made my list, time to get cracking!
This is bar none my favourite video you have done @SuperDerekRPGs on your channels. Well said and I definitely think it will help to focus me more. Thank you.
Thanks! Best of luck on your backlog! :D
Great tips! My backlog at this point is honestly bigger than I will probably ever be able to address, and it keeps growing. I will definitely use these tips going forward.
I have to admit, I sort of stopped watching RUclips videos from about 2018 to late 2020 so I've missed a lot of Super Derek vids. You and the channel are looking good. I'm glad you found your audience, Derek! Very interesting video. People may scoff but the older you get, the harder it is to FIND time to do things like play games. That's why you need to MAKE (i.e. schedule) the time to play games. That being said, I will never get close to finishing the games I want to, even if I never bought another game for the rest of my life. Too many to play, not enough life.
These are awesome tips, thank you!
Thank you for the advice, I´ve never heard nor watch someone talking about this topic and I´m very grateful because its very troublesome for me to find the right time to engage in this type of games now thanks to your video I have some inspiration on how to start some games in a more organized way, the funny thing is: I was struggling on how to finish at least one of my many games and suddenly your video came
the quality of your vids has atronomically increased. Great to see you doing well and this was a good topic, i have like 5 i wanna play and its hard to get into and complete them!
Thank you Donut! I'm glad to hear the work is paying off! I hope some of my strategies can help you power through the games you want to finish! :D
These are all AMAZING tips and I personally do not have an issue getting through my backlog but everything you said is exactly how I get through it as well! Scheduling and finishing 1 game at a time is huge! Also, if you don’t like a game 10-15 hours in, don’t be afraid to move on if it’s not for you! Great video!
Thank you so much for this video, it has reinvigorated me so much to finally finish my games. I struggle so much with perfectionism in my life and it bleeds in my gaming habits. Thank you for these actionable tips, I think I can finish a game before the end of the year now 🤩
We actually had a whole podcast discussing this very topic! I definitely value your opinion, so this was such a nice upload to see! I will absolutely be taking notes on this one!
I didn't expect him to get so philosophical about time, now I'm rethinking my entire schedule.
You my friend just gained a sub! Awesome video and great editing!
Since starting my new job, I haven't had much time to play games but I still love playing and won't give it up for anything. Thanks for the advice, man. It's really appreciated!
Great video! Love the idea of having a "Completed Games" shelf, or buying youself something special from the game as a celebration!
Having a real physical trophies to help bring closure and break the replay cycle was inspired in part by the reviews I put together. I have a trophy (the review) as a symbol of my accomplishment, and I can always re-watch it if I need to revisit the game quickly to get that little fix! :)
Dear Derek, you have no idea how helpful this video was for me. I have a really big backlog and your tips make me hopeful that I will finish them someday soon
You got this, dude!
Great Video, one of the many buried in great RPGs but always kind of go off the rails. Will try this a bit and see, thanks Derek!
I have the same problem off just giving up so close to the end. Just like I’m burned out on the game and I say I’ll just finish it in a little bit of time but completely quit. Then I just watch people on RUclips play through games because it’s easy and faster then grinding.
Great list! I love the idea of rewarding yourself. Definitely going to start doing that when I complete a game.
I hope it helps! Thanks for watching! :D
I've definitely found that making an actual list of my backlog, so I can have a visual representation of what I have and have not finished, really really helped. I started keeping track of things back in 2015, and in the intervening years I've finished somewhere in the neighborhood of 60 RPGs (action/turn-based/strategy/etc) plus a bunch of other side stuff like platformers. Also a few years back I took your advise and started limiting the number of games I was playing at once. If something new came out, I would just sit on it until I was done what I had already started. And since the start of the pandemic I've started doing something a little odd. I've started planning out my months, giving them themes or overall goals to have something to look forward to during the lockdowns and to mark the passage of time. So there have been whole months dedicated to certain series, or certain genres, or even just nostalgia. I've also tried to limit the amount of time I sink into games by not overplaying them/trying to 100% them on the first playthrough. Now the goal is to just finish the game, and then I can come back in the future and replay/100% it if I really enjoyed the game the first time around (I have a growing list for games like this now too). I also found that sites like HowLongToBeat have been helpful, because sometimes I'm not in the mood for a super long overly involved RPG, and being able to pick a shorter game when I want to seems to help avoid burnout. Oh, another thing I just thought of is keeping notes. Sometimes the progression in RPGs (particularly older ones) can be a bit obfuscated or poorly designed, so having notes of important locations/NPC dialogue/etc can prevent you getting stuck and frustrated. And also don't be afraid to use GameFAQs. If a game is obtuse don't waste a tonne of time smashing your head against a wall trying to figure things out. Sometimes it's just bad design and you gotta look it up. I feel like there is so much more to be said on this topic because I keep thinking of more things and editing them in, but I guess I'll stop myself here.
That sounds incredibly interesting! Themes sound like a fun way to do things!
Thank you for this video! I'm doing a gap year right now after finishing school so I have a bunch of time to play games, meaning I bought way too many games and now also have a pretty big backlog. Staying around to finish a game has been really difficult for me as there always seems to be another shiny new game popping up that I need to get. I'll try to focus on a few games from now on and change it up sometimes instead of just playing visual novel after visual novel. Playing a bit of miitopia and rune factory 4 has been really helping me stay motivated
My situation is not really comparable to yours, because I'm single and have no kids, but I must say that the pandemic gave me the time to conquer my backlog. I was suddenly jobless and what gave me joy in those depressing times were playing video games. The first game to just come out in the first lockdown was FFVII Remake and I played through that one in around 4 days. Afterwards I decided to finish backlog games from different genres and lengths. For example: DQXI S, The Bioshock Trilogy (Binged through all of them with DLC because I truly enjoyed them), Legend of Legaia, Tales of Hearts R, Bayonetta 1 & 2 (also binged), The Atelier Dusk Trilogy (binged). I love a good story and continuation of a story. Currently playing some Switch Indies like Ara Fell. I just love gaming man.... 🤣 One of the plus sides of this pandemic is the opportunity to finish the backlog.
Some day I'll retire and have the time to make real progress! Fingers crossed, anyway! :D
Ara Fell is absolutely wonderful. No spoiler here, my favorite moment is when Lita and Adrian start fighting and she's ready to murder him with an arrow, it's damn hilarious and cute.
@@vagabundorkchaosmagick-use2898 haha yeah just came across this moment: "Come at me Bro!!!". 🤣🤣🤣
I was part of a RPG maker project in the 0's (yes I'm old) and Ara Fell really reminds me of our project back then. The battle animations, the Humor, the little details in the environment and the fauna. Lovely game even with all the RTP assets!
@@patricksabel3958 The team is working on their second game, Rise of the Third Power; there's already a demo, I think.
@@vagabundorkchaosmagick-use2898 that sounds amazing!! Thanks for the tip!!
Really great advice. I struggle with playing the same rpgs over and over. Always wanting to play new ones but end up playing the same ones I've beat way too many times. Great video.
Don't think of it as a backlog that you need to complete, that makes it a chore. Games are fun, when they stop being fun something is wrong. Play the game you want when you want. Time is expensive, games are not.
You have the best take on it yet. Play the games when the mood strikes, I’m just getting to The Witcher 3 now.
Thanks for this video. This is super helpful and I'm going to try and apply this strategy to my time gaming. I also struggle with the backlog, and have a similar family/life situation. In addition, I do exactly what you describe in 1) replaying the same games (for me this is Dead Cells), and 2) not finishing games I get far in (God of War, Control, Doom Eternal, Ghost of Tsushima). I play several different genres, but I believe your strategy and tactics are worth trying no matter what types of games you play. Thanks again for the insightful video.
Really liked this video, great advice
That's the most important thing for me. I play one game at a time and it sticks in my memory forever rather than playing a bunch of games at once just to get through the backlog. Example I recently played Metal Gear Solid 3 Snake Eater and finished it then played Yakuza 0 and finished it. Get a lot more invested into characters & story when focusing on 1 game.
Finally , someone that knows about our woes! I love how you speak so softly and caring on the subject. Okay “ yeah maybe I should not play chrono trigger for the 17 th time” that echoed with me because I just play breath of the Wild or anything Zelda. I need to get more variety . Awesome and knowledgeable guy!
Great video! The big piece of advice I'd recommend is adopt a "one in and one out" system. I made it a rule years ago that if I wanted to buy a new game I had to finish at least one game from my backlog first. Thanks to that rule I've beaten 23 games so far this year. It's really helped me with overspending on games too since I usually don't buy a game until a few weeks after it's release, which causes my hype to reduce down so I end up buying fewer games overall.
Super smart decision! Maybe I should do this too...
I'm also a huge RPG fan so my backlog is quite big... So thanks for sharing these advices! 👍🏽
Great video. I like how you framed the steps and plan =)
Great video my man, thanks a lot
That Mugen souls sticks out on the shelf like a sore thumb lol. I can see it from downtown! Great video! I have burnout but more from depression and mental states, as opposed to getting bored. Sometimes I need a break from my break time. Then I go detecting more or read more. By alternating my hobbies I try to keep things fresh
Mixing it up is what allows me to tear through my backlog like tissue paper. Used to be I'd get really into a game, want to immediately jump into the sequel, get burnt out halfway through, and either have to take several months break or just never come back to and re-add it to my backlog, which is a massive waste of time in terms of backlog progress, especially because I'm an obsessive completionist. Learning the restraint neccesary to play through one RPG from a different series (or a few shorter games) in between made the difference between my backlog bloating and me actually slowly shrinking it down over time.
Wow...I think your strategy for defeating gaming/RPG backlogs actually doubles as a pretty intuitive life hack 'system' too! Gonna also apply this to my non-gaming backlog of actual life/work projects & ideas IRL. Love this SuperDerek--Brilliant! Thanks so much!
Is there a way I can give this a super-heart? xD
Lol RUclips reads my mind sometimes, I was thinking about this today. You can apply these tips to life in general. Thanks for the vid.
I remember bringing up on you stream that I always seem to get to the final act of a game and just lose interest or just drift away. So great to hear your solutions!
Yeah! I think that was one of the discussions on Twitch that lead to today's video! :D
@@SuperDerek Great! Also I have played the first 40 hours of Persona 5 ..2 times and am thinking about giving it another go. Would you recommend starting again or picking up where I left off? Even though the last time i played it was when Royal came out?
Gosh if you were playing the OG before, maybe start over by playing Royal? Since that's supposed to be the best version anyway with the extra semester at the end of the game. But I'd hold off until you can get it on the cheap! :)
Great advice! I'm gonna start applying all of them into my life!
I noticed that as I grow older I started to get burnout and overwhelmed from playing games even to a point where I stopped playing them completely and whenever I've started a game I'd always abandon it at some point, sometimes around the end or around half of the game, I'd just quit and then months later regret it big time, my memory is not great and if I come back to a game months later I tend to forget everything, like all the mechanics and the story so I'd have to start from scratch again which is tedious and breaks my heart to throw away all my progress, honestly that really stresses me out and makes me pretty sad and that's why I just quitted completely even though I do want to play my JRPGs but I don't want to leave them unfinished lol, but I think that if I follow your tips I'll finally be able to overcome this, I made the great sin of playing too many same-y RPGs, y'know the "Save the world with your party" type of stuff which I love but can get monotonous and repetitive at some point (even if it's hard to accept for a hardcore JRPG lover like myself), from now I'll try to combine different sub-genres or even different genres entirely, maybe mix retro games with some new-ish games that I haven't played yet and always make the goal of finishing them no matter what and reward myself for doing so. Great tips seriously I already saved this video so I can come back to it to remind myself of following your tips.
The timing and advise in this is uncanny. Great idea for a vid and thanks for the tips!
Some good points here. Alternating and mixing things up helps immensely.
I loved listening to your video. One thing I like to do when getting through both my backlog and my backlog of RPGs is to play a RPG/Adventure game/long game, then play arcade games/short games (under 20 hours or less)/old sports games, then go to the next RPG or Adventure game. The cycle repeats so I avoid burnout.
Solid advice, Derek. Let us not forget we play(ed) games for FUN and not as a chore!
Glad to see your face on here more often again. You seem like a pretty swell fella. Now on to the video!
I have a problem finishing games that I love. There's something about it that depresses me. You find a story or game that you love and you don't want it to end. I have an easier time starting them over from the beginning and enjoying them again as well. Nowadays, you're likely to know the ending regardless.
Oooooh. You had the issue too. Maybe not for the same reason.
This video is actully brilliant. The part about scheduling in time for yourself is 100% something my therapist told me to do to improve my mental health.
Thanks Game Cupboard! I'm really glad to hear I'm not giving awful advice here! :D
This is great advice for doing other tasks. You could just as easily use this for reading.
This is good advice for anyone with a backlog regardless of genre. As soon as I started making a plan for games I wanted to cross off my list and doing research into things like how long they'll take to beat, I was able to start completing and enjoying games again. Currently playing through Death Stranding and it is a bit of a slog at times but overall I am loving the experience and I'm glad to have completed such a large portion of my backlog.
I like how you two understand how introverts work. I have friends who think I don't like them because I like spending time alone. When I'm around people it's kind of draining. Even if I love them.
This is legit really solid advice for someone who has a ton of games backlogged! One big problem with RPGs is that, like books, they can be really hard to get into at first. Like, I'm playing through Tales of Arise right now and having a blast, but the first few hours were an absolute drag, and I nearly fell asleep several times.
Yeah, some games are worse about this than others. Persona in particular have notorious startup times, though I think P5 was a lot better about it. :)
I appreciate the advice here, I'm married with a child and work full time, so I might have about 2-4 hours a week I'm able to play RPGs. By sticking to just one game at a time, I've actually been able to complete two games so far. Keep up the great work Derek!
Dude I love your setup. I have a big back catalog but I always play a little bit of it and end up playing Chrono Trigger again 😀
Once I got to the point in my life when I had a bit more money (and a lot less time), I noticed that I was playing the first few hours of different games instead of finishing anything. So I created a blog and started writing about games for fun. Once I got a few hours into a game, I wanted to write something about it. That was enough to compel me to move forward. The side effect was that I got better as a writer. I still write at least something about most of the games that I finish.
I love posting reviews about games I enjoy, or games that I really disliked. I've always liked writing so reviewing games just came naturally. Ahh if only professional game reviewers cared about games and not politics, I would try to get into it and get paid
I did this same thing. I started a group on Facebook and added a few friends where I could talk about games I've completed from my backlog. Even though most of them don't care or read it, it still helps me feel committed to complete new experiences to talk about. I'm beholden to writing about these games so try to find something new and interesting to talk about. It really helps me.
A few years ago I totally got burnout for doing all the things you said not to do hahaha, but yes, that strategy of alternate subgenres really works and helps me with maintaining the hook on the plot of the game I'm currently playing. Cool video Derek!! thank you!
Amazing editing!
I have finished about 400 games to date...
Spreadsheet my to play list.
Each game gets a 3 hour trial period, if I don't like it, goes back on the shelf, if I am liking it, gets added to black list in my spreadsheet, which means I must finish it.
Play 2 games at a time, 1 console, 1 handheld.
Do not platinum anything, side quest if you enjoying the game enough to do it naturally.
Wait until you finish a game to watch all your favorite RUclips reacts to the game, avoids spoilers and saves a reward for the end.
To play list is capped and color coded, 5 on red list max, maybe 20 in yellow, no limit in green. Try to play the games in red first, but this list is fluid.
Game stays in the console until it's finished...no switching out an incomplete game unless it's for guests and multiplayer.
Some of my tips and tricks, they have served me great so far!
I really like this methodology. I'd love to see your list layout if you wouldn't mind uploading it somewhere. :)
@@garboy13 - The Template is quite simple. Game Title, System, and Color code are really the only needed fields to keep it organized. But since you asked I will explain the extended Color options!
Black = In Progress Game (Currently Dragon Quest VIII for me)
Red = Must play bucket list game (Castlevania Bloodlines on mine)
Yellow = Game that you should like by all accounts, you have it and are just itching to play!
Green = Someone recommended to you so you politely added it to your list even though you have limited interest
Grey = Game that I gave up trying to beat after it entered the Blacklist...Proud to say i only have one game here...Defiantly an optional sublist for those who want to punish themselves -_-
White = Completed games! Very satisfying to add to the white list after finishing a game. Most recently I finished Pokémon shield, the list is now at 403!
@@danieldietz9065 Thank you for the explanation! I'm a very visual person. Would you mind posting a screenshot or a copy of your document somewhere?