A Sign of the Times in Online Gaming
I was playing a bit of multiplayer run-and-shoot game Republic Commando tonight. This is one of those non-persisent first-person-shooters where you run and around and expend pent up aggression by virtually slaying 20 or 30 players.
Amid the usual chatter about noob cannons and bogarting the BFG, I overheard (or rather oversaw, because it was typed) a conversation about parenting between two players who were obviously strangers. A mother in the Midwest had a son in fifth grade, and he was having some behavioural problems (I didn’t get the details, as I was too busy being massacred).
While I know, statistically, gaming is still popular with adults, this seemed to me to be a watershed event. In these sorts of games, conversations rarely rise above trash talk. It’s like the time, a couple of years ago, I saw this total skater dude, with baggy pants and Keds-esque shoes, skateboarding along Georgia Street. Right behind him was his five-year-old son, similarly kittied out and riding his own mini board.
September 9th, 2005 at 11:44 am
The family that plays together, stays together:
http://www.theinquirer.net/?article=25461
Freaking hilarious.
September 9th, 2005 at 1:21 pm
You didn’t know that Master Chief is our secretary?
September 9th, 2005 at 5:47 pm
I’ve often found it amusing when the idle taunts get more heated because I’ve got an adult’s whit, instead of a 13 year olds staple, ‘ur gay’ taunt.
Inevitably the conversation spins around to age: ‘13!’ ‘17′ ‘15′ ‘21′
“I’m 32″ [silence]
‘YOU’RE OLD!’
‘GAWD! What’re you still playing games for??’
‘He’s prolly just a fat guy living in his mom’s basement’
“Actually, I run my own design business and am a father of one — thanks for asking.”
‘Suuuuure. Whatever, loser.’
‘gay’
Our future CEOs and government officials, ladies and gentlemen.