Gemstone for the next gen?

[Suppressed Poet]

So, for whatever reason lately my son has been asking more questions about "dad's game". He is 9 and a pretty active kid (plays sports all year round - football, then basketball, then soccer - going on now, then baseball), plays a lot outside with his friends, but does enjoy his Wii video games.

He knows I've played a text looking game for as long as he has been around, but doesn't know anything much beyond that. I haven't told him much because, after all, it is a text video game and not sure what kind of message that sends to a son from a father.

A little background - I work my @ss off and there is always stuff to do at home, so I am what one would call a casual player. I try to get some time in a couple of nights during the weekdays and a little bit on the weekend if I can. Currently I am not even playing enough to take advantage of the full XXX and XX gift of Luminis. But persistence and all that...really Gemstone is the only video game I play anymore.

So a few questions:

1) Is it possibly detrimental to introduce Gemstone, a fantasy text roleplaying game, to a 9 year old’s mind. It's rated E for everyone, but I don't think that is accurate. The game can be known to be addicting and I don't want it to be more than just a game. I think I started playing around 14ish if I recall.

2) Is it bad parenting to do so? I don't want my kid to be the one to say to someone else "I play a MUDD with my dad" and get weird looks from teachers + shoved into lockers by other kids.

3) Any possible good benefits? For me, I think it helped in that I began to enjoy reading more and of course typing really fast. Guess it can't be all bad or any more so than mindless games like Wii Spiderman.

4) Anyone else that has actually done this? Post up and tell me about your experience.

[waywardgs]

No... hide your shame. Rent an apartment for your computer and visit it on the side.

[Suppressed Poet]

No... hide your shame. Rent an apartment for your computer and visit it on the side.

That is not far from the truth.

My best friend knows. My ex-wife knows or knew. My significant other knows. That's it. I don't tell anyone else.

[msconstrew]

Man, I would just be concerned that he'd get into a cybersex-type situation at such a young age. Some of the women that play the game are rather aggressive, don't know how to take "no" for an answer, and are interested in getting dudes into locked rooms. I don't know how you'd avoid that.

[SHAFT]

Be more worried he's saving his lunch money and allowance to buy a 6x perfect maul. Then when he gets to college he's not buying books, he's getting a 10x DB cloak. Just sayin

[waywardgs]

Be more worried he's saving his lunch money and allowance to buy a 6x perfect maul. Then when he gets to college he's not buying books, he's getting a 10x DB cloak. Just sayin

I hear Buckwheat gives discounts to minors!

[Suppressed Poet]

Man, I would just be concerned that he'd get into a cybersex-type situation at such a young age. Some of the women that play the game are rather aggressive, don't know how to take "no" for an answer, and are interested in getting dudes into locked rooms. I don't know how you'd avoid that.

Yeah - that really does concern me.

Though the way I play I haven't come across this in many years. Honestly though, I just hunt for the most part solo and don't do much RP.

LNET would definitely be a no.

[Suppressed Poet]

Be more worried he's saving his lunch money and allowance to buy a 6x perfect maul. Then when he gets to college he's not buying books, he's getting a 10x DB cloak. Just sayin

Yeah - I could see that being problematic too I guess.

I've spent probably $300 on buying stuff in game over the many years, and feel guilty and stupid when I do buy something. But then again I am a working adult and I suppose it is no worse than hookers and blow.

[Suppressed Poet]

At 14 cybersexing was the whole fun of the game, but that was back during the early days of AOL chat rooms and the great mystery of the internet.

Speaking of which, and nothing to do with this thread at all, the pioneer veteran CEO of my company died last week. I'm really sad about that and have been bummed. He was the first to mainstream merchant services to the internet. When you think of the size and scope of that today...wow. Great man past just his accomplishments, he really cared about people in all walks of life and that is extremely rare to find in a leader today. (Didn't feel like posting in the frown thread).

[Josibria]

I started playing at 11ish and it definitely made me enjoy reading a lot more. I didn't have any situation that was inappropriate until much later. It might be wise to wait a couple more years. I mean it is still a violent game.

[Some Rogue]

10x DB

lol brielus

[msconstrew]

I started playing at 11ish and it definitely made me enjoy reading a lot more. I didn't have any situation that was inappropriate until much later. It might be wise to wait a couple more years. I mean it is still a violent game.

I started playing sometime in my early teens and I spent a lot of time behind locked doors. I don't think it warped me any, but I certainly knew a lot more about sex than my peers. Thanks GS!

[Suppressed Poet]

How old are you msconstrew?

I ask because I wonder if we cyber effed as children.

[Gelston]

So, for whatever reason lately my son has been asking more questions about "dad's game". He is 9 and a pretty active kid (plays sports all year round - football, then basketball, then soccer - going on now, then baseball), plays a lot outside with his friends, but does enjoy his Wii video games.

He knows I've played a text looking game for as long as he has been around, but doesn't know anything much beyond that. I haven't told him much because, after all, it is a text video game and not sure what kind of message that sends to a son from a father.

A little background - I work my @ss off and there is always stuff to do at home, so I am what one would call a casual player. I try to get some time in a couple of nights during the weekdays and a little bit on the weekend if I can. Currently I am not even playing enough to take advantage of the full XXX and XX gift of Luminis. But persistence and all that...really Gemstone is the only video game I play anymore.

So a few questions:

1) Is it possibly detrimental to introduce Gemstone, a fantasy text roleplaying game, to a 9 year old’s mind. It's rated E for everyone, but I don't think that is accurate. The game can be known to be addicting and I don't want it to be more than just a game. I think I started playing around 14ish if I recall.

2) Is it bad parenting to do so? I don't want my kid to be the one to say to someone else "I play a MUDD with my dad" and get weird looks from teachers + shoved into lockers by other kids.

3) Any possible good benefits? For me, I think it helped in that I began to enjoy reading more and of course typing really fast. Guess it can't be all bad or any more so than mindless games like Wii Spiderman.

4) Anyone else that has actually done this? Post up and tell me about your experience.

I started playing GS when I was 11, with no supervision. Individual results will vary... I'd say monitor the shit out of him, if you get him Lich, ;untune from LNet immediately... Or even just don't allow it to connect to the LNet server.

It isn't bad parenting, any more then letting a kid play any other game... You just need to watch him.

Good benefits, aslong as you reinforce proper typing/spelling, are fairly evident.

[Josibria]

It probably was when I was 15 or 16 before any one hit on my character.

Then again I used to play dwarves for their mechanical benefits. Maybe that has something to do with it?

[BriarFox]

Just log his sessions and review them periodically. Better yet, only let him play when you are.

[Whirlin]

The game is inherently different when we all started... because of just that... WE ALL started when we were 11-16... Everyone STILL plays now that we're 21-26... Dynamic has changed a bit..

That being said, I think it's still good to let him at least try it for himself... just... make sure he doesn't stay on Lnet... and keep Jeril away.

[Androidpk]

Keep him off lnet period.

[Josibria]

Oh god. Lnet yes...I stay off of lnet!

I second the whole Jeril thing as well. But how'd you keep him off lnet? Make him play without lich like we used to? I know you can untune it but I am sure he'll figure out to tune back in.

[horibu]

To stay off of lichnet, you basically log the character in on your PC, then set a password for his LNET connection ;lnet password=<password>
After that, on his computer, even if he wanted to connect he wouldn't be able to without knowing what the password is.
Just don't forget it for when you do allow him to connect to LNET.
Downside is you can't use any of the ;locate, ;bounty, or benefits of ;waggle someone else without them being connected to LNet.

[Androidpk]

Make him play without lich like we used to?

Absolutely. It will teach him how to type fast.

[Latrinsorm]

He'll get bored with it in an hour, problem solved.

He definitely sees more violence on television, and it's not close. Group close and dem cold to keep the pervs away.

Vocabulary will increase dramatically. Typing maybe, maybe not. Our generation was just getting into computers, for him a computer is second nature so he probably already types pretty well.

If he gets addicted, you pull the plug. It's not like trying to keep him away from sweets or porn, which would be impossible, it's an extremely unique P2P computer game.

Don't even install LNet. That should be pretty clear.

[Suppressed Poet]

Think I'll guage to see if he becomes more interested and contemplate it a bit.

It probably wouldn't help with typing. As mentioned, that is already second nature to him. I do immagine that vocabulary would improve, and it could reinforce proper spelling and grammar. I'm not concerned a bit about the violence. Call me a bad Dad, but I let him see the new Batman and he was cool with it.

I think that is a good point - no lich whatsoever. Just old school Wizard FE. He would either get bored with it or would at least learn things the hard, slow, and what is now painful to most way of playing. Just access to play.net and maybe tell him about krakii.

I'd have to show him what to do anyways and start with character creation...so it would be strictly monitored for a significant ammount of time anyways...

[Nathala Crane]

I'd say go for it. I was 13 when I first played, which places my little bro at 11. ... Good God, now I'm suddenly depressed.

[Kakoon]

I might be able to help from the kid's point of view. My dad played GS and introduced it to me at a young age by telling me about some of the hunting stuff he did or invasion storylines. One of the earliest I remember is the Linden tree storyline with the feithidmor. Plus running into other characters he talked about was awesome.

He made me do a lot of reading on the documents of professions, races, weapons, metals, pretty much everything there was to read on the play.net website. He wouldn't let me play though until I was 14 mostly because my typing was just atrocious. If I was good at typing when I was younger he would have signed me up in a heart beat.

I think if your son takes interest in the storylines you share with him let him play. I do agree with everybody else though, be sure you monitor his playing. My dad would make me hunt with only him until I got comfortable with the way stuff worked. Can't count the number of times he yelled "Stance dance damnit!" and looking back it's hilarious.

The game has a lot of benefits, helps with imagination and creativity along with what others have said. I'm sure he'll be a closet player like most everybody else. I played all through high school and college without my friends knowing about it while still maintaining the normal drug and party filled social life of a teenager.

[Dendum]

It probably was when I was 15 or 16 before any one hit on my character.

Then again I used to play dwarves for their mechanical benefits. Maybe that has something to do with it?

probably did, don't let him be a giantman.

[TheEschaton]

Wait, my giantman never got hit on. Hmm.

[Jayvn]

I love it when I get to play gs with my boys... not only are they learning to type a little better as they play, compared to their other games it's definitely more disney..

[Jayvn]

A few of my friends back in the military saw me playing gs...they assumed I was trying to hack into the matrix or something..

[Gelston]

A few of my friends back in the military saw me playing gs...they assumed I was trying to hack into the matrix or something..

Hah, I had a few buddies see me. I usually told them I was a chat room.

[Jace Solo]

I agree here. I kind of wish my dad would have taught me, or played with me. He was as good at video games as I was at...I don't know...the bible?

I happened on the game randomly and then got my best friend involved. We were...16...and got into it because our parents wouldn't let us play EQ.

I would have loved that stuff with my dad.

I agree with your dad's approach. Good on him.

On top of that, I agree with the creativity, etc.
I just finished writing my first screenplay and am getting great reviews...probably has a lot to do with my creativity from GS. God knows I didn't read a ton of books growing up....still don't. At least not as much as I should.


I might be able to help from the kid's point of view. My dad played GS and introduced it to me at a young age by telling me about some of the hunting stuff he did or invasion storylines. One of the earliest I remember is the Linden tree storyline with the feithidmor. Plus running into other characters he talked about was awesome.

He made me do a lot of reading on the documents of professions, races, weapons, metals, pretty much everything there was to read on the play.net website. He wouldn't let me play though until I was 14 mostly because my typing was just atrocious. If I was good at typing when I was younger he would have signed me up in a heart beat.

I think if your son takes interest in the storylines you share with him let him play. I do agree with everybody else though, be sure you monitor his playing. My dad would make me hunt with only him until I got comfortable with the way stuff worked. Can't count the number of times he yelled "Stance dance damnit!" and looking back it's hilarious.

The game has a lot of benefits, helps with imagination and creativity along with what others have said. I'm sure he'll be a closet player like most everybody else. I played all through high school and college without my friends knowing about it while still maintaining the normal drug and party filled social life of a teenager.

[Josibria]

probably did, don't let him be a giantman.

I don't see giantman getting hit on a lot.

[Loyrl]

I played a lot with Jayvn when I was young, and he didn't corrupt me too much. I think I definitively learned how to type well through this game. Each time I left and came back I had only one person that I hung out with, so it did keep me away from a lot of the issues a 10 year old would have I think, one thing I learned though was doing the "mystery" backpack on the amulet which was most the time ripping people off. I think if your son started playing I would limit his PC time and would not have a PC in his room, I know for sure I stayed up way too late every night playing.

[SHAFT]

As a young black man growing up in Harlem, all I had was my gemstone! Take that away from me and you might as well shoot my ass.

[Suppressed Poet]

I think I'll wait until he is 11ish before this becomes a possibility. It seems that is when a lot started and 9 is probably too young / too many risk factors at this time.

[Ryvicke]

I think playing gemstone at a young age was awesome for me. I would think that starting someone off in a settings like Ta'Vaalor (and as a Vaalor Elf) would help set the RP guidelines a bit: you are an elf from a military city, etc. Then everything he read would sort of play into that setting. I think it would be a lot easier to understand than say, just being in the Landing, etc.

If I did it I would monitor the logs, ask him about what he did that day and just keep tabs generally. Would a nine year old be in danger of addiction to Gemstone? I'd love to know the answer.

[Taernath]

GS really improved my typing and vocabulary, and was also my gateway game into D&D and other RPGs.

Just be thankful there are no more hourly internet charges.

[Mobius1]

Had it been 10+ years ago, I wouldn't have seen so many issues.

I'm sure there are many factors, but I'd say the biggest issue, as others have stated, is lnet.

Now, the really important thing, in my opinion, is how tech savvy he is, or will become. Typically, the type of boy that plays a text based RPG, is going to be (or become) pretty savvy. And I can tell you from personal experience (From the point of view of the computer geek child. There was nothing my parents could do to stop me.), that it may not be so easy as simply not letting him use lich, or tune lnet. So many people use lich and lnet, it's only a matter of time before he realizes he wants it too, and if he does, there's probably nothing you can do to stop him, if he is good enough with computers (Passwords, parental controls, etc. - Those can all be bypassed if you know how.).

[Latrinsorm]

Think I'll guage to see if he becomes more interested and contemplate it a bit.

It probably wouldn't help with typing. As mentioned, that is already second nature to him. I do immagine that vocabulary would improve, and it could reinforce proper spelling and grammar. I'm not concerned a bit about the violence. Call me a bad Dad, but I let him see the new Batman and he was cool with it.

I think that is a good point - no lich whatsoever. Just old school Wizard FE. He would either get bored with it or would at least learn things the hard, slow, and what is now painful to most way of playing. Just access to play.net and maybe tell him about krakii.

I'd have to show him what to do anyways and start with character creation...so it would be strictly monitored for a significant ammount of time anyways...Make him play Secret of Evermore so he learns how to spell "gauge".

:heart:
I would think that starting someone off in a settings like Ta'Vaalor (and as a Vaalor Elf) would help set the RP guidelines a bit: you are an elf from a military city, etc. Now the truth comes out. Ryvicke has been a US Army recruiter this whole time. This whole time.

[Dhuul2]

I've been playing GS for a long time but...

I wouldn't wish it on my worst enemy. It's a hell of a timewaster with gads of appeal to certain people. It's like a WMD, you have to restrict access. And if the predilection is genetic, I dunno. You might have to play GS from a safe room.

[Chilango2]

9 might be a bit young, wait till they're 12 or so. Then supervise as you think best. But, keep in mind, he can, and will, evade your supervision sooner or later... and odds are that will be fine. Kids are always into more stuff than their parents know, by and large, and it tends to work out fine.

[Ker_Thwap]

Haven't read the rest of the thread, but hell no. We want a better life for our kids than for ourselves. Online games are horribly addictive and a terrible way about teaching kids how to interact with people in the real world.

I never once played the game when my kids were around, they grew up knowing I was there for them, and that they were more important to me than my own selfish stress release on the internet. One last thought, don't inflict your spawn on my game, I've been playing online games from age 30 to 48 and I've talked to hundreds of kids online. Do you really want gamers to do your parenting through OOC whispers to your kid?

[Gweneivia]

Doesn't Dayko's dad play?

[Androidpk]

Yeah, Jeril has been playing for a long time.

[Methais]

As long as you can make sure he doesn't become another Warclaidhm...maybe at best.

[Dayko]

Doesn't Dayko's dad play?
Yes, he still plays.

[Gweneivia]

Yes, he still plays.

Well then, chime in! How old were you when he first let you play? Did he monitor you? Give you advice? Tell you to avoid the dangers of cyber? Do you think it's been an okay experience (ie learned to type better etc) or has it just been another game you play, or, worse, had it become an addictive and negative presence in your life?

Oh I just saw you gave me some rep. Well, my post was kind of pointless, but I had heard that you came to GS via your dad, but wasn't sure. So I didn't want to be all "Dayko's dad plays! We should ask him!" Because I didn't know for sure. Now that you've confirmed it I've elaborated (see above).

[Kastrel]

Yeah, Jeril has been playing for a long time.

So I'm not the only one who finds them similar . . .

[Catts]

I've been playing about 2.5 months now, and can give you my impressions. I'm 29 years old so I can't speak from a kid's perspective, but I can't see this being a good idea for a kid. You'd have to really hawk over them, definitely keep them off lnet, too. All I know is the first time a child was killed on an escort task it really kinda bothered me because I was not expecting that at all lol...never played a game where kid npcs died...usually they were always immune. First time I went to river's rest Tabrina killed me for no reason, within 5 minutes of me getting there. I didn't even get to explore. At the time it really bothered me because I thought I was safe for some reason.

Also there's really little documentation on the hard mechanics of this game compared to others, so the temptation to ask questions on lnet is huge. Believe me I abused the mentor bells but they don't always answer. With the small player base the game has and the fact that most people are just running bigshot or chatting on lnet, it'd take a very unique kid to find the value in the game, I think.

And the women in this game are friggen randy lol. That's another thing...

[Methais]

Who's Tabrina and why was she being a cuntbasket?

[Catts]

Who's Tabrina and why was she being a cuntbasket?

heh some ranger, apparently she's killed a few people like that...a buncha people saw it, and Dendum says she hasn't logged on in a while so I might go back. Main thing was it could've been a fun chance to RP (I think I said something that annoyed her)...but instead she just did 616 without a word, got out of jail, came up to me and whisper ooc "lol sorry need spells"...lol.

Lookin at my last post I don't wanna convey that I"m not having a blast though.

[SHAFT]

A few of my friends back in the military saw me playing gs...they assumed I was trying to hack into the matrix or something..

Ha, my fiancé calls GS the matrix game.

[Dayko]

Well then, chime in! How old were you when he first let you play? Did he monitor you? Give you advice? Tell you to avoid the dangers of cyber? Do you think it's been an okay experience (ie learned to type better etc) or has it just been another game you play, or, worse, had it become an addictive and negative presence in your life?

I was about 13 years old when he first let me play, no he didn't monitor me. I sort of jumped right into the game, like I knew what I was doing the first two weeks of playing the game. My first character was an aelotoi rogue, Lazym. You probably recognize that name or not. There'd be a few females who would flirt with me and shit, but I never cybered with any of them. My father really didn't really tell me anything to be cautious about, and I've actually learned a lot of things he did not even knew even though he played for 10+ years. My two years in the game, I only focused on hunting and not really interact with other people much unless they were my hunting partners. Shit, any game that I REALLY enjoy is addictive for me. Yes, the game were a negative presence in my life for a while as I got lazy with school work, but I'm doing much better now and planning my schedule when to do homework, hang out with my friends, or play Gemstone.

(Only thing that is a negative presence now is Lnet, hahaha)

[waywardgs]

You probably recognize that name or not.

Those are the two possibilities, that's for sure.

[Suppressed Poet]

Haven't read the rest of the thread, but hell no. We want a better life for our kids than for ourselves. Online games are horribly addictive and a terrible way about teaching kids how to interact with people in the real world.

I never once played the game when my kids were around, they grew up knowing I was there for them, and that they were more important to me than my own selfish stress release on the internet. One last thought, don't inflict your spawn on my game, I've been playing online games from age 30 to 48 and I've talked to hundreds of kids online. Do you really want gamers to do your parenting through OOC whispers to your kid?

This is where I differ...

While I don't volunteer the information that I play Gemstone, it's not because of personal shame. It's rather all the explanation that would have to follow it.

Gemstone is a hobby. I've played it a long time and something that I enjoy when I have the free time to play. Some people have more traditional interests like golf. I tried that, but for some reason my heart is filled with murderous rage when I don't win like Tiger Woods...which is everytime. Others have stranger interests like Gemstone, or breeding super cattle for the state fair, or biking in the desert bare ass.

What I do in my personal time is my business. I don't let it inhibit my ability to provide for my family, raise my children, or being there for my significant other. So I don't feel guilty or ashamed one bit about playing an archaic text MUDD from my childhood. It's my personal quirk and everyone has one or more.

And in actuality, if you do have to pick a time consuming hobby Gemstone isn't that bad of a choice. It is not expensive (or at least shouldn't be), is certainly not dangerous to your health, and you can completely control your own hours.

But yeah..he is too young at 9. I doubt he would even like it anyways. Damn kids these days and their graphics...

[Ker_Thwap]

This is where I differ...

While I don't volunteer the information that I play Gemstone, it's not because of personal shame. It's rather all the explanation that would have to follow it.

Gemstone is a hobby. I've played it a long time and something that I enjoy when I have the free time to play. Some people have more traditional interests like golf. I tried that, but for some reason my heart is filled with murderous rage when I don't win like Tiger Woods...which is everytime. Others have stranger interests like Gemstone, or breeding super cattle for the state fair, or biking in the desert bare ass.

What I do in my personal time is my business. I don't let it inhibit my ability to provide for my family, raise my children, or being there for my significant other. So I don't feel guilty or ashamed one bit about playing an archaic text MUDD from my childhood. It's my personal quirk and everyone has one or more.

And in actuality, if you do have to pick a time consuming hobby Gemstone isn't that bad of a choice. It is not expensive (or at least shouldn't be), is certainly not dangerous to your health, and you can completely control your own hours.

But yeah..he is too young at 9. I doubt he would even like it anyways. Damn kids these days and their graphics...

I'm not suggesting there should be shame at playing at all. For me, I like the RP, and it allows me to flex my creative side.

From the text based game I used to play and which had a smaller tighter knit community... I saw a lot of young lives flat out ruined because of that text based game. One woman lost her job and lost her kids to the state. Several more just lost jobs. A few didn't get the grades to get into college, a few bailed on college. Two died of liver failure. Lots of other bits of ugliness. One thirteen year old tried to go to Dragon Con without telling her parents. Maybe they would have had crappy lives without the game, but these were all young people who's game addiction seemed to have impacted their lives.

[SHAFT]

I offered my house in Southern California to someone for an ebow. Is that bad?

[Methais]

I'm not suggesting there should be shame at playing at all. For me, I like the RP, and it allows me to flex my creative side.

From the text based game I used to play and which had a smaller tighter knit community... I saw a lot of young lives flat out ruined because of that text based game. One woman lost her job and lost her kids to the state. Several more just lost jobs. A few didn't get the grades to get into college, a few bailed on college. Two died of liver failure. Lots of other bits of ugliness. One thirteen year old tried to go to Dragon Con without telling her parents. Maybe they would have had crappy lives without the game, but these were all young people who's game addiction seemed to have impacted their lives.

Same thing happens with WoW, Call of Duty, Starcraft, Minecraft, Second Life, crack, heroin, porn, booze, McDonald's, Farmville, etc.

In none of those cases is it the fault of anything other than the so-called victim. I'm guessing you're not making the claim that it is, but just in case...yeah.

[Jace Solo]

Same thing happens with WoW, Call of Duty, Starcraft, Minecraft, Second Life, crack, heroin, porn, booze, McDonald's, Farmville, etc.

In none of those cases is it the fault of anything other than the so-called victim. I'm guessing you're not making the claim that it is, but just in case...yeah.

I agree. Our society/world sucks because you can always point the finger at someone else instead of accepting responsibility for your own actions...and completely justify it to yourself.

[Ker_Thwap]

Same thing happens with WoW, Call of Duty, Starcraft, Minecraft, Second Life, crack, heroin, porn, booze, McDonald's, Farmville, etc.

In none of those cases is it the fault of anything other than the so-called victim. I'm guessing you're not making the claim that it is, but just in case...yeah.

Agreed, I generally steered my kids away from addictive activities... except for heroin, that stuff is like candy. I have no real pity for adult victims of addiction, because I'm cold like that. Teaching your kids to socialize with other humans in real life and how to keep any fun activity from being addictive is just parenting 101.

Age nine, let them get a Neopets account, get an account yourself, know their password, set a timer, set the permissions page to make sure they can't chat/echange mail with strangers, walk in on them frequently and try to figure out how they're trying to game you (because they will.) If they close a window every time you enter the room, take away the power cord to the PC for a week/month/six months.

[SHAFT]

I say you get him a regular Nintendo and Ghost & Goblins. It'll take him YEARS before he finishes it. By that time he'll be ready for GS and he'll have some experience with knights and goblins and shit.

Problem solved.

[Kaig]

I started playing GS when I was 15 or 16. My Aunt and Uncle lived in Maine and would kidnap me from NY in the summer. She was an avid player, and pretty well known so I understand it, but it was a hell of an addiction for her. Binders and binders of maps and info...

Anyway, I started playing after becoming absorbed in all the materials she had accumulated. I was already an avid reader of McCaffery and Lord of the Rings and pretty much anything I could find fantasy based, so it was very easy for me to jump into a fantasy world in which I essentially could 'write' my own story... and what do you know... I'm still here.

I was never limited to what I could do in GS either (my Aunt is not a believer in censorship), but then there was no Lnet back then either. I can say this though, GS was great at focusing my creative side. The downside was that I would make a buch of friends (and GS girlfriends) and then disappear because I was only able to play during the summer when I was there. We didn't even have internet at my home as a kid. Hell we didn't have cable. When I would come back the next summer, I rolled up a new character.

I don't think I started consistantly playing until after high school. It seriously consumed me when I wasn't playing though... I would write stories, and ideas of who and what kind of character I wanted to make... digressing, it can be pretty addictive, but I think it is a good addiction for people who are creative and like/love fantasy and roleplaying in general.

If I had a kid and they expressed no interest in fantasy-like stories or things, I would not likely introduce them to GS, at least not before Lord of the Rings, and Pern, etc... On that note, if I had a kid, and it was a girl, I'd keep her away from Jeril at all costs!

[Jace Solo]

You should keep your boy away from Jeril at all cost too...

[Methais]

And yourself.

[FlayedAngel]

I say you get him a regular Nintendo and Ghost & Goblins. It'll take him YEARS before he finishes it. By that time he'll be ready for GS and he'll have some experience with knights and goblins and shit.

Problem solved.
I'm going to go ahead and second that. G&G is like, Nintendo hard.

[Josibria]

I don't know...Contra was a bitch man. I mean it's not fantasy but that's Nintendo hard mode.

[Sile]

I don't know...Contra was a bitch man. I mean it's not fantasy but that's Nintendo hard mode.

Nah i could do Contra on one life... now Faxanadu I don't think I ever finished it.

[Suppressed Poet]

The original metroid took me forever to beat, and that was without the Justin Bailey cheat.

[Josibria]

Metroid was a hard one. Mega Man 2 for the NES was such a pain in the ass. Since there was no save you had to beat all the bosses and get to the end in one play through. I don't remember if there was a code system for games, but I remember getting my ass kicked a lot in that game.

That and Castlevania...

[Suppressed Poet]

I never beat castle vania 1. I did beat, and love, Simons Quest though.

[FlayedAngel]

Oh man, I have such mad nostalgia right now.

[Lulfas]

Metroid was a hard one. Mega Man 2 for the NES was such a pain in the ass. Since there was no save you had to beat all the bosses and get to the end in one play through. I don't remember if there was a code system for games, but I remember getting my ass kicked a lot in that game.

I worked for a company that remade it as a Plug into the TV, was working QA at the time. Played that game 40 hours a week for almost 2 months. I got to the point I could beat it in 34 minutes :D

[SHAFT]

Metroid was a hard one. Mega Man 2 for the NES was such a pain in the ass. Since there was no save you had to beat all the bosses and get to the end in one play through. I don't remember if there was a code system for games, but I remember getting my ass kicked a lot in that game.

That and Castlevania...

Megaman 2 and 3 are such badass games! 2 was harder than 3 though.

I never did beat the original Megaman. I think that's the only one I didn't beat on the NES....

[Latrinsorm]

Mega Man 2 had a password system, it just didn't have as catchy a password theme song as Mega Man 3.

[SHAFT]

Megaman 3 was so easy at the end. All you had to do was one top spin attack on wiley and that was it. wtf

[Sile]

Hardest games I remember were Silver Surfer, Battle Toads, and TMNT, I think I only finished Battle Toads.

[Methais]

Metroid was a hard one. Mega Man 2 for the NES was such a pain in the ass. Since there was no save you had to beat all the bosses and get to the end in one play through. I don't remember if there was a code system for games, but I remember getting my ass kicked a lot in that game.

That and Castlevania...

Mega Man 2 to me was way easier than 1 or 3. 3 was pretty brutal.

[Kaig]

Oh man Battletoads was hard for sure, especially if you didn't use the warps. Not to mention if you were going it co-op, it was realy easy to oust your pal and for him to oust you! TMNT was pretty difficult too... I still have nightmares about the damn electric seaweed in the dam. Then I always seem to get the damn music from that area stuck in my head for a week or so... Good times!

[Methais]

Then I always seem to get the damn music from that area stuck in my head for a week or so... Good times!

Find this and post it.

[Kaig]

http://youtu.be/DqfRus5ePmI

Here you go.

[Methais]

http://youtu.be/DqfRus5ePmI

Here you go.

At least it's not this. This has been stuck in my head for over 20 years:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C2ZIdtyps5E


EDIT:
Rep:
um photoshopped, there are 4 rafaels, check out the source material somtime from the childrens cartoon that the comics where based off of

That's how they made the box originally, it's not shopped. Why they gave them all red headbands, I don't know other than they were stupid.

[Kaig]

Yeah that one gets in my head a lot too!

[Methais]

This one's just as bad:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZbDf3BL-IPc

[Kaig]

Ha, thankfully I've never gotten that one stuck in my head

[Josibria]

TMNT wasn't to hard, at least as far as I can remember. My older brother and I played the hell out of it though. I think to the point where beating it became almost second nature.

Though Battletoads was a bitch. Especially this one area where you had to ride on like a motorcycle thing. It was so stupidly hard...

[Androidpk]

I had a lot of fun with Ninja Gaiden 1 and 2.

[subzero]

Though Battletoads was a bitch. Especially this one area where you had to ride on like a motorcycle thing. It was so stupidly hard...

Battletoads was the shit. The motorcycle level definitely took some practice, but when I discovered that portal, it was all over.

[Kaig]

I never had any issue at all with the hovering motorcycle level, portal or no... speaking of which... now I have that level's music stuck in my head...

[Suppressed Poet]

Hardest game for me was Double Dragon III. Even with Game Genie, I could never finish it.