What's right with games like Guild Wars? - Guild Wars Guru archive powered by Guild Wars Legacy

Set

Academy Page

Join Date: Sep 2006

Troy, MI

World Of Darkness

13 Sep 2006 at 00:42 - 1

I'm currently 33 years old, and love to play Guild Wars. I started my gaming experiences on a computer called the Commodore 128 -- some 22 years ago (believe it or not). I've played games from Ultima I - Final Fantasy 10 along the way. However, I did get a life; get married, and two wonderful little girls along the road. So here's what I'm wondering.

Do you think that a game like Guild Wars could actually bring families together? Is it possible that the very things that media says is wrong with games, could actually be right with games? What type of real world examples would you site?

Here's an example: I have a person in my guild right now that totally made me think about this post. He is a divorced parent, and as a solution for him to meet up with his boy he actually purchased his son a computer and a copy of Guild Wars. Now they actually play online together on a regular bases. I thought this was the coolest thing; wish my dad would've played GW with me...

I'm looking for more stories like this. Instead of hearing what's wrong with the gaming industry, I want to prove through logic and real life circumstance that maybe gaming isn't so bad for the family life. Maybe, just maybe it solves things. Do you have a story you can share?

KingKryton

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2005

New Zealand

W/Mo

13 Sep 2006 at 01:06 - 2

i once tried to teach my dad to play battlefield vietnam.

he has the worst aim

Fenr1r Da Boss

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

Burning Flames

W/Mo

13 Sep 2006 at 02:39 - 3

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingKryton

i once tried to teach my dad to play battlefield vietnam.

he has the worst aim

Hahahahahahaha!!! Hella funny! anyway im 13 and my parents dislikes v games but i play anyway.

gasmaskman

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Jun 2006

None, I don't play anymore.

Mo/W

13 Sep 2006 at 02:43 - 4

Quote:

Originally Posted by KingKryton

i once tried to teach my dad to play battlefield vietnam.

he has the worst aim

LOL

I taught my father how to play America's Army, and even though has almost three times the hours logged in, I'm soo much better than him.

It helps me talk to my father a lot more, and it's a lot of fun when there's nothing else to do. Though, playing with my brother is a different story (annoys the hell out of me

)

My mother also plays games like Resident Evil 4 and Manhunt

. Yes, that's right. Manhunt. So, I do play a lot of video games with my parents, and its so cool knowing that sometimes, your parents could beat you in a video game (yeah, right

)

Malice Black

Site Legend

Join Date: Oct 2005

13 Sep 2006 at 02:43 - 5

Deleting double posts is easy - go edit/then choose the delete option

Gaming gets bad press because bed press sales more then happy stories do..simple fact

Fenr1r Da Boss

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

Burning Flames

W/Mo

13 Sep 2006 at 02:53 - 6

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Admins Bane

Deleting double posts is easy - go edit/then choose the delete option

Gaming gets bad press because bed press sales more then happy stories do..simple fact

k cool thx a lot

Sekkira

Forge Runner

Join Date: Apr 2005

Canberra, AU

13 Sep 2006 at 03:00 - 7

My dad who is in his late 50's now has been a gamer longer than I've existed. He got the NES on release, I was around 2-3 at the time and got me hooked on gaming. In fact it was the biggest encouragement to learn to read due to him playing a lot of RPG's (walls of text) and him getting fed up with asking him to read it out to me.

He doesn't play Guild Wars, but I still know he's a gamer even after moving away as we reccomend games to each other and him being in a job where he has the money to literally drop a k or two on games/consoles on release.

Malice Black

Site Legend

Join Date: Oct 2005

13 Sep 2006 at 03:03 - 8

The only games my mum plays is online solitare (who doesnt) and some online gambling stuff

my dad trys to play FPS like BF2 put just rage quits after 10mins

LifeInfusion

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: May 2005

in the midline

E/Mo

13 Sep 2006 at 03:12 - 9

What's right is how you don't have to grind. You could play 5 hours a week and be able to get through the storyline in a reasonable time.

VanDamselx

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Aug 2006

Buffalo, NY

[TTBH]

13 Sep 2006 at 03:14 - 10

My Step dad, my step brother and myself play together. They don't play as often as I do, but we always help each other out. It's quite fun.

Ken Dei

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jan 2006

W/Mo

13 Sep 2006 at 03:17 - 11

Frankly, the faster society learns to accept and integrate mental pathways with technology the better it'll be off. Then we can work on the bad habit of destroying our planet.

Note: integration does not mean become cyborgs, simply adjust the natural brain patterns through regular usage.

KiyaKoreena

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jun 2005

USA

Kirins of Holy Light

N/

13 Sep 2006 at 03:37 - 12

Yay Commodores! I started with a Vic 20. My husband and I play GW together, as do a few couples in our alliance. My sister and her husband played CoH together. When all our children grow older they will most likely turn into little gamers like us. :-) I know my husband is looking forward to teaching ours how to be good players and give him some good competition.

xiao1985

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Nov 2005

13 Sep 2006 at 03:37 - 13

my guild leader is a couple playing together...

so i guess as long as we understand each other, it can be a very harmonious process..

manitoba1073

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Jan 2006

ManitobaShipyards Refit and Repair Station

(SFC)Star Fleet Command,(TDE)The Daggerfall elite,(SOoM)Secret order of Magi

13 Sep 2006 at 03:41 - 14

hehe i started games on the TRS-80

Opeth11

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Oct 2005

Richmond, British Columbia, Kanada

Demon of the Fall [Opet]

Mo/Me

13 Sep 2006 at 03:53 - 15

My dad got rediculously good at Diablo 2...

Shadowfox1125

Forge Runner

Join Date: Mar 2005

PST

W/

13 Sep 2006 at 03:58 - 16

I don't have a personal story to share, but my high school principal plays WoW with his sons, who live in another state. And apparently he's ranked or something. I don't know how WoW works. But the physics teacher did convince him to allow us to bring consoles to school, but with strict rules on the games though.

Coridan

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jun 2006

US

Old Married Gamers {OMG}

W/

13 Sep 2006 at 04:07 - 17

I am likewise married with kids..And yes I agree that there is a good side to games. I often let my son who is 7 play GW (supervised) Usually in the Int Dist since there is less spam and often kinder people. He REALLLY enjoys the time we spend together playing games. But the main reason I posted this was because I was raised by my grandparents and we often played card games together (bridge & spades) Once I got married and moved away and put down my own roots I didn't see them as often as I would like, SO I bought my grandparents a computer so we could chat...which led to playing card games online toghether against other people. I lost my grandfather about a year ago and I am so apprecaitive of the time that we spent playing games online together. SO YES!!! there is a plus side to gaming as long as it is done in "proper" doses :P

Coridan A

Chris Blackstar

Banned

Join Date: Apr 2005

United States

13 Sep 2006 at 04:30 - 18

When I was young, me my dad and brother played the first online game ever, our modem was a old rotary phone the you dialed then set the reciever on the modem, no computer screen, just a teletype. The game was called 'sink the bismark' the server on the other end would send you coordinates and some basic information, and print it out on a piece of paper, then you would type some basic commands like movement or fire coordinates, then hit send and wait like five ot ten minutes for a response to see if you hit the ship, or where close. Like the game battleship.

Sli Ander

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Jul 2006

Deep in Maguuma, by the Falls

Liberators of Agony

Mo/R

13 Sep 2006 at 04:33 - 19

I started out on the Commodore 64 myself, and it certainly kept my brothers and I from starting arguments as much(though sometimes it started them, lol). We've owned all the nes systems since, and we all own computers now that we're grown. Our mutual interests in types of games, and the internet itself, allow my family to stick close together. Computer games are a good way to get a family together, just like many other activities. But because of the 'extreme' players(people who play waaaay too much) they unfortunately get a bad name.

Feminist Terrorist

Desert Nomad

Join Date: Nov 2005

Oh Noes! The 'burbs!

13 Sep 2006 at 04:34 - 20

My cat watches me play. She's quite fond of me beating the snot out of trolls. She doesn't like them much. Does that count?

My husband and I both play, but we like different genres, and he's not that much of a gamer.

Poison Ivy

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

Toronto

Hopping

Mo/A

13 Sep 2006 at 04:34 - 21

I'm still trying to get my grandpa to farm in GW for me, it's going pretty good, except he created his own character and is siphoning all my gold for his armor XD

I Mean I

Academy Page

Join Date: Jun 2006

in my guild hall afk

Ar Vin Pvp[AMp]

R/

13 Sep 2006 at 04:41 - 22

When i start gw before 14 months i told my dad "hey you a gamer right? start playin this game!"after a long persuade cause he hates mmorpg (he loves old school adnveture rpg and things like that) he started.....and umm well he made a warrior lvl 6 he stuck in rities of rememberance the quest with the candels at pre-sear and he abandon it.........true reason why he stuck?...never understood how to use mini-map

Brustow

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Sep 2006

Beer me!

Hey Look Over There [gAnK]

Mo/

13 Sep 2006 at 05:46 - 23

Mom didn't play games. Dad did a little and still does. It's always the civilization series or some other turn based game. He has tried RTS, he struggles to grasp the concept of "build more workers." The last FPS he played was Duke Nukem 3d. He wasn't any good at that either.

My brother was a gamer like me but now he's more of a music lover and I still remain the hardcore gamer of the family.

Racthoh

Did I hear 7 heroes?

Join Date: May 2005

Scars Meadows [SMS], Guild Leader (Not Recruiting)

13 Sep 2006 at 05:50 - 24

Mother used to play on the Atari, Father used to play NES Open Tournament Golf until my brother got too good for him.

And apparently my Grandmother would play Donkey Kong laying upside down because it was too easy? We're an odd family.

DawnFrostbringer

Ascalonian Squire

Join Date: Aug 2006

Virginia

House Of Eire

E/Mo

13 Sep 2006 at 07:06 - 25

GuildWars Guild of the week #34 featured a Guild with 3 generations of players. grandparents, parents, and children... there are uncles, cousins, nephews, nieces, husbands, and wives in that guild.

I say it's a good way to stay close.. if you all enjoy it.

Dawn

ubermancer

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

******************* Refuge From Exile [RFE]

13 Sep 2006 at 07:06 - 26

I have an irl friend whos father (well into his 40's) plays WoW with him. Its a bit odd, they sit in adjacent rooms and use TS to communicate =P Then again, his father is undoubtably 'cool' - more then once Ive been talking to his son about something intriguing, but obscure (like the thesis of the author of Skylark) and had his father pop in and contribute unexpectantly to the conversation.

On the flipside, a person (a cop!) who used to be in my guild exhibited the worst example of prolonged, uncontrolled rage Ive ever seen, becomming openly vulgar, threatening, and offensive (resulting in me kicking him). His adolescent step son is also in my guild, and I have never had a problem with him.

That is the extent of my personal experience with the matter, Ive been unable to even get my father to try Mario.

Gonzo

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Feb 2006

Netherlands

Defenders of the Blackblade [DotB]

W/

13 Sep 2006 at 08:35 - 27

Can't get my dad past Doom II, took me a really long time to get him to go from Wolfenstein 3D to Doom.

Farrell-Zander

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Aug 2005

Switzerland

13 Sep 2006 at 08:43 - 28

My farther and I used to play Combat Flight Simulator. I always used to shoot him down :P Was lots of fun.

Yanman.be

Banned

Join Date: Dec 2005

Belgium

[ROSE]

A/

13 Sep 2006 at 08:54 - 29

My mother's best gaming adventure is Solitaire in Windows.

My father used to like Moto Racer on PSX, but only if I asked him, but he couldn't really steer. My father's PC knowledge is so bad: My mother bought me a USB stick, my father delivered it to my room, and said: "Here's your new cellphone son"

*edit* I know an article about a family that plays guild wars tonight every night. ( missions etc. ). Accross the USA.

lightblade

Forge Runner

Join Date: May 2005

The Etereal Guard

Me/Mo

13 Sep 2006 at 09:07 - 30

My Dad always tell me to stop playing games. And I always try to tell to start playing, and whenever I do...he says: "If I'm going to play games, who's going to feed the family?"

LightningHell

(????????????)???

Join Date: Aug 2005

Hong Kong

Guildless

Mo/

13 Sep 2006 at 09:17 - 31

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poison Ivy

I'm still trying to get my grandpa to farm in GW for me, it's going pretty good, except he created his own character and is siphoning all my gold for his armor XD

Absolutely XD.

My mother is absolutely terrible at grasping any concept on the computer, and so hates anything associated with the computer. My father is too busy to play - he wakes up quite late (7:00), but comes back home at around 10:00, and has to do a hell of a lot of paperwork back home, so I don't bother him.

majoho

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jul 2006

Denmark

13 Sep 2006 at 10:08 - 32

Quote:

Originally Posted by Set

I'm currently 33 years old, and love to play Guild Wars. I started my gaming experiences on a computer called the Commodore 128 -- some 22 years ago (believe it or not).

I can beat that, I had a Texas Instruments TI 99/4A

But then again I'm 42.

Electric Sky

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: May 2006

13 Sep 2006 at 10:48 - 33

my parents thinks gaming interferes with my studies lol

lg5000

Jungle Guide

Join Date: Jul 2005

Australia

13 Sep 2006 at 10:51 - 34

Actually, I play because I had to fnd out what it was that both my b/f and my son were playing. So now, on the way to school we get to discuss last nights adventures, good and bad groups, stupid mistakes, skills.. all the fun things that leaves my daughter whining about us talking about gw again.

As for playing with him, due to us sharing one computer, that's not really happening. I'm trying to justify getting a 10yr old his own computer.. but.. he IS only 10

Lady Lozza

Forge Runner

Join Date: Dec 2005

Oz

Angel Sharks

Me/N

13 Sep 2006 at 11:13 - 35

My sister and I game together to help keep in touch. We both have very busy jobs and the last thing we want to do after work is drive 40 mins across the city to go-a-visiting. Now if I could only convince my OTHER sister to game too...

Poison Ivy

Forge Runner

Join Date: Jan 2006

Toronto

Hopping

Mo/A

13 Sep 2006 at 11:24 - 36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Electric Sky

my parents thinks gaming interferes with my studies lol

That's what ALL parents think...well most of the Asian ones at least.

extra bacon

Grotto Attendant

Join Date: Sep 2005

Sydney, Australia

Spank [Me]

13 Sep 2006 at 11:46 - 37

Quote:

Originally Posted by Poison Ivy

That's what ALL parents think...well most of the Asian ones at least.

unless they're chinese gold farmers?

sorry, just couldn't resist.

Stemnin

Krytan Explorer

Join Date: Nov 2005

Mo/Me

13 Sep 2006 at 11:47 - 38

The only female gamers in my family are my sisters who play that habbo..

, most of my uncles and cousins play, from halo, socom, CoD, MoH.. almost everyone plays a different game, myself will be playing nightfall, crysis and quake wars later this fall

pkodyssey

Wilds Pathfinder

Join Date: Nov 2005

In a cardboard box with Internet

The Order of the Frozen Tundra (TofT)

N/

13 Sep 2006 at 12:05 - 39

Hmmm, I believe that my first computer was a PCjr

Anyway, I play with my Dad, wife, and brother. My Dad is one of the best Fire Nukers I have played with and not to bad at monking. He is now my primary infuser on my guild b-spike team. He started with Final Fantasy on NES and went through and completd probably a dozen othe games including the cow level on Diablo. I bought him the game for his b-day in April and by the Halloween Event he was starting his second character. Thats when I started playing. My wife loves playing Mesmer and my Bro is "King Aggro" of all things red dot like. He doesnt have the time to play that often and just isnt up to speed on to much but... he gets to play and its cool. The monks just know to keep an eye on him.

jackie

/retired

Join Date: Dec 2005

On the Beach

13 Sep 2006 at 12:21 - 40

First time I got my hands to a game was playing the first Microsoft Flight Simulator at my dad's office when I was in the age when I wanted to be like Indiana Jones. Heck, didn't understand a thing but it was a blast

I've grown in a family that likes to have fun playing computer & video games. It has always been a fun, social & relaxing hobby.