this post was submitted on 09 Jul 2023
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I see so many people talking about using their deck to play games while others are watching TV with their partners or whatever. But I just can’t do it. I hate not hearing the sound effects, music, voice acting when playing a game, and I tend to find myself not using the deck as often as I would like as a result.

Am I just weird?

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[–] [email protected] 8 points 1 year ago

I just use headphones if my wife is on the TV.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago (1 children)

Am I just weird?

For not just using headphones? A little, yeah.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I think a crucial component is where I say watching TV passively etc. I use headphones when I am focusing on playing games only.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 1 year ago

Headphones?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I use bone conductors almost all the time. They're great.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I think this is the best solution for these situations. I have a pair of aeroshokz and they do seem to work pretty well.

[–] [email protected] 3 points 1 year ago

For me it depends. If I'm playing a game for the first time, I have to have sound on, but if I'm not playing for the first time then I'm okay without sound. Also some games like factorio, cities:skylines, minecraft, etc I like to play with my own music or a podcast.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Unlike the others I do play without sound and its not as great but I still do it. I usually like to do side quests though as I don't want to miss cut scenes.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I think we use 🎧 🤔.

There's even ambient/passthrough mode on noise canceling ones now a days.

Or there's also bone conducting ones like Trekz.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

Headphones, brah

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago

I agree. It's like watching a TV show or movie without sounds

Its half the experience!!

[–] [email protected] 2 points 1 year ago (2 children)

It depends on the game. I mostly play from the couch while my wife watches TV after the kiddo goes to bed. Some games I play totally muted but others get a little volume. If there’s no one around to distract, I’ll usually play around 30-50% volume.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

Same, depends on the game. And sometimes the part of the game I’m in. If it’s a grindy/mindless part, I have no issue playing without sound. But if it’s a narrative part, even with subtitles on (cuz I always have them on) sound must be on.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I can play something like Vampire Survivors with no sound and won't miss it. But if a game has dialog, not having sound would be dumb.

[–] rhody 1 points 1 year ago

I'm the same way. I just keep one earbud in and pause the game when someone starts talking (granted that only works on single player games).

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I don't prefer it but it's very different for sure. I grew up with a Hitachi laptop that didn't have working speakers and so my NES and SNES games had no sound so I got pretty used to it.

These days as an adult it s just either or. Games with sound, great! Games without sound, so it is!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

OK, side question. Doesn't it drive you insane to be trying to follow a game's audio while people are talking on TV?

I like handhelds for playing in bed, or tucking away in a corner of the house, but sitting there while people are watching TV or having conversations while trying to play a game is... hard and not very productive, unless the game is very casual or purely mechanics-driven.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 year ago

I play 99% of my games without sound honestly. I only have time to play games in the evening, and I can't focus on the sound if there's other sound around me (like my wife talking or my son doing his toddler babble), so I just mute every single game.