S1E25 - Gaming for Non-Gamers - “The Smashy Smashy”

Gaming for Non-Gamers


In this episode:


After getting a question from a listener about how to get
their spouse to play games, it got us thinking. There are a whole
lot of people out there who don’t consider themselves gamers. But
almost everyone plays games thanks to smartphones.

So why don’t they identify as gamers? Is it because they were
never introduced to them? Is is a negative cultural stereotype?

One of the biggest hurdles is simply the controller.
 The number of buttons and the layout are super
intimidating. Our suggestion is to introduce people to smartphone
games because the interface is something almost everyone is used
to already. Mobile games get around the controller issue.

Find a gameplay mechanic or IP that interests you or the
person who you want to introduce to gaming. Do they love Star
Wars? Then maybe Star Wars: Angry Birds is the way to go. Do they
like puzzle games? Try Two Dots or Candy Crush (seriously!). Do
you enjoy strategic thinking? Well, Hero Academy and Bloon Tower
Defense are perfect.

One of our highest recommendations, however, is to try to
introduce people to gaming using narrative games. Even if they’re
not playing and just watching, they can see what games are
capable of. Anything by Telltale games would be wonderful to
start with, as would Firewatch, Bioshock, or The Last of Us. Even
open-world games like GTA can help people see the immersion
possible in video games.

The one thing we get asked a lot is “How do I get my spouse
to play games?” Our answer might surprise you. “Maybe you don’t?”
Having separate hobbies can be a good thing, and if you can talk
and listen about what each of you loves, it’s okay that your
spouse isn’t a gamer.

Void’s wife is a hardcore knitter, and he has maybe done 10
stitches in his life. But he still cares, listens, and
understands when she talks about what she loves. While he isn’t
going to be using the awesome new yarn or pattern, he can
appreciate that it means something for her. The same goes for
Beej’s wife. She is a woodworker, and while Beej wouldn’t trust
himself anywhere near a tablesaw, he loves seeing the excitement
on his wife’s face when she finds a new kind of wood with a
particularly beautiful grain.

Not everyone has to love the same stuff, but we should be
respectful of other people’s interests.

However, we do There are good on-ramp games like 80 Days on
iOS/Android/PC and pretty much any Mario Kart game ever. If you
want to give gaming a shot to see what modern gaming can do, we
don’t think you can go wrong with those titles.



Weekly Geekery


Beej - Lifeline / Chrono Trigger

Void - Harry Potter and the Cursed Child / Aftermath: Life
Debt



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