Author Topic: Gotta Start'em Off Young! (Read 5706 times)

BrentRadio · « **on:** July 20, 2007, 04:39:36 am »

I love seeing the young'uns playing the classics. They went through about $100 in quarters over 3 hours. Of course, the adults were using the quarters in the Coke machine, as that's where the beer was, so the kids didn't use all of them...

Brent

patrickl · « **Reply #1 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:01:43 am »

Yeah it's great watching kids going through their emotions playing the classic games:

Havok · « **Reply #2 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:24:19 am »

Nice gameroom - I think that cocktail is a standup as far as the kids go!

CheffoJeffo · « **Reply #3 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:39:12 am »

Nice! (and nice gameroom)

A few weeks back, we had my son's first grade class over for an end-of-year party and some (all) of them found their way down to the basement. Was fun to watch, particularly as most of the kids are new to the country and had never seen anything like a full-size vid or pinball.

Here is a shot from last weekend at the cottage (only have a MAME box there) -- my sister-in-law took the picture remarking on how similar my youngest son was to his father (presumably due to the beverage on the table).

leapinlew · « **Reply #4 on:** July 20, 2007, 08:25:47 am »

Quote from: patrickl on July 20, 2007, 07:01:43 am

Yeah it's great watching kids going through their emotions playing the classic games:

Thats awesome...

eccs19 · « **Reply #5 on:** July 20, 2007, 09:03:59 am »

I thought all your games were in the kitchen.

Quote from: CheffoJeffo on July 20, 2007, 07:39:12 am

Nice! (and nice gameroom)

A few weeks back, we had my son's first grade class over for an end-of-year party and some (all) of them found their way down to the basement. Was fun to watch, particularly as most of the kids are new to the country and had never seen anything like a full-size vid or pinball.

Here is a shot from last weekend at the cottage (only have a MAME box there) -- my sister-in-law took the picture remarking on how similar my youngest son was to his father (presumably due to the beverage on the table).

Malenko · « **Reply #6 on:** July 20, 2007, 10:18:38 am »

BrentRadio: Its awesome you let them run a muck in there ! I think the kid playing Donkey Kong shoulda let the little girl use the stool though, lol.

Patrickl: thats soooooo me circa 1983

I have a shot of 2 of my nephews enjoying a rousing battle of the 12 year old classic, Ultimate Mortal Kombat 3

More Cowbell · « **Reply #7 on:** July 20, 2007, 10:29:08 am »

There's nothing better than seeing your kids (or any kids for that matter) enjoying the classics that we loved in our youth. Check out the little toes in this pic, cracks me up.

Stobe · « **Reply #8 on:** July 20, 2007, 10:37:30 am »

Nothing says Christmas morning like a good game of Frogger!

shardian · « **Reply #9 on:** July 20, 2007, 11:28:28 am »

Quote from: BrentRadio on July 20, 2007, 04:39:36 am

They went through about $100 in quarters over 3 hours. Of course, the adults were using the quarters in the Coke machine, as that's where the beer was, so the kids didn't use all of them...

I'm going to assume you meant tokens. Charging your buddies is not cool.

SavannahLion · « **Reply #10 on:** July 20, 2007, 12:13:44 pm »

Quote from: shardian on July 20, 2007, 11:28:28 am

Quote from: BrentRadio on July 20, 2007, 04:39:36 am
They went through about $100 in quarters over 3 hours. Of course, the adults were using the quarters in the Coke machine, as that's where the beer was, so the kids didn't use all of them...
I'm going to assume you meant tokens. Charging your buddies is not cool.

Gotta have some way to pay for the electricity.

RayB · « **Reply #11 on:** July 20, 2007, 12:20:16 pm »

Patrick, you're a photographer right? (photos are just so well lit and framed)

Anyways, those two photos are just begging to be turned into an animated GIF avatar.

Chris G · « **Reply #12 on:** July 20, 2007, 12:42:04 pm »

Great game room Brent - very inspiring!

bleargh · « **Reply #13 on:** July 20, 2007, 12:46:56 pm »

Priceless... kids and videogames... Yay!

ChadTower · « **Reply #14 on:** July 20, 2007, 01:26:38 pm »

Quote from: More Cowbell on July 20, 2007, 10:29:08 am

There's nothing better than seeing your kids (or any kids for that matter) enjoying the classics that we loved in our youth. Check out the little toes in this pic, cracks me up.

Are you sure she's not laying salmon eggs or something?

BrentRadio · « **Reply #15 on:** July 20, 2007, 03:40:27 pm »

I have all of my games and the Coke machine setup for quarters. Gotta have that real arcade feel.

I wish I could get my friends to pay for the beers. It's only a quarter, but they still use mine!

Keep those pics coming! Classic!

Brent

patrickl · « **Reply #16 on:** July 20, 2007, 05:37:40 pm »

Quote from: RayB on July 20, 2007, 12:20:16 pm

Patrick, you're a photographer right? (photos are just so well lit and framed)

Anyways, those two photos are just begging to be turned into an animated GIF avatar.

Heh thanks. People ask me to take pictures of them (weddings, portraits and stuff), but I don't actually (want to) get paid for it. So I guess I'm a photographer with a badly running business

BTW a separate wireless flash unit works wonders for lighting indoor shots.

There were lots more looks actually (sadness, anguish, concentration) It's really amazing what effect a game (he was playing Donkey Kong) has on kids. Even if it meant butchering my Galaga CP into a generic panel $:-\$

I can so relate to More Cowbell's picture. Kids completely forget how uncomfortable they are sitting in their
"concentrated trance". Until they stop playing and try to get up and their legs don't work

Kevin Mullins · « **Reply #17 on:** July 20, 2007, 07:25:31 pm »

Well, my oldest three kids are all in their "teens" .... 15, 16, 17 1/2 ..... so they tend to be in their own little worlds most of the time.

But when we have company over their kids are all younger, 3 - 10 , and they all seem to have a blast and ask frequently to turn the games on for them. Always a happy time when the little ones want to play.

But there is still hope for one of mine.
I'll have to start her of slow, only 10 months old.
First, introduction to the jukebox. "Let the training begin".

Yes, we were rockin' out..... can't ya tell by the hair-do I gave her.
(forgive me for the crappy indoor cell-phone pic)

BrentRadio · « **Reply #18 on:** July 20, 2007, 08:02:38 pm »

Hey Kevin,

that pic is too funny. Looks like the hair is being blown back by the loud music coming from the juke!

Great!

Kevin Mullins · « **Reply #19 on:** July 20, 2007, 09:19:43 pm »

Thanks.
Yeah, I wish the quality of the pic was better.
But I was in a hurry to catch the moment so I whipped out my phone.

I caught video of her sitting in front of it clappin' and dancin' to the music also.
Gotta get the good camera out and keep it handy.
Fun stuff.

Jammin' Baby

DrumAnBass · « **Reply #20 on:** July 21, 2007, 02:17:53 pm »

Ok - can't resist posting a pic or two of mine:

tophatne1 · « **Reply #21 on:** July 22, 2007, 01:55:28 pm »

I took my 3 yr old (almost 4) to Seaside Heights in NJ. They have the largest classic game room on Long beach Island. Lots of great games. He was all about Centipede, Ms. Pac-Man, and Robotron.If you look close you can see his crazy face while franticly trying to survive on Robotron.

They also had a Hercules giant pinball machine which I had never seen before! I included a picture of the boy playing it.

shardian · « **Reply #22 on:** July 23, 2007, 10:46:11 am »

My little girl is almost 6 months, and she loves watching me play on the desktop pc. I hold her with one arm, and play trackball/spinner games on the mouse with the other. She apparently is fond of Arkanoid.

SavannahLion · « **Reply #23 on:** July 23, 2007, 06:41:23 pm »

Quote from: Kevin Mullins on July 20, 2007, 07:25:31 pm

But there is still hope for one of mine.
I'll have to start her of slow, only 10 months old.
First, introduction to the jukebox. "Let the training begin".

I'm not bothering to wait until mine is out of the womb. I've been telling him what moves I need to get through God Hand. We went in for a 3D sonogram yesterday and he had his arms and hands up in a boxers stance, so he's learning.

Too bad we couldn't get the photos we wanted, he already slipped into the pelvic area. $:-\$

AMDman13 · « **Reply #24 on:** July 23, 2007, 11:52:39 pm »

Dug around for a few pics... I can't believe I don't have many pictures. The little ones are always playing it.

I have 4 children!

BTW the beer is Dads!

vidmouse · « **Reply #25 on:** July 24, 2007, 08:44:45 am »

I'm missing one where they're on the actual cab.
This is the first one I took when they were on the
prototype (which later became the stool they stand
on to reach the real cab's controls)

Now if I can only teach my son the difference
between smart bombs and regular fire... but
he likes explosions way too much.

shardian · « **Reply #26 on:** July 24, 2007, 09:26:32 am »

Quote from: vidmouse on July 24, 2007, 08:44:45 am

Now if I can only teach my son the difference
between smart bombs and regular fire... but
he likes explosions way too much.

And I bet the girl will only use regular fire sparsly - for fear of wasting ammo.

BrentRadio · « **Reply #27 on:** July 24, 2007, 03:34:53 pm »

Who doesn't like smart bombs!

vintagegamer · « **Reply #28 on:** July 24, 2007, 04:06:02 pm »

My 10-yr old niece is now infected, and plays the Ms Pac and Asteroids in the garage, along with the Sorcerer pin- I brought home 2 more last week and they had a tarp over them on the truck.. she wanted to know when they were getting hooked up so she could play...

"There Is Another" - Yoda, Return of the Jedi

VG

unclet · « **Reply #29 on:** July 24, 2007, 04:25:52 pm »

They loved "Crazy Taxi"

javeryh · « **Reply #30 on:** July 24, 2007, 06:32:05 pm »

So how old are your kids when they start playing or at least understanding the concept? My daughter is 2 year and 9 months and she still doesn't understand that the joystick controls the action on the screen (nevermind actually explaining the rules to her). I keep thinking it will click soon but I'm getting impatient!

DrumAnBass · « **Reply #31 on:** July 24, 2007, 07:27:13 pm »

Yah javery I am in the same boat - my twins are about the same age - 2 yrs 6 mos - and still have yet to grasp the concept that they can actually control what they see on screen. Hoping they figure it out soon too...!

Quote from: javeryh on July 24, 2007, 06:32:05 pm

So how old are your kids when they start playing or at least understanding the concept? My daughter is 2 year and 9 months and she still doesn't understand that the joystick controls the action on the screen (nevermind actually explaining the rules to her). I keep thinking it will click soon but I'm getting impatient!

patrickl · « **Reply #32 on:** July 24, 2007, 07:55:23 pm »

I bought my kid a baby keyboard for his first birthday. He could sort of play with that then (banging the keys at random), but half a year later he really got the idea (it had color buttons that would make colored shapes appear on screen and pictures of instruments that would play the instrument etc)

We were playing Galag together when he was 3 (him steering and me firing) He's now 4 years old and he can play games alone now. He gets the idea of playing games, but most games simply are too difficult for him to play. He dies too quickly and then gets discouraged to play on.

It's easier with the Wii. Mostly because the games are easier to play (especially the Wii play ones).

unclet · « **Reply #33 on:** July 24, 2007, 08:43:56 pm »

My kids got the concept when they were 5, but did not play much at all since they could not win anything. Is was just to hard to play. When they were about 6, then they were playing no problem (ie: getting past first level of Galaga, two screens of PacMan, stuff like that....)

They are now older and play each other in Vs. Atari Baseball ..... which they love.

vidmouse · « **Reply #34 on:** July 25, 2007, 01:27:38 am »

I didn't start building my cab until my son was already 3 and my daughter 1.
We played a few games via gamepad not too much before that.
Pretty much echo the others' comments... by the time my son was 4
he can play TMNT on his own and get fairly far. My daughter
just likes to mash buttons and do everything her brother does.

Looking forward to when they're about 4 and 6...

Better get working on those P3 and P4 control add-ons by then...

missioncontrol · « **Reply #35 on:** July 25, 2007, 09:41:32 am »

bleargh · « **Reply #36 on:** July 25, 2007, 10:44:47 am »

Quote from: javeryh on July 24, 2007, 06:32:05 pm

So how old are your kids when they start playing or at least understanding the concept? My daughter is 2 year and 9 months and she still doesn't understand that the joystick controls the action on the screen (nevermind actually explaining the rules to her). I keep thinking it will click soon but I'm getting impatient!

My oldest son was just over 2 when he first saw us playing video games (console mind you) and didn't quite get the concept. He's now 3 and a half and plays just fine on his own. Heck... when playing "Dragon Cave" (Dragon's Lair) there are rooms I leave up to him as he's better at them than I am.


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