I've played violent video games since I was maybe 6 years old, similar experiences to GolfWang. Internet definitely added a whole new level of exposure. My friend was into 4chan in middle school and his parents were never around policing us, so from 12 or 13 years old, arguably the most influential time during someones life, I saw brutal videos and things I wouldn't want to see again
I turned out okay, haven't murdered/raped or thought of murdering/raping anybody. I don't believe that any content can cause someone to become a bad person. I think it is hard wired in the way that kids are brought up. If parents arent around to teach their kids right from wrong, then maybe I could see how some kids would adopt video games as teaching, but I think its a scapegoat argument.
Hey man my best friends in my neighborhood were 4 years older than me, so when I was 9, they were 13. This was 2003, aka the dawning of filesharing sites like bearshare, kazaa, limewire, etc etc. I was exposed to porn when I was 9, and played violent video games at the same time. Also watched a ton of rated R movies like pulp fiction. I'm now 24 and a super normal, well-adjusted human. I've never gotten my stomach pumped, never gotten anyone pregnant, and have never been in trouble with the law (though I will admit, probably due to sheer luck). I don't believe that exposing children to so-called "inappropriate media" causes damage to their psyches. But maybe I'm an outlier.
Grew up with consoles, PC's in the 80's-90's. Father worked for Wang at the time so had computers from a very young age.
I remember playing Doom on the IPX/SPX network we had in our house.. having to modify autoexec/config.sys to have enough memory to load the network drivers correctly... *laughs*
Aging myself there.
But pretty much have played mostly everything genre wise - was huge into MMORPG's when I was younger - still play them sometimes though not as much.
Mostly playing Overwatch and other PC games when I have spare time.
Working for a Video Game company for 7 years obviously feeds the addiction too.
: )
That's awesome! I used to walk by the computer store in town when my mom would go shopping. They had Wangs, Compaqs, Osbornes, etc. and I remembered feeling so disappointed in my Texas Instruments 99/4A after seeing them...
I remember the requisite configurations for DOS games as well. I remember it was always a challenge to steer around IRQ/DMA conflicts with my printer, Sound Blaster, and Gravis Ultrasound cards. Also, I started my IT career as a Novell certified network guy, so I definitely remember the IPX/SPX days...
Video games are the essence of youth! FF8 baby! ><
Still play CoD and BF series. Some halo and pubg right now as well. Xbox One.
Don't ever think I'll out grow them. Nearing my 30's Ive generally stopped playing anything "new". And by new I mean in the past 5 years. I mostly play everything from the 90's now.
YESSSSSSSSSSS!!!! Best final fantasy is definitely 8. Man, I wish I had the time to just sit and do a playthrough again. Honestly don't think I have the patience anymore for an RPG tho lol