18 Oct
How do I get my grandpa into videogames?
Chris asked:
He cant drive because he is diabetic and my grandma takes the car and goes out all day doing stuff so he is bored at the house, he watches cnn all the time and he has told me “thats the 7th time Iv seen that today”
He cant drive because he is diabetic and my grandma takes the car and goes out all day doing stuff so he is bored at the house, he watches cnn all the time and he has told me “thats the 7th time Iv seen that today”
I want to get him into videogames on his new dell laptop, preferrably Oblivion.
Pedro
Dean
you should find games that he may be interested in such as if he likes animals get him one of those games that you take care of a dog. it may seem little kiddish but they explain in simple words and basic things so then he’ll get more interested if he understands it.
October 21st, 2009 at 6:22 pmAlso maybe get him a wii because a lot of senior centers have them and he might like it.
Carla
That is not really the best thing for an older person to be doing, I would recomend geting him out into the garden, seriously unless he has an intrest don’t push it, show it to him and then let him make the decission on his own.
October 24th, 2009 at 7:25 amHarry
Older people have their own interests and they are usually very stubborn and not willing to learn new things.
October 26th, 2009 at 2:58 pmMelissa
Here’s the thing about old people and video games:
October 27th, 2009 at 3:54 am1. You have to make sure they’re interested first. This can be pretty easy, as old people love to see the wonders of modern technology, but sometimes they just aren’t interested.
2. You’re gonna want to bring in the Wii. Retirement homes use Wiis and Wii Sports for excersise. The ability to play sports with very little strain is a big hook.
3. Wii Sports is a great starting point, but at the same time, it can become a big barrier. Most non-gaming adults play Wii Sports, but that’s the only thing they’ll play. If you want him to get into light gaming, try quirky games, like Carnival Games, Wii Play, and Warioware. Actual gaming, like Mario, Oblivion, and other mainstream titles are usually not going to pick up an older person’s interest because either:
A: It’s too inaccessible to old people to pick up. Mario might be easier, but the problems with puzzle solving take a certain kind of thinking you’ve learned from playing video games for a long time. RPGs like Oblivion would be too complicated because they can’t keep track of all the stuff like stats, equipment, weaponry, etc. It’s too complicated. And an FPS wouldn’t work, even ones they can relate to like Medal of Honor (assuming they’ve been in a war) because the controls are just too complicated.
B: They won’t want to try it. Video games get a lot of bad rep in the media, and even though it’s false, parents and grand parents don’t want to try them just because of what they hear. Wii Sports is one thing, because games like that are supposed to be family friendly, and Nintendo’s new target audience is your Mom, Grandma, and 7-year-old sister.
C: They’ll try it and won’t like it. Oblivion is a violent fantasy RPG. It just won’t peak their interest. Different generations are used to and like different things. Just imagine:
You and your grandfather watch the movie Toy Story. It’s a heartwarming family comedy from Disney and you both enjoy it.
Later, the two of you watch the movie Wanted, which is very bloody and violent. You love it, because this is your kind of thing, but it’s just repulsive to him.
It’s the same idea here. In gaming, the quirky Wii titles that aren’t real games are the equivalent of a Disney movie. Fun for the whole family, and everyone will probably like it.
But RPGs are like Wanted. They’re violent, complicated, and there are lots of people who won’t like them.
Overall, you may just want to figure out some other way to help your Grandpa overcome boredom, via some kind of hobby.