Introducing 'Other half' into gaming; Help!

[Rock 'n' Soul]

I'm a chick and I remember my earliest known loved game was Zelda: A Link to the Past. Why don't you try putting her on an emulator with a usb controller? Or, give her a game that doesn't necessarily require a lot of technical skill, like maybe Super Mario RPG?

Maybe you could ease her into tower defense games, like Plants VS. Zombies and then move on to some kind of a RTS like Warcraft or Starcraft?

Civilization might also be a game she would enjoy. Or, maybe you could get her into Pharaoh or Zeus?

Try picking some games that don't move too quickly at first, and then gradually ease her into things that are a little more difficult.

 

[omega 616]

I would say go for FFX, what girl doesn't love a love story? Nice slow game thats very easy with a little grinding and the odd puzzle to keep the old noodle thinking.

 

[ImSkeletor]

Western RPGs.. As much as gamers love these, they're not that great for new gamers..Snip

1000 times this. My dad who has been gaming since Atari can't last 5 min playing fallout 3 before he is bored so I can't imagin someone like his GF lasting.

 

[Koganesaga]

Go buy an NES and get her Super Mario, it's the way most of us started, and it's the natural way .

 

[Deadlock Radium]

[HEADING=2]GOD OF WAR ON GOD MODE SHAPES GAMERS![/HEADING]
Just kidding..

I'd start with something like Jak and Daxter: The Precursor Legacy, easy to learn, fun and a good game.

 

[omega 616]

A lot of problems for older players new to gaming stem from not understanding that they need to learn where the buttons are by touch rather than by sight.

If you can teach her that "A" is closest to her thumb, and all the rest, then she will have much less difficulty with gaming in general. These things are natural to a 10 year plus gamer, but he has to remember his own learning from the beginning if he is to teach another.

I have been gaming for about 15 years, almost exclusively playstation, when the QTE tells me to press a button I still have to think were each button is.

If I need to jump in a game, I know were that button is without thinking. When I used to have to get the bus to my local game store I would read the book to try and memorize the controls, when I started the game up I forgot them all.

I think it's more about instinct than memorization.

 

[Cgull]

Silent Hill, she'll love it.
It has a good story and characters, she'll get involved with it and then she'll branch out on her own to other games she'll want to try.

I feel this is one I'll be adding to the list. Since I started this thread with no real idea where to go next I'm rather pleased with how it's turned out, especially considering she is now actively looking forward to Lego Indiana Jones, which has to count as a win surely?

 

[Ariosona]

My old girl said she enjoyed a challenge, and i wanted to get her gaming, so i thought what the hell one day, put Ninja Gaiden II on and said good luck.
Not my best idea, she got sick of it towards the end and i think the whole experience threw her off gaming forevarr.

 

[Thaius]

Try Final Fantasy X. It has a good story, strategic gameplay that lets you take your time, and I've noticed that the better graphics make it easier for non-gamers to connect to the characters.

 

[feather240]

I'm a chick and I remember my earliest known loved game was Zelda: A Link to the Past. Why don't you try putting her on an emulator with a usb controller? Or, give her a game that doesn't necessarily require a lot of technical skill, like maybe Super Mario RPG?

Maybe you could ease her into tower defense games, like Plants VS. Zombies and then move on to some kind of a RTS like Warcraft or Starcraft?

Civilization might also be a game she would enjoy. Or, maybe you could get her into Pharaoh or Zeus?

Try picking some games that don't move too quickly at first, and then gradually ease her into things that are a little more difficult.

Zeus, you mean the city builder? That game was terrific, and it was even better with Poseidon.

 

[khaimera]

Thats funny becuase I tried sonic for that same purpose and it failed bad. By far my "other half's" favorite game is anything in the lego series. Infinite lives helps alot. Me getting frustarted that she pays no attention to me, the story, or where to go next, not as helpful.

Ugh I deal with the same issue. Picked up two coppies of LegoSW for the DS and well it kind of turned her off on gaming for a while.

ot/ My only sugestion is to make it something she can play on her own, but make it accessable to experience together. Offer help but do not insist on helping.

Thats funny. For me it turned her off of ME for a while. I never realized how impatient I really was. I also expected her to just "get it". I have since learned patience, but it was really hard, and now we have fun again.

Plus I've gotten her hooked on achievements, woo hoo.

 

[Cgull]

My old girl said she enjoyed a challenge, and i wanted to get her gaming, so i thought what the hell one day, put Ninja Gaiden II on and said good luck.
Not my best idea, she got sick of it towards the end and i think the whole experience threw her off gaming forevarr.

I...are you serious? Got sick of Gaiden II towards the end?! I got sick of it after 5 minutes and I'm already into gaming! Nasty game with its horrible people that kept killing me *grumble grumble*.

I'm assuming she wasn't just starting gaming though? If she was then that's pretty impressive...

Plus I've gotten her hooked on achievements, woo hoo.

Dreaming of the day...

 

[Grounogeos]

My personal recommendation would be Pokemon, since it's pretty simple to get into (the most complicated thing is type matchups, and a number of those are obvious, like Fire beats Steel).

Plus, (and I'm going to risk incurring the wrath of female gamers) girls are portrayed as having a weakness for cute little creatures.

 

[HerrBobo]

I feel your pain man. My g/f says games are "shit" and "the gay". However, she does play on her Mum's DS sometimes, maybe that is the place to start....

 

[Cgull]

I feel your pain man. My g/f says games are "shit" and "the gay". However, she does play on her Mum's DS sometimes, maybe that is the place to start....

Have you mentioned that the DS is a form of games console? She is on the path to become a gamer!

*Edit* I've just noticed this thread has had 1000 views, yay!

 

[Croaker42]

Thats funny. For me it turned her off of ME for a while. I never realized how impatient I really was. I also expected her to just "get it". I have since learned patience, but it was really hard, and now we have fun again.

Plus I've gotten her hooked on achievements, woo hoo.

I have yet to introduce mine to achievements. Its been hard to get her to play any games now. But I think im making headway.
Lucky for me she is addicted to that other thing.....

 

[khaimera]

Thats funny. For me it turned her off of ME for a while. I never realized how impatient I really was. I also expected her to just "get it". I have since learned patience, but it was really hard, and now we have fun again.

Plus I've gotten her hooked on achievements, woo hoo.

I have yet to introduce mine to achievements. Its been hard to get her to play any games now. But I think im making headway.
Lucky for me she is addicted to that other thing.....

Man, you are just begging for me to put something immature as a response to your addicted to . . . . comment. But for once I won't. I think what got her into is was my enthusiasm. We now give cheesy "acievement fives" each time we earn one. Its fun.

Also, I wish she was addicted to that "other thing". I think the achievement thing is related to this thing.

 

[ScreamSlayer]

woah, how long did it take u to type that, lol

 

[ScreamSlayer]

and, 2 give u sum advice, I'd start with sumthing like singstar, cos 2 b honest, thats the only game I've ever heard of my gf playin. ( and srry about my grammar NZ grammar tends 2 suk so i hav an excuse)

 

[Silva]

A lot of problems for older players new to gaming stem from not understanding that they need to learn where the buttons are by touch rather than by sight.

If you can teach her that "A" is closest to her thumb, and all the rest, then she will have much less difficulty with gaming in general. These things are natural to a 10 year plus gamer, but he has to remember his own learning from the beginning if he is to teach another.

I have been gaming for about 15 years, almost exclusively playstation, when the QTE tells me to press a button I still have to think were each button is.

If I need to jump in a game, I know were that button is without thinking. When I used to have to get the bus to my local game store I would read the book to try and memorize the controls, when I started the game up I forgot them all.

I think it's more about instinct than memorization.

It took conscious effort for me to learn not to look at buttons and to know them by touch, but then I wanted to do it very quickly. You probably pick up the skill by osmosis over time, like you say, but that method is slower. There's a physical similarity here to playing piano; different people learn that differently too. There is no right answer.