Rivs (Chapter 2)
Posted by Randolph Carter on April 22, 2009
MMO community connection:
Chapter 2: Origins
What kind of games (if any) did you play as a child before you got into video gaming? Did you play with family, friends or was it more of a solo activity?
I remember playing Atari 2600, games like Combat with my brother and Pitfall. Then I moved to the Commodore 64 some of the biggest games I played were the Bards Tale and Gold Box Series.
What other hobbies and/or activities did you have as a child (sports, music, etc)?
Football, Wrestling, Track. I loved GIJOE and Transformers.
Were you ever exposed to pen and paper role playing games? What was that experience like?
Yes I played several D&D, Star Frontiers and Marvel Role Playing to name a few.
Did you read much as a child? If so, what did you like to read (books, comic books, etc?) Please list some favorite authors, titles, etc.
Yes I read religiously, too many titles to list. JRR Tolkien was the king. RA Salvatore is one of my favs as well.
Would you say that any of these games or books had an effect on your later appreciation of computer gaming and ultimately MMOs? Please explain.
I think a lot of the RA Salvatore books and a lot of games. Also the Bards Tale and Gold Box series, or D&D computer games really influenced me to go into MMOs.
How were you fist introduced to video games? How old were you? What was the platform?
I remember I think I was 7 or 8 when I first saw Pong on the Atari 2600, and I was like Whoa. The rest is history.
Did you ever play coin-op games at the arcade? What was that experience like?
Dear god yes, I remember just living in the arcade. But some of my fondest memories comes from Street Fighter 2, me and my friends would just go at it all day, and I loved it.
What was the first video game you can remember playing that really made an impression on you? Please explain.
So many for so many reasons. Bards Tale because it was like entering another world where I controlled these people and solved puzzles. Then Street Fighter, because I got to go toe to toe with people, and I am a bit of a competitor.
What gaming consoles have you owned in the past?
Atari 2600, Intellivision, Playstation, Xbox, Dreamcast. Sega Genesis.
Feel free to share a story related to your gaming experience as a child.
I remember ditching school, and playing Combat on my 2600 with my brother for hours.
