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The Video Game Generation Grows Up
MarchingAnts writes "The Gaming Generation: Once A Gamer, Always A Gamer has interviews with Gabe from Penny Arcade, best-selling science-fiction author John Scalzi, veteran games journalist and founder of gamerdad.com Andrew Bub, futurologist Dr. Michael Zey, and sociologist Dr. Steve Jones commenting on the phenomena of how video gamers are coping with balancing their hobby with marriages, careers, and how video games might affect families in the future. 'Mike Krahulik, better known to his legions of fans as Gabe, one-half of the team behind the gaming webcomic Penny Arcade, says that time is the biggest challenge in blending gaming and parenthood. "You just don't have as much time for gaming," he says, "when you're getting up every 30 minutes to change diapers and get thrown up"'"
While you don't have as much time for gaming, it is still more convenient than the more...traditional ways of entertaining one self.
If I have a kid, and want to go see a movie, go to the restaurant, etc, I either need to find a baby friendly place, or find a baby sitter. Both can cost me extra (if you have a kid and go to the restaurant, well you have to feed the darn thing...).
If, instead, i'm playing an online game with my friends, the only thing I need to be worried about, is that I play a game that can be paused (let say Warcraft III), or a game where I can go away for a few minute at any given time (these are harder to find but still). Or even better, I can simply play solo. All around, its a form of entertainment that has tens of thousands of hours worth of amusement, and is within reach of the kids: going back to take care of diapers is only a hit of the pause button away.
Definately more convenient than, let say, going to a bar and coming back home drunk, then having to take care of the kid once the baby sitter is gone.
The problem I have is that most games these days seem to be targeted at kids and lack real depth. Games such as GTA may have R-ratings, but I doubt that many older gamers find such titles appealing.
My wife and I play MMO's for this very reason. We only play when our son (soon-to-be 2 sons) are in bed. It's much cheaper than a bar/dinner and a movie and its a lot of fun playing together. And it is something progressive we can come back to again and again ... but yea,I used to play (Everquest) hardcore in college, it was a transition once that kid comes along to playing less and just at night and naptime on the weekends ...
I find it amusing that people would rather invest their time and money into a video game instead of their personal endeavors. Video games are meant to help pass the time from the boring reality that most get stuck in because of either social disabilities or lack of money. I've seen marriages collapse because of W.O.W. and friendships. It seems that the interaction among online games has decrease the value of real life conversations.
I initially wrote a screed to end all screeds when I read this. To the tune of Put down the controller and pick up your freeking son. Then I realized that I do stuff like exercise that takes the place of time that I could spend with my kids. But I spend 80% of my waking, non-work, before-their-bedtime time with my kids, easily. I hope, hope, hope that this (dad gaming, son just kinda watching) situation is kept to a minimum.
Just my nosy parenting advice for the day.
Simple Unexpected Concrete Credible Emotional Stories
By the time those are complete, it's often too late, or I'm too tired, to fire up a game.
I miss gaming. I used to love strategy and role playing games. But the small snippets of time I now get make it almost impossible to maintain continuity in anything deeper than driving games or 3D shooters. It's like trying to watch a movie in 10 minute per day chunks. It loses something.
Uh, this is clearly time spent with his kids, and we don't know anything about the quality of said time without observing him.
Save your reactionary attitude for your own household.
"You're right," Fisheye says. "I should have set it on 'whip' or 'chop.'"
The only winning move is not to play.
/. Loser
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He's successfully integrating his work with his homelife. Although you know he enjoys it greatly, Mike is like millions of other parents whose work comes home with them and their kids get interested. I had a physics Prof who would tell us about her child that would ask questions about the papers she was working on, and she'd try to give the best explanation she could and let her child help sort papers.
Yah, if he was a normal Joe working 9-5 and coming home ploping on the couch and having the son just watch, I'd a bit concerned about that. But this way he gets to spend time with his son while doing work related gaming.
I'd say more, but my guild is raiding.
hahaha... yeah make her stay up all night while you sleep, and then deal with it all day while you work.
Man, please never , ever, copulate.
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The Kruger Dunning explains most post on
We're expecting our first child this March, and this is a topic I have been thinking about recently. I gave up gaming completely (well save for the odd arcade game at the beach in the summer) about twelve years back (after a lifetimes work) - Girlfriend, college, money, 'too old for it' etc.. I got back into it a couple of years back at an age where I finally am fortunate enough to indulge myself a little bit. But now I can't help but think those 4 hour sessions (it's enough for me) of 'Gears of War' and the like are slowly drawing to a close... Guess I'll have to wait until Mini-Me can frag like his/her Daddy... Could be a long wait..