I Can List Them with the Best of 'Em!

Is there any point to discussing this phenomena?  I think that there is, but just can't seem to get my thoughts in order enough to do so.

I think somewhere it started with computer games, then someone decided to try it with boardgames, someone else said rpgs, then someone said games--of any kind.  Well, I'm going to expand the reach of mine, to not only include specific titles but more general games.  If that doesn't explain it adequately, you'll see what I mean when you look below.

Yes, you know what I am talking about: 15 Games in 15 Minutes.  Everybody and their Grandmother has done this now.  Well, now everybody and their grandmother and ME!

I'm listing these in the order that they come to me.  Theoretically, that implies some level of importance in my life, or gaming existence.  Or perhaps all that it really implies is some strange train of associations.  Let's see where it takes us, shall we?

1. AD&D - It's basically required, isn't it?
2. Risk - Almost another requirement.
3. Monopoly
4. Atari 2600: Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark - I never got into Adventure, but this one had some puzzles, some task resolution, and a bit of a plot.  I gotta say that I was damn proud the first time that I uncovered that Ark.
5. Atari 2600: Yar's Revenge - A CLASSIC!
6. Atari 2600: Demon Attack - A better and more advanced version of Space Invaders.
7. Atari 5200: Space Dungeon - Come on--a megadungeon in space!  And I never got close to completing all 99 levels.
8. Atari 5200: Dreadnaught Factor - A single fighter against massive starships bristling with weaponry.  Nice!
9. X-Wing (For PC) - This game single-handedly destroyed any chance of success at my finals first semester of my freshman year in college.
10. Axis & Allies - Wasn't introduced to it until college, but came to love it.
11. Payday, the boardgame - The thing that I remember most is its funky art, but I played a lot of it.
12. Life, the boardgame - Blue peg in a green little car.
13. Spades - Cause of many academic problems later in college.
14. Blackjack - Sit me at a table with a pile of plastic in front of me and time ceases to have meaning.
15. Pictionary - Say what you will about this one, but I've had tons of great fun with this.

After having typed that, I'm not sure how one led to the next, necessarily.  But at the very least, this little exercise has prompted all sorts of great memories.

Two Takes

So, as I commented earlier, I am going to try to get back to posting a little more often.

I wanted to start by linking to two blogs, both of whom appear on My Daily Read, who have interestingly divergent views on a third blog article from several weeks ago.  It is fairly common for people in our little niche to comment on similar things, but I don't think I've ever seen a case before where two blogs that I follow but who do NOT exist in our little niche comment on something.

So for me, that was pretty cool.

Okay, so you can read this to see what people are taking about.  Then you can go here to see what James Raggi has to say about it.  Okay, he didn't say much, but his point is pretty clear.  Then you can go here to see what Jeff Vogel (of Spiderweb Software) thought about it as well.

For me personally, I'm not sure which side I fall out on.  I think my views are closer to Vogel's.  Of course, in the case of both blogs, there is great wisdom to be found in the comments following.

After considering it for awhile, I have come to this conclusion:  Ultimately, the kids like things that are similiar to what they are familiar with--at least in terms of what they are or are not able to do in a certain situation, i.e. a kid will like computer games that generally give them the amount of personal choice and options (or more) that they are used to.  If personal choice and options are less than what they are used to, other factors in play have to be amazing enough to overcome this.