T w e n t y S i d e d
Jaquandor has broken down and got himself some dang videogames. I’d be lying if I said this didn’t make me happy. Sure, my hobby makes me miserable, but I love when others join the ranks. I guess from this one can conclude I just don’t like people.
Actually, this is interesting because he’s picked up quite a variety of games. Not just genre diversity, but a large diversity of quality. I am hoping he posts about his experiences with the games after he’s tried them. How will these beloved / loathed games look to a “newcomer”. Will he find gold where I found only tedium? Will he shun a game that I loved because he didn’t go through the preceding five or six games that “teach” you how these sorts of games work? The views of someone outside of the “hardcore gamer” crowd should bring some interesting perspective.
Plus, people always enjoy it when others take up their hobby. I was warmly welcomed by anime fans when I started writing about the subject. I don’t know why we’re wired this way, but we are. Somehow I enjoy my ham sandwich more knowing that you love ham sandwiches too.
Oh yeah. To Mrs. Jaquandor: Sorry about ruining your husband and your marriage and everything.
LATER: I must add, there is something humorously over-the-top about his approach to this that I find admirable. He didn’t just run out and get one game. No, he went in and got a big ‘ol pile.
It’s like a monk who decides to try alcohol for the first time, so he strides into the liquor store and gets a bottle of wine, some whiskey, a vodka, something printed in spanish which may or may not be be tequila, the makings for Jello-shots, and a case of beer. I mean, why screw around, right?
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Ahhh….video games. I do love to hate them so.
I share a lot of your opinions on games, Shamus: Crappy software that ships with far too many defects, too focused on pictures and not enough on gameplay, Zero-to-No innovation in new games, too many first-person shooters, MMORPGs rewarding time-in-game over everything else….
Maybe that last one is more mine that yours, but if you played MMOs, I’m sure you’d feel this way, too.
This could be my first old-man moment. You know, the one where you complain about how you don’t understand how kids can listen to the rocka-rolla music these days? Maybe we’re just getting old, Shamus.
Just for the record, I’m playing a few games at the moment:
1) Loco Roco (PSP) Love it!
2) DnD Online (PC) Love it!
3) The Sims2 (PC) Love it!
There’s a port of Sid Meir’s Pirates! for the PSP now. This is one of my all-time favorites, and I’ve played every version. I can’t wait to play it on my PSP and take advantage of all that portable goodness.
If they’d port Civilization or CivII to PSP, they’d have to pry the thing from my cold, dead fingers. I think I lost 6 months of my life to those two games, I can’t think of a better way to lose them.
Ahh Civilization. My wife sighs every time she hears the word.
And I probably downloaded the old (early 90s) Death Knights of Krynn game because of reading this site. Loads of fun–and since I wasn’t having to swap out 5 1/4″ floppies and wait for maps to load, I finally beat the silly game. I don’t think I’ll go for any other games, but then, that’s what addicts always say, isn’t it?
Mrs T, I don’t think you’re alone with that exercise. I’ve been finding myself pulling out old games and solving them as well. And it’s not the old games I haven’t played before, but the old games I already solved (or at least put serious effort into). Case and point, Baldur’s Gate 1 and (gasp) SSI’s Pool of Radiance. I’ve solved PoR multiple times already, yet here I am, hacking away at the same trolls that “magically regenerate”.
Civilization
Just one more turn. Just one more turn. Just one more turn.
Many a night and weekend are still wasted on Age of Empires II and Heroes of Might and Magic III (now fan enhanced for your enjoyment). Ah, they just don’t make em like they used too.
On a side note,after seeing his picture on his website, does Jaquandor need a visit from the Queer Eye guys?
You think Civ is a “one more turn” game? Try Master of Orion II. With the largest universe size. It puts the addiction of Civ to shame.
“Oh yeah. To Mrs. Jaquandor: Sorry about ruining your husband and your marriage and everything.”
Heh – that one was so good that I am going to send it to my wife.
On a side note,after seeing his picture on his website, does Jaquandor need a visit from the Queer Eye guys?
Are those the guys who would show up, cut my hair, and make me wear overpriced clothing from wherever it is they buy stuff? No thanks!
IMHO it makes sense to go and buy a heap of whatever when trying that thing first. That way one bad specimen won’t ruin everything for you. Somewhat related to what I’ve seen when CD players came into usage (which certainly dates me): pals bought a CD player, and one or two CDs to go with it, with the result of being unable to stand listening to those CDs a month later. Me, I had almost 50 CDs before I got me a CD player.