To Old Friends and RDR

[YodaMan 3D]

Got thinking about what I am looking forward to in RDR2 today and remembered a friend I met on RDR.   When I 1st got into MP on RDR he ran in the same group as I.  He was a disabled Vietnam Veteran and boy was he a grumpy old man.  One night he was getting slapped around by some young kids, I mean 6, 7, or 8 year old range, they were talking smack and he was dishing out right back at them.  He joined our chat group and asked for help and the others promised they would join, but soon as he left.  They all said the hell with it and kept doing what they were doing.  Still didn't know him well, but decided that it was un-cool to leave someone hanging like that.  So I found his GT and joined his game.   He had gotten cornered in that little old fort next to the capital.    I spawned in got my horse and rode in to help him out.  It turned out it was him and I against the rest of the server and we won far more then we lost that night.  Those kids kept calling us bullies cause the 2 of us was beating the rests of them and one threatened to go get his big brother, who I had apparently played against  a lot.    Everytime I got on, he would always join me and would play the game for hours non-stop.   We used to discuss everything we thought they would add to RDR2 cause at that time rumors were starting.

One day, after not seeing him around for a couple of weeks, I saw him on.  In truth it was his nephew, who had been trying to get a hold of me.  The nephew told me his uncle had passed away, but before he died he wanted me to know he enjoyed being my sidekick in the old west and the family wanted to thank me for being his friend.   Cause that old Vet had been bed ridden for years and it was always a highlight to his day when he would see me get online.

So here is my salute to an old friend and a new game.  Hope any new friends I make keep it as interesting as he did.

 

Edited April 12, 2018 by YodaMan 3D

[Hazed0NE]

That is actually a good story. I rarely hear of people bonding enough over a game these days. I actually had a few good friends I met in a CoD lobby back in 2010. It was a guy and his girlfriend. Had a lot in common with the dude and enjoyed playing with him a lot. My ex deleted their gamertags from my friends list and by the time I noticed, I couldn't remember how to work the tags. They were mixed with numbers. She thought both of them were females and I was "cheating" on her. She ended up cheating on me not too long after. lawl. 

[Suck3rPunch3d]

Damn this is like one of those touching stories with a sad yet happy ending. I am glad you got closure from it. Pretty cool that RDR brought you both together. 

[Purple Cactus]

On 4/12/2018 at 7:52 PM, Suck3rPunch3d said:

Damn this is like one of those touching stories with a sad yet happy ending. I am glad you got closure from it. Pretty cool that RDR brought you both together. 

This. Dude that is a cool story. I never meet people on consoles I care to start a friendship with. I usually just play in parties or by myself with everyone muted. 

[Looney Dan]

That was cool of you to rejoin him. I think a lot of people aren't sure what to think when a much older person is playing video games. There seems to be a stigma about anyone over the age of 35. I think more older people should be encouraged to play them myself. Especially 65+. Keeps the brain sharp.

[Benjo]

4 hours ago, Looney Dan said:

That was cool of you to rejoin him. I think a lot of people aren't sure what to think when a much older person is playing video games. There seems to be a stigma about anyone over the age of 35. I think more older people should be encouraged to play them myself. Especially 65+. Keeps the brain sharp.

[DaveSpeek]

I'm not exactly a "young gamer" myself here so seeing this kind of support for gamers outside of one's age group is refreshing. You are a cool dude for what you did OP. 

[CMcC]

My father-in-law is totally a gamer. He's 70. Plays PS4 and PC. Uncharted series, Tomb Raider, racing games- That's his thing.  It's one of the only things we have in common and so we always end up talking about it at family functions while everyone else rolls their eyes and laughs at us. I remember once when my wife and I were still dating, he called her just to have her pass the phone to me. Needed help with Red Dead! I thought that was so cool. 

Edited May 7, 2018 by CMcC

[Kean_1]

On 4/17/2018 at 4:46 PM, Looney Dan said:

That was cool of you to rejoin him. I think a lot of people aren't sure what to think when a much older person is playing video games. There seems to be a stigma about anyone over the age of 35. I think more older people should be encouraged to play them myself. Especially 65+. Keeps the brain sharp.

Much older?  .......ouch. 

I believe there are a lot more of us than you think my friend.  The folks on my PSN friends list are almost exclusively over 35 and a few are my age which is around the half century mark.  

Personally, I've been a gamer since the 70s and bought my own, real PC (not counting the C64) in the 80s.  .....had some of the early consoles before that time and spent many hours of my youth in arcades.  I think there is a segment of the community (including myself) who grew up during the dawn of mainstream computer/console gaming and have always had an interest that they don't simply "outgrow".  I think there may have have been a stigma about "older folks" playing games up until a few years after the turn of the century but nowadays?  .......nah.   I see people way more open to showing interest or admitting that they are gamers these days regardless of age.

@Yoda,  I just ran across this today.   .....great story.  I actually have a couple of friends on PSN that shoot me messages from time to time just to see if I'm ok or to share something in their own lives.  Sorry to hear about your gaming buddy but I'm glad to see you made a difference in his life.

Edited May 7, 2018 by Kean_1

[Kean_1]

2 hours ago, CMcC said:

My father-in-law is totally a gamer. He's 70. Plays PS4 and PC. Uncharted series, Tomb Raider, racing games- That's his thing.  It's one of the only things we have in common and so we always end up talking about it at family functions while everyone else rolls their eyes and laughs at us. I remember once when my wife and I were still dating, he called her just to have her pass the phone to me. Needed help with Red Dead! I thought that was so cool. 

I do the same thing with my nephews.  It's literally the first subject out of their mouths when I visit for family functions.  ....."did you try XXXX game yet?"

Edited May 7, 2018 by Kean_1

[YodaMan 3D]

5 hours ago, CMcC said:

My father-in-law is totally a gamer. He's 70. Plays PS4 and PC. Uncharted series, Tomb Raider, racing games- That's his thing.  It's one of the only things we have in common and so we always end up talking about it at family functions while everyone else rolls their eyes and laughs at us. I remember once when my wife and I were still dating, he called her just to have her pass the phone to me. Needed help with Red Dead! I thought that was so cool. 

That is cool that you and your father in law have that bond. 

[YodaMan 3D]

3 hours ago, Kean_1 said:

I do the same thing with my nephews.  It's literally the first subject out of their mouths when I visit for family functions.  ....."did you try XXXX game yet?"

With my nephew, it was always Madden.  With his kids, it's WWE.   In fact last Christmas, soon as we arrived the two of them talked my son into playing the wrestling game.  They kept ganging up on him.  Finally, my son handing his controller to me and said "Dad, just show him how it's done."  They got a culture shock when I whooped both of them.  Since then I became the Cool Uncle that plays video games.  Then my nephew told them all the games they got for Christmas was approved by me, cause my nephew always looked for my seal of approval when it came to getting games.

[Hazed0NE]

I think that whole "stigma" mentioned of older people playing video games vs someone in their 20's or younger isn't a thing anymore. I know more hardcore gamers who are older. They had their kids and raised them, own their houses, etc. so they have more free time than someone who is younger. Like imagine being in college and working or being a younger parent having to work two jobs just to get by. Gaming isn't an age deal, there is responsible gaming and there is immature gaming. If you have things to do like go to work or raise your kid and you choose to game, you probably shouldn't be playing video games. 

[Benjo]

43 minutes ago, Hazed0NE said:

I think that whole "stigma" mentioned of older people playing video games vs someone in their 20's or younger isn't a thing anymore. I know more hardcore gamers who are older. They had their kids and raised them, own their houses, etc. so they have more free time than someone who is younger. Like imagine being in college and working or being a younger parent having to work two jobs just to get by. Gaming isn't an age deal, there is responsible gaming and there is immature gaming. If you have things to do like go to work or raise your kid and you choose to game, you probably shouldn't be playing video games. 

Plus everyone is forgetting that the 25 year olds playing games in 2008 are now 35. 

I'll be playing games until I'm in the ground.

[Kean_1]

21 hours ago, Hazed0NE said:

I think that whole "stigma" mentioned of older people playing video games vs someone in their 20's or younger isn't a thing anymore. I know more hardcore gamers who are older. They had their kids and raised them, own their houses, etc. so they have more free time than someone who is younger. Like imagine being in college and working or being a younger parent having to work two jobs just to get by. Gaming isn't an age deal, there is responsible gaming and there is immature gaming. If you have things to do like go to work or raise your kid and you choose to game, you probably shouldn't be playing video games. 

I agree.  Before it used to be and attitude of "aren't you too old to play computer games?".  ....now it is more widely accepted that folks do.  I think those folks that already were began to feel more at ease to come out of the woodwork and admit that they do. 

Funny thing is, the numbers were always there showing just how many were.  .....many just didn't want to admit it. 

 

 

btw, IMO it doesn't matter if you have other responsibilities like kids, a job, spouse, etc.  I'm semi-retired now but when I had a full time job (and commuting 120 miles a day I might add) I still found alone-time to game.  I also found time to work on my cars / projects, hang out with our friends, BBQ, read, watch TV or movies, go out to dinner, etc.  .....but that didn't mean that I neglected my wife, child or responsibilities.  ....been happily married for many years.   Having said all that, if one finds that such things do interfere in their life, then yeah........probably time to reassess your  priorities.

 

[GatoNegro]

I saw something on the news the other day about kids being addicted to video games. You hardly ever hear of that with adults, do you? I find it ironic because for years people said "arent you too old to be playing video games?"... Pff, aren't they too young? I mean if it is becoming an addiction then you have a problem.