So, What Do Computer Games Mean To You?

I feel somewhat lucky, and a little bit dated, that I grew up during the golden age of computer games.  I’m lucky enough to remember playing Pacman for the very first time when it was a cutting edge game in a bar in Montreal, Quebec.  I remember being lucky enough to go to arcades to play games with a pocket full of quarters, because video game arcades were the only place you could play computer games.  I was lucky enough a few years later to play games like Zork and JumpMan on my Commodore when we had one of the first home computers in the neighbourhood.  I remember all those things, because I grew up and came of age during the late seventies and early eighties.  I had dreams of building my own computer games, but never the belief or resources to know where to go next.  There were no computer design schools back then.

So, for me computer games were, and in many ways to this very day an obsession for me.  For a few years of  “serious” college and early family life, computer games disappeared from my daily activities.  But, it was inevitable that they would eventually come back.  And they did a few years ago.  Apart from the odd casual gaming experience with the original GameBoy, the masterpiece that really drew me back into the fold was System Shock 2.  I had picked up a gaming magazine with a demo disc while killing time in an airport on a business trip.  The demo just totally blew me away.  I was so enthralled, that I simply had to play the full blown version.  I bought the retail version of the game, and upgraded my PC with a new video card.  A VooDoo, if I remember correctly.  Well, my life has never been the same sense.

I’ve been through a number of career changes, till finally landing in the role of running my own internet business.  As satisfying and exciting as all that is, I still dream of the day when I’ll get back to the world of gaming.  In some form or another.  Either playing or building the games would be fine with me.  I just need to free up some more time.  Deep down inside, what I’d really like to do, is come up with enough money to bankroll my own computer game development studio.  I’ve long since admitted to myself, that I’m too far down my career path to build the games myself, but taking the helm of a company that builds games would be a dream come true.  I may not be able to get a job as a computer games designer / programmer, but hiring a few to work for me, might be even better.