PC/Console Gaming

Have you ever considered that maybe the gadgets you use can be the problem? Maybe you need better graphics or lighting or sound.

Absolutely agree. I don't mind a bit of strategy in games but if it gets too complicated I lose all ability or desire to think about anything. I'm also fine in video games until everything starts being thrown at me at once and then I don't have time to think or to coordinate my reactions to my thoughts and then it gets super-anxiety-inducing and I have to quit. 

Thanks, Planet Coaster sounds like my kind of game too 

For anyone who enjoys theme park style games I can highly recommend planet coaster (available through steam on PC but coming to consoles soon), I have spent so many hours building theme parks on this game. One of the things I love most about it, is that you can build your own rollercoasters from scratch and virtually ride them using the ride cameras. They have other rides you can add to the parks but you can't build those from scratch yet (rides like carousels, pirate ships etc).

Also a massive fan of the sims, although I tend to build more than play the game, I find I get bored easily playing the actual game but building the houses I can spend hours doing.

I'm more into retro gaming and computer programming rather than football, COD, and Assassin's Creed etc...

Oh really? That sounds good, I’ll look into it  Thank you.

I have been playing rollercoaster tycoon classic which is a modern rerelease of a game similar to theme park

I haven’t got a PC unfortunately. But I’m thinking about getting a PS4 or Xbox, then I’ll probably hardly ever leave the house  I’m already thinking the Sims game. And Farming simulator, they should keep me busy  Take care.

You can get The Sims for PC too, if you have one.

If I had a PS4 or Xbox, I would definitely want the Sims game 

we have also been playing games on computers and consoles for over 30 years. Our first one was a Commodore 16. Now my partner has a PS4 and I have an Xbox One. Neither of us play online - we don't even play together! I have always joked that we need t shirts printed saying "Doesn't Play Well With Others" ha ha!

I like simulation games - mainly The Sims, as I also enjoy the creativity of building, furnishing and decorating houses and community buildings. I can get totally absorbed in my own world. I play other games from time to time but always come back to The Sims, usually when a new game pack comes out. I'm currently enjoying creating and playing robots in the "Discover University" pack - I found the University game play pretty boring, but the robots are great!

Not sure if it's autism related. But I find that when playing games (whether PC or board games) I tend to end up trying to always consider all the options before working out what to do. Some games where that's feasible I tend to be better when playing with friends. But once a game system is too complex to consider all the options I tend to grind to a halt - where others seem better with relying more on intuition.

Or if a game requires fast reaction times, I struggle if there's too much going on, but am fine if there's less to process. Like with 2D platformers which I used to play a lot (especially Sonic games) I tended to find quite easy. But give me a 3D platformer and I struggle to control the character at all.

But I don't think it matters to much about winning or losing a game, if you enjoy playing a game.  One friend who I play board games with, I know that 99% of the time I have no chance of beating him. I still try to win, but I basically know going in that I have little chance, so don' tend to focus on that and just enjoy playing. Though does make the occasion wins much more satisfying.

I remember my friend had that game Theme Park. I always wanted myself, because it really sounded like my kind of game 

I quite like the older, simpler tech.     I recently picked up an Atari ST for sequencing my keyboards.

Brilliant. I did the same thing. I was very sneaky in raising the tax level to the maximum, and then dropping it down on Election Day  I do miss that game sometimes.

My best buy years ago was a second hand Amiga 500 and sensible world of soccer and Ultimate Manager were my favourite games.

Great replies. I do enjoy playing against the computer because I can set the level of difficulty to more my level which is more enjoyable as it feels more of a level playing field. 

I used to play a game called theme park years ago and I used to spend hours and hours on it. I loved watching my cleaners walking around the park cleaning up the litter and vomit. I had a lot of cleaners working maybe it was my ocd but I loved having a tidy and clean theme park. : )

Many years ago, my wife was playing Sim City on an Amiga 1200 - I watched her for a bit and figured out the underlying strategy so in one marathon night, I started a city and built it to the maximum extent of the game in one go - the trick was a 100% tax rate for 364 days a year and then a 0% rate on election day - I was loved by my people and I had buckets of tax revenue to build as fast as the game would let me.  

Playing against people builds lots of unpredictability and too many unknowns into the game which spoils the fun.  

I agree. I don’t play computer games anymore. But when I did, I always preferred playing games that I was in control of. Years ago my favourite game on the SNES was Sim City. And more recently my favourite game would be Farming Simulator. Both of those games you’re in total control of what does or doesn’t happen. But saying that, I have played football games, but I only liked playing against the computer. I found, when I did play anything against other people online, I found it intimidating. I used to find some people get aggressive, which I didn’t like, so I stopped online gaming. But I understand what you’re saying, it must be really frustrating to know that you’re really good at the football game, but can’t seem to put it into practice. 

As far as I can measure, it's all about stress and the overwhelming desire to reduce it and take control of your environment.      When you play a game you're good at, you're in control of the whole experience - there's a lot of satisfying chemicals buzzing around your body.

When you're on-line playing others, it's something you should be good at but the limitations of your machine, connection and maybe lack of skill will frustrate you and spoil the experience.

It's the same reason people do model railways or play with Lego or read books - it's total control of the environment and therefore zero stress! 

I still like Quake 3 - it's challenging enough to get the adrenaline going but I can master it and win.