Where do you get a time for playing guys?

[Kubannus]

Hi everybody,

as anyone here I love to play games, mainly CIV3 and also as most of us I have a problems with free time, not woh to spend ( CIV, CIV ) it but how to get it! I used to play 3 - 4 days a week lets say 2 - 6 hours, but this is past. Here is my situation now:

AGE 27 cool!!

MARIED (5 years) well ... its not so big problem, as it looks like. Everybody with a wife / girlfriend under one roof knows, that they like to watch romantic TV crap ... this means lot of CIV time YEAH! I hope there is nobody who is forced to watch it!

BABY (4 months) Guess what, yes this is the case. Imagine this, 5.30PM I`m back from work > have a snack > wc > play with baby (when my wife is feeding baby = conversate with her) > 18.30 - 19.00 bath the baby > play with baby (when my wife is feeding baby = conversate with her) / prepare dinner ASAP! > 20.30 - 21.30 my daughter fall asleep THANKS GOD! > dinner > house hold works > 23.00 > bathroom > bedroom / PC, it depens on Kubannus / wife energy status I`m able to stay awake to 2AM ones, or twice a week.

So this all means 2-3 hours ones or twice a week. I`m sad.


Dont take this too serious, I just want to hear your stories and I tried to be funny. Its clear, that I like to spend my time with my love baby and wife, than some dammit PC game, BUT THAT GAME WE ALL LIKE SO MUCH! Love you Sid!

 

[Turner]

Take some of that father/daughter time, and teach her how to play civ! At four months, she should pick it up pretty quick!

Well, my kids are older, and they like to watch TV and play gamecube/playstation. So while they play, I play. And I play while they're eating lunch. Thank god civ is TBS, I can put it down and take care of them as needed.

When my wife is around, it's a bit harder. What I figured out to do tho is if she makes me watch TV with her, I just complain about what she's watching and make her watch what I want to. Finally, one day she was watching TV while playing on the computer, and I reached for the remote. She said "I'm watching that" and I said "You get the remote, or computer, not both." Now a typical question in our house is 'Are you going to watch TV or play on the computer?' From both of us....

 

[Gengis Khan]

As a college student working a full time job as well I feel your pain. Throw in a girlfriend, and me and friends personal goal to drink Wilmington into a dry county, and unfortunatly that doesn't leave alot of time left over for Civ.

Luckily, I don't sleep much so I can take over the world while the rest of you snore.

 

[collin_stp]

hehe, this seems similar to me, I am 26, and have a two month old and a toddler. I still find time at night to play, though, after the kids go to bed. I can get in a good hour without too much complaint. I only get into trouble when I am in a middle of a major war and hit bedtime, (noooo, I can't, I have to keep playing) and a couple of hours later after my wife has been in bed for a while, I have to do my best to sneak in (never works). Then if I yawn once the next day I get the nth degree.

 

[SesnOfWthr]

Geez, I guess I've got it pretty good then. I work a regular daytime job. My girlfriend is still finishing up college so she does school during the day and works a couple nights and weekends. My only problems are:
A) When she wants to play I have to be the good guy and say "of course I don't mind sweetie" all the while visualizing the destruction of my nearest neighbor.
B) When I've really got wrapped up in a game and she wakes up at 3 am and asks what I'm still doing up. This doesn't become a problem until the morning when she tries to wake me up. I hate mornings! Then she complains.

 

[warpstorm]

You just gotta set your priorities (sleep is for the weak).

Or you could get a job where they don't frown on you playing games at work (I have to play games at work).

 

[davidcrazy]

i'm a graduate student working to get my phd...
i've install-delete the ptw for at least 4 times this semester..
i have a problem that once there's a game going i won't be able to focus on anything and so i have to finish it asap. after that i'll regret doing that and delete the game... but later on when the life gets easier the temptation will come back and i'll install the game again...

so what i'm doing now is try to develop a fast-game playing. my best record is finish a standard map on emporor level within 2 and half an hour and then the game will be deleted...

 

[alamo]

Wow! Emperor in 2.5 hours? You must not have many wars.

Gametime is a big problem, which is why the micromanagement is such a headache. But you play the game to have a good time, right?

 

[Berrern]

I'm only 23 years old, no wife or kids - but I do know exactly what you're talking about!

I'm working from 8am - 9/10pm every single day (except Sundays, when I dont work at all ). I have to get out of bed @ 06am in the morning, which is brutal! If you mend in travel to and from work, I'm basically 'working' from 6am - 10/11pm.

The problem is that I also need to find time for sleep, spend time with friends, girlfriend, family AND playing computer games!
It's not easy, I'll tell you that - but I've forced my body to sleep less. The only available time is at night, so I normally stay up until around 2am.

It's a living hell to get enough time to play computer games, but that's just the way it is. Sometimes you have to prioritize, it's just a question of doing the correct choices at the right time

 

[CDR Warren]

I get up at 0530 and play for 1 1/2 hours before work.

Our kids are grown. (This is key.)

My wife goes out 2 nights a week and I play for 6 hours those nights.

When we are home she works her arts and crafts, i play, and we both watch TV. Good for 4 hours three times a week.

I finish my weekend work on Saturday and we go out/socialize Saturday night. No Civ .

But then play a lot Sunday. Good for 10+ hours.

Obviously I am one sick fanatic. Currently mastering Demi.

CDR W

 

[denyd]

Kubannus:

My situation is similar to yours. Married for 4 years, a 2 year old son.

My day is up at 6:30am - Work from 8-5pm with surfing, posting and civ planning during lunch and breaks. Home by 6pm, play with son and dinner until about 8pm, take him up for bath and to put to bed (letting mommy get some alone time watching TV), then play Civ from 9-12pm and then to bed. I sometimes manage 3-4 hours of play on each weekend day and I plan on Saturday nights with the wife watching a rented movie. That gets me 18-20 hours per week of Civ time. The fact that my wife likes those reality shows (Apprentice, Survivor...) gives me a chance to play while they're on and she normally goes to bed around 10-10:30. So I get another 2 hours of play before I run out of gas.

The only problem is those one more turn nights that stretch to 2am and require lots of caffiene to make it through the day.

My other advantage is I got bored with pro sports and don't have any other hobbies, so I'm able to justify the time to the wife by not camping out in front of the TV all weekend watching sports or being out 2-3 nights a week with the boys (bowling, softball...). I've also found that one event per weekend (art & wine festival, go to Disneyland, go to the beach...) helps get the wife over cabin fever and buys me a little more civ time.

I think if you're honest with her and make trade offs with each other there's enough time for family, work and civ (and even a little sleep).

A couple of months ago, a very omnipresent fanatic, made the comment: "Civ is a demanding mistress and a consuming addiction" and that's the truest statement I've seen on this site.

 

[Kubannus]

Thanks a lot for great posts, guys!
here are my few comments:
warpstorm - You`re right man, but I would not like to pass out (off) somewhere!
Berrern - Poor boy, your job eats so much from your life time... You should think about it But you`re ironman!
CDR Warren - Man you live in heaven!
denyd - Thats the situation, I would like to be in. I hope, when my daughter will be 2yrs, thing will go better for me, I`m sure about it.

I`m looking forward, when my wife will go out with her friedns and I will stay at home to look after kid (plan: kid -> bed -> CIV) GOOD PLAN!. Bud she feeds by breast, so its impossible for now. And you know, she is home alone with sucker, so she is demanding more time from me now, than usually.

At the end, this is a stamp, I read today on the rear window of a car driving infront of me, and it realy gets me!
"I dont have a AIRBAG,
I dont have a ABS,
I want to die as a MAN!"

Thank you guys, for the others : Lets come up with something to!

 

[Volum]

HAHAi laugh at you old people (Ok not old, but older.)

I get up @ 6.40, im at school from 8.30 to 15.35(14.55 in Tuesday and Fridays)

Im usually home 16.30, then i eat. I got to the computer around 5. Pm, just to force out a few more minutes i have the computer turn itself on when its 16.50. Then i play the computer to around 21.45, sometimes all the way to 23.00.
I have no such thing as homework!
Ahhh, the beauty of the Norwegian education system

And in weekends, i have nothing to do, so i just play.

When u think about it, its kind of sad

 

[Kubannus]

Lets wait couple of years, I had that time in my life too. (we had a homeworks, bu I f... how to say it.. Oh yes, I just didnt do them)

 

[Berrern]

Originally posted by Kubannus

Berrern - Poor boy, your job eats so much from your life time... You should think about it But you`re ironman!

Hehe
Well, these insane work hours is only for a total of 1 year - and only 2 more months to go! Then it's back to England to finish my studies, which means a lot more time for games

See - I f***ed up my economy over there, so I had to take 1 year off the university - and just work, work, work to pay my debts!

@Volum: what kind of school do you go to? Primary?
I've been through 12 years of the Norwegian school system, and apart from the first 4, there's a lot of homework!

 

[Kubannus]

Originally posted by Berrern
Hehe
Well, these insane work hours is only for a total of 1 year - and only 2 more months to go! Then it's back to England to finish my studies, which means a lot more time for games

See - I f***ed up my economy over there, so I had to take 1 year off the university - and just work, work, work to pay my debts!

Oh, I see! It sounds way to better!

 

[Volum]

Originally posted by Berrern
Hehe
@Volum: what kind of school do you go to? Primary?
I've been through 12 years of the Norwegian school system, and apart from the first 4, there's a lot of homework!

Well, since i dont know what to call it in English im just gonna say Vidregående. And i dont have any homework, almost , its just that we have something thats called studyclasses where i use my time to do what little homework i might have, im telling you, i have the most lazy teachers ever!

 

[sealman]

Kubannus.

I am in the same boat with you, just longer. Mine is 11 months.

I get my Civ time when I am "paying the bills". Play a turn, pay a bill. One reason why I have avoided automatic billing.

Edit: Kubannus. That is a good plan, I work such a schedule that I get one day a week off, in addition to weekends, and that is my day with the baby. My wife has not figured out why he takes such long naps with me and not with her. That is because I am too pre occupied to hear the little bugger waking up until he really announces it.

 

[Berrern]

Originally posted by Volum
Well, since i dont know what to call it in English im just gonna say Vidregående. And i dont have any homework, almost , its just that we have something thats called studyclasses where i use my time to do what little homework i might have, im telling you, i have the most lazy teachers ever!

It's called Upper Secondary School

You're a lucky bastard, these years were a living hell for me when it came to homework! But still, even with homework, there was always time for Civ ;D

 

[Turner]

Originally posted by sealman
Edit: Kubannus. That is a good plan, I work such a schedule that I get one day a week off, in addition to weekends, and that is my day with the baby. My wife has not figured out why he takes such long naps with me and not with her. That is because I am too pre occupied to hear the little bugger waking up until he really announces it.

Wait, lemme guess...she gets mad at you for that, right?

Hey, even 11 month olds need some alone time! What's an extra turn or four, huh?