Games!
I was reminded of a couple of things last night.
First, I don't like driving after 1am even for only 15 minutes especially since my evening pill makes me drowsy. It's easy to lose track of time when having fun though (esp. since I'm on vacation all summer). :) Now that we're older though, it's not quite as socially acceptable to do an impromptu sleepover either.
Second is a tad longer,
Last night, seeing a game that was very reminiscent of some older Sierra-style games that I used to play in high school really got me thinking. Apparently I'm pretty different from the typical gamer who happily spends hours alone in a dark office until 3am multiple nights in a row playing a video game (besides the obvious being more sociable and having better hygiene :P ). Sure I *love* games and have played games for hours at a stretch many a time, but as I've gotten older my standards for wasting 40 hours of my life on a game *alone* have definitely gone up. But more than that, games have always been more of a social thing for me. Board, card and party games are obvious, but it's almost as true for video games.
Before we had an NES or computer at home, my only video game exposure was with my cousin who'd visit for several weeks each summer. We'd rent and pass like 5 games together over a period of a couple of weeks. My gaming time was serious limited by my parents growing up and the computer was in the family room so it was a more social affair. Even if I wasn't playing with someone, there was almost always a kibitzer or two. Then in junior high and high school, I got into the habit with several different friends of playing through video games together. These were mostly Sierra games like the Quest for Glory series or that comedy series set in space (the name escapes me). We also played quite a few multi-player games. These games were very much a bonding experience and I grew accustomed to having an audience around much of the time while playing. I also grew to really like just watching someone play a game. (College was such a social time for me that it really reinforced all of this - when was a roommate or a friend not around?) Some games (like sports or fighting) do suck to watch, but most, like the ones that are even slightly story driven, are very fun; it's basically an interactive movie! Plus, like my music, I need other people to expose me to new things because I suck at seeking it out myself.
If I want a solo activity, I'm much more likely to pick up a book than a game. But inviting someone over (or inviting myself over) just to play a video game while I watch/help is apparently a weird concept out in the "real world" (not the one on MTV). Too bad; it's great fun for me.
Anyhoo, Oblivion looks really cool - I haven't actually played it but I'd recommend it for anyone who liked those old Sierra-style games. It seems to combine a lot of neat ideas into one game and nicely evokes so many fond game memories for me.
First, I don't like driving after 1am even for only 15 minutes especially since my evening pill makes me drowsy. It's easy to lose track of time when having fun though (esp. since I'm on vacation all summer). :) Now that we're older though, it's not quite as socially acceptable to do an impromptu sleepover either.
Second is a tad longer,
Last night, seeing a game that was very reminiscent of some older Sierra-style games that I used to play in high school really got me thinking. Apparently I'm pretty different from the typical gamer who happily spends hours alone in a dark office until 3am multiple nights in a row playing a video game (besides the obvious being more sociable and having better hygiene :P ). Sure I *love* games and have played games for hours at a stretch many a time, but as I've gotten older my standards for wasting 40 hours of my life on a game *alone* have definitely gone up. But more than that, games have always been more of a social thing for me. Board, card and party games are obvious, but it's almost as true for video games.
Before we had an NES or computer at home, my only video game exposure was with my cousin who'd visit for several weeks each summer. We'd rent and pass like 5 games together over a period of a couple of weeks. My gaming time was serious limited by my parents growing up and the computer was in the family room so it was a more social affair. Even if I wasn't playing with someone, there was almost always a kibitzer or two. Then in junior high and high school, I got into the habit with several different friends of playing through video games together. These were mostly Sierra games like the Quest for Glory series or that comedy series set in space (the name escapes me). We also played quite a few multi-player games. These games were very much a bonding experience and I grew accustomed to having an audience around much of the time while playing. I also grew to really like just watching someone play a game. (College was such a social time for me that it really reinforced all of this - when was a roommate or a friend not around?) Some games (like sports or fighting) do suck to watch, but most, like the ones that are even slightly story driven, are very fun; it's basically an interactive movie! Plus, like my music, I need other people to expose me to new things because I suck at seeking it out myself.
If I want a solo activity, I'm much more likely to pick up a book than a game. But inviting someone over (or inviting myself over) just to play a video game while I watch/help is apparently a weird concept out in the "real world" (not the one on MTV). Too bad; it's great fun for me.
Anyhoo, Oblivion looks really cool - I haven't actually played it but I'd recommend it for anyone who liked those old Sierra-style games. It seems to combine a lot of neat ideas into one game and nicely evokes so many fond game memories for me.