When are you too old for computer games?

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"When are you too old for computer games?"
When you die. That's about the only straight answer I can give you. Admittedly, recently between my job and my other duties I've had little time for gaming.

I honestly don't really care what people think of my gaming habit. It's none of their business what I do in my free time. Very few of my coworkers game, and most are offended by the notion. I can't say that I personally know any girls that game, and if I ever met one, that would be heaven!

[Fixed grammar]

[ August 15, 2002, 17:28: Message edited by: Rastor ]

 

As has been said above, there really isn't any specific age to give up - but as people get older things do change. Some are going to want to be giving up, others only getting into them quite late on.

With the variety available these days, there is increasingly things to appeal to different dispositions. I couldn't really of the younger gamers to be able to fully appreciate a title like Torment, but have no problems with getting to grips with Diablo for example.

Personally I find as I'm getting older (but still far from old in my mid 20's), I'm more selective these days. Looking through something like PC Gamer, their seem to be fewer titles of interest, despite now having a machine to run most things, but those are do look to be of generally increasing appeal. And to last.

As for over 30's, for myself I can't say whether I'll be gaming or not, if it still appeals then I will. As for opinions of others, as people are growing up with them being commonplace, then it won't be seen as unusual to carry on past student years.

 

Seems like you can find a few of them in here...

It's sad, but you're right. I've made the same experience. And I don't want to be called a sexist for saying this, for I'm a woman myself, but what Kitrax says goes for almost every woman I know. I suppose they think it is too "technically", and consequently think it's a male activity. Nothing could be more wrong. Hah! (But then I'm an engineer...) It's surprising to see how stubbornly conservative people really are.

Personally I think everything around data and computers is exciting and interesting, but I'm obviously not an average woman, not in that field at least...but then again I was the girl who climbed in trees and shot with bows and arrows against the "cowboys", while the other girls played with dolls and hair-do's....

Seems like most women, when they grow up, become so serious, rational and mature - and in my eyes - very boring - no room for fun and play. I certainly have no intention of growing up....

You can be older than 30, and still have been "exposed" to computers for a very long time. I'm in my thirties now, and computers have been my hobby (and work) for more than 20 years, before they were called PC, when you were considered a geek or a nerd just for having one. But in the beginning there weren't many games for them. The monitors were tiny and didn't have colours then, they were in black and white, later brown/orange, dark green/bright green and dark blue/white. The first game I remember playing was "tennis" (don't remember the exact name) with two white discs on a black background, bouncing a white dot between them.

The first adventure games were purely text based, not a single picture on the screen. It felt fantastic when games like Kings Quest 1, Police Quest 1 or Larry Laffer came, with pictures of buildings and people. Who cared that the characters looked like they were built of Lego bricks... You had to type every command for your character, and if you didn't use the exact word the program expected, nothing happened. You could spend days before you finally found the right word to get your character to perform a specific action, and it was a battle of will and patience, especially when you didn't know that much English... This was long before Microsoft or Windows or a mouse ever existed, and there were no cheats and no internet....

For one who has followed the development of games from "tennis" until todays graphics, it's incredible to see the difference. I intend to continue following this development, and I'm certainly going to bring my pc and games with me when I go to old people's nursing home, and play as long as my arms work and my eyes still see.

And if computer games still are considered to be childish by then, well, then I'll be the oldest child I know.

[ August 16, 2002, 04:25: Message edited by: Blue ]

 

I'm a younger one but don't know why some adults look at playing games is childish and they try to be all mature. You know I hate that I think they need to play a few games then maybe they will lighten up a little. I think it would be cool if my Grandpas were playing these games or evn my mom or dad. But, at least I have my uncle who plays BG and BG2 (also known as The Wise and The Grey on sp if ever seen but he hasn't been on for a while).

 

Well, I'm a mere 12 years of age, and I've already been playing games for at least 10 years. I find that there are very few people of my age who I can say understand computer games and computers in general the way I do . I am yet to meet a girl who enjoys games, they seem to generally fear and hate games. As for pen and paper, I find that I am one of a select group of three or four people in my year who play, or would ever consider plaing a pen and paper rpg.

It isn't very fair that some people criticise p&p aswell as computerised games, we play them because we enjoy them and isn't that the whole point of living, to enjoy yourself? (well it is in my opinion...)...

 

Three days after you are buried in a coffin a fathom down. Alive or dead.

 

Well

I am female, have just had my 46th birthday and if anything I play MORE computer games now than I ever did.

I have a G4 Mac, and bought a PC because there were not enough games I liked out for my Mac.

I own most games, haven't played them all cos real life gets in the way.

My mates at work think I am strange, my daughter (who is 18 - thinks I just haven't grown up yet - she is right). My boyfriend plays computer games but not RPGs, he is yet to be hooked.

My mother who is 78 looks at me strangely, she doesn't even own a computer.

But I am not going to give up games. There is nothing worth watching on the TV, I don't want to go out drinking every night, and usually hobbies are just boring.

I have just been introduced to a group of people who play Diablo II on line, and I have joined them a few times playing multiplayer, and now I am hooked again.

I put my Diablo II back in the box at least 2 years ago, after getting to nightmare level in single play, because I bought the BG series and never looked back, now Diablo is back with a vengeance and I can honestly say I am enjoying myself.

So when are you too old to play games? NEVER.

Lady Zidane

 

I'm still pretty young but, It looks like it's gonna be a long time before I stop playing games all the way. It's been a part of me ever since and its a habit I can't really let go.
I would of course stop if its starting to become a hindrance with my everyday life or my soon-to-be family would suffer because of me and my computer gaming.
I guess I just expect the worst that might happen, but it looks like games would be with me all the way!

 

Wow, that's exactly what I was hoping to hear, Lady Zidane! You rock!
Hope to meet more women like you!

 

I know a man who's 70 and he's a pensioner. So he has enough time and is playing a lot of computer games. But as he's only talking german you will never met him here.
His wife has a lot of boredom because she dislikes computer games. But she likes sending emails all around the world (to people who can understand german).
That old man loves Skat and me too. So we are Skater not skater.
And my best girlfriend (45) asks me everytime i meet her, if i have a new computer game for her. She says she likes to play at night. Playing until 2 in the morning. But she dislikes RPG's and i never heared her talking english. She played sheep, lemmings and such games. She has three children but they are not really children anymore. And the children don't play any computer games. So i suppose gaming is independent of age.

 

The ladies are doing a fine job with this thread, but I think I will jump in here anyway.

My moniter is set so that I can see things without glasses (640x480) and my beard is as white as snow. I will quit playing games when they pry my dice out of one cold, dead hand and my mouse out of the other.

I was already an "adult" when D&D came to Texas in the White Box. I've been playing ever since and have absolutely no plans to stop.

As a friend of mine once quoted, "They can make me grow old, but they can't make me grow UP!"

 

I just turned x - 30 years on wednesday and i'm really overjoyed finding so many females playing RPG! And over 20 years of age, too! I'm not alone!

 

Speaking for one who is definately in the older range, I'm 40, anyone who loved to play these type of games when they were younger will still be playing them when they are older. I began playing RPG's in the early 70's and still play today. In fact, I run two on-line RPG sessions that you can follow in the Roleplay Corner Forum. The only difference between "Us" older players and you "younger" players is that we have been playing longer.

 

Here's some thoughts from a 21 year old male:

I got a lull from video games this summer with my job as a camp counselor and I can say it's quite easy to just forget about gaming and get involved with other things. I can sympathize with adults who don't understand other adults gaming - you just get caught up with whatever else is going on in your life. But on the other hand, I've already started resuming my gaming and am anticipating IWD II's release.

But as a few have said, lately games in general are starting to loose their appeal. I see more and more remakes of a certain kind of game, as if it's done by a formula now. If this keeps up, I can easily see myself giving up gaming.

Another thought is most everybody has an "escape". To the majority of people it's a favorite TV show, but to the majority of us it's a favorite game or type of games. Someone else mentioned it and I will too. What is the difference between making sure you get to see your favorite TV show, or playing your favorite game? Both are entertainment. And I prefer games over TV.

 

Well, I haven't done any tabletop RPG for a while, in this college town, it's hard to find a stable gamimg group. The last one I was in tanked due to my divorce...

 

On Ironworks early this year, there was a 91 year old grandfather posting in the Wizards and Warriors forum... we also have as young as 10 yr olds there; so I conclude from that that you can never be too old OR young for computer games

 

Never. Games are for life.

 

You're never too old to play.
Ever.