A waste of time ?? Perhaps...??

16 May 2005

Perhaps some of you could settle a long running household dispute rolleyes

between my Wife and myself. The topic- Video/Computer Games.
Firstly Claire's arguments-
Claire's- "You do not listen to me when your playing your Stupid games".
Me- " I dont interrupt you when your watching your soaps"
Claire- "You could be doing something more productive like housework/gardening etc"
Me- " Before you (Claire) get in I've done a bit of ironing, cooked the dinner, put the cleaner round and I've been up since 3am and finished my job. Now its my time to relax" (Aprrox 6pm by this time)
Claire- "They are a waist of money"
Matt- No Answer (I have to agree on this one, though I've since found ways round spending to much)
Claire- "Playing Kids games again"
Me- " This games an 18 cert and this ones a 15cert that hardly makes them kids games"
Now my main argument is that I'd rather control the action on the TV or screen. I'm in (limited) control of the decisions made in the game, be it a fighting, adventure or strategy game. Therefor the actions I make, dictate the outcome of the story /senario. Making repeated playing possible, unlike watching the same episode of Eastenders etc, over and over again.
Now I love documentaries, mainly wildlife and natural science, I dont watch much other TV. I buy DVD's when I want to watch a film of interest... But its my opinion that the amount of soaps on TV are utter shite.. I cant do what my wife does and watches Home and Away, Hollyoaks, Corrie, Eastenders and Holby City, all in one night.... To me these are all very much the same. They are usually low budget, often poorly acted copies of one another. I can see most of what happens on the TV screen in every day life, on a daily basis, LIVE by stepping out my front door and going to work....It's really all just art, imitating life. ( Dont even get me started on reality TV)
For me I'd rather play out my fantasy rather than watch them. Be it playing the part of a General of war, Fighter pilot, Jedi Knight or Pro-Boxer/Racing driver or what ever I decide to be. All these things I'd never likely to be able to do in real life.
Anyway please tell us your views on video/computer games. Are they a waist of time and money?, are they just for kids?

16 May 2005

Not just for kids. In fact many of then I belive should have higher age restrictions on them.
Not a waste of time or money. If its something you enjoy and use to wind down then its a hobby isnt it? Could be worse, you could be a big gambler or an alcoholic. Claire should be glad you are where she can see you and not out up to no good wink

16 May 2005

As long as you gain some enjoyment out of them, they're not a waste of money. IMHO, the TV license is more of a waste of money as there's hardly anything decent on the terrestrial channels these days.
Yes, some computer games are aimed at kids, but I'd hardly call games like Half Life 2, Painkiller and Doom 3 kid-friendly games.
Got to say, I find the plotlines of most computer games a lot more believeable than those of the soaps these days.

16 May 2005

I wouldn't call computer games a waste of time - after all it's a billion pound industry - and definitely not just for kids, but personally I'd rather use my time (computer time) doing other things. Also I know computer games can be seriously addictive so I tend not to play games at all otherwise I'd spend all or at least a lot of my precious free time doing nothing but playing games.
I agree with your comments about soaps/reality life TV etc. can't stand them confused

But if you or your wife thinks computer gaming it's getting in the way of you life, etc. maybe you could restrict your playing to a few hours and she could restrict her TV soaps viewing to a few then you'll get more free time to get on with the nicer things in life like having great sex wink

16 May 2005

I can see both sides of this arguement:
1. Games whether online PC (try out World of Warcraft - phenominal), x-box or the like can become very much addictive, you get engrossed into the game playing & before you know it time has flown by & it's time to sleep (unless you are a hardcore gamer & stay up all night!!).
2. After a hard day at work it's time to relax whether that's throwing yourself into games or into soaps it's nice just to chill.
3. The problem can arise though when you concentrate too much on the game & not enough on your better half & before you know it he/she is giving you the ultimatum 'Me or that damn Game'.
At the end of the day ... a little of what you like does you good ... too much is bad for you & your relationships.
The WHOOSH Manâ„¢

16 May 2005

Its not that I have a lot of time playing games, I often get to play games less than 10 hours a week and usually no more than 2/3 in any one a good deal less time than the average person watching TV. So MMORPG games like World of Warcraft, Final Fantasy XI are out of the question due to all that time needed for carector development.
My daily routine dictates my hobbies as I'm up at 3am I've usually finished by midday, I'll then do some household chores and around 5pm I'll settle down every now and again to a game.. My body clock usually kicks in around 8/9pm to send me to sleep.. So gaming doesn't really come into taking over my life
Now Claire was aware of my hobby even before we got together, I used to play games approx 3/5 hours a day and I've been playing games since my parents first got me an Atari when I was 5, so that's 21 years of gaming now.. I've also recently applied to work within in the gaming industry for a magazine (They needed someone with good gaming knowledge, not journalist skills or someone with a good grasp of English thankfully).
For me games have pretty much always been a part of my life.. I did the usual stuff growing up, going out with my mates etc, I still do sports and have an active social life, so I cant really see what Claire's always moaning about...
I'm guessing in respect to your average media entertainment, we just have completely different tastes... She finds Attenborough Wildlife Doc's boring while I find them fascinating, she hates Star Trek, while I like it, after all its not art, imitating life... Well, not life as we know it lol

16 May 2005

I can't really see what Claire has to worry about here, although we haven't heard her views on the topic. confused

I am slightly biased in liking some computer games, although I am far from being addicted. I'm very keen on the GTA games, & played Vice City a lot last year on my X-Box. Admittedly, I'm relieved that I will have just finished a training course, when the X-Box version of San Andreas comes out at the beginning of June, because I will certainly be enjoying that! biggrin

However, to my credit, I haven't played any games so far this year. :thumbup:
I could never understand why, when I lived with my parents, my mother used to complain about me watching TV during the day, & playing "kids" computer games. Some games are certainly more sophisticated than television programmes, but those with no interest in games always regard television as being somehow more worthwhile.
Oh, & I do like documentaries & I don't watch soaps. Fancy a pint some time? :D

16 May 2005

I work full time nights, usually from about 7 or 8pm until as late as 3 or 4 in the morning. So when I get home I'm still usually wide awake, and sit up for a couple of hours winding down by watching a bit of tv, or sticking on the Xbox.
Then, with my days free I'm either out at the gym, at the swimming pool or in the house relaxing, usually with a bit of xbox play! I'm not addicted by any means, but I do get stuck into it if I have a free minute..
(So if any of you are on xbox LIVE, drop me a pm and I'll give you my gamertag. wink

)

16 May 2005

Keep in mind that playing video games from an early age has been proven to increase your I.Q. by an average of 10points. I cant imagine watching Eastenders will add much to your Pub Quiz score..
..although I'm willing to be proven wrong..
D.

16 May 2005

I have never played a computer game in my life and doubt that I ever will, it's not something that has ever caught my imagination and I guess the old adage of......can't miss what you've never had.....rings true. As for them being a waste of time? who knows. If it's something that brings pleasure and outwardly isn't causing harm then why not.
Likewise, I think that in many cases, it isn't so much about the specific action (playing games) as in the isolation of the activity, it may not be recognised as such, but I'm sure that if some people with the same problem, packed in the games and dedicated the same amount of time to another, largely solo based activity, then at some time you would get the same comment. With me it's golf, it's nowt to do with the activity, it's more about the nature of it, solo and partner / family excluding.
I do think that the question you pose, is easily translated into the bigger problem of activities that are generally solo activities that exclude other family members. I'm referring to time spent on our computers, wether browsing, playing games, taking care of work and home or indeed making comment on forums such as this. I do think that by expanding the problem you've highlighted, then there is indeed a bigger problem looming.
There is no doubt that this keyboard that I punch my wafflings into has greatly influenced our family and will go on doing so as further advances are made. Already we no longer have the need to interact with a number of people, companies and institutions, we can do it via the P.C. Why do I need to go and buy the groceries, a book, a piece of music? Why do I need to visit a financial instituation? Why do I even need to travel to work? Why do I need to communicate with my own family in the same way as I used to? In short the answer is I don't. Even as a family, we can see the little things that creep in, such as sending each other emails, or a quick instant message alongside the text message, when either times short or we just can't be bothered. In short the communication in our immediate family is changing as well.
I do think that the way in which we communicate and interact with others is going to see the biggest impact on the way we are in the future and that ironically, machines that are part designed to bring us a faster, more communicative world, will in fact have the opposite effect of turning us back into cavemen / women, whereby we retreat into our state of the art caves. Where we can exist in our own insular way, without the need to actually speak face to face with another person. The impact of this I find a tad worrying, you'll notice I said a tad cos it isn't exactly gonna make stay awake at night, simply because I have a recognition that this process has already started and is to damn big to stop. Our social skills will be eroded and with that comes the ineviatable problems that crop up when folk can no longer make themselves understood.
.....davej off to cyber shag mrs davej cos it's less messy..........

16 May 2005

I don't think that anything people enjoy doing can be classed as a waste of time - Others may not find it particularly thrilling but then "don't do it" and it doesn't waste your time.
Why not have an agreement and make one night a week a "game and tv free" night?
See what you can come up with for ways to spend the time... smile

16 May 2005

Speaking as someone who's 2 years away from getting into the industry to create the games which cause all this trouble :rascal:, I can vouch that they are addictive, although they are more complex, entertaining and stimulating than soaps.
(Although looking at the plotlines in some of the soaps, they might be more complex confused

)
I think this boils down to nothing more complex than a need for attention from Mrs Shikukai to Mr Shikukai, I know as I went through the same thing....
Playing computer games is a mans way of relaxing, whether indulging his destructive side and blowing something up, his evil side and killing people or his creative side and build a civilisation. It's solitary for the most part, I know very few women who like playing games, and none who play them with their partners, whereas women prefer to relax socially and soaps are a part of that. I think women tend to view soap characters as their friends, family etc (anyone who remembers the outcry about Dierdre Barlow being arrested will know(think it was her)).
The best solution.... while the soaps are on, play on another TV or the PC, then when they're over go downstairs and make your own roleplay ;)
As long as you keep doing all your other duties then she can't complain about you spending time doing one of the things you enjoy most smile

16 May 2005

Quote by HornyRepairman
Keep in mind that playing video games from an early age has been proven to increase your I.Q. by an average of 10points. I cant imagine watching Eastenders will add much to your Pub Quiz score..
..although I'm willing to be proven wrong..
D.

Indeed. The interactive nature of computer games helps the formation of new neural pathways in the brain, whereas sitting in front of the TV, a non-interactive, passive experience for the most part is not conducive to the formation of new neural connections.

16 May 2005

Quote by davej
I have never played a computer game in my life and doubt that I ever will....

Nor have I - I'm just not interested....

16 May 2005

Quote by davej
I have never played a computer game in my life and doubt that I ever will, it's not something that has ever caught my imagination and I guess the old adage of......can't miss what you've never had.....rings true. As for them being a waste of time? who knows. If it's something that brings pleasure and outwardly isn't causing harm then why not.
Likewise, I think that in many cases, it isn't so much about the specific action (playing games) as in the isolation of the activity, it may not be recognised as such, but I'm sure that if some people with the same problem, packed in the games and dedicated the same amount of time to another, largely solo based activity, then at some time you would get the same comment. With me it's golf, it's nowt to do with the activity, it's more about the nature of it, solo and partner / family excluding.
I do think that the question you pose, is easily translated into the bigger problem of activities that are generally solo activities that exclude other family members. I'm referring to time spent on our computers, wether browsing, playing games, taking care of work and home or indeed making comment on forums such as this. I do think that by expanding the problem you've highlighted, then there is indeed a bigger problem looming.
There is no doubt that this keyboard that I punch my wafflings into has greatly influenced our family and will go on doing so as further advances are made. Already we no longer have the need to interact with a number of people, companies and institutions, we can do it via the P.C. Why do I need to go and buy the groceries, a book, a piece of music? Why do I need to visit a financial instituation? Why do I even need to travel to work? Why do I need to communicate with my own family in the same way as I used to? In short the answer is I don't. Even as a family, we can see the little things that creep in, such as sending each other emails, or a quick instant message alongside the text message, when either times short or we just can't be bothered. In short the communication in our immediate family is changing as well.
I do think that the way in which we communicate and interact with others is going to see the biggest impact on the way we are in the future and that ironically, machines that are part designed to bring us a faster, more communicative world, will in fact have the opposite effect of turning us back into cavemen / women, whereby we retreat into our state of the art caves. Where we can exist in our own insular way, without the need to actually speak face to face with another person. The impact of this I find a tad worrying, you'll notice I said a tad cos it isn't exactly gonna make stay awake at night, simply because I have a recognition that this process has already started and is to damn big to stop. Our social skills will be eroded and with that comes the ineviatable problems that crop up when folk can no longer make themselves understood.
.....davej off to cyber shag mrs davej cos it's less messy..........

:worship:
Bloody hell Dave - one magic post that I agree with totally. I have been in the computer industry for 20yrs and it never ceases to amaze me how our daily lives become affected by this technological progression.
You may have to keep an eye on your musings - I would not be surprised if someone borrowed them for a thesis! cool

16 May 2005

Quote by Manolishi
You may have to keep an eye on your musings - I would not be surprised if someone borrowed them for a thesis!

Well they are new words to me, but I can tell you this much, I'm a very light sleeper so if any fucker is thinking of nipping round here at night to surgically remove my musings to give em to a thesis, they can think again......there my smiffies and they ain't gonna be borrowed by no Greek no matter how prominant the family name!