The Definition of an Old School Gamer

[Mayhem Protocol]

Ok, 1st... this is my lame attempt to make a valid post. 2nd, While looking at Spung's title "EP old grump" I got to thinking... Hmmmm, how old is he? (being 30+ in age myself)

While playing FFXI Online, one of my fellow LS members asked if he is a gamer? Which brought the question... What is a gamer? Unfortunately our age difference made for some different points of view on the definition of a "Gamer". Thus, I stuck with my definition and added the term Old School to it, which couldnt be any truer.

1. How many buttons does your controller have? When I first played video games, controllers had only One button. Thats right, the famous/infamous Atari Controller (which led to the term I call "Atari Hand", thats when your hand flies around in the air as if it had any influence on the control of the game, lol). Nothing like the 18 button controller that PS has or more, considering the arcane controllers for N64, DC or Xbox.

2. Do you have a Pause button? Thats right, believe it or not, there was a time when video games didnt have a Pause button. I remember when Atari had a TV commerical for thier new system (cant remember the name, 2800 or something, shame*). This guy was playing Defender and the phone rang... then he pushed the Pause button. It was like "Wow" the game stopped. Then he was done with his conversation and.. "Wow" the game continued. The same thing can be said about the Save option. Not until The Legend of Zelda was there the option to save your progress (not including the Commador 64, thats more PC then gaming system). So next time, think about how far you would get in your game with out Pause or Saving your game once. This fact is slowly coming back to video games, with Online Gaming. Pausing a game online is'nt going to happen so the skill of sticking it out until your dead is coming back.

3. The Colors, this one is a given. We all know about the black and white days of video games, and now with the Ba-gillion colors game systems have, it's not even worth mentioning. This is a bit of a sore point too me. Every and all systems now bost or brag about how many colors there game system can process, as if it made any real difference. The truth of the matter is the games and gameplay itself. Playing Need for Speed: Most Wanted on Xbox, doesnt make it any more fun or better then on PS2.

4. Game info. Now this is a BIG one. This will seperate the Men from the Boys (well more like the Mid-age Men from the Not-so-aged Men and teenagers, lol). Back in my day, there was no Internet... not even magazines like Gamepro, Electronic Gaming, or anything else for that matter. Thats right, it was the Dark Age of video gaming. Believe it or not, we had to beat games all with our own skill and wit. There were no walk throughs, no cheats, and there was barely a manual to the game for that matter, lol (not that any of us read the manuals, lol) I know what your going to say... "What about Nintendo Power, or Sega Magazine". True these were magazine, somewhat, but they didnt really do much until the later days, at the start of the 16 bit systems. Even then it was mostly company propaganda, trying to keep you interested about games you havent bought yet and game that may come out. Not much in the "How do I kill that bastard dragon at the end of Gauntlet?" or "Is it even possible to beat Dark Force at the end of Phantasy Star?".

Well I hoped I entertained you a bit and feel free to post your thoughts on the matter ^^

[Josh]

I think Sprung is 35 now.


That is an interesting read you have there. It just shows how much gaming has advanced in some ways and how it has not in others.

BTW
Moved to General Gaming.

[Mistral]

That's good for an old-school console gamer, but what about someone who started with the computer, and never went to consoles until something like less than a decade ago? For example, someone who bought a C64 when it first came out and every game they could get their hands on is certainly an old-school gamer, even if they never even touched an Atari or Nintendo. Similarly, many popular games didn't need a pause button at all, so 2 is right out the second you enter text or turn-based games, which are again predominantly computer-based.

Well, in my case, it was MS-DOS (and Win 3.1, a turtle and its shell) rather than the C64, but I still have fond memories of EGA and Tandy graphics (alluding to 3). TIM, Battle Chess...all sorts of old games from when I was a young child, but most came from my father (whose computer it was). I'm old-school to someone like my younger cousin, who started only a few years ago, but compared to someone like my father (who was with Sperry, of all companies) or my friend (who did have a C64 and quite a few games), I'm still a neophyte.

[Jase]

I had an atari, and still own a C64 and im fucking 20 =/ Ive had every system bar the Dreamcast (Cos my mate had one) that has came out. I still remember programming Space invaders on the C64 cos i was REALLY bored lol, Oh and that sound they made when u used to play tapes off them lol.

[dollarcoin]

I started with the atari too, but my controller didn't have just one button!



Check out that craziness! Two shoulder buttons on each side, and then a number pad! All I needed and used was one button to play centipede and Galaxian, but I guess they thought I might need to call someone on the phone too!

Anyway, while I did start with an atari, I can't say I was there from the beginning, as I had an atari when everyone else had a NES. My parents just wouldn't spring for a new system. We had a Atari, Commodore 64, and an Amiga all USED. But man they were fun.

[Josh]

TIM, Battle Chess...all sorts of old games from when I was a young child, but most came from my father (whose computer it was).

I love Battle Chess. That is the game that I learned Chess on. I should put it on the tracker as abandonwear.

[Mikey_]

my definition of an old school gamer is one who's prolly in his 30's to 40's in age now, and has played games since the dawn of time.

[Mayhem Protocol]

Yes, and yes...

hehehe, you right about the C64, thats why I made a note about it, and to make it official... Zork was my game of choice. But I could never put Consoles together with PCs. Up until recently, lets say the past 5 years, have PC games and Console games been sharing the same titles. Now it seems it is very common, you can get just about any game for a console or PC, if not released on the same date... just wait a few months (for example.. Fable Xbox, then PC... or The Sims PC, then console)

At Dollarcoin... Thats the Atari system I was talking about earlier, with the pause game option ^^


I think I should add another point...

5. Availability. Like some, we didnt have alot of money growing up (mom was raising 2 kids + full time job), and unless you were rolling in dough, you were lucky to own any system at all. Most gaming was done through your network of friends. One friend of mine had an Atari 2600, another had an Intelevision, and yet another had a C64, while I had a Colecovision (I'm still shocked to this day that my mother bought it for me, a day she will rue for the rest of her life, lol). Gaming was for kids and there was no adult market. To note: I was also a paperboy (back when paper were delivered by boys on their bikes). This was my only income to support my gaming habit. I remember saving $60 to buy Phantasy Star for the Sega Master System, and the local department store (next to the Micheal Jackson Thriller and 38 Special albums-not cds). I was taking a gamble with my purchase $60 since there was no info on this game or if it was any good or worth buy. $60 bucks was alot of money to me back then.

[DementedLullaby]

I don't really think that playing since games have came out is necessary.

IMO an old school gamer is someone from NES or earlier when games really became popular. Atari is preferable. If your older and have been playing since the conception of video games then for sure your an old schooler, if you ask me more like ancient schooler

Personally Intelivision was my first system. Burger time 4TW man. It was my grandpas system when I was like 3. My parents also had atari since I was very young. They tell me my favorite game was Cookie Monster Munch

[Evans]

Wow. The Commodore 64...

Archon. Zak MacKraken. Maniac Mansion. Accolade Comic. Kick Start. Antiriad. Defender of the Crown. Sammy Lightfoot. The list goes on and on and on.

I started off with that, some 20 odd years ago.

I could just reiterate what Zephyr said. I won't. Read his post.

[Borman]

You see, Im only 17, and yet I (safely) consider myself oldschool. I grew up playing atari and NES like many of the older folks did really. Its not necessarily age of the person that matters.Right next to all my new stuffs sit the old, which get more play then even the 360 at this point.

[Homemade Mask]

I'm pretty sure I was born with an Atari controller in my hand, and I've been a giant dork for the past twenty-four years. And I know my parents regretted buying it when I was flying as Superman before I could walk.

[DementedLullaby]

I'm pretty sure I was born with an Atari controller in my hand, and I've been a giant dork for the past twenty-four years. And I know my parents regretted buying it when I was flying as Superman before I could walk.

Same here lol, pitfall, pac man, Q*Bert AHHHH good times. My parents must of been pretty well off at the time to afford all those games plus be major pot heads. I've taken over now lmao.

I must of been younger than 3 actually when playing my grandpas intellivison since I got NES 1989 roughly when I was 3. Super Mario was actually hard then After that I was hooked, my genesis was won in a box of cereal haha and I got SNES soon after for my bday.

It's disgusting remembering such young memories of my life. I was so much happier back then lol....

[Evans]

It's disgusting remembering such young memories of my life. I was so much happier back then lol....

*sigh*

The good ole days.

*assumes nostalgic demeanor*

[chocomarker1]

old school gamer... gah i dont really like that word, cmon gamer is gamer. we all love games.

so uhm but what id describe as an old school gamer would be someone who jus plays games from the 32bit and earlier generation, age doesnt matter.