Despite all the wonders of online gaming, some gamers still encounter a few problems. Namely, it’s when they need to share their gaming space with someone else, whether it’s siblings, partners, or roommates. Every gamer has a specific ritual for playing games, and introducing another ingredient can throw that ritual entirely off base.
And this is enough to cause an argument or two, especially if you’re not used to each other’s company. But every gamer should be able to coexist with someone else, so how can you game successfully in a shared space and not irritate each other? Here are seven tips to help you.
Set A Schedule
Schedules are an easy way to establish who plays when considering how loud some video games can be. However, it can seem a little juvenile for adults, but it works great for kids who want to play the new Zelda game or test their skills in a galaxy far, far away. Parents can schedule times that work for everyone, and adult gamers should be able to arrange a schedule that allows them to hang out, go to work, and fulfill any responsibilities around the house before they settle in for a session.
Upgrade Your Setup
There will be some instances when you both want to game simultaneously. You already know how noisy some gaming setups can be, especially if you don’t have the equipment to counteract your activity. You can overcome this by upgrading your setup. For PC gamers, installing Gateron Oil King Switches for your keyboard is a great solution, while console gamers can use Bluetooth receivers to connect to their earphones and game in peace.
Play Games Together
The best solution to your problem is to play games together. Brothers and sisters or roommates can explore some of the best coop campaigns online and locally, while couples can check out the best coop games for date nights to bring you closer together and see what the other is capable of behind the keyboard. Considering this is a hobby you share, it only makes sense to enjoy it together, and this is a much better idea than taking turns on the controller or watching the other try to beat a level to no avail.
Noise-Canceling Headphones
However, if you want to play a specific game in peace, you can use noise-canceling headphones to drown out the sound of everything else going on. This doesn’t account for the various creative insults you might hurl at opposing players, but it does limit the amount of noise from explosions and other combat or the game’s soundtrack.
Mute Each Other On the Chat
If you play with a group of friends, you likely have Discord servers you all share. This means you can chat easily, but there could be a slight echo if you’re gaming with someone too close to you. Get around this problem by muting each other in the chat and uncovering one of your ears. With this, you should still be able to hear each other without interfering with your other chat.
Make Sure You Have Enough Outlets
You need to power your computer, monitor, and console, so you better have enough outlets to accommodate all the devices in your gaming room. This should be a fundamental improvement you make before doing anything else to your space, but you also need to worry about overloading the sockets. Considering you don’t want to blow a fuse or upset the rest of your party, an extension cable with surge protection is vital, and you and your sibling, partner, or roommate can game in peace. Besides this, it could also be worth upgrading your bandwidth to handle the demand, especially if you play online games. As a bonus, add some ambiance to your gaming room with an LED Stripe Lamp for a cool and vibrant atmosphere.
Add Some Personal Touches
Sometimes, it’s all about how the space looks that affects your enjoyment. You can find gaming room ideas and inspiration to make the room feel more like yours. Light strips and posters of your favorite games are a fantastic place to start, while a speaker system you can connect to music streaming to play the most epic soundtracks helps to set the mood like few other things.
Coexist
With these tips, you’ll find it easy to coexist with the other gamer in your life, even if one plays a PC and the other plays a console. It doesn’t really matter what you play as long as you both have fun and learn not to get in each other’s way.
Can you think of any other suggestions for how to best game in a shared space (without getting on each other’s nerves)? Let us know in the comment section below.