We Need More Gamers
- Thread starter Shamus Young
- Start date
insectoid said:
I'm not addicted! I can stop anytime I want ;-p
and "We've all seen TV. We know how it works. You watch it until you get bored, then you walk away and don't kill people."
spot on love your work =)
Really great article. We definitely do need more gamers. People who beat on games fail to remember that movies and music went through the same growing period games are going through now. You hear that, movie buffs of the world? Back in the early 20th century, people thought movies would never take off. Now look at the movie industry.
Eventually, more people will get into the fold (along the line marked "D") and all this nonsense towards this game will seem stupidly primitive.
Kind of like the argument concerning the Wii that has started in these comments.
Eventually, more people will get into the fold (along the line marked "D") and all this nonsense towards this game will seem stupidly primitive.
Kind of like the argument concerning the Wii that has started in these comments.
I really can't say I agree with anything you've said in this thread so far, obviously you like games yet it seems you'd rather keep people young and old alike alienated than to have them encroach on your sacred passtime. In the long term games wouldn't survive as an entertainment medium without attracting new people, especially children (see Mario, the Wii etc.). I'd assume someone who enjoys games would want people of all walks of life to have the chance to experience and enjoy them but part of me thinks you're the sort of person who'd like the idea of being some sort of 'dying breed' of hardcore gamers.Abedeus said:
Very nice article, I (and my mum who enjoys playing DS) can definitely indentify getting this from my Stepdad:
He's the sort of man who has his own, terribly sunken chair in front of the TV
Long time reader, first time poster!
This article is spot on about the Wii. With all the fighting about how much the "Wii" means to videogames, I thought I'd share a little story.
My boyfriend's grandmother and mother never liked videogames. They HATED them in fact. They thought they were a COMPLETE waste of time and money. When the Wii came out with WiiSports bundled in, we thought we'd introduce them to it. You see, his grandmother loves bowling. She, at one time in her life, could have gone pro, but life takes you to strange places and that never happened for her. She never stopped loving the sport though. The problem she has now is the fact that she lives very well in the country and can't bowl as often as she would like.
After a few minutes at our apartment of learning the controls, his grandmother AND mother were both hooked. When Christmas time came around, she asked for a Wii... not for her grandkids, but for herself. She now doesn't give her grandkids grief when they say they're going to play videogames, but reminds them of her Wii time later in the evening.
The Wii is helping bridge the generation gap and is slowly teaching the older gen that videogames aren't all about murder and sex, they can actually be used for having fun doing activities that you enjoy with the people you love! Now, my boyfriend's grandma isn't gonna be playing much more complex than Animal Crossing, but at least she's giving the concept of gaming as entertainment the time of day.
This article is spot on about the Wii. With all the fighting about how much the "Wii" means to videogames, I thought I'd share a little story.
My boyfriend's grandmother and mother never liked videogames. They HATED them in fact. They thought they were a COMPLETE waste of time and money. When the Wii came out with WiiSports bundled in, we thought we'd introduce them to it. You see, his grandmother loves bowling. She, at one time in her life, could have gone pro, but life takes you to strange places and that never happened for her. She never stopped loving the sport though. The problem she has now is the fact that she lives very well in the country and can't bowl as often as she would like.
After a few minutes at our apartment of learning the controls, his grandmother AND mother were both hooked. When Christmas time came around, she asked for a Wii... not for her grandkids, but for herself. She now doesn't give her grandkids grief when they say they're going to play videogames, but reminds them of her Wii time later in the evening.
The Wii is helping bridge the generation gap and is slowly teaching the older gen that videogames aren't all about murder and sex, they can actually be used for having fun doing activities that you enjoy with the people you love! Now, my boyfriend's grandma isn't gonna be playing much more complex than Animal Crossing, but at least she's giving the concept of gaming as entertainment the time of day.
What is that difference?the antithesis said:
Do you mean Gamers to mean 'hardcore' and People Who Play Games to mean 'casual'? If that's the case, I'd have to disagree; casual gamers only make games popular, not better. In light of these video-game related controversies, having more casual gamers is not going to change public opinion. Rock music and horror movies popular and mainstream, but each has earned its own share of controversy in spite of that.
Well, yea that's true, but what the creation of more casual gamers does is educate the uneducated about games on a level the can relate to and understand.matsugawa said:
If you sit a 60 odd-year-old woman in front of a TV with MadWorld on it, she'll look at you like you're insane and call you a murderer and the stigma of gaming continues. But if you show her Cooking Mama, then she might come away with a better view on games.
She might not care about the release date for Starcraft II, but that's one less person to blame videogames when little Jimmy shoots up his school. Enough of that happens, and games will become 'just another form of entertainment' instead of the End of Days.
As thought out as your argument might be, it seems to me the first few opening statements of your article put me off. You come off a little bit as anti-social, whether you're intending to be ironic or not, but the way you present the article it appears you sit on the opposite side of the spectrum. If I weren't a gamer, or even say a "gameophobe" I think I'd probably write you off as another one of those crazy gamers I have nothing in common with and therefore wouldn't associate with.
You can't dismiss everyone else's interest in wake of your own, especially when you're trying to change their opinion about the matter. Other than that though, very nicely written, I enjoyed your article thouroughly.
You can't dismiss everyone else's interest in wake of your own, especially when you're trying to change their opinion about the matter. Other than that though, very nicely written, I enjoyed your article thouroughly.
It seems like someone completely missed the point of the intro.Crash486 said:
Anyways, great article and good times watching Abedeus fling burning poo at everyone.
I was going to make a witty 'shwop to the author pic, but them Id get banned.
The reason why I would is that if I replaced every mention of gaming and replaced it with "fur, anthro" and "Disney", you would get a furry manifesto. 'Changes' in {}, coments in []:
A great illustration of the human jerk gland in action is the public attitude towards {anthropomorphic art}. There is a tendency among people who have never went to a furry con to dismiss {anthro} as "{sexually deviant}" or to decry their mild flirtations with implied nudity as an orgy of grunting, sweaty, hardcore sex. This is another manifestation of this sort of innate species-level {dip-shit} [hyphen!] behavior. They see someone sitting in the dark looking at the blinking lights and never pause to wonder what the {individual} might be getting out of it. Just like Rock & Roll was going to turn teenagers into degenerates and D&D was going to turn kids into Satan-worshipers, {furry} are the Scary New Thing casting threatening shadows on the cave walls. [The Allegory of the Cave? Again?. See me after class.]
Stop it. I know that there is an overreaction to games nowadays, but you must realize that these manifestos are getting old. Ever since Yahtzee (God rest his soul) and Movie Bob (him too) came on the scene with their more witty and actually entertaining rants, it suddenly became cool for gamers in basements to waaaa about Ol'e Jack and stockpile copies of Girls of Gaming calling it part of their ?Special? Art collection. These are not our gamer representatives. These are the outcast, those who even furrys call weird. People such as Young are not immune to this tribal behavior; they relish in it. Such is why I hereby revoke your Licence for criticism and Rhetoric.
Also, quit using the cave story. It?s full of loop holes and presuppositions. Try something original and airtight. That?s what Yahtizee and Movie Bob do.
PS: I used furrys as an example, as they are the closest thing in our cultural arena with such levels and examples of douchebaggery. Nothing (too) personal.
The reason why I would is that if I replaced every mention of gaming and replaced it with "fur, anthro" and "Disney", you would get a furry manifesto. 'Changes' in {}, coments in []:
A great illustration of the human jerk gland in action is the public attitude towards {anthropomorphic art}. There is a tendency among people who have never went to a furry con to dismiss {anthro} as "{sexually deviant}" or to decry their mild flirtations with implied nudity as an orgy of grunting, sweaty, hardcore sex. This is another manifestation of this sort of innate species-level {dip-shit} [hyphen!] behavior. They see someone sitting in the dark looking at the blinking lights and never pause to wonder what the {individual} might be getting out of it. Just like Rock & Roll was going to turn teenagers into degenerates and D&D was going to turn kids into Satan-worshipers, {furry} are the Scary New Thing casting threatening shadows on the cave walls. [The Allegory of the Cave? Again?. See me after class.]
Stop it. I know that there is an overreaction to games nowadays, but you must realize that these manifestos are getting old. Ever since Yahtzee (God rest his soul) and Movie Bob (him too) came on the scene with their more witty and actually entertaining rants, it suddenly became cool for gamers in basements to waaaa about Ol'e Jack and stockpile copies of Girls of Gaming calling it part of their ?Special? Art collection. These are not our gamer representatives. These are the outcast, those who even furrys call weird. People such as Young are not immune to this tribal behavior; they relish in it. Such is why I hereby revoke your Licence for criticism and Rhetoric.
Also, quit using the cave story. It?s full of loop holes and presuppositions. Try something original and airtight. That?s what Yahtizee and Movie Bob do.
PS: I used furrys as an example, as they are the closest thing in our cultural arena with such levels and examples of douchebaggery. Nothing (too) personal.
Shamus Young has been talking about getting new gamers for quite some times so I don't think he saw ZP and said "hey, I could do that". And if your reference for intelligent discussion is ZP and MovieBob..... they are entertaining but come on! Yathzee says, half-jokingly, "fuck sequels" and you 200 posts of ZP fanboys saying "fuck sequels too" with about 2 or 3 guys trying to have an intelligent discussion. At least we have somewhat of a good debate going on here.KhakiHat said:
I've always sworn to whoever's in control of the great scheme of things that if I ever become famous, I will stress that gaming got me where I am today.Rodger said:
Nothing removes your fear of death and destruction like gaming.
Or having a bad brush with death and destruction...
Either way, Shamus, you are a brilliant man, keep writing!
Cheers!!
I agree except for the bit about Rock'n'Roll.. It totally turned kids into deviants.. I mean have you talked to anyone born in the 70's or 80's? No, since they can only communicate in grunts and/or grones. Especially to their loving parents who only want the best of them.
But at least, they not evil like people born in the 40's, 50's, and 60's.
But at least, they not evil like people born in the 40's, 50's, and 60's.
