Curse

Blackest Rose · Jun 29, 2006, 05:47 PM // 17:47

I'm 31 and been playing games since I was 9 (for the math challenged that's 31-9=22 years!)

The average age of a gamer is continually rising as many of those who played wolfenstein/quake/duke nukem and even galaga/pacman/pong are now adults who still play games.

It will take a generation or two for the general public to realise that playing games is a perfectly acceptable passtime for an adult.

I watch very little TV and instead use my TV time to play games.
Should adults stop watching TV? -no. Is it socially acceptable for everyone to watch TV? - yes.
The same will happen with gaming as populations mature especially as games become more socialable (sp?).

I am more interested in games now than ever and can't see my infatuation ending any time soon. It's my hobby - it's not just for kids.

As for the OP's comments regarding addictiveness and life consuming - if you have enough self control it shouldn't be a problem espeically as GW isn't a pay to play game (you don't feel that you need to be "on" the whole time to get your money's worth - a bit factor for me).

Many of my younger family members have gone through their "gaming phase" and no longer play - I don't know if I'm the exception or they are....

Edge Martinez · Jun 29, 2006, 06:12 PM // 18:12

Quote:

Originally Posted by king hidalgo

but will i be the same when im working will i still be drawn to this magical game or will the ideas of money and a job persuade me away?

Real life may well tear you away. If you really like the game, however, chances are you'll find a balance that works for you... maybe even an hour or two a week. When my guild played Mechwarrior online, I'd say our average age was in the mid to late thirties. We've recruited a bunch with GW so we're young again, lol.

actionjack · Jun 29, 2006, 06:12 PM // 18:12

I am unsure of you defination of "Growing Out".

When you are young, you tend to have more time to spend on gaming, and it become a life style choice (however, unable to differenciating between reality and game is a very serious problem) As you become older, the society become more expect of you, and press more and more responsiblity on to you, as well as there tend to be new interest, like girlfriend and friend and other entertainment medias, that will cut into part of time. So yes, you are expect to grow out of gaming, though you can still keep it as a hobbie, like any sport, and live a very normal and good life.

However, the society tend to not look kindly on those those who are beyond college age, jobless, live with their parents, and do nothing but play game all day long.

So expect your gaming habbit to be change as you mature, but as they say, once you are a gamer, you will always be a gamer.

floppinghog · Jun 29, 2006, 06:15 PM // 18:15

to thread poster:

there was never a set age for games -didnt you know? the ratings are just minimum age limits. never seen a rating with Age 65 and under (lol)

and the best games imo are the ones you can get sucked into, its not exactly obsession right off, its an escape from reality - something most of us need from time to time cause lets face it. life does suck one way or another. thats my take on it.

a real reason why you would see people older now playing games is because they're the ones who first started playing pong and pacman etc. so really this is all just beginning. heard of the nintendo Wii? well the goal of that is to get your parents, your grandparents, and other people who never played a video game to start. wouldn't that be fun?

do what you want, but theres no such thing as growing out of games.

Ariana Of Damia · Jun 29, 2006, 06:50 PM // 18:50

I think everyone should have fun in life, if games is your fun then play as long as you want

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Parson Brown · Jun 29, 2006, 06:50 PM // 18:50

I'm 32 and I don't know that I'll ever outgrow games.

I went from Atari to DOS to NES/SMS to Genny/SNES and straight on through to now.

I can't play as much as I did when I was 20, but my oldest child now enjoys games too, so I get to play with her.
Anyone who says games are just for kids hasn't played Donkey Konga with the wife, a 4-year-old and a 1-year-old!
Since they are kids, we don't play anything violent (although my daughter has "caught" me playing GW on numerous occasions). But she loves Mario games, Guitar Hero, just about anything on the N64 and lots more.

Video games have become a family experience for me. We also enjoy board games and, you know, actually going outside, but games are an important part of our lives.

Mr_eX · Jun 29, 2006, 07:03 PM // 19:03

The correct answer is never.

Games are the new emerging art form. Saying that there's an age where you outgrow games is just as ludicrous as saying that you can outgrow music or movies.

Justafyme · Jun 29, 2006, 07:17 PM // 19:17

Well, I'm 28 my husband is 32, my brothers 31 and my dads 56 and we all still "got game". LOL You should see my dad pwn. Mr business professional gets mighty pissy though when he loses, lemme tell you. I grew up with games..we had atari like the day it came out....then we were the first we knew to have a home computer...same goes for the sega thingie and then all the various incarnations of nintendo... Anyone know or/remember a puter game called digger? Damn I'm old. But my parents used to "fight" over who got to play. Hehehe.. My brother currently plays his 360 with his kids..who are 2 and 1 (the non-violent games of course..and well, they aren't really playing...but you should hear them squeel with delight as they mash on the controller). My mother has always assumed the role of the "co-pilot" she loves watching my dad play and tell him he's going the wrong way/going around in circles etc. Great back seat driver. hehehe
Guess what I'm saying is that games are somewhat of a family experience (and no that's not the only thing we did as a family) but I do have fond memories of those times..and we still play games together when we are able.

LouAl · Jun 29, 2006, 07:32 PM // 19:32

I have been playing games for a while (approx 20 years I think) and I don't see myself "growing out" of gaming, although I don't play as much as I used to play. My oldest child is now a little over 2 and I can hardly wait until she is old enough to play games with me (donky konga sounds cool!).

Unfortunately video games are addictive, just the same as heroin, crack, meth(well not to those with ADHD), tobacco, alcohol, ex, sex, porn, running, and anything else is addictive. It is my opinion that if it starts taking over your life (addiction), you should think very seriously about making some changes and get help if needed.

As fars as whether work will change you? Most likely, but that doesn't mean that you have to give up anything that you find enjoyable (anything healthy that is).

Here are a couple examples of "older" gamers

I have a friend (age 24) whose wife "forced" him to give up gaming when they got married. One day they were at her mother's house and found his wife's old NES. Now she kicks his butt at Tetris, Castlevania, and other great games.

My uncle (age 63) bought a PS2 a few years ago. He had never owned a console in his life but wanted something that he could do for fun. It was a retirement gift to himself. As a bonus he can now play video games with his grandkids.

Seriously though, you SHOULD make some changes if it is consuming your life and causing physical, psycological, or social harm. You may not need to give them up entirely unless it becomes a cycle in which case, abstinence would be the best course.

Sorry, I went off a little about addiction, but I think it's still relevant.

actionjack · Jun 29, 2006, 08:15 PM // 20:15

Maybe think gaming as a casual sport, like Golf or Bowling.

Actually, it make me wonder about what are the genre trend in relation to age. Seem like younger people like shooter and platform more, while the older crowd like RPG and strategy more. Of couse, that could be completly wrong too. Interesting to see a poll or stastic on it.

Mister Overhill · Jun 29, 2006, 09:26 PM // 21:26

59 here, and gaming since Chutes and Ladders at age 5 (yeah, it really does go back that far). Son 34, and daughters 32 and 19 are gamers, along with grandkids 6 to 16. Only the wife and one daughter pass on it.

Heh, my neighbor's mom is 80 with a PS2.

neighto · Jun 30, 2006, 01:06 AM // 01:06

Im 29, been gaming for a good 20 years of that. I have owned various systems over the past two decades.. vic 20s, Ataris, Colecovision, Commdore 64, nintendo, playstation...etc etc.

The OP asked when is the proper time to "give up" gaming.. My answer is really quite simple. When you find that you no longer enjoy it, then thats the time you quit.

obastable · Jun 30, 2006, 01:15 AM // 01:15

Ask anyone who plays a game of any sort as a hobby (card games & board games are still games) when they think they should stop. You'll probably get the same answer as most people have given here; when it's no longer fun.

A game is a game, and while my games of choice are on the PC they're no more time consuming than the games my Grandparents played. Actually, now that I think of it, my Grandma spent more time in a week playing Pinochle and Euchre than I ever have playing GW.

You're never too old to have fun, and that's all there is to it.

Inthast · Jun 30, 2006, 05:21 PM // 17:21

I'm approaching age 40, and my husband is in his mid-40's, and we play GW several times a week and have been gaming together since we met more than ten years ago. I don't know how much he used to game when he was a kid, but I played Pong and then all kinds of games on my family's Atari 800 computer. I can even remember buying PC magazines which, at that time, printed the code for simple games (think downhill skiing and bats flying through caves) and then spending a Friday night typing the code so that I could play all weekend long.
I didn't play much during college, but after school, I bought a PC and started playing MYST, and since then I've played all kinds of games ---->shooters, strategy and rpgs mostly. I can't imagine a life without PC games, and I don't foresee quitting.
All of that said, it's important to me to keep my gaming in perspective. It is a hobby - one of several - that I must consciously make time for in my day to day life.
To the OP --->Clearly I don't believe that society should be my guide here. I will stop gaming only if I want to. And I don't believe that most people feel particularly pressured to quit because of societal forces; however, if you find your close friends and family pressuring you to quit because you're ignoring them in favor of gaming, you might want to think about your situation. I believe in internet and gaming addictions, and I believe such addictions can wreak havoc on lives. Play in a healthy way.

Minus Sign · Jul 01, 2006, 02:41 AM // 02:41

The first leader of my very first guild was a proud 50 something woman who enjoyed roleplaying here. EQ has people in their 70s that I level grinded with regularly before moving on.

If there is an age limit for gamers, I have yet to find it. The average for most video gamers today are in their late 20s, like me.

It's an escape like a good book, a cool movie/television show, etc.

Growing up means accepting responsibility. It doesn't mean you have to give up ALL your toys.

Omega X · Jul 01, 2006, 03:30 AM // 03:30

People don't grow out of games. People never have. Just because it uses a computer instead of a golf club doesn't mean anything.

SFEley · Jul 01, 2006, 03:33 AM // 03:33

Quote:

Originally Posted by Angelica

PS. I really wish for the youngs or not so youngs posters to write in proper English when they post, not: u, idk, c, n1, l8, y etc. etc. not to mention l337.

Hear, hear!

I'm not worried at all that games will incite violence in our youth. I'm worried that they'll destroy communication skills.

SFEley · Jul 01, 2006, 03:35 AM // 03:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by Omega X

People don't grow out of games. People never have. Just because it uses a computer instead of a golf club doesn't mean anything.

Well, it does mean less fresh air and a fatter posterior.

Or did you just mean in terms of fun? If so, I agree with you.

Snograt · Jul 01, 2006, 08:08 AM // 08:08

43 here, and a firm believer that you are born a gamer and die a gamer.

It's not something you grow into or out of.

It's what you are.

Rebirther · Jul 01, 2006, 08:48 AM // 08:48

if its becomes your first priority after work, and if you know you spend an aweful lot of time on games >24yrs of age, you know its unhealthy for you and should cut down... thats when you should start settling down.

the only exception is if your a games developer or associated roles.

Some people grow out of it some don't it depends on whats happening in their life, if something great comes along you'll spend less time on games than you would if you didn't have anything great, and eventually grow out of it, you'll find yourself pulling away from games.

It's not "at this age you should be doing this and that" it's more like how you - yourself have grown and in what environment that affects your role as a gamer.