Every week is completely different. So far I’ve had weeks where no games have been played and other weeks with acceptable gaming sessions. Living with and caring for a baby means that every day is different so to try and find any kind of pattern with my gaming time to date is futile. It will be sporadic and I have to take what I can, when I can. My play sessions revolve around sleep times still as E doesn’t and can’t, at least for the foreseeable, entertain herself.
This week has again been different as I had work due for a university hand in. My ‘free time’ was spent on that rather than on games. With the hand in came the release of that free, sleep, time and gaming commenced. Success!
Umm what should babies first console be. When I sarted it was on a mega drive the most modern console of that time. #DadLife #videogames
— Ben Nother (@nova_47) August 15, 2016
I hadn’t played anything for a few days. This allowed my mind to focus and consider the important questions. After a few suggestions on the above question from friends I’m still not sure what it should be. I do have time to decide and when that time comes we may have jumped up another console generation so there will be even more options. I’ve been thinking about this since Nintendo announced the NES Classic Mini. Sega also have the equivalent in the Mega Drive Classic so it would be easy to start her on one of those consoles. Start her off on the same console generation I began with. But why stop there I could get a second-hand Atari 2600 or even Commodore 64. The games, mechanically, were a little more simplistic so might be quite easy for her to grasp and gain an understanding of the basics of play. She could then evolve her play through the consoles up to whatever console I have at that time.
Either that or I stick her in front of the PC. At least then, as friends point out, I could just emulate all the classic games I want to show her.
Now my time only has to be split between a baby and videogames. Good choices #DadLife
— Ben Nother (@nova_47) August 16, 2016
This week I handed in a set of documents to university to finish my architectural training. From the end of last week I sat at the computer, E wrapped in her sling attached to me, working away each evening after work rather than enjoying the delights that video games bring. Since hand in however I’ve had a little success.
During the last few weeks sleep hasn’t come easily to E, her reflux stopping her from sleeping either on her back or for longer than 10 minutes. But this week she’s more settled, more relaxed and is sleeping for 2 to 3 hour stints. I put it down to the meds, but it has provided me with opportunity to get a few longer gaming sessions in.
Walking the streets playing #PokemonGo with E but I think I'd rather be playing @devolverdigital @reignsgame time to switch evening games
— Ben Nother (@nova_47) August 16, 2016
I’ve been playing a lot of mobile games since E’s appearance because they suit having to deal with a baby. Generally they can be played one-handed and offer short or easily pausable experiences. I’ve played Pokémon Go more than anything else which seems insane. My evenings have been spent wandering the streets trying to calm E after her evening feed. As she’s poor at conversation I need something to occupy my mind other than the surrounding buildings, which I’ve seen a hundred times. Pokémon Go had been helping but has begun to feel repetitive and with zero goals other than more collecting. Reigns, released earlier this week, has offered something different. With an easy swipe mechanic to determine your decision, well written flavour text and comical situations to decide upon it’s an enjoyable and easy to play game. I can walk around at the dead of night, baby attached to my front and find some time to unwind and pretend I’m a King deciding the fate of my people. It’s all about experiencing the blue mushroom rather than a dark, Pokémon filled park.
Im enjoying the direction #RE7 is taking but I think it's to scary for Little E (and maybe me) not a #Dadlife game https://t.co/ZgSZnYR7w0
— Ben Nother (@nova_47) August 18, 2016
That Resident Evil 7 reveal at E3 was one of my favourite moments of this years conference. I think the direction the game is heading down is interesting. RE has a way of changing up the formula every three, main numbered, games so I wasn’t surprised that 7 would try something different. It definitely feels like PT and games such as Outlast are inspiration for this new direction. These more recent horror games have a sense of fear that the latest RE games didn’t. This sense of fear however might turn me off from actually playing the game. I’m currently playing mostly late at night when it’s dark and the lights in the room are low to help E sleep. As I experienced with Soma this just adds to the tension and creates a heightened sense of fear. It’s odd to think that something digital and not physically real can make you feel this way. I definitely feel though that since having E I’m slightly more emotional and get something extra from horror games and films that I didn’t experience before. Maybe, if I do play, I’ll invite some friends around to nervously laugh with me and shit our pants in unison.
Had prime opportunity to play last night, put E down to sleep and I awoke a few hours later, not tonight #Dadlife pic.twitter.com/YKe5SxCIss
— Ben Nother (@nova_47) August 18, 2016
Ahhh! As said earlier I’ve had opportunities this week to play. What happens on the first night one such arises? Yeah, I fell asleep. I guess all the late nights, non stop working and caring for E caught up with me. E had slept on me for a little so I thought I’d try my luck at putting her in the nest to sleep. She stirred slightly so I lay next to her, stroked her nose to help and then place my arm around her. Next thing I know Kim woke me at 2am. The opportunity gone.
I made sure the next night not to squander it when presented with the chance. I had a couple of coffees early evening and we started out the same. E began to sleep on me. This gave me a free hand to navigate Netflix but after an episode of TNG I thought it time to try again. Successfully she went into her nest and settled instantly. I got a good 2 and a half hours of No Man’s Sky in. This made up for the lost chance the previous night and I experienced some wonderful sights. Especially that of E sleeping soundly.
It’s been a little bit of a mixed week with different experiences had. I hope that this upward trend of sleep for E and gaming opportunities for me continues.
Remember to hit up twitter and follow me @nova_47 for more.
