NERDS!!!

[Celeste]

I smile at the idea that Apple fanatics hate video games. It's just veiled jealousy since they don't get to.

Um o/ I have a Macbook Pro and I play FFXI Online, and all sorts of other games on it.

[Ramor]

like that one with the apple logo, and blizzard games

[Fhloston]

Fuck what people think, I've never been embarrassed to admit I'm an avid gamer. My guild master actually works at my job, and we have a friend who works in the IT dept. there who is also an active WoW player. Usually if people I tell don't play, they always mention they know someone who plays a lot, it's so common these days.

Though, I'm starting a new job this January, and I have a feeling that no one there will be a gamer.....hoping I'm wrong, though.

[Kohan]

That night I called my parents and gloated over how much time I DIDN'T waste as a kid playing video games lol.

I enjoy reminding one of my own parents of this as well. Despite my having been a very healthy and active kid (dodgeball was one of my favorite outdoors events), they wouldn't stop yelling at me about how worthless games and computers were. I guess they wanted me to read more than I already did when I was cooped up inside the house (and to stop reading gaming magazines and strategy guides, aside from novels and encyclopedias). Or stare at walls.

Now, I get paid due to all of the knowledge and skills I accumulated. I may not be making money hand over fist, but as the years go by my income increases, and I'm in a better line of work than said parent. Woo.

[ferigor]

I just want to know what kind of video games these people are playing. If it's freecell, then I think this survey is a little skewed.

Man, its so funny that you say that. A linkshell mate of mine was a mid 60s grandmother. She was married to a trucker, and ffxi was how she spent her free time. Whats really funny, is when her husband was home, he'd kick her off the computer, so he could play freecell.

[BRP]

Does this include gambling sites?

[Ksandra]

Man, its so funny that you say that. A linkshell mate of mine was a mid 60s grandmother. She was married to a trucker, and ffxi was how she spent her free time. Whats really funny, is when her husband was home, he'd kick her off the computer, so he could play freecell.

hahaha 1 down!


I would be more interested if they broke this down and take a survey of how many 65+ play an MMO. Would be interesting to see.

I remember back when the SNES was the best out there. My sister and I tried teaching my mom and dad how to play Mario World. They couldn't even get over the first jump on the first level. They laughed a lot about it though and tried a good 15-20 times before they eventually gave up. XD

[Azkarin2]

At Christmas time when my brother and I were around 13 we would always play CS and other video games. My uncle would come to town and one time he was interested in watching us play. We finally convinced him to sit down and try it and he got hooked. Unfortunately he sucked and couldn't get used to running and aiming/shooting with the mouse and he always got killed. When he got a little better (2 kills and 30 deaths), he would always blame his deaths on the other people hacking and cheating. My brother and I loved just watching him get pwn'd and then listen to him curse at the cheaters.

[Sol-Blackguy]

"What is a nerd? A miserable little pile of Hentai! But enough talk have at you!"

I read comic books, watch cartoons, play video games ranging from MUGEN to FFXI and never considered myself a nerd nor anyone around me has considered me to be one. Maybe a dork from time to time, but never a nerd. I think it's an outdated term from the 80's that needs to be forgotten.

[Kohan]

Oh dang, time to get into terminology definitions. Which one should we use?!

What's the difference between a nerd, a geek, and a dork?

[Ksandra]

Oh dang, time to get into terminology definitions. Which one should we use?!

What's the difference between a nerd, a geek, and a dork?

You know it's funny you posted this. For whatever reason, I always thought growing up that nerds were the smart dorks with sunglasses, and geeks were the ones that played games but didn't care about people knowing. Then, sometime in college, a friend had to correct me. Always made me wonder how/why I got it backwards, and I still think geek sounds better than nerd. :/

[Not Kuno]

I smile at the idea that Apple fanatics hate video games. It's just veiled jealousy since they don't get to.

Not really. They just don't get the whole video game thing. A while back I remember everyone was wondering what the hell a DDR section was supposed to be for an event map we were making. They just don't do any sort of games at all.

[Cesaria]

I grew up in a computer-less house, then my mother decided we really should have one for me to do my "homework" and bought an Amiga 500, which came with a funny little game called Lemmings.

I was terrified of the damned computer, but she got completely addicted to the point where she'd dream up a solution to a level, go downstairs at 3am and boot up the computer to try it out.

Eventually I got over my fear of computers (having shared a house at uni with a guy who'd build them and leave bits of circuit boards all over the living room floor for weeks at a time), and got into games and the internet and the like in a big way. Now I'm an unashamed geek - makes me laugh in school when the kids are bragging about consoles and talking to me like I'm an old person, "Oh do you know what an Xbox even IS Miss?"

I even admitted in a job interview jokingly the other week that yes, I'm a complete geek in my spare time - got the job as well, and it's not a techie post - it's dealing with people everyday.

[Septimus]

i tell people that im a nerd and they dont believe me

Because everyone knows that girls don't play video games.

[ZarakiKujata]

I smile at the idea that Apple fanatics hate video games. It's just veiled jealousy since they don't get to.

A while back I remember everyone was wondering what the hell a DDR section was supposed to be for an event map we were making. They just don't do any sort of games at all.

What would you classify as video games though? The PC as a platform is dying, only reason it is still statistically dominant is probably all the people who sit and play solitaire/freecell/hearts all day. Mac has great card game apps too. The only thing really unique for PC games is MMOs and WoW is on Mac afterall. I think this whole apple fanatics not liking/getting video games thing does stem from a time when there was jealousy because all the best games were on PC but nowadays people who want to game get a console and mac users are no exception, if they want to game. 2 of the craziest applephiles I've ever met built their own DDR pads and housed them in a metal/wooden casing, and use it with some mac DDR client they found online. I think its more the fact that your officemates are all macho sports buffs then mac users.

Anyways, on topic my dad being a programmer I grew up playing wolfenstein and doom from like age 6-7, so only natural I'd get into gaming. There are times when I will tell people I am a gamer and others when I don't. Usually depends if I think the person is into gaming as well or in some cases I won't if they are really anti-video games, as an ex of mine was. One of my grandpa's plays some games, I remember he would try out Mario 64 on the N64 I had as a kid, now mostly he just plays spider solitaire till like 3-4am on an old gaming rig I gave him, much to my grandma's chagrin. Sadly, I can't get any of the older members of my family to play on my Wii, despite the awesomeness of it for people of all ages.

[gandorf]

My sisters they always call me a nerd just for the fact I like to play games. I'm not ashamed I play video games but I wont tell people I play FFXI.

[LD]

Much like my ethnicity, I don't volunteer information, but I'd answer honestly if someone asked.
They'd have to ask nicely, though. I don't feel like having a conversation with someone inherently biased.

[Valkrish]

Oh dang, time to get into terminology definitions. Which one should we use?!

What's the difference between a nerd, a geek, and a dork?

That pretty much sums it up.

[Ryany]

I feel embarrassed to admit that I play MMOs most of the time in real life. I think a lot has to do with the typical player looking like the numa-numa guy or the "leave Britney alone" guy.

I guess the good thing is that most people have never heard of Final Fantasy so I sort of avoid that negative stereotype that goes with Dungeons and Dragons even though FF is just the JP D&D.

[aurik]

not old enough to make my point though. My mom is 65 next year my dad is in his 70. they were in their early thirties when I was playing pong n' pacman. So they really didn't grow up at all in the gaming era. Your dad would have been in his twenties so it's probable that he would have played around when video arcades started showing up. The 65 + crowd though really missed the mark. Of course they could be playing real games like wow n' shit but I still think it's probably not that high a percent and most probably meant like mindsweeper-type stuff. I admit I could be wrong though, it would just be very surprising to me.

My parents are in their 60s. My mom plays a lot of adventure games, as do a couple of her friends. I think this and popcap-style games have a big demographic up there.