Happiness is a Warm Controller

[Phrenologer]

You still play video games?
You still smoke?
Yea, but thats different.
Yea, games are cheaper and arn't gonna give me lung cancer.


Only get to use that one about twice a year, but it usualy removes the "holier than thou" part of any statement

 

[copycatalyst]

It's true, it's not always the promise of fun that gets me to play a game. In particular, I remember friends (also gamers) questioning me for masochistically plowing my way through all 500 levels of the online flash version of N. That can't be fun, restarting levels dozens of times over. Maybe not, but finishing at last sure was satisfying, even if there was nothing much to gain from it.

 

[ethaninja]

Why are gamers so ashamed of themselves? I mean, you don't see movie buffs being cross-examined about how they should 'grow up'. The average age of gamers in the UK is 34 for christs sake!
it's nothing to be ashamed of playing it if you're over 29.

Agreed. Playing video games is no real difference to playing sport. Its a stimulant of some kind, whether its visual or physical, so why must games have to "grow up"?

 

[ma55ter_fett]

I like shooting alien freaks in the face, and shooting Russian troops in the face, and shooting terrorists in the face, and shooting civilians in the face, and shooting my good for nothing cousin in the face, and zombies, and kooky ghost things...

If you turn the cross hairs red,
I'll shoot you in the face.

 

[silentsentinel]

My father is 56 and plays a ton of video games, mostly MMO's, RTS's, and RPG's. He's currently on LOTRO. He tells me it's because no one is around to play D&D with him anymore.

That last sentence makes me feel a little sad. It makes me think of Vietnam veterans (all my friends died in the war!) and such.

 

[silentsentinel]

To be relevant to the article, I play games for pure fun. I often play on easy difficulty, not because I'm a bad gamer (I can hold my own against anyone in multiplayer, thank-you-very-much) but because I don't want to have to work too hard in my off time. I guess I'll sometimes try a harder difficulty, but only when easy mode is much too easy.

 

[ZippyDSMlee]

Correction happiness is a warm mouse.... NEXT!!!

 

[FROGGEman2]

I disagree, I play videogames as a distraction, to pass time.

If a game is unpleasant, or not fun to play, I stop playing.

 

[Mr.Pandah]

It was an interesting article...and way too over-analyzing for my tastes to be quite honest.

To say you don't game to have fun is like saying you don't go to work to make money. Sure, there are other factors revolving around why you work, but the main point of the job is to make money. Just like the main point of videogames is to enjoy yourself.

I think you can really speak for yourself on this one, but I'm not about to give up the notion that I game for any other reasons other than having fun with them. What you described is your own version of fun. Its why we're all different. I have fun just playing for a few hours here and there, hacking and slashing my way through Dragon Age(which is freakin' awesome), or hopping online and shooting some people in CoD:MW2. Its rewarding, its challenging, its my ship in a bottle.

You over-analyzed just to generalize. Something that I just can't agree with.

And yes, when asked the question (if someone wishes to know), I do in fact still play video games. I always will. Its what I do.

 

[Low Key]

Odd. I have never had anyone negatively comment on my gaming. All of my friends are gamers and most are in their 30s. Even both of my bosses have systems and one is almost 40 and the other one is in his 60s.

Must just be where you guys live.

 

[neoontime]

I don't want to ruin the topic but happiness isn't only a warm controller but also a warm joystick
sorry

 

[Fearzone]

It is probably better ask yourself why a comment like that ("you still play videogames?") hits emotional pay dirt, than to ramble on in an article with your defenses against it.

To anyone who cares, I freely discuss my videogame habit. Sometimes I even volunteer it. Nobody asks me that question.

 

[Segadroid]

Happiness is a Warm Controller

Many a gamer have been asked this simple, yet slightly derisive question: "You still play videogames?" Sean Sands answers it.

Read Full Article

I'll answer it like a semi-professional: I play for getting a reward; Finishing the game(or break my top score if you're talking about Endurance games). I have fun, frustration and defeat, but all I really strife for is getting a reward by making it through it all. And admit: The bigger the challenge, the more statisfying the reward.

 

[KiKiweaky]

20 atm getting older and am sure that nothing short of 'If you play another computer game you will die' even then I dunno :/

Sure games arent always the most fun thing you can ever do, grinding in mmo's being one of them. In fact at times watching paint dry could be better. Nice article though makes you think a bit, I agree with the adjectives you used to describe gamers too, stubborn being one of them hehe

 

[Jou-LotD]

It is funny that an article like this popped up on "The Escapist". For us older people I thought that was the main reason we still game. To step out of our own shoes as teachers, construction workers, salary slaves, pizza boys, etc, and virtually experience what we cannot in the real world.

 

[asunder 82]

My parents were always riding my ass about games as a kid. However I could see back then that with technology getting increasingly more impressive that gaming was going to be absolutely massive in years to come. Am I right? Well MW2 seems to answer that question fairly neatly.

I had a massive problem with my habit and it's only just the last couple of years that I've become comfortable with it. My parents would often chastise me yet they'd sit in front of the telly for hours on end and when they weren't they would be discussing the soaps, or most recently the explosion in reality tv with their friends. My Mum has recently not even commented on my gaming as my step dad is a keen gamer himself and he's in his 50s. Instead she finds herself chastised for her questionable entertainment tastes.

The problem I find myself in and now the industry as a whole is that it worked so long to gain acceptance that it's been selling out since day one. It's all sequels and franchises and really didn't get the grounding in art philosophy that film and music enjoyed in their golden eras.

Great article, it's stuff like this that's made me a fan of this site.

 

[GonzoGamer]

Many a gamer have been asked this simple, yet slightly derisive question: "You still play videogames?" Sean Sands answers it.

Yea, I've been asked this question, but only by old people who's idea of a good time is laying prone in the sun, trying to get skin cancer. So I don't get offended even when the patronization is audible.

Say what you want about the wii but at least it's getting some of these old goats to shut up and try them.

I think it's because of the close association with the tv, a lot of people think it's another thing to do when you "vedge" in front of the tv. Of course, those of us that actually play, know that there's far more problem solving and strategy involved, even more now than back in the 80s.

 

[hortez the champion of the frozen wastes]

I'm only 19 and I still get the "pitty look" every time I respond with "Yes, I still play"
But I simply just don't let it bother me.
There fun, they pass time - Whats wrong with that?

Yeah. I hate it when peoples say: "its for kids."

 

[confusingnoise]

'Your research and arguments are as weak as your self-confidence, and they smell of piss'

I'm sorry but that article is quite possibly the worst article I have ever read on this website. Seriously Sean Sands? The reason you play games is this?

I. Because you want to.
II. Because you want to be different from the guys that bullied you at school (that for some reason you hang out with).

That is the best argument you could come up with for your gaming lifestyle? I re-read your poor excuse for an article several times in case I had absent mindedly missed something or not fully appreciated your writing style or slant.

Unfortunately my instincts were right.

You briefly touched on some real 'issues' regarding reasons for playing games. And by 'briefly touched' I feel I am being generous. What you did to the issues was like a group of women dancing provocatively around a pile of handbags in a night-club. Where the issues are the handbags and you are the women waiting for some guy to come and sweep you off your feet and carry you and the handbag (I mean issues) home (because they are far too heavy for your dainty hands).

If you wrote this as a school essay it might be excusable. But probably not.

 

[Galad]

"You still play videogames?"
Yes, why not? There's just no way you could go outside and lead a bunch of brick-faced marines in power armor to distant places where you can chainsaw aliens.

Quoted for win ;D