My concern regarding the age difference has also been alleviated by their different tastes. They often play racing or cartoon fighting games together, but the elder takes these games to a new level. They are his passion. The younger brother instead prefers action-adventure. These games are typically single player, and sometimes a bit difficult for him. Here the different skill levels play to his advantage. If he cannot do it, he fetches his older brother to get him past hard spots in the game. On one occasion, when I was home, I was enlisted to get them by a particularly hard mission in the Shrek videogame. Even in single-player games, it has become a bonding tool.
Martine believes that neither of her sons could be classified as addicted. While it is their favorite thing to do, her careful regulation of their time allowed ensures that time spent playing never gets out of hand. And, many times, there are simply a host of other things the boys would rather be doing.
Economically, the GameCube has had remarkably small impact on the house. Things are complicated by virtue of two children - if one gets a game the other must have one - but since its initial purchase, they have only gotten approximately two games each from their parents. That said, it has become a catch-all for family gifts. Anyone who wants to buy the boys a present seems to bring them a videogame - I might be the worst offender in this regard. As a result, they have a very healthy collection.
The addition of a console can also act as a motivating factor. One of my earliest memories is being afraid to swim under water. My father had a horrible time trying to teach me to swim, despite growing up on a river. So, one day, he combined my two favorite things. I was a huge fan of the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and I loved my Nintendo. Thus, with the promise of a shiny new video game, I learned to swim underwater in a matter of minutes.
But seldom is anything in life all positive. The hot button issue of gaming and the mass media has been how violence affects kids. I am firmly of the opinion that, in the long term, if someone goes on a rampage after playing a game, then the game can no more be blamed than The Catcher in the Rye can be for John Lennon's murder. Yet, in the short term, I do believe it can cause some smaller scale problems.
As a child, I was notorious for jumping off furniture and miming ninja kicks after watching Mighty Morphing Power Rangers. This practice eventually led to the show being banned in my house. My younger step-brothers demonstrate similar behavior. "I find if they watch too much violence they tend to take it out on each other," notes their mother. Frequently, after a particularly rousing game session, the two come clamoring into the main living room to fight in a way eerily similar to what they have just seen in game. It is play-fighting, and would happen independently of games, but the games give them something specific to imitate. Is this kids being kids or do the games inspire the violence itself, not just the form it takes? It is a tough question that requires more study.
Despite this play-fighting, the addition of a gaming console into my brothers' lives has been more positive than negative. It has improved their sharing, their relationship and given them a pastime that keeps them busy. Perhaps the positive side of games has flourished in their home because of parental involvement. The specific games played are supervised and time spent playing is not unlimited. Like most things, gaming is good in moderation. And whether or not they enjoy playing games themselves, this moderation is perhaps the most important way in which older generations can have an effect on younger players' gaming experience.
Dana "Lepidus" Massey is the Lead Content Editor for MMORPG.com and former Co-Lead Game Designer for Wish.
