Cheap/Free Activities

[Midpack]

Wow, thanks everyone, some very interesting ideas we had not considered. And some funny stuff (as expected) too. But looking forward to any other responses.​

 

[FUEGO]

Then again, I've also paid $50 for a game which held my interest for a couple of hours and that was it.

True enough. Maybe a subscription to a rental game service similar to netflix would help determine whether a game was "worth" $50 before you buy it. I'm still having fun with games that came out years ago that I am just now getting around to playing. Obviously the prices go way up if you want today's games today instead of a year or two later.

 

[W2R]

True enough. Maybe a subscription to a rental game service similar to netflix would help determine whether a game was "worth" $50 before you buy it. I'm still having fun with games that came out years ago that I am just now getting around to playing. Obviously the prices go way up if you want today's games today instead of a year or two later.

I saw Animal Crossing for the Wii at my daughter's house in Oregon a couple of weeks ago, when I visited her. I could tell that I would be nuts about it, so I bought it for myself as soon as I returned. I love it! Yes, it cost $49, but I have already spent many hours playing. I never finish games very quickly so it will probably keep me happy for a long time. Basically, all you need is one game that you really love and it will provide hours and hours of entertainment (unless you are one of those video game whiz kid types who finishes games in a day).

 

[NW-Bound]

I find it interesting that there are more folks interested in games, either for PC, Wii, Nintendo, or Playstation.

Is it just me who lost interest in games many many years ago? Am I not the young at heart that I think, but really a curmudgeon before his time?

 

[FUEGO]

I find it interesting that there are more folks interested in games, either for PC, Wii, Nintendo, or Playstation.

Is it just me who lost interest in games many many years ago? Am I not the young at heart that I think, but really a curmudgeon before his time?

I don't know - I'm still in the "under 30" crowd, so I grew up playing video and computer games of some sort from a very young age. However my interest in video/PC games waxes and wanes due to competition on my limited time from other sources (family, friends, work, other interests, etc).

 

[NW-Bound]

I don't know - I'm still in the "under 30" crowd...

Sure, but W2R is a few years older than I am. Several other members in the early 50s (my age) also like games. I guess I am not the norm...

 

[W2R]

Sure, but W2R is a few years older than I am. Several other members in the early 50s (my age) also like games. I guess I am not the norm...

I think a certain percentage of people my age (60) never got into video games (or computers, for that matter). Others like them more. I never got into playing "pong" in bars way back when, but I have enjoyed computer games since I got my TRS-80 Model 1 in the early 1980's and discovered "Hellfire Warriors" (black and white, very primitive and using arrow keys... best played in the dark). I am somewhat choosy about games that I like but I don't see myself suddenly casting off a diversion that I have enjoyed for over a quarter century, at this stage in my life.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

My FIL who will be turning 85 Friday enjoys playing puzzle games on the computer. He also likes to play deuces wild.

 

[freebird5825]

I find it interesting that there are more folks interested in games, either for PC, Wii, Nintendo, or Playstation.

Is it just me who lost interest in games many many years ago? Am I not the young at heart that I think, but really a curmudgeon before his time?

nope, it just sounds like your interests changed.
i played arcade games like PacMan, Galaga, Centipede etc in bars. i never got into the home based video gaming thing. Boring...
however...dh2b bought us a playstation 3 last year for the blue ray player and for us to try out some games. we got a few road race types, and Stardust which is a spaceship and asteroid field shoot em up. we play occasionally, mostly during our long long winters. i really like the road rally type games. it cracks me up when i crack up the cars, so i intentionally "floor" it to see if i can make the sharp turns. i could care less about the score or how far i get.

 

[NW-Bound]

I was interested in games too. Shortly after we got married in our early 20s (kids, really), we bought an Atari 2600. We would spend so much time playing it in the evening.

Then, same as everybody else, I migrated to PC games as they got more and more sophisticated. When I was about 35, my interest started to wane, my wife's before that. It could be that I found real life and history more interesting, and also somber. That could have been what turned me into a curmudgeon, although my family background was also a bit different than most.

 

[W2R]

I really don't know what to tell you, NW-Bound, except that probably you just don't enjoy computer games right now. Or maybe you just aren't picky enough about what games you want to play!

Life is full of interesting and fun things to do. If you have more fun playing some other sort of game, then more power to you. If you don't enjoy games of any kind any more, then I would say that maybe you have lost the childlike capacity to play and have fun. If so, that is a little sad.

 

[freebird5825]

I was interested in games too. Shortly after we got married in our early 20s (kids, really), we bought an Atari 2600. We would spend so much time playing it in the evening.

Then, same as everybody else, I migrated to PC games as they got more and more sophisticated. When I was about 35, my interest started to wane, my wife's before that. It could be that I found real life and history more interesting, and also somber. That could have been what turned me into a curmudgeon, although my family background was also a bit different than most.

a theory if i may - we both w*rked in a very serious profession, i.e. the techie world. it got to me many times, but i was always able to ignore the pressure to be conservative, responsible, and SERIOUS.`i had some frivilous compadres but laughter was rare and definitely frowned upon.

 

[NW-Bound]

If you don't enjoy games of any kind any more, then I would say that maybe you have lost the childlike capacity to play and have fun. If so, that is a little sad.

That's what I am afraid of. But then, I am always an outsider. I went through college not attending a single party. I only hung out with a couple of friends.

Actually, I am more outgoing now than I ever was. Yet, I have changed. I do not remember the last time I read fiction, even the genre I used to read like Tom Clancy's, one of which Dex brought up in another thread. I read purely non-fiction works for the last several years.

a theory if i may - we both w*rked in a very serious profession, i.e. the techie world. it got to me many times, but i was always able to ignore the pressure to be conservative, responsible, and SERIOUS.`i had some frivilous compadres but laughter was rare and definitely frowned upon.

But I am not at work now ...

 

[freebird5825]

But I am not at work now ...

and ain't that grand!
so i guessed wrong. ok, it's back to the hypothesis stage...

 

[NW-Bound]

Well, it could be "battle fatigue", though to be fair, my jobs at megacorps weren't any more stressful than what others experienced. When I was with small business ventures, and worked hard for no pay, that was caused by my own choice. I accepted that risk going in.

 

[W2R]

That's what I am afraid of. But then, I am always an outsider. I went through college not attending a single party. I only hung out with a couple of friends.

Actually, I am more outgoing now than I ever was.

That makes sense to me. Outgoing people are out socializing with friends and enjoying social activities and games. Introverts might be more likely to enjoy more solitary games. (?) Of course, these days many computer games are multiplayer, so maybe my logic is flawed.

Yet, I have changed. I do not remember the last time I read fiction, even the genre I used to read like Tom Clancy's, one of which Dex brought up in another thread. I read purely non-fiction works for the last several years.

I much prefer non-fiction to fiction right now. I love exploring the world through non-fiction, the internet, and on my own. But I also like creating my own imaginary worlds in computer games...

 

[NW-Bound]

I love exploring the world through non-fiction, the internet, and on my own.

And by travel...

... with Frank?

Without my wife as companion, I would not want to travel.

 

[Nords]

I find it interesting that there are more folks interested in games, either for PC, Wii, Nintendo, or Playstation.
Is it just me who lost interest in games many many years ago? Am I not the young at heart that I think, but really a curmudgeon before his time?

Never caught on with me either-- I've held a Playstation controller for less than five minutes in my entire life. OTOH I find myself trying to improve my Windows Solitaire technique by memorizing the deck on the fly.

a theory if i may - we both w*rked in a very serious profession, i.e. the techie world. it got to me many times, but i was always able to ignore the pressure to be conservative, responsible, and SERIOUS.`i had some frivilous compadres but laughter was rare and definitely frowned upon.

We were discouraged from propagating the stereotype of the "happy-go-lucky wild-eyed hard-partyin' seat-of-the-pants" nuclear engineer too...

 

[FUEGO]

Then, same as everybody else, I migrated to PC games as they got more and more sophisticated. When I was about 35, my interest started to wane, my wife's before that. It could be that I found real life and history more interesting, and also somber. That could have been what turned me into a curmudgeon, although my family background was also a bit different than most.

Hey, I like history, too. Games like Call of Duty and Medal of Honor are "realistic" and set in WW II Europe (maybe Japan/Pacific too?). God of War I and II set in Greek Mythology.

If you like military strategy, all of the real time strategy genre of games would interest you (Command and Conquer, and Command and Conquer: Red Alert, and if you don't mind the fantasy setting, Warcraft, also Starcraft in a futuristic space-theme).

I have to say that having a family definitely cuts into the game time for me. But it is a good way to experience escapism and blow a couple of hours if you can find the time! Then hit "save", turn off the game, and get back to the real world.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Hey, I like history, too. Games like Call of Duty and Medal of Honor are "realistic" and set in WW II Europe (maybe Japan/Pacific too?). God of War I and II set in Greek Mythology.

If you like military strategy, all of the real time strategy genre of games would interest you (Command and Conquer, and Command and Conquer: Red Alert, and if you don't mind the fantasy setting, Warcraft, also Starcraft in a futuristic space-theme).

I have to say that having a family definitely cuts into the game time for me. But it is a good way to experience escapism and blow a couple of hours if you can find the time! Then hit "save", turn off the game, and get back to the real world.

I frequently play Red Alert with a cousin of mine. Its a great way to stay in touch over long distances. Both of us are horrible so the matches are fairly even.

 

[Zoocat]

My favorite activities are all almost free, not in any particular order

--hiking in the woods with my dog
--reading on the Internet or a new book
--watching a movie or a fun TV show
--attending an author's appearance at the local bookstore
--happy hour with friends (inexpensive, not free)
--painting with watercolors or sculpting with clay (materials already in hand)
--posting on the ER forum
--talking on phone with family members
--writing
--dreaming about my next international trip

As of yet, I haven't been attracted to online gaming but the idea might appeal to me to take up chess again online! There's an open chess playing group in town as well.

 

[Notmuchlonger]

Oh I play Scrabble online. Membership for the year is like 12.95 and you can play as much as you like. Its done through email on a Scrabble board. Take turns etc.

 

[harley]

I've been doing a lot of walking (with DW), riding bikes (low mileage), and am now starting to lift with dumbells and doing some rope jumping. Combining that with better eating. Making a hobby of kicking diabetes' ass, while taking down my BP and cholesterol levels too. Going to see how healthy I can be when I die. Interestingly, DW just googled up my father's (missing since my early childhood) obituary. He was 69 when he died in 2002. Pretty young in most families, but my mom died at 28, little brother at 42. Setting the bar pretty low for me.

As far as video games, I was big into the arcade games in the early 80s. Had a college buddy who made a fortune owning a few of the parlors. Later when the MUDs and first person shooters came along I avoided them. I had/have a busy life, and am well aware of my addictive tendencies. Maybe someday when I am more sedentary I'll give them a try. Right after I start smoking dope again.

 

[deserat]

I remember going to the arcade and playing Asteroids - loved it - they had the place decked out like a spaceship with all of these games (PACMAN, etc). Additionally, my father had purchased one of the first pong games out - he's an engineer, so I think he was enamored of it - in any case, it got boring very quickly. After the Asteroids, I tired of computer games and have frankly not played any except for solitaire and that's just because it's easier than picking up a deck of cards - the way I challenge myself is to not allow myself to stop until I win a game....

My Dad and husband still play video games - my Dad likes the golf, hearts, mah jongg. I asked him why and he said it occupied his mind so that he could calm down - i.e., he and I are similar in that if we don't have something to occupy our minds they start to think or agitate too much....odd. I have done some very challenging hiking and people have asked my why I liked it. It actually freed my mind - I had to focus on where the next foot and hand position was so I couldn't let my mind wander - it was refreshing.

 

[Moemg]

My Mom is from the card playing generation so when our family gets together we play poker or pinochle . It 's cheap fun .Sometimes my SO and I will play monopoly or trivial pursuit I never got into video games for some reason they never appealed to me . I much prefer to spend time reading or working on home projects .