Roommate-computer usage conundrum

[Densetsu]

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.

Being a 3-year-old laptop, it's probably already got plenty of wear and tear on it. If he's using it for 7-hour gaming sessions regularly, he's going to put much more wear on that laptop than the average user. And thermal paste does lose its efficacy over time. I wouldn't be surprised if your laptop starts locking up when he uses it. If it gets that hot, then you have a legitimate concern when it comes to limiting his use of the laptop.

Maybe he has some kind of obligatory desire to complete a quest before finishing, I don't know.

Well, that's his problem, not yours. It's your laptop/desktop, and he should respect your property.

You mentioned that he asks for your permission every time. That's great and all, but he should be aware that the reason he asks for your permission is because there's always the possibility (and even an expectation) that he will be turned down. Asking for permission shouldn't be just a formality.

 

[Wellington2k]

I personally believe that the best thing to do is just say no the next time he asks. Say something like, "I really need the computer right now, I'll let you know when I'm done." That way he will at least know that he can't get it every time he asks.

 

[the_randomizer]

Being a 3-year-old laptop, it's probably already got plenty of wear and tear on it. If he's using it for 7-hour gaming sessions regularly, he's going to put much more wear on that laptop than the average user. And thermal paste does lose its efficacy over time. I wouldn't be surprised if your laptop starts locking up when he uses it. If it gets that hot, then you have a legitimate concern when it comes to limiting his use of the laptop.

Well, that's his problem, not yours. It's your laptop/desktop, and he should respect your property.

You mentioned that he asks for your permission every time. That's great and all, but he should be aware that the reason he asks for your permission is because there's always the possibility (and even an expectation) that he will be turned down. Asking for permission shouldn't be just a formality.

Yes, he does ask for permission, I just don't like giving the impression of being mean, you know, as I don't want to lose his trust or create a rift, so to speak, as I'd have a hard time forgiving myself. Yeah, but the whole laptop wearing out thing, extended use when gaming, worries me.

I personally believe that the best thing to do is just say no the next time he asks. Say something like, "I really need the computer right now, I'll let you know when I'm done." That way he will at least know that he can't get it every time he asks.

Here's the thing, I use the desktop, he uses the laptop, but my lappy's seen better days (2011 Lenovo Y570, good machine, but by no means high end), what worries me is how hot it gets given his duration worries the hell outta me, seeing as it's more than yeah, it freaks me out when my laptop gets hot for extended periods of time.

 

[lampdemon]

Get him to install windows with bootcamp on his mac, it should play it fine but he might be force to play on the lowest graphic settings.

 

[the_randomizer]

Get him to install windows with bootcamp on his mac, it should play it fine but he might be force to play on the lowest graphic settings.

He needs a more powerful computer before, he only has a Macbook Air, which was given from his dad, who works for Apple. He wants to get a real computer.

 

[JoostinOnline]

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.

I linked to Amazon for a reason. If he's super cheap, he could get an off brand one for $16.63. $30 isn't too much to spend anyway if you're playing somebody else's game all the time.

We're all saying the same thing. Tell him that he needs to buy his own controller. I'm not saying be mean about it. Just politely ask him to buy his own to make things easier on you both.

 

[the_randomizer]

I linked to Amazon for a reason. If he's super cheap, he could get an off brand one for $16.63. $30 isn't too much to spend anyway if you're playing somebody else's game all the time.

We're all saying the same thing. Tell him that he needs to buy his own controller. I'm not saying be mean about it. Just politely ask him to buy his own to make things easier on you both.

We tried a 3rd party pad, it was a POS and stopped working as the USB connector was loose and well, stopped working, so the $13 pad stopped working, it was another roommate's but he knew it was dying soon. An official wired controller is a must as they are far more reliable.

 

[JoostinOnline]

We tried a 3rd party pad, it was a POS and stopped working as the USB connector was loose and well, stopped working, so the $13 pad stopped working, it was another roommate's but he knew it was dying soon. An official wired controller is a must as they are far more reliable.

I also said that $30 shouldn't be a problem. If he needs to save up, that's fine. He needs to buy it though.

 

[the_randomizer]

I also said that $30 shouldn't be a problem. If he needs to save up, that's fine. He needs to buy it though.

Good, because I shouldn't have to buy one, now, for the matter of him using my laptop for long periods of time....

 

[endoverend]

Good, because I shouldn't have to buy one, now, for the matter of him using my laptop for long periods of time....

Right. Honestly, I think you're looking at the situation wrong.
Approach him. Explain the issues you're having in a nice way, and ask him what he thinks a solution would be.
This way, you aren't sounding rude, and you can keep it natural. In fact, you could even bring up the heat issue without mentioning Skyrim, and see if he has anything to say about it. No doubt he would know that the laptop heats up when he uses it, and he should recognize that it's a problem. Hell, you could even do something drastic, like turn down the fans so it locks up when he plays (don't actually do that). Anything to make him realize that he is causing problems. You don't need to have a cliché "intervention" about it. Just don't let him play as often, bring up the heat as if he wasn't causing it, and soon enough, he'll start to realize that these problems are his fault, and since you didn't tell him that, he'll feel bad and try to fix them.

 

[the_randomizer]

Right. Honestly, I think you're looking at the situation wrong.
Approach him. Explain the issues you're having in a nice way, and ask him what he thinks a solution would be.
This way, you aren't sounding rude, and you can keep it natural. In fact, you could even bring up the heat issue without mentioning Skyrim, and see if he has anything to say about it. No doubt he would know that the laptop heats up when he uses it, and he should recognize that it's a problem. Hell, you could even do something drastic, like turn down the fans so it locks up when he plays (don't actually do that). Anything to make him realize that he is causing problems. You don't need to have a cliché "intervention" about it. Just don't let him play as often, bring up the heat as if he wasn't causing it, and soon enough, he'll start to realize that these problems are his fault, and since you didn't tell him that, he'll feel bad and try to fix them.

Yeah, it's just something that I need to deal with properly. Just wanted some feedback, which I'm grateful for, very, very grateful for

 

[JoostinOnline]

Yeah, it's just something that I need to deal with properly. Just wanted some feedback, which I'm grateful for, very, very grateful for

I'd be happy to make some threatening phone calls if you think it would help.

 

[the_randomizer]

I'd be happy to make some threatening phone calls if you think it would help.

Lol, that won't be necessary, but I appreciate the offer I get paranoid when my laptop gets hot for long periods of time.

 

[jurassicplayer]

Best plan: Give him a link to this thread. Problem solved.

 

[jonthedit]

Best plan: Give him a link to this thread. Problem solved.

Was about to type that. You 'd me.

 

[EMP Knightmare]

After reading all of this it sounds like a few problems aren't being addressed:
1) Stop making excuses for why he can't play Skyrim on his own hardware.
2) Didn't we talk before about being assertive?
3) It sounds like you treasure your things but are weary/on edge when others use it as they may not handle it the same as you. Example would be the overheat issue you mentioned.

Here's what I say to do, first off either limit his use or remove it altogether.

There is no way (and Knightmare says NO WAY!) you should feel anyway about telling someone about how YOU feel about them using YOUR stuff. If you're looking for an adult solution you first need to act as such. Adults do not say it's ok to use something and then get irked about it. If grounds rules were never established then you really have no reason to complain about his use of your own things as you did basically gave the ok at anytime for as long as need be.

Here's what "should" happen, discontinue his use on your hardware as you are not ready to share. . . . . . clearly! If you feel the need to help do not buy it yourself but help him get what is needed to enjoy the game on his own, an Afterglow USB controller is no more than $20 USD. If his dad can just give him a laptop his dad can help him play Skyrim not you.

Take any or all of this with a grain of sand as this is all just my view on this matter, personally I've never had an issue telling any of my friends what's what also do not take this in any negative way as that was not my intention. I only call it as I read it here, when I said "discontinue his use on your hardware as you are not ready to share. . . . . . clearly!" that's how many would see this due to the fact that you're getting irked over someone asking for permission to use your things, when you told them it was ok to do so. All in all I hope this issue of yours gets solved and good luck.

 

[the_randomizer]

After reading all of this it sounds like a few problems aren't being addressed:
1) Stop making excuses for why he can't play Skyrim on his own hardware.
2) Didn't we talk before about being assertive?
3) It sounds like you treasure your things but are weary/on edge when others use it as they may not handle it the same as you. Example would be the overheat issue you mentioned.

Here's what I say to do, first off either limit his use or remove it altogether.

There is no way (and Knightmare says NO WAY!) you should feel anyway about telling someone about how YOU feel about them using YOUR stuff. If you're looking for an adult solution you first need to act as such. Adults do not say it's ok to use something and then get irked about it. If grounds rules were never established then you really have no reason to complain about his use of your own things as you did basically gave the ok at anytime for as long as need be.

Here's what "should" happen, discontinue his use on your hardware as you are not ready to share. . . . . . clearly! If you feel the need to help do not buy it yourself but help him get what is needed to enjoy the game on his own, an Afterglow USB controller is no more than $20 USD. If his dad can just give him a laptop his dad can help him play Skyrim not you.

Take any or all of this with a grain of sand as this is all just my view on this matter, personally I've never had an issue telling any of my friends what's what also do not take this in any negative way as that was not my intention. I only call it as I read it here, when I said "discontinue his use on your hardware as you are not ready to share. . . . . . clearly!" that's how many would see this due to the fact that you're getting irked over someone asking for permission to use your things, when you told them it was ok to do so. All in all I hope this issue of yours gets solved and good luck.

And you're absolutely right, the thing is, he lives with me at an apartment, along with five other students, so it's a six-man apartment, so should I create a rift, there's nothing either of us can do, so like you said, there's a more mature way to go about it. First problem can be resolved by getting a controller, at his own expense. Second, would be, to establish ground rules, i.e. limiting the frequency per day that he plays Skyrim. And yes, I didn't establish anymore more than that just asking him to see if I he could play, and obviously, that part I can't undo, and while I don't have a right to complain, something does seem a little off with how often he uses my laptop. I hope that he can convince his parents to well, buy him or have him save up to get a decent laptop capable of playing the game. I think there's that, and the temp issues, my laptop gets pretty hot, but with a cooler, it never overheats, for now. I don't think it's so much the asking that bothers me, but the frequency at which he does it on any given day, twice is fine, doing it three times in two-hour intervals might be a bit much. There have been cases of him using it up to six hours in one setting.

 

[EMP Knightmare]

And you're absolutely right, the thing is, he lives with me at an apartment, along with five other students, so it's a six-man apartment, so should I create a rift, there's nothing either of us can do, so like you said, there's a more mature way to go about it. First problem can be resolved by getting a controller, at his own expense. Second, would be, to establish ground rules, i.e. limiting the frequency per day that he plays Skyrim. And yes, I didn't establish anymore more than that just asking him to see if I he could play, and obviously, that part I can't undo, and while I don't have a right to complain, something does seem a little off with how often he uses my laptop. I hope that he can convince his parents to well, buy him or have him save up to get a decent laptop capable of playing the game. I think there's that, and the temp issues, my laptop gets pretty hot, but with a cooler, it never overheats, for now. I don't think it's so much the asking that bothers me, but the frequency at which he does it on any given day, twice is fine, doing it three times in two-hour intervals might be a bit much. There have been cases of him using it up to six hours in one setting.

Bro it's a video game . . . . . . . . what did you think was gonna happen? I normally game for a good 18 hours plus a day sometimes over 48 hours nonstop if I'm grinding in an MMO. Think about this I played DFO for 8 years everyday, why because it was a game I enjoyed playing. Gamers play games most for crazy ass hours, it's kinda our thing

 

[the_randomizer]

Bro it's a video game . . . . . . . . what did you think was gonna happen? I normally game for a good 18 hours plus a day sometimes over 48 hours nonstop if I'm grinding in an MMO. Think about this I played DFO for 8 years everyday, why because it was a game I enjoyed playing. Gamers play games most for crazy ass hours, it's kinda our thing

I think it's more how often he uses it rather than what he does with it, that sucker gets really hot since the heat dissipation on there is meh at best, and having it hot for long periods of time I think is what the real fact or real cause for worry is, and most gaming laptops get pretty dang hot when gaming, esp if they have a mid-range dedicated GPU for it I simply get kinda wary when core temps get on the high side of things, even with a laptop cooler. Hasn't overheated yet. Keeping a laptop on for twelve hours, esp with the fan running full blast and temps reaching 80 C under heavy gaming load, well, that might be a prob with my three year-old laptop, heh.

 

[EMP Knightmare]

I think it's more how often he uses it rather than what he does with it, that sucker gets really hot since the heat dissipation on there is meh at best, and having it hot for long periods of time I think is what the real fact or real cause for worry is, and most gaming laptops get pretty dang hot when gaming, esp if they have a mid-range dedicated GPU for it I simply get kinda wary when core temps get on the high side of things, even with a laptop cooler. Hasn't overheated yet. Keeping a laptop on for twelve hours, esp with the fan running full blast and temps reaching 80 C under heavy gaming load, well, that might be a prob with my three year-old laptop, heh.

Then tell him to GTFO!