I've never liked computer games

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Originally Posted by norm

I have no issues with computer games, its just another form of entertainment. If anything its probably a bit rich of people criticizing it, when astronomy could be seen in the same context.

You mention astronomy to most people and they'll think its interesting, but you start crapping on about eyepieces, scopes, NGC...and people will roll their eyes.

Thats my 2 cents worth

Moderation is the key.

I agree, Norm and Mike (comment 3). If I am not hurting anyone, who cares if I play video games as a form of relaxation, to chill out from my demanding work. Not that I really play much of them anyway, but... to those who think video games are "a waste of time, energy and a drain on intelligence and creativity" or "a waste of time and pointless". Perhaps some of your leisure pursuits may be considered "a waste of time, energy and a drain on intelligence and creativity" or "a waste of time and pointless" to others. I see your spending your time creating pointless threads on an internet forum. Any difference?

[asimov (John)]

I've had some sort of game console since the age of 6 & I'm now 47 with a PS3. Sometimes it's been the only thing to keep me sane!

Anyone not into games wouldn't understand & quite frankly, I couldn't care less if they understand or not. It's good for ME & thats what counts.

Whatever floats your boat.

[Baddad (Marty)]

Hi All, and Al Sheeny,

I do relate to where you come from Al. I too was a marbles wanna be champ. Cycling, gunpowder. "slug-guns" and street baseball.

I was a bad a.. kid. Even when I was a young adult I played practical jokes on peers etc. Touch powder, gunpowder, hand cranked generators for shocking results.

The emergence of the Commodore and Amstrad computers presented a challenge. There were games to play and to copy. If you could get by the protection. I learnt the Z80 microprocessor code from books. Games galore.

The peers were safe I wanted to play computer games. I had to break into the protection. If it had not been for these games maybe I was destined to work on more practical jokes and try to improve them.

The advent of the PC, my sons and daughter became very computer literate. More so than I was. I was by then losing the initial enthusiasm. I had taught my kids in the beginning and they were teaching me.

I went through the whole wringer. Al's time from marbles to computer games and now its a tool for communication and soon to enhance this newly found hobby, astronomy.

Cheers Marty

[mac (Matt)]

I like computer games. I think that those who criticise them don't realise the vast array of different genres out there.

For example, you can play a space shuttle simulator, aeroplane simulator, train simulator or even a WW2 submarine simulator. Or you can go 'first person' and go on violent rampages online. There's even 'intelligent' first person games, such as Half Life 2 or Fallout 3 where you are having to solve problems as well as doing the 'wet work'. And then there's the 'real time strategy' games such as Company of Heroes, where you have to apply tactical strategy to defeat the enemy - these games can even teach a male how to multi-task!

And there's the console games like Guitar Hero, which expose young people to some great music from the 60's to the 00's, and teaches coordination.

My wife is a physiotherapist and they use Nintendo Wii's at her hospital for rehabilitation. Now surely you can't say that games are pointless...

[Rainingstar (Lorraine)]

Originally Posted by Jazza11

I love oblivion i have never played fallout 3 though but i heard some parts of it were censored for australia

The copy for the PS3 that I have is not censored however I had also heard that some copies had some of the violence censored, it wouldn't make any difference to the great game play and story line though.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by Nesti

That's right Steven...with that THING on his head he's sure to be something of a danger to society...dare I say the pride and joy of some inner suburb in Sydney tho...

Hey, I'm not the one taking his big yellow plane for a walk everywhere he goes.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by sjastro

And shooting people off line is illegal. Let's hope there are no twisted reasons behind your game playing.

Ha... that's in your head only Nobody's been jailed for playing pacman roaming around the streets eating people.

[multiweb (Marc)]

Originally Posted by asimov

I've had some sort of game console since the age of 6 & I'm now 47 with a PS3. Sometimes it's been the only thing to keep me sane!

Anyone not into games wouldn't understand & quite frankly, I couldn't care less if they understand or not. It's good for ME & thats what counts.

Whatever floats your boat.

Hear hear!

[Matt Wastell (Matt)]

I am 39, never have a computer at home when I was a kid - gaming was space invaders and asteroid at video arcades. Modern games are great!

[gbeal]

Something I have had very little to do with, but my youngster likes it. Each to his/her own. Many can't see what we see at night. It is what makes the world go round, different strokes for different blokes (and blokesesses).
Gary

[Ric]

My favourites have to be Command & Conquer and Neverwinter Nights.

I'm a big fan of the RPG's and the way you have to strategise or solve puzzles. I suppose its a way to keep the old grey matter ticking over.

Cheers

[Octane (Humayun)]

No matter what I do, I just can't get into gaming. It's so sad.

When I got my first computer back in 1986, I really enjoyed cat.exe and paratrooper.exe (I can't remember what it was shortened to). I then got F-15 Strike Eagle II and F-19 Stealth Fighter. Wow, those were an eye opener. The games actually came with detailed manuals and information on a vast assortment of jet fighters and what not, big wall-size poster maps to plan your primary and secondary objectives/missions. It was so good.

I could finish Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego in the minimal amount of time, every time! I learnt so much about geography through that game.

Started to get into car racing simulators as well. Test Drive, and Formula One Grand Prix (Microprose).

Diablo. I didn't know what the idea of the game was. I just walked around killing skeletons, collecting gold, purchasing mana and upgrading weapons. I had no idea about the concept of a quest. :S

I had a copy of Warcraft III sitting on my desk for two years before I decided to install it and play it. I was apprehensive and frightened of working so hard to build a character up and then lose everything. I started playing it and thoroughly enjoyed it. Just as well that my hard drive crashed and I lost everything.

I just can't play anything anymore. I am, however, more than happy to watch other people play. I guess I live vicariously through their every move.

Regards,
Humayun

[sheeny (Al)]

Originally Posted by Octane

I could finish Where in the World is Carmen Sandiego in the minimal amount of time, every time! I learnt so much about geography through that game.

Now that's a blast from the past. I forgot about that one. I used to enjoy that.

Another one I used to enjoy that I've just remembered was "You Don't Know Jack".

Al.

[Jules76 (Julian)]

I'll admit it, I've probably "wasted" a lot of years playing games, but why is that so wrong? I look back at some of the wonderful games I've played, and remember them with fondness for the escape they provided and endless hours of entertainment. How is this any different to recalling a favourite movie or book you've seen or read? It's just another form of entertainment.

Originally Posted by Octane

When I got my first computer back in 1986, I really enjoyed cat.exe and paratrooper.exe (I can't remember what it was shortened to). I then got F-15 Strike Eagle II and F-19 Stealth Fighter. Wow, those were an eye opener. The games actually came with detailed manuals and information on a vast assortment of jet fighters and what not, big wall-size poster maps to plan your primary and secondary objectives/missions. It was so good.

You mean Alley Cat?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alley_Cat_(video_game)

I loved that game! That was one of the very first games I had on my 8086 all those years ago!

I know what you mean too about the detailed manuals. I'm big fan of Lucasfilm/LucasArts games and I still have complete boxes of games such as Their Finest Hour and Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe. The detail they put into manuals back then was gorgeous, right down to detailed specs of the planes and a wealth of historical information. I must of read those manuals cover to cover many times and I learnt a great deal about the Battle of Britain and the Air War over Europe during WW2. Fascinating stuff and it's what kicked off my interest in WW2 history. Who say's games can't be educational?

I have no idea if they still go to all this trouble with games thesedays, as it's been awhile since I've brought one. I just don't have as much time for games thesedays.

[Jabba (Keenan)]

I really enjoy my computer games in small doses these days...
Although from the age of about 15 - 20 yo, I was a hardcore gamer, playing after school, work, tafe, and on weekends.

I played games such as Quake3, Team Fortress, Day of Defeat, Counter-Strike, Warcraft 3, Starcraft, World of Warcraft, Diablo, and a few other small games...

I mainly played Counter-Strike and on a competitive level where I was playing for clans at Netcafes in Sydney, and also competing at a national level which meant I travelled interstate such as Brisbane and Melbourne,whereas the competition winners would then qualify for an international competition overseas and play against the best teams from all over the world. These comps were also broadcasted on television networks overseas and also a huge fan base would watch it on website broadcasted shows...

I have to say, although it may seem very dull to some... there is a lot of social interaction with other people all around the nation, and the strategy side of games keeps the brain ticking unlike watching tv

I hardly play games anymore, the only game I now play is www.quakelive.com - which is Quake3(free). Its run off a website run program and is a free download for anyone interested in trying it out !

[Ric]

I tried playing online a few times but they all play to fast for me to keep up.

I remember playing C&C once and my opponent built an entire army before I even had a base set up, needless to say I only lasted about a minute which was the time they took to find me.

Cheers

[Brendan*]

You get what you give in everything you do in life.
In gaming you can play in the dark with the sound up for atmosphere or run game servers and be a forum moderator (halo) to be more social.
You can also become a midless zombie for a year (world of warcraft).

Your gaming will often reflect your personality. Im an addictive person so i usually go all in.
Theres some addictive personalitys stuck in these games forever.
Only some though.

ps post count 2

[stephenb (Stephen)]

Originally Posted by Jules76

I'll admit it, I've probably "wasted" a lot of years playing games, but why is that so wrong? I look back at some of the wonderful games I've played, and remember them with fondness for the escape they provided and endless hours of entertainment. How is this any different to recalling a favourite movie or book you've seen or read? It's just another form of entertainment.




You mean Alley Cat?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alley_Cat_(video_game)

I loved that game! That was one of the very first games I had on my 8086 all those years ago!

I know what you mean too about the detailed manuals. I'm big fan of Lucasfilm/LucasArts games and I still have complete boxes of games such as Their Finest Hour and Secret Weapons of the Luftwaffe. The detail they put into manuals back then was gorgeous, right down to detailed specs of the planes and a wealth of historical information. I must of read those manuals cover to cover many times and I learnt a great deal about the Battle of Britain and the Air War over Europe during WW2. Fascinating stuff and it's what kicked off my interest in WW2 history. Who say's games can't be educational?

I have no idea if they still go to all this trouble with games thesedays, as it's been awhile since I've brought one. I just don't have as much time for games thesedays.

WOW, I thought I was the only one who played Alley Cat??? Thanks for the link Jules. I can still remember the theme song in my head today!!! We played it on IBM XT, and AT machines.

I really only play MAME games now - PacMan, Space Invaders, Defender, Scramble, Donkey Kong, Digger, Frogger, Galaga.

[kustard (Simon)]

Originally Posted by glenluceskies

I really only play MAME games now - PacMan, Space Invaders, Defender, Scramble, Donkey Kong, Digger, Frogger, Galaga.

For my birthday I was going to get one of those table top 60-in-1 MAME based machines (all legit, single board controller, really nice machine) but I ended up getting a new scope

At one point I was going to hack my PSP to play MAME games but it involves too much stuffing about and I updated the firmware in it which makes it even harder to hack into.

[Octane (Humayun)]

Yeah, I loved Alley Cat.

Stephen, now that you've mentioned it, the music is in my head now, too.

Regards,
Humayun