Any Tips For Fighting OCD

[Metal]

So to be honest I've been feeling pretty bummed out for a bit. I haven't really played much for a while and I'm reluctant to fire anything up. One of the biggest reasons, which I know is kinda silly, is my horrible OCD. Another is just not having alot of free time because of work. Since moving to PlayStation (whenever my first trophy is dated) - I've told myself "I'm not a completionist".. Truth is, I kind of am. Just not a very good one lol. Long story short: I have three games on my account that I will never complete. Fall Guys and Monster Hunter/Ice Borne. Reason being is that I would never want to dedicate enough time to them, as I only put them on my tag to play with my friends who lost interest in these games pretty fast. I knew it would happen (they're very casual gamers), I told myself I'd be ok with it and that I don't care. But man, it bugs the living shit out of me.

 

I think if I had started the games because I wanted to play them, it'd be fine honestly. I'd have no problem starting up something super hard that I may not have the skill to pull off.. I'd go at it pretty hard but inevitably move on and be proud to have it on my tag, because I wanted to play it. But my OCD is kicking my ass and I'm struggling to be at peace with it. Thus, I just haven't really been able to start anything new. 

 

I've even made a new profile. Earned two platinums but struggle with having the motivation to replay the games I've already platinumed. It's worth noting that my account is a baby account compared to some of the absolute monsters on here haha.

 

I'm just torn to be honest. Do I just suck it up and replay the games on the other tag.. Or do I just get over it and Bury those games by playing new games on this one. I fucking hate OCD. I've always struggled with it, not just with gaming.

 

Would be interesting to see if anyone else has struggled with stupid shit like this. Not like I can really talk to anyone about it at work and that. Pretty sure my wife couldn't give a fuck either lol.

 

Anyways, thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this and drop a reply.

 

Edit - Think I posted this in the wrong section. Thanks to whoever moved it!

Edited April 22, 2021 by FierceMetal

[Shikotei-kun]

My OCD may not be as strict as yours, but as a bit of a completionist I can sort of understand the irking feeling of not having done everything a game has to offer. With the usual exception of time-stressed objectives (let me take my time doing this!).

 

I know I had a lot of trouble going through Diablo III with its random generated maps (damn you returning fog of war!) and either spend time killing everything again (even if I just have to get to the other side of the area) and get that shiny loot/exp or not waste 15 minutes because the loot is mostly just junk (emphasis on mostly)...

 

In your case the game isn't too interesting to you to continue. The friends you wanted to play with abandoned it and thus leaving you hanging with an incomplete... thing...

You could hide your trophies to at least have them gone from this site and from other people's views... but you know they're there. So that's no good.

 

Which leaves just one real option: gotta finish 'em, and finish 'em fast; get it over with so the next game can be enjoyed to its fullest.

This is where you're lucky as all three games have multiplayer and can be boosted.

I cannot tell you how good the communities are for each game (haven't played them) or how easy it is to boost the remaining trophies.

Who knows you might turn some strangers into friends for some of the games. It may not be the same, but at least you'll be working on these things with someone else..

 

Also, your list may not be a monster list, but we all have to start somewhere. There's some very respectable 100%s in there (especially those Shadow of the Colossus time trials).

 

As for tips on fighting it.. that's hard. You could set a goal that's somewhat reachable without restricting too much.

I know I will never get a 100% completion rate. Some DLC's are delisted, some servers are gone.. things beyond my control happen and I have to deal with that.

So I set myself a goal to get and keep my profile above 90% (only reached that a few weeks ago when I went back to a lot of games and completed them) and to keep my games to A or S rating.

Maybe something like that will help?

[Metal]

32 minutes ago, Shikotei-kun said:

My OCD may not be as strict as yours, but as a bit of a completionist I can sort of understand the irking feeling of not having done everything a game has to offer. With the usual exception of time-stressed objectives (let me take my time doing this!).

 

I know I had a lot of trouble going through Diablo III with its random generated maps (damn you returning fog of war!) and either spend time killing everything again (even if I just have to get to the other side of the area) and get that shiny loot/exp or not waste 15 minutes because the loot is mostly just junk (emphasis on mostly)...

 

In your case the game isn't too interesting to you to continue. The friends you wanted to play with abandoned it and thus leaving you hanging with an incomplete... thing...

You could hide your trophies to at least have them gone from this site and from other people's views... but you know they're there. So that's no good.

 

Which leaves just one real option: gotta finish 'em, and finish 'em fast; get it over with so the next game can be enjoyed to its fullest.

This is where you're lucky as all three games have multiplayer and can be boosted.

I cannot tell you how good the communities are for each game (haven't played them) or how easy it is to boost the remaining trophies.

Who knows you might turn some strangers into friends for some of the games. It may not be the same, but at least you'll be working on these things with someone else..

 

Also, your list may not be a monster list, but we all have to start somewhere. There's some very respectable 100%s in there (especially those Shadow of the Colossus time trials).

 

As for tips on fighting it.. that's hard. You could set a goal that's somewhat reachable without restricting too much.

I know I will never get a 100% completion rate. Some DLC's are delisted, some servers are gone.. things beyond my control happen and I have to deal with that.

So I set myself a goal to get and keep my profile above 90% (only reached that a few weeks ago when I went back to a lot of games and completed them) and to keep my games to A or S rating.

Maybe something like that will help?

 

Appreciate your reply. You're right, hiding them would do nothing for me. Others not seeing them wouldn't change me knowing they're there and incomplete. It's definitely a personal issue.

 

I'm not sure how boostable these games are because Monster Hunter has some huge RNG elements and Fall Guys, well, I looked on the boosting section and it seems it's a requirement to do very long sessions with people, which I'd likely struggle to commit to because of work and family.

 

Thanks for your comment about SoTC. It's my favourite game, ever. It's probably also worth mentioning that I absolutely love my psn account name. I couldn't think of anything more perfect for me. I'm a massive metal head and I love games with swords. My name makes me think of that.

 

I like the idea of maintaining above 90%. That's sustainable. I hate that my OCD makes me hesitant to play games with friends and then end up regretting it. It kinda sucks but it's just how I'm wired. I had the same problem on xbox. Started games with friends for them to just get bored and stop playing. Resulting in me having incomplete games on my list, with no real interest in them.

 

Just touching back on the 90% convo - I guess one option would be to just clean up MH and FG a little by grabbing the low Hanging fruit and then move on. Still though, knowing me, it's one thing liking the idea but a different beast when it comes to actually doing it. OCD is just a bitch.

[totakos1]

MHW (not sure about iceborne)has weekly events that the crowns have 50-100% drop rate,calendar is on their website so you can actually plan ahead, Elders is the real grind, but thankfully they are only 5 if I remember correctly! OCD is part of who you are nothing wrong with that!

[Shikotei-kun]

I personally use the 90% as an excuse to drop certain games that at one point took my interest but were disappointing later on.

Like Trinity Universe (different combo set for each weapon), I Want To Be Human (horrible controls, screen-shake and overly crowded graphics).

 

Currently I have around 15 games that I returned to (some over 8 years later) and completed. I'm also worried about the future of the PS3 and the multiplayer trophies so those are now being taken care of.. OCD or completionism, both have to deal with pesky statistics.

And at least that many games that I still have to return to (Batman games are going to be a pain)..

 

Maybe you can do what I sometimes do during grindy times: turn off the sound of your game (sound effects, music, everything) and put on some relaxing tunes like Amon Amarth, Slipknot, a hint of Blind Guardian, maybe vary it a little with good 'ol Within Temptation or Evanescence. I played most of the Black Flag battles with Alestorm on (just to fit the mood of the naval combat).

Anything that would make the grinding more awesome.

So yeah.. if it's possible try to make external factors more important and contribute to the experience of the game.

 

[AihaLoveleaf]

All your incomplete games are still obtainable which is pretty great. 100% is in reach. Would love to be in the same position.

 

Everyone has different tolerance levels when it comes to games like the ones you listed so any talk about going hard and finishing them up probably won't be terribly useful to you. If you're at least somewhat interested in platting these games someday I'd consider short bursts of focused practice. Find what you're worst at in all three games and practice them a few times a week at least. I don't know much about Fall Guys so I'm just going off the top of my head here, but if there's a set of minigames you suck at, get some focused practice on those and make your sessions meaningful. Don't log in to the games and wander aimlessly, you have trophies to slay.

 

Like @Shikotei-kun said, get into boost sessions and make some friends. If you got a group working towards the same goal, you're going to be more motivated to get it done because you don't want to let your group down.

Edited April 22, 2021 by AihaLoveleaf
Messed up my @ tag

[fenyximmortali]

Here’s a novel idea for fighting OCD: beat that SOB! Or rather use it to your advantage.

 

You’ve managed to rack up a nice profile in a very short time (under two years) and most of your plats were also acquired in a matter of days rather than weeks.

 

If you’ve acquired something more valuable on this profile - self knowledge- 

 

Then you could safely start a new profile, only playing what you want to play regardless of appearance and completion this time. Don’t play with casual friends if you know you will end up like this with something that bugs the living hell out of you. Listen to yourself, you’re the only one you ultimately have to live with. 

 

And if you WANT to try new stuff that you’re not sure about or have temporary fun with friends, you could always use your current profile for experiments since you feel you’ve already messed it up.

 

Two cents from someone who hides their profile to avoid pressures or distractions like these altogether and just play for the pure love of the game. 

[DrBloodmoney]

You certainly don't seem willing to simply accept your more obsessive tendencies becoming a burden, so really - if you were to start  a new profile for the sake of completion - do you truly believe that would that help?

 

Sooner or later, there is going to come a time when something breaks that 100%.

Whether it's a glitchy trophy, a closed server, a delisted dlc, a hacked lobby, or just a good old-fashioned challenge too tough that you just can't beat and end up going down fighting.

 

The only way to safeguard against that is to be so incredibly cautious, so careful, and cherry pick every game you might play that you run the risk of never feeling free to play what you want to play for the love of the game again. 

Wouldn't that essentially be you submitting?

Accepting that your tendencies towards obsessive completionism have destroyed the spontaneity of your gaming habits, and giving in?

 

If you truly are looking for tips to fight obsessive tendencies, then I think starting over with a perfect profile to safeguard is exactly the wrong way to go.

That would be like trying to cure the pain that comes with alcoholism by just being permanently drunk.

 

I think there is fun and excitement and satisfaction and pleasure to be found in completionism - I consider myself a completionist - though I have never had a 100% profile in my life ?

The very notion that one needs to have a 100% profile - or even have the possibility of a 100% profile (I don't) - to call oneself a completionist?

This far into the lifespan of trophies as a hobby, that is a fallacy - and a dangerous one for someone with your tendencies.

 

Completionism can be simply about the constant pursuit of betterment of a profile, rather than the cultivation and maintenance of a perfect one.

It is, after all, in the pursuit of perfection that the fun lies - and that's what we're all here for ☺️

 

It is also in the pursuit that the benefits of your tendencies can actually be allowed to flourish somewhat.

After all, 'obsessive tendencies' might be detrimental to you in some aspects, as you have said, but obsessive tendencies are merely the bastard cousin of fortitude, perseverance, determination and resolve - all the positive traits that you can draw on to craft and maintain an impressive profile, without requiring a 100%.

 

The traits you have that can be your enemy, can also be a huge asset - in life, in work and in trophy hunting - you just need to make sure you are driving the car, and they are just giving navigation advice. 

 

Let them drive, and they'll lead you down a dark, overly cautious path, but that doesn't mean they can't help you get where you want to go, as long as you have final say on the route you take.

 

 

 

 

[Helyx]

Have a wank and find clarity.

[Mesopithecus]

1 hour ago, totakos1 said:

MHW (not sure about iceborne)has weekly events that the crowns have 50-100% drop rate,calendar is on their website so you can actually plan ahead, Elders is the real grind, but thankfully they are only 5 if I remember correctly! OCD is part of who you are nothing wrong with that!

 

All the events for both MHW and Iceborne were made permanent back in December, so it's even better now for someone playing the game to get the crowns  

[Metal]

1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

"You certainly don't seem willing to simply accept your more obsessive tendencies becoming a burden, so really - if you were to start  a new profile for the sake of completion - do you truly believe that would that help?.."

 

"The only way to safeguard against that is to be so incredibly cautious, so careful, and cherry pick every game you might play that you run the risk of never feeling free to play what you want to play for the love of the game again.."

 

"If you truly are looking for tips to fight obsessive tendencies, then I think starting over with a perfect profile to safeguard is exactly the wrong way to go.."

 

 

"The traits you have that can be your enemy, can also be a huge asset - in life, in work and in trophy hunting - you just need to make sure you are driving the car.."

 

That's the biggest thing for me. I'm not willing to accept my more obsessive tendencies. I just really struggle with them in certain situations. I'm trying to figure out the best way to go about overcoming them in these situations.

 

You're also right, cherry picking games and never really having freedom to play just for the love of gaming.. Sounds fucking miserable. I also think starting over with a perfect profile would probably be detrimental long term. Let's say I did, and then I run into some of the issues you've mentioned in your post regarding glitched trophies or server closure etc.. I'm more likely to just fuck it off again, then constantly be recompleting the same games over and over in a viscious cycle, every time I run into a problem. Also sounds fucking miserable.

 

My obsessive traits have definitely lead to a lot of success in other areas of my life. I'm stubborn, driven and always work hard. It certainly isn't always a bad thing. I think it's just when it seeps into a lifelong hobby that has often been my escape from real life/every day stresses, it kinda sucks. I want to change that, for sure.

 

I do like to think that if these games were actually games that I myself wanted to play, it wouldn't bother me as much. To be completely honest though, I wouldn't know because that's not how they ended up on my profile.

 

 

Edited April 22, 2021 by FierceMetal

[Metal]

53 minutes ago, Mesopithecus said:

 

All the events for both MHW and Iceborne were made permanent back in December, so it's even better now for someone playing the game to get the crowns  

 

Interesting. I look at the trophies I've earned for MH and I genuinely wouldn't even know where to start. It seems like it would be a hell of a grind Solo. It's not that I didn't enjoy what I've played of the game either. It's just I can't imagine it being much fun without my friends who dropped the game.

 

I may do some research as to how long this would take and how bad of a grind it would really be.

[DrBloodmoney]

26 minutes ago, FierceMetal said:

 

I do like to think that if these games were actually games that I myself wanted to play, it wouldn't bother me as much. To be completely honest though, I wouldn't know because that's not how they ended up on my profile.

 

 

 

I can certainly understand that feeling - as the decidedly incomplete Singstar and Guitar Hero trophies on my list will attest ?

 

There are definitely times when I wish I had thought of having a second account on my PS3 for house parties back in the day, but hey, in the end, those games forced me to pretty much give up on the idea of a perfect profile even back then, so when Zen Pinball delisted it's dlc, and Army of Two 2 changed their website, making a trophy in that game impossible, that was just icing on an already pretty well-frosted cake.

 

I have to tell you though, as someone with a lot of compulsive habits myself - in all walks of life, I should add, not just in trophy hunting (my use of alcoholism as a comparison wasn't exactly hypothetical, I'm coming up on my 13 years sober this year) - I've come to not only make peace with the unobtainable stuff on my profile, but to relish it.

 

If it wasn't there already, I might easily have ended up falling into the golden handcuffs that a perfect profile creates - I might never have played Wolfenstein 2 or Dead Space 2, given I knew well ahead of time I would never be able to finish them, or even to have played some of the harder stuff that I did eventually complete, and love, like Invisible Inc or Sekiro or a couple dozen other games I started not expecting to be able to finish. 

I might have been to trepidatious about messing up the perfection - and that would have been a crying shame.

 

Once there was already a few stains on the t-shirt, it made it that much easier to just say "fuck it, march through the muck and see how far I could get. ?

Edited April 22, 2021 by DrBloodmoney

[Metal]

1 hour ago, DrBloodmoney said:

 

"I can certainly understand that feeling - as the decidedly incomplete Singstar and Guitar Hero trophies on my list will attest .."

 

"I have to tell you though, as someone with a lot of compulsive habits myself - in all walks of life, I should add, not just in trophy hunting (my use of alcoholism as a comparison wasn't exactly hypothetical, I'm coming up on my 13 years sober this year) - I've come to not only make peace with the unobtainable stuff on my profile, but to relish it.."

 

"If it wasn't there already, I might easily have ended up falling into the golden handcuffs that a perfect profile creates - I might never have played Wolfenstein 2 or Dead Space 2, given I knew well ahead of time I would never be able to finish them, or even to have played some of the harder stuff that I did eventually complete, and love, like Invisible Inc or Sekiro or a couple dozen other games I started not expecting to be able to finish. 

I might have been to trepidatious about messing up the perfection - and that would have been a crying shame.."

 

That's it dude. You see, my OCD has never really been forgiving of spontaneous decisions. Living in the moment and all that jazz.. Its cool, I dig it. But it's not how I typically live my life on a day to day, even though some of my fondest memories have been created that way.

 

Hats off to you though mate, huge respect for your 13 years sober. I say this not as someone who has battled with alcoholism. But as someone who's family has been torn to shreds through a battle with alcoholism. Unfortunately, a battle I fear will never be conquered. May not mean too much coming from a random guy on the Internet, but it's heartfelt. 

 

I feel you on that last statement too. I think a positive thing about being a completionist - is starting up something that you don't know if you can beat. It's a pretty sweet buzz when you do pull it off. The negative is definitely when you start a game for the wrong reasons and then are left feeling as though you have to slog through it (or have a mini meltdown)... That's where I'm at. This is why I would never play a game purely for trophies. Its just a shame it makes me hesitant to play games that my friends want me to play with them.

Edited April 22, 2021 by FierceMetal

[PalaceOfLove706]

For me, it’s just shifting the obsession. Focus on quantity one day, rarity the next, but never completion. Once I got this thing up to 50% after being in the 30s for years, I called it a day. Staying above 50% is enough for me now.

[Shikotei-kun]

15 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

Sooner or later, there is going to come a time when something breaks that 100%.

Whether it's a glitchy trophy, a closed server, a delisted dlc, a hacked lobby, or just a good old-fashioned challenge too tough that you just can't beat and end up going down fighting.

This. This right here is why I don't even want a 100% profile.

It's too fragile to maintain, too dangerous to choose a new game, too frightening to not know what'll happen to the game after you 100% it.

Take A Hat in Time, a game I completed (and enjoyed doing so) that was at the time 2 years old. Two weeks ago (nearly 3 and a half years after release) two DLCs were added.

So even IF you were to cherry pick games that are "old" and no longer get updates, there's still the chance they DO get updates out of seemingly nowhere.

 

If I had a 100% profile right now, and something would break that.. I'd have to throw away a decade of games. No. -bleep-. Way.

 

Indivisible is also a game I really enjoyed playing. Getting that platinum was a great experience. But it will never be a 100%.

The DLC has bugged trophies and the developer is gone. This is dead in the water. I knew this when I started.

Should I have played this on an alt (not that I have any), simply because of this?

Maybe, but would I not also care about that alt not having a 100% profile?

 

What I'm trying to say is that it's okay to not have that perfect, flawless, painstakingly upkept, frighteningly protected 100% profile.

The few profiles I've seen that do have a 100% are littered with games that have a superhigh completion rate (mostly 80% and above).

I can't imagine those being as fun as completing something like Hollow Knight. An amazing 2D platformer with such a deep story (and a 10% completion rate). It feels as if they play what they have to play, not what they enjoy to play.

 

12 hours ago, FierceMetal said:

I feel you on that last statement too. I think a positive thing about being a completionist - is starting up something that you don't know if you can beat. It's a pretty sweet buzz when you do pull it off.

I see trophies as a challenge. "I bet you can't complete this game on Hard!" or "Can you find all collectibles?".

Rise to it and give it a shot. If you succeed then that's more power to you. If you fail, then at least you tried; we can't all have the required reflexes, brainpower. patience, foolhardiness that is sometimes required across a whole slew of games.

It's important to separate desire and ability in these cases. Otherwise you'll only beat yourself morally.

 

14 hours ago, FierceMetal said:

My obsessive traits have definitely lead to a lot of success in other areas of my life. I'm stubborn, driven and always work hard. It certainly isn't always a bad thing. I think it's just when it seeps into a lifelong hobby that has often been my escape from real life/every day stresses, it kinda sucks. I want to change that, for sure.

My line of work also supports my tendencies to check any and all possible situations and make sure they do not cause issues.

The ever-present "what if" thoughts certainly help me find these and has helped me be better at what I do.

With regards to games like The Outer Worlds, Lords of the Fallen, and Horizon Zero Dawn being on the lookout for possibilities (enemy movement, position, attack patterns) it certainly helps knowing them all and having a plan for each event.

 

I hate redoing the same game, I don't even like multiple playthroughs unless it really adds something (challenge, new enemies, missed quests) or is required to "collect them all". I carefully planned Fallout 4 to have only 1 playthrough; each ending was only 1-2 hours away from my main savegame. I'd rather plan a few extra steps that may take me hours to come up with than redo a 70+ hour playthrough.

 

My point is that obsessive tendencies can be harnessed to your benefit for games; and it may be up to you to find out which ones and how to do this.

 

Games are my escape from reality too. Especially with the current pandemic going on. Not to mention we have a curfew (which further limits any socializing with friends).

Sitting in the same room all day without much change is just.. when I play games most of the world doesn't exist anymore. Time flies while I save the world, rescue my kidnapped child, explore unknown regions of space in some fantastical setting.

The same happens when I read books.
 

13 hours ago, DrBloodmoney said:

If it wasn't there already, I might easily have ended up falling into the golden handcuffs that a perfect profile creates - I might never have played Wolfenstein 2 or Dead Space 2, given I knew well ahead of time I would never be able to finish them, or even to have played some of the harder stuff that I did eventually complete, and love, like Invisible Inc or Sekiro or a couple dozen other games I started not expecting to be able to finish. 

I might have been to trepidatious about messing up the perfection - and that would have been a crying shame.

Regarding Dead Space 2 I feel you. Doing a hardcore playthrough (allowed to save the game three times TOTAL) in a game where death lurks around every corner AND has some insta-lose is not something I even want to attempt. Hats off to all who did that.

 

13 hours ago, FierceMetal said:

The negative is definitely when you start a game for the wrong reasons and then are left feeling as though you have to slog through it (or have a mini meltdown)... That's where I'm at. This is why I would never play a game purely for trophies. Its just a shame it makes me hesitant to play games that my friends want me to play with them.

The hesitation to play games with your friends has a solution: you recently created a new profile that can be used for these games. If you think you can enjoy these games without your friends (after it's completed or abandoned) you could maybe possibly add it to your main account.

I know some may shoot me for this, because the game would have to be played a second time, but if the main concern is maintaining a list of games that are truly enjoyed it may be the only way.

 

The slogging through is something that has led me to drop a game (or a trophy). Playing should be fun and rewarding. If the reward isn't worth the effort I just might not want it (looking at you Ludger Transformation Spree: do something 250 times that takes 1 minute each with unskippables, ugh). And as long as I can keep up my average high enough I think I'm allowed to drop a game.

Who knows in 8 years I might come back and play some more.

[Metal]

1 hour ago, Shikotei-kun said:

"If I had a 100% profile right now, and something would break that.. I'd have to throw away a decade of games. No. -bleep-. Way.."

 

"Indivisible is also a game I really enjoyed playing. Getting that platinum was a great experience. But it will never be a 100%.

The DLC has bugged trophies and the developer is gone. This is dead in the water. I knew this when I started.

Should I have played this on an alt (not that I have any), simply because of this?

Maybe, but would I not also care about that alt not having a 100% profile?.."

 

"The few profiles I've seen that do have a 100% are littered with games that have a superhigh completion rate (mostly 80% and above).

I can't imagine those being as fun as completing something like Hollow Knight. An amazing 2D platformer with such a deep story (and a 10% completion rate). It feels as if they play what they have to play, not what they enjoy to play.."

 

"I see trophies as a challenge. "I bet you can't complete this game on Hard!" or "Can you find all collectibles?".

Rise to it and give it a shot. If you succeed then that's more power to you. If you fail, then at least you tried; we can't all have the required reflexes, brainpower. patience, foolhardiness that is sometimes required across a whole slew of games.."

It's important to separate desire and ability in these cases. Otherwise you'll only beat yourself morally.

 

 

I think with my account being relatively new (under two years) and it not having a big list of awesome feats. It's too easy for me to think, fuck it, I'll start over. My xbox tag has much more history, hence why I never could bring myself to start over because of the same reasons (playing games with friends, who get bored and then move on). You'd think I'd learn, right? But here I am pretty frustrated again. 

 

Yup, even though I've felt like I need to really just get over it and stick with what I've got. I still had to fire up the alt at the weekend and finish Spyro. OCD is not limited to one account. So having an alt to play rando games on and not care, just wouldn't work for me. I'd still have overwhelming urges to finish what I've started. Like I mentioned before; it's 100% a personal issue. Would never matter to me what's visible to other people etc. Me knowing is enough for the OCD to act up again. Lol.

 

I also can't see the fun or challenge in maintaining a perfect profile if it's littered with rubbish games. Can't say I've actually ever looked at a perfect profile on here, but it I've seen plenty in the xbox achievement hunting community. Each to there own and all that but it's certainly not for me.

 

I like the challenge that is hunting trophies. I enjoy it most when it is exactly that, a challenge. I'm always down to give something hard a shot. It's an element of gaming I've always thoroughly enjoyed.

 

I like how you talk about separating desire and ability. This is why I'd happily (whilst being an OCD maniac completionist), load up something like Super Meat Boy or Wolfenstein II. Because, A) those games look awesome. B ) if the ability wasn't there, but the desire was, I know it's likely a matter of time investment to gain said ability. Which if fueled by desire, mostly because the games are awesome, is not a terrible chore. Granted the two games I've used as an example here are notoriously difficult and I may never be able to see them through, even with all the desire in the world. However, I genuinely believe that I would be ok with that.. Because I would of had the desire to play them in the first place.

 

 

Edited April 23, 2021 by FierceMetal

[DrBloodmoney]

1 hour ago, Shikotei-kun said:

 

I see trophies as a challenge. "I bet you can't complete this game on Hard!" or "Can you find all collectibles?".

Rise to it and give it a shot. If you succeed then that's more power to you. If you fail, then at least you tried; we can't all have the required reflexes, brainpower. patience, foolhardiness that is sometimes required across a whole slew of games.

It's important to separate desire and ability in these cases. Otherwise you'll only beat yourself morally.

 

?Perfect.

 

It's easy to forget sometimes - especially in an environment like this site where, all around us, there is a constant maelstrom of gaming achievements, speedy platinum times, profile signature cards filled with high completion percentages, updates about difficulty platinums being conquered, and a constant reminder of the trophy horserace in the form of a leaderboard -  that there is nobility in failure.

 

Trying, and failing, then picking yourself back up and trying again, or even just admitting defeat with your head held high and accepting that you did your best, is an honourable thing.

 

 

 

[Mesopithecus]

19 hours ago, FierceMetal said:

 

Interesting. I look at the trophies I've earned for MH and I genuinely wouldn't even know where to start. It seems like it would be a hell of a grind Solo. It's not that I didn't enjoy what I've played of the game either. It's just I can't imagine it being much fun without my friends who dropped the game.

 

I may do some research as to how long this would take and how bad of a grind it would really be.

 

I will admit, it will still be fairly time consuming however when I played around 6 months ago, I found a very active community still so if there was anything I was struggling with - I'd pop up an SOS flare and most the time some crazy OP person would come along and help.  My save file for MHW and Iceborne combined comes in at 535 hours, and I'd say I had some insane good luck with some of the crowns.

 

 

So as for the OCD aspect of trophy hunting, I find sometimes when people start over on new profiles it can end up being a very circular process - there will be another game that will block the 100% completion whether it's because a glitched trophy, lack of skill etc.  There is someone here on the forums who I've watched go through 15+ different accounts and at this point all that mostly appears on the account are games that are considered ezpz padding.

 

I won't say all 100% accounts I've seen are padded with trash though, there are some very impressive 100% accounts out there (PrinceOfPeace for example)

 

I'm not so good at giving tips with dealing with the OCD, it's something that's very personal and individual, and what works for one person might not work for the next.  For a while I had an obsession with trying to get up to 100% and I'd always falter at around 98.5%, recently I had a change of mind and realized that maintaining 100% (or as close to) just ended up being too stressful and part of the fun for me is building up a profile - so I started like 20+ games in a day and popped a trophy in each.  That might not be an optimal solution though, especially if you get anxiety seeing incomplete games.

 

I guess what I'm saying is to stick with it, maybe work on some of the unfinished games as an ongoing project, whilst also playing some new games around them.  Even if you only play an hour a day or week on those older games, it's still progress even though it might not look much to start with.

 

 

[Dr_Mayus]

Well for OCD i would consult your doctor who can prescribe excercises, therapy or medication.

 

I have doctor in my name but am not trained to give medical advice

[Savage_Sarabi]

Been there, done that. I've had about half a dozen accounts since first getting my PS3 in like 2009 or 2010 or so. I got too obsessive over my trophy list and would restart. I feel like I'm finally at a point where I know exactly which games I never want to play again and which ones I wouldn't mind getting the plat in again. I'm at the point right now with the pandemic and still working from home my obsessiveness is trying so hard to come back, but I am angry with myself for not allowing myself to sit down and just play whatever I want after work, because I'm tired and I just want to unwind. Why do I feel like I have to be able to make significant progress for me to even want to play a game? Why can't I just pop in any old disc off my shelf and start playing it and adding it to my profile? So I'm back to just starting everything and seeing what clicks, because I don't want to be so obsessive over my list when it means I have a shelf full of games I bought and want to play but haven't yet. 

[ladynadiad]

For me I put off the obnoxious stuff that I don't want to deal with now until the very end.  By very end I mean after I've tackled everything else in my backlog that I'm willing to tackle.  Focus on other stuff.  Starting and completing new games also would up your completion a bit with how few games you have so that might help if the completion being below 90% is one driving factor.  Pretty much how it works is that the more games you have on your profile, the less each game counts towards your completion stats.  Right now with less than 20 games, the drop is pretty large and that can really drive someone like you nuts.  If you make those games that are hurting it now count for less, it will be easier to deal with them being there.  You can also try and work at chipping away on those games a bit at a time or see if there are others you can play with.

 

I think one other thing that would help in the future is to only play games YOU are interested in.  Don't play a game that doesn't interest you just because your friends are.  Establish a boundary that you'll say no if the game isn't something you want to play and hold to that.  Having firm boundaries in general is very important because we already spend a lot of time in our lives doing things out of obligation.  Your time with your friends shouldn't be an obligation, it should be fun.  This is something a lot of people forget and they let others trample all over their boundaries or they don't even have any.  So really, give yourself permission to say no if you aren't interested.

[Wolf_Town_Spider]

On 22/04/2021 at 2:08 PM, Metal said:

So to be honest I've been feeling pretty bummed out for a bit. I haven't really played much for a while and I'm reluctant to fire anything up. One of the biggest reasons, which I know is kinda silly, is my horrible OCD. Another is just not having alot of free time because of work. Since moving to PlayStation (whenever my first trophy is dated) - I've told myself "I'm not a completionist".. Truth is, I kind of am. Just not a very good one lol. Long story short: I have three games on my account that I will never complete. Fall Guys and Monster Hunter/Ice Borne. Reason being is that I would never want to dedicate enough time to them, as I only put them on my tag to play with my friends who lost interest in these games pretty fast. I knew it would happen (they're very casual gamers), I told myself I'd be ok with it and that I don't care. But man, it bugs the living shit out of me.

 

I think if I had started the games because I wanted to play them, it'd be fine honestly. I'd have no problem starting up something super hard that I may not have the skill to pull off.. I'd go at it pretty hard but inevitably move on and be proud to have it on my tag, because I wanted to play it. But my OCD is kicking my ass and I'm struggling to be at peace with it. Thus, I just haven't really been able to start anything new. 

 

I've even made a new profile. Earned two platinums but struggle with having the motivation to replay the games I've already platinumed. It's worth noting that my account is a baby account compared to some of the absolute monsters on here haha.

 

I'm just torn to be honest. Do I just suck it up and replay the games on the other tag.. Or do I just get over it and Bury those games by playing new games on this one. I fucking hate OCD. I've always struggled with it, not just with gaming.

 

Would be interesting to see if anyone else has struggled with stupid shit like this. Not like I can really talk to anyone about it at work and that. Pretty sure my wife couldn't give a fuck either lol.

 

Anyways, thanks in advance to anyone who takes the time to read this and drop a reply.

 

Edit - Think I posted this in the wrong section. Thanks to whoever moved it!

Oh you are so not alone. It’s a nightmare. I’ve always found the best method is to feed the OCD.
 

The only way I’m ever at peace is when I do what needs to be done. Otherwise it eats away at me and it makes me very edgy and moody.

 

If your incomplete games are still possible I’d say go for it. I’ve pushed myself to heights I never thought I could achieve in pursuit of completion and I’m not saying it’s worth it but I certainly was at peace with myself after.

 

Your other option is to speak to someone but I feel it would have to be someone who’s experienced it first hand as it’s not an easy thing to understand for someone who doesn’t know what it’s like.

 

In relation to trophies I’ve battled this since 2009. I’ve never held 100% but I’ve always pursued it. I am on the brink of finally achieving it for the first time in over 12 years and I’m considering using it as an opportunity to get out. I do enjoy the challenge but I think I’m at the point now that if something went wrong I worry about how it would make me feel. 

 

It’s a very bizarre thing OCD how some more blatant every day situations don’t bother us in the slightest but then other random objectives can become an obsession despite often being more irrelevant or unrelated in day to day life.

[Arophous]

Looks like you already decided with that sweet Fall Guys 100%, congrats!

 

A profiles a profile, whether it’s a hundred 1% completed titles or a hundred platinum complete titles or a hundred 100% completed titles. All that really matters is that you have fun or that the activity you’re doing is towards something you feel is a goal, that way when obstacles appear in your way, you can take steps towards defeating them, which is what gaming is really all about!! 
 

The journey is where we get true value (things we experience - emotions, people we meet, getting better at something), the destination just sums it up for us.

 

Although my profile is tiny I was also thinking about restart a couple of years ago - on reflection now I’m glad I didn’t, instead my journey has seen some epic ness (totally personal opinion of my experience) in gaming that even if they aren’t 100% titles, allow me to recall those experiences. 

[ninjagirl657]

I know how you feel with having OCD, there are times I can control it and there are times when I can't. I find setting yourself a realistic goal to satisfy your OCD is the way to go, for me personally I had to force myself to play games I don't like (Fifa 15,18), just to get my percentage up to a certain point. Sometimes I don't play certain games on my main account, as I know in my heart if I do, my OCD will take over and I become fixated on that one game. I had an experience with FF7 remake, I had to do the pro challenge mini game (hate mini games), where my OCD kicked in and I couldn't move forward with the game itself until I did the trophy, I eventually asked for help as it was affecting my mental health, I got borderline personality disorder and I was able to move forward with the game, because a fellow trophy hunter helped me with that 1 trophy. But if i didn't ask for help, I wouldn't of been able to enjoy the rest of the game.

 

I personally hunt for the fun and to test my skill, I am a completionist and do strive to get the S rank, but I also have a few rules when I hunt, so my mental health OCD element can be satisfied and I can move on to other games. I would first say, set a realistic goal for your OCD, that you can be happy with, for me it is getting an A rank with an average of 70-80%, having a completion average of 80-90% or above on your profile, I know I will never have a full 100% profile and I'm fine with that. So long as I have an A rank to an certain percentage, I'm happy and my OCD is controlled. 

 

The 2nd tip is to not let your OCD overrun your life or gaming experience,(easy said, then done) if it gets to a point your being burned out or you can't move on to other games due to your mental health, stop playing that game or ask for help with the trophy's, so you can move on. This is my 2nd rule, that I don't let a trophy ruin my mental health, once it does it can play on your mind for ages. I got a 2nd account that I play certain game's I know I will not go for the 100%, in these games I set a realistic goal, so it don't affect my mental health, as once it does, I know I have to ask for help or move on.  I did this with street fighter 4, I knew personally I would not get the 100%, but I really wanted to do the trials for the challenge and to test my skill, I wanted to enjoy the game and get better as a player and not a trophy hunter. I've got to 48.9% so far in the trials and I'm having fun, sometimes my OCD kicks in and I chase other trophy's by accident due to my OCD. I did the same with Assassin creed 4 black flag & unity, I hate multiplayer trophy's on single player games, but I had to play the series in order, to satisfy my OCD.

 

I put these two games on my other account, so I could play them in story order and by not having it on my main account, my OCD won't force me to do trophy's I did not want to do. Same goes with street fighter 4, I really wanted to play it, as I haven't played street fighter for 15 years and wanted to try the game and just do the 1 frame trials for fun. But I didn't want the trophy's to stop me from playing the game itself, so I put it on my other account so I can play it at my own pace and not worry about the trophy's. Sorry for the long post, but hope it helps. By the way it is not stupid or silly to feel like this, to others who don't have OCD it may seem that way, but to people like us who do, it not silly in any sense.