The gaming world can be a daunting one to jump into, especially when one considers just how long many gamers have been gaming. Speaking to a friend of mine, a geek in her own right and a major bibliophile, she expressed her interest in gaming in an odd way. While she is not a gamer herself, she would spend hours watching her brothers play games, interested in what was going on in the game itself and in the story. Immediately, I figured that if she was spending so much time watching people play, there was a major reason why she herself didn’t jump into gaming: she sucked at video games.

More gaming after the break.

It’s a common complaint and one I hear often from non-gamers. Video games, especially these days, are much more than just picking up the controller and pressing buttons, unless we’re talking about casual games. For one who has rarely, if ever, picked up a controller and simply played a game, getting used to gaming can take a bit of time, patience, and practice. And some people just aren’t willing to spend that time. In the case of my friend, I decided that if she was spending time simply watching people play, getting her into gaming wouldn’t be a difficult thing. Obviously, something about gaming was enticing to her and, after very little convincing, she was ready to try. The game we chose to start with? Kingdom Hearts.

She was pretty bad at first, as it took her 40 tries to beat Riku on the Destiny Islands during a duel. But then again, you have to learn to walk before you can run. Eventually, I attempted to motivate her by offering to buy her dinner should she be able to beat the first boss, not necessarily one who is all that difficult to begin with, in her first attempt. Needless to say, I ended up buying her sushi. And with that, she was well on her way.

So, for all you non-gamers out there who want to squeeze your way into the gaming world, but for some reason you can’t, here is some advice to get you started:

1. You will fail…a lot. More often than not, you’re not gonna get things on the first, second, or even tenth try. You can’t expect to be the best right from the start. It’s okay to be frustrated, but all you really have to do is have patience and ride it out. If at first you don’t succeed, don’t smash the controller in a fit of rage. Simply try again until you get it right.
2. Play something that interests you. There are many games out there, a lot of which are crap. As for the example with my friend, we chose Kingdom Hearts because it was a game that she instantly express interest in. If you’re going to fail horribly at something, it might as well be something that you’re gonna enjoy and get something out of.
3. If you are friends with gamers, ask them for help and training. Contrary to popular belief, not all gamers are screaming, foul-mouthed assholes. Just the prepubescent loud mouths on Xbox Live who feel the need to troll everybody and never shut up. If you know gamers, especially friends, approaching them to help you learn is a lot simpler than one might think. Hell, many of them would probably be happy about it. Which brings me to my next point.
4. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. If you are new at something, sometimes a push in the right direction is all you may need. Don’t be embarrassed about not being able to do something. If you try and try but just can’t seem to get it, ask a friend for a hint or a tip.
5. Contrary to what many think, a gamer is not defined by their skill level. No matter who you are, more often than not, you will find someone who is better than you. Rather than spending hour after hour perfecting one game in hopes of being the best, you’re a gamer if you enjoy playing video games. Don’t just confine yourself to one game just because it’s the only one you’re good at. Explore.
6. Broaden your gaming horizons. If something is interesting but you’re worried you’re going to be horrible at it, don’t worry about it. Like say you usually prefer Role-Playing Games, but a certain First Person Shooter looks appealing, go for it. Everyone sucks when they start off. If a game interests you, even if it isn’t in the usual genre of stuff you enjoy, give it a look anyway. You might be pleasantly surprised.
7. Lastly, if you’re gonna go as far as to get a yourself a system, make sure you know what you want before shelling out the cash for it. Every console offers something different so make sure you find out which one is best for you.

So there you have it. A few easy tips to get you non-gamers started. It’ll be somewhat discouraging at first, but if gaming is something that really interests you, see it through. Don’t let morons on Xbox Live get you down by telling you that you suck. And definitely don’t let the Game Over screen deter you either. Believe me, as someone who has been gaming for 17 years, I’ve seen those words displayed many times over. So good luck and good gaming.

Tags: gaming, Kingdom Hearts, xbox live