OK, I need both of you to keep a secret. It is critical that you do in order that I maintain my “manhoodliness.” I have come to the realization lately that after 43 years on this planet, I do not play any video games. That’s right, no, meaning none whatsoever, video games. But not only that, I have never really played any video games.
I checked to make sure that all the parts that “define” me as a man are still intact. Check. Then checked again for the fun of it. I confirm that I am unequivocally male. Add to that my genetic predisposition to think of sex every 7 seconds interspersed with the words Red Sox and I am confident that I am still male….at least ceremoniously.
But somehow I was out the day that video games were invented. I lived a couple of miles, and hung out in, a local mall. I know there was an arcade. I know my friends were in there playing all those new-fangled arcade games, like Pacman, Asteroids, Donkey Kong, Tempest and Centipede. We all remember those games where you had just a single joystick or, if you were really fancy, a button and a giant trackball. All my friends were in the arcade, so what the eff was I doing while they were playing? Was I a bystander? Was I out shopping at Chess King because I was all about fashion (a trait that clearly has lingered to this day)?
Truth is, I have no idea what I was doing, but I can tell you, without hesitation, that I was not playing video games.
Part of the problem is that I am not a very competitive person. I was never one that needed to crush my opponent. That desire is mostly lost of me (check manhood here. Yup, still intact). I am not even competitive with myself. Add to that, I feel like I am completely unable to immerse myself in the strange new worlds promised by the video games.
Even now, with children, I do not play video games with them despite the fact that their thumbs are the only part of their bodies that gets exercise. They can quite literally sit in front of the Game Cube, which I bought for them, for days, maybe years on end without looking up.
So, here I am, at 43, trying to figure out this video game thing. Here is my plan: I want to take your suggestions and purchase a video game (for the computer and not the game consoles). I then want to write about the experience as I work my way up the learning curve. I can only imagine that this will serve as riveting blogging…if my blog was not riveting enough.
So, to get me started, I need your advice downloading or purchasing a video game. I know there are different types of games, like first-person shooters, sports, puzzles, arcade-style, strategy and role-playing games.
If I had my druthers, I would not choose a F.P.S game. But I can be convinced. A general rule is that it must be playable on a basic PC laptop with the out-of-the-box graphics card. No hardware mods allowed. I would gladly give up slick graphics for interesting gameplay . The other criteria is that I am not required to pay monthly subscription fees to use the game. I don’t have two pennies to rub together, and last I checked I have a couple or three children that need to be fed (on a rotating schedule) so please don’t make me pay to play.
Questions for Both of My Readers (BoMR): Since I am at best only a geek-wannabe, I need your help.
What video game should I purchase as a 43 year old’s first introduction to the world of gaming?
What are your thoughts about gaming in general?
I know many of us are parents so does that mean you have less time or perhaps more time to engage in games?