flaxknuckles
Member
As a contractor who doesn't get PTO, hell no
-
Hey Guest. Check out your NeoGAF Wrapped 2025 results here!
Ever took leave (time off) to clear your backlog?
- Thread starter The Horror the horror
- Start date
Dark Octave
Banned
I'm getting paid good money to post 10 times a day on this internet gaming forum and I have the 3DS on the scene. I work on the rest of my backlog when I get home.
Paper first homie.
Last time I took a week's vacation, I spent a lot of that time playing FFIX. I bought it 2 years ago on PSN and was like, I need to play the only PS1 FF I never tried out. Loved it, still didn't beat it. Got to disk 3.
I was playing other stuff, and once my girlfriend got done work my gaming time was done. This is why I gravitate toward fighters, and arcade-y games that I can play for 0.5-1h and feel like I accomplished something, ie. the opposite of RPGS.
Once I realized I was probably not going to play the game for a while, I pointed the camera towards my next goal and saved.
I was playing other stuff, and once my girlfriend got done work my gaming time was done. This is why I gravitate toward fighters, and arcade-y games that I can play for 0.5-1h and feel like I accomplished something, ie. the opposite of RPGS.
Once I realized I was probably not going to play the game for a while, I pointed the camera towards my next goal and saved.
giancarlo123x
Banned
No.
I only arrange days off for specific and special meetings with family or friends.
The time may come where I'll need to call off, due to an emergency or illness, and I wouldn't want to put the ability to do that in jeopardy by having already called too many days off previously.
I only arrange days off for specific and special meetings with family or friends.
The time may come where I'll need to call off, due to an emergency or illness, and I wouldn't want to put the ability to do that in jeopardy by having already called too many days off previously.
Dark Octave
Banned
Maybe if I lived with mom still or did back breaking work, I would consider it but there is no reason for me to take a day off to game.
Maybe even in the back of my mind still is the time I took a day off for the PS2 launch and got fired. It's just not that serious for me anymore. It'll always be there and I cleared a 100 game backlog in two years without missing a day of work and still played and finished new games. If I take a day off from work, it'll be for something I don't normally do.
I would take a day off to make my game rather than play someone else's, though.
pokeystaples
Banned
It doesn't, but I was asked if I took time off for backlog. That I did not. I have taken off days for releases though.
Uh, back in high school a few of my teachers took 2 sick days off for Halo 2. Do what makes you happy within reason.
I think what Freeman was trying to say was not that "someone who takes a day off to game needs professional help", but that "someone who takes a day off to clear their backlog needs professional help". And he/she might have a point there, exaggeration aside. When games become a job that needs to be done, clearing out games the way you might clear out paperwork, it's time to rethink your approach to gaming.
Jeronimo Jones
Member
I don't care that much about my backlog, so no. I did take a day off for the PS4 launch because I had plenty of leave time available and hardly take off.
flatearthpandas
Member
I take off a day or half day every now and then for a big release but if I used all of my vacation time to kill my backlog rather than to go on vacation with my girlfriend, I would probably find myself single.
Cross-Section
Member
In an earlier time, I might have ditched class to play a game I *really* wanted to play; these days, attendance is so essential (woo, quarter system) that all I can really do is shuffle around assignments and the like in order to get some playtime in. Even then, my backlog is nigh impenetrable as it's a struggle to get myself to "care" in the face of new releases and old infinitely-replayable favorites.
dragonflys545
Member
Every time I tell myself to clean up my backlog, I go on Dota 2 or D3 ROS...
HawthorneKitty
Sgt. 2nd Class in the Creep Battalion, Waifu Wars
Nope, the games just keep coming out, and since I usually buy those 60+ hour JRPGs, my backlog stands no chance.
I once planned some vacation days during the same time that a new MMO that I wanted to play launched. I spent 2 solid days playing and while I enjoyed myself, I can't see myself ever doing that again, especially for an MMO.
Last year around this time I had a hernia operation that necessitated that I be off my feet and fairly immobile for a week or two. I spent that time mostly playing and finishing Tales of Graces f and that was an extremely enjoyable way to spend my recuperation.
Last year around this time I had a hernia operation that necessitated that I be off my feet and fairly immobile for a week or two. I spent that time mostly playing and finishing Tales of Graces f and that was an extremely enjoyable way to spend my recuperation.
ArkkAngel007
Member
Never have for back log or new games. Between bids sometimes I got some time in and holidays of course, but never had the opportunities to do so while at work. School I was a bit of a mixed student who mislaid his priorities enough that clearing a backlog was not an issue.
In between work now you'd think I'd start clearing through it, but time sinks like Titanfall have to be a part of it...
In between work now you'd think I'd start clearing through it, but time sinks like Titanfall have to be a part of it...
kahboomkin
Member
If I'm home sick, I'll probably play some video games, but I wouldn't skip work just to play something.
I'd really like to do that to be completely honest, but it seems like everything goes to shit whenever I call in sick, so I try not to do that very often.
I'd really like to do that to be completely honest, but it seems like everything goes to shit whenever I call in sick, so I try not to do that very often.
chickdigger802
Banned
clearing your backlog sounds like work, so why waste PTO on that?
Chinbo37
Member
Not really but sometimes I take a day off or stay hme when im sick when i wuold otherwise just go to work to play a RPG or something.
I did this one day last year when I beat FFVI.
I think this started from when I was a kid every couple of months my mom would just let me take a day off of school and we would go get lunch together and i would just chill and play videogames.
I did this one day last year when I beat FFVI.
I think this started from when I was a kid every couple of months my mom would just let me take a day off of school and we would go get lunch together and i would just chill and play videogames.
No because I don't think that I should work to clear my backlog. No point in making it a chore like I HAVE to do it and take a whole day out just for it. At that point I feel like I'm just finishing them for the sake of finishing them. Plenty of hours in the day and plenty of holidays in the year to slowly work my way through them while enjoying them, one at a time. That's just me.
As for new games, I love the feeling of working all day knowing you have a fresh new game at home and finally coming home and relaxing. Makes it more worth it to me.
As for new games, I love the feeling of working all day knowing you have a fresh new game at home and finally coming home and relaxing. Makes it more worth it to me.
Fushichou187
Member
If sick leave counts, then yes. That's the only good thing to come from a cold/flu.
UpperCaseN
Member
OP, can you actually clear all 10 in your backlog in 1 month's time? Depends on the games of course, but with my tastes my answer would be no. Take time off to play video games, sure if you have spare PTO and nothing to do with it. I wouldn't take an entire month off just for video games though. Do a 3 or 4 day weekend, sure. Thing is when I take days off I end up running errands.
DizzyCaffeine
Member
No, I'd only take time off to play videogames if there was a particular game I was super obsessed with and I just wanted to keep playing.
I don't really care about my backlog anymore. Sometimes I get enough out of a game after a few hours, sometimes other games come along that pull my attention away, and sometimes life just gets in the way. But I'm not going to finish a game JUST to scratch it off my backlog list.
I don't really care about my backlog anymore. Sometimes I get enough out of a game after a few hours, sometimes other games come along that pull my attention away, and sometimes life just gets in the way. But I'm not going to finish a game JUST to scratch it off my backlog list.
xBladeM6x
Member
ScriptedReality
Member
Some people are closed minded. But I took Friday and Monday off for ff14 arr. Enjoyed it.
Starwolf_UK
Member
I could understand a few days off to play a big release or finishing a day early to catch an E3 conference but time off just for a backlog? I'd be so fed up of games by the time it ends...plus the backlog would be hardly dented.
SyaraSystem
Neo Member
For backlog? Absolutely not.
For the rare new release I'm ultra-hyped for? Maybe a day. (Thanks PTO)
For the rare new release I'm ultra-hyped for? Maybe a day. (Thanks PTO)
No. I don't think I'll ever make a point of taking time to clear my backlog. Part of it is that there's no way I would ever finish all of it (both because there are a lot of games and because I'm bad at them all). Part of it is that I like having a backlog (it's a nice side effect of casually collecting games). I'll finish one game, and go back to the shelf and have plenty of choices for what to play next. Now and again there's the old "too many options so I end up choosing none of them" thing, but most of the time I just pick something and get into it.
I do take days off from time to time though (why waste vacation days?) I usually play games on these days, like I do on most any other days. Some times I'll use days to do stuff with friends, family vacations, extra holiday time, whatever. I'll probably take a day off for E3 conferences. I've taken days off for new games coming out (even as far back as grade school, haha). But backlog clearing isn't time critical, and is a pretty broad and vague goal, so I wouldn't really take specific time for it.
I do take days off from time to time though (why waste vacation days?) I usually play games on these days, like I do on most any other days. Some times I'll use days to do stuff with friends, family vacations, extra holiday time, whatever. I'll probably take a day off for E3 conferences. I've taken days off for new games coming out (even as far back as grade school, haha). But backlog clearing isn't time critical, and is a pretty broad and vague goal, so I wouldn't really take specific time for it.
Solid SOAP
Member
Nope. I do love Nintendo games but taking time off of career, school, or other things important to my future so I can veg out for hours a day for over a week seems like a true waste of time to me. Nothing wrong with those who do and are happy doing so, but I feel that if I can take large amounts of time off where I have zero obligations, I'd like to spend that time with family/friends or going somewhere or experiencing something new. All the power to you if you love video games like that though. Everyone has a hobby that they live, who am I to say whether there's is a waste of time to them if it makes them happy?
That said, if there's a big game coming out that my friends and I have been waiting a while to play, I can see myself taking a day off to play it with them. Something like Super Smash or Mario Kart 8 where we can just take a day to explore it as much as possible would be awesome.
That said, if there's a big game coming out that my friends and I have been waiting a while to play, I can see myself taking a day off to play it with them. Something like Super Smash or Mario Kart 8 where we can just take a day to explore it as much as possible would be awesome.
I can't imagine doing a whole month for gaming. However, I did take three days off for the Halo 3 beta, which was almost sabatoaged because my buddy I was doing LAN with couldn't get the Crackdown disc to work. Luckily, mine was a token beta code and I just recovered my account on his console, downloaded it, and recovered my gamertag back on my console.
To each their own, but I would have a backup plan in case you get bored of gaming.
To each their own, but I would have a backup plan in case you get bored of gaming.
I'd say the difference could be pretty significant. On one hand you're taking time off to play a game you can't wait to get your hands on and on the other hand you're taking time off to play games you've had for X number of months and didn't make time to play.
I actually did it once I took a week off when the ps4 came out to clear my backlog of past gen games, it was nice I got a nice vacation and got to clear out my backlog and get caught up there was just 1 game I couldn't finish but I finished up like 3 others so i was fine with it.
fredrancour
Member
I guess all the "this sounds insane" people are those for whom the concept of "too tired to enjoy entertainment" is incomprehensible.
People who say "I'm too tired to enjoy games after work," what do you do that's so much less demanding? Tv? Internet? Absolutely nothing?
As for me, vacation days seem like they should be reserved for things that require an unusual physical location, or practical necessities. I could never justify spending vacation days on a hobby overdose when so much of my family lives on the opposite side of the country, for example.
People who say "I'm too tired to enjoy games after work," what do you do that's so much less demanding? Tv? Internet? Absolutely nothing?
As for me, vacation days seem like they should be reserved for things that require an unusual physical location, or practical necessities. I could never justify spending vacation days on a hobby overdose when so much of my family lives on the opposite side of the country, for example.
I remember during a part time job I called in sick for a week when in reality I locked myself in my room to play Persona 3 Portable, male and female protagonist playthrough. One of the most enjoyable experiences of my life waking up, making a coffee, doing some stretches and minor work out and than playing the rest of the day.
Super Nothing
Member
Most employees get PAID time off. Taking a day off to play video games isn't costing them any money. Many people (myself included) get into situations where they have to take leave or forfeit it. May as well get paid for sitting at home playing video games in that situation.
LBTRecords
Banned
I am planning on taken a day or two off when Smash bros comes and possibly the week off when Phantom pain comes out, so I say go for it. I would prefer to do it with new releases however instead of backlog.
MrFrankFontaine
Banned
I've never taken time off for my backlog. It's been rare, but I've only taken some time off for some highly anticipated titles that I most likely will play until completion.