Getting someone into mainstream gaming

[NihilSinLulz]

So for the past couple of months I've been trying to get my gf into mainstream games (for example: Deus Ex HR, Bit Runner 2, Injustice, etc.).

Despite her being interested in the trailers, aesthetics, and story, she has a lot of difficulty with the controls. I remember Deus Ex was particularly saddening as I saw how into she was into the world, and story up until she got into the first gun fight. Then after repeated tries, she got very frustrated and said she wasn't having fun so we stopped.

For her own part, she's very adept at puzzle games (she destroys me in angry birds and Candy Crush), but she hasn't physically played a console game since the days of the NES.

I was wondering if you guys any advice as to how to help her ease her way into mainstream, particularly for someone with weak hand-eye coordination.

So far, the only success we've had to date was with Divekick which we have a lot of fun playing together.

 

[Bad Jim]

Portal 2 might be a good start. It's a puzzler, so she'll be somewhat in her element, but it's also first person, so she should get used to first person controls. And unlike Portal, it doesn't require any dexterity at all, which can be a sticking point.

 

[Tanakh]

Then after repeated tries, she got very frustrated and said she wasn't having fun so we stopped.

Does she wants to? Doesn't sound like it, I mean, Bit Trip Runner 2 and Injustice are 2D, what kind of problems can she have?

If she is not interested, why force it on her?

To improve hand eye coordination? Dunno, I do OSU! on the PC for that.

Edit: It would also help to know what are your options.

 

[puff ball]

this might be to obvious and it might hurt your gamer pride but try kicking the difficulty down to beginner its there for a reason and i mean she is one.

 

[nogitsune]

Puzzle Quest might be a good way to get her into RPGs, it's a really fun Puzzle Game with RPG elements. Also Skyrim is pretty easy and has an easy world to get into and the easiest difficulty level is playable even when I'm drunk(with some of the worst hand Eye cordination ever, I tend to just watch Cheesy movies when I'm drunk, not capable of much more). Fallout 1 might be a good try since it has turn based combat too, I'd recommend the Spiderweb games but that's like throwing a kid in the deep end for their first time, really wish turn based RPGs weren't such a rarity, Baldur's Gate and Dragon Age might work since they're more strategic.

Also she might be able to enjoy some turn based strategy games, X-com Enemy Unknown is a great game to Try and also 4x games can be really fun.

oh something to ease her into action games, Well I guess I'd say Skyrim again and you could put it on the easier settings, The way that the game lets you play how you want makes it great for new gamers. Though also you might just have to accept that she doesn't like action games.

 

[DeadlyYellow]

Some people have trouble with the first person perspective. Third person tends to be more.... negotiable with newer gamers. Also might be good to play something that doesn't require, both analogs, the hat control, and ten buttons; at least until she's more comfortable and familiar with the controller itself as well as developing basic muscle memory.

If you have a PS3, LittleBigPlanet would be pretty good for this. Simple, forward, and half the buttons are just superfluous actions.

 

[KOMega]

I would suggest some rpgs maybe.
Turned-based ones, not the rpg/shooter hybrids, unless you really want to show her those Bethesda ones which would constitute mainstream I suppose.
I just got through Ni No Kuni, although combat controls in there are kinda wonky once you get teammates. Fun game though.
(tip: Dinoceros is OP as shit! Get it asap.)

Some light turn-based strategy like X-Com: Enemy Unknown might be good too, since they are sorta like puzzles in a way and you can take your time with those.

Dragon's Dogma is also a good option I think since the play style is flexible and versatile.

 

[gavinmcinns]

She doesn't have the years of experience with fps' that you do, she'll never be at your level, sorry to be a bummer.

 

[Tanakh]

Some people have trouble with the first person perspective. Third person tends to be more.... negotiable with newer gamers. Also might be good to play something that doesn't require, both analogs, the hat control, and ten buttons; at least until she's more comfortable and familiar with the controller itself as well as developing basic muscle memory.

If you have a PS3, LittleBigPlanet would be pretty good for this. Simple, forward, and half the buttons are just superfluous actions.

Ahhh... did you read the games he mentions? This is Bit Trip Runner 2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A0ObWMAfM5w , it's a easy side scroller that requires 2 buttons if I recall right.

 

[MCerberus]

There may be a lot of unintended consequences here, but fire up the good ol' Warcrack. The learning curve is nice and smooth, and it actually introduces a lot of really common control schemes and standard UI elements. Or the Pokemans if you have access to a Nintendo handheld. Pokemon as a franchise is easy on the surface but encourages at least some meta-game.

 

[Johnny Novgorod]

The very first thing is to be sure she wants to "get into it".
Once you get that out of the way, you can pretty much turn to whatever genre you feel like. The most important is that it has to be a game with clear objectives and be immediately rewarding. It's no good if the game gets good "two hours into it" or "once you've cleared the tutorial" or "a couple of cutscenes in". The new gamer has to experience what it's going to be all about in just a few minutes. So give her a game that will give her palpable feedback on her actions the minute she starts playing, and make sure the objective/s are clear as well.
Horror games I've found to be pretty effective. They're short, they tap into a gamer's basest survival instinct, they're easy to relate to and they work as proper horror whereas drama takes time to build up and comedy can be a hit and miss thing. I got my gf into gaming through a few horror games.

 

[Doom972]

Deus Ex is the best game ever, but not one for the uninitiated. You need to start with more basic stuff.

I'm having a similar thing with my girlfriend. At first we played simple game together - mainly Worms Armageddon and House of the Dead. She later got into Plants Vs Zombies. We later played some adventure games together - we solved the puzzles together.
Later on she became interested in playing Team Fortress 2 after watching me playing, although it took some time for her to get adjusted to playing in a 3D environment in first person. I showed her Portal, so that she could get used to that environment (she enjoyed it regardless). She's now playing through Portal 2, and I plan on introducing her to Mass Effect. After that, I think that it would be a good time for Deus Ex.

It takes time to learn these things, so be patient, don't force it, and pick simple games.

 

[Gali]

Besides turning the difficulty down, my immediate thought was trying games with turn-based combat/or the option to pause that still involve some interaction through third/first person perspective (cause I don't think a Pokemon or Final Fantasy can do anything to increase her hand-eye coordination, but they teach you some basic RPG skills). In other words, most Bioware RPGs.
I think KotoR is very suitable for a beginner who wants to train hand-eye coordination and learn something about the medium/RPG genre in general. You experience the game through third person perspective (which is as you know, quite common), you don't need to aim attacks and powers, you can pause any time you want and consider the next 5 steps of your party - or you can play more or less in realtime when you get to the point were you exactly know what to do. Also, despite being based on D&D, I think it is fairly easy to unterstand when it comes to RPG mechanics (hopefully I'm not too biased about that, but it's at least easier than Neverwinter Nights).
In addition, if she enjoys it you can give her the sequel - though I'd recommend playing it with the restored content mod because it helps to unterstand the story a bit better (PC version only ofc).
Contiuing, I think Dragon Age might be a good next step. It is similar to KotoR in many aspects, but you interact.. "closer" with the world since you need to aim some spells for example, something KotoR doesn't have.
Lastly, the Mass Effect series as an introduction to (cover based) shooters (what Deus EX HR is if I remember correctly, is it turn based btw? Maybe after managing Mass Effect she can go back to that). I did only play the first two, but I'm sure 3 still has heavy aim assist and the ability to pause combat (correct me if I'm wrong).

What also comes to mind are MMORPGs. Do you play/played some yourself? Back then when I played WoW, for many people this was their first video game ever and they somehow managed to play it (ok, you can learn to play anything if you invest enough time and dedication...). Anyway, the plus point here is the fact that you can play them together.

Maybe there will come more possibilities to my mind in time... So yeah, these would be my recommendations. I hope I could help you with that and that your gf will enjoy one of these. It's great that someone who lost touch with the medium wants to try it out again.

Edit: You may already know/did that, but I say it anyway - I think it's important that you don't "force" somebody to play a game, even if there are good reasons for the person to play it (first). Maybe you can make a list of the recommendations here, give her some information about each game, and let her decide herself what she wants to try out. That's how I introduced a friend into games, giving her an overall look about the medium (genres etc.), recommend games that would be a good start, let her play her choosen game and only intervene when she _really_ needs help to continue. I know it can be a pain, but everyone started that way and you learn nothing when someone tells you every little bit.

 

[jamail77]

Then after repeated tries, she got very frustrated and said she wasn't having fun so we stopped.

Does she wants to? Doesn't sound like it, I mean, Bit Trip Runner 2 and Injustice are 2D, what kind of problems can she have?

If she is not interested, why force it on her?

It's not obvious and the OP never states it as fact but it seems she is interested.

Despite her being interested in the trailers, aesthetics, and story, she has a lot of difficulty with the controls. [snip]

I was wondering if you guys any advice as to how to help her ease her way into mainstream, particularly for someone with weak hand-eye coordination.

The problem seems to be getting a handle on the controls in a short period of time and in a non-conducive environment, one that may be impatient due to the teacher being an experienced gamer with mechanics coming natural to him. You have to find what works for her NihilSinLulz in terms of conveying gameplay. I'm sure she's capable of getting the controls down, a lot of people who think they can't play video games just need the right perspective and teaching method.

Try a variety of games, stay simple at first as others have said, and keep track of what she seems to understand more easily on her own, what she seems to understand more easily with you (and what teaching methods you used would also be something good to keep track of), and what genres she seems to grasp more easily. If she is really into a game but can't grasp the gameplay that well ask her if she'd mind just watching you play through it. Some people enjoy watching people play games more than they like playing the game itself.

 

[Gali]

If she is really into a game but can't grasp the gameplay that well ask her if she'd mind just watching you play through it. Some people enjoy watching people play games more than they like playing the game itself.

That's a veeeery good point. Thinking about that, it's more or less how I myself learned/got interested to play video games. I watched my older brother play, for example, Age of Empires 2. I was just fascinated by him playing, then I started asking question why he does this or that, and one day it just felt naturally to me to boot his PC and start playing myself. I still remember his face when he saw me playing the first time. He then just sat next to me and watched me playing instead.
But I was a little girl back then, maybe it doesn't work when it comes to most adults. You just have to try which method works the best, like jamail77 indicated, everyone learns different.

You could also make somekind of "live let's play" for her. Give comments about the game and when it comes to decisions (whatever they are), ask for her opinion etc. - but that depens heavily on the game I think. There might be some games that you just don't want to play alone, or are even better with someone by your side. It was Amnesia: The Dark Descent for me (I just couln't play it alone, too scary...). A friend of mine, who is a big fan of the horror movie genre, watched me playing it with much delight.^^

 

[rebelscum]

I think the best games to start someone off on are fairly linear, have a good tutorial and a strong story (Stuff like Mario can be good, but I find a game with a good story hook keeps them playing). When I tried to get my gf into games I started with Alan Wake, which is nice and easy on the lowest difficulty and clearly explains the controls right off the bat.

An alternative is to pick a game with a co-op feature and play it with them, though if you do this you shouldn't power ahead and achieve all the objectives while they're trying to get used to the controls!

The people saying that she could watch you play through a game she's interested in have a good point as well. If the game looks fun/intrigues her she might ask to play it eventually.

 

[Tanakh]

It's not obvious and the OP never states it as fact but it seems she is interested.

Why? From the OP I know:

- She knows videogames at large and played NES.

- She, on his own, plays puzzle games like candy crush.

- She has not touched however a console in 23 years or so.

Doesn't this screams lack of interest? I get that they are a couple looking to share activities, but... it is quite patent she is not into playing video games, tough is willing to do it for him; however I wouldn't think a good idea for this to be a main activity.

 

[jamail77]

Doesn't this screams lack of interest? I get that they are a couple looking to share activities, but... it is quite patent she is not into playing video games

No, it is not "quite patent". Perhaps, the OP is too subjective to see her lack of interest but keep in mind he said this:

.

Despite her being [INTERESTED] in the trailers, aesthetics, and story, she has a lot of difficulty with the controls.

That's why I quoted it earlier and that's why I'm emphasizing the word "interest". I'm giving him the benefit of the doubt here that he is being objective when he says she shows interest in aspects of gaming. There are many reasons she may have not touched a console in so long. Contrary to majority opinion on The Escapist gaming has not really become mainstream nor has nerd culture. Aspects of it have yes and they have caught on far and wide and done it well, but they have more elements of summer blockbusters, flashiness, pandering, etc. to counter-act the "nerdiness" and be suitable for a wider audience. This is the 21st century with technology and people willing to risk adapting things and recognizing what audience pays more so we're seeing a lot of superhero, sci-fi, and stuff like The Big Bang Theory (which is actually really insulting and misrepresenative to the demographic the main characters represent even if it is doing it in a satirical manner and from what little I have seen of it kind of low-brow...also WHAT KIND OF MODERN SHOW HAS A LAUGH TRACK!?!?! That's just sad) in the past few years. I'm getting off track. Anyway, video gaming, to be more accurate many specific "nerdier" aspects of it, has some of its own stigma still and perhaps his girlfriend was the definition of casual gamer back in the NES days and retains some wariness despite being open to the idea.

Perhaps, she is very busy, is worried about addiction, doesn't have enough money to spend on video games vs. her boyfriend's more flexible income, has other hobbies she is more invested and interested in, or something else.

It just seems to me you're cherry picking what little you know of the situation, perhaps along with your preconceived knowledge on similar stereotypical situations (girlfriend is not interested in video games and though it is very obvious the boyfriend never catches on, but she does want to be nice to boyfriend so she goes along with it cliche), and taking it as enough proof that these are signs she is not interested. We don't know enough to say; I'd like to believe the OP knows his girlfriend well enough. We'll wait for him to tell us.

 

[Tanakh]

Doesn't this screams lack of interest? I get that they are a couple looking to share activities, but... it is quite patent she is not into playing video games

No, it is not "quite patent".

Well... it might be just me but if you don't do a very accessible activity common for your generation for 23 years or so for me it is obvious you didn't had interest in doing it. I don't see how this is cherry picking or using preconceived knowledge about myself, would say the same if he said "my gf has never been big to reading/clubbing/biking/etc", and find what you said quite less likely, but whatev.

 

[jamail77]

[snip]

Until we have all the pieces of the puzzle I don't think we can say for sure. It can very easily be me or you that is right. That's not my point though. I listed alternative reasons for why it has been so long for her, not to mention she played and enjoyed Divekick with him, which is a game for the PS3, PS Vita, and Windows.

You'd be surprised how many people I know who stopped doing very accessible activities for extended periods of time despite still enjoying them. I haven't run since high school (junior college student), but it's not because I disliked running after leaving my high school running team. It's a list of bad excuses honestly: I need new running shoes before I start running again, I still walk in the mean time, athletically I am dis-proportioned (I've done much more lower body exercise than upper body throughout my life) and so I should focus on some sort of balance or getting some upper body exercise in first, etc.

Also, the accessibility of video games is debatable and differs from person to person. Despite gaming mostly on PC now, I can't deny I find the current generation (not Wii U, Xbox One, or PS4, their predecessors) of consoles games much easier to start up and go into. I also have a tendency to go online and goof off reading, writing, or watching things that can range anywhere from Facebook to this to current news when I'm not concentrating on schoolwork. It's a little hard to separate that usage of my laptop from the gaming usage. Consoles don't have me worrying about that: For the most part, they're something I use strictly to play games on. I spent much of my childhood gaming more often on consoles too. The set up, availability/difficulty/accessibility of tutorials, how many people you know who game occasionally or frequently, the price, target audience, and other factors all come into play when you decide how accessible gaming is. If you're speaking only in physical accessibility terms and only for consoles then yes it's very easily accessible; you plug in the cords, turn it on, and play games.

I never said you were cherry picking but rather that it seemed to me you were nor did I say you were using preconceived knowledge about yourself but rather preconceived knowledge on what you know of the "trying to get girlfriend into gaming cliche/stereotype" and the similarities to this situation. Maybe cherry picking was the wrong word, but it still seemed like you ignored part of his post and a key word he used to make your case. The importance and relevance of that key word to his post is debatable, of course. And now I'm going to stop because I'm over-analyzing and writing a little too much on this.