I can't believe I spent all that time playing [insert game title here]!

[Loony BoB]

Final Fantasy XI, Skyrim, Minecraft, Civilization IV, World of Warcraft, Football Manager, whatever floats your boat. There are some very, very time-consuming games out there. So I have three questions for you all!

What game have you wasted most of your time on?
For me, it's probably Football Manager 2011. I don't dare to double check the amount of time I've spent playing my most recent playthrough of it, but I'm sure I managed about twelve seasons as manager of Nottingham Forest. It would probably have been FFXI if more people I knew were playing alongside me aside from Danielle and Shawtiie. At the start there were loads of EoFFers here, there and everywhere... and then slowly we all stopped playing at the same time and so forth and it just got a little less interesting, and then the grind really hit in, and... yeah. D=

If you had to play 1,000 hours of a game, which game would it be?
Not Football Manager, oddly. Probably an MMO, as when extremely bored I could still socialise somehow. For single player games, though, I think Dwarf Fortress would be my preference. Although I'd need a pretty damned good PC to run a game for 1,000 hours. I think it'd crash. :p Hmm, maybe Sims would be interesting enough, too, since I could keep adding in new people? I don't know, single player games can only go so far before I want to do something different.

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time?
I have no idea. xD I mean, there's entertainment value, there's the argument of 'culturing' yourself with stories or whatever, there's limited educational value and there are mind-challenging exercises, but eventually a game will always be limited in how many hours it will provide you with such things.

[chionos]

I can't believe I spent all that time playing Final Fantasy XI. Just too much time.

What game have you wasted most of your time on?

Final Fantasy XI, vacillating the entire time between being completely absorbed and thinking to myself, why am I wasting my time on this inanity?

If you had to play 1,000 hours of a game, which game would it be?

D&D or Axis&Allies

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time?

None of them, they're all a waste.

[NeoCracker]

I don't know if I could handle 1000 hours of ANY game.

Though if any, I'll go for Rune Factory 3. That game can be an insane Time Sink. However that is not what I have put the most hours into.

Saddly, that title probably goes to Digimon World 2.

...It's best not to ask. :p

As for the last one, Persona 3 and 4.

As for persona 3 FES, both the main story and The Answer clocked me in 120 hour total on the Hardest difficulty. An amazing use of symbolism, amazing art design, and in depth characters with an amazing battle system and one of the most challanging games out there.

Persona 4 for mostly the same reasons, though less so for Art design and Symbolism (Both still amazing), but more for a more cohesive story with a great mystery element that Persona 3 didn't possess.

Don't know which one I'd pick over the other.

[sharkythesharkdogg]

I don't play too many games anymore, but I've wasted gobs and gobs of time with Tekken, Street Fighter, Final Fantasy, Mario, Donkey Kong and Gran Turismo. Others as well, but those are the main franchises.

I've easily put in a 1,000 hours with Tekken 3 and Gran Turismo 3 when they were new. I know how sad that sounds.

All video games are a waste of time. That's the point.

[Tigmafuzz]

EoFF.

[Pike]

What game have you wasted most of your time on? World of Warcraft. All the hours I spent playing it add up to well over half a year, last I checked. Starcraft Brood War is probably in second place.

If you had to play 1,000 hours of a game, which game would it be? I plan on getting here (and exceeding it) eventually with every single strategy game that I own, so one of those.

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time? Games are as much of a waste of time as books are. In other words, they aren't. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.

[Madame Adequate]

What game have you wasted most of your time on?
Versailles: A Game of Intrigue. I spent 45 minutes on that game that I am never getting back. :(

If you had to play 1,000 hours of a game, which game would it be?
I dunno, pick any strategy game I own and I'll probably be fine with it. I'm already there for several of them, I'm sure.

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time?
All of the ones that are fun.

[Loony BoB]

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time? Games are as much of a waste of time as books are. In other words, they aren't. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.
I perhaps should have worded that better. Which ones do you think you could spend the most time on without it turning into a waste of time? Eventually, after a long time, every game will become something that you gain nothing further from - much like a book, you can only re-read it so many times before you get to the point that you gain nothing from reading it once more.

[Chris]

What game have you wasted most of your time on?

I've racked up an insane amount of hours on all of my Pokémon games. I'm talking about 80+ hours for a freaking GBA game! I can never get enough.

If you had to play 1,000 hours of a game, which game would it be?

If I could stretch it, it would be The Longest Journey. That specific game is in my opinion the greatest game ever made, and I never want to leave April Ryan and Crow! I cannot stress enough, just how much pleasure this game brings me. If I could only play one game till the end of time, this would be it.

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time?

All of the LEGO games are profoundly entertaining. Especially the LEGO Harry Potter games, and Star Wars the Complete Saga. Some find it mind-numbingly simplistic. Well, it is. But boy, it is so much fun!

[Mirage]

300+ days logged in to FF11. Granted, 200 of those were probably spent idling, but that's still 100+ days of actually playing.

[TrollHunter]

I can't believe I spent all that time playing
Probably an MMO I used to be addicted to called Maplestory... I felt so good when I finally quit that damn "game".
"FTP" Korean MMO's... never again :barf:

What game have you wasted most of your time on?

Final Fantasy XII, Disgaea 2, Maplestory, or some other game I can't remember because all the hours I spent playing it made that portion of my brain rot and fall off.

If you had to play 1,000 hours of a game, which game would it be?

Probably a Serious Sam game, FFV or Disgaea 1,2, or 3. :roll2

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time?

Depends... define waste of time.
Most of the time consuming ones are only time consuming because it's the same thing over and over again (EX: Disgaea post-game, Star Ocean post-game, okay... any JRPG post-game, games like Minecraft(to an extent), Terraria, etc.) and could be easily considered a waste of time. It all depends on what you could've been doing aside from that I guess.

[Pike]

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time? Games are as much of a waste of time as books are. In other words, they aren't. Search your feelings, you know it to be true.
I perhaps should have worded that better. Which ones do you think you could spend the most time on without it turning into a waste of time? Eventually, after a long time, every game will become something that you gain nothing further from - much like a book, you can only re-read it so many times before you get to the point that you gain nothing from reading it once more.

Hmm. Well to be quite honest I've yet to reach that point with any game! Even WoW still had stuff to offer me after those 5000 hours. I'll think about this question a little and come back to it.

[Loony BoB]

Well, MMOs are kind of a get-out in that regard because you can still socialise and experience new things when people get creative. That's why I specified single player rather than multiplayer. :)

Obviously, the answer is Pong.

[VeloZer0]

It's funny , because looking back on all of the thousands of hours I have spent playing video games in my life I don't feel that any of it has been wasted. As long as you are enjoying you time playing a game and it isn't preventing you from doing other things you want in life I don't see how it is a waste at all. Unless you aren't having fun, but then again if I am not having fun anymore I don't play.

I detest the stereotype that any time playing a video game is inherently a waste of time.

[Pike]

Well, MMOs are kind of a get-out in that regard because you can still socialise and experience new things when people get creative. That's why I specified single player rather than multiplayer. :)

Obviously, the answer is Pong.

Ah, I didn't notice the single-player qualification!

I'm still not sure of an answer, though.

[Pete for President]

It's funny , because looking back on all of the thousands of hours I have spent playing video games in my life I don't feel that any of it has been wasted. As long as you are enjoying you time playing a game and it isn't preventing you from doing other things you want in life I don't see how it is a waste at all. Unless you aren't having fun, but then again if I am not having fun anymore I don't play.

I detest the stereotype that any time playing a video game is inherently a waste of time.

I agree. Some people question why I never watch TV or read books. In terms of spending time, video games is to me what TV or books are to most of my friends. All the while the games I play provide mental challenge and encourage creativity, creating a more give and take situation compared to other media. Therefore, I play games. Anyhow, on to the topic;

What game have you spent most of your time on?

Either GTA Vice City (clocking in one save at about 220 hours, + a 60 hour save, + two 20/30 hour saves) or FFX (clocking in two 120 hour saves, + three 30/40 hour saves)

The 1000 hour game;

FFX, for it presses issues on modern life as we know it, is set in a very appealing, believable world and takes hundreds of hours to perfect. It might take even longer to get to know everything about Spira.

[Rocket Edge]

Either Call of Duty: World at War, or Tekken 6. The amount of time I've invested in these playing online is too much I've trouble counting how many days I've collectively played. Probably 40 solid playing days in total for each. As for RPG, in one turn FFX, but with the amount of times I've played 8, it has to go to the latter.

[Shattered Dreamer]

What game have you wasted most of your time on?
Final Fantasy XII. I played over 400 hours across 2 saves back during college!

If you had to play 1,000 hours of a game, which game would it be?
Hmm that's a tough one! I think I would probably spent it getting really really good at Mortal Kombat or Tekken. That or a sandbox game like one of the GTA series.

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time?

To be honest the older I get, part of me thinks I'm wasting my time playing video games at all. What's my excuse then? They are probably the best form of escapism I have found. I used to feel guilty about not exercising when I was younger due to gaming but now I exercise regularly & go to the gym alot so I allow myself some guilt free escapism.

[Mercen-X]

EoFF.

AHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!

To answer the first question: Facebook app games, Gardens of Time (my mom made me start, she loves hidden object games), CityVille (my cousins got me into it), CastleVille (my friend Jackie), MapleStory (read about it in a mag), KotC (it had the words Final Fantasy in it... actually, I don't really play this anymore)

To answer the second question: I'd rather die than oblige such a decree, at least, not if those were hours in succession.

And that third question: I can't comp to there being any game that isn't a waste of time. Anything I want to learn about a game world, I can look up on the internet whether for story or pics, so I don't really need to play to be inspired. There's no glory for beating video games. The only real difference between a game and a book is that when reading a book, you never get angry that you can't beat a monster or complete a quest or mini-game or obtain a rare/hidden item. Books are only a slightly lesser waste of time and energy than playing video games. Both have the capacity to teach something, both have the capacity to fill your head with junk, both are merely something you do when you have nothing to contribute physically to the world around you.

Our bodies only require three elements: Nourishment (food and water), Activity, and Rest. Our minds require the same three elements but the nourishment is provided by education and community while the activity is the solving of equations and other puzzles/mysteries.
When reading a book, your mind with struggle will puzzles and mysteries provided by context but you won't get mad because you know the answers will be provided by the plot. When playing a game (video or otherwise), certain aspect provide no solutions... it's completely up to you to get it right and that gets frustrating especially for those of us who are arrogant (like me when it comes to a game.)

Anyway, yeah, still pointless...

[Del Murder]

Very few games I felt were a true waste of my time, but Dragon Quest VII was one of them. That game just dragged on and the only character I liked left my party forever. :(

The game I've spent the most time on is easily FFXI. The second is probably Chrono Trigger because I've replayed that game so many times.

[chionos]

Very few games I felt were a true waste of my time, but Dragon Quest VII was one of them. That game just dragged on and the only character I liked left my party forever. :(

The game I've spent the most time on is easily FFXI. The second is probably Chrono Trigger because I've replayed that game so many times.

Who, Keifer? Didn't he get a whole spinoff game to himself? Anyway, I agree. DQVII just wouldn't end.

[Del Murder]

Did he? I have no idea.

[Rostum]

What game have you wasted most of your time on?
Final Fantasy XI. I've logged 471 days, 18 hours and 58 minutes as of this post.

If you had to play 1,000 hours of a game, which game would it be?
Hmm, tough one. It'd have to be an MMO, but at the moment nothing exists on the market where I would put that much time in to - though some are coming up that spark my interest. I just love the social and co-op aspect of MMO's, which is why I've loved FFXI for so long (it's a non-PvP MMO, strictly large-co-op style).

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time?
I guess it depends how you define "waste of time", but in the general sense nothing in this world is a waste of time to me. Each and every game I've played in my life have always given me an experience of some sorts, and to me that's not a waste of time.

[Bubba]

What game have you wasted most of your time on?
It's probably Red Dead Redemption. Hours upon hours of roaming around hunting and skinning animals.

If you had to play 1,000 hours of a game, which game would it be?
Tetris. Its simply a game that I never get bored of. I reckon I'm close to clocking up that length of time already.

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time?
I suppose there are no games that I would consider an actual "waste of time" because I'm getting enjoyment out of it.

[Innes]

What game have you wasted most of your time on?

Recently, I wasted a ton of time playing Dungeon Crawl : Stone Soup. It's a roguelike, a genre that's known for being stupidly hard and also for the permdeath feature; if you die once in the game, it deletes your save and you have to restart. Over a few months, my total time playing it was something around 300 hours. |:

If you had to play 1,000 hours of a game, which game would it be?

I would probably get bored after 100 hours playing the same game. But I wouldn't mind playing Disgaea or something for that long? Maybe an online game so if I get bored I could at least talk to other people.

Of the many time-consuming single-player games there are in the world, which ones do you think are actually not a waste of time?

None! All video games are a waste of time. :D