monitorhead

The future of prime time television is about to become irritatingly dismal.  "Why?" you may ask.  Well, it’s not that producers have begun to rely increasingly on reality television to entice the viewing public (which they have).  It’s not that the writers for great shows have suddenly become hackneyed and predictable (although Alias has been a big disappointment this season).  What is it then? 

It happens every year at about this time — it’s the summer hiatus.  The last week or so has been filled with season finales and all we have to look forward to are re-runs.  However, there has been an interesting trend for the last two years at least in which pilot shows begin off season.  The only show I know of for sure that will be returning for a summer season is Battlestar Galactica, which took a spring hiatus and will return in July! 

So, now that all my shows are ending for the summer, I need to replace them.  Perhaps, there was a really interesting series that I missed and can catch up on the re-runs.  I just don’t know where to start.  What are your favorite shows? Maybe you know of some off-beat cable/satellite TV program that hasn’t made a mainstream showing. Or, maybe you have noticed promotions for a new series.  Hopefully, I can find something to fill the gap.  I need all the help I can get. 

Connor,

Lately, when I get home from work you start asking me to go outside and play basketball (actually, it sounds like "play bak-sik-ball, daddy").  Playing basketball consists of me shooting the ball into the basket and you retrieving the ball when I miss (which is quite regularly).  You are so excited when the ball goes in the hoop.  I know in a few more years you won’t be nearly so impressed with my lousy basketball skills.  For now, it is so enjoyable to just spend the time teaching you how to throw the ball and catch it.

I’m looking forward to all the moments when I get to play games with you as you grow up.  I always liked sports when I was young and I still do.  Hopefully, there are lots of balls to be thrown or kicked, races to be run, and games to be won.

 Love,

 Dad

I was playing Halo 2 on Xbox Live last night with some guys that are on my friends list.  In between games, I was talking to one of them about what he does for a living.  It turns out he owns a cleaning business.  He was surprised to find out I am 28 (I must sound young), the same age as him.  It turns out we have both been married for nearly 6 years and met our wives first in 1995.  What a funny coincidence.  This began a conversation about the age of gamers and the number of professionals that spend time playing video games — he has a couple of 40-somethings on his friends list.

According to a survey conducted by the Entertainment Software Association last year, the average age of gamers was 29.   This survey included many kinds of games including online card games and the like.  Still it is clear that video games are not just for teens. The true age of the average gamer may be closer to 20 depending on you was surveyed, but there is a clear trend concerning the the age of game players.  When the Nintendo Entertainment System was released in 1986, I was 10 years old.  The NES was a revolution in the video game console market and was able to do more than Atari or Coleco ever did to get a massive market.  Now when the NES was released, it did market the younger gamer, just like me at the time.  That generation of kids has grown up playing video games and they are still playing them.  Only now, they are 25-35 years old.  So I can see why the age of gamers is rising.  Besides someone has to buy those expensive games and consoles, and most teens don’t have the means.

I have also come to notice a difference between older video game players and younger ones.  There is a very different attitude about games.  Older players really want to experience the best the game has to offer in the way it was designed.  For that reason, we like matchups to be fair and our games to be challenging.  Games that are won too easily are not worth the effort.  The younger game players are the ones who grew up with the Game Genie a tool that allowed you to "cheat" in games.  They love the secret codes that give you unlimited ammunition or invincibility.  They are also the ones most likely to talk trash in oline games.  The older players are usually playing games to have fun, not to cause other players grief with obnoxious behavior or whiny diatribes.  Maybe it is just age an maturity that make the difference but I think that there is just a gap in the gaming generation.

So, I if you read this far you must be interested in computer games.  It could be solitaire, Scrabble or Doom3 that you play — there is a wealth of gaming genres. What are you favorite games?  How old are you?  How long have you been playing games?

I was just perusing the website of what appears to be a very successful consulting firm.  Working there must be very interesting.  Their interest in your money is only outweighed by their interest in themselves.  OK, so the site has to be a joke, but it a humorous read.  Surf on over and take a look.  By the way, you may be fooled at first since the design is very professional and appealing.

Howstuffworks.com is a fairly useful sight that actually gives good information on how things function.  Topics range from the mundane to the arcane. For all you Star Wars fans out there, they currently have an article up describing how the lightsaber works–complete with pictures of the lightsaber being put to use around the home. Imagine cutting your bagel and toasting it in one swift stroke!