A big jump from Pong!

I prefer pong.  

The graphics on that are amazing. The gameplay looks fluid and immersive. It's definitely a giant leap from pong.

But I often find some of the simple games have better longevity.

Those 64 player rounds were so hectic, I loved it.

The original Pong was installed on Magnavox TV’s in the late 60’s to the mid 70’s. If you kept the brightness level to high you could burn a line horizontally in the phosphor dead center of the CRT. Was a pretty cool game to play. Had different speeds and skill levels.

portal is a fantastic game. So smart.

I wonder if it's the lack of fluidity that makes some people feel sick when they play video games - like me, especially with POV games.  On the rare occasion I play a game it's a walk-through puzzle mystery type thing.  

My sons 6 years old computer couldn't be upgraded anymore, even with 16 gigs of ram and a 500 watt power supply to drive his video card. Off went his order to Dell. With the new one, you usually can't tell the CG from live action. I spent most of the last 30 years in front of a computer monitor, so, no games for me.

The cgi animated cutscenes in games are so stunning. Almost real. If you want to see some amazing graphics coming out in a year, check on the trailer for the game The Last of Us 2. It is insane how good they are and how realistic the movement looks. It really does look like real people.

The Atari 2600 gave me all the video game graphics and excitement I'll ever need.
But, I wholly understand the fixation people have with modern video games.
Great graphics and mind-blowing challenges at a relatively low cost (for what you get).
Heck yeah, why not?

  Of course they were.  You should have bought a Playstation     (console wars are pretty much a thing of the past now)


Its always funny how tastes tend to set in as you age.  Games that I grew up with, or are made in that style, interest me a great deal more than most modern AAA titles.  Although there are always some exceptions.  Gaming has really started to come into its own as a story telling medium.

I was just making a joke about the biggest competitor for the Xbox, what was once referred to as a console war where one gaming platform had games the other did not and the hardware could be drastically different, it sparked much debate in between classes during pretty much my entire schooling.

Gaming is a pretty fun hobby if you are into it, but it can sometime consume a young persons life (all things in moderation).  I'm sure there were times my parents wished they hadn't purchased the latest Nintendo system, but I turned out OKish!

… well to each their own...

You are definitely right about the kids, so is Peter.  I was lucky enough to spend a lot of time doing plenty of outdoor activities as well, camping, hiking, fishing, shooting etc.  Games were just another thing I did/do.  This was also before the addition of online multiplayer for the most part.  Today's games are more competitive and time consuming, or at least that's how it seems to me.  


Grand Theft Auto is rated M for Mature, the gaming equivalent of being rated R  (wish this was universal so more parents had a better basis for comparison).  The reasons for it are listed much like a movie would be too.  (Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mature Humor, Nudity, Strong Language, Strong Sexual Content, and Use of Drugs and Alcohol.)  No child should be playing that game.  Stores cannot legally sell it to anyone under 17.   But in todays world a youngun can hop on Steam and say they are 18 and purchase away.  I have next to zero interest in that game, but I guess I can see why its popular.

You could look at it as an opportunity to bond with the boys. You play with them for an hour, they they do something outside with you for an equal amount of time.