Last week my son raced past me on the stairs just as I was coming up to tell him, as usual, to turn off the TV.
"I gotta find out what was Shakespeare's most popular comedy," he called out, by way of explanation.
"Is this for homework?"
"No. My player is writing his exams. If he fails he'll be cut from the team."
Again I trailed after him for more explanation. This time he was playing NCAA 07. In this one, he takes on the character of a college player on a scholarship. "You pick your degree and subject but if you don't have a grade point average higher than 2.0 you don't play."
"So you're telling me you have to take classes as well as play football?" I'm dumbfounded by this idea.
"Yeah, you get a schedule, with classes and games. You have mid-terms and finals. Multiple choice. They're hard."
"How do you study for them?"
"Once you choose your topic--I'm doing English--facts in your topic pop up on the screen and you have to memorize them. If you flunk, you can't play, and if you can't play your popularity on campus goes down. Your goal is to be the greatest in school history--if you do well, you can import the player to Madden 07 [pro ball]."
His eyes dart to the screen. "Can I just finish writing my exam?"
I check my watch. "Dinner's going to be a little while. Why don't you play some more?"

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e happened to be playing on a larger map with only four of us (my two sons, their friend and myself) the game was going WAY long and the usual get-the-old-guy was getting old. Then I hear one of my son's ask their friend what he is doing. He said he is "stealing all the vehicles".

Before any of us realized we had broken into two teams with them trying frantically to get all the vehicles in a cave and my son and I either stopping them, or storming the cave to blow them up.

This is the part that truly stopped me in my tracks. My one son has pretty significant ADD, and he is not the most social kid. During AYSO, he is vaguely aware that he is on a soccer field and he is never the Alpha in any group (he is lucky to come in the Tango). After a couple minutes, I hear my son frantically and dynamically tactically assesing the situation and just barking out orders to his friend. He was not only processing what was going on as fast as my son and I could muster an attack, but he was also managing his squad mates and getting them in the proper position. Then (and even now my eyes are tearing up) when his buddy went down and got frustrated, he almost shouts, "Come on, it was one die!! Get back up here!! They are coming around the other hill!!"

I was utterly inspired and I had never even seen a reflection of a shadow of this in my son.

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muttyeah416 said:

once as a kid, i bought mortal kombat and my dad smashed it against the wall after watching me play it

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muttyeah416 said:

once as a kid, i bought mortal kombat and my dad smashed it against the wall after watching me play it

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muttyeah416 said:

once as a kid, i bought mortal kombat and my dad smashed it against the wall after watching me play it

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muttyeah416 said:

once as a kid, i bought mortal kombat and my dad smashed it against the wall after watching me play it

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Odysseus said:

OK, my official EA score card is as follows:


Less content in Madden that current gen versions: -3000 points
Macrotransactions for jerseys and stadiums: -750 points
Payments for cheat codes in Tiger Woods: -1500 points
Consumables in Godfather 360: -2500 points
Making kids study in NCAA: 2000 points


Still down 5750 by my count, EA.

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FlyinJ said:

Don't worry. In NCAA 08 you can choose the "golden boy" option, and pay 800 Marketplace Points to ace all the exams.

It's all about giving players options.

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PantherLotus said:

Mom, it improves HAND-EYE COORDINATION!

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Gigglepoo said:

That would be the most realistic feature in an EA Sports game since Gretzky's head bled when it smashed against the ice.

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Gigglepoo said:

That never worked with my mom. She would just toss me a Playboy and say, "So does this."

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Gigglepoo said:

That never worked with my mom. She would just toss me a Playboy and say, "So does this."

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PhoenixDark said:

When I come to I just spray random
Not a pretty boy but my moms thinks I'm handsome

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Gigglepoo said:

You're lucky. My dad ripped out my spine.

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muttyeah416 said:

once as a kid, i bought mortal kombat and my dad smashed it against the wall after watching me play it

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Gigglepoo said:

You're lucky. My dad ripped out my spine.

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Bearillusion said:

SF2 fan huh?

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Bearillusion said:

SF2 fan huh?

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Originally Posted by muttyeah416:
once as a kid, i bought mortal kombat and my dad smashed it against the wall after watching me play it

Originally Posted by Gigglepoo:
You're lucky. My dad ripped out my spine.

Originally Posted by Bearillusion:
SF2 fan huh?

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PantherLotus said:

Mom, it improves HAND-EYE COORDINATION!

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muttyeah416 said:

once as a kid, i bought mortal kombat and my dad smashed it against the wall after watching me play it

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Javaman said:

I've been playing games for over 20 years and I had good laugh with my dad a couple of weeks ago when I kept bending nails I was hammering. I told him "I guess games really don't help hand-eye coordination"

I guess you had to be there. . .Or not.

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Gigglepoo said:

That never worked with my mom. She would just toss me a Playboy and say, "So does this."

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Gigglepoo said:

You're lucky. My dad ripped out my spine.

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beelzebozo said:

proof that this forum contains some hilarious people.

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