Do You Tell Your Parents...

To be honest, I wouldn't be interested in talking about the game in the extent of what my Sims are doing lol. While I love to play it, I can't say I'd want to recall the details of the game any more than I would if I had just played a game of backgammon or chutes and ladders lol. It just doesn't make for interesting conversation to me haha.
And yet, I don't mind once in awhile on here, but even that I don't tend to talk much about my personal save files, more about game updates etc. And I kinda think of these forums as an expansion to the game lol.

But yeah, my parents wouldn't understand one bit so no I don't.

"ChelleJo;c-17468042" wrote:
Being over 40 years old, my mother still tries to "parent-shame" me for enjoying playing computer games, specifically sims. Whenever I mention it to her (we live separately, nearly an hour apart), she likes to "tsk" me and shake her head shamefully. It has zero effect on me. She has past times and hobbies that have zero interest to me. The only difference is, I don't try to shame her for hers.

Having said that, I don't go in detail or anything with her as to what happens in my game and such. Most I'll say to her is, "I'm so excited. Sims has a new pack releasing in ____ days!" And, I might say a few details about the pack releasing.

But, considering I'm an grown adult, living in my own home with my husband and one child (still at home), my husband and child(ren) do hear about my game(s) often. I share every aspect of my games with my husband and daughter still at home. My two grown sons, that live in their own homes, hear more than my mother (being gamers themselves) but less than husband and daughter.

This I relate to! My mom parent shamed me when I was a teenager and told me I was too old for a kids’ game! It’s rated Teen. Do you let young kids watch PG13 movies? It took her years and her second daughter playing the game to realize it’s not just for kids, so me being the oldest got the short end of the stick. She still says it’s like Barbies for teens and adults, which I agree to an extent.

I tell my fiancé about the game and he watches me play sometimes. We have a good laugh talking about the Sims’ antics, but he’s more interested in adventure games than simulation.

It's weird that people are so anti-gaming, and especially anti-sims, yet will spend hours and hours watching TV. I'd much rather do something active on a screen than just sit and watch all night long.

"Mariefoxprice83;c-17469149" wrote:
It's weird that people are so anti-gaming, and especially anti-sims, yet will spend hours and hours watching TV. I'd much rather do something active on a screen than just sit and watch all night long.

I agree so very much with this. I rarely watch tv. Oh, sure, there are shows I like and I'll dvr them and eventually get to watching them (never mind I'm behind this entire season of Supernatural, and still haven't found time to start watching it), but I'd rather spend my free time playing a game. Which is why my shows have several that I need to catch up on, but probably will only get about one episode every few days watched.

"Mariefoxprice83;c-17469149" wrote:
It's weird that people are so anti-gaming, and especially anti-sims, yet will spend hours and hours watching TV. I'd much rather do something active on a screen than just sit and watch all night long.

I've tried so many times to explain my gaming to people who are not into games. And this the argument I'm making. I ask them: "how many hours of TV do you watch every night? Every week?" They never have a good reply for me, but claim that the two are not the same.

Its the same people who claim people you meet online are not real friends. I ask them to tell that to my bestie that I've known for 20 years, since we met online and kept it online for 3 years before we met. People are narrow minded and can't see beyond their own limited sphere.

No, I don't tell anyone I play The Sims. My parents don't really care about what happens in my real life, I think they'd care even less if I talked to them about a computer game! It means I can keep playing and getting lost in it without it being ruined by their shaming comments though :)

"NorthDakotaGamer;c-17470200" wrote:

"Mariefoxprice83;c-17469149" wrote:
It's weird that people are so anti-gaming, and especially anti-sims, yet will spend hours and hours watching TV. I'd much rather do something active on a screen than just sit and watch all night long.

Not really all that weird. I mean my mother does sewing project. I play video games or listen to an audio book. It is just how people relax. My grandmother can sit and just watch the tv for hours, but she is also almost 85 years old. She sees me or my kids gaming and knows it to be a hobby.

They aren't saying it's weird they have different hobbies, they are saying it's weird that people shame gamers and say how terrible gaming is but think it's okay to watch tv for hours.

@beadierturtle I'm glad that I'm able to enjoy a viariety of games, yet admittedly, I too am a bit judgemental when it comes to certain genres. Just not The Sims and RPGs in general, but that's probably because they lend to and spark my creativity and imagination. Blasting other players in a shooter, doesn't really and leave me cold. Those are more social games and I for sure ain't social (...much). Also, I share your observations - especially regarding your third point.

I don't talk about my gaming life much among my family (husband's, my own is non-existing). The ones my age are busy raising kids and with other worldly concerns. My parent-in-laws are way too old school to understand what gaming really is. Again, they're highly grounded in the real world and all its concerns (work, social life, various home projects, etc.). My hubby and I are more introverted; he's a software engineer as well as a gamer himself. We don't share a whole lot, however, when it comes to what type of games we prefer :-/

Like someone else said, I couldn't spend my day watching television. I almost never watch TV unless it's some educational program or something specific of interest that I cast from Netflix or HBO. I require something interactive. Otherwise my intellect would decline.

Great quote by Mr Hawking! I have a good one from Albert Einstein - 'Imagination is more important than knowledge. For knowledge is limited, whereas imagination embraces the entire world, stimulating progress, giving birth to evolution.'

"NorthDakotaGamer;c-17470541" wrote:

"Mariefoxprice83;c-17470327" wrote:

"SimAlexandria;c-17470205" wrote:

"NorthDakotaGamer;c-17470200" wrote:

"Mariefoxprice83;c-17469149" wrote:
It's weird that people are so anti-gaming, and especially anti-sims, yet will spend hours and hours watching TV. I'd much rather do something active on a screen than just sit and watch all night long.

Not really all that weird. I mean my mother does sewing project. I play video games or listen to an audio book. It is just how people relax. My grandmother can sit and just watch the tv for hours, but she is also almost 85 years old. She sees me or my kids gaming and knows it to be a hobby.

They aren't saying it's weird they have different hobbies, they are saying it's weird that people shame gamers and say how terrible gaming is but think it's okay to watch tv for hours.

Yes, exactly! I don't find it weird that people have different hobbies, but I do find it weird that gaming is so often seen as less worthwhile than watching TV. Not only that, but a lot of people who are actually gamers think that Sims games are somehow "lesser" than RPGs, action games and others.

My kids consider it a virtual dollhouse, as do I. I do play other video games that are more engaging and require more thought.

I would consider it a virtual dollhouse but I can't imagine a game that requires more thought on my part... I write novels and short stories and use my Sims to recreate the stories haha. I def. put more thought into the game then others, mostly because I love it the most. The funny thing is, I had 0 interest in playing dolls as a kid haha! I was always a reader/writer and enjoyed creating stories but dolls themselves I couldn't be bothered with

@beadierturtle
When I explain what sims is to non-gamers or non-players, one response stuck out: "so its dolls catered to adults?" (Rofl) But I can see where they're coming from. They need to make connections to what they know, and that's pretty much spot on for them given what they know, or dont know.

I agree, games that use intense/adrenalin pumping hooks make the most noise and are regarded as 'staple' or 'cool'. Sims attract the thoughtful kind of gamers that are not going to scream at their pc. So im not surprised the gaming community don't understand sim players at all.

@Nindigo
I'm on the opposite end. If I'm not playing sims I'm blasting other players in a shooter. FPS is my outlet for escapism and stress relieving. (I have a stressful job) I enjoy the simplicity, precision, and strategising to take down the opposing team. I don't enjoy the social aspects of it either though. Partly because its 2020 and some still act stupid when they hear a female voice in an fps game.

Sims is my outlet for creativity. I love storytelling. Bt I'm the kind of simmer who cannot let bad stuff happen to my gameplay sims.