Getting girlfriends into games

[mr mcshiznit]

So im surfing the web looking over all of the PAX coverage and i see that they had a "get your girl into gaming" type panel. My old lady does enjoy the zumas and peggles of the world but not so much the games I'm into(outside of gears of war....something about the chainsaw she can't get enough of). Anyway so as I'm looking through what went on I see what appears to be the shallowest attempt at helping guys get girls into videogames ever. Their advice : Don't be a jerk - wow thanks panel. Also try to have a girlfreind who already is a gamer - for petes sake if she was already a gamer I wouldnt be looking at this panel. They say what every guy dude already knows - no crap they prob. dont want to start off playing halo. So the whole panel pretty much seems to be what everybody already knows. So here is my question to all you guys and gals - any useful tips into getting girls into games or are us guys just stuck trying to get lucky with a girl who already likes games.
Edit: Also i would like to know what got some of you girls into games if you don't mind sharing

 

[Shamus O Lively]

i've found that it works best just introducing them to easy/not very hardcore games first. For example guitar hero's are good, viva pinata, racing games. Then once they get a bit used to these they may start trying other genres such as shooters/rpg's etc.

 

[Crystine]

Introduce them to Final Fantasy. From there maybe Grand Theft, or CoD4. Best game titles ever according to moi (not so much GTA but more the latter).

And if you hadn't seen my profile/avvy, I am a girl. Altho, no guy got me into gaming. I just played Final Fantasy and couldn't stop from there.

EDIT: Buy a Wii. Make her wear short shorts or a skirt when she plays it tho so you'll have something to keep your interest and make a sort of investment out of the purchase.

 

[Amnestic]

Find a game which reflects her interests.

That's generally all there is to it. Does she seek thrills? Perhaps a fast paced shooter/action game. Enjoy the spectacle? DMC series and RPGs offer this by the bucket. For story, obviously your RPG will come out on top. Is she finicky about details and planning? Perhaps an RTS/TBS game would suit her tastes more (though for an RTS, something without much micro managing at first obviously. Warcraft 3 and Dawn of War would probably be good starter points).
Edit: If you go the RPG route, I recommend Lost Odyssey. The dreams tug on my heart strings like a cute orphaned child.

If she doesn't respond to that, she may just not enjoy the more 'hardcore' (god do I loathe that word) games. Not everyone will.

 

[HardRockSamurai]

One word...Wii...get a Wii, and you'll be a p*ssy magnet in no time. I'm not even joking! There's a guy on my dorm floor who owns one, and every time I pass his room, I see a group of women lining up to play Wii Sports. For some reason, the chicks really dig the whole "motion controls" thing. Now I know several girls who are gamers, but every girl that I know who isn't one says the same thing about the Wii. They f*cking love it!

 

[mr mcshiznit]

Viva is a good game for her she likes it alot but to be honest as some one who is not really into sim games....it bores the crap out of me

 

[mr mcshiznit]

On a side note to the topic like you said, Lost Odyssey was amazing and she did show a little bit of intrest in it but got bored.

 

[Amnestic]

On a side note to the topic like you said, Lost Odyssey was amazing and she did show a little bit of intrest in it but got bored.

Another RPG then? As Crys said, Final Fantasy is good. Starting with X is probably best, X-2 might actually not be bad, as it seemed to have been created to appeal mostly to a female/teenage male audience. FFX didn't really have the same emotional effect on me as Lost Odyssey til the last cutscene, but it's not as slow as I found Lost Odyssey. Faster paced as far as story went, in my opinion anyway.

 

[mr mcshiznit]

She cant get immersed in the games because she cant get passed the way the charcaters look with all the spiked up hair and the guys who look like girls. I also think the sphere grid might be a bit to much for her in FX she really lieks to have a good story with very little micro manage stuff. So RPG with light RPG elements

 

[Susan Arendt]

First of all, accept that she can be a great girl and still never find any games all that interesting. Also, don't try and force her into it -- if she expresses an interest, then fabulous, but otherwise, let her just enjoy the games she enjoys.

That said, co-op is great way to introduce a new player to gaming. Take something like Halo (the first one), put it on the easiest setting, and play together. You can not only act as a tour guide, so to speak, explaining strategies and tactics, but you can also help cover her as she gets up to speed. The thing that tends to turn new players off faster than anything else is feeling lost and stupid, and failing. If you're there to help her, she's less likely to feel those things. (You said she plays Gears, though, so perhaps you've already had this kind of experience.)

I personally really enjoy the TimeSplitters series, in particular TimeSplitters 2. You can play co-op against a bunch of bots, tweaking the settings as you see fit. It's a more silly approach to deathmatches, and one that many new players appreciate because it feels less grim and intense.

Of course, you can turn any game into a co-op game, simply by taking turns or helping each other through sections. If she likes puzzle games, she might offering input on a game like Resident Evil or Twilight Princess. That way she feels involved without actually having to do the mechanics of fighting bosses and suchlike.

Also, rather than try to get her to play the games you like, how about playing the games she likes? Try some Peggle or Chocolatier, compare scores in Hexic, or try to beat her in Zuma.

 

[mr mcshiznit]

You bring up alot of good points. Ive run through co-op with her on halo(3) and gears and she likes that its just now were both bored. We have also kind of run out of stuff to play - we play geo wars alot and do play a bit of zuma as well but you can only play so much. I'm sorry if I come off as pushy in the post - she actually approached me on wanting to co-op through the games and get into gaming. She has a psp she plays alot as well but we both like it more when we can play with each other. So i guess this has turned into "what games are good for my girl and me" post.

 

[Susan Arendt]

Ah, that's something else entirely. Well, like I said, you can play virtually any game in a co-op fashion. Take Mass Effect, for example. You can have her choose your conversational responses while you deal with the battles, or you can simply take turns manning missions. I had a great time playing through Deus Ex with my boyfriend -- we made decisions together about which upgrades to get, which methods to use to progress through the game. Silent Hill is another good one to play co-op, because it's divided pretty neatly into regions (this level takes place primarily in this building, the next level in that building, etc.). Same would hold true for BioShock. The benefit of these games is that the story and settings are as fun to watch as they are to play, so the inactive player doesn't get bored or feel left out of the action.

 

[Negativ Solution]

Most games with a story they can enjoy or even relate to. I started there and was suprised by the results, even FPS games. If not try Oblivion that worked really well mainly because she got to swing a sword and fire flames at enemies.

EDIT - Hey wait that was my first post, nice

 

[Evilbunny]

Introduce them to Final Fantasy. From there maybe Grand Theft, or CoD4. Best game titles ever according to moi (not so much GTA but more the latter).

And if you hadn't seen my profile/avvy, I am a girl. Altho, no guy got me into gaming. I just played Final Fantasy and couldn't stop from there.

EDIT: Buy a Wii. Make her wear short shorts or a skirt when she plays it tho so you'll have something to keep your interest and make a sort of investment out of the purchase.

This may or may not be the best damn post I've ever read on this forum.

 

[shatnershaman]

Get the sequels. Gears of War 2, Geometry Wars 2.

 

[pmanacas]

My gf is 24 (and very attractive by the way)
I think it really depends on personality more than interests.

These are the only games i ever seen her play:

- Mario Kart Double Dash (She got good, but eventually got bored of me backstabbing her all the time. Apparently girls have different sporting ethics...go figure)

- Adventures of cokie & cream (this is a 2player co op game on the PS2 which we had loads of fun playing. Shame that the demanding precision jumping was too much for her towards the later stages)

- Bust a moove (we played this loads vs each other, and i never stand a chance, she's too fast for me.)

- Reiner Knizia's Samurai (this is a pc adaptation of a strategy board game. We play this all the time now. Its good fun)

- Time Crisis (wen we walk past an arcade that has this she cant help but to waste a few coins)

- PhotoPlay Concentration (dito.. she's addicted to this. Touch screen games seem to please the ladies...)

 

[Cheesus333]

The real question here is, if you have a girlfriend, is it worth introducing her into games? You'd keep your wife and your work separate, wouldn't you?

If she already likes gaming, then good for you, but if she doesn't actually own any games/ lacks any concievable skill, don't even try 'cause she will end up fallig on her face and aggravating you.

 

[Arntor]

The real question here is, if you have a girlfriend, is it worth introducing her into games? You'd keep your wife and your work separate, wouldn't you?

If she already likes gaming, then good for you, but if she doesn't actually own any games/ lacks any concievable skill, don't even try 'cause she will end up fallig on her face and aggravating you.

Come now, it can be done. Just don't force her into it. As mentioned, casually inviting her into co-op or taking turns is a great way to introduce her into gaming.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCjVV843nFw [http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pCjVV843nFw]