Alright, this is going to be a fun thread. Let's face it.. we have burned out almost everything to talk about and anything else might be riddled with spoilers so close to release. That being said, what sort of Traditions do you have while purchasing games you are excited for? What traditions will you uphold for Skyrim? Do you go and buy a lot of soda and junkfood and head to the midnight release? Do you play your favorite music while gaming to make a connection for future listenings?

I myself go to the midnight release an hour early and make everyone laugh with witty humor mixed in with a little hype and speed on home with my prize. I then use my teeth to tear a hole in the corner of the plastic wrap and tear the rest off. I take the sticker off and stick it to the plastic wrap. I throw the plastic garbage aside and deal with it later. I open up the case and smell it a little. Yes, you heard me. I smell the game. It's like when people buy a new car and they love that new car smell. I love the new video game smell. It's like smelling a home cooked meal before digging in, I smell the game and it brings back memories of all the wonderful games I have enjoyed and how delicious this one will be. I then play until the sun comes up. Anyone else have traditions that they are either proud of or not proud of? Any traditions you will uphold with Skyrim's release?

Hahahaha I smell my new games too! Always have, even back in the PS1 days.

I wait at my front door for my dad to drop off my games for me.

Exciting huh

Along with tearing off the sticker and putting it on the plastic wrap, I'm going to cut my hand with disc and use the blood I shed as war paint. After that, I play a lot of Skyrim!

I LOVE to read the manuals. And even though i already read the manual online, I'll read it again as it installs. Then I like to look in every menu and just get used to the interface. I don't spend much time on the character creator, but I will spend a LOT of time looking at each direction on the new iMenu. Get a real feel for the technicals and then dive in.

Man, I must be living it too small a city. The only places open 24 hours here (or at least open late enough to actually do a midnight release) is Walmart, and of course Walmart doesn't do midnight releases for games. I live far enough away from most distribution centers that if I had it delivered I wouldn't get it game day, so I never pre-order. So my (very sad) game purchasing traditions involve waiting for the mall to open on release day morning and grabing a copy asap. No big ritual - just buy it, head home and pop it in. Ingore the world for a good 4-5 hours while I create, play around, and recreate characters.

Nope don't have any traditions and if I did have traditions I have long since forgotten them.

You know, I failed to mention this: I am actually buying this game for PC which changes up my strategy a bit. I will be installing it obviously (derp) and I bought the strategy guide FOR ONCE. Yes, that's right.. I spent 20 bucks to get the regular strategy guide which is something I normally don't do since the internet is a place for walkthroughs and secrets. I am going to look quickly over the perks and spells since I want to make a stealth mage assassin and I want to be prepared! But that is new to my tradition I suppose as I normally do not purchase anything other than the game itself.

My Tradition takes 2 clicks of my left mouse button at 12:01 11/11/11. Kind of lame and not very exciting, but I do remember my console days and the excitement>waiting in line> should of preordered> out of stock> walks out of store.... :sadvaultboy:

Me too. I also take the anti-theft strip out and fold it in half.

I sniff the inside of the box too, put the disk into my PC to start installing the game, then I take the box with me and read the back + the game manual while taking a [censored] in the toilet.

1) Hold the new game and cherish it.
2) Use a knife to cut the plastic and the extra little sticker thing on Xbox games.
3) Center myself.
4) Pop open the case, pull it to my face and inhale deeply. Nothing smells better than new game.
5) Open the disc tray and carefully place the disc in and close it.
6) Try to keep my butterflies down while the intro loading screen happens.

See? I think this is a ritual that only us gamers can understand. It's like you have to smell it! Sometimes I blurt out random gibberish in excitement like a child just to expel the extra energy before playing the game. Oh the good times we will have together Skyrim.

I lovingly inspect every little detail of the case, the disc, and the manual then I read the manual and play the game.

i buy the game open it then play it

Pretty much this.

I don't really have a bizarre ritual aside from buying a Dr. Pepper to drink while I play.

I normally read the manual. Sometimes I like to smell it as well. I'm glad I'm not the only one who does this. :tongue:

I do tend to go to the midnight release. Wasn't sure this year since it's ￡10 less to buy the game online than go to the store. But I got an email from Game last weke (where I preordered from) implying it won't arrive the day before as their preorders generally do. And because I've ordered the game to my work but don't work on the Friday, I might have to svck it up, pay the tenner more and buy it from the shop. At least I'll get to see the girl who works in Game who told me yesterday she's planning on dressing up as an Argonian for launch.

Then generally I buy a Subway to eat while playing so I don't have to cook. Will probably get a couple of bottles of Dr Pepper Zero too.

For games I'm more excited for I go t the midnight release.For games I'm really excited for I magically come down with some illness so I can't go to class or work.

i always read the intructions (or pamplet now-a-days) book before playing a new game.

Fallout 3 was released around my birthday, so I took the day off to "celebrate my birthday" while staying in and eagerly awaiting the postman.

I'll be off work for Skyrim, too, but I'm not sure how much time I'll actually get to play it. I should "practice" by playing some more of Rage.

I always have a cup of tea and read the manual (not skim it!) before I play, but that's about it.

When I was a kid I was only allowed to play video games on the weekends. I also had to make sure I finished my homework and my room was clean.

Ever since, I always clean my room before I play a new game. It could have something to do with my childhood but I also feels like it adds to that "new" feeling a game has.

I've been planning on buying a 2 liter to drink while playing .

I look at EVERYTHING on the box, read the manual and then play the game, taking in everything and not skipping anything.

I don't know, I smell the cover for some weird reason.