Context:
For the last month I’ve been on an absolute tech binge on reading up and tinkering with hacking ps vitas and other general computer faffing about.
This has lead me to not only purchasing not one, but two ps vitas in the last month, and spending basically every waking hour reading documentation, looking up new homebrews and plugins, and actually working on getting these things implemented.
Additionally, carrying around a tiny baby console has reignited but also a impulse purchasing a new handheld gaming pc. Now I already have a fairly decent one, an aya neo 2021, so 16gb ram, a 4800u processor, 1tb storage, etc. This baby’s literally been able to handle everything I’ve thrown at it, with the exception of Baldur’s Gate.
But now I’m really getting bothered by how heavy and big it is. So what do I do? I buy a GPD Win 4 on an impulse because it’s only a little bit larger than the vita, but has many many many pluses compared to my current pc (32gb ram, a 34% faster processor, 2tb storage, an on unit keyboard, a mini mouse trackpad, rear buttons (honestly one of the main things I miss about the xbox pro controller), etc). I’m still going to use the aya, I’ll set it up as a pseudo desktop of sorts probably, or use it when I do want that bigger screen.
But man I feel absolutely worn out from this. It’s been a ninth of just solid obsession and being unable to think about anything else. Not to mention the money I’ve spent that I really ought to be saving. And the worst part is I know there’s very little I can do to break out of it.
At least the comp I know im going to be using, the vita I think the fixation will die out once it’s all set up and configured… I think I enjoy the tinkering more than I will actually using it.
Does anyone else feel the same after a hyperfixation binge? It’s gotta be similar to stims making us tired right? Finally found something that releases the dopamine, and now it’s a tidal wave. Not to mention just the go go go go obsessive thinking 24/7. And it certainly doesn’t help that being so focused on this instead of literally everything else means I’ve missed my meds more times in the last few weeks than I have actually remembering them. Gotta love a self fulfilling prophesy eh?
Anyway, anyone else have a similar hyperfixation story they feel like sharing?
And I fully accept this is far too much to read lmao
I don’t think I have ADHD (so this may be more of a SzPD or depression thing), but I often hyperfixate on things until I just decide to drop the idea (or at least lurk on the idea indefinitely) due to complexity/poor-results/cost. And the cost doesn’t even need to be that high, I try not to buy things.
I’ve done this mostly with programming and game stuff, where I want ease and performance plus something polygonal (eye.mp4). I actually have the pieces, but they don’t really fit together (at least not where I’m at, someone better might make it work). Either that or I’d need to make some major concessions (beyond the ones I initially planned for) or have a completely different workflow that will likely also be more difficult (like 3D).
Similar to your story, I heard about PS3 homebrew being better/easier and decided to dust off my PS3 (actually, compressed air) which last-I-used-it was not reading discs. Seems that was only a temperamental thing, got some info, fixed up controller a bit, played some games. But I didn’t actually bother with the homebrew stuff yet because I do not really have even a loose plan on the reasons to do so yet. Playing an old game I had bought long ago was one reason, until I remembered it was a PSP mini and I can just play it on my phone.
I used to keep fish. I loved learning about the nitrogen cycle, setting up the co2 diffuser, balancing tank parameters, designing the filtration system, researching, purchasing, and acclimating exotic fish. Fascinating, colorful and compelling. But once the set up was done and I had a mature tank I was bored and dreaded basic maintenance. The fish didn’t deserve a subpar home so I did my best, but when we moved and sold the set up, I never went back.
Oh boy the ADHD is strong with this one.
Yea before meds, hyper focus usually came in small bursts but there was a whole 2 weeks and i do literally mean 2 weeks where i spent every waking moment trying to make a jellyfin server work. I worked night shift security at the time so it was wake up, work on the servwr before work, go to work, look up docs and videos, go home, sleep, rinse, repeat for two weeks straight.
I was new to Linux (and still am) so it took me so fucking long and i ended up doing it on windows in the end anyways. But yea after doing almost nothing else for two weeks, i was a liiiiittle burnt out.
My advice if you wanna play with tech but dont wanna spend the scratch, ask friends or family if they have old laptops or pcs they dont want and use those. Ive gotten 5 laptops this way.
Or ebay and other marketplace sites. Old hardware is still fun.
Reminds me the week I did nothing but play Dragon Age Inquisition for literally 10 hours a day lmao. It was literally sleep, play, maybe eat, sleep, repeat.
Yeah old hardware is definitely neat! Luckily the vita’s weren’t too much. The screen on one of them (an OLED) is registering touches that it shouldn’t (the bottom bezel that’s definitely not part of the screen, the select button also triggers it inexplicably). I think my next project will be to replace that front unit. I’ve already taken it apart once, so if I can get that back to working properly with a new module that would be awesome
I have no regrets on buying the pc, tbh. With the keyboard, it means I’ll be able to do some coding with a lot less setup investment, which is usually my main de-motivator. I have a few projects that I’m working on already, so at least new ideas won’t be needed lol
I do have an ancient Macbook that I don’t really use too much anymore, maybe I’ll wipe that and do a Linux install :)
