My Video Gaming History
As a child of the 80’s I have been an avid gamer for years. There have been a great many games in my history that came and went, with a few gems thrown in. The genres range across the board, but Action and MMO games are probably the most frequent.
I’ll list a few of my favorites, but this is just running off the top of my head here so it is just the standouts.
Single Player
- Metal Gear Solid
- Assassin’s Creed
- Spider-Man
- Guitar Hero
- Deus-Ex
- Half-Life
- Jedi Outcast
- Sim City
- Duke Nukem
- Spore
Multiplayer
- Diablo
- Team Fortress Classic
- Unreal Tournament
MMO Games
- Star Wars Galaxies
- Asheron’s Call
- Anarchy Online
- EVE: Online
EVE: Online gets special treatment as it is the one game I am actively playing right now. It is a spotty history with EVE as I participated in the Beta test back in 2003, bought the game, and from that point have been in and out of the universe of New Eden about 4 different times over the years. I would bore of it and quit, but it would always seem to call me back.
This instance in EVE: Online has been the longest stretch with it (over a year), and I am really having a great time. Mostly due to having a real life friend in the game and more corporation involvement than I used to have. The latest expansion coming out with Wormholes and a new NPC Race is getting me even more pumped up. I can’t wait until March 10th.
Gaming has actually become a part of my family as my wife, and kids all are active in games, and we all discuss our favorite times and events that happen. If you are a gamer, you might understand, but if not, then this must seem very strange to you. We have real lives and are productive members of the real world, but as a hobby to enjoy, it is something we all share, though in different ways.
My wife and daughters all enjoy Will Wright’s The Sims to a point where the purchasing of a new expansion is hardly a consideration, but a given. The houses my daughters can make in that game border on mansions that amaze me with their detail. (My wife just builds the basics and plays, but the girls can really impress). It’s great when they all start discussing the happenings of their little families and the conversations go on and on.
MMO’s (Massively Multiplayer Online) games are something I, my wife, and my son enjoy immensely. We are all in our own styles as my wife is in her cutesy Flash based one, I’m in space with EVE, and my son is in Middle Earth often. When one of us has a moment to remember and starts telling about it, we all can relate, as they have happened to us all and we can appreciate them. It is a nice additional bond for us, along with so many others we have.
Video Games even give me something to share with my little granddaughter, thanks to Will Wright’s Spore, (that man has a lot of influence in my house). My granddaughter will sit on my lap and we will create monsters together that she loves to watch walk around and have babies. the gameplay itself is a bit too much for her to handle, but it’s just fun to build with this digital Playdough. We both enjoy it immensely, and her creativity amazes me time and again. Plus it’s a nice break for me as I can only play Barbie so much.
Video games get a lot of bad press and blamed for so much against society, but as with most things, moderation is the key. If it consumes you, you are in trouble. If it enhances and entertains, then enjoy it, and enjoy it with others, especially loved ones.
Anthony