Welcome to Coffee Talk! Let’s start off the day by discussing whatever is on your (nerd chic) mind. Every morning I’ll kick off a discussion and I’m counting on you to participate in it. If you’re not feelin’ my topic, feel free to start a chat with your fellow readers and see where it takes you. Whether you’re talking about videogames, Tebow vs. Taker at WrestleMania, Lindsay Lohan’s leaked Playboy pictures, or Amir Khan getting jobbed in DC, Coffee Talk is the place to do it.
Yesterday I was talking to one of my NY friends and he said something along the lines of, “Man, I’m psyched that it’s winter. Now I can just dive into my games!” The concept of being a seasonal gamer is foreign to me. I’ve been living in California for most of the last 11 years and I’ve forgotten what it’s like to have four seasons of different weather. (That one year I spent in Thailand didn’t help either.) I’ve been getting paid to write about games for 15 years and it’s not like I was ever in a position to say, “Yeah, no. I’m not playing games this summer because it’s gorgeous outside.”
Thankfully I have real people like you to let me know how real people game! Do your gaming habits change with the seasons? I know that some of you have kids. Do you play games less in the summer so that you can spend more time with your children? Is winter the time to snuggle up with a good game? Or is it all about football for you? Please leave a comment and let me know if you’re a seasonal gamer.
That's funny because I tend to play more games when the weather is crappy, however, that doesn't mean I'm a seasonal gamer. I play year around. I haven't really been on Xbox since we moved recently but once we get our own spot it's on.
What about LOOOOOOOVE
I have a job interview this Wednesday at a construction company to be their project manager. I need a job and I hope this works out.
best of luck, Mr Blak
Thank you my good sir!
I tend to play more in the winter time but other than that I'm a gamer all year around.
It depends. During winter I hardly play on the weekends due to football. December I'll play more once the college season is over.
During the summer I game quite often since it gets too hot. I tend to go fishing or work out really early so the midday heat doesn't impede those activities. Since I'm not working in public accounting this coming tax season my gaming will increase this Mardi Gras and spring.
Lohan might be shopped but I'd still take a ride.
Question:
Do you prefer to have the Xmas loot be a surprise or need to know all of the details?
I ask because I saw a good bit of my gifts the other day. I know which 3DS I'm getting, Star Wars Lego set, games, and computer case. I am ok knowing what I'm getting but I think I'd prefer the details to be unknown. Hopefully there's a secret gift somewhere to satiate this. If not I'll still be very thankful.
The only reason I'd like to know is to avoid getting double gifts because then it's like who do I tell if they can return it because I got it from someone else already.
I'd rather not know but like you said a gift is a gift and I'd be thankful as well.
I have to literally hide things from my wife because she has no patience. If it were up to her, we'd unwrap everything RIGHT THIS SECOND!!!
This is an excellent question.
Growing up, My brother and I would spend hours and hours shaking gifts and trying to find out what the gifts under the tree were. We were always coming up with ways to try to con my mom into letting us open stuff early. She wouldn't budge… ever. My dad, we didn't even try because as soon as he saw the con and would throw a better con back at us. He'd be like "Well, go rake and bag all the leaves in the backyard and we'll talk about it." So we would. We'd come back in and he'd be like "Good, now we'll TALK about opening a present… no. No you can't open a present."
So, in adulthood, my theory was that I'd be thankful anytime, anywhere, for any hospitality what-so-ever and this still pretty much holds.
But, last year at this time I was doing pretty well. I hooked my kids up better than I ever had before. My sister in law was struggling to get things for her 2 kids, so I bankrolled their Christmas and told my in laws "Don't worry about paying me back, Merry Christmas" (because when I can, that's how I roll).
My wife and kids got me the new 360 and a new 40 inch HDTV. My thought was "since I'm essentially paying for it, I should get it now. Besides, how are you gonna fit that TV under the tree?" To the point where I only had one gift on Christmas that year.
That's when I realized that I really don't care and I'd rather give to people than receive. This year, hasn't been as kind to me. I spent all my money on my kids and was still able to squeeze out 2 books for my wife. I don't think I'm getting anything this year, and that is the least of my worries. Even to the point that my sister in law that I hooked up last year is better off this year, could help, hasn't… and I don't really care. I'm not in it for me anymore.
So, all that said, to answer your question, Surprises are awesome, hospitality is more awesome. Combine them, and you get super awesome.
I found out that I am going to be getting a Kindle Fire the other day, so I am in somewhat of a similar situation. I usually like things to be a surprise, for me and for other people. My wife always likes to know ahead of time what she is getting, but this is really only the second time I have known for sure what I am getting before I get it. I am excited to know that I am getting the Kindle Fire, but then it just makes me want it now instead of waiting. My impatience is one reason I would rather not know. Ever since I found out I have been looking through books that I want, just like I did with the iOS app store when I knew i was getting my ipod touch a couple years back.
I guess my answer is, I prefer things being a surprise, but that is also because when I want something i get impatient for it.
Kindle Fire Pro Tip: Apps, games, movies, music, etc. on the Fire are all better when you buy them on a PC…after clicking from this site. Research shows that it leads to four to seven percent more enjoyment.
:P
I just found and downloaded warcraft 2. I'm gassed!
Videogame Gold Box deals all day at Amazon. Assassin's Creed Revelation is the all-day deal. http://goo.gl/Icjlb
I feel like the release schedule dictates my gaming habits far more than the seasons do…..which does tend to mean that I don't play a lot of new AAA releases over the summer….
The winter season/colder times have in the past been a time of more video game playing, but in the past that has been due to outside circumstances rather than the actual seasons. In high school I worked all summer, had track and field during the spring, and cross country during the winter. So then after cross country ended and before track started was when I had a lot more free time to play. In college it didn't really matter as much, but the three weeks off during winter and between semesters (also with a very slow start to spring semester) gave me a lot more time for playing during winter.