Personally, I open the ones I intend to display. I will transform them, but mostly they are placed in bot mode, in poses for display. Sometimes I will shift my display around, or if I feel like it, I will take a fig and transform it to admire, but otherwise, majority of time they are on display. For boxed stuff, they are displayed MISB/MIB or in storage. Displaying/ reorganizing and re-posing is the most fun I have - and other than the hunt/collecting part, gives me the most enjoyment.

The closest I would get to playing would be when I open a new figure sometimes I will play an ep of g1 that the character is involved in- on the background whilst I open/transform/admire the new fig. That also gives me more of an idea of how to pose them based on the character

I don't understand the creative play:battle scenes/ explosion play time- I would love to do that again- since I loved to do that as a kid (and have fond memories) but I just don't have any urge to do that now- especially if it would mean any reckless handling of my figures. While I do open my figs up for display, I intend for them to stay mint.

I would say that those who still play, i.e. Gok are cool for not letting the perceptions of age limit their creativity and fun, and it would be immature/uncool to vilify them for that difference.