I just don't get video games

I really appreciate a good video game. :-) My boyfriend's a lot more passionate than me though, he's currently studying computer science then going to VFS for game design.

My best friend is a game designer and art director for a local indie studio. While I only enjoy playing very few games*, I've come to appreciate so many more!**

*Yoshi's Island, SMB 1 and 3 (forget that SMB-2-Doki-Doki-Panic-in-disguise-bull****!), Rayman, Crash Bandicoot, Okami, Otogi, Odin Sphere, Incredible Crisis, Tekken 3, BlazBlue and a few others...

**GOW, BulletStorm (whatever, you know it's kick@$$!), Shadow of the Colossus, Silent Hill (the beginning of 2 scared the poo outta me!), Street Fighter, Star Craft, various beat-'em-ups, etc...

P.S.: Cool video. Gotta love GOW! And that haunting Gary Jules remake!

I honestly think that video games have become as commonplace as movies these days. I'm a gamer (Hell, I met my husband on WoW) and there are games that I seriously love the storyline of, and I think that's part of the reason I game. But I agree that they don't always take the place of books, I thoroughly enjoy a good novel too.

I don't really play games (because someone has to feed the dog and cats), but I've caught myself watching my husband play as if it was a movie. Uncharted and Red Dead Redemption... they're better than a lot of the poop that Hollywood is churning out these days.

I've heard that. They are boring or a waste of time.

But I play for moments like this clip. I know you have no context for the clip. Imagine reading 3 books with 2 central characters who have basically gone through h3ll and back. Dom is one of those characters.

Warning: spoiler alert for GOW3 - NSFW for language

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bH1sGDgyjSc&sns=em

I am not saying games should take the place of a book, but a well crafted game can weave a great story and have surprising poignant moments.

You know, I don't get it either. I don't understand how people sit there and just say "AMG games are like so stupid" I just don't! My husband and I are avid gamers (heck, we met on a WoW)! I love graphics, the art behind it, the design, all of it! I'm actually thinking of switching careers and getting into game design! My husband actually jokes about how happy he is I am a gamer and how wouldn't be able to be married to someone who hated games!

When you said "I am not saying games should take the place of a book, but a well crafted game can weave a great story and have surprising poignant moments.", you know what came to mind, Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Those have such a great story line and turned out to be amazing RPGs!

And to people saying games are such a waste of time, guess what, you spend 3-4 hours watching brainless crap like Jersey Shore or tv in general, same thing (well not really, we are rocking it while you are just vegetating it)! =P

I was just playing Zelda: Twilight Princess last night (finally beat it, btw!) and telling my roomie I wish someone would sit down and write these stories into a series of books!

Zelda games are my personal fav as far as fun to play AND the storylines, but I grew up sitting next to my brother for HOURS watching him play all sorts of games. It was just like watching a movie (I would get a snack and get in my comfy pj's and everything).

Great thread

I've never gotten into video games but my son has. He's currently attending The Art Institute of Seattle, he wants to be a video game designer.

I enjoy plants vs. zombies because it brings togehter the one thing I hate (vegetables), with the one thing I love (zombies).

I like to let the zombies have their way with them.

I used to not get video games... and then I played LA Noire. My life has totally changed from that moment on.
My obsession at the moment is that game!

But I've been lucky that most of my friends are gamers, either hardcore or casual. A few got me into playing Team Fortress 2 which I love and a friend of mine wouldn't let me leave her dorm until I played a half hour of Amnesia. I am trying to save up to buy Portal 2.

It is funny though because a lot of people have the set idea on gamers and, in my experience, there is a lot more to it than that. It's the same with people who like comics.

Now if I could sit here and play TF2 instead of making vegetable stock and reading case studies.

I honestly think that video games have become as commonplace as movies these days. I'm a gamer (Hell, I met my husband on WoW) and there are games that I seriously love the storyline of, and I think that's part of the reason I game. But I agree that they don't always take the place of books, I thoroughly enjoy a good novel too.

I met my husband in WOW too!

I met a guy on LotRO. It didn't work out

Yeah, I thought this was going to be someone video game bashing. I can't do FPSs (or even watch them) because I get crazy motion sick. I can't even play driving video games like Mario Kart :laugh:

I hate reading

I grew up with my dad, brother and uncles all playing video games so naturally I enjoy them as well. Although, I could deal without Call of Duty ever being in my house again. UGHHHHHHHHHHHHH. It's about as lame as WoW. No offense, WoWsters, I just don't get how you do it.

I haven't finished the game yet, so I am not watching it. I'll try and get back to this thread after I finish though!

...Will add though,

I'm a book reader, a comic book reader, a movie/tv watcher and a video game player. Depending on who you talk to, all of these things could be considered "a waste of time." But whatever, then a time waster I shall be. Video games are capable of having compelling stories with compelling characters. For example, the Final Fantasy series, Half life series, MGS series, The old games of the RE series, The Uncharted Series, The Mass Effect Series, Batman Arkham Aslyum....all of them had good stories with very compelling characters. At the end of FFXIII I cried like a baby. I also cried a few times during Mass Effect. With both those games I felt very attached to the characters.

Although I've always been a fan of the series, GOW has never really been the best as far as the story goes. It's more of a fun action game that looks cool for me. I have heard that GOW 3 has a better story then it's predecessors, and so far I do agree.

Depending on what video games you play, they can also require a lot of problem solving and critical thinking on the players part. Puzzle games like Portal are not for those who don't want to exercise their noggin for sure. Also many RPG's, strategy games and even games like Little Big planet where you can design your own levels and build your own vehicles and stuff. Even some of your basic "run and gun" games require some strategy and team work.

...Idk, I think people who throw out blanket statements like "____is a waste of time" just say things like that because they don't/can't do it themselves. I don't pay them much attention. I will continue to read my books, watch my movies and play my video games and enjoy it thoroughly.