2008 couldn't have started much better

[wideawakewesley]

Tonight (1/1/08) was one of those perfect nights and I'm hoping, the start of great things to come, because tonight, I watched the best film of 2007 (The Man From Earth) and got my wife back into gaming!

Now just to clarify, my wife hasn't gamed since we owned a PSOne back in 2000, when she used it to stop herself going mad finishing her masters degree in a town where the only person she knew was me and I was out at work all day. Back then the only games she would play were puzzle games and 3d platformers (Crash Bandicoot and Rayman primarily).

When I got a Wii back on release day in 2006, one of my greatest hopes was that Wii Sports would be the game to pull her back in, but to no avail. Her lack of a single sporty bone in her body meant that even the wiimote gimmick did nothing for her. My disappointment was resounding, but I still clung to hope. Fast forward to tonight, when I loaded up one of my Christmas presents, Super Mario Galaxy.

I will gladly buy a pint for every single person responsible for developing that game, but specifically the guy who dreamt up the co-op part. Initially my wife was bored and felt uninvolved, but as we progressed through the game, she became more and more enraptured with the game and the fact that we were doing something I enjoy together. In fact we were both really happy. No longer would our only shared pasttime be TV or movies, now we could game together!

I know, in all likelihood, this is the only game that we'll play together as I doubt there are any developers out there that will go to the lengths Nintendo do, but for now, we're both delighted.

Wes

p.s. Alex, apart from one shot of pixellated flowers at the start of the game, SMG looks gorgeous. You definitely need new glasses!

[siraim]

That's Rad Wes.. way to get your wife back into gaming. And I echo your sentiments on the start to 2008.. In a week, I've gone from BahHumbug to "Best Holiday Season Ever"!

[frankiethewaffle]

I am sure I would love galaxy. I like that game play and that guarantees a happy Nintendo experience. There is just too much doubt about where Nintendo actually went with it. I should just bite it and buy the game.

For my 2008, the first thing I did was get electrocuted. I guess Galaxy has to be better than that.

[skin87]

I had a pretty rad start to the year as well. Due to the facts that I drank enough last year for two new year's eves (facebook pictures of the night still haunt me), and that I had to be up at 7 this morning for work, I decided to spend new years at home. I picked up Mass Effect at 11 (I'm behind, I just started it this week) and I ended up playing right up until I had to work. Work was pretty brutal on no sleep, but it was worth it. Sounds loserish, but I actually remember what I did this year and it didn't involve vomiting. I also just got a second wind for some reason, so I've been up for 36 hours now and almost all of those outside of work have been some overdue personal time.

[siraim]

I had a pretty rad start to the year as well. Due to the facts that I drank enough last year for two new year's eves (facebook pictures of the night still haunt me), and that I had to be up at 7 this morning for work, I decided to spend new years at home. I picked up Mass Effect at 11 (I'm behind, I just started it this week) and I ended up playing right up until I had to work. Work was pretty brutal on no sleep, but it was worth it. Sounds loserish, but I actually remember what I did this year and it didn't involve vomiting. I also just got a second wind for some reason, so I've been up for 36 hours now and almost all of those outside of work have been some overdue personal time.

congrats on not drinking for new years... remembering the first morning of a year is a good way to start. =) and how are you liking mass effect?

[fashiondr]

Congrats Wes!

I'm pleased to report that after years of trying, I've finally got my wife to game with me as well. I got rock band for xmas which she was vaguely interested in trying, but from the first time she started hitting those drums she was unstoppable. I even got up the other morning to find her already up and practicing 'Go with the flow' on hard mode trying to nail 100%!

It brought a tear to my eye...

[heyseuss]

No longer would our only shared pasttime be TV or movies, now we could game together!


Congrats on that evening Wes. My first console was ps1 bought by the girlfriend at the time, and she happily played Sonic on her own time. We also played Tekken3 against each other, but whenever I beat her she would wrestle me in real life and then we'd end up having sex in the living room to crazy Tekken music in the background. Speaking of which, I'm sure TV, movies and gaming aren't your ONLY shared pasttime. ;)

[skin87]

congrats on not drinking for new years... remembering the first morning of a year is a good way to start. =) and how are you liking mass effect?

I think the main story is too short, the overall story is a bit generic, and the combat is decent enough. But even though I know the game makes you think you have more control than you actually do, but I really got into the story. I've been reading all the codex stuff, been trying to stay true to my character, and I seriously agonized over the one really tough choice you have to make. It coulda been better, but I still love it.

[serenity]

Grats Wes! Maybe I should buy a Wii. If SMG grabbed her, it may get my boyfriend into playing a game again. :D

I'm glad 2008 started off well for you. <3

[moneytime]

Yeah, congrats, Wes! That was the best tale I've heard this year! lol!
That is until I read the one from Heyseuss! haha!
You're both lucky bastards! I've never dated a girl that wanted to get near any kind of game console.
I know they're out there...like rare diamonds hidden in the rocks.
(sigh) Time and patience. :D

[andyaldrich]

I don't think it's too hard to get girls into gaming, you've just got to choose the right games to play when they're around. Colourful games with not too much violence are a good way to start, unless your girlfriend is really into being scared, in which case get her around, turn down the lights and play FEAR/Doom3 in surround sound.

A real challenge is trying to coax a vegetarian girlfriend to get back into meat. No dirty jokes please. My girlfriend really likes pizza (who doesn't?) but that means that we have to have at least one vegetarian-friendly pizza and I usually want meat on mine. I tried putting veggie mince and cut-up veggie sausage on a cheese & tomato pizza to get her back into meat but it didn't work :-( . On a side note, I've noticed that if a vegetarian leaves the fold then it's usually bacon which does the trick...but really...bacon? There are many tastier meats out there. Chickens are too culinarily versatile for their own good.

I have managed to get 2 girlfriends to play Sonic Adventure, which you can get on the GC (and play on the Wii), although by similar logic perhaps Ratchet & Clank would be enticing? I got my current lady to play a bit of portal, with the reassurance that there are no enemies, just puzzles.

[moneytime]

sound advice. Unfortunately those games filled with too much color and lack of violence tend to be boring as shit to me. :eek:
(can I say that? lol!)

J/K Nah, there are some that aren't too bad. Portal's a good example. I thought it was a lot of fun and I can see some chick getting into it.

As for the meat...
Just keep chopping it up and sneaking it into all of her "veggie" food, then when she tries something without it it won't taste right. That's when you bring in the full slab of bacon, and she'll wonder how she could have ever gone without it! haha! :D

[kickarse]

You give hope to the rest of us. A round for Wes at the next TRS live taping I say!

[wideawakewesley]

Guys, it just got better. Last night my wife asked me if I wanted to watched TV or collect more stars. Suffice to say we collected more stars, although she does wish the co-op mode was a little more involving. I think however that had more to do with the levels we were playing (that first sweet planet level is a killer!).

[siraim]

...I can see some chick getting into it....

A little helpful advice.. they don't like being called "chick" usually. :)

[wideawakewesley]

Okay, 2008 must be the year of the rapture or something because my wife stated, "so tonight we're watching How to look good naked, Big Brother celebrity hijack and then we can collect some stars". That'll be three nights in a row! Hell I rarely play on my Wii three nights in a row on my own.

Tis truly a miracle or a portent of the coming of the anti-christ.

Wes

[kickarse]

Perhaps her new years resolve was to do more thing YOU like to do, and not begrudgingly. Perhaps it'd be appropriate to do the same for her?

[wideawakewesley]

Perhaps her new years resolve was to do more thing YOU like to do, and not begrudgingly. Perhaps it'd be appropriate to do the same for her?

I offer to go down on her all the time, but she's just not interested.

;)

[heyseuss]

I offer to go down on her all the time, but she's just not interested.

;)

You're not doing it right then. The best part is giving them orgasms before you've even started. I don't think it matters now that she's more interested in playing with your Wii.

[kickarse]

Let's just hope she doesn't get TOO interested in the Wiimote!

[wideawakewesley]

Let's just hope she doesn't get TOO interested in the Wiimote!

It doesn't vibrate enough for her liking.

:p

[kickarse]

That's interesting... your member vibrates?

[siraim]

This thread took a turn.. =)

[kickarse]

The muff diver started it...