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[nkarafo]

I'm not sure why this is happening now, in my 40s. I didn't have this issue before.

I was always the completion type, don't get me wrong. If i like a game, i will 100% it. But in my last few playthroughs of random games (that i also played in the past) it got weird.

- Silent Hill 2: It wasn't that bad with this one. I played the Enhanced version on PC. I was exploring every little corner so i won't miss a single item. I wanted every area to be clean before i move on. I guess that's pretty normal overall.

- Resident Evil 4: I played the HD project. Same deal, i had to grab every single item. If my inventory was full i would use/discard/sell something just so i can grab an item to remove it from the environment. Making room for new items was more important than holding on useful items that i would probably need later on. The thought of having a random item forgotten somewhere bothered me so much, i would travel through the whole map to grab it. I don't think that's normal.

- Bioshock. Oh boy, it got really bad with this one. You can only hold very little ammo for each weapon, only 500$ in your wallet and only 9 HP/Hypos. And 50 of each craftable items. Problem is, this game gives you a TON of stuff. And there are a LOT of things you can grab/eat, etc. And not only that, the enemies respawn so it's basically unlimited stuff. Most of the time i spent managing my items so i can clear each area without leaving anything behind. I would hurt myself on purpose so i can use the excess healing items. I would waste my hypos, waste my ammo shooting at nothing because i found a bunch of grenades i can't carry, wasting my money (that was easy thankfully), etc. It was working until i hit a craftable item limit. Sure, i could just go and craft junk i don't need but when i reached the "empty hypo" limit, i couldn't do anything about it. There are no items left to craft that need it. So now there are a bunch of corpses and boxes with empty hypos that wait to be grabbed.

Doesn't help that the game lets you explore all previous areas freely, so you don't even have the excuse you can't go back to grab them. They never disappear, never cleared from the memory/save file, they are there waiting for you, always, forever. It bothers me so much that i don't feel continuing my playthough. Yes that's right, i stopped playing because of that.

Am i going crazy GAF?

 

[RoadHazard]

I'm also like this. It's pretty annoying. Only if I think a game is pretty meh I can live with not getting absolutely everything.

 

[Punished Miku]

Don't ever play Starfield. I had to quickly learn a totally different skill from hording. There's so many items that you actually learn to prioritize what you need closer to how you would in reality. I turn on my scanner and can see what's highlighted, and 95% of it is random objects or things I don't need, but I have to sift through it mentally and pick the 2 things I wanted. It's actually one of the only games that made me do that, and it broke the spell. Feels a lot more realistic to at least partially gauge what you want to pick up, rather than throwing everything in your magic black hole bag. New game+ just emphasizes this even further as you lose all the items anyway and learn to travel even lighter and needing even less.

 

[Loomy]

Play Powerwash Simulator.

 

[SportsFan581]

It's only a problem if you literally can't get it out of your head and can't step away from it to complete other tasks. If it isn't consuming your life in some way (like that lunatic with all those hours in RD2 ) I wouldn't worry about it, just play it the way you enjoy it - it's just entertainment.

@ Punished Miku I was hording and selling everything in Starfield, I ended up with all this money and nothing to spend it on.

 

[TerribleAtThisGame]

I'm like this. The major downside is that it often burns me out on games prior to finishing them because I spend so much time soaking in every element.

I takes ages to beat games usually.

 

[Mercador]

Does it cause you personal or mental health issues? If not, you like that, nothing wrong with you.

 

[Kenneth Haight]

PlayStation Trophy Club

For all of you with the same trophy hunting illness as me. What platinum are you currently working on? Post your latest plats here too! Could also use this thread for boosting or partners for any co-op or multiplayer trophies. My last plat was Miles Morales. I’m currently working on...

www.neogaf.com

 

[Kuranghi]

I've just started System Shock remake and I'm loving it but it's so hard not to pick up all the crap and scrap it.

"The space station has been taken over my cyber-zombies!! My friends are walking corpses!!! Please help us mr/ms hacker!!!!"

"Hang on I need scrap all the scalpels in this room to make 4 quid"

Games are unintentionally hilarious a lot

 

[ReBurn]

Am i going crazy GAF?

It is possible

 

[nkarafo]

PlayStation Trophy Club

For all of you with the same trophy hunting illness as me. What platinum are you currently working on? Post your latest plats here too! Could also use this thread for boosting or partners for any co-op or multiplayer trophies. My last plat was Miles Morales. I’m currently working on...

www.neogaf.com

It might sound weird but i don't really care about achievements. It's not that i even have the skills or patience for some of them.

It seems my obsession is limited at clearing the environments of pickable items.

 

[Mercador]

Perhaps you are a bit perfectionist? Are you someone that overclean its stuff, can't allow something not at the right place, stuff like that? Do you think of the game outside of the game that you need to "complete" this and that?

 

[hyperbertha]

Does it cause you personal or mental health issues? If not, you like that, nothing wrong with you.

I disagree. The things described in the post are pretty abnormal.

To op. Fight the impulse. Fight the mental discomfort. It should go away in a while. If you keep giving in, it will get worse and worse until you'll be wasting entire days trying to find some obscure item or trophy nobody cares about.

 

[nkarafo]

Are you someone that overclean its stuff

No to that.

can't allow something not at the right place

Big yes on that.

Do you think of the game outside of the game that you need to "complete" this and that?

Not sure what you mean exactly.

 

[LectureMaster]

I think Baldur's Gate 3 kinda cured me from this. It is practically impossible to get every dialogue, every outcome, or every item in a single playthrough.

I think I am as a enthusiastic completionist as I have always been, it's just I have less and less time to play games I have to adjust my play style.

 

[Trilobit]

Try stopping yourself from doing it even if it feels wrong/weird. Get used to it, then your brain will be fine with leaving stuff behind. Unless you really have some latent OCD lol.

I only collect secret stuff in games that do it good, like Jedi Survivor. A Thief's End gave me no desire whatsoever.

 

[Grildon Tundy]

OP, have you had any recent life changes? Noticed any newly-borne needs for perfectionism in your daily life?

These are all older games. Could part of it be a feeling that modern games are not giving you the same sense of fun (or whatever emotion compels you to play them), and thus you are wringing out every last bit of content out of the classics because of the fear/knowledge that older games are limited resources?

 

[ReyBrujo]

I used to do that back when I was 15, now I mostly finish the game, might try the post-game but never really cared about finding every item or watching every final (except with Chrono Trigger). I felt forced to finish every quest in Etrian 1 for Switch since I had done that in the DS version but I pretty much finished Secret of Mana from the Collection of Mana a week or two ago and only now, playing Trials of Mana (Seiken Densetsu 3), I noticed I never picked the Midget Mallet.

 

[nkarafo]

These are all older games. Could part of it be a feeling that modern games are not giving you the same sense of fun (or whatever emotion compels you to play them), and thus you are wringing out every last bit of content out of the classics because of the fear/knowledge that older games are limited resources?

One thing i like doing (lately) is have a save file after everything is cleared. Then i would load the save and explore the area without having to worry about items, enemies etc, just relax while observing the environments, soak up the atmosphere, etc. Maybe find some secrets or easter eggs too. Not sure if the games being old is relevant, i mostly play older games anyway because i still only have a very old low-end GPU and the last console i bought was the XBOX 360.

The most modern game i played is Spiderman Remastered but that one doesn't have items to grab so i'm not sure. And Elden Ring but that one doesn't have an item limit so you can just hoard what you find and there's a lot of hidden stuff that i only care about after i find them.

 

[March Climber]

I used to be like this. Oddly enough it was playing Bethesda RPGs with limited inventories that finally made me eventually stop doing it.

I think Starfield was my final breaking point to where I said 'super important/high value items only, currency, and nothing else'. I didn't want to overstock within an hour of landing and bother with 5 loading screens just to sell items, over and over, not anymore. I was better off and had a better time playing the game due to this.

So for me it took playing a game that made me throw my arms up in frustration and say 'screw it'. Not sure if that will help you or not OP.

Regarding 100% completionism, well I would say I had a life-realization that I will not have the time to be able to play most of my backlog before reaching old age if I do 100% every time, so that was something that made me start doing 'one and done' playthroughs more often. This also made me stop playing MMOs and PvP games as much too. A benefit is that it made choice-based games (like what Bioware makes) even more meaningful when making hard choices, because I knew I wouldn't be coming back to play through the game again (unless the game was so amazing that I really, really felt the urge to actually go back).

 

[Shaki12345]

If it's fun for you continue doing it, if not stop and adapt to stopping.

It's an addiction. Try to be the boss of yourself.

 

[vaibhavpisal]

Whenever i find something I cant carry anymore, i simply use the item. Leaving anything in something like Resident Evil games is not an option.

 

[Hrk69]

At least you are being thorough

I had this too (especially with map markers) untill I played the Witcher 3

 

[Crayon]

If this is a recent development, I say good looking out. You may have noticed something important. Too much stress or something like that.

If you can't afford a professional licensed therapist, the mental health care here is better anyway.

 

[Esca]

I've been like this since I started gaming as a kid. I remember doing it a lot in dragon warrior for the nes

 

[BlackTron]

I would hurt myself on purpose so i can use the excess healing items.

What are you talking about? This is completely normal, nothing is wrong with you. Back to gaming son.

 

[GermanZepp]

I used ti be like this. But not anymore. Some games trigger the feeling more that other though. Souls games messed with my head, made me look in every corner for a possible item. Now I only do it If I feel the game is worthy.

 

[Closer]

Don't play Xenoblade. I played Xenoblade. Oh boy. All those white dots flying around... All mine to grab...

 

[Dorfdad]

I’m the opposite OP. I used to want or need 100% now I’m finding I could give a shot about side quests and extras I just want to play the main game and finish them so I can move on to my backlog.

 

[Azelover]

It's only a problem if it gets in the way of your life..

Is it draining your energy, and pulling you out of doing important things. If not then there's nothing wrong. If yes you might wanna try and speak to a therapist. Just one time, to see what they tell you, and then make a decision.

 

[darrylgorn]

You should definitely play Satisfactory.

 

[mdkirby]

ask your GP…better than asking GAF, or failing that ask your GPT, they are weirdly pretty good at differential diagnosis. Tho it’ll likely end with “speak to your GP”

 

[Big Baller]

Play Cuckold Simulator.

 

[Hunter 99]

I've had times like you OP in the past,usually only with games I've loved. It's defo an OCD problem but i think if you want to complete every game you play with that mentality it's an issue.if it's just the odd 2 or 3 it ok.try to just enjoy the game.

This is the only gen I've turned of trophy notifications and it's been amazing,just enjoying the game without the stupid checklist of bullshit.wish I'd done it years ago

 

[tommib]

Find a balance. I normally start games like this but then abandon the approach and go for a more linear walkthrough. I do play a lot of games and don’t want to spend TOO much time on them.

 

[HyperSeg]

If the game isn't all that great, I could care less about doing everything.
But this is me if I like the game a lot:

 

[Little Mac]

I recently put in over 10 hours into the Metaphor Refantazio prologue and then found out the main character’s canon name is Will. I erased my save file and started over just to name him by his canon name.

 

[emivita]

It's moderate gaming OCD, very similar to mine. Severe OCD in gaming is getting 100% trophy completion for each game they get, and I personally know people who do that.

 

[cireza]

OP in at the grocery :

Maybe pick only what you need ?

I don't have enough gaming time to pick up all the shit modern developers want me to pick up. Just skip it.

This year I played Tomb Raider I II III trilogy, fantastic games with little to pick up, but most of it is worth finding and picking up. Maybe play something like this ?

 

[Cakeboxer]

Don't worry. i think we all have more or less weird gaming habits.

 

[playXray]

I disagree. The things described in the post are pretty abnormal.

To op. Fight the impulse. Fight the mental discomfort. It should go away in a while. If you keep giving in, it will get worse and worse until you'll be wasting entire days trying to find some obscure item or trophy nobody cares about.

I think this is the right message. While there’s nothing massively harmful in the OP’s behaviour, it’s not ‘normal’ and it can spiral out of control. I’ve experienced similar things and I’ve learnt the hard way that you have to get it under control early, otherwise it just gets harder and harder to control.

 

[Madserb2023]

Used to have this issue. I think Spyro Started it. Had to collect every single thing even at the expense of enjoyment at times. I still enjoy collecting things in games but as soon as It becomes frustrating I just stop now and move on. The collecting process should be fun and relaxing to an extent.

 

[nkarafo]

ask your GP…better than asking GAF, or failing that ask your GPT, they are weirdly pretty good at differential diagnosis. Tho it’ll likely end with “speak to your GP”

I don't have a GP.

Aren't those expensive?

 

[mdkirby]

I don't have a GP.

Aren't those expensive?

Ah, sorry, I’m English. They are free here. Not sure if they have different names elsewhere, it just means general practitioner, ie a day to day doctor. No idea how much they cost in the U.S. which it sounds like you’re from. Like it definitely sounds like a behavioural change to me, which I’d suggest would warrant investigation. Either completely new, or an escalation of OCD tendencies, which could be anything from stress, diet, neurological etc. personally I’d run it all through chatGPT for a differential diagnosis, give it as much information as possible (hell, I upload literally all my medical records to it, and photograph test results and stuff and upload them). It’ll offer pretty well reasoned free advice, and possibly things to try, to see if you can resolve it on your own. It will leave you able to make a more informed decision on if you wanna fork out for a human doctor to speak with (if you don’t have access to one via work/insurance, and cost is a problem for you).

 

[mdkirby]

I don't have a GP.

Aren't those expensive?

As a side note to my other comment. If you do struggle with general OCD, one of our employees, her father has OCD, and it can manifest differently and to different extremes over time, having good and bad spells. For sometime it was manageable but can also be quite debilitating, to the point where she made him get on some meds, which got it under control.

Such things ran in her family, she herself suffered with anorexia (a somewhat related condition). She was fortunate enough to be admitted to a clinical trial for testing magic mushrooms for treatment. Which worked and she’s been in remission ever since.

Any medical related change, mental or physical warrants investigation by professionals imo. Better to check than not

 

[Bernardougf]

I couldn't give a fuck about items I dont need and I fucking hate stupid unnecessary bloatnes

 

[nkarafo]

Ah, sorry, I’m English. They are free here. Not sure if they have different names elsewhere, it just means general practitioner, ie a day to day doctor. No idea how much they cost in the U.S. which it sounds like you’re from.

I'm from Greece. We do have "free healthcare" but the crappy "guess i'll die" kind. Pretty sure the kind of doctor you are describing is a luxury here.

 

[mdkirby]

I'm from Greece. We do have "free healthcare" but the crappy "guess i'll die" kind. Pretty sure the kind of doctor you are describing is a luxury here.

Yeah, sadly the nhs is going that way too after 10-15 yr of mismanagement and underfunding.

For the initial diagnostics side it’s now often best to go private, get your diagnosis and the appropriate referrals back to the nhs for actual treatment.

I honestly think tho in a few years most of the diagnostic side will be done by ai, which will also far outperform any human at it, whether that’s referring based on symptoms, or analysing test results. There’s new ai systems that can spot even the earliest signs of cancers now, that just wouldn’t be found by human review. So hopefully things (and the economic strain) on the diagnostic side will improve rapidly everywhere in the new future.

 

[Mercador]

I disagree. The things described in the post are pretty abnormal.

To op. Fight the impulse. Fight the mental discomfort. It should go away in a while. If you keep giving in, it will get worse and worse until you'll be wasting entire days trying to find some obscure item or trophy nobody cares about.

Yeah you are right, I got it with the other answers.

 

[FoxMcChief]

Play Powerwash Simulator.

I play this on my Quest 3, and it fulfills me more than most huge AAA games. It’s fucking crazy.