Monday, August 2

Small Window of Opportunity

In a post I made some time ago, I talked about how I had been looking forward to the time when my son could compete fairly against me in video games. For about 5 years (from his age 4 to age 9) when we would play games, I'd always play at a skill level lower than my abilities, so that the competition would remain close. I'd have accidents, lapses in judgements, whatever necessary to be deceptive worse than I actually was, just to keep the games close. This wasn't so fun for me, yet I didn't want to discourage Cameron from playing against me. I knew that someday, when he was older, we'd have real battles. I looked forward to those years of game-playing.



About a year ago, we were probably on an even level in the games that he liked to play. At the time of that initial post, he was getting close to beating me as much as I beat him. Now, I have very little chance at beating him. I'm guessing there was a one month window of opportunity where our skills were comparable. If I was to attempt to challenge him, it'd take some dedicated practice and playing. This, I am not willing to do.



To be fair to me (and to keep a modicum of dignity and pride) I will say that we really only play games that Cameron enjoys, and which he's played for hours upon hours. If we were to play games like Madden Football, I'd be all over him.



BooYaa!



3 comments:

Isaac said...

We'll have to have you into 84 Fitzroy for a good madden challenge.

Graham said...

I think it is simply beutiful that you connect with cameron through VG's. It's a connection that non-gamers don't understand. Video Games are too easily dismissed in todays world. Many, many fathers try to do silly things once every two months to get in touch with their sons, when enjoying a game together can tear down all sorts of walls.
Hey, Rob, what are you doing for Superbowl this year(next year)? any plans?

Rob MacD said...

Isaac, I expect I'd be blown off the field in a Madden challenge. I've not played a lot, and my reference to it was more about how I'd be able to slaughter my 10 year old son by playing a game, the strategies of which I understand quite well as opposed to him, who knows nothing of football strategy. (that was the worst structured sentence I've ever written).
Graham, my usual Superbowl plan is watching the game at home while my wife and son go to another part of the house and do something else. In other words, no plans.