I’ve always been drawn to gaming. Since the very first games I saw old or new I’ve wanted to play them. From playing old classics on my dad’s Atari XL800 and our trusty 286 with Hercules monochrome monitor to building my own dream* system.
( * budget dependent)
People used to regard gaming as a children’s hobby that one would grow out of. I know people nearly twice my age who are still passionate about gaming! Though my gaming habits and tastes have changed over the years I’m sure that I’ll still be gaming in some form or another until I’m old and grey.
That being said, “What if I weren’t a gamer?” What hobbies would rise to prominence then?
I’d probably read a whole bunch more. I’m not talking educating or research related kind of reading. The leisure reading, getting lost in fantasy novels (which I do from time to time anyway). I’d probably watch more TV as well
Yeah, it an interesting thought… if I weren’t a gamer I’m not sure what would have scratched that same itch.
It all depends on how far we’re taking the scenario… is this just like “what if I was a teenager in the 50s” or simply “what if personal computers and microelectronics weren’t invented”?
I’d definitely do a lot more in-person board and card gaming. Traditional abstract games like chess, go, bridge… And if collectible card games and the alternative boardgaming scene were around I’d play a lot more of those in lieu of video games too. Also probably a lot more D&D.
If I never became a gamer, I would not go into computers, I would not have gone into IT, I would have never met anyone here. Then going further, I don’t have any other hobbies really other than collecting swords/knives and airsoft guns, with my exposure to fantasy being drastically reduced from not doing any gaming would I still be collecting them? most likely not.
So then what would the next thing be that I would sync time into? and honestly I have no idea, I probably won’t even be watching that much of other media as my hate for adds and my inability to stay focused whilst reading something means t.v and books are out.
Gaming has been a part of my life since I was 5 years old. So I really don’t know what I would’ve done.
The only things I can think of is probably reading alot or maybe watching TV or dancing. I know definitely if I wasn’t for gaming I’d be in a much worse place that I am now
Hmm this is a hard one I am sure. Gaming/IT has been such a huge thing in my life some good some bad. I think I have arrived to a part in my life that I spend more time learning stuff than playing games I would think i spend about 40 hours doing anything regarding learning stuff and maybe 6 hours of gaming a week. It used to be the other way around
I dont really know what I would be if I did not get into gaming, I have met so many cool people and some not so cool >< ( cool thing about that is a magic block button you dont get in RL ). I think Gaming is just like any good hobby to much of it can be bad its about keeping that ever so good balance in life i guess.
I’m having a butterfly effect moment thinking of this because there are a bunch of skill/hobby/interest trees that I started levelling up around the same time as gaming and either continued or discontinued in varying degrees (all to a lesser degree than those stemming from gaming).
I found gaming at a young age (6 or 7), and it’s one of the key catalysts that eventually led me to be involved in the tech industry and development overall, but alongside it, thanks to my environment, I found creative outlets around the same time. The first variants of those being poetry and music (choir life what what ), which both then split off into creative writing in general and music production at a hobbyist level. I’d hazard a guess and say an easy offshoot of this was leisure reading. The other art variants included sketching and dancing.
I definitely don’t dance anymore, I’ve mostly abandoned sketching, I rarely write anymore in any significant way, but I do still produce music in some capacity, and I still read a crap ton.
It’s not hard for me to imagine myself in a universe where the lack of gaming leads me to a bigger investment in my creative side whether it’s the career I found myself in or in how I spend my leisure time. Maybe a Dee who’s actually a writer, musician, dancer, or even an illustrator or animator . The very same Dee would definitely be reading a lot more.
Oh wow, what a question. I almost cannot see myself without gaming. I’ve been gaming since I can remember, since the time of Space Quest 1 and 2 on an old ass PC, those many hours of TV Games, and the rise of CD Rom games. Gaming has been such a big part of my life.
I guess this question comes down to what the motivations are behind gaming. Without it in your life, that emptiness will be there and that same motivation will still live on. So another hobby will have to replace gaming with the same motivation.
For me, gaming is a firm of escapism. It started out as a mechanic of escaping the normal difficulties of life and escaping into fantastical world where I can loose myself in. But it’s also been an outlet for more creative requirement and a need to build. It’s why I gravitate more to building type of games or open world games.
I guess that’s the type of hobby I would replace gaming with. Something like model aircrafts, or remote control race cars (for the racing urge I have), or something like DnD world building. There is a whole world building sub-culture I’ve seen on Reddit and other places, and I can completely see myself getting lost in that as a hobby.
because there are a bunch of skill/hobby/interest trees that I started levelling up around the same time as gaming and either continued or discontinued in varying degrees (all to a lesser degree than those stemming from gaming).
), which both then split off into creative writing in general and music production at a hobbyist level. I’d hazard a guess and say an easy offshoot of this was leisure reading. The other art variants included sketching and dancing.