Singletons need not read

[matt]

Is anyone else having problems with their other halfs? I am getting so much stick from my wife for playing Final Fantasy, come to think of it I get stick for whatever i do when it comes to games, she thinks I should play more mature games like COD snooze.


I need support, anyone?

[midgetbob]

So she'd rather have you murdering people in life like scenarios opposed to destroying fictional monsters o.O

[kupo]

she thinks COD is more mature? ohhhhhhhkayyyyy. probably cause a lot of other guys play those types of games and she thinks you'd like them too.

[Locke4God]

I've got to be honest with you gentleman. I'm 32/ married 3 years, and I enjoy playing, but whether you want to admit it to yourself or not, video games are an immature activity. I'm sorry to say it, but it's true.

If you're investing more than a few hours a week where you just have nothing better to do, then your wife is probably justified, and all of her friends that she tells about your video game habit think of you as a 10 year old boy.

What you have to do is find more adult-like activities, taking your wife to a dinner, or a play(opera), or finding a wine bar that she likes, or walsing around a farmers market or a zoo, or completing a home repair project, or renting a boat, or going to the springs, or something that is more real worldish than hanging around playing video games. Again, she thinks your 10 years old when you do this for more than a few hours a week, and SHE'S RIGHT!

[Unknown Entity]

Nope. My partner is a gamer too, so we get along great. Not all of our gaming tastes are the same, but we can live with it.

Maybe try and introduce her to Final Fantasy? I assume she likes games, but COD is just a boring ass excuse for a game with no story - just repetitive action. That's not more mature to me. Final Fantasy games tell a decent, emotional story, and includes a bit of action, and requires a bit more thinking than aiming and shooting a gun.

What you have to do is find more adult-like activities, taking your wife to a dinner, or a play(opera), or finding a wine bar that she likes, or walsing around a farmers market or a zoo, or completing a home repair project, or renting a boat, or going to the springs, or something that is more real worldish than hanging around playing video games. Again, she thinks your 10 years old when you do this for more than a few hours a week, and SHE'S RIGHT!

And gaming can't be an adult activity? The OP's point was that his girlfriend doesn't think games like Final Fantasy are mature, but COD is. It sounds like she's encouraging him to play COD - not trying to pull him away from gaming. >>;

[nickness89]

And gaming can't be an adult activity? The OP's point was that his girlfriend doesn't think games like Final Fantasy are mature, but COD is. It sounds like she's encouraging him to play COD - not trying to pull him away from gaming.

I agree, i dont think gaming is immature, my partner says it is all the time, then ends up playing a game, i think everyone except for a very small minority enjoy gaming, even if they can't admit it.

I see gaming as an escape from the world and it's stresses.

Except for Final Fantasy, i play this because it's just the most AWESOME series ever made.

I think everyone has issues with their partners when it comes to "childish" things, just let them know that you are in control of your life ... if they wanted to go to the cinema or to see a play, then that's fine, because it's what they like to do, however, we like to game in their face which i see as a good thing, at least we aren't out fornicating with other people.

Peace Out xP

[Locke4God]

Everybody but a small minority? NOPE

True gamers are an extreme minority, and sure most others enjoy a game occassionally, but certainly not habitual gaming.

@ Unknown Entity - Exactly. Gaming is not a mature activity. Believe whatever you need to, but the fact remains that nobody that you will find in your life who is truly successful in some business venture, whether they own their own business, or make significant amounts of money, goes home to play FF 3 hours a night. NOW, be patient. I'm not saying they never play a game. I'm just saying they aren't habitual gamers, and would find anybody who plays for hours and hours at a time, pretty much laughable and beneath them. It's just a fact. I mean I play, but there is a reality to recognize as well. It's not a mature activity.

[nickness89]

True gamers are an extreme minority, and sure most others enjoy a game occassionally, but certainly not habitual gaming.

I agree with that too, that the minority are TRUE gamers, but i meant it in the way you just said, that the minority are people who don't play video games, most people play every now and then, even if they aren't glued to it everyday like true gamers.

Gaming is not a mature activity. Believe whatever you need to, but the fact remains that nobody that you will find in your life who is truly successful in some business venture, whether they own their own business, or make significant amounts of money, goes home to play FF 3 hours a night.

I agree with that as well, that you would never find a successful businessman or self-proclaimed full-timer coming home to play for hours on FF, or any other game. They would usually read a book for a couple of hours, or watch a few movies. Either way, you can't call gaming immature, if you expect anyone to believe watching movies and reading books immature. Most books published are fantasy, horror or some other fictional story, and the biggest money-making genre in the movies is fantasy (think Harry Potter/Lord of the Rings/Avatar etc). Final Fantasy is exactly the same, as are most games: a fictional story ... so in that case, most people are immature, if Fantasy stories are almost everywhere, and a pastime of nearly everyone?

So really, playing video games for a couple of hours is no different to vegetating in front of a television, or reading a book, except that a game is interactive, you have to use your brain for a lot of games, for movies and books, it's all set out for you.

[Locke4God]

Well IDK, I think I'd disagree with the brain power needed to play a video game.


Honest, when does FF every truly challenge your intellect? And I'm not a reader, but I know one thing, and that is that "most" smarter people, and "most" successful people are, and if you're spending more time trying to believe that video games require just as much brain power, then the odds are that you're not, and aren't going to be one of those successful people.

[nickness89]

No obviously it doesn't need brain-power per se, like it doesn't need logic or cognitive thinking, but you are using your brain to figure out what to do next etc, whereas in a book or television program, you are given everything without having to strategise. I love reading, but i wouldn't say that it's anymore mature than gaming, unless it's purely non-fiction, which my reading usually is (kinda stepped on my own foot there ) so i do get your point. I suppose you are right though, but i disagree that being a true gamer stops you from having the ability to be successful, i mean i play my FF's over and over to get things i missed, and i still have 3 sources of income, i'm not rich but i'm 21 and can afford a mortgage, car, bills and holidays without having to worry, so i'd say if i didn't spend as much on myself as i do, i would end up with a fair bob, successful and a gamer. But if you mean successful as in famous and rich, then no i wouldn't be successful.

[Locke4God]

Well, I agree with TV,,,,, in fact I don't even have cable, but I'd challenge you on reading.

YOU ARE RIGHT, before I go on though, that being a gamer, in and of itself, does not = you're a slacker, or you're dumb, or you won't be successful. Definately not. HOWEVER, those 3 categories of people along with other less desirable notations would be gamers before they were successful, and thus the population of gamers tends to have that kind of stigma, and a propensity to be geared towards it.


I mean, just on the forefront, I know what you're saying, and it's hard to argue that one is more mature or less mature. I couldn't prove in a court of law that gaming is less mature. However, if reading wasn't more mature then how is it that more mature people tend to read and less mature people tend to play video games?

For instance, I myself play considerably less than I did when I was 10 or 15, and I'm 32 now. I'll play a couple of hours when I've got seriously nothing better to do. I'm not a reader though, but I do write a lot, and I find other things like a tennis league I'm in more rewarding, and I learned to juggle (a bucket list item) if you want an alternative to reading. I guess what I'd say is more mature people tend to find gaming to be a last resort to other life interests, whatever those are.

[nickness89]

I see where you're coming from, and actually yeah you're right, more mature people tend to read and right. I do both, i'm a songwriter for most of the week, and like to read non-fiction at least once a day, but i do love my games too. So i think that more mature people tend to read and write etc, but there are mature gamers out there like myself and yourself, and being a true gamer i just got a bit defensive i suppose :'(

[Locke4God]

OH, I didn't even think you were being defensive,,,, I thought it was just an enlightening conversation. Hey, I think they are fun. I esspecially love the games with tons of backstory that you can research. 6 is one, 7 for sure, 10,,, some of the others. I almost find more fun in that than the game itself.

If you want to know how geeky I am about stuff, I actually really enjoy watching the director commentary on the godfather. The whole thing, all of them. Lord of the Rings too. I love knowing about all the ins and outs of production, story telling, and filmaking.

[nickness89]

yeah that's the same with me lol, my partner is always harrassing me about watching deleted scenes, commentaries, interviews and stuff haha xP

same with FF games, always looking up things to do with characters, mythos etc, if i see a part in a game i'll be like "laptop out now"

[Unknown Entity]

@ Unknown Entity - Exactly. Gaming is not a mature activity. Believe whatever you need to, but the fact remains that nobody that you will find in your life who is truly successful in some business venture, whether they own their own business, or make significant amounts of money, goes home to play FF 3 hours a night. NOW, be patient. I'm not saying they never play a game. I'm just saying they aren't habitual gamers, and would find anybody who plays for hours and hours at a time, pretty much laughable and beneath them. It's just a fact. I mean I play, but there is a reality to recognize as well. It's not a mature activity.

I fail to see what point of yours I exactly proved, if I'm completely honest.

To be quite frank, the correlation you suggest between gaming and being successful is just stereotyping. One can be successful and play video games, they just have to make that choice.

And no matter what I do in life, I know for a fact I'll always play video games. It's how I chill out. To suggest it isn't a mature activity is pretty stupid, and I'll always view it that way. Sure, doing other mature activities will be much fun, but I honestly don't see the fun in going to a wine or cheese tasting convention.

On the other hand... a cold Budweiser and a game of Red Dead Redemption or a run of Final Fantasy with some friends sounds right up my street. You could call it my age talking and all that crap, but seriously.

[markandrewkinzett]

Me and my missus both love the FF games so we have no problem there!!!

[Furore]

Maybe it's because I'm only in my 20s, but most women I know seem to like gaming to some extent, even if only casual games like Farmville, mobile games and the Nintendo Wii's multiplayer selection.

You shouldn't have to change your hobbies for anyone if they're harmless to others. The only exception as far as I'm concerned is when you're the type that won't get his ass off the games to spend time with the significant other. Loved ones should be more important. If they're not, why would you stick with them?

[ZenMonkey59]

I've got to be honest with you gentleman. I'm 32/ married 3 years, and I enjoy playing, but whether you want to admit it to yourself or not, video games are an immature activity. I'm sorry to say it, but it's true.

If you're investing more than a few hours a week where you just have nothing better to do, then your wife is probably justified, and all of her friends that she tells about your video game habit think of you as a 10 year old boy.

What you have to do is find more adult-like activities, taking your wife to a dinner, or a play(opera), or finding a wine bar that she likes, or walsing around a farmers market or a zoo, or completing a home repair project, or renting a boat, or going to the springs, or something that is more real worldish than hanging around playing video games. Again, she thinks your 10 years old when you do this for more than a few hours a week, and SHE'S RIGHT!

Taking your wife to a Zoo is more mature than gaming?

Gaming isn't immature, its just new. Many people don't understand it, and those people are just ignorant. That's not necessarily a bad thing, they just haven't completely grasped the concept yet.

Its kind of sad that someone who likes gaming believes it to be "immature".

By the way...your mature activities? Those sound like the most depressing, boring, stereotypical yuppie dates on the planet. Except for going to a Zoo. That's just dumb.

[matt]

Maybe it's because I'm only in my 20s, but most women I know seem to like gaming to some extent, even if only casual games like Farmville, mobile games and the Nintendo Wii's multiplayer selection.

You shouldn't have to change your hobbies for anyone if they're harmless to others. The only exception as far as I'm concerned is when you're the type that won't get his ass off the games to spend time with the significant other. Loved ones should be more important. If they're not, why would you stick with them?

i am only in my mid 20's myself and i only play these games on my psp she on the other hand is constantly on facebook and twitter and bbm checking updates and she moans at me for not spending time with her im saying in my defence whats the difference if im playing games when she is on these chatroom things and im on the psp playing.

[matt]

she thinks COD is more mature? ohhhhhhhkayyyyy. probably cause a lot of other guys play those types of games and she thinks you'd like them too.

I have tried these type of games but they are so true to life the world is a messed up place as it is at least in the games i play i kill some creature with an oversized sword and then they fade away rather than seeing a corpse lying there afer you have shot them a few hundred times.

[matt]

What you have to do is find more adult-like activities, taking your wife to a dinner, or a play(opera), or finding a wine bar that she likes, or walsing around a farmers market or a zoo, or completing a home repair project, or renting a boat, or going to the springs, or something that is more real worldish than hanging around playing video games. Again, she thinks your 10 years old when you do this for more than a few hours a week, and SHE'S RIGHT!

Take the wife to dinner check
We have been to see Les Missarable check
she dont drink so the wine bar is out
cant do the home repair projects its not worth getting moaned at for not spending times with her and the kids.
and also sod you just cos i enjoy games for the few free mins i get a day how dare you call me a 10 year old boy once again im married with kids i dont get much free time