The feat of gaming with non-gamers: How not to stomp?

[J T]

I think a lot of trash talking, getting in their face, and hooting and hollering is required to motivate the non-gamer to become a better player. If you don't pummell them mercilessly, then they don't have a good role-model for what expert playing looks like. I also think it is important to loudly work in the word "BADONKADONK!" to the conversation.

[armacitis]

I limit myself with some ridiculous handicap,but make no effort not to stomp them,quite the opposite.I play to win,but with whatever ridiculous limitation I've imposed on myself giving the appearance of having to play hard to manage beating them.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

Well, a lot of 2 player retro arcade games have a handicap option so you can limit yourself. Also I find playing games that are cooperative or non-skill based works well too. Like playing Minecraft for example.

[NintendoLegend]

I keep a few "party"-type titles in my library just for such occasions. For example, Rec Room Games on the Wii is good for an hour or two of good fun no matter who you play with.

Generally, though, if I am hanging out with non-gamers, we don't game...

[TornadoCreator]

I don't game with other people... it's simply not fun for them.

I'm the guy who can get all the golds on Burnout 3, has completed Ninja Gaiden on Xbox and Devil May Cry 3 on PS2, has even beat classic "hard" games like Battletoads. I have incredible reaction time and I know most gaming conventions better than they could ever dream. I've been gaming for 21 years now and I should expect to be this good at it, it would be like me trying to compete at a martial art against someone who's been doing it for 21 years and expecting them to "go easy on me"... it's laughable.

I play single player. Occationally I will play multiplayer but only very occationally and even then it's only fun with some people. Gears Of War 2 was great fun co-op because it was my first time playing but my friend had already completed the game twice. We worked well as a team as we where about the same skill level (despite me never having played the damn game, or the first one either at the time). Mario Kart Wii can sometimes be fun, but only for the other person because it's immediately apparent that skill means almost nothing in that game as I would wipe the floor with them on other racing games... so I end up frustrated.

Really, for me, gaming is a personal passtime, same as movies. I watch a film alone, not because I'm not a people person, I'm fine with people, but I don't want to watch films with them (yes I go to the cinema alone). The reason for this is I HATE people who talk though the film. If you've ever said "Who's that?" in the cinema. FUCK OFF! If you don't know who the character is, either the film is awful and I don't know either, I'm watching the same film as you after all... or you're a flaming retard, get away from me so I can enjoy the film. I also hate it when, if watching a DVD someone is actively not paying attention. I don't care if the cat has walked into the room, it doesn't need to be stroked. You also don't need to look at your finger-nails, inspecting them one at a time, and you certainly don't need your damn mobile phone for ANY REASON AT ALL! Put the damn thing down and watch the film or sod off so I can watch it.

When I'm with people I do the following things.

1. Chat whilst sharing a meal, often talking about games or movies.
2. Play board games and PnP RPGs like Dungeons & Dragons, World Of Darkness and Shadowrun.
3. Go to the pub and play games of Pool/Snooker over a few drinks.
4. Paint/Craft. I enjoy Warhammer Fantasy models and I like to paint models with company.
5. If talking online (Skype), chat whilst both playing seperate single player games.

[NintendoLegend]

Smart guy, TornadoCreator. I am similar with films -- I enjoy seeing/watching them alone. When I saw X-Men: First Class, a row of teenybopper high-school girls sat behind myself and my wife. When, during one of Xavier's mutant tricks, one of the girls said "How'd he do that?!", I came *very* close to turning around in my seat, leaning over her, and saying "Maybe if you would spend more time actually watching the movie, rather than talking, you would understand. In fact, I bet you spend so much more time talking than listening that you're this stupid with everything, aren't you?"

I kinda wish I did it, but alas.

[AppleQueso]

^Best time to go to the movies is weekday afternoons, a good week or so after the movie you want to see premiers.

I worked at a theater for a while. Very few people show up to watch a movie on a tuesday afternoon. You often will get the whole place to yourself, and even if you don't, you're talking less than 10 people usually, maybe 20-25 or so for a really popular film.

When it comes to watch movies in a group though, there's few things more fun than inviting a bunch of friends over and watching a bunch of terrible films together.

[Korpi]

Cooperative games are my answer, but I have a little hard time finding them. Fighters, racers etc are all over the place though. I'll just take it easy with those and lose intentionally every now and then. Multiplayer is more about socializing, than playing, anyway. I pretend to know less about some games, too. Otherwise I'll keep commanding "do this, go there, press that, kill that" which is not that fun for the other player.

[RyaNtheSlayA]

^Best time to go to the movies is weekday afternoons, a good week or so after the movie you want to see premiers.

I worked at a theater for a while. Very few people show up to watch a movie on a tuesday afternoon. You often will get the whole place to yourself, and even if you don't, you're talking less than 10 people usually, maybe 20-25 or so for a really popular film.

When it comes to watch movies in a group though, there's few things more fun than inviting a bunch of friends over and watching a bunch of terrible films together.

The nice thing about having online school is I can go to lunch and a movie on weekday afternoons.

Anyways, ExtraCredits did an episode about playing with non-gamers:

http://penny-arcade.com/patv/episode/sharing-our-medium

[drowning_in_footwear]

I just drink. with enough booze around, everyone is a non gamer, and everyone has fun.