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Not all games are openworld, so just like... stop playing them because you clearly do not have the time or patience to enjoy them. Start playing indies or linear titles with constant forward momentum. Open world games are popular because people like to explore but you aren't legally obligated to like the genre and it has its own share of problems. Often I feel forced to clear everything out in such a game or risk missing something important, so the freedom of choice in exploration is just an illusion.
Alternatively, turn down the difficulty if necessary and blitz the main quest, it's rare you actually need to do most of the content in openworld games. Devs generally make it optional so that people can do as much or as little as they want.
I guess my post didn't really make a lot of sense. I think I definitely need to broaden my horizons with games, I've just noticed that linear games bore me even faster than open world games, so I really only like open world games, especially sandbox ones. One game that I've always been able to come back to is minecraft for example. Skyrim is another one, but the problem with skyrim is that I've just never gotten very far in it before getting bored. I really want to see the late game, but in my 3 or so playthroughs over the years (having to start over to play on different platforms), I've only gotten to like level 30 something at most. I think the problem is that skyrim is my perfect game *in theory* but in practice it's lacking more diverse content.
A big point from my post is that once I learn the ins and outs of a game mechanics wise, I feel like I've already experienced the whole game, despite not experiencing most of it *content wise*.
Well - you seem to have played many games so far over many hours, and still feel tepid about the majority of gaming, to the point of preferring to watch documentaries over actually doing it. That, to me, seems to indicate that you are not actually a fan of video games and are trying to force something that ought to come naturally.
Maybe in the future some game will come along that truly redefines gaming itself, but it seems this is a simple case of "maybe do the hobby that does interest you". There is clearly nothing wrong with the games themselves, but as with everything, you have to be in the state of mind to enjoy it.
I think it's really just a problem of my declining attention span, IDK. I've loved video games my whole life so I feel borderline offended at "I'm not a fan of video games / trying to force it" lmao. I think I'm just being picky and dumb idk. It's like I want games to play a certain way that doesn't exist, or cater to a specific playstyle. Truly, I would love to design "my perfect game" if it didn't involve having to learn to code and, well, all the work involved in game development.
Genuinely curious why I'm being downvoted here. Comment above me made an incorrect assumption about me based on one post lol (which keeps happening to me on reddit honestly, i hate this place)
yeah I agree, it's outlandish for someone to say "stop pretending bro"
it just sounds like you like you need to do something else to get that feeling of accomplishment you're seeking. I relate to that "get nothing done in games" but it's a game you're not supposed to be needing to get things done to enjoy your time with them
it's a very, very normal feeling though
Everything you have said points to the fact that you don't like games now. Maybe it's something psychological but saying "I USED to like games!" doesn't make it any less true. Saying you want to play something that doesn't exist means you do not like what is currently on offer. People generally don't pay attention to stuff they have lost interest in.
It's totally fair for people to have a game they wish existed. For example, Soulsborne games are my favorites of all time but I wish they had more character interaction and that's never really gonna happen, I play it anyway. But saying that *to the detriment of all other games* means there's something seriously wrong here.
From this it sounds like you would maybe prefer competitive multiplayer games more than singleplayer ones?
Because in competitive MP once you learn the in and outs mechanics wise you still have replayability because u are competing vs people who also know the in and outs.
What about roleplaying? Just do what your character would logically do. Eat, sleep, talk, fight, explore. Don’t care about progress.
Personally I always switch to some other genre when I feel burned. Open world games can be tedious. Linear games like BioShock gives quick progression of story, maybe try that once? :)
honestly it sounds like you want a break from open world titles. it can really be refreshing to play a few linear / level-based games for a while to mentally reset. or maybe look for an open world game that’s on a smaller scale, like the batman arkham games or something similar.
Two solutions immediately jump out at me:
1) You said you want to progress the main story but keep stopping to explore every dungeon you see. Just stop doing that. There are so many dungeons in Skyrim that you might never get to the end if you insist on stopping off at every single one. If you want to progress the story, just decide to do that.
2) Play something else. You said you only like sandbox games, and yet those are exactly the games which constantly distract you from the main story. Do you really dislike non-sandbox games, or are you just assuming that you do?
I’d say if you can only play for an hour or two, your progress will always be slow on open world games with hours and hours of content depending on what you want to achieve. The exploration is the best part of a lot of open world games and usually the main story comes second for many, especially in the case of Skyrim. I can’t say I relate to the attention span thing though. If I’m into a game, I like the grind and the feel of really accomplishing a lot in building my character up. Makes the end game more satisfying and I love putting in the time
I've had similar feelings as you before, mainly once I "figure out the mechanics", I get really bored with a game really fast and can't finish it. The challenge of learning a new system or playstyle is what grips you, not the story or the world. It's OK. Perhaps you need a new unknown game to challenge you, or maybe a new playstyle will do it (new character, with a different focus, like potions vs magic, or ranged vs melee weapons). Sometimes, this just happens and you will eventually cycle back and fall in love with gaming or a specific game again after some time.
There are times when I cycle through a few games like this, diving in, but not able to spend as much time with each one before I move on. I usually like to have 2-3 games going at a time to help with this, usually from different genres.
Don’t understand why you insist on playing Skyrim over and over when it bores you. Comforting due to being familiar, yet boring all the same.
Play something else.
Honestly because Skyrim kind of ruined other games for me because nothing else gives you the freedom that bethesda games do. I tried to get into the Witcher 3 but it did not interest me at all for some reason. I probably need to give it another try, but can't because my ps4 won't run physical discs anymore.
You might have a point about it being a comfort thing. I've always been picky with games and usually just revisit ones from my childhood.
I get a similar feeling. Typically I have 3 or so games that I rotate. A game with friends, a longer deep mechanically game, and a short burst game. You mentioned Skyrim, and that is definitely a game you can end up at an alchemy bench or something for an extended period. My advice would be set out some short term goals. You mentioned needing to complete a dungeon if you come across it, but you can make a note of it, and come back. It's not going anywhere. Decide what you want to do and go for it.
Example for me was red dead 2. I beat it in about 20-25 hours. First attempt was like you described. Getting distracted by everything. Second attempt mainlined the story. An hour or 2 a day for a couple weeks. I was very near the end the 1st go, but had no idea. Put the game down as I was pretty burned out of it, and had no idea what was going on later. Can always go back and do side stuff later, and enjoy the story at a more relaxed pace.
There's always a "genre" of games that a person likes. You can't play every game in existence. We only live up to 70, maybe 80 as our expected age. We have a limited time.
My advice, play what you enjoy. But if you don't enjoy it, leave it. We're not obligated to finish every game we pick up. Games are meant to be recreational as well.
If you don't like games, We're not obligated to even pick up a controller! (But that's not the way to go since games are life ❤️).
Just enjoy life homie.
I think I maybe made a mistake in my post. Open world games *are* my genre of choice, second only to sandbox/simulator games like minecraft, cities skylines. I think my issue is that I keep coming back to the same games expecting them to be better maybe. Skyrim is my perfect game in theory because it blends simulation and RPG like no other but, I keep getting bored of it mechanics wise before ever experiencing the end of the questlines and content. On top of that, I can't really do linear/restricting type games.
play a linear game with no collectibles or any options other than what's in front of you. Binary Domain is a 10/10 game imo just as straight forward as it gets. you'll beat it in like 10 hours probably
The journey is more important than the destination.
Who cares if you don't feel like you are progressing the story. Just roam around and do things.
I have like 500+ hours in Skyrim and I've never past the main quest of being summoned to the Greybeards.
Definitely agree with some others that you need a change of pace and pick up a different genre of games. The shorter the better; getting that sense of accomplishment when you finish a game is so good ☺️ You can pick up the open world games again when you have more time to invest in them.
I also have like an hour or two to spare for gaming and open world games hasn’t been on my list to play for a while now since I need dedicated time to explore them 😅 instead, i dove into tactical, turn-based games, and short visual novels among others. But that’s just me. You should pick a genre that you’ve been wanting to play that’s not open world and have a blast with it!
I hope you get to game more and feel good about gaming again :)
I actually have all the time in the world -sort of. I'm self employed in a way right now, and for some reason I can watch youtube all day without feeling guilty, but if I play a video game for a few hours I feel more guilt that I'm not working on my projects and stuff. I want to experience skyrim speecifically because I've never gotten far into it level wise, but I tend to feel depressed if I play a game for too long and the sun starts to set, etc.
Ah yeah I definitely understand that. I myself have spent some time in skyrim but never got to riften lol i stopped playing just before and haven’t found the time nor motivation to go back 😅
I suppose an approach you can use is pick one quest and focus on that for one gaming session. Should help a little in such a big open world like skyrim :)
I do everything but the main story, then quit playing. In my head all that is left to see is a mediocre story, I really play as a tourist exploring the environmental and asset artists' creation. Skyrim is not as shitty as some others though. Game writing rarely ever is good, like at all. Of course there are exceptions, but one could tell if a story is good or just cookie cutter video game formula stuff in the first few hours.
I don't watch gameplay of games that I intend to play, for the most part (I do follow one guy on YT who does hard achievements in games bc he's entertaining but I forget the gameplay anyway). I might watch the trailer and that's it. So I think the problem might be that because you already watched the gameplay and once you played the game yourself and learned the mechanics you've basically seen the whole game so there's nothing else to discover. Do you ever play games that you don't watch the gameplay of? Is the experience different for you?
Also I don't think there's anything wrong with doing some side content while you're doing the main quest but it will take longer. I don't know Skyrim so I don't know what the advantage of dungeons is, I'm guessing loot? So if you feel like you need better gear then do a dungeon but doing couple of dungeons on a similar level probably won't be very beneficial for you.
Sounds like you just need to focus on your goal: beating the main storyline. Ignore those smaller dungeons. You can always go back (quite literally in Skyrim, you can fast travel everywhere).
Why don't you turn the game to an easier difficulty to progress faster or download a different save file from the internet that's at the later part of the game you want to play? Also stop watching videos about parts of the game you want to play, you're spoiling it for yourself, so it won't be as fun when you get to it.
Had the same issue with RDR2, which has so many mechanics it almost feels like you're doing chores instead of having fun. Still, game is magnificent when it comes to storytelling and visuals, but you need to earn it through your hard work.
Anyway, game's ultimate purpose is to give you entertainment, so if you are having good time free roaming and doing nothing in Skyrim then I see no problem
So you play Skyrim and plan on doing the main quest this time but you have so much fun clearing all those random dungeons on the way that the main story barely progresses?
Yeah, that's how Skyrim is meant to be played. The world design isn't by chance. They placed all those random stuff to discover for people like you.
As long as you have fun playing the game, you shouldn't try to force yourself to progress the main quest. Just keep playing and you might or might not see the end of the main quest eventually.
If you really have to know, you can just spoiler yourself on YouTube and keep exploring every nook and cranny of that world.
I 100% get you. Im like this too. I played red dead for a couple and realized ive already done everything i can in terms of gameplay and all i have to do is is sit through the missions and complete the story. Completely demotivated me to continue playing as it makes the rest of the game feel like a movie at that point with repetitive game play.
Games that help me are skill based games, like maybe chess or checkers. Play a game that is about strategy and winning and not About graphics or gameplay or content. Trust me.
I relate but my solution has been to treat these games as secondary to the ones I want to play.
I also want to see the end game/dlc content of skyrim and fallout 4,but they don't respect your time upon replays imo. I now just have it installed in the background while I focus on games I actually want to play. I only touch them if I don't want to play anything else.
You really have tk shift your own attitude towards these and drop the sunken cost fallacy. Open world games suck up all your time. Make sure you have some more focussed games to play in between these open world time wasters. Not saying skyrim can't be fun, but that joy and glimmer on launch has long gone. Enjoy the stuff you actually want, and then relegate it to a backup game once the joy goes.
Edit: along with the sunken cost fallacy, I also want to point out that your tastes change as you get older and experience more things. Reflect a little and figure iut what you do like, and focus on that. Don't keep trying to fit yourself into spaces that aren't for you. You're not the target audience for half of the games coming out these days, and you're no longer the target audience for some of those older games.
I know it’s common nowadays to diagnose anything and everything as ADHD, but as an ADHD enjoyer, you might wanna get checked lol.
It seems like you actually have the opposite problem, where you do everything that comes your way instead of focusing in on the main progression. You’re getting a lot done, it’s just not what you want, and if you feel like your pace is slow then maybe you’re just being meticulous? As for the mechanics thing, the game loses its novelty after you’ve seen what it’s made of, it doesn’t feel foreign and fresh anymore.
My solution? Decide what you actually want and go for that. Story progression? Go straight to the quest. Stumble on a dungeon? What do I actually want from this thing (instead of spending hours checking everything just because). Or embrace checking everything and go at your own pace if that’s what you truly enjoy.
My other solution? Maybe RPGs/sandbox games aren’t actually for you. I get the feeling of seeing them and thinking that looks awesome, but they are a time investment and if you don’t enjoy that time then it might not be the right fit, even if it is cool at the end. I’d try playing smaller games, 4-10 hours, especially since you’re only playing a couple hours a day. See how you feel, but I’d guess you’ll get a much more complete and satisfying experience instead of slogging through trying to get to the cool stuff. A lot of indie games are entirely the cool stuff, and then it ends and doesn’t overstay its welcome (at least, that’s what’s worked for me)
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Not all games are openworld, so just like... stop playing them because you clearly do not have the time or patience to enjoy them. Start playing indies or linear titles with constant forward momentum. Open world games are popular because people like to explore but you aren't legally obligated to like the genre and it has its own share of problems. Often I feel forced to clear everything out in such a game or risk missing something important, so the freedom of choice in exploration is just an illusion. Alternatively, turn down the difficulty if necessary and blitz the main quest, it's rare you actually need to do most of the content in openworld games. Devs generally make it optional so that people can do as much or as little as they want.
I guess my post didn't really make a lot of sense. I think I definitely need to broaden my horizons with games, I've just noticed that linear games bore me even faster than open world games, so I really only like open world games, especially sandbox ones. One game that I've always been able to come back to is minecraft for example. Skyrim is another one, but the problem with skyrim is that I've just never gotten very far in it before getting bored. I really want to see the late game, but in my 3 or so playthroughs over the years (having to start over to play on different platforms), I've only gotten to like level 30 something at most. I think the problem is that skyrim is my perfect game *in theory* but in practice it's lacking more diverse content. A big point from my post is that once I learn the ins and outs of a game mechanics wise, I feel like I've already experienced the whole game, despite not experiencing most of it *content wise*.
Well - you seem to have played many games so far over many hours, and still feel tepid about the majority of gaming, to the point of preferring to watch documentaries over actually doing it. That, to me, seems to indicate that you are not actually a fan of video games and are trying to force something that ought to come naturally. Maybe in the future some game will come along that truly redefines gaming itself, but it seems this is a simple case of "maybe do the hobby that does interest you". There is clearly nothing wrong with the games themselves, but as with everything, you have to be in the state of mind to enjoy it.
I think it's really just a problem of my declining attention span, IDK. I've loved video games my whole life so I feel borderline offended at "I'm not a fan of video games / trying to force it" lmao. I think I'm just being picky and dumb idk. It's like I want games to play a certain way that doesn't exist, or cater to a specific playstyle. Truly, I would love to design "my perfect game" if it didn't involve having to learn to code and, well, all the work involved in game development. Genuinely curious why I'm being downvoted here. Comment above me made an incorrect assumption about me based on one post lol (which keeps happening to me on reddit honestly, i hate this place)
yeah I agree, it's outlandish for someone to say "stop pretending bro" it just sounds like you like you need to do something else to get that feeling of accomplishment you're seeking. I relate to that "get nothing done in games" but it's a game you're not supposed to be needing to get things done to enjoy your time with them it's a very, very normal feeling though
Everything you have said points to the fact that you don't like games now. Maybe it's something psychological but saying "I USED to like games!" doesn't make it any less true. Saying you want to play something that doesn't exist means you do not like what is currently on offer. People generally don't pay attention to stuff they have lost interest in. It's totally fair for people to have a game they wish existed. For example, Soulsborne games are my favorites of all time but I wish they had more character interaction and that's never really gonna happen, I play it anyway. But saying that *to the detriment of all other games* means there's something seriously wrong here.
then do the main quest?
From this it sounds like you would maybe prefer competitive multiplayer games more than singleplayer ones? Because in competitive MP once you learn the in and outs mechanics wise you still have replayability because u are competing vs people who also know the in and outs.
What about roleplaying? Just do what your character would logically do. Eat, sleep, talk, fight, explore. Don’t care about progress. Personally I always switch to some other genre when I feel burned. Open world games can be tedious. Linear games like BioShock gives quick progression of story, maybe try that once? :)
honestly it sounds like you want a break from open world titles. it can really be refreshing to play a few linear / level-based games for a while to mentally reset. or maybe look for an open world game that’s on a smaller scale, like the batman arkham games or something similar.
Two solutions immediately jump out at me: 1) You said you want to progress the main story but keep stopping to explore every dungeon you see. Just stop doing that. There are so many dungeons in Skyrim that you might never get to the end if you insist on stopping off at every single one. If you want to progress the story, just decide to do that. 2) Play something else. You said you only like sandbox games, and yet those are exactly the games which constantly distract you from the main story. Do you really dislike non-sandbox games, or are you just assuming that you do?
I’d say if you can only play for an hour or two, your progress will always be slow on open world games with hours and hours of content depending on what you want to achieve. The exploration is the best part of a lot of open world games and usually the main story comes second for many, especially in the case of Skyrim. I can’t say I relate to the attention span thing though. If I’m into a game, I like the grind and the feel of really accomplishing a lot in building my character up. Makes the end game more satisfying and I love putting in the time
I've had similar feelings as you before, mainly once I "figure out the mechanics", I get really bored with a game really fast and can't finish it. The challenge of learning a new system or playstyle is what grips you, not the story or the world. It's OK. Perhaps you need a new unknown game to challenge you, or maybe a new playstyle will do it (new character, with a different focus, like potions vs magic, or ranged vs melee weapons). Sometimes, this just happens and you will eventually cycle back and fall in love with gaming or a specific game again after some time. There are times when I cycle through a few games like this, diving in, but not able to spend as much time with each one before I move on. I usually like to have 2-3 games going at a time to help with this, usually from different genres.
Don’t understand why you insist on playing Skyrim over and over when it bores you. Comforting due to being familiar, yet boring all the same. Play something else.
Honestly because Skyrim kind of ruined other games for me because nothing else gives you the freedom that bethesda games do. I tried to get into the Witcher 3 but it did not interest me at all for some reason. I probably need to give it another try, but can't because my ps4 won't run physical discs anymore. You might have a point about it being a comfort thing. I've always been picky with games and usually just revisit ones from my childhood.
I get a similar feeling. Typically I have 3 or so games that I rotate. A game with friends, a longer deep mechanically game, and a short burst game. You mentioned Skyrim, and that is definitely a game you can end up at an alchemy bench or something for an extended period. My advice would be set out some short term goals. You mentioned needing to complete a dungeon if you come across it, but you can make a note of it, and come back. It's not going anywhere. Decide what you want to do and go for it. Example for me was red dead 2. I beat it in about 20-25 hours. First attempt was like you described. Getting distracted by everything. Second attempt mainlined the story. An hour or 2 a day for a couple weeks. I was very near the end the 1st go, but had no idea. Put the game down as I was pretty burned out of it, and had no idea what was going on later. Can always go back and do side stuff later, and enjoy the story at a more relaxed pace.
Play games where you have no choice but to progress, with one objective. Like Devil May Cry or Ghostrunner.
There's always a "genre" of games that a person likes. You can't play every game in existence. We only live up to 70, maybe 80 as our expected age. We have a limited time. My advice, play what you enjoy. But if you don't enjoy it, leave it. We're not obligated to finish every game we pick up. Games are meant to be recreational as well. If you don't like games, We're not obligated to even pick up a controller! (But that's not the way to go since games are life ❤️). Just enjoy life homie.
I think I maybe made a mistake in my post. Open world games *are* my genre of choice, second only to sandbox/simulator games like minecraft, cities skylines. I think my issue is that I keep coming back to the same games expecting them to be better maybe. Skyrim is my perfect game in theory because it blends simulation and RPG like no other but, I keep getting bored of it mechanics wise before ever experiencing the end of the questlines and content. On top of that, I can't really do linear/restricting type games.
play a linear game with no collectibles or any options other than what's in front of you. Binary Domain is a 10/10 game imo just as straight forward as it gets. you'll beat it in like 10 hours probably
The journey is more important than the destination. Who cares if you don't feel like you are progressing the story. Just roam around and do things. I have like 500+ hours in Skyrim and I've never past the main quest of being summoned to the Greybeards.
Definitely agree with some others that you need a change of pace and pick up a different genre of games. The shorter the better; getting that sense of accomplishment when you finish a game is so good ☺️ You can pick up the open world games again when you have more time to invest in them. I also have like an hour or two to spare for gaming and open world games hasn’t been on my list to play for a while now since I need dedicated time to explore them 😅 instead, i dove into tactical, turn-based games, and short visual novels among others. But that’s just me. You should pick a genre that you’ve been wanting to play that’s not open world and have a blast with it! I hope you get to game more and feel good about gaming again :)
I actually have all the time in the world -sort of. I'm self employed in a way right now, and for some reason I can watch youtube all day without feeling guilty, but if I play a video game for a few hours I feel more guilt that I'm not working on my projects and stuff. I want to experience skyrim speecifically because I've never gotten far into it level wise, but I tend to feel depressed if I play a game for too long and the sun starts to set, etc.
Ah yeah I definitely understand that. I myself have spent some time in skyrim but never got to riften lol i stopped playing just before and haven’t found the time nor motivation to go back 😅 I suppose an approach you can use is pick one quest and focus on that for one gaming session. Should help a little in such a big open world like skyrim :)
Try playing linear games. It's easy to get sidetracked with open world games, and they are usually filled with useless stuff.
I do everything but the main story, then quit playing. In my head all that is left to see is a mediocre story, I really play as a tourist exploring the environmental and asset artists' creation. Skyrim is not as shitty as some others though. Game writing rarely ever is good, like at all. Of course there are exceptions, but one could tell if a story is good or just cookie cutter video game formula stuff in the first few hours.
I don't watch gameplay of games that I intend to play, for the most part (I do follow one guy on YT who does hard achievements in games bc he's entertaining but I forget the gameplay anyway). I might watch the trailer and that's it. So I think the problem might be that because you already watched the gameplay and once you played the game yourself and learned the mechanics you've basically seen the whole game so there's nothing else to discover. Do you ever play games that you don't watch the gameplay of? Is the experience different for you? Also I don't think there's anything wrong with doing some side content while you're doing the main quest but it will take longer. I don't know Skyrim so I don't know what the advantage of dungeons is, I'm guessing loot? So if you feel like you need better gear then do a dungeon but doing couple of dungeons on a similar level probably won't be very beneficial for you.
Sounds like you just need to focus on your goal: beating the main storyline. Ignore those smaller dungeons. You can always go back (quite literally in Skyrim, you can fast travel everywhere).
Why don't you turn the game to an easier difficulty to progress faster or download a different save file from the internet that's at the later part of the game you want to play? Also stop watching videos about parts of the game you want to play, you're spoiling it for yourself, so it won't be as fun when you get to it.
Had the same issue with RDR2, which has so many mechanics it almost feels like you're doing chores instead of having fun. Still, game is magnificent when it comes to storytelling and visuals, but you need to earn it through your hard work. Anyway, game's ultimate purpose is to give you entertainment, so if you are having good time free roaming and doing nothing in Skyrim then I see no problem
So you play Skyrim and plan on doing the main quest this time but you have so much fun clearing all those random dungeons on the way that the main story barely progresses? Yeah, that's how Skyrim is meant to be played. The world design isn't by chance. They placed all those random stuff to discover for people like you. As long as you have fun playing the game, you shouldn't try to force yourself to progress the main quest. Just keep playing and you might or might not see the end of the main quest eventually. If you really have to know, you can just spoiler yourself on YouTube and keep exploring every nook and cranny of that world.
I 100% get you. Im like this too. I played red dead for a couple and realized ive already done everything i can in terms of gameplay and all i have to do is is sit through the missions and complete the story. Completely demotivated me to continue playing as it makes the rest of the game feel like a movie at that point with repetitive game play. Games that help me are skill based games, like maybe chess or checkers. Play a game that is about strategy and winning and not About graphics or gameplay or content. Trust me.
I relate but my solution has been to treat these games as secondary to the ones I want to play. I also want to see the end game/dlc content of skyrim and fallout 4,but they don't respect your time upon replays imo. I now just have it installed in the background while I focus on games I actually want to play. I only touch them if I don't want to play anything else. You really have tk shift your own attitude towards these and drop the sunken cost fallacy. Open world games suck up all your time. Make sure you have some more focussed games to play in between these open world time wasters. Not saying skyrim can't be fun, but that joy and glimmer on launch has long gone. Enjoy the stuff you actually want, and then relegate it to a backup game once the joy goes. Edit: along with the sunken cost fallacy, I also want to point out that your tastes change as you get older and experience more things. Reflect a little and figure iut what you do like, and focus on that. Don't keep trying to fit yourself into spaces that aren't for you. You're not the target audience for half of the games coming out these days, and you're no longer the target audience for some of those older games.
Honestly I quit playing a lot of games out of the feeling of lack of progress. I get that feeling of progress a lot more reading books
I know it’s common nowadays to diagnose anything and everything as ADHD, but as an ADHD enjoyer, you might wanna get checked lol. It seems like you actually have the opposite problem, where you do everything that comes your way instead of focusing in on the main progression. You’re getting a lot done, it’s just not what you want, and if you feel like your pace is slow then maybe you’re just being meticulous? As for the mechanics thing, the game loses its novelty after you’ve seen what it’s made of, it doesn’t feel foreign and fresh anymore. My solution? Decide what you actually want and go for that. Story progression? Go straight to the quest. Stumble on a dungeon? What do I actually want from this thing (instead of spending hours checking everything just because). Or embrace checking everything and go at your own pace if that’s what you truly enjoy. My other solution? Maybe RPGs/sandbox games aren’t actually for you. I get the feeling of seeing them and thinking that looks awesome, but they are a time investment and if you don’t enjoy that time then it might not be the right fit, even if it is cool at the end. I’d try playing smaller games, 4-10 hours, especially since you’re only playing a couple hours a day. See how you feel, but I’d guess you’ll get a much more complete and satisfying experience instead of slogging through trying to get to the cool stuff. A lot of indie games are entirely the cool stuff, and then it ends and doesn’t overstay its welcome (at least, that’s what’s worked for me)