Online computer / console gaming in your 60s?

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MrGrumpy

Huge Member
Location
Fly Fifer
I bought a Series X and used it 3 times, just couldn't be bothered.

There's a lot more to the X than just 4k vs the S, much more.

My lad has the X now, Forza 5 has just come out and it does look good!.
Well they are like rocking horse. Doo doo now, due to the chip shortage ! Series S doesn’t seem much of an upgrade over the Xbox one so will put it on the back burner till next year . PS5 similar ? Middle son has made noises on that ?
 

icowden

Veteran
Location
Surrey
I have to say that I have never played a computer or video game in my, life, not even ping pong. To see how its progressed nkw to multi player games across the interweb is phenomenal.

Even if you do, it's startling if you were there from the start. We have come a long way from when I used to type in game listings from my BBC B magazine in order to have a new game to play (and spend an hour trying to fix all the errors). Even 25 years ago when I had a tiny portable computer that could connect to message boards over dial up we couldn't have imagined the power of smartphones and modern gaming machines.

Playing Red Dead Redemption 2 or The Last of Us 2 is like being in a movie that you control. The realism is amazing, as is the storytelling.
 

Alex321

Veteran
Location
South Wales
I've never played online console games. The only console I've ever owned is a Nintendo Wii (which I still have, and get out occasionally) with balance board.

I used to play a lot of PC strategy games (such as Civilisation), but the main game I play now is mobile based - Clash of Clans, by Supercell, which I play on both phone and tablet. I also play one or two of Supercell's other games. I probably average 3-4 hours a day playing Clash. But it is more about strategy than fast reactions.

I'm 62, BTW.
 

MrGrumpy

Huge Member
Location
Fly Fifer
Well they are like rocking horse. Doo doo now, due to the chip shortage ! Series S doesn’t seem much of an upgrade over the Xbox one so will put it on the back burner till next year . PS5 similar ? Middle son has made noises on that ?
Well…….. I found some rocking horse sh…t I have a Xbox series X sitting here albeit I had to take a bundle offer. Also managed to grab a PS5 ! They are out there but got to be lucky if needing to get one for Xmas.
 
Hello. I'm, erm. I'm 48 and play Minecraft bedrock edition on Nintendo switch with my son (and sneakily when everyone's gone to bed).:blush: Don't judge me!

I feel good I've got that out!

Seriously, I used to pay on a spectrum 48k. Still got it with, all my games including an few that are definitely only backups of the original bought games,, honest! I've played on commodore 64 which was the only competition to the smaller memory spectrum 48k. Yes, games run on similar memory than a modern word or excel document needs. It will still work too since I replaced the power pack with one from a Spectrum 2, + or QL. I think the spectrum beat the commodore for quality of games. My mate's bbc b was good for one game that wasn't on any other computer at first, elite. I have the spectrum version that came out later.

I then played streetfighter a lot in year 2 of university, house mate got one with grant cheque. Mega drive. It was the latest thing!

Now I'm contemplating whether to buy my own Nintendo switch. I actually like Minecraft despite my son completely humiliates me on pvp. Creating something on creative with him has him nearly completing his second, huge mansion/ base, complete with decorations before I can finish the roof on my very modest 3 room house!

He beats everyone on Mario kart, including his 17 year old gamer cousin. Seriously number 1 and increasing his score gap every round. That's even with his little "I'm going to humiliate you by not starting until you've finished lap 1/3 possibly 2/3 too" trick. I can't even see the game as fast as he can. He's almost 9 years old. He's finished luigis mansion3, another Mario game, two Lego games and no longer plays them because its too routine for him. "Oh I go into that room now and slam that ghost by doing..."

I bought him Minecraft dungeons with dlc packs. He's bored with it. He's got so many upgrade points thingies he can get a new weapon or armour and max it out with upgrades without running out ever.

Anyway should I get switch and Minecraft? Any really good, more adult ish games like Minecraft or open world on switch? Any good deals out there?

Also, what game could get a 9 year old Minecrafter off Minecraft occasionally? Legend of zelda perhaps, but which one? He's a 9 year old boy who's either playing Minecraft, watching YouTube videos of Minecraft, talking at 100mph about Minecraft or he's bored and grumpy having been forced off his switch and tablet!
 

icowden

Veteran
Location
Surrey
Should say I, like the portability and kind of console gaming with the Dock aspects of switch.

It is nice. I don't have one myself, but if you want one, Santa is making deliveries soon!
I was never a console person. My dad got me a BBC B as it was sensible and educational. I programmed games on it of course. And purchased them. And did "group" purchases with friends and then spent ages trying to copy the tapes. Then we all moved on to the Amiga. Same scenario, harder to hack (especially psygnosis), plus you couldn't just photocopy 300 page manuals that you needed to look up code words in!

Since then I've moved to PC, and then the wife got me an XBOX Kinect pretty much out of the blue. I then asked for a Playstation as a substitute for the DVD player and to access things like DisneyPLus (and play games on). I still favour the PC, but the PS4 is pretty good. For portable I use my iPad although the App Store is now pretty rubbish with all the good stuff in Apple Arcade.
 
40+

Im on the Xbox Series S most nights, currently enjoying Forza Horizon 5. I've got gamepass which is a subscription service though I paid got 2-3 years in advance as it was on offer.

I have my old 8/16bit computer's like Amstrad464 and Amiga1200 but neither are hooked up right now.
Much as I like the old hardware it's tough to keep it working - I dont have a tape drive anymore for instance - so emulation is a lot better sometimes.
 
Where do I find the spectrum emulators? Manic miner for example? Anyone remember those dungeon and dragons type multiplayers where you all have to get your 5 or so keys on the keyboard to play?

Anyone have a spectrum with that keyboard plug in thing? What about one with the red button that hacked the game to show a menu of cheats? You could pick your level on Manic miner instead of having to have a perfect round to get to the best levels. Or unlimited
lives. Later games recorded the cheat on the leaderboards iirc.
 

keithmac

Guru
Amiga 500 was the pinnacle for me, especially the Demo scene, have had PC's Playstations, Xbox's including the Series X which is a beast of a machine but nothing holds a candle to my old A500..
 

FishFright

More wheels than sense
I enjoy gaming to pass the time. At the moment it's mostly Assetto Corsa in VR ( although that does get my pc banging out some heat) .
 

Sittingduck

Legendary Member
Location
Somewhere flat
Where do I find the spectrum emulators? Manic miner for example? Anyone remember those dungeon and dragons type multiplayers where you all have to get your 5 or so keys on the keyboard to play?

Anyone have a spectrum with that keyboard plug in thing? What about one with the red button that hacked the game to show a menu of cheats? You could pick your level on Manic miner instead of having to have a perfect round to get to the best levels. Or unlimited
lives. Later games recorded the cheat on the leaderboards iirc.
If you get a spectrum emulator, I recommend a game called chaos. Very basic but also addictive.
 

Gunk

Guru
Location
Oxford
Amiga 500 was the pinnacle for me, especially the Demo scene, have had PC's Playstations, Xbox's including the Series X which is a beast of a machine but nothing holds a candle to my old A500..

Absolutely no idea what you’re talking about, might as well be written in Russian.
 
Slightly off topic but I'll ask for people's opinions anyway.

I've got spare cash to buy one thing nothing else. Do I buy myself a Nintendo switch with Minecraft and a more adult game so I can join in with my son more on Minecraft and a game more interesting for an adult? Or do I get a good smartwatch like fitbit sense, charge 5 or garmin vivoactive 4 ot instinct or other? Most are similar price.

Do people see the switch as a kid's gaming in which case I'm likely find the watch more useful? If its considered a good console too and I'll get a benefit having my own machine rather than playing docked with him I might find the switch a better option? I don't know enough about how switch users can play with other users like ps and xbox do online. I'll mostly only play with son as I'm not great at games these days.
 
Location
Cheshire
In my mid-60’s now, I’ve enjoyed console gaming on my PS4 for some time - mainly open-world games like GTA5 and Red Dead, mainly offline.

However, I also used to play Battlefield online a lot - probably 5-6 hours a week - and enjoyed it. My reaction times were not brilliant, so I tended to hang back from the battle front and pick my roles accordingly, but it was fun.

Last autumn though, when the PS5 came out, I let my PS Plus online subscription lapse. Over the past 12 months I haven’t played as much. Now I’m wondering on several fronts whether I should try to get back into the online side it. I’m trying to look at the positive and negatives.

On the plus side:
- it’s something I can chat about with my son-in-law who (PS5 and gaming PC owner) is a keen gamer
- I enjoyed the progression of getting better at the online game
- it’s something else hobby-wise to do while Mrs Beanz is busy with her own home-based hobbies, other than me playing guitar, gardening or watching tv

On the minus side:
- I’m not sure about upgrading to PS5 when the opportunity comes, partly because (being retired) of the expense. Yet my PS4 is a “last generation” console now, so I don’t know how busy the servers will be online
- PS Plus is going to cost me £30-ish p.a. during Black Friday “week” it seems, which is good as it’s normally nearly £50 - but it’s still £30 that I could be saving
- I begin to wonder - how many people in their 60’s regularly play fast-moving games online? I’m guessing as a pastime the slice of the online demographic can’t be huge?

On balance, I think I probably shall give it another go and see if it still entertains me, (and if I can still keep up!)

I’d love to hear what people think, and whether any of you who are my kind of age still enjoy online gaming.
I would give the new Battlefield (2042) a go, its good fun.
It also looks fabulous, and like you I don't like the high tempo deathmatch situations ... its 128 player now!
 
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