baddad Report post Posted September 11, 2010 Hmmmm.... well after hoarding his xmas money for over two years ben finally made a decision between the X Box and the PS3 a couple of weeks ago and got himself the new 360 slim. Gotta say, you get a lot of bang for your bucks and i think he made a good decision. BUT... While online play was something he explored with the Wii it wasn't the be all and end all, but with X-Box it's all about being online, and as it's the console his mates have got it's getting a bit all-pervasive, iykwim. and even if you're a miserable old authoritarian overlord like me () it is much MUCH harder to say, 'okay times up' when he's in the middle of a game of halo with his BFF and a couple of mates from primary school he hasn't seen for years than it is to say it when he's playing Mario Kart with some kids he's never met in Spain. And then there's the headsets, so they're chattering away nine to the dozen all the way through the game and that's another huge 'social' event you don't want to tug them away from And even worse, it seems for some of the kids that the x-box is their 24/7 babysitter... they 'pause' for about five minutes some time mid-afternoon to go and make themselves a sandwich and grab another bottle of coke from the fridge, but apart from that they're there all day every day for the whole of the weekend. As a parent with some degree of empathy you actually find yourself feeling guilty for leaving them hanging in the ether waiting for some other desperate virtual Billy-No-Mates with the same games to track them down. [Oh - and don't get me wrong, I'm not 'having a pop' at parents - I know the kids are often choosing that lifestyle for themselves and would fight tooth and claw to keep it that way.. but it still feels wrong and such a terrible waste.] I am really, really lucky, I know, because I can say to Ben 'okay, another twenty minutes and that's it' (actually - strike 'lucky' because it took a lot of hard work getting there, but I do know I'm in a better position than many), but in some screwed up reverse psychology sort of way that actually makes me feel worse Anyhoo... rant over. On the PLUS side i did get to overhear this little gem while Ben was playing a 3 way game online with his Chinese mate Jian (pronounced 'Ging', for some strange reason) who he hasn't seen since they left primary school. After getting stabbed in the back three times by him ben said to his other mate 'Aggggggggggghhhhhhhhhh - Lewis - Jian has stabbed me again. He's getting really annoying'. Then, after a moments pause he thoughtfully added, 'Oh, by the way Jian - I didn't mean that because you're chinese and i'm being racist - it's just 'cos you're good at sneaking up on people from behind!' I roared L&P BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Sammysnake Report post Posted September 12, 2010 At least when you're the mum and they're the kids you have some authority to tell them when time's up. It's when you're the wife and it's your husband you haven't seen for days because he's online with his 'mates' from America that you have a problem! Mine will tell them on the headset that he is AFK for a minute (which means he's popping to the loo) and I feed his habit by bringing him food and drinks to the computer room. Sometimes I get annoyed and don't do it, waiting to see how long it takes for him to realise he's hungry and thirsty - it's usually about 10 hours! Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
justine1 Report post Posted September 12, 2010 That is so great that he is communicating with his friends It does sound like fun. I dont think you have anything to worry about,it seems he is very clear on the rules and knows that he has a time limit etc. I am sure he doesnt hold any grudges when you tell him his time is up because you made the rules/expectations clear from the outset. I recently got Sam a ds the first game station we have ever had in our home.But he knew straight away what I expected,all homework to be done before he uses it,he has a time limit and he has to chose the ds or computer not both!! The first week he had it he was being very careless,losing the stylas and the games or leaving it for Eli to play.However he has become much more responsible and I am really proud of him. It is funny how I was so against these games but it does seem we cannot escape this "trap" any longer.My brother hasnt had internet for almost a mth because the house they moved to had some wiring troubles,anyway he said how empty and lost he felt without the internet and I couldnt agree more.Isnt it odd how much we rely on it. Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted September 12, 2010 (edited) Oh yes, there's very little avoiding games/games consoles these days! And it aint all bad (ben's really looking forward to xmas as we're getting Family Games Night 3, which has GAME OF LIFE on it + mousetrap and cluedo... we have all of these board games, of course, but digging them out and playing when there's just 2 is often more trouble than it's worth so a quick access console version and a couple of extra 'computer' players is brilliant!). Winters would be much MUCH longer without them, i'm sure... You would have thought, wouldn't you, with the kind of selling prices they've got, that nintendo could come up with a stylus that doesn't drop out for the DS... I'm no designer/engineer but even I can work out that a clip or cover plate could probably solve the problem Ben has managed to get himself banned from the Xbox this arvo for 'Golfing offences' during his lesson this morning! Luckily the sun is shining, so he is trampolining instead, but will soon be coming in to tidy his room - the second part of his golf related sanction! Sammysnake - sorry to hear about your hubby's 3 day benders. Pull the plug and tell him to grow up! and as for being his 'feeder' / enabler L&P BD Edited September 12, 2010 by baddad Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paula Report post Posted September 15, 2010 Xbox live is the scurge on society........lol...........both my husband and son play on it they love the call of duty games and anyone would think it was real life........they bicker and argue over who got the most kills......god help anyone who cuts the game short be chucking in a nuke........i just sit and read magazenes......recently our phone line went down for 3 days...........all hell kicked of coz they couldnt get there fix of xbox......but i thought nice one........It keeps them out of my haire and occupied but i wouldnt allow my son to sit there all day every day zonked out............ Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted September 15, 2010 recently our phone line went down for 3 days...........all hell kicked of coz they couldnt get there fix of xbox......but i thought nice one........ And did they notice you'd pulled the plug in the junction box in the hall, or did you quietly put it back so you can pull the same trick again the next time you want a peaceful weekend? Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Paula Report post Posted September 16, 2010 As if id ever do that................hahaha............. No it was a problem at the telephone exchange........... You know what though ive never actually thought of pulling the plug on the telephone now youve given me the idea ...... Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
baddad Report post Posted September 16, 2010 If you really want to take that to 'Beedle's about' levels you should make up a dummy cable with no wires in it. That way it will look plugged in but just not work. Used intermittently over a period of weeks or months that could really cause some fun/arguments/divorce proceedings L&P BD Quote Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
