Any video gamers here?

[Buck]

While I've bought video games for my boys over the years starting with the
original Pong game in the 1970's but I never got to interested in them
myself.

Now that I've got tons of time to kill I might consider a newer game console
due to the VAST improvement in games & players on the market today.

I've asked my son's opinion and got so much contraditory info I'm now
totally cornfused, It seems my boys have very definte opinions about
very different systems.

That said, Anybody care to comment ,offer advice, or opinions about the
different game systems of the very recent past or todays current models?

Please....be very specific in why & what you find about your preferred
game system 'cause I'm a detail guy.

Thanks again....... ;D

[sharp_shepherd]

I have every single gaming system every made. Out of the 3 newest gaming systems i like the xbox 360 the best and thus we have the most games for that system. If my family wasn't well enough off we wouldn't have any of the systems cause the games are way to expensive. I had my PS2 modified to play backup games and plan to do that to the newest 3 systems once all the bugs are worked out. Looking back at all the money i've spent on all the systems it's easily over $100K which makes me feel stupid now. Over the last 2 monts i have cut out all game and accessory purchases so that we can save up and pay cash for some land and a home retreat that we want. I like that our entire family games and it brings us all together. We do many things together and this is just one of them.

[walls0stone]

I allow myself to mess with them now and then, however I did learn that I was hooked on games for a short time when an old friend of mine and I had a Xbox. the games were played on a projecter rather than a TV, making the figures on the screen, 3 feet tall, sometimes life size.

We only played realistic, or real time games..
First by playing the ww2 games, based on actual events, was educational. Then playing real time games on line with others, was more like chess. *

But I dumped the games when it was clear to me that the cemicals made in the brain, mixed with the awsome high of beating a leavel or killing a cartoon German on screen was taking away the feeling of victory I had when I did something for real.

This was made more clear to me when I went to see a friend, a newly wed in my wife's family. *Wanting to make him feel at home, I took part in some of his game parties with his friends.

*Now, the dude was 40...but very sheltered. one day he said, "I can jump so high", in reference to his player on the screen. no wonder it took him so long to get a woman (ever)...I'd also say that of the 10 guys in the room, few would know what to do when the lights went out. ;) In most cases I would guess that the closest they had all come to getting lucky was picking up chics in the game, Grand Thef Auto.

They also didnt' realy talk to each other, other than trash talk. *When you go do something in the room with real people and all of you actual interact, it's better than looking at a screen...With Gaming, the screen is the focus and the others are as interactive as teh furniture.

..It became clear to me that the great graphics and real games can make one feel like a winner to such a point that you will spend way to much time on them, and not enough time in the real world with the real people winning real battles, like weeding the garden.

It's fun for the winter storms or now and then..but playing constantly, or have'n a game night??...uh no.

If you want to know what I had, it was a simple Xbox, with a suroundsoud system and a eiki projecter. Play the Band of Brothers games on that ,and burn callories.

[sethwyo]

I got to play wolfinstine 3D By id software on a PC when i was about 10, I liked it much more than the old atari system we had. Doom Was put out by id also. You can still find these on disc or cd for a PC, and that may be the way to go,
Dont worry about the many systems and just stick with the trusty old computer. I got a playstation cheep when the playstation 2 came out because all my favorite shoot em ups wore available for that, In the 2nd hand and pawn and game stores there are alot of playstation games available cheep. The playstation is as good as any, many of the so called improvments in the new systems arnt, The grapics images and pictures are more life like, A playstation 2 can play music and movie cd's.

[CarolAnn]

Buck,
I would advise you to rent a console and a few games before you invest. That way you can experience them before soaking a lot of money into something that bores or disgusts you!

My speed is more of the type of video game that plays on the PC without any special equipment; Myst and Riven were fun for a long time: not much real action but lots of attractive graphics and interesting mind puzzles. The shoot-em-up, beat-em-up games don't interest me, but then I'm a gal. Maybe those require testosterone!

[Buck]

Buck,
I would advise you to rent a console and a few games before you invest. That way you can experience them before soaking a lot of money into something that bores or disgusts you!


You can "rent" video players?!? :o :o

Wondeful practical advice if I can find a place to rent one. ;D ;D

[Southern_Gent]

You can "rent" video players?!? *:o :o

Wondeful practical advice if I can find a place to rent one. ;D ;D

Some of the stores that rent movies will also rent consoles and games. I think Blockbuster used to, but I don't know if they still do. Also, if there is a game specialty shop in your area, such as GameStop, they might also rent the consoles.

A cheaper alternative to gaming would be to use the PC you already have. You can pick up cheap games at Walmart or Target, usually in the $10 range. You'll want to check the system requirements on the box and compare them with what your computer is capable of to ensure that the game will operate smoothly.

[Country_Mike]

Buck, I was in a Best Buy and played a wii game and enjoyed it immensely. With that system you use your body to move things in the game. You can also get exercise games to work out with. Might be worth a demo for you.

[Jeff]

I used to play a nintindo but switched over to PC games and like them better. Command and Conquer is a fun real-time strategy game. But after C&C I found World of Warcraft. It's a pretty fun game and hard to stop playing.

[Buck]

The "addictive" aspect of video games is the main reason I never got
one for mom & me. I can stop, she can't (not to disrepect my wife just
facts).

If the numbers come in where I can afford a game system I will make sure
to hook it up in such a manner to discourage endless play time for both
mom & me. But on the other hand killing time is one of the reasons I'm
interested now. :o Oww, I've got a headache think'n about all this
stuff............... ;D ;D

[MadTripper]

Consoles have come a long ways. We still have a Game Cube and the wife and I play Mario Cart on occasion. I am more into PC games and that comes and goes in phases. Now that winter is on the horizon, I'll probably pick something up. I've wanted to get Assassin's Creed for a while now. I have typically played Unreal Tournament, Quake III, Return to Castle Wolfenstein, FEAR, and othe FPS types. I tried getting into Neverwinter Nights a few years ago but didn't really enjoy it. The Tom Clancy series like Ghost Recon and Rainbow Six are a blast too.

Actually, we've lately been playing hearts and MahJongg online which are a good time as well.

Tripper

[Buck]

Since my interest also comes in spruts I decided to forego
a video game console altogether. Beside, I can't afford to
feed one games. :-/

That said, one of our son's sent me this link to free net pinball
(a serious favorite of mine) that also has other games that
are my 'speed' . ;D ;D

http://www.thepinballzone.net/game.php?id=online_pinball

Thanks so much all for your help!! ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D ;D

[macgeoghagen]

I like PC games. you can play a game about anything on PC, not just the usual killing/sports/racing genres, and not all fast paced ADHD inducing frenzies. sometimes i like an easy paced game about building a country or something constructive like that

[mike82934]

My wife and I ended up with two consoles when we got married (I had a PS2 and she had an X-Box), but we're going to be getting rid of them soon in our change to simplicity/minimalism.
Even when they were new, I only played sporadically...maybe once or twice a week for a couple hours at a time, when I wanted to have some alone time. My favorites were the Guitar Hero series, Final Fantasy X, and the Need for Speed series. Some of my friends were into the shooting/action games like Halo and Rainbow Six, but I always ended up being thrashed when I tried to play them.
It can be a fun pasttime, but I won't miss it- like walls0stone said, it's way too easy to get sucked into them. When you know someone like my brother-in-law (who is pushing 40 years old, is single, and likes to talk about what level his Warcraft character is and what guild he belongs to) it can be kind of scary. I like to think I have the self-control to keep myself from taking it that far, but I'd rather do something else and not risk it.
That said...you can unwind in whatever way you see fit. When I do play (albeit occassionally) I like to go to http://www.kongregate.com. They have literally thousands of games (of all kinds) that you can play right on their site at no charge. It's worth checking out if you're wanting to pass the time.

[Buck]

"I like to go to http://www.kongregate.com. They have literally thousands of games (of all kinds) that you can play right on their site at no charge. It's worth checking out if you're wanting to pass the time."

Really decent! Thanks! Bookmarked!! ;D

[TheUnboundOne]

Dear Buck,

I am about to permanently stigmatize myself as "old-school" and maybe a "Luddite" in what I am about to say:

;D

I haven't played a video game since the days of Galaga, Dig-Dug, and (the most advanced I've ever played) Dragon's Lair, which is to say, since about 1991.

:o

The Internet, books/magazines, radio, and the occasional DVD or satellite TV show at my Dad's place are my media of choice. If I threw in video games, I could never have a life of my own. I would be forever stuck in The Matrix!

8)

Best of fun on your gaming adventures, though. If you love it, knock yourself out. I won't hold you back.

:)

[mike82934]

You're welcome, Buck.

LOL, Unbound...
A couple years ago, I bought a mini-console-type-thing for about $20; it's basically just a cheap plastic box with a joystick and a button, which runs on two AA batteries and plugs into the back of your TV. It has a bunch of "classic" games on it, including Pacman, Dig-Dug, Galaga, and several others I can't remember...all with original graphics and sound effects.
Those games were a little before my time, so it wasn't really nostalgic...but it was fun. ;D