Salute to all,

Maybe like most of you I've grown up with video games, which is not a bad thing in my opinion, but this caused me to be lacking in standards social skills for my whole primary and part of my high school.
I have a few very loyal firends who are like me. While video game took a huge place during my youth, I learned quickly that I had to work on some ability to become someone, like playing tennis and piano, which I did and still do for now 12 years.

However, I feel that during all these years, maybe I missed something because I don't really enjoy what most of the people my age does.

I'd say yes, they had an important impact on my social life (no GF, but I don,t give a $%?&), but maybe this saved me from things I wouldn't have wanted and I learned a lot from them.

Any thoughts?

Its been one of the most positive things for me enjoying video games and seeing what makes them tick all the way back from my days using the Commodore Amiga 500 to my first 486/DX Intel pc which i played TES ARENA, RAVENLOFT, LEGACY REALMS OF THE HAUNTING. Its been alot of fun and helped me to be happy with myself due to many lonely years. Makes me shudder what life would have been without a computer of some sort to keep me out of trouble.

Still life isnt all video games and one has to learn to balance things out with real life which surprisingly enough actually makes playing the video games even more exciting when its time to play again.

Great to hear you found your talent which always helps when the nay sayers and complainers come around.

I've chosen to play video games instead of doing social things, but only because those social things svcked. I made a series of choices, and I don't yet think I've yet been wrong. I don't really know which option in the poll this corresponds to.

I don't find solidarity to be a negative thing, so no.

Strange, because loneliness must affect a human being because of their nature.

Only sociopaths aren't affected

I think you're painting in broad strokes, in both the OP and here. The effect gaming has had on my social life has been minimal; I made some friends online who I talk to regularly, and I'd consider that a part of my social life, along with the many friends I have made and maintain outside of the internet. Gaming is a hobby like any other. There are those who are obsessive about it, this can be said for any hobby, and those who spend time moderately. It's understandable why people take gaming so seriously, as, again, this happens with any hobby; however it's pointless to do so as you only isolate yourself and others.

They made me a better personn, and anyone who says otherwise will be blasted with a shotgun and teabagged.

I only play in my free time. Everything else comes before video games.

I'm a person, not a personn, so I really can't say.

No. Just like alcohol, it comes in binges, but it also knows its place.

I wouldn't know anything about Ancient History had I not played Age of Empires II. Now I know more than the average person will ever know.

I wouldn't be near as literate either without games like Morrowind having me read, nor as sharp minded without all the platformers and shooters and racing games.

Yeah, Age of empire 2 helped a lot with the history codex for each race. I remember I was 11 or 12 and I read the story the afternoon.

And I wouldn't be able to make my friends love me by speaking in a constant mix of threats, jokes, flattery and boastful stories without Oblivion!

I saw a mudcrab the other day.

Ah, conversation starters don't come any better than that!

Take care.

You have to balance it right, you know? Otherwise you just screw everything up and have to start the entire conversation over from scratch.

Bah, then I just throw a few bills of a hundred at them and they like me anyway.

Or cast a spell, it saves money!

I dumped all my points into "Converse inanely about mudcrabs"

Works every time.

Just wave your hands around a bit and blink a flashlight at their face. Works as well as any Charm spell I've ever seen, unless the person you seek to impress is epileptic.

There's no such thing as conversing inanely about mudcrabs! That's my best social etiquette you're maligning there. You absolute bastard.

I'm not sure whether this is a side effect of gaming or not but I'm pretty sure I can do magic by shouting random gibberish at people in a deep voice

Sorry, it's my tragically low INT, I keep saying stupid things and insulting people.

I doubt videogames caused your poor social skills. Videogames are just what you did instead of building social skills. You could have spent that time playing chess, reading, the result would have been the same.