[Parlay44]

How about expanding this thread to include using video games to game girls. There's some girls out there that are very into video games.

Hey baby wanna come over and play with my Wii?

[Stitch]

Vid games are like any activity--if you do it mindlessly, you'll get nothing out of it. If you play with intent, you are "practicing practicing". Games which are actually very difficult that you can get through my working at them build the mindset that you can do anything if you actually work at it. Admittedly, often that time would be better spent learning a practicable skill, but hell, video games are at least better than TV in that sense.

Even crap like WoW--I've been subjected to lots and lots of "leadership training", but I learned more about leadership trying to get 40 international geeks pointed in the same direction running WoW raids than I ever learned at leadership seminars.

They have their uses. In general I feel like you should have as much time in your life as possible either building your skillset or profiting from it. Activities which don't fit into one of those two categories should be minimized.

[Aliblahba]

(12-19-2011 07:54 AM)Parlay44 Wrote:  

How about expanding this thread to include using video games to game girls. There's some girls out there that are very into video games.

Hey baby wanna come over and play with my Wii?

Next time I roll out to a destination, ie. Prague, Georgia, ect. The Wii is going with me. Not to be used to actively game broads but as a backdrop. It'll add value to my pad, like a guitar, fast internet, and so on. Vodka, borscht, and two drunken girls playing Wii sports in the apartment wearing nothing but their bra and panties. Couldn't think of a better way to pass time on a cold winter night.

I'd say the video game console has room in the international players arsenal.

[Dash Global]

(12-19-2011 09:18 AM)Aliblahba Wrote:  

I'd say the video game console has room in the international players arsenal.

+1

[Parlay44]

I heard Wiis and iPhones go for like $1200+ in Brazil. Can anyone confirm this? Good way to display status and maybe fund an excursion.

[Frost]

Whenever I hear about a video game that sounds fun, I make a mental note and go about my life. When I'm old and frail, I'm going to play the fuck out of every game on that list.

Video games can be fun, but there's no getting around that they are a waste of time, and they dull your appetite for real-world accomplishment by giving you a pixellated simulation of it. I occasionally indulge without guilt, but my goal will always be to live a life in which I freely choose not to play any video games, because my 'real life' is so much more interesting. Two months ago for example, I used to play Starcraft 2 for five hours a week or so. Not bad at all in retrospect, compared to most other gamers, but in retrospect it was a sign that I needed more hobbies/people/work in my life.

This past month, since I've been living in thailand, training MMA, and working on a new book, I think I can honestly say that I haven't thought about video games at all until I saw this thread.

Not trying to rag on guys who play, but if you do: Try adding some things to your life, and see if video games continue to make the 'good use of time' cut. Just a thought.

[Kid Strangelove]

I'm from a slightly different boat - I play fighting games - stuff like Street Fighter, Tekken, Soul Calibur, Marvel Vs Capcom.

These are not games you can just pop in and play for a second. With these games you actually need to practice to be good and there is a huge increase in fun once you're good. Plus, there's money from tournaments and "money matches".

These games are addictive as all hell. But they are damn awesome and impressive on a high level.

Edit: for the non street fighter fans - what the Ken player did is spectacular. he knew that if he blocked that big multi hitting move from chun li - he would die from block damage. So he had to "parry" - which is done by pressing forward in a really small time window to absorb and nullify the attack, one misstep and its over. He did this 15 times and jumped for the last hit to get extra damage. This is the Street Fighter equivalent of being the guy on the other side of the basketball poster with the nuts on your face

[Samseau]

Video games are awesome stress relievers. I play them when I have some free time. No different that having a drink at a bar.

[mofo]

(12-19-2011 11:16 PM)Samseau Wrote:  

Video games are awesome stress relievers. I play them when I have some free time. No different that having a drink at a bar.

Exactly. No different than having a drink at a bar. This sums it up.

[the chef]

(12-18-2011 02:38 PM)mofo Wrote:  

Can you imagine any true international playboy playing video games?

valid point.

have never understood why people really gave a fuck about video games. what do you get out of endlessly mashing a joystick? what exactly are you accomplishing?

[mofo]

lol

[BortimusPrime]

If it's something you can go through a whirlwind of playing for a few days then drop, or a game where you just play for 30 min at a time to blow off steam, there's nothing wrong with that, it's equivalent to watching tv from time to time.

DO NOT START PLAYING AN MMO, IT WILL CONSUME YOUR LIFE. I used to play WoW, and one of the best players on the server was a shut-in on disability, to give you an example of the caliber of people in that game. The game is definitely challenging once you're raiding, and yes there are organizational skills involved, but ultimately it is a collossal waste of time and you'll regret all the hours of your life you lost to it once you quit.

[Cr33pin]

(12-20-2011 02:51 PM)BortimusPrime Wrote:  

DO NOT START PLAYING AN MMO, IT WILL CONSUME YOUR LIFE. I used to play WoW, and one of the best players on the server was a shut-in on disability

[Caligula]

[Vitriol]

(12-20-2011 03:52 PM)Cr33pin Wrote:  

(12-20-2011 02:51 PM)BortimusPrime Wrote:  

DO NOT START PLAYING AN MMO, IT WILL CONSUME YOUR LIFE. I used to play WoW, and one of the best players on the server was a shut-in on disability

That was easily one of the best South Park episodes.

Pretty much any competitive game played online becomes like having a job when you want to stay good at it. One of the things that caused me to quit gaming was playing a first person shooter where I was in a clan that started getting really good in the several months before I quit. After a few months of that I really felt pinched for time and started to get sick of it. For the first week or so after I quit I remember feeling like "oh shit, I have so much free time now!"

If I absoutely had to play now I'd probably just stick to console games that you can mess around with for a few minutes then walk away from. I don't think it's a problem if you jumping around as super mario for a few minutes or whatever, but online games that require a significant time investment to stay good at are really are like having a job or a second life. I think those are the biggest waste and usually an unsafe form of escapism.

[Cr33pin]

Well played Caligula....

[Dash Global]

(12-20-2011 02:22 AM)the chef Wrote:  

(12-18-2011 02:38 PM)mofo Wrote:  

Can you imagine any true international playboy playing video games?

valid point.

have never understood why people really gave a fuck about video games. what do you get out of endlessly mashing a joystick? what exactly are you accomplishing?

Same reason why people watch sports on tv.

Entertainment

[mofo]

Ok

[Docter]

Well it depends.

Games like WoW/League of Legends are non-ending. They provide infinite novel stimulation and competition. You can play whatever the fuck you want, but these are the most addictive (novelty factor).

Games like Braid/Limbo/Bastion I consider works of art in the same vain you'd consider the Titanic or the Mona Lisa a work of art.

Video games are unfortunately lumped together as childless mind-waste time, but there's actually a lot of depth in a small segment of the market, like in the 3 previous games I mentioned.

So, I actually suggest playing these artful games. They are tasteful, interesting, and not mindless.

Someone mentioned FFXII earlier. Final Fantasy games are essentially books that you play instead of read. They take longer, sure, but the trade off is the content and interaction between player and the artform.

I'll agree with the overall sentiment: video games are only a problem when they're a problem.

P.S. go play Braid

[Riker]

(12-21-2011 11:16 AM)Docter Wrote:  

Well it depends.

Games like WoW/League of Legends are non-ending. They provide infinite novel stimulation and competition. You can play whatever the fuck you want, but these are the most addictive (novelty factor).

Games like Braid/Limbo/Bastion I consider works of art in the same vain you'd consider the Titanic or the Mona Lisa a work of art.

Video games are unfortunately lumped together as childless mind-waste time, but there's actually a lot of depth in a small segment of the market, like in the 3 previous games I mentioned.

So, I actually suggest playing these artful games. They are tasteful, interesting, and not mindless.

Someone mentioned FFXII earlier. Final Fantasy games are essentially books that you play instead of read. They take longer, sure, but the trade off is the content and interaction between player and the artform.

I'll agree with the overall sentiment: video games are only a problem when they're a problem.

P.S. go play Braid

Braid is amazing. Stirs up emotions.

[kerouac]

(12-18-2011 10:03 PM)Ehnulo Wrote:  

A general rule I follow with hobbies is they should fulfill more than one purpose (never just pleasure). This way your time is always spent in positive ways.

Playing sports > fun, exercise, social
Reading books > interesting, mentally challenging, learn new skills
Playing an instrument > calming, develops artistic talent, attractive

Video games are the anti-thesis of this. Specifically tailored to require no thought, no discipline, gives no new talents, etc. Some will say it doesn't matter and "do what you love." I say be more scrutinizing with your time and make sure there's a long term benefit in everything you do.

This is very true. From a self-development standpoint, anything that keeps you stationary in life is shit. Video Games, Watching uninteresting TV, being around uninteresting/shitty/negative people, smoking too much weed, etc.

As each year goes by in life, I rediscover how important it is to develop new skills and to keep life "interesting." Not just from a pickup standpoint, but from an identity standpoint. If I don't keep improving, keep learning, and keep expanding my horizons, I start to die.

[Stitch]

I strongly disagree that video games should be put in the same category as watching uninteresting TV, if you play them actively--looking to see how the game is designed, trying to form a winning strategy, attempting new things, practicing until you get something right, etc. Yes, if you're just playing a game in easy mode or one that demands nothing more than button mashing, you're wasting time. But not all games are like that, just like not all movies are complete wastes of time if they engage you, make you think, etc.

But yes--in general, your time should either be spent developing your skills or profiting from them. Even "pure entertainment" should be active and engaging.

[BortimusPrime]

(12-21-2011 11:40 PM)Stitch Wrote:  

I strongly disagree that video games should be put in the same category as watching uninteresting TV, if you play them actively--looking to see how the game is designed, trying to form a winning strategy, attempting new things, practicing until you get something right, etc. Yes, if you're just playing a game in easy mode or one that demands nothing more than button mashing, you're wasting time. But not all games are like that, just like not all movies are complete wastes of time if they engage you, make you think, etc.

But yes--in general, your time should either be spent developing your skills or profiting from them. Even "pure entertainment" should be active and engaging.

It depends. If you can just play through a game that's fine and dandy. If you're like me and have an obsessive compulsive need to make sure all the numbers in the game are as high as possible, then games are something to avoid. This is why I've made a point of avoiding Skyrim, based on my experience playing Oblivion.

Beat Oblivion: 10 hours.
Beat Oblivion with a lvl 50 char with max stats and a perfect feng shui in every buyable house: 100 hours.

[Aliblahba]

Id rather play a video game and kill imaginary people than watch t.v. and have the ideals of a bunch of liberal writers shoved down my throat.

[Kona]

(12-21-2011 04:52 PM)kerouac Wrote:  

From a self-development standpoint, anything that keeps you stationary in life is shit. Video Games, Watching uninteresting TV, being around uninteresting/shitty/negative people, smoking too much weed, etc.

I never played video games in my life. When I was in the Navy we got a Nintendo and played Ice Hockey against each other until it got gay.

Recently, at 35, I got the WII and the Playstation 3. Holy shit, Tiger Woods golf is fun.

It's really working for me with girls. Especially Asian girls. They love video games. Get stoned, challenge them to golf, and you'll get laid.

Aloha!