How long to play game

How long is Stray? Full Game Length

How long will the game take you to beat?

Image via BlueTwelve Studio

Stray is a rather cute game where you play as a cat who has lost its way and winds up in a city filled with robotic citizens. Since you are playing as a cat, it is only natural that you may want to explore. That is one of the biggest parts of the game after all. You might also want to beat the game as fast as possible to get the achievement for it. Here is how many hours you can expect to be playing Stray depending on how much you want to accomplish.

How long is Stray?

Stray can take a very long time if you are someone who likes to search every nook and cranny for clues and easter eggs. Compared to other games, however, Stray is relatively short and won’t take you extremely long to beat. On average, the game should only take you between 8 – 10 hours to beat.

There are plenty of clues, objects, and achievements to uncover throughout the game, so don’t be surprised if your first playthrough takes you a long time, especially if you are trying to find all of the memories to get the achievement.

Stray can be beaten extremely fast if you are a speed runner or want to get the achievement called I am Speed. This achievement requires you to beat the game in less than two hours. If you are up to the task, see how fast you can make your cat run.

While you’re playing through on your first run, you’ll probably want to do as much as possible. For instance, you’ll want to pick up Elliot’s poncho and pick up some energy drinks. Knowing where to use the latter is key if you want to unlock everything.

How long should adults play video games? (Gaming benefits explored)

The other week, after a marathon gaming session playing Zelda on the switch, my legs and arms were aching as if I’d just gone ten rounds with Tyson! What was going on? I’d been sat down all day. How could I be aching? This got me thinking. How long is it safe for adults to play games non stop? I slipped my investigation hat on and started looking for answers…

How long should an adult play a video game? Prolonged sitting will have a negative effect on the body. It is recommended that adults stand and move for 15 minutes for every hour they are sat playing games.

When it comes to playing games, sitting still for long periods is never a good idea. But how much do you really need to move? Should you really get up and take a walk every 30 minutes? And if you don’t, what are the potential hazards? I’ll explore these questions in the next few sections.

How long should adults play video games each day?

There is no scientifically defined length of time that is unsafe for adults to play video games.

However, a number of academic institutions in North America have tried to answer the question with varying degrees of success.

San Diego State University psychology professor and researcher, Jean Twenge, states that, “the safe limit for teens is one to two hours daily.”

Now, that’s for teenagers. So we can safely assume that adults can play longer.

Many teens are far more active than adults. They play more sports and do not work long hours sitting down. And even when they do work, teenagers usually do standing up jobs like bar work. Conversely, most adults, who call the office their home between 9am and 5pm, get no exercise whatsoever.

How does this affect their ability to play games?

Well, because they have a base level of fitness lower than a teenager, the negative effects of sitting down are magnified.

That’s not to say you can’t enjoy a 4 or 5 hour binge on Fortnight. But what it does mean is that you should make more time available to look after your health and fitness.

If you neglect you fitness, family life, or work, you are probably gaming too much. However, if you can fit all these things in and still have time to play 5 hours of gaming a day, you’ll probably be alright.

However, if you play games for a reasonable amount of time each day – 2 hours plus – then your main problem is going to be ensuring you take enough breaks while you play.

How long a break should I take when playing games and how often?

When it comes to gaming, taking regular 15 minute breaks is vital to your long term health.

When you are sat stationary too long, you are inviting health problems into your life.

That’s why the American Health board advises that you sit stationary for no longer than 45 minutes. After 3 quarters of an hour have past, you should take a break.

And I don’t mean putting the controller down only to pick your smartphone up.

No. You need to get up and walk around for that 15 minutes.

Have a stretch. Run on the spot. Do some shadow boxing (My personal favourite). Just make sure you get up and do something physical with your body. Get the blood pumping around your body again.

But be sure you take that full 15 minutes.

But how can you ensure you take a break every 45 minutes? Especially when your absorbed in your favourite game.

To make sure you take a break every 45 minutes, you should use a timer. You can use the timer on your phone, or on your PC, but I prefer to use a real physical timer as it reminds me every day to set it.

There is however one problem. (Isn’t there always?)

What if the timer goes off while you are in the middle of a vital online game?

The answer is simple:

Just take the 15 minutes break after you finish your next game. Or, if you know the timer is going to ring in 2 minutes and a new online match will be 15 minutes, take your break first.

What health problems could I face if I play games too long?

Being sat in front of the TV all day can cause some bad side effect to your health. Here’s a list of some of the worst health hazards sitting still to long can cause:

DVT, or deep vein thrombosis, is when your blood start to clot because you have been sitting still too long.

It often happens in the legs. This is because when you are sat down stationary for long periods of time, your upper body is pressing down on the main arteries that run down the length of your legs.

If you press down on your blood highways hard enough and long enough, the blood pressure in the legs will drop. This causes the blood to stop flowing. And when the blood stops flowing as much, some of it starts thicken. And then it starts to clot.

A sure sign you sitting too long in one position is getting pins a needles or numbness in the legs. If you only move when numbness sets in, you are waiting too long to move.

Fortunately, there’s an easy way to stop numbness setting in:

Set an alarm to go on every 45 minutes.

Every 45 minutes you should get up and move. Stretch your legs and go for a walk through the house. That should stave off any DVT problems.

RSI, or Repetitive strain injury, is caused by repeatedly doing the same action with the same body part.

In a console gamers case, it is often over use of the thumb to press buttons and move analogue sticks.

In a PC gamers case, it’s usually the wrist or even the elbow that starts to ach from moving the mouse.

You’ll find RSI creeps up on you slowly. It might just feel like a dull ache at first. But, over time, that dull ache can lead to chronic pain in the joints. And that’s the last thing you’ll want to happen to you if you want to be a pro gamer.

So how do you avoid getting RSI?

Again, take regular breaks. And when you take a break have a stretch. Stretch the back and the neck. Stretch the fingers and the hands.

But most importantly, don’t game too long. As soon as you start to ache or feel fatigued. Turn the console off, shut down the PC, and do something else.

Obesity

Obesity is now a western world epidemic that threatens the lives of millions of people. As a gamer, you are a prime candidate for obesity now and later in life.

And obesity doesn’t just mean you get fat and slow. Obesity doubles your chances to getting cancer, heart disease, blood clots, and brain hemorrhages. Not the best of groups to invite into your life…

So what’s the answer?

Going walking. Play sports. Join the gym. Or, as the next section will explain, play some active games….

Can a play active games – eg VR, motion – longer than other games?

I consider an active game as any game where you are not sitting down.

Because it’s the sitting down stationary part of gaming that’s bad for your health.

So any game that gets you moving is going to be good for you. And it’s actually shocking how many great games are available for you to play to build up a sweat instead of a layer of fat.

This list of active games is by no means extensive, but they are great games to get you started:

Every single one these games has the potential to help you get fit. Especially if taken seriously and played at a high intensity.

However, what if none of these games interest you? What if your game of choice is more Mario than marathon?

Fortunately, you can make nearly any game active if you have the right exercise equipment.

For over a decade, I’ve bought handheld games consoles for the sole purpose of playing them while I’m sat on a stationary bike. I’ve clocked up thousands of miles while hunting for Pokemon. Peddled away for hours while jumping on Goomba’s heads. And melted away fat as I delved into another of Zelda’s dungeons.

I turned what is normally seen as an unhealthy hobby, into a healthy hobby by mixing my biking with my gaming. And you can do it to.

And if you’ve got a Nintendo Switch it’s even easier.

Related Questions

Can playing games destroy your eyes? It has long been believed that staring at a screen for long periods will ruin your eyesight. But this has never been proven to be true.

Why do my thumbs hurt after playing games? As console gamers, we use our thumbs a lot. That can cause RSI or repetitive Strain Injury. If your thumbs start to ach, stop playing immediately.

Can I play games while on a treadmill? Yes, so long as you don’t get motion sickness, playing games while exercising on a treadmill is a great way to exercise.

How long should I let my child play video games?

There are often very polarized opinions on the amount of gaming time for kids. In most families, kids are either not allowed to play any video games at all or they get to play hours and hours on end each day.

As with most things, I think the right approach lies somewhere in the middle and believe in general that the adage, “everything in moderation”, although cliche probably holds in this case.

Parenting can be difficult, with upwards of 90% of teens now play video games in some form, so it’s important to understand how video games affect your child to ensure you’re informed and armed with the right information to steer them in the right direction while they’re still young – I mean after all 9 hours of straight gameplay for an 8 year old (let alone at 16) can’t be good for them, right?

In fact, the more you restrict kids from something the more they might binge on it later when they have unrestricted access and availability to gaming. That’s why it is better to set some boundaries but still allow some freedom and access – i.e. a balanced approach.

Negatives effects and Benefits of kids playing video games

The debate has been raging for decades, and video games have been unfairly blamed for violence and gun murders by kids. A recent study, first published in the ‘Annals of Neurology’, shows that children and teenagers playing video games in limited amounts can have positive benefits, but that too much can have negative effects.

The study of 2442 children between 7 to 11 years old found that playing video games for an hour per week, it improved their motor skills, increased school achievement scores, and improved their ability to learn new skills. However, those benefits didn’t increase further if they played for more than two hours a week.

But an Oxford University pediatric study by Andrew Przybylski, a behavioral scientist, has found that once children start spending 3 more hours in front of their favorite gaming device, it begins to take a toll on their mood and behavior.

The research found children playing that much every day are more likely to be less happy than non-gamers, as well as more likely to have problems with hyperactivity, attention, and relating to their peers. This is particularly true for pro-longed gameplay over weeks and weeks as a habitual pattern.

Although there certainly are negatives to video games, particularly when kids indulge, in reality when done in moderation and with guidance, playing video games can have positive benefits too. A study on the effects on kids playing Mario Kart, that asked 23 adults with an average age of 25 to play “Super Mario 64” for 30 minutes a day over two months, showed that it increased brain plasticity and spatial recognition.

Video gaming isn’t good or bad, its amount of use is that makes the difference.

Table – Positive and Negative Effects of Gaming

How long should a child play video games a day?

Based on the research mentioned earlier the sweet spot seems to be no more than about an hour a day, for it to have some benefits.

When kids start playing 2 to 3 hours or more each day, that’s when it can become unhealthy and lead to negative conduct, poor vision, impaired mental astuteness and social interaction problems.

It was also found in those same studies that spending 9 hours or more overall each week playing video games, also contributed to behavior problems and social conflicts with peers.

But it depends on the child. Some children can handle playing video games for hours a day, while others should only play for an hour or two.

However, it’s important to note that not all screen time is bad. Children can learn from educational videos and games, and playing video games can also improve hand-eye coordination.

So it’s important to find a balance that works for your child. If your child seems addicted to video games or is having trouble focusing at school or with other activities, then you may need to reduce their screen time.

We also recommend encouraging your child to take breaks in between when playing video games. Especially if they are playing more than an hour at a time, you should be letting them take 15-minute breaks at least away from any screens.

Constructive ways to still allow video gaming time

So now that we know allowing for some video gameplay can be beneficial, let’s take a look at some ways to make it a bit more constructive and ways to put healthy limits on gaming for kids.

Allow for a difference between weekend and during the week game playing

Perhaps during the week, 1 hour is fine, and for the weekend you could relax that a little to maybe 2–3 hours on a Saturday and Sunday each.

Teach responsible playing

Instill a sense of balance by asking that they first finish homework before playing video games. When they come home from school, then homework is done first. If she has a project to do over a weekend, you might say its ok to play 1 hour in the morning, but that before she can play the other 1 hour that day she needs to first complete the project. By the same token, I’d ask that on a weekend she is dressed and teeth are brushed before she games.

Encourage them to take breaks in between

An hour of gaming in one go is probably ok, but if you do allow more then encourage a break of 15 minutes or more in between at least.

Use parental guidance apps

I’m not sure if he is gaming on the PC or console but Xbox one, Playstation 4 and Nintendo Switch all have parental controls that allow you to set restrictions. The Xbox has a great one that allows you to set a daily amount of hours (it can differ each day) and a start and end time.

Freedom of choice

Let them have some parameters but then decide for themselves how to use that time. So for example, on the Xbox One parental controls, you’re able to set it to allow Saturday/Sunday 2-3 hours of total play anytime between 8.30am and 5 pm. That way you give a little freedom of choice to decide how he wants to use those 3 hours – all at once, or spread out but when it is up its up. Kids love this by the way since it feels like they have some control 🙂

Play video games with them

Seriously! If you want to build that bond between you more, then get into his world a little to share the experience with him. I don’t mean you should necessarily go figure out how to play Fortnite (I can’t build & shoot simultaneously to save my life either). But a game like ‘Just Dance’ is perfect and super easy to just pick up and play for tiny tots to adults alike – BONUS POINTS, it gets your kid to move while gaming…. Win! Win!

Trust me your kid might be like – “WTH Mom, you’re freaking me out”….but they will secretly I love it.

80/20 rule

Most of the areas in my life are governed by this. Have a framework to work within and try stick to it 80% of the time, and be flexible and let it slide 20% – you’ll be happier for it trust me. So if he generally is sticking to the rules about 80% of the time and plays an extra 15 minutes now and then or forgot to brush his teeth first once, don’t get all PsychoMom on him – if he’s still within that 80% then chill, say nothing and let it slide. Just take a mental note and if he starts pushing it more over time to where it is becoming more the norm to not play within the framework agreed, then gentle rein him in again.

Try to encourage more child-friendly games

Blasting away on the latest shooter like Fortnite or Call of Duty is all fine in limited doses (assuming your child is at an age that they can play those games), but there are games out there that have a more positive and constructive learning aspect to them while still being fun. There are games such as Minecraft and Roblox that have some concepts to them that encourage puzzle-solving and construction-type thinking, which I’ve found to encourage creativity as well.

I found that when my son started playing Minecraft at around 5-6 years of age, he would construct the most amazing buildings or monuments for thin air. I remember one time in particular where he came running up to me to proudly show me our bathroom built out of different color Minecraft blocks, including the loo.

Another game I remember us getting for him on my Android phone when he was younger, was Puzzingo, a great little puzzle game that taught him to recognize shapes and patterns while trying to slot them into the correct cut out that match. He loved it, and I ended up buying him the different themed puzzle packs like space, dinosaurs, cooking, etc as he progresses through all the different levels.

So I’d look for games like this that allow your child to learn while playing too.

How long do my kids spend gaming

Having said all the above, I am by no means perfect at this myself. At 9, my son is still in junior school and I’ve made plenty of mistakes along the way when it comes to gaming and too much screen time and had to figure out what works best for us over time including lots of yelling and frustration.

Our current rules are that during the week school takes priority so no gaming is allowed at all – he does go to aftercare so by the time he gets home there’s only enough time to get changed, bath, eat and watch a little TV (his homework is mostly done at the aftercare already).

But to compensate for no time for gaming in the week, I let him watch a little bit of Kids Youtube at bedtime (like 15 mins). I often watch a little with him and we giggle and laugh together and then read a few pages of a book before the light goes off. And then on weekends, I’m less strict, where he can play a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday (3–4 maximum) but with breaks each hour in between and some active play too.

All this is set up on both our Nintendo Switch and Xbox One parental controls which send me a weekly report of his playtime so I can keep track.

Conclusion – How long a child should play video games each day

So there you have it, you’ll need to figure out what works best for you and your situation. There’s no one size fits all but the above might give you some food for thought.

If there’s one thing I can leave you with, it’s to find some balance in all the screen time that competing for your kid’s attention.

Don’t starve them completely, limit them sure but be reasonable and let them have some fun while trying to teach them to also the importance of responsibility and priorities that also need to be taken into account before spending that hour playing Minecraft.

Overall you’re not alone, it seems like this is a topic a lot of parents are struggling with these days – Fortnite I’m looking at you!

How Long to Beat Planescape Torment (And Why)?

Exact Answer: 33 Hours

Role-playing video games have always been fun, and games involving dungeons and dragons are the best. Who will not like it? “Planescape Torment” is one such game, which was developed in December 1999 by Black Isle Studios. The whole game of Planescape Torment can be played on platforms like Nintendo Switch, PC, and PlayStation 4.

Planescape torment takes the player through the journey of an immortal man, “the Nameless One”, who wishes to regain his memories which he forgets every time he gets killed. This game is set in the city of Sigil, where people’s beliefs can change the world.

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How Long to Beat Planescape Torment?

When you are playing a video game, the time it takes to beat that game depends on the player to the player. This is because some players wish to play and complete that game slowly, while some are eager to finish the game, mostly because the game is addictive and they’re good at it. Thus, although the time is going to differ, the average time to beat only the main story of “Planescape Torment” is almost 33 hours. And the average time to complete the main story along with the extras is 44 hours.

But this time also differs based on what platform you’re using to play this game, and how you’re playing it. If you are playing only the main story, then on Nintendo Switch it’ll take 19 hours 05 minutes. For PC, it’ll be 33 hours 22 minutes and for PlayStation 4, it’s going to be 35 hours. But if you’re playing along with the extras, then for Nintendo Switch it will need 25 hours abs for PC, it will take 44 hours 35 minutes.

If you want to beat this game fast, then it’ll take 11 hours on Nintendo Switch, 15 hours on PC, and 35 hours on PlayStation 4. And if you wish to play it leisurely, then you’ll need almost 27 hours for Nintendo Switch, 104 hours for PC, and 35 hours for PlayStation 4.

You can also play the main story along with the extras, on your mobile. You can beat this game in just 45 hours. You can even complete this game in almost 66 hours with a 100% walkthrough on PC and Xbox One.

Why does it Take That Long to Beat Planescape Torment?

In these 33 hours, the players are introduced to the story’s protagonist, ‘the Nameless One’, who had just woken up in a mortuary. He tries to escape from the mortuary and further explores the city of Sigil. The protagonist wishes to regain his forgotten memories with the help of various hints provided to him by different characters. The player is also made aware of the fact that the Nameless One is an immortal character. Thus, the protagonist is also determined to find out the reason behind his immortality.

The other reason which is likely to extend the game period is the extra quests or achievements. There are in total 50 achievements in the game, from which 12 achievements are visible to the players, and 38 achievements are secret achievements. As these are secret achievements, they are hard to find. And because of that, the players take a lot of time to find these out, which results in an extended game period. These achievements help in increasing the game score, yet it is okay if you omit them.

This game also includes multiple endings, i.e., it has 8 different endings. It depends on the player’s choice which ending he gets. You also have the option of saving the game and then reloading it again to try other choices and find out their conclusions as well. Thus, experiencing the conclusions because of those particular choices can add up more time to the game.

As the players also have the option of playing this game with a 100% walkthrough, though this might also result in an extended game period.

Conclusion

Although this game doesn’t include any chapters, the storyline can still be divided into specific parts. And if you wish to finish this storyline fast, then you can omit all the extra quests, and can also use some hints which are always provided online. But it’s better to play all the side quests as well because, in that way, you’ll not miss any fun.

Thus, how long it will take to beat Planescape Torment depends on the method a player uses to play this game. With lots of side-quests and an interesting storyline, many players have found this game fun to play. And if a game is interesting, then the video game lovers don’t mind an extended game period.

How long is an ice hockey game? (NHL, college, and recreation)

When you are going to watch a hockey game, how much time should you expect to be there? As with any sport, it takes longer in real time than the official number of minutes played.

How long is an ice hockey game? An ice hockey game has a total of 60 minutes of playing time in regulation. However, in real time this playing time works out to be 2.5 to 3 hours when you include all of the stops, intermission, and possible overtime.

Rangers vs Red Wings

Let’s take a look at how long a hockey game actually takes to play and the many factors that go into an actual game – warmups, intermission, timeouts, and overtime.

Since not all hockey is NHL hockey, we will also take a look at the real play-time play of Olympic, college and recreational hockey.

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How long is an NHL hockey game in real time?

An NHL game — and this would also apply to other professional leagues such as the AHL, ECHL, and European leagues — is 60 minutes of playing time in regulation.

The game is divided into 3 periods of 20 minutes each. If the game is tied at the end of regulation the teams will play an additional 5 minutes of overtime, and if they are still tied it will be followed by a shootout.

In real time, this whole game does not take just 60 minutes; rather, it takes 2.5 to 3 hours.

There are a number of things that increase the time of the game, such as stoppages in play due to rule infractions, mandated tv timeouts (when the commercials are shown and there are two of these per period), and intermissions.

As well, sometimes a game will be tied at the end of regulation, and extra time in the form of overtime and the shootout will be added.

This all adds up to a game ending 2.5 to 3 hours after it is started.

Here is a chart that shows the real-time flow of a hockey game at the professional level (with a start time of 7pm):

Pro Tip: If you are going to a live game go 30 minutes early and watch the players warmup for the game. The arena ushers will allow you to go and stand behind the glass even if you do not have a ticket there. Here is a an article on how great (and fun) the NHL warmup is!

Let’s look at some of these aspects of the game that add to the real playing time of hockey.

How long are the intermissions between periods?

An NHL intermission is 17 minutes long. This happens twice during a regular game. Once between the 1st and 2nd period and another time during the 2nd and 3rd period.

This time is taken for the ice to be cleaned by the zamboni (pictured above) and repaired by the in-house maintenance crew.

LA Kings fans playing a Sumo Wrestling Contest during the intermission

The length of the intermission also gives time for in-game entertainment such as contests among fans on the ice or local youth hockey teams playing for 3-5 minutes.

In the playoffs, the overtime periods are 20 minutes; unlike the regular season, where the overtime period is just 5 minutes. Therefore, there is a full intermission between the 3rd period and the 1st overtime period in the playoffs. However, this intermission is only 15 minutes long.

The extra 2 minutes during the regular intermissions is usually designed to help with in-house entertainment between periods.

Rangers thanking the fans after a win

How long between regulation and overtime?

When a game ends in a tie and goes to overtime in the regular season, there is no intermission. The play resumes after a two minute stoppage in time, then 3-on-3 overtime will begin for a 5-minute overtime period. If someone scores within that 5 minutes, the game ends automatically.

If nobody has scored at the end of the 5 minute overtime period, there is a shootout. This takes typically about 5 minutes in real-time.

Length of a game in the NHL Playoffs

A game that ends in regulation in the playoffs runs approximately the same amount of time as a game in the regular season.

However, in the playoffs, a game cannot end with a shootout to decide the winner. The game just keeps on have 20-minute periods (with full, 15 minute intermissions) until someone finally scores.

Most NHL overtime games end within the first, 20-minute overtime period. However, a playoff game can easily move into the 4 to 5 hour mark in real time if there are multiple overtime periods played.

How long are college hockey games?

College games or major junior hockey games in Canada are roughly the same length as an NHL game at 2.5 hours. They tend to be on the shorter end because there is not as much production going into the game from a tv or in-house standpoint as the professional leagues.

How long is a recreational or kid’s hockey game?

At the recreational level – this goes for kids playing the game or adult leagues – the 60 minutes of hockey is played at runtime.

Runtime means that they do not stop the clock when there is a whistle. The clock runs the whole time until it stops at the end of the period. This means that the game actually takes 60 minutes to play with a few more minutes added on for the quick stoppage between periods and the warmups.

A recreational game will usually last for about 1 hour 15 minutes from the start of the warmup until the teams leave the ice at the end of the game.

Let me tell you, all the players are trying to get the game started again quickly when there is a stoppage on the ice. Nobody wants the precious time to be running away while you are not playing and waiting for the puck to drop.

Some leagues will have stoppage time in the last few minutes of the game so a team in the lead cannot waste time by causing a lot of stoppages.

In higher-end minor hockey leagues, the games do have stoppage time, and will have an intermission between the 2nd and 3rd periods for the ice to be cleaned. These games typically take about 2 hours to play. These games would involve highly skilled 15 to 18 year olds who have a chance to get drafted into college or a junior hockey league.