Roommate-computer usage conundrum

[the_randomizer]

This is an issue that I've been having trouble bringing up with my roommate, and there have been times, as of late, that I deeply regret purchasing Skyrim. Why, you ask? Well, to back up a bit, my roommate loves playing the game, he always makes sure to ask for my permission to play the game on my laptop and/or desktop, depending on the situation, to which I agree, and generally, have no problem. However, we're limited to one Xbox 360 controller, it's becoming anathema to me. I have nothing against him at all, no, not in the least, what I do have a problem with, is the frequency at which he desires to play the game any given day, if I'm on the desktop, he asks to use my laptop, which is fine, but the length of the intervals at which he plays, and the no. of times per day/week are well, starting to get to me. To make matters worse, let's say I take my laptop with me and I let him play the save on the desktop, I get back later and wish to use my desktop right away, he always seems to be in the middle of a quest, and asking him to simply save it isn't feasible, I think.

TL : DR - The frequency at which he plays the games and asks me to unplug the 360 controller from the desktop to laptop and duration of said intervals is starting to get to me, and I don't know why. I wish I never owned Skyrim for that very reason. I don't want to be a jerk, as I'm very good friends with my roommate for 2 and half years so far. I just don't know what to do to, how do you say, deal with the issue in a mature and adult way.

 

[Nathan Drake]

Buy another 360 controller and restrict Skyrim to either the desktop or the laptop, not both?

 

[geishroy]

get another 360 controller. tell him to gtfo and not use your shit and buy his own. or go buy a shitty xbox and tell him to play the shit on that. lastly you can pour water on your computers and tell him they no longer work. or go on various porn sites to get loads of viruses and blame him for watching porn and getting viruses on your computers then ban him from ever using them again.

 

[Wellington2k]

Why not delete Skyrim from one of the computers?

get another 360 controller. tell him to gtfo and not use your shit and buy his own. or go buy a shitty xbox and tell him to play the shit on that. lastly you can pour water on your computers and tell him they no longer work. or go on various porn sites to get loads of viruses and blame him for watching porn and getting viruses on your computers then ban him from ever using them again.

I thought he said he wanted a mature and adult way?

 

[the_randomizer]

Buy another 360 controller and restrict Skyrim to either the desktop or the laptop, not both?

Well, it's weird, Xbox controllers, I could ask him about getting his own, they're what, 40 bucks or so? How to restrict it, well, that's another problem. If I'm on the desktop (or at work or whatever), I say he can use the laptop, but I've seen him on it for nearly seven hours nonstop, and it gets on the hot side, which worries me. The other thing is when I want to give it a rest, like going to sleep mode, or whatever, it just well, complicates things. On one hand, I need to put my foot down, on the other, I don't want to be a jerk, it's a sticky situation that perturbs me.

get another 360 controller. tell him to gtfo and not use your shit and buy his own. or go buy a shitty xbox and tell him to play the shit on that. lastly you can pour water on your computers and tell him they no longer work. or go on various porn sites to get loads of viruses and blame him for watching porn and getting viruses on your computers then ban him from ever using them again.

Don't want to get revenge or do something like that, I'm not that low lol, I need to find a better solution, methinks another controller would do it, or somehow "accidentally" remove Skyrim from the library.

Why not delete Skyrim from one of the computers?




I thought he said he wanted a mature and adult way?

Oh, I've thought about that, he did mention that his only reason for having a Macbook Air is because he was given it as a gift from his dad, who works at Apple, so he would get a PC if he could, and maybe then, he could get his own copy. Frankly I feel like I'm at the breaking point. I know that it's just a game, but at the same time, I have my limits.

 

[Wellington2k]

If it's on Steam, change your password. When he asks, tell him the truth and ask him to buy his own controller if he wants to play it.

 

[the_randomizer]

If it's on Steam, change your password. When he asks, tell him the truth and ask him to buy his own controller if he wants to play it.

He really should at the least, buy his own controller. But, having him ask if he can play a few times a day, that's what irks me the most for some reason, once or twice tops should be plenty...

Sorry, it just irks me.

 

[endoverend]

You guys have been friends for that long, he should understand that it is not a right for him to play the game, it's a privilege. And you can take away that privilege whether he did something wrong or not. I'm not telling you to phrase it to him like that... but explain to him that sometimes your schoolwork is more important than his time playing a game that you own on your device. The very fact that you feel bad about telling him to stop playing is amazing, considering how long you've been friends, how much you should understand each other, and the leeway you're giving him to use your stuff. I can tell you're a compassionate guy and it's hard to tell him no, but sometimes you gotta put your foot down.

Alternatively, you could tell him to buy (or even buy for him) a cheap knock-off USB Xbox controller and keep the nice one for yourself. That way he'll be able to play, and so will you, for a decent price.

And if it irks you that badly than you could:
a) make him stop playing entirely
b) give him full access without needing to ask (for example, steam family sharing)

 

[Wellington2k]

Sorry, it just irks me.

That's completely understandable. You ought to propose a schedule of some kind or at least say that, since it's your computer, you have the right to use the computer whenever you need it.

 

[Densetsu]

I don't want to be a jerk, it's a sticky situation that perturbs me.

Let him catch you fapping to pr0n on both computers while using the keyboard and mouse. I'm sure he'll be perturbed by that sticky situation. He won't want to touch either of your PCs after that.

Spoiler

Yeah dude, just put your foot down and learn to say "no." If he's your friend, he should understand. Alternatively, you can work out some schedule with him where he can only play on weekends during certain hours, but you still reserve the right to use the computer he's on any time you want, even if he's in the middle of a quest. That's what quick-save is for

 

[Gahars]

Honestly, I'm more worried about his taste in games. This is very concerning.

 

[vayanui8]

have him get his own computer. Just be straight up with him and tell him the problem. As long as you aren't a dick about it I'm sure he'll understand. I'm not sure how well it would run, but you could try and help him set up Windows in bootcamp and have him play that way. I'd definitely have him get his own controller as well

 

[JoostinOnline]

Ask him to buy another controller. That solves a big part of the problem. If he's using your computer and game, he should be willing to spend $15-$40 (depending on brand and if it is wired/wireless) for a controller.

If Skyrim is like Oblivion, you can save anywhere, anytime.

 

[the_randomizer]

You guys have been friends for that long, he should understand that it is not a right for him to play the game, it's a privilege. And you can take away that privilege whether he did something wrong or not. I'm not telling you to phrase it to him like that... but explain to him that sometimes your schoolwork is more important than his time playing a game that you own on your device. The very fact that you feel bad about telling him to stop playing is amazing, considering how long you've been friends, how much you should understand each other, and the leeway you're giving him to use your stuff. I can tell you're a compassionate guy and it's hard to tell him no, but sometimes you gotta put your foot down.

Alternatively, you could tell him to buy (or even buy for him) a cheap knock-off USB Xbox controller and keep the nice one for yourself. That way he'll be able to play, and so will you, for a decent price.

Well, I don't have schoolwork to worry about, just working to hopefully continue my education. Anyways, yes, while it doesn't feel like I'm being taken advantage of, it does feel like he takes many opportunities to ask if he could use my laptop to play said game. It's hard telling him no, as he, like me, is a sensitive kinda guy, and I don't want to create a rift between us, that would just suck. Man, I hate these dilemmas.

Honestly, I'm more worried about his taste in games. This is very concerning.

Meh, that's not so much of an issue is the frequency at which he wishes to use my laptop, and that bugger gets pretty warm, even with a cooler, that worries the hell outta me, esp. after playing it for long intervals. Nevertheless, I regret getting the game back in 2011, I wish I could find him other games in my catalog that he could play, or something to do with emulators, I dunno.

Ask him to buy another controller. That solves a big part of the problem. If he's using your computer and game, he should be willing to spend $15-$40 (depending on brand and if it is wired/wireless) for a controller. If Skyrim is like Oblivion, you can save anywhere, anytime.

Wired 360 controllers are about $30 last I've seen, the wireless ones are a pain to set up on Windows as you need a separate dongle for the receiver AFAIK, but yes, that would take care of that factor. I guess he forgets to realize you can make saves anywhere in the game.

have him get his own computer. Just be straight up with him and tell him the problem. As long as you aren't a dick about it I'm sure he'll understand. I'm not sure how well it would run, but you could try and help him set up Windows in bootcamp and have him play that way. I'd definitely have him get his own controller as well

I doubt a Macbook Air could run the game very good, esp in Bootcamp, so a decent laptop would be a must in his case. Will talk to him about it.

 

[Wellington2k]

Show him this:


This is Skyrim being played on a retina Macbook Pro with bootcamp. It's also on ultra settings, so turning down the quality will make it play better than the video.

 

[endoverend]

You picked a bad game for him to get addicted to... you can spend thousands of hours in that game...
But if you're set on not putting your foot down, then you have to take a roundabout solution. I recommend buying a 5$ knock-off Xbox controller for his use only, there's half your problems solved.

Also, that's on a Macbook Pro, not Air.... huuuuuge difference.

 

[the_randomizer]

Show him this:


This is Skyrim being played on a retina Macbook Pro with bootcamp.

He was given a Macbook Air, but he wanted a Pro instead, but didn't get one, as his dad didn't take that into consideration, an Air wouldn't run that well, and Bootcamp, doesn't that cost money?

Let him catch you fapping to pr0n on both computers while using the keyboard and mouse. I'm sure he'll be perturbed by that sticky situation. He won't want to touch either of your PCs after that.

Spoiler

Yeah dude, just put your foot down and learn to say "no." If he's your friend, he should understand. Alternatively, you can work out some schedule with him where he can only play on weekends during certain hours, but you still reserve the right to use the computer he's on any time you want, even if he's in the middle of a quest. That's what quick-save is for

Well, here's the weird part, I have both a desktop and laptop, he uses the laptop and Skyrim runs pretty well, but the sucker gets hot as hell (Core i7 QM2620, from 2011), but he plays the laptop for long periods of time. Maybe he has some kind of obligatory desire to complete a quest before finishing, I don't know.

You picked a bad game for him to get addicted to... you can spend thousands of hours in that game...
But if you're set on not putting your foot down, then you have to take a roundabout solution. I recommend buying a 5$ knock-off Xbox controller for his use only, there's half your problems solved.


Also, that's on a Macbook Pro, not Air.... huuuuuge difference.

He wants a laptop very badly, he doesn't like Apple so he uses the Air out of obligation as it was a gift from his dad's work. We were using a knockoff 360 pad, but the USB connection for it went to hell and just died, I'll talk to him about solutions, as this won't be an easy task without sounding rude, I think.

 

[Wellington2k]

Also, that's on a Macbook Pro, not Air.... huuuuuge difference.

Never read that his was on a Macbook Air. Yeah, that probably wouldn't work for him.

...and Bootcamp, doesn't that cost money?

Bootcamp is free.

 

[Nathan Drake]

The alternative solution to all of this is to just buy him some nice anal beads to play with instead.

 

[the_randomizer]

Never read that his was on a Macbook Air. Yeah, that probably wouldn't work for him.
Bootcamp is free.

Ah, well, okay, but still, he will need a more powerful computer, still, this ain't gonna be easy for me to discuss with him.... *sigh*

The alternative solution to all of this is to just buy him some nice anal beads to play with instead.

Um, no, just no, I'm trying to keep this discussion on topic and as serious as I can keep it, at least for once, you know, as this has been frustrating the hell outta me lately. Not really fond discussing that topic on here, so please, don't bring that up.