Trying to teach GF FPS gaming

Synapses · 2012-03-23, 08:06 PM

So in our 3 years of our relationship my girlfriend has fallen in love with WoW and other similar MMORPG's, but thats about it from some very novice CS:S.

She has taken an interest in Planetside 2 based on my extreme interest...

What FPS games do you guys think I can start her out on that would not be too difficult but help teach her the basic mechanics of an FPS game such as Planetside 2?

I am thinking BF3 single player on easy or normal, as she does have the concept of point and shoot down, but she really sucks at CS:S online.

Keeping in mind here, she is a bit of a blonde airhead type... I can tell her something and 5 minutes later I can ask her about it and she has that deer in headlights look with a "Huh?".

NewSith · 2012-03-23, 08:17 PM

Try and feed her the good storyline games...

Start with Portal. She won't have to shoot shit, but she'll get used to first person view.
Then give her some old school shooters in lines of SoF
Then HL2 + Episodes
Then Crysis or Far Cry (the first ones)
Then Some other shooters.

Don't want to sound nerdish, but the hardest part for female is to get used to first person. Their eyes and attention model are very different from ours.

Synapses · 2012-03-23, 08:22 PM

Originally Posted by NewSith

Try and feed her the good storyline games...

Start with Portal. She won't have to shoot shit, but she'll get used to first person view.
Then give her some old school shooters in lines of SoF
Then HL2 + Episodes
Then Crysis or Far Cry (the first ones)
Then Some other shooters.

Don't want to sound nerdish, but the hardest part for female is to get used to first person. Their eyes and attention model are very different from ours.

Good suggestions, she did beat portal 1 and portal 2 but it took her ages due to her intelligence as prevoiusly mentioned.

I dont own SoF games, but I do have all the HL2 stuff so ill get her in on that as well. As we speak shes loading up battlefield 2 as well, so ill be trying to guide her through single player a bit on that atm.

The Desert Fox · 2012-03-23, 10:20 PM

I think we really know what she needs.

Half-Life.

I think I have said enough.

Warborn · 2012-03-23, 10:58 PM

Maybe she doesn't like FPS games and trying to get her into them will be a bad idea.

Synapses · 2012-03-23, 11:40 PM

Originally Posted by Warborn

Maybe she doesn't like FPS games and trying to get her into them will be a bad idea.

Erm, she has never voiced anything negative towards FPS games, she likes to watch me play BF3. Now she is learning it. She just took a break, but she likes it =)

EDIT: I would try to get her to play PS1 but I think she would get bored to death with the downtime and the frustration it can cause in almost every aspect of the gameplay... Because even after what... 6 years? I still get super pissed off at how bad the mechanics are... stupid ADAD crap.

Captain1nsaneo · 2012-03-24, 05:02 AM

Try sticking to more recent titles, we all love the old stuff but it can get painful to look at when compared to more recent graphics. Definitely agree with Portal and Half-Life choices, Half-Life 2 and the episodes should be just fine as they're fairly easy. Left 4 Dead 2 is fairly simple as well and allows for co-op.

Valve on a whole does a good job of making their FPSs accessible but fairly basic. Outside of CS:S of course but that like TF2 started life as a mod. I'd actually recommend against CS:S as many of the more modern doohickeys like aiming down the sights don't exist and she's playing against veterans with a decade of experience. TF2 is fun but can become addictive and has similar mechanics problems with CS in addition to weapon selection.

What other game types does she like? You might try Mass Effect, it's a third person shooter with much of the same mechanics as FPSs but at a slower pace. If L4D works out try Killing Floor or Borderlands both co-op while not being too hard. Global-Agenda is a free to play mmo third person shooter as well with a class system, it would probably be the easiest transition for her if she's into WoW.

Don't try to force her to like FPSs specifically, try to give her an enjoyment of what makes FPSs actually more fun than just gunplay. Thinking and choosing how to react to threats. Any game that incorporates shooting elements along with strategy should be fine.

(btw, if you need a 3rd for L4D2 let me know. I suggested it so I'd feel a bit of a jerk if I didn't offer to help but it is still very playable with just 2.)

Synapses · 2012-03-24, 03:27 PM

Originally Posted by Captain1nsaneo

Try sticking to more recent titles, we all love the old stuff but it can get painful to look at when compared to more recent graphics. Definitely agree with Portal and Half-Life choices, Half-Life 2 and the episodes should be just fine as they're fairly easy. Left 4 Dead 2 is fairly simple as well and allows for co-op.

Valve on a whole does a good job of making their FPSs accessible but fairly basic. Outside of CS:S of course but that like TF2 started life as a mod. I'd actually recommend against CS:S as many of the more modern doohickeys like aiming down the sights don't exist and she's playing against veterans with a decade of experience. TF2 is fun but can become addictive and has similar mechanics problems with CS in addition to weapon selection.

What other game types does she like? You might try Mass Effect, it's a third person shooter with much of the same mechanics as FPSs but at a slower pace. If L4D works out try Killing Floor or Borderlands both co-op while not being too hard. Global-Agenda is a free to play mmo third person shooter as well with a class system, it would probably be the easiest transition for her if she's into WoW.

Don't try to force her to like FPSs specifically, try to give her an enjoyment of what makes FPSs actually more fun than just gunplay. Thinking and choosing how to react to threats. Any game that incorporates shooting elements along with strategy should be fine.

(btw, if you need a 3rd for L4D2 let me know. I suggested it so I'd feel a bit of a jerk if I didn't offer to help but it is still very playable with just 2.)

All good suggestions. I will keep her away from CS:S and TF2 (I really dont like TF2) mainly because I am trying to teach her FPS games with the ability to fine tune aim by looking down the sites. BF3 seems to be working pretty well and she enjoys it. She even enjoys the story a little bit because it gives her an idea of the type of events that happened with me in the early Iraq war. Plus she is loving vehicle combat, she has not figured out helicopter flight but give her an Abrams and she is all over it.

After she beats BF3 single player i'll move her on to Half life 2.

I should apologize, even though she wont ever read this, for calling her "dumb" in a sense. She is a very smart woman, but she just lacks some common sense. Right now her biggest problem is remembering the keys for certain things such as crouching, throwing nades, and switching up firing mode on weapons from single, ext.

I will also probably introduce her to Borderlands as #2 is on its way and I really liked #1 for the most part. I think she will fall in love with the crazy interesting guns. (Swirling SMG rounds that explode on contact, ill never forget how cool that was)

I thought about mass effect, but her biggest turn off from SW:TOR is biowares usual listen and pick choice in conversation thing, same as me. I really don't like that style of RPG choice in conversations as I want to be in the action, not spending half my time talking to this person or the other.

Anyways thanks for the constructive ideas guys =)

p0intman · 2012-03-24, 04:28 PM

Toss MW1/2 at her, should decently do for planetside 2 caliber stuff. You might stay away from mass effect though.

Synapses · 2012-03-24, 08:34 PM

Originally Posted by p0intman

Toss MW1/2 at her, should decently do for planetside 2 caliber stuff. You might stay away from mass effect though.

Modern warefare games are HORRIBLE examples of good FPS games. No offense to the COD players, but COD has not been good since the older WWII ones or MW1. I would never even try to get her to play MW 2 or 3, they are a disgrace.

Eighm · 2012-03-29, 09:18 PM

If she's having problems against real people in CS:S, just start up a LAN bot game for her with knives only. She'll get used to shooting moving targets without much chance of them actually killing her.

PrISM · 2012-03-30, 08:32 PM

Originally Posted by Synapses

What FPS games do you guys think I can start her out on that would not be too difficult but help teach her the basic mechanics of an FPS game such as Planetside 2?

Why does she need to be "trained" to play PS2? The great thing about the game is that there are a number of different roles to fill. If she isn't skilled with running and gunning, maybe she'll enjoy being more of a support character or driving vehicles. Just let her play and do what she likes.

Traak · 2012-03-31, 03:01 AM

Get a two-person vehicle, and drive it around with her gunning. Her activities will be limited to calling attention to targets, aiming and firing. Reloading is automatic if you haven't chosen manual.

The experience she gets running from the spawn room to the Vpad will immerse her enough for the time being.

I suggest a Magrider. What you see is what you shoot. Spend some time on the virtual reality range to teach target leading.

Stormhall · 2012-03-31, 02:08 PM

I say throw her straight into ARMA 2 she'll developing an amazing sense of awareness in video games and also introduce her to the Quake games.

Captain1nsaneo · 2012-03-31, 02:34 PM

You know her personality, there's a laundry list of possible games in here, see if any mesh with her current interests. The goal is for her to do this as a hobby because she enjoys it not prepare her for tournament play.