I’m in a reflective mood of late.  Usually happens when I’m overloaded and the brain simply turns inwards for some rest.

I was thinking back on the various games I’ve played this year, and while quite a few had actual endings, most of them had more stuff to show.  Yet I tend to move on from those games and with no real regrets.  I was asking myself why and came to the conclusion that I’d hit plateaus.

I could have kept playing Jedi: Fallen Order and collected all the extra stims and cosmetics.  I could have completed every side quest in Outer Worlds.  Those are more achievements than actual content.  The parts I liked were closed, and I’m sure at some point I’ll give it another go.

The living games are a bit different.  Dauntless I went full in for a season pass, and took the next one off.  I’ve completed every single hunt, and the Beast Mastery system is an insane grind.  Drips and drops moving forward.  I’m more than content with the hammer, fists, swords, and guns as weapons.  I could learn pikes and axes, but I would need some serious crafting investment to make decent weapons.

Warframe is still there, but right now I’m simply looking for a 75% coupon for Plat to expand my inventory.  It’s like a buffet that never ends, and my ability to focus my goals is the real hurdle.  With Frost Prime and Soma Prime, I have one of the strongest setups.  Pretty much any other mix/match (for MR gains) is going to be a downgrade, or relearning.  I guess I should focus on getting all the nodes open for the first half dozen planets.

SWTOR I’ve done the main story quest for my dark side sorcerer.  Daily Onderon quests are there.  There’s at least 5 years of content that’s there for me to dip my toes into.  Plus the entire Legacy quests for the Republic side – on full opposite alts (e.g. Jedi Shadow).  I could run flashpoints til my eyes bleed for 306 gear, but then what?  I’m sure just regular bits will get me there eventually.  I am looking forward to the crew skill (crafting) update coming, cause woowee, is it ever a painful process currently.

I think this applies to a lot of stuff in my life.  I tend to go full speed until my main goals are achieved, never really striving for 100% but enough to consider myself a journeyman of sorts.  I’ll try things I absolutely have no interest in, a few times as well, and see if perhaps there’s something more to it.  Or, I’ll jump full to something I think looks really neat, only to see that the deep end is way deeper than I have time for.  Even at work, I generally only do one job for a couple years before I’ve learned everything I want to learn.  Not to say that I quit something, just that I’ve moved on to something else.

Hockey is a good example.  I’ve been playing since I was 5.  I’ve played all sorts of levels, and on a dozen+ teams as an adult.  If I don’t feel challenged, or that the team itself is “healthy”, I move on.  I took up coaching duties this year, and it’s certainly giving a different perspective on the sport.  Lots to learn, lots to share.

I still play games. That won’t end any time soon.  It’s just that the various goals I set for myself are achieved, even if there’s more to learn.  I hit my self-set plateau and choose to move on.