My Gamer History

Here is a little introduction to my gamer history - from my view of being in this cult group. This post lists my video gaming levels, from Noob to Pro to Old-School. In other words... from a little girl with the Atari, to a PC hard-core gamer, and now to a casual multi-console lover: what I have played and want to play.
Noob
For me, the groups began early. I would spot my mom points in Atari. My sister and I actually wore out controllers. Mario and Tetris later ruled the scene. Then, we finished our friends in basements with the still popular franchise, Mortal Combat.


Pro
Then my husband introduced me to Blizzard (sounds of angels singing). My husband played online, but the best groups were when we had LAN (Local Area Network) parties. 6+ geeks packed up their computers. By god the monitors were heavy. Noone used a laptop to game. They didn't have the video acceleration, the fabulous speakers, or the power. We separated, a couple of people per room. Hooking up (literally wires and hubs), upgrading versions, patches, pizza, and LOTS of caffeine. Best game: Starcraft. Although we dabbled with any Real Time Strategy (RTS) we could get our hands on.

Once a month, we headed to Gammathon, the Greater Albuquerque Massively Multiplayer Alliance (GAMMA). Now extinct, we hooked our computers up with large groups of geeks in tournament competitions for prizes. RTS, First-Person Shooters (FPS), and lots of music trading. Again, pizza and soda accompaniment. We had small LANS still with our friends.

I could now afford DSL (first) and later Cable (there go those damn angels again). We turned more online: Diablo 2, random Role-Playing Games (RPGs) like Darkstone. Then the game that is TOO good: World of Warcraft (WOW).

After 2 years of hard-core gaming in WOW, my hubby and I decided we needed to focus on Real Life (RL). The game became a job. This was compounded by being officers in the guild, and I, the the main force of our guild website. We quit right as the expansion was coming out (*sniff *sniff).

Old-School
Switch to more consoles. Cheap PS2, Wii, and Xbox 360. We had always had consoles, but they were something to play when the servers were down. The online interactivities in this genre are just beginning to form communities, In My Humble Opinion (IMHO).

Now, I play Culdcept Saga with my hubby. I am an evil chickie, complete with horns, in Fable 2. I have split personalities, though. I am also so good I dawn a halo. I'm a drummer in Rock Band, of course. Spore didn't hold my interest. I rent alot, looking for that next big game to pwn. Every now and again, we have a Magic: the Gathering draft. We play the basics like Scrabble and cards, too.

Don't get me wrong. There were many MANY more games mixed in all of these levels. I didn't even touch on The Sims or Podracer. Which, hands down, was the best racing game ever. Especially at Gameworks.

Coming Soon
And there are many more on the works. I want to see if Halo Wars can keep my attention after Starcraft. Can the console really pull-off the RTS so popular in PC games? Of course, Final Fantasy XIII will have me spellbound. Starcraft 2 may get me divorced.

Let's face it - the family that kills zombies together, stays together! Left 4 Dead tops my short list of next games to rent. Resident Evil 5 is out very soon. My hubby wants to travel back to time - Street Fighter 4. Angry about the dishes? Screw couples counseling...a few punches in a fighting game really does make it all better :)

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Gamer Defined

What is a gamer? I like The Official Scrabble Players Dictionary definition the best:

Gamer: (ˈgā-mər) n - an avid game player.

And....that's us.
This word brings different pics to mind. It may be a pimple-faced geek, dressed with a cardboard sword as he plays D&D. Or is it the nerd on the computer in a dark basement, surrounded by soda cans and pizzas? Maybe guys clicking controller buttons as they yell at their 152 inch TV, and set on their Goodwill sofa pop into your brain. Let me expand your definition.

Me?
a thirtysomething gamer. a girl. a college student (again and forever). a former WOW addict. I play Scrabble for death. I've won the last 4 Magic: the Gathering drafts my hubby and I have played. Oh, yeah, wife...I'm a wife. I pay my bills. I attend the family gatherings, but as I talk to you about the weather... I'm really thinking about a Battle-End Combo for Culdcept Saga.

You!
U pwn the little nooblets. You played games before they were born. You ate dots with circles. Your modems spoke crrrrshhhhhhharrrrrrrrrrr. Your internet had wires.

So this blog will give u gamer information. I'll post the rules for my favorite playing card game - Rummy 5000. I'll tell you how to play a draft. I'll tell you about the newest game, the one that didn't have commercials. It is SO SO fun, and usually CHEAP CHEAP. We will explore consoles, PCs, and table games. I'll show you my favorite geeky stores and geeky shows.

Join me old friends.
Grab some time every day.
Remember your Atari.
Dust off the games
and Let's Play.

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