Any other parents think...

Discussion in 'General Game Discussion and Questions' started by Amenbrother, Dec 10, 2012.

  1. Amenbrother

    Amenbrother Well-Known Member

    Jun 24, 2011
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    That IOS gaming is perfect for some quick gaming needs when you have a kid or two? To me its perfect to play a quick game or 2 while the kids are sleeping or whatever. Sometimes us parents dont have all the time needed to play xbox games or whatever.
     
  2. Greyskull

    Greyskull Well-Known Member

    Dec 13, 2009
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    I'm not a parent, but I do know my ol ipod touch 2 looked like it went through armageddon. My mom dropped her ipad, cracking the screen and disconnecting the camera...fixable though. The only reason my phone survives is the all tore up otterbox case I have it in.

    Now the first gameboy, which I got in '89, that was a brick. IMO, iDevices are too fragile for young children. To each their own though, I guess.

    Not to mention the frustration they'll constantly get when they realise they are playing a game you can't further progress in within one human lifetime.

    Last thing. Givr kids complexity; games which allow them to be creative, etc. By the time I was 7 I was trying to figure out the riddles in The Bards Tale, exploring the universe in Starflight, etc. not to mention the mental exercise, skillsets, and mental adaptability I developed using dos and c-64 command line os's; typing in basic programs from magazines, learning how to program on Turtle (started that in 1st grade), managing EMS/XMS memory...etc.

    Idevices are toys; then again, all popular os's are user friendly now. It would be nice if Ubuntu or some other flavor of Linux had more games available; I learned a lot just getting games to run...and I learned the law of supply and demand, and just how cuthroat competion is, by playing M.U.L.E. w/ my family.

    But if ya just want games, sure. I'm not a parent, and don't intend (I'm pretty sure) on being one.
     
  3. Coldar

    Coldar Well-Known Member

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    Coincidentally a co-worker had a new born a few weeks ago and he'd mentioned how playing games on his device was saving his sanity as he has to get up in the early morning hours before work and actually thinks certain games lull the babe to sleep while holding him.
     
  4. metalcasket

    metalcasket Moderator
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    Me thinks Greyskull didn't read the OP. :p
     
  5. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    Yeah i've posted a few times about how good an ipod or ipad is. My daughters only 2 but its amazing seeing her turn on the ipad, swipe it so it starts and then start and play with the Peppa pig app ! Dont get me wrong i dont want her on computers 24/7, when shes older i think a mix of outdoor activity and a bit of computers is great (Not like some kids who looked pale at school who never seemed to go out in summer breaks and stayed on their computer 24/7 !).

    But for me its perfect, if shes watching a program i can have a quick go on my ipod at times, or if i'm off to see a customer and i'm early i can then turn on my ipod and have a quick go.

    At night i can play some of her programs so the music puts her off to sleep or let her watch a quick 5 minute cartoon if she promises to go to sleep !

    But yeah filling in gaps due to having a child, the ipod is perfect and the games for bite-sized chunks etc

    In an ideal world i'll have the latest console hooked up to a TV but times change what with a wife/child etc. I can still get in my gaming now when the wifes watching some trashy rubbish on tv and the babies asleep !
     
  6. defred34

    defred34 Well-Known Member

    Aug 27, 2012
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    Hah, you're gonna be eating your own words in the future!
     
  7. psj3809

    psj3809 Moderator

    Jan 13, 2011
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    Well times change. I remember for ages i never could see myself getting married ever, then that happened. Same with a kid, i never wanted a kid and then the older you get your views may change, happened with me regarding marriage and a child.

    Look how you think/thought about things 5 or 10 years ago, things change.

    But back to the original thread, yep an ipod (or ipad) is perfect for a bit of gaming here and there. I hear friends saying 'i wont change' when they get married/or kids and soon after their retro collections hit ebay !
     
  8. Vovin

    Vovin 👮 Spam Police 🚓

    Nov 28, 2009
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    #8 Vovin, Dec 10, 2012
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2012

    AHAHAHA! :D

    I never intended to be a father either... but, "when push comes to shove"... nature decides against your will and, oh well... "Darling, why are you vomitting all day long?" The reply was quite a surprise.
    But now, I really really love my son with all my heart. No matter the good times or times of trouble. You can't compare having a kid to something else in this world, it's simply something that must be experienced.
    I am so glad the the iOS is able to be used as a fantastic gaming platform.
     
  9. Tyra

    Tyra Well-Known Member

    Feb 3, 2011
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    My little daughter is now 7 month old and I am really happy to have that ipad, so I can play (with one hand) some games while she is sleeping on my arm. ^__^

    The only problem is to find "one hand" playable games. :D

    I love the music of "flower board". Perfect lullaby.
     
  10. undeadcow

    undeadcow Well-Known Member

    Dec 4, 2010
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    I agree iDevices are well suited to cramming in some video game time while parenting. Plus the iPod makes a great night light flashlight for checking on my crying 13 month other without having to turn on a larger more disruptive light. With my kids, it's easy to play around on my iPod while they're at the playground or the kids running around socially.

    Also the casual nature of iPod games is good for including kids. Although I try to limit their exposure my daghter got a kick out of playing "Mad Birds." For a while there was a subgroup, "Parents of TA," (I think Vovin started) but it seemed silence recently. With two kids it's good that I have my iDevice so I can play violent games away from the kids viewpoint and don't have to fight over the TV.
     
  11. mikeg123

    mikeg123 Well-Known Member

    Sep 23, 2009
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    I have two boys: a 3.5 year old and a 5 week old. :) So I've pretty much only played iOS games for the past 3 years, with an occasional PS3 game mixed in.

    The oldest loves playing iOS games, too. But I'm in the same boat of trying to make sure he doesn't overdo it. But it is really nice to be able to play games pretty much anywhere. Just got a new iPad, which I love, but kind of hard to play with when laying down or holding the baby. :)
     
  12. MicroByte

    MicroByte Well-Known Member

    I would have loved and iPod touch type device back when my son was born in 2002. My boys are 10 and 6 now, and for a while, I missed being able to play games. I would play on my Xbox/PS2, but quickly learned that wasn't going to work for long. Cords get pulled, TV's get used, gone were my days.

    To this day, I really don't bother with consoles any longer. Too much going on to have to wait for stuff to load or get to a save point. I mostly play games on my iPad Mini, Vita and 3DS so there is more than enough to keep me happy.

    But back to what I was originally saying, I would have loved something like these back then. My Game Boy Advance with Worm Light just didn't cut it! :p
     
  13. TheFrost

    TheFrost Well-Known Member

    Nov 18, 2010
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    I think like Greyskull, iDevices are too weak for children to handle... maybe with a hard cover or something like that... if not, its too expensive for that matters
     
  14. mikeg123

    mikeg123 Well-Known Member

    Sep 23, 2009
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    Actually, I think I've dropped my iPhone more than my 3.5 year old. :) He is actually really careful with it. Though when he carries my iPad around I do get a bit nervous and immediately tell him he has to put it on the couch. :)
     
  15. Blackharon

    Blackharon Well-Known Member

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    #15 Blackharon, Dec 10, 2012
    Last edited: Dec 10, 2012
    My two year old plays with an old iPhone 3g (the Toca Boca stuff are fantastic). It's possible to teach them to respect their toys, sit nicely and play. On the plus side, the battery is terrible, so it cuts his sessions to 20 minutes or less automatically :)

    Edit: Realized I was replying about the off-topic comments :)
    My iPhone saved my sanity during the 2-4 AM periods I was sitting in the rocking chair begging the babies to fall asleep. Temple run + Carcassonne saved my life for the first child, Shadow Era the 2nd.
     
  16. sh13ld

    sh13ld Well-Known Member

    Nov 22, 2011
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    Yeah, I agree. I have two daughters (2 years and 4 months) so like many other parents, I don't have lots of spare time to play games. It's actually now 10pm and our older daughter just fell asleep. Usually the kids go to bed earlier but then there are evenings like this when things don't go like you planned. And when you finally get them to bed, you are pretty much too tired to turn on the game console or gaming PC.

    This is where iPad has proven to be an excellent gaming device. Very short loading times guarantee that you don't spend the valuable time watching loading screens. I also love that most iOS games can be fully enjoyed without sound. Although some games are way better with headphones (Walking Dead for example), it's really relaxing to sit on a sofa in a dark, silent house and enjoy a few rounds of your favourite game without any music and sound fx.
     
  17. Amenbrother

    Amenbrother Well-Known Member

    Jun 24, 2011
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    Reading through all these posts makes me laugh seeing people going through the same things I am! Thanks for all the responses :)
     
  18. Bool Zero

    Bool Zero Well-Known Member

    Dec 14, 2010
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    Agree as well with three kids and a gaming addiction of my own, I can't play my 360 or PS3 the way I used to enforce kids and I find PC gaming too isolationist to even consider anymore (back turned, focused on a screen two feet away... At least I can still engage while playing a console game in the living room and have the kids join in). So gaming on my iPad is a must and I see it as a gaming system, and a great one at that!
     
  19. Tyra

    Tyra Well-Known Member

    Feb 3, 2011
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    ->. Usually the kids go to bed earlier but then there are evenings like this when things don't go like you planned. And when you finally get them to bed, you are pretty much too tired to turn on the game console or gaming PC.

    Boah, exactly my last few days! ;)
     
  20. Amenbrother

    Amenbrother Well-Known Member

    Jun 24, 2011
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    I agree no way I could play a computer game up in a seperate room all isolated.
     

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