Getting your "significant other" to play Video Games.

[Zelu]

Alright so I have a a few questions for the members of gamerDNA. In the past month I have been trying to get my girlfriend into playing video games. Now this is different from anything like this I have ever done. With virtually everyone within my inner circle I have taught how to play video games. Well their all guys and we tended to all like the same genre's of games, with varying degrees of skills.

So far I'm in the process of running here through Halo 1 on co-op (FPS-wise). I have had her start a character on Oblivion (RPG-wise, until Fable 2 comes out so we can both play) and basically let her do whatever she wants, while answering her mountain of questions. Then I have her playing The Settler's: Rise of an Empire (RTS-wise) while advising her on what she should do. But I think I'm going to switch her over to Rome: Total War instead.

Well she's fairly adequate at Halo(for a complete noob) on normal. Then for Oblivion she has the tendency of giving me the controller whenever an undead comes near her and crying on what the wolf's dieing whine sounds like. As for the RTS's I set her on she often says it's "too boring".

So my training regiment is well under way but from recent experience's with her gaming it appears I'll need more tricks up my sleeve to get her hooked.

So do any of you gaming couple's have any advice, tips, tricks for me?

[QforQ]

I think you'll have the best luck by letting her play games that she likes, not games that you like. If she's a total game noob Halo, RTS's and maybe even RPGs might not be the best way to get her hooked. You might try games like Rock Band and other fun games that you can easily get into and just plain have fun.

Go into it gradually imo, don't just throw in the deep end with Halo and Oblivion

[Armaya]

Agreed. Play games she likes first. Then she'll be more willing to try other games.

[Sneek]

Games my girlfriend likes:

The sims
World of Warcraft
Anything with colored shapes: Bejeweled etc

However I got my girl hooked with a mud...so whatever they are saying above me, you can do it the hardcore way too

[QforQ]

The Sims, Peggle, Bejeweled...maybe Puzzle Quest? (Never played it, but it's supposed to be badass..puzzle game mixed with RPG) would all be great games to start on.

[Sensational]

Postal 2 is the way to go IMO.

[rexin]

wow you guys sound like either you never had girlfriends that wanted to play games or you girls are into games.listen what u do get her to play games with you splitscreen works the best my girl liked playing halo with me so much that we got part 2 then we moved to halo3.she has the ok from me to play what she wants when she wants now she's a great gammer like me she even plays solo games like devil may cry and ng 1 and 2 she loves games i dont like playing it's all about leting her grow as a gamer kinda like your parent or whoever let you grow as a gamer when you were growing up

[kanashi]

Do focus on games she likes, but also focus on games you like. Try playing games that both of you can play at the same time, usually if the girl is inexperienced it is better when you are around in the actual game to help.

For an RPG try Baulders Gate Dark Alliance, FPS I would stick with Halo, but upgrade to the later editions, and for RTS I would go with something easier like Age of Empires II. Other than that let her pick a few she thinks she might like and play them with her.

[prtofdacrowd]

Easy! My lovely girlfriend is almost there!

Three Steps:

1: Nintendo DS!
2: Pokemon and Zelda and other fun games
3: Viva Pinata, Guitar Hero, Game based on something she likes like a movie tie in

Secret No.4 Step

Keep saying how much fun your having playing with her, play good fun games and never complain that shes beating you, even if you are letting her win!

[EvilAerosolCan]

How old are you? If you're in high school or lower, just find a different girlfriend that already know how to play games. If you're older, well, I don't have experience with that. I only know about wife aggro