I was at a birthday party for 1 year old twins on Saturday and I was telling the mom that my son is finally getting to the age that I can play video games with him, and she like gasped and her reaction was one that is like ‘video games for children are the devil!’ and it was kind of awkward. It was very clear she was VERY anti video games. Maybe anti screentime I don’t know.
And then I was telling my wife about it and thought that video games are literally the reason I am in the career I am. I got into computer science because I liked video games and wanted to make them. Granted I didn’t go that direction as far as making games, but it got me where I am today and I’d say I’m doing pretty okay for myself.
So she can fuck right off with her feelings about gaming. Like most things, everything is okay in moderation.
Yea those people are annoying. The greatest turn around for me is my Nana who has to be the source of the often parroted “Videogames will rot your brain” nonsense I was bombarded with as a child. Now all my Nana does is sit in the living room playing Candy Crush on her phone lmao.
Thats the kind of shit that grinds me. I would have immediately asked her if she watches TV, watched a movie or even read a book and told her its just a different form of entertainment. People who don’t play games always have this misconception of what they are until they play one in a genre that clicks with them but they have to get over themselves first.
In the mood to play some Wind Waker…dont want to unpack the Gamecube…sitting here with 60 bucks and wondering why the HD Version isn’t on the Switch yet…
Yeah the funniest part is this was in their living room where they had a “baby area” that was just like gates basically connected to make a play pen. And hanging right on the wall was a big TV.
My parents never really gave me shit about my video game endeavors or card game endeavors cause
they knew it was good for me from a socializing aspect,
they’d always know where I was and generally who I was with (I’d have monthly gatherings in my basement. Usually 8-14 people depending on what it related to. So they knew my circle of friends)
they knew exactly where the money I asked for was going (even if they didn’t like where it was going)
they could tell it was one of the few things that made me generally happy since my school life was absolutely horrible (hence why I dropped out) and it gave me confidence.
Whenever I got back from any sort of competitive gaming function whether it was fighting game or card board related I think my parents could tell how much I’d “glow” because I was so happy to be in my element, building friendships and friendly rivalries as well as doing something I loved.
I think they also liked the fact that I’d got paid to judge card game events and local shops would sponsor me/pay for certain things for me. Plus my winnings from tournaments.
Those were were more or less my job from 13-18 before I got a real job. Lol
So when I got a job at a hobby shop in my mid 20’s they were like “of course you did”
The worst they ever did was gawk at me when I asked for $XX for a card. They’d be like “you need how much? For a single card? A piece of cardboard?” Id just be like “yeah, it’s important”. And then I’d usually bring home a few hundred dollars or more in winnings by the end of the weekend.
The only thing they absolutely didn’t like is when I’d Ask to travel out of state for tournaments but 9/10 theyd relent and let me go.
I never got shit from my parents for being interested in video games. My dad actually liked a handful of them. My dad loved Duck Hunt and he played it all the time. He got his own NES just to play it. He got a kick out watching me play Dynasty Warriors due to how many enemies that would appear onscreen. He also would make a bunch of offensive Chinese jokes. He loved the Wii and Wii Sports. He loved it so much he actually tried to get some my older relatives into it.
It’s such an odd thing what happened with my Dad and gaming… he was a gamer from way back for quite a while (originally addicted to Pacman and Defender)…until around '94/95 and the Saturn. He actually owned that system and played a basketball game on it…then 1 day, seemingly out of the blue, he just stopped, as if he had this bizarre desire to stop “wasting time”…even though you could argue that television shows and movies are similar “wastes of time” depending on one’s opinion of them. (and yep, it was the same strange thing with tv—he stopped watching most tv shows too. Even now he only really turns a tv on to watch live sports or the news…terribly boring if that’s all you watch, imo…on the other hand, I could understand how that suddenly frees up a LOT of time for whatever else in life though.)
…heh, this past christmas I hit him with a certain weakness though; showed him a trailer for Red Dead Redemption II. I knew this would get him since he is from the “Boomer” generation that grew up in a time when tv was about 95% cowboy western shows and movies. haha the resulting hype was magical to watch.
Mom only really played Pacman and Ms. Pacman back in the day, and for some reason the very concept of it amused her to no end; she’d laugh uncontrollably like she was hit with Joker gas while playing those games. It was always fun to watch.
Real story my parents would play Tetris Attack everyday until 2-3 am. I’d join them a couple days a week and beat their ass but this is when I was like 14 so I’d go to bed at 1 am. They got addicted af
People like that are hilarious because they’re usually the SAME people that will hand their kid their iPhone to shut them up. I had someone once give me the "You’re in your mid 30s and you still play video games? " bit, and I was like, you sit on the couch watching NFL, NBA, etc every weekend, at least the games I’m interested in I actually have affect the outcome of. It’s fine to be into sports or movies, but when those people try to make like their form of entertainment is somehow superior it’s hilarious.
Anyway, video games are something I know my son will probably be into at some point and I’m looking forward to being able to play with him and hopefully introduce him to some old school stuff as well. I’m sure he’ll get more out of us playing together than if we just handed him a phone and told him to entertain himself.
It’s fun when your kids get to that age. My son asks me daily now pretty much to play Rush with me. I didn’t let him yesterday just because he asked me like 30 minutes before his bed time and I didn’t want him to get all wound up. But I told him we’ll play today. It’s kinda funny how he’s actually gotten legit better at the game, and he’s 4.
He still loves playing Paw Patrol On A Roll too. That is a VERY good game to introduce kids to gaming with. It’s super easy and basic. And I don’t know one kid that doesn’t like Paw Patrol so playing as all the pups is just awesome to him.
