# Computer games & life **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 12, 2000, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044 "2000-08-12T01:00:19Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Foggy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foggy/32/1082_2.png) [@Foggy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Foggy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/1 "2000-08-12T01:00:19Z")
I just got a new computer game for my b’day and it got me thinking (which is not always a good idea, but what the hell.)… ========================================= **Reasons I wish life was more like a computer game:** 1)a cheat code would give me all the money I could ever need, 2)I could make disasters when & where _I_ wanted them, 3)a reset button for when I don’t like the way things are going, 4)a delete key for those people who REALLY need to be deleted. ========================================= **Reasons I’m glad life is not like a computer game:** 1)Some else having a delete key, 2)World War 3,4, & 5 are started just because the cat jumps on the keyboard, 3)Microsoft, 4)Systems crashes, anymore? # ================================================= Consciousness is that annoying time between naps. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 1:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/2 "2000-08-12T01:06:47Z")
One reason I wish life was like a computer game: 1. When things are going well, you can Save it and play it again later. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 1:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/3 "2000-08-12T01:09:01Z")
And when things aren’t going so well, you could load to an earlier point and try it again. And the primary reason I’m glad life isn’t like a computer game: No need to download patches! ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/4 "2000-08-12T01:21:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Monster104 \* > \*\*And the primary reason I’m glad life isn’t like a computer game: No need to download patches! \*\* Ah, but when there’s a problem, downloading a patch can fix that! 🙂 Wish life was like that. I’d have patched my Senior Prom. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 1:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/5 "2000-08-12T01:24:03Z")
Ah, but like every patch, you never know what further glitches it will cause. Another reason I wish life was more like a computer game…You could enhance the graphical options and display settings. Woohoo! 1600 x 1200 x 32 bit color! Alright! ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/6 "2000-08-12T01:27:28Z")
Cool! Hey, wouldn’t game sequels be sorta like reincarnating? ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 1:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/7 "2000-08-12T01:55:36Z")
My number one reason why it should be more like a computer game: if you talk to me too many times, I will start saying funny things in weird voice. #2: People will let you just take stuff from their home, if you promise to use it to kill monsters. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 2:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/8 "2000-08-12T02:32:48Z")
The protagonist is always your friend, and the villain never is. Happy endings are pretty common. However: The world shouldn’t end just because the electricity goes out. ---
**Author:** ![Monster104](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Monster104](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monster104)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/9 "2000-08-12T02:42:44Z")
If life were more like a computer game, you’d get more funny quotes like this one from Full Throttle… “Let me go, or else!” “Or else what?” “I’ll bleed all over your driveway!” ---
**Author:** ![Myrr21](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Myrr21](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Myrr21)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/10 "2000-08-12T03:16:45Z")
If the world were more like Ultima online… …nothing changes–you still pay ridiculous amounts of money for beachfront property, and baker \* is \* a viable way to live. God that game is creepy; people pay real money for fake Ultima money…weird… ---
**Author:** ![Silver\_Fire](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@Silver\_Fire](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Silver_Fire)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/11 "2000-08-12T03:28:05Z")
PRO: Money Cheat Codes. CON: I’d never get to buy that guinea pig I always wanted. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 6:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/12 "2000-08-12T06:29:29Z")
Silver: Unless the life game was like was _The Sims_, but where’d the point be in that? Anyway, my votes for “I wish life was like a video game”: Food, money, cool stuff just lying around to pick up. Fast, indestructible cars. You can jump really high. You could buy a book that would teach you how, among other things, to get the girl. ---
**Author:** ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 11:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/13 "2000-08-12T11:57:11Z")
As I learned from Cruisin’ Exotica tonight: In video games, you can -drive through animals, rocks, and concrete pillars unscathed -drive a convertible that pop-wheelies when you pump the gas pedal -drive a convertible, bash into a Humvee, and not only live, but also have your hair still looking good -drive underwater without the benefit of scuba gear -drive on Mars -run over triceratops -drive on an airport runway and smash into the luggage cart thingies ---
**Author:** ![Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/a88e57/32.png) [@Trout\_Mask\_Replica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trout_Mask_Replica)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 4:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/14 "2000-08-12T16:35:48Z")
Everything I Need to Know I learned from Quake: You can run non-stop at about forty miles an hour while carrying a couple hundred pounds of gear on your back. You can take a shotgun blast to the head and still be able to do all of the above. If you die, just smack a button and presto, you’ve respawned! ---
**Author:** ![Dumbguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/2bfe46/32.png) [@Dumbguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dumbguy)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/15 "2000-08-12T20:11:03Z")
Reasons you wouldn’t want life to be like a computer game: 1. You have to solve elaborate puzzles in order to open a door 2. Everyone is always trying to kill you 3. You rarely get to have sex, and when you do it’s censored 4. The stores don’t carry anything but swords and shotgun shells 5. Everything seems to be booby trapped 6. The dialog is really bad 7. All the women have enormous breasts (see #3) ---
**Author:** ![VaHermit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/ed655f/32.png) [@VaHermit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VaHermit)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2000, 8:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/16 "2000-08-12T20:22:25Z")
Sorry to rain on the parade, but life _is_ just one big computer game. Problem is, someone else always seems to hog the controller. ---
**Author:** ![Gozu\_Tashoya](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7993a0/32.png) [@Gozu\_Tashoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gozu_Tashoya)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2000, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/17 "2000-08-13T05:56:06Z")
Really? I thought I just sucked at this game. ---
**Author:** ![capacitor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e47774/32.png) [@capacitor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/capacitor)\ **Post date:** [August 13, 2000, 7:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/18 "2000-08-13T07:12:05Z")
Why I wish life wiuld be like a video game: 1. Pay 25 cents and you can continue fresh. Reason not to have life be a video game: 1. Someone else can pay 25 cents in order to kill me. ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2000, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/19 "2000-08-15T00:18:39Z")
**capacitor** : You only pay 25 cents? Wow, where are you lucky enough to live? Where I grew up games were nearing $1 a go even six years ago. Another good reason life isn’t like a computer game: You don’t have to start your life over again just because there was a two-minute power cut. But if life _was_ like a computer game, it would have to be like a roguelike (see [www.skoardy.demon.co.uk/rlnews](http://www.skoardy.demon.co.uk/rlnews) for information). No one chases you after you steal from a shop. You never have to pay tax, no matter how much money you have. You can take hallucinatory drugs with no danger of brain damage or lengthy jail sentences. And if you don’t like someone, you just kill them. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [August 15, 2000, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044/20 "2000-08-15T15:49:56Z")
In a video game, I am rookie-of-the-year with the Boston RedSox. In real life, I couldn’t hit a pitched beach ball with a tennis racket. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/computer-games-life/29044.md?page=2)