Quote:
Originally Posted by Dean
I skateboarded for an average of an hour a day for years in college and never did get very good other than at getting from point A to B (I never could ollie more than a curb and suck at fakie)
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My perception of Dean has just been radically altered.
I was a skater punk in grade school. . . over the last several years at gamestop I'd always gotten a kick out of the kids that go nuts over the Tony Hawk games, because I remember reading about his noob days in Thrasher mag.
Anyway, I don't know that I have anything worthwhile to add to the video game discussion. I can see both sides on this one, simply because there is no real evidence one way or the other. It's certainly possible that some kids who might play sports are instead playing video games, but there is nothing really to show that the games are not simply replacing other less physical activities, such as watching TV or reading books.
That's the case with me, at least; video games have always only been competition for other indoor hobbies such as reading or writing (and they've entirely replaced the total waste of time that is broadcast television). When it comes to getting outdoors, I'd rather take my RS to Stead than sit at home and play Forza 2.
I should note that I do not play sports video games such as Madden or Tony Hawk. I take my video games as escapist entertainment - my time is spent with more other-worldly or fantastical stuff like Elder Scrolls, Half-Life, Metroid, Zelda, Metal Gear, etc., and I tend to shy away from realistic, modern warfare shooters simply because after a length of military service, they feel like work.
And the Tony Hawk games seem silly to me because skateboarding is an activity that I subconsciously equate with elementary school.
I can say, though, in my experience selling games, that a lot of kids tend to pick up games that coincide with their preferred sports or hobbies. I've seen plenty of kids enter the store with a skateboard in one hand and leave with a copy of Tony Hawk in the other. The same goes for other sports, be they baseball, basketball, football. . . since most sports are seasonal, many kids buy the video games simply to supplement their existing interest, and still participate in the real activity when able.