This winter break I got back into a serious PC gaming habit after years of exile. My second Grad School semester will start soon and I will have to manage my time once again. Computer games by nature are a time sink. They are an epic distraction from other hobbies, of which I have many. I’m in pursuit of a game which is easily manageable time wise yet provides social contact with friends I have in meatspace. Below are a few potential games that I have played which fulfill my needs.
World in Conflict
This is an ideal game because it is short and teamwork-oriented. This would be an ideal game for the semester if not for problems with Geforce graphics cards which causes artifacts followed by a full system freeze which requires a hard reset.
Counter-Strike Source
A very popular game which can be short and social. However, like most modern first person shooters, the community can be annoying to the point where one would have to mute all other players.
Rainbow Six Vegas 2
I spend most of winter break grinding achievements, which I have learned is a bad thing for someone who needs to manage their time. Now that i have my Fear and Reloading avatar developed, I can now focus on a managable gaming regime with cooperative tango hunts.
Sins of A Solar Empire
The multiplayer sessions are long but can be saved, a big plus. Having played the game with two old meatspace friends offers a great bonding experience for us. However, the game is not very popular.
UPDATE: I am now considering games which have a Play-By-Email option. This puts Civilization 4 within manageability.