The first computer we had was a Commodore128 (not the 64 – this was TWICE as good – don’t ask me why!) which we used almost exclusively for games. Centipede, Alien Invasion, and SkiRun were favourites for those who remember… but my favourite was a football game. I played it every chance I got, but one day it didn’t work, instead an error message popped up saying “there is water in the hard drive, press D to drain”. After pressing D there was a gurgling noise, and another message “failure to drain, please contact company for help”. My first emergency response was to go to my oldest brother (our “expert” on the computer) only to have him almost bust his gut laughing – he had changed the file name and programmed those messages. That was when I first realized computers could be programmed by regular people, but I think I also decided then that it wasn’t for me. I have always relied on others to help with computers problems, beginning with my oldest brother. It is only since I started MET that I have begun to realize that I can manipulate technology too!
Hey David! Your story made me laugh – I was totally fascinated (until the ‘turn’) by the idea that you could flush water out of a computer with the push of a button!
What you experienced was certainly a roundabout way of learning that coding was possible, and by mere humans. I guess it goes to show the power of experiential/contextual learning when it comes to not only introducing a topic, but also helping it stick.
See you around!
Fantastic story David. You reminded me of playing Ski Run as a kid and how the skier was always taken down by the monster no matter how well it skied. Was Alien Invasion the one where you had to carefully land the spacecraft? I grew up with limited access to computer games and don’t tend to gravitate to them as an adult. In fact, I pride myself as a boardgamer and will vehemently argue their value over their video brethren. But you have reminded me of simpler times, when I too enjoyed testing my skill on Window games. I often wonder, will there come a time when video games completely permeate all facets of culture, education and recreation. Or will there be a pendulum swing towards more tangible experiences and face to face interactions?
Hi Bryn.
I too am an avid board-gamer, and I see great merit in tangible and face-face activities. My kids, however, almost all prefer screen time, and my teenager much prefers video games to board games. I think this is because there is no face-face competition: win or lose, you are not judged against a family member or someone else you know, just a faceless “other”. The kids’ favourite is definitely MineCraft which gives them opportunity to express their imagination and creativity with limited “rules”. I think video games will continue to be more realistic with graphics until they begin to be confused with reality (as already happens in some cases), after which (I hope) will be a bit of a backlash and recognition of the greater worth of real life and human interactions.
Dave
Waitwaitwaitwait “Ski Run” is the original version of “Ski Free”, the game that came in the Windows Entertainment Pack?
My mind is entirely blown. I played that game so much as a kid.
Your post resonated with me, Bryn; I also have a special place in my heart for boardgames, or more specifically tabletop games. I play a lot of video games but there is something different, almost more tangible, about the tabletop games. I’m also a D&D geek.
As for the time when video games completely permeate “all facets of culture”, well, I think there are very few things that permeate ALL facets of culture. However, video games are more popular and widespread than they ever have been, so although they may not permeate every facet of culture, education and recreation, their influence is felt there.
Finally, I don’t see it as a pendulum – I see tangible experiences and face to face interactions and video games already living a peaceful co-existence.
Woo, thanks for the food for thought!
-Scott
I do not know how many times I hit the Print Screen button on the upper right-hand corner of the keyboard and got up to walk to the printer to get a hard copy. Whoever came up with that name had me fooled for a long time.
Christopher