The “11 signs you’re no longer a hard-core gamer” article written for TechRadar.com seems to work well because it strikes a chord with the thirty-somethings (like me) who’ve grown up with gaming.
The older you get, the less time you seem to have for gaming. You begin to notice the signs that you’re not the hard-core player you used to be. For example:
You prefer playing against the computer
Online gaming against real people has become depressing – it exposes your faded, spoon-sharp reflexes and you abhor the trash-talk from 12-year old fanboys.You prefer playing offline against the computer because a game’s algorithms are slightly more predictable. And, once you master the scripted patterns of play, you stand a real chance of being good… of actually winning. And that feels great, doesn’t it? Ranking second-bottom on a multiplayer leader board doesn’t.
You only play when your girlfriend is out
Because you only have one high-def TV and to play videogames on it while she’s at home is ’selfish’ and not something the two of you can do ‘together’.
It’s one of my favourite articles. Most of the 11 points still ring true as I lose patience with GTA IV and suspect I’ll never actually finish Gears of War 2. Sigh.
[11 signs you're no longer a hard-core gamer, TechRadar]
