Influence

[Riana]

I'm currently doing an assignment for one of my modules and was wondering if I could have some opinions from you guys. It would be greatly appreciated.

Basically I'd like to know what influences you to play/buy videogames. Does it have anything to do with increased popularity? Maybe you've been a gamer since a very young age and it's become a way of life. Are there particular games that make you want to play them? Maybe it's the appeal of the console?

According to Wikipedia we are now into the 7th Generation of gaming consoles.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gaming_consoles#Seventh_generation

This started from around 2005 when the Xbox360 was released. So do have any opinions on society in general and the impact that games have upon them?

Thank you.

[Roto13]

It's been my main hobby since I was 3.

[Madame Adequate]

Same as Roto.

I play games because they are my primary form of entertainment. I've been playing for what, eighteen years now? Maybe even longer.

[JKTrix]

I like to say "Me n' the Nintendo/Mario 'came out' the same time." A few months after I was born, the NES came out and my dad picked one up. There were a couple of games on there I would play from time to time as I got older (mostly Duck Hunt), but my Dad didn't really keep up with the games.

Since I was 4, I've always had a Gameboy. I can't say I really played it a lot, because again my parents never really kept up with video games. Then again, playing Tetris and Mario off and on for 12 years is more than enough for an ignorant kid. I eventually got a GBC as well.

Fast forward to age 16. Graduated high school, had a part-time job in college, making my own money for the first time. Gameboy Advance came out this year, and this was my first step into 'more than casual' gaming. Months later, Super Smash Bros Melee came out for the Gamecube, and I picked one up.

It's been snowballing since then. I'm 21 now, and it's been 6 years since I've gotten into 'hardcore' gaming. It's something that I'm quite passionate about now. I'm pretty content with being able to earn money so I can support my folks and play games (as opposed to saving to go to college), though my ideal career would be something particular in the games industry.

I'm rather proud of how gaming has become more 'popular' and widely accepted in society. However, some of the most successful games barely scratch the surface of the gaming experience. Once the shallow folks dig deeper than the next Madden/Grand Theft Auto and get into some of the other quality games, I feel the industry will grow even more.

[Dreddz]

TV gets boring sometimes....