Computer Game Advice

[Breeze]

My father-in-law suffers from a bad back, which has made him virtually cripple. Because of that he can do very little. My wife mentioned getting him a computer game for Christmas. Since I have very little time to play them, I figured I'd ask the experts for advice.

Here is what I think:

1. I don't think he'll be interested in 1st person shooting games
2. I don't think he'll be into fantasy role playing games
3. He won't want gorry overly graphic games.
4. Though he used to be a coach in his younger years he really isn't all that interested in sports anymore.
5. Anything overly complex to play (not strategy - just playing) will probably frustrate him and he won't play.
6. I don't want to get into an online game yet., This will be his first taste of computer gaming and I don't want to receive a bunch of phone calls about why it isn't working and I dont' want to confuse him too much.
7. He's in his 60's so that limits a bunch of games just based on content.

Does anyone have any suggestions for me?

[GreenMonster]

Get him the Hoyle Card Game suit.. I am sure he knows most of the games. Get him hooked up to MSN Gamezone so he can play others online..

[Anthony]

perhaps something like SimCity, or The Sims, or Railroad Tycoon. with all those restrictions you really aren't left with a whole lot of genres.

[Critch]

Civ IV?

[st.cronin]

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=45042

[Hurst2112]

Why don't you get a bunch of those board game remakes? Scrabble, Risk, etc. Does he like poker? Casino type games are cool cause there are usually several different games. The Hoyle card game idea is great.

[Hurst2112]

http://www.operationsports.com/fofc/showthread.php?t=45042


Um, fricken funny. :D Though after waisting $30 bills on it, I would suggest 'no'.

[Marc Vaughan]

My father-in-law suffers from a bad back, which has made him virtually cripple. Because of that he can do very little. My wife mentioned getting him a computer game for Christmas. Since I have very little time to play them, I figured I'd ask the experts for advice.
Standard advice .... purchase all of the SI Games products, in fact buy two copies of each in case he wears the CD's out ;)

Seriously though I'd recommend starting out on board game conversions or something along those lines - Samurai or something similar is easy to pick up and play but still challenging if he likes strategy.

Main reason for the suggestion is simply that a port of a board game would be something he's probably familiar with and so would be at 'home' with ... then if he gets on ok with that branch out onto similar style main-stream computer games (for instance if he likes 'Risk' move onto turnbased war-games or similar).

[Breeze]

...I figured I'd ask the experts for advice.


Thanks guys I knew I could count on you.

We've purchased the Hoyle Casino (more Card games he's familiar with) and Railroad Tycoon (he used to have model train sets - so I think this will be a hit). We looked at Civ IV (and III for that matter) and I think they would have worked but IV was more than we wanted to spend on a chance he might like it and we couldn't guarantee to get III before the 23rd (which is when we are celebrating Christmas with her family).

Thanks again.

[Hurst2112]

Thanks guys I knew I could count on you.

We've purchased the Hoyle Casino (more Card games he's familiar with) and Railroad Tycoon (he used to have model train sets - so I think this will be a hit). We looked at Civ IV (and III for that matter) and I think they would have worked but IV was more than we wanted to spend on a chance he might like it and we couldn't guarantee to get III before the 23rd (which is when we are celebrating Christmas with her family).

Thanks again.

I could have sent my copy to you well before the 23rd. But it looks like you made some good decisions.

[RPI-Fan]

I would have said a copy of the original SimCity would have been great (or even SimCity 2000 -- or whatever the 2nd version is called).