[wnchstr96]

Ok here's the deal, I've been trying for heavens knows how long to get the Mrs into gaming. Everytime I try she get's flustered, I get ill, and it would usually go down like this: "No your other left! That's your right! Do you even know the difference? Why are you looking at the ceiling? Well looking at the floor isn't good either" Does this sound familar to anyone. See I have a lot of friends (that would be you) and fun online. She has NO fun online. Shes a part of my life and I want to include her in some way.
So the choices are to A: get her into gaming
B: quit gaming
or C: let her do her thing, let me do my thing.
We've been doing C for over 12 years and I really want her to be a part of this. And just so you know B will NEVER happen. I see people like Boda & Guinness or JuSThE2oFUs203 & think now why can't we be like that. So I'm at the stage where I'm STILL trying to teach her the controls, and I know it all takes time & patience. What I'm looking for is tips to make it easy on her and me. Games that are really good and teaching that FPS stile of play. ANYTHING that has helped teach someone to play. For example we tried a little Mass Effect yesterday and after about 10 minutes she was done. Apparently the fingers aren't comprehending what the brain is telling it.

[Nubs McCracken]

Simple solution get her a wii apparently the xbox is too complicated for her. My dad just bought a wii. My dad had an Xbox 180 and he couldnt get off the beach in one of the call of duty games.

[Tier is a Blind Mofo]

I'd say get a DS, get a CycloDS Evolution card, dl a gripload of games to see which she likes and then see what genre she is into. I've tried with many lady friends and sisters to get them into gaming and I have to say that each has their style they like. For example, my sister Elsa loves Elite Beat Agents, Patapon, Parrapa the Rapper, and Dance Dance Revolution games. My girl Tatiana loves RPG and games like Cooking Mama. My friend Melissa loves FPS and RTS games. Then there are people like my parents that like simple games like Nintendogs, Brain Age, and Big Brain Academy. Lori on the other hand likes racing, wrestling, and sports games. I think it would be best to see what genre of games she likes first and then push her in that direction to play. You don't want to force her to play a FPS game when she doesn't like FPS since that will drive her away from gaming.

[Sir Mobeye the Vaporblasted]

my wife is exactly the same, lord knows I have tried but she just can't do it. But then my 10 year old daughter is really good so what's up with that?

[SkinToxicated76]

Ok looks like Dr Skin has got to step in again.
i think you have to understand that (as mad as it sounds) the lovely Mrs Wnchstr just doesnt share the same passion that you/we have for gaming. I think all of us here would love it of our other halves we into the same things we are (be it gaming, music, Star Wars or whatever) but unfortunatley for most of us this just isnt the case.
Some people dont have the desire to play games, others just dont have the "knack" for it.

Its the same scenario with me and guitars, I believe being able to play the guitar and to have a hobby in which you can creatively express yourself is one of the greatest things in the world, but I would never put a guitar (nor an xbox controller) into "Mrs Skin" hands as I know its not her thing, in the same way she doesnt try and make me become vegetarian.

What you are neglecting to see is that Mrs Wnchstr cares about you that much that she is willing to try something that she clearly has no interest in, she is the one being accomodating to you with something that she just doesnt want to be a part of, but she is doing it for her husband. Surely that is worth something? (from here all it looks like is she is being yelled at) If she doesnt like it or if she is crap at it, you should atleast give props to her that was willing to give it a go.

It doesnt sound like you are meeting her half way, it seems that she has to come into your world in order for you to do something together, surely there must be something you both enjoy doing?

Does Mrs Wnchstr want to do gaming, truly? from this end deosnt sound like she does.
Mass Effect? thats a bit "in at the deep" pal, for anyone

Bottom line is you have got to understand that different people will have different passions for different things.
Mrs Wnchstr understands that she doesnt understand, cant you do the same?

[Homebuilt PC]

Just take her out for a nice steak dinner, watch a movie, whatever.

IF she shows an intrest in playing, start her off easy. Remember, you didn't lean to play games with COD4. Start with the single player campaigns on BF1 and 2. Those are easy, and she will get used to the controls. The tutorials were very good for those games.

Most importantly, SHUT THE F* UP! If she has questions, she'll ask.
The most important part of teaching anyone anything is being quiet and letting them figure it out for themselves. Kids are used to being told what to do constantly. Grownups, not so much. It tends to piss them off.

My wife and I used to play together all the time, now she says she doesn't have time anymore. Maybe if I ever get off 2nd shift things will change. You guys would like her, she can be a riot when you get her going.

[wnchstr96]

All great advice, it's funny when somebody else give you a perspective it's easier to comprehend than on your own. My fav is SHUT THE F**K UP! That's probally the first thing I should do. As for Mass Effect, she's seen me play it and really got into it. But the BF1 would probally be better. It's not the game that gets her it's the controls. As for her genre I will have to wait and see, she has a Nintendo DS but never plays it. I bought her a N64 when they came out and she never touched it. (turned out to be a bad birthday gift) She has however shown interest in a Wii so maybe I should shell for one and see what happens. As for me being an ass that's all for show, I'm really nice and sincere. hahaha No really.

[PatrickH 1993]

wnchstr96, on Apr 28 2008, 03:44 PM, said:

All great advice, it's funny when somebody else give you a perspective it's easier to comprehend than on your own. My fav is SHUT THE F**K UP! That's probally the first thing I should do. As for Mass Effect, she's seen me play it and really got into it. But the BF1 would probally be better. It's not the game that gets her it's the controls. As for her genre I will have to wait and see, she has a Nintendo DS but never plays it. I bought her a N64 when they came out and she never touched it. (turned out to be a bad birthday gift) She has however shown interest in a Wii so maybe I should shell for one and see what happens. As for me being an ass that's all for show, I'm really nice and sincere. hahaha No really.

Sure you are. No im kidding. My only advice is not to force it on her, but encourage her.

[Homebuilt PC]

wnchstr96, on Apr 28 2008, 06:44 PM, said:

My fav is SHUT THE F**K UP! That's probally the first thing I should do.

hehehe I thought you'd get a kick out of that one!

It's true, though. I have to force myself to do it all the time. I tried to teach my wife to use the computer, it REALLY didn't go well. I ended up just sending her to take classes.

To this day, if she is on the computer, I have to go do something else before I open my big mouth and say something that sounds criticising. I still cringe whenever she needs to print something. I don't know why but the damn printer never works for her the way it should.

[FantasyBarb130]

Homebuilt PC, on Apr 28 2008, 11:13 PM, said:

To this day, if she is on the computer, I have to go do something else before I open my big mouth and say something that sounds criticising. I still cringe whenever she needs to print something. I don't know why but the damn printer never works for her the way it should.

I have a problem keeping my mouth shut too... I taught HS for 2 years and I tend to go into "teaching" mode. I know most people just want you to "fix" their computer, but I can't help but tell them why something happened, how to avoid it in the future, and how to fix it themselves. Most of the time it goes right over their head and I still get the call the next time.

[wnchstr96]

Oh just to keep ya'll updated, the Mrs has given up on gaming for now. You just can't teach someone something they don't like. For example, me and cooking. Those two things do not mix. I hate cooking, and if I try to cook, I get pissed, frustrated, etc. Plus it winds up not being edible.

[Jammerpants]

PatrickH 1993, on Apr 28 2008, 09:44 PM, said:

Sure you are. No im kidding. My only advice is not to force it on her, but encourage her.

Not into forcing "IT" Pat???.........SUUUUUUUUUURRRRRRRRE .....Riiiiiiiiiiiiggggggggghhhhhhht........why force it when you can sneak it in aye! lol ........you didnt earn those general soap patrol stripes for nuthin!! hehe

[Crystal Shadow]

the finding the right place in the games she likes to play is probably the best way to start. My suggestion there is instead of spending a ton of cash on new game systems/games get a video game rental membership at blockbuster video and let her go pick one out once a week give her time to alone to get familiarized with the game before you even touch it.

second allot of people have trouble with all the buttons you daughter and yourself likely have many more hours of practice at even using a controller and in your case where slowly added to the list of buttons available if like me you have been playing since pong. we are a long way from a joystick and 1 button now you have 2 sticks or more and a dozen buttons.

first person perspective can also be harder to deal with for a novice, I find for that situation it is best to explain it like this. forget your looking at a screen and look into the screen as though you are in that persons body using there eyes. ignore the rest of the room and just look around .

If her experience with game is limited by appreciation you should first start off with easier games may sound like kids play but it is where you and your daughter started at and developed the skill to play the other games. start off with some thing like poker, or an old Tetris game something with limited button use, then introduce her to something more complex once she says she is ready, like a kids driving game more button usage, from there try an rpg will give her something her mind might be able to grasp better and by this point she'll have some basic controller skill, from RPG to shooter, and don’t forget let her pick the games she plays the more she dose this the more she will start to enjoy it . this whole process should take about 1 year. then you can blow her up on fps's and she might have the skill to shoot back and not hit the ceiling.

[wnchstr96]

Hey thanks crystal, that actually makes sense, and yes I am from the Pong days, even had a bad case of space invaders wrist once. Anybody else ever get blisters between your thumb and index finger? OMG damn Atari joystick.

[GiGi709]

Yep. Between Space invaders, pac-man and pitfall my whole hand hurt. I still wonder how I could actually play while trying to balance the joystick on my leg.

[Tier is a Blind Mofo]

My favorites were asteroids, Kangaroo (stupid but addicting game), and space invaders. I remember once I sat for 7 hours playing asteroids on the Atari. Ah, those were the times, when games never had an ending.