Actually my step-mother thinks I'm absolutely barmy for playing adventure games. She makes it seem like I'm some kind of depressive recluse for being more interested in games than I am in the "real" world. I'm 38 (on May 14th) and she says that I'm too old and mature to be playing these games and need to get out and have a life.

She pretty much closed her mouth though when I told her about the people on here that are older than me that feel the same way.

My Dad has always enjoyed console games, he's had them all. He now has my old laptop with him in Florida so he is becoming introduced to the games I have on there from Bigfish.

I've kind of gotten a friend of mine into the Hidden Object games but she's not as obsessed with them as we all are. Just can't get her into the adventure games though. With a husband and 3 kids she just doesn't have the time to really get into an adventure game.

Chrissie, are you aware we have a UK adventure convention & regular London meetings ? Here is the link , no date for the next meet but if you go via Waterloo I can meet you there & we can go together http://www.adventureconvention.co.uk/

If you click on the Hamilton Halls link you can see some of us. I am the quiet blonde lady

Hi JennyP, I knew that a few Uk gamers met up once in a while & I was hoping to come along to the one near Liverpool Street station a couple of years ago but something cropped up. Didn't realise that it was a regularly organised event & that there was a whole website!! I'd love to come along the next time you meet up in London (if I can) so will keep an eye on the site (now in my faves!) Thank you so much for E-mailing & posting the info & link here - I would have to go via Waterloo & would love to meet you there first! N.B. I looked at the photos & saw a blonde lady - hard to tell whether she was quiet or not!

I'm in the same boat as most of you. Nobody I know plays adventure games. The closest is a couple of guys at work that play a few RPG's. We were all playing Morrowind at the same time a few years ago and that was really fun. My husband likes to tease me about playing my games but I just usually ignore him. It would be great to know someone personally who enjoyed adventure games. I thought I might be able to get my mom into them, especially with the CSI games but so far no luck. Sigh, at least I have Gameboomers.

Steph

I can relate to what so many of you are saying-that you're the only one who plays CGs. I'm in the over 60 retired crowd and none of my friends have ever heard of adv. games-they have a concept that all games are sadistic, violent, ect. and only deranged teenage boys play them.
Some my age(especially women) have nothing to do with computers at all.
So Gameboomers is my outlet to discuss games and get help & advice, which makes gaming much more enjoyable to all the wonderful, friendly folks here-what would I do without ya!
I don't play all the time-just a couple hours or so before dinner usually, so it takes me forever to finish a game, but I enjoy it because:
Keeps mind and reflexes sharper.
escape from the everyday world
imaginary adventures and environments
just plain fun

I wouldn't accuse you of being quiet Jenny!

Hope you can make the next meeting Chrissie - you live closer than some of us who go!

If only we could get someone like AOL to print up a story on how boomers are hooked on Adventure Games!!!! I have absolutely no contacts, or I would do it myself. Perhaps there are those of you who do have these contacts. We need a story of what adventure games are like. There are many boomers that are bored to death, believe me!!! I'll bet there are those of you who have contacts to turn this into a "national" story.

Teddo

I don't really care when people say that I waste my time playing adventures. I'd say that such games are great brain teasers and are a great anti stress therapy

I think the adventure/puzzle genre tends to be viewed as a more 'work intensive' or 'academic' style of game. While this is true in some cases, a lot of the adventure games I've played, and indeed some of my favorites aren't all that difficult in regards to puzzles or mental work.

I think the reason for the lack of appeal to younger audiences is simply that younger audiences are more reactive in terms of playing games.

I -do- see a slow change, or at the least, mingling of typical adventure gaming and typical action gaming. There are subtle changes creeping in to modern action games. There is a renewed emphasis on setting, on story, on exploration. Puzzles (basic ones mostly) are appearing in action games. The "Achievement" reward systems implemented in things like X-Box 360 Live, and Valve's Steam gaming service encourage players to go back to a game and explore and be thorough and to take their time.

I think we're going to see more adventure gaming in the coming years rather than the opposite. I think we'll see more adventure game elements in action and rpg games as well.

Thanks for those thoughts, Smougman.

Peter, I hope to meet up with Chrissie so we can travel part of the way together. I am a very quiet shy retiring person when I am asleep !

Good for you Jenny - have you appeared with Trinny yet by the way?

I too frequently find myself having to explain what an adventure game is, compared to a shoot N kill game, usually after I see a shocked face looking at this gray haired lady announcing that the game I'm buying is indeed for ME to play!

Peter, watch out for the prog S ( yes, I was so quiet they popped me in 2 programmes ) to be aired sometime this autumn.

I would love to join a local adventure gaming club and meet other people who share my interest, but the next best thing is Gameboomers. I do have a very dear friend who drags me to the store as soon as a new Nancy Drew is released. She stays over however many nights it takes us to finish it. We call this our "Nancy Drew sleepovers" and sometimes we get so engrossed, we forget to let the dogs out.

Although some of my friends play computer games, not many of them are into adventure games. Most just don't have the time anymore to play adventure games even though they love old games like Monkey Island or Broken Sword. However, they're not as up-to-date on new adventure games as I am since I seem to be the only one who plays them regularly. So if I want to chat with other people about new or old games, I come to a board like this one.

As for other people's reaction to me playing computer games: There are people who don't understand this at all. In their minds, computer games are a waste of time and they're linked to shooters. While reading books, for example, is an acknowledged hobby, playing computer games is not. Some guy I know even told me he didn't approve of me playing a lot because he thought it was a waste of time - that, by the way, ruined the tiny chance he might have had of becoming more than a friend to me *g* I understand that there are people who don't get the fascination that can come from a computer game and that these people would never play a game simply because they're not interested. But telling me that I'm wasting my time when playing is way too bold because, after all, it's my time and I don't feel like wasting it.

Hello Everyone-
I'm really enjoying this thread- and am amazed at how many of us retired folk are here on GB! And have noone in the real world who shares this interest.

As far as "wasting time" goes- there are lots more things besides CGs that people our age waste time on: mindless TV shows, complaining about doctors and health problems, gossiping,reading supermarket tabloids, ect, ect. So, IMO, what gives others the right to judge what is or is not "wasting" time?

Playing games and checking in with GB helps me feel young. The games are keeping the brain active and engaged-figuring out puzzles and how to progress in the game, instead of passively watching.Also writing a review of a game and reading others' comments on it is involving mind and personality-a great feeling.

As long as we have Gameboomers, us lone gamers will have companions in the gaming world

Hi Jehane, a lot of my friends, family & my work colleagues don't share my interest in AGs but all respect (even if they laugh!) that it is one of my passions. Any one that tells you that that they disapprove of ANY interest of yours because they consider it a waste of time, are either not interested in you & your welfare or they are a control freak who has no respect - whatever, you don't need them!!!

Speaking of mature gamers, I had a friend online who was 73 years old. He preferred node-node movement; Tex Murphy allowed too much freedom of movement! Other than that, he really liked gaming.

Exactly Needless to say, I'm no longer in touch with that guy *g* I don't share all interests of my friends, naturally, but I respect their passions just as they respect my playing games a lot. They might not understand why I keep playing games but they won't go as far as to say they don't approve.

Still, I think most people consider gaming a strange hobby, something suited for kids and juveniles. I must admit that before I started playing myself (rather late, I was 30 years old by then :)) I thought that the majority of gamers might be in their teens or early twenties. I've joined various adventure boards since then and was delighted to find out that there's a vast crowd of "mature" gamers out there, that is to say, gamers that have already left their 30s and 40s, even 50s behind Until I discovered the boards, I didn't know these people existed; I thought gaming was something for teens and students, probably because most adults I know don't play games anymore. Some did when they were still students and had the time; they either lost interest or just don't have the time anymore.

Just want you to know that as a direct result of starting this thread I no longer feel so lonely. I have since met up with JennyP a couple of times for coffee & 'shoppity shop' (not necessarily in that order! ) & again on Saturday to make it to the 'meet' at Hamilton Halls. I couldn't have hoped for a nicer & more interesting group of people to spend a few hours with & hope to meet them all again in August but can't commit just yet to the weekend Convention in October. I learnt that day I didn't know what a true text adventure was & have today downloaded one of DoreenB's to try - currently stuck trying to get something out of a cupboard!

Hi chrissie,
I'm interested in this text adventure by DoreenB and would like to know where you found the download. I started adventure gaming with the Scott Adams text adventures until Sierra came along. It might be nice to try one again.

sierramindy, most of their games can be accessed Here.

Ana

I went to Here and found 3 games by Doreen Bardon. Checked out CAT to see what the download would be like for the games. It has: Type Compressed (zipped) Folders. I don't know how to Unzip files. The Ace site is "being revamped" and will not be back until the middle of June.
I was thinking of maybe playing the same game as chrissie so I could get help (and maybe even give help) when needed. Any interest there, chrissie, or would it be too much trouble to show me how to download a Zipped file? Or whatever.

To unzip a zipped file, just download, right click and say to extract all.

Ana