No one. It puts me in rage. I don't like playing video games, and I have spent far too much time watching boys play video games, or "keeping them company" while they played. They can't talk while they play the games! It's just like, you talk to them, and they don't answer!

I myself am somewhat uninterested in playing video games (I used to play them). But some video games, if they have a good Story, I do enjoy watching. System Shock 2 was like that--both me and my youngest brother would watch my middle brother play it to see what the next plot twist was.

"so how about we have sex with the dog for something new dear and then we have have a mormon style marriage with my ex. I know you hate her but im sure you could love her"

"Ok dear dear we can try that and talk about it"

If it's a matter of him wanting you to watch, then maybe turnabout is called for. Watching you spend a few hours moderating babble without being allowed to talk is probably about as boring as watching someone play games.

definitely 'word'

edited to add

I fixed it by buying Night Gallery season 1 on DVD and a bunch of John wayne films and B horror films to watch on the other tv

[ 14 September 2004: Message edited by: Bacchus ]

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Sometimes boys try to TRICK you. They're like "come hang out with me! I'm just playing a video game. We can talk!"

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Originally posted by audra trower williams:
Most of the ladies who read my livejournal get it[/URL].

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Well I'm no lady, nor a woman, but I get why it bores and annoys the hell out of you.

Power switch

It's funny, 'lance, but it mostly wasn't. Mark isn't too terrible about video games. But I did watch Lost in Translation last week, and that one tiny scene made me go "Word".

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You lost me, Bacchus.

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But who (aside from biology TAs) gets kicks out of boring people?

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Even though it might seem like that at times -- not even they do. Trust me on this. They'd rather you were interested.

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And if any guys think that playing video games impresses women, they need to be smacked with a clue-by-four. If that were the case, in junior high my friends and I would have all been casanovas.

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See, young-feller-me-lad, when I were in junior high, there were no video games -- or at least they were all lame-ass ones like Space Invaders.

Tough choice.

I can't watch people play video games, and arborwoman certainly can't watch me play them. They are a solitary pursuit.

The movie scene takes place in an arcade. Nobody in their right mind takes a date to an arcade, fer crying out loud.

The challenge comes when 'partner 1' wants some alonetime, with a book, video game or whatever, and 'partner 2' wants quality time. It is a certainty that quality time is not quality when only one person wants to do it.

If 'partner 1' never wants quality time, then it is a problem. If 'partner 2' always wants it, it is a problem. Vice versa also applies.

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Originally posted by Gir Draxon:
Anyone who expects other people to enjoy watching them engage in a solitary activity (be it video games, knitting, anything like that) is lacking in social etiquette.

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In my first year of college, my roommate had a girlfriend. We also had 3 friend visit us often, one of which is also female. It'd be rare that all 6 of us were in the room at the same time, but any 4 of us could play the N64. I dont recall any time when either Kristy or Callista just "watched" their boyfriends play, they played themselvs and won quite often too.

To me, its a "respect thing", with power and control overtones. I wouldn't play along, regardless of gender.

editted to add a P.S.
When I saw the thread title, I was anticipating a discussion of bedroom ceiling mirrors and such.

[ 05 October 2004: Message edited by: James ]

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with power and control overtones

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(2) I'm in a rare position where, unless she specifically dislikes a game, my girlfriend gets irritated with me if I play WITHOUT her. She likes the stories.

Like, Halo she hates (same with Berzerker on Atari 2600) so she doesn't even want me to play it if she's around (which is always, we live together) but anything with much dialogue, she wants to watch it.

Then again, she also plays a lot of games herself. RPGs mainly, but I can't beat her at Tekken for example.

Have faith thou ladies: just like the fashion industry has manufactured what I call the "metrosexual branding exercise", expect the video game manufacturers to start targeting female video game players here in North America (Japan is certainly "further along" in this regard).

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I think I'd find watching someone play video games about as boring as watching them play slot machines.

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no one has mentioned pinball!

2/.. my son, 14, is equally obsessive and focused on the computer, absolutely absorbed and oblivious at times, esp. near bedtime;

3/ .. I think it is very much a boy/male thing to focus so intently on a screen event; I'd guess upwards of 90 per cent of hardcore gameboy/video game type things are played by young males. Look in any video room on Yonge Street or elsewhere. They hold no interest for me, but the pattern is clear: Girls generally aren't as interested.

[ 20 October 2004: Message edited by: Geneva ]

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Originally posted by Willowdale Wizard:

no one has mentioned pinball!

the great thing about pinball (other than being able to physically lift the machine off the ground to get the ball rolling ... try that with playstation) is the fact that you alternate playing with your date.

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What amazes me now is that I actually stuck around that evening. This was back when I was 19 or 20, and we'd already been dating for a couple of years - so, like, we're talking about 13 or 14 years ago. (I wouldn't put up with that now, of course.) I mean, I didn't mind staying in for New Year's, don't get me wrong. I didn't have to go to a grand party or anything, and I knew this guy just wasn't into partying, meeting new people, and I knew he was socially phobic and I was crazy about him anyhow, and that's all cool.

The worst part was that he sat and stared at the computer screen while it was backing up. It wouldn't have been so bad if he'd have actually come and sat with me between putting disks in his computer, which each took about 10 or 15 minutes to copy (what can I say - slow computers back then). But no. I asked him if he could do it the next day, he said no. I asked him if he could come and sit with me, but he said his mind would just be on the computer anyhow.

I've never played one in my life and we don't have them in the house just because it's not an area of interest.

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Originally posted by Hailey:
Who is so self-centered they think someone wants to watch them play a videogame?

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Kids (of all ages).

I blame the parents. It starts with praising them lavishly for eating and excreting, then walking and dressing themselves.

You'll see, in a couple of years your boys will be calling out "Mommy! Come watch me tie my shoes!" "Mommy! Come watch me throw the ball!"

For the sake of their future partners, please make sure you tell them they're self-centred and no one wants to watch them do mundane stuff everyone else does, and to call you when they've composed a symphony.

I assure you if you sit next to the person and ask repeated stupid questions to show your interest it leads to a re-thinking of the whole idea of watching together.

"Why do you think they chose that colour of uniform?"
"Doesn't he have to apologize to that man before he's allowed out of the penalty box?"
"Why is the ball shaped that way?"
"How do they get the grass stains out?"
"How come they don't sing along for the national anthem?"
"What age do you think they started to skate at?"
"Is Mr. Gretzky one of the better hockey players?"

Hailey: you have a deliciously diabolically evil streak in you.

My son is absorbed in online game playing. He doesn't mind if I come in and watch. What bothers me a little is that most of these are either first person shooters or team shooters. He's on a headset talking to his "team" playing along in realtime leading fire missions. Its eerily too close to the real thing. I've talked to him about this on numerous occasions even intimating that the US military would probably love to sign him up. He assures me constantly he's anti-war and would never think of enlisting and that I believe. He also knows I feel I'd owe it to him to tie him to a tree should he ever seriously consider it, until the mood passes.

Neverthless, I'm conflicted about all of this. He gets excellent grades and the game play is extremely sophisticated. I got lost back in the days of centepede and asteroids (don't tell me, I don't want to know) and the complexity of these games is far beyond my ability to keep up.

I have 2 cousins and a nephew ranging in age from 8 to 12. When I used to live at home and play video games while they were around, they would want to watch. Take Hailey's strategy above and multiply by 3.

Michelle, that's just bizarre. There's no reason he couldn't have delayed his backup by one night. Hell, I'd be bored out of my mind doing it myself. That said, it does my heart good to know that someone could love a geek so much they'd be willing to sit through 3 hours of that. *sniff* *sniff*

Edited to add: don't worry about your son EA. I love violent video games almost as much as I love going to peace marches. If anything, playing shooters makes me less likely to want to go to war. How many times did I just die trying to get through that fight? How many times do I get to reload a save point when I die in reality? Hmmn...

[ 21 May 2005: Message edited by: Dogbert ]

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Originally posted by Dogbert:

Michelle, that's just bizarre. There's no reason he couldn't have delayed his backup by one night.
[ 21 May 2005: Message edited by: Dogbert ]

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No, that is not bizarre. This behaviour could be a range of things, possibly an expression of OCD (note: I am not saying this is a case of OCD Michelle refers to in her story). It is very possible for all sorts of people to be non-flexible, rigid when it comes to schedules, or behaviours, and that's just the general population.

I suspect for me being OCD, playing guitar may be a comfort zone for me. If I didn't play guitar my OCD could express itself in other ways, and in fact it does, and people can't stand being around me when I engage in some behaviours or talk. I don't have severe OCD, but my son does.
Whoever dates my son is in for a real test.