Training a Gamer

**Cowutopia** · 08 Jan 2008, 02:18 PM

I'll tell you what, a lot of little kids I know are huge into Timesplitters for some reason. Also DDR. Even babies like to stomp on the pad, and I've seen a few really young kids who can do light/beginner fairly well.

You have to get another kid because it'll spur your first to get good at the games to be better than the sibling/teach the sibling.

I never owned an Atari but I'd constantly play it at the houses of friends and family, once I saw the NES though I never really wanted to go back, as a child. The saddest thing, for me, is how they'll really never get the wonder of arcades like we did. Arcades are probably the single biggest reason why I got so into games in the first place. I remember my grandma (who I hate) used to take me to the corner 7-11 once a week to play 1943. That was awesome. There were Arkanoid cabs in the Bennigans that I would play. Everywhere I went there was something. I remember a ski trip when I was about five or six and I know I spent more time playing Altered Beast than I did on the bunny hill. And the first time I saw a Dragon's Lair cab in an arcade I shat myself.

**Finch** · 08 Jan 2008, 02:31 PM

"I DON'T CARE WHAT YOUR FRIENDS ARE PLAYING, YOU'RE ONLY UP TO 1991. YOU HAVE A NEOGEO. I NEVER HAD A NEOGEO WHEN I WAS YOUR AGE."

Yoshi, make sure you have that portable talk with her as early as you can. She won't talk about it with you. You won't even know it's happening until you find DS2 cartridges in her pocket. Kids these days are doing shit we never knew existed. She'll never tell you she's been playing it on the play ground, on the bus home, at her friends house. Hell, her friends might even be giving her the shit. I'm sure some parents are "hip" with it, but they don't know it's ruining games... and it's ruining our children. It's never too early to talk about the dangers of portables.

**Yoshi** · 08 Jan 2008, 02:33 PM

**Yoshi** · 08 Jan 2008, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by MarsKitten

remember left and right. Mario ALWAYS goes right.
/just wanted to add that.

The opposite of right is always wrong. She'll learn that early.

**Yoshi** · 08 Jan 2008, 02:37 PM

Originally Posted by burgundy

I think this goes for everything parents are passionate about...be it games, religion, even the Mets. You can't force it on them...you just have to make it available.

I understand what you're saying, but I'm not making the mistake my dad did. His Eagle/Philly/Flyer fan ass raised a Cowboy/Met/Devil fan, and now he never hears the end of the phillysucks.com talk.

**Cowutopia** · 08 Jan 2008, 02:49 PM

Fuck, I can't give Finch any more rep.

**burgundy** · 08 Jan 2008, 03:00 PM

Originally Posted by Yoshi

I understand what you're saying, but I'm not making the mistake my dad did. His Eagle/Philly/Flyer fan ass raised a Cowboy/Met/Devil fan, and now he never hears the end of the phillysucks.com talk.

Why did that happen? Did he drive the Philly crap down your throat, or did you just realize it on your own?

**James** · 08 Jan 2008, 03:23 PM

It's a good plan and worth sticking to, but don't forget that she's going to want to play what daddy plays, and she's going to want to play it with him. The other thing to remember is that she's going to love stuff you can't stand to play, just because kids have no taste at all. Good luck.

James