The Last Games You'd Play?

Rigor Morty asks: "I am an older man (44), an avid fan of video games, and I am faced with a problem; my hands are becoming arthritic as I get older. I fear I will soon have to completely give up the console games I have loved over the years. To that end, let me ask the Slashdot Nation — if you were going to give it up, what games would you insist on playing before you had to quit? I'm willing to make some effort to do this, and spend some cash; I will buy the new consoles if I need to, or try to find obscure titles."

Comments

What about the Wii?

[no reason to be here]

i know arthritis can be quite painful. is it such that you would be unable to grasp the Wiimote? if you can, well, you might have several more years of gaming in Nintendo's brave new world.

Re:Think outside the xbox.

[Kagura]

That's part of the road to mastery. Actually learning how to play the game is very easy. Here is an interactive site for learning Go that everybody who has come into contact with swears by.

All you need to do to get better in Go is to play more games. A large part of its allure is that playing more games increases your strength, starting from the very first game you play right up until you've played for 60 or 70 years straight. You always get stronger at Go with each passing game, and even this generation's top professionals are much stronger than last generation's.

(To respond to the two examples the parent gave above: As far as learning when regions are alive and dead, you should learn as part of your initial instruction into the rules exactly what makes a group alive or dead. A group with at least two 'eyes' is alive. Although you will know that definition, it takes a reasonable number of games for that to be internalized, as do many of its other niceties.

And as far as knowing when the game is over, that is something else that takes time to fully grasp. Within two months of playing, you will probably be able to say for certain, without any outside help, when the game is over. Of course that statement is a bit simplified, as lower-ranked players will miss certain plays that could gain them some points in the end-game, but the point is that true beginners often feel like they do not know when the game should be ended, whereas somebody who has play for one to two months semi-regularly would have a very good idea when to end it.)

Re:Arthiritic? At 44?

[Colin Smith]

I couldn't take the stuff, myself... it gave me migraines after a few weeks.You don't happen to be allergic/intolerant to shellfish do you? Standard glucosamine is made out of shellfish shells. There are non-shellfish sources though which avoids the allergy. Also cod liver oil is good for heart problems, joints and it improves memory, reasoning ability.

Fallout 1 and/or 2

[Superpants]

That'd be my choice anyway.

Re:Dance Dance Revolution

[grammar fascist]

Way to recommend the 44 year old arthritic the two most activity-heavy game types, douchebag.

Actually, getting a lot of exercise is one of the best things you can do for arthritis.

I'm 30, I also have arthritis, and it's worst in my fingers. Good muscular support around my major joints is one thing that keeps me from feeling the effects there. I'll never be able to play golf, but if I keep in good shape I should be able to swim, bike, and run well into my 70s.