I'm pretty sure Darth means older people generally don't or haven't played consoles but they do have phones. Edit- added quote
But that's the thing. 'Older' people were the first to play on consoles. Eg the Atari 2600. Do people assume consoled only started with the xbox? Someone born in 1960 would have been 17 when the Atari 2609 came out and about 26 when the NES was popular. So I'm sure they're into gaming
Nah, actually last I read, the average age for "gamer" is mid-30s and I know many adults and older individuals who were playing since they were kids. My Dad is almost 50, his first console was an Atari, and he was hooked on Resident Evil 2, Tekken 3, Gran Turismo A-Spec for PS1, PS2. Nowadays he doesn't play consoles because he can't handle the controllers so instead he plays a lot of Real Racing, Dead Trigger, Gunner Z, Zombie Gunship, Death Rally, and oddly enough...Angry Birds Remember that the people born in the 60s and later, they grew up with games. Compared to my grandparents, who dont even understand that video games aren't simply for kids
Ya maybe a few but like all of my cousins and older friends have never played a video game on a home console, at least nothing since the Nintendo. I feel like at my age(28) were around the first "gaming" generation of people. There are a few older but probly only a small minority. Good thing about phone gaming is its connected right In to all the other stuff you do. It's like that's what home consoles are trying to do with this generation, but still when I think of my dad playing an Xbox one I just lol. In reaps on to Bronxta- Maybe, I guess it just depends on where and how you grew up, with me it was me and all my younger cousins and brothers playing video games while all my older cousins and brothers were doing something else. ( probly having sex... I dunno) And that's just my older cousins, my dad and Uncles etc... They don't even know how to operate a microwave
Our dads are same age and both played ps1 (Atari was his first or 2nd console) his favourites where Gran Turismo and worldcup 98. and abit of Tekken 3. But today he doesn't play games.. zero. Not even got a smartphone.
True, I'm 21 and I feel that my generation, my brother's generation, and beyond, we're the first to grow up and consider games as mainstream and accepted as any other forms of entertainment. I actually wrote about this in an opinion piece, regarding the media's perception of games and how video games are so often used as scapegoats as a cause for acts of violence. You should see the research that's out there. Almost all agenda driven, almost all focused on kids. You can see that older mindset at work, assuming that games are only for kids, are dangerous, etc. Compared to how we, the younger generations, consider games as accepted entertainment for all ages, a medium that can provide thematic artistic experiences as easily as it produces over-the-top fun games
I find that laughable. How about facts then? First main console was the Atari 2600 in the late 70s. 8 bit home computers in the 80s like the Zx spectrum and Commodore 64. The rise of consoles like the nes in the mid-late 80s. PC gaming becoming popular in the late 80s and exploded with Wolfenstein/Doom etc The genesis and SNES in the early 90s. I mean you're 28 and you somehow think you were around the first gaming generation. So you were born in 1986. Missed the first main consoles, the 8 bit home computer boom. The nes came out in 1985 with Mario being a major star. You might have started playing games when say you were 7 so that would have been 1993 In the 80s gaming and 'video nasties' were blamed constantly. Doom got a ton of people unhappy with its violence as well It seems a joke you think you were the first generation of gamers. The facts totally suggest otherwise and you seem to think no one over the age of 28 never played consoles/computers all because a couple of your older cousins never did etc! Talk about a blinkered view. A small minority? What a joke
Well I'm not trying to offend anyone nor am I saying its true, just speaking from my personal life experience. I know now what was around before I was born but I didn't live during that time so I guess my perspective is skewed a bit by that. Still I feel like generally people older than me don't play video games, but I guess that could be wrong. I do know however that I've helped many an older person out with their computers and cell phones etc (not to offend them or anyone else) I sorry, I wasnt trying to start an argument... :/
I'm 37 and have owned pretty much every single home/handheld gaming console released in the US. When I was growing up almost all of my friends played video games. Most of my friends now still play video games. Just a couple of years ago I was doing raids in WOW with a group of guys all in their mid to last 30s. I can remember when my dad brought home our Atari 2600. It was glorious. My parents bought a wii a few years ago because they wanted to see what all the fuss was about. Both of my parents have tablets and they both play games on them.
They are time wasters. So are all video games. Are they more or less "valid" than other games? Computer, console, handheld? That's a matter of opinion. My first game system was a Super NES, I played earlier NES and mega drive games as well. The games on the iphone are more reflective of this era of games, so I like them more than a lot of console or PC releases. I would argue PC gamers spend the most time on games and their hobby detracts the most from their lives. Leading to lost jobs, divorces, etc. looking at the WoW crowd and people that want to be competitive gamers. Is that "hardcore" or just plain stupid? As long as gaming isn't an addiction (something done compulsively that negatively impacts your life) I'd say all gaming is pretty much even. It's all wasting time. So is reading a novel, watching TV and any number of other activities.
I have to agree with Nobunaga.. It's a matter of choice and everyone is entitled to their own opinion. There will always be an opposing faction. For me, there's nothing wrong spending few minutes or hours of your time to play a game that interests you and keeps you entertained. But the whole time wasting goes to a new level when it becomes an "addiction". Going back, do I consider IOS games time wasters? yes, same with all the other games out there, they can be all time wasters.
Whoa, whoa, that's quite a misconception "I would argue PC gamers spend the most time on games and their hobby detracts the most from their lives. Leading to lost jobs, divorces, etc. looking at the WoW crowd and people that want to be competitive gamers. Is that "hardcore" or just plain stupid?" PC gaming is way more than just WoW, or competitive gaming. PC gaming detracting from a gamer's life? Where did you get opinions like that?
I've loved gaming for over 30 years, i love seeing the way its changed from early graphics to what it is now, to me the core thing is playability though and many games nowadays have stunning graphics but i find so boring. With games however over the years i think you have to have the right mix, i remember being at school and after school holidays you could tell what kids stayed in all summer playing games as they were white/pasty and had put on some weight ! Back then the right mix was some gaming and of course exercise. But there are some people who take gaming to an extreme level I dont actually have tons of time for gaming now as i have a daughter, however the second shes asleep and say my wifes watching her rubbish on tv mobile gaming is ideal for a quick go here and there. Nostalgia is obviously a huge thing with retro games, being able to have a quick go of Doom or Pacman on my phone whenever i want is amazing. In the early years using a keyboard all the time it actually helped, i touchtype very quick and that was down initially to gaming ! My job is to do with computers
Dont worry i should have put some smilies in my post, i wasnt writing it in a super annoyed way, more a 'shocked' way ! I mean look at when Gridlee hit iOS for a while, people went crazy for it as many of the games which work on it are from the 'golden age' of the arcades. Yes you may have relatives who arent into gaming but all i mean is look at the facts, look at the 'history of computer games', there were TONS of classic games before your heyday. In 50 years time when they write another book about the history of gaming it'll be full of the usual Pacman, Space Invaders, Doom etc, it wont be full of Flappy bird ! People who are late 30's/early early 40's were some of the first generation of gamers as they were around when the first popular console came out as i mentioned before (Atari 2600) and the 8 bit home computer boom of the 80's. Also think in the early 80's you had the famous Nintendo game n watch's as well and the golden age of the arcades. When emulators first started arriving i used to LOVE going through the various machines i never had and trying games, i never had a NES or SNES (I had a Megadrive/Genesis), so i used to enjoy checking out their huge history and seeinw what the great games were. Same for MAME, checking/finding other great games on that is brilliant. I had a gameboy for many years but back then games were about $30 each, so now having the ability to add any game i want is great and to find some new favourites. But dont judge past gaming on what a few relatives do or dont do, you must know all the famous games (Again Pacman, Space Invaders etc), that was a golden age of gaming
I don't see any type of gaming as time wasting, it's a form of entertainment that is no different to reading a book, watching tv etc, I'm 34 and a mother and I get slightly miffed when people, in particular other mothers say to me "I don't have time or the money to play games" these words are usually said in a sarcastic way, thing is these people don't have time for gaming not because they are super busy better mothers than me, but because they don't want to game and make time for things that interest them like Facebook or watching soaps. The money thing is a pointless argument too, if I say how much I spend on games it sounds a lot but believe me, it's nowhere near the amount some of these people spend on tv packages and alcohol a month. I dont get why people have to dismiss something others do for fun, just because it's something they don't want or like to do. I guess the feeling I get from beating a level after a. Ill ion attempts is the same that some other dude gets after seeing a rare train. And in both cases it doesn't matter which platform you're on. Baboom #
It is funny, my mum moans to me when i'm on my ipad but its fine for her to sit there with say a puzzle book or reading an actual book. I can do both on my ipad, its just an 'up to date' version of what shes got. Like you say they say they're busy but then theyre on rubbish like Facebook non stop or watching crap on tv ! As with everything i think any hobby in moderation is alright. I love mobile gaming, just fits into my current life (as like i said i've got a young daughter), plus i travel a lot so having lots of books/games/comics/music/movies (specially with cloud storage) means i cant get bored if i'm on a train/waiting somewhere/hotel room etc, the gadgets a dream ! Mobile gaming seems much more popular as the masses are now getting into it, going to be interesting to see what happens in the future
Haha. No misconception at all. I didn't say all PC gamers/games. Just that I believe it is the format most likely to have that level of negative effects. I own a few PC's and almost never use them. There are PC games I think are some of the best time wasters ever made. Everything is how you, personally, choose to use it and I think that PC's are the most likely to get used in the manner I described. Take it as a counterpoint to the PC crowd that would denegrate the way others choose to spend their time with iOS games. I choose to think that playing a little flappy bird is better than "farming" an item in WoW for hours on end (just to throw it out there, I've never been into WoW or flappy bird). The only game that I have heard of that brings out such poor behaviour in gamers on iOS is Clash of Clans. Again, to each their own. If someone values their clan status more than their job, power to 'em. I'd rather enjoy a game in short bursts where it fits my lifestyle. iOS is perfect for that... To me. Edit: as a side note, my Grandfather (now in his 70's) bought consoles to play with his grand kids a long time ago. He owned and enjoyed systems from the old Atari to the collecovision(sp?) and on to the NES etc. some although fewer people of previous generations really did play and enjoy video games before their massive rise in popularity.
I'm quite surprised when the term is used within a game's (promoting) description as it seems to cheapen the game. Some games may very well be time wasters if geared for subway use, waiting, lunch breaks, etc that can be interrupted unbegrudgingly. I normally set my time aside for what I believe to be an enjoyable in-depth gaming experience so when I hear the coined phrase "time waster" its contrary to what I believe.
I do love the wide variety of games you can get on iOS, i know what you mean about games saying they're 'time wasters'. As most games you can save your progress you dont have to have a 'time waster' game for a quick 5 minutes here and there. I tend to like playing part of a huge RPG for a bit, save my progress, come back to it later. Same for sports games, play a game or two, save progress, come back later. But thats whats great about iOS gaming, granted you can have a quick go on a 'puzzle' type of game for a few mins, or then later when you have time go back to the huge RPG you've been playing for days on end. Some friends who arent into mobile gaming that much do think its just Angry Birds and nothing else, often when i show them some great big RPG or sports management game i get the 'didnt know it could run things like that....'. But still they have just 2 games on their expensive phone, just Temple Run and Angry Birds !
