Anyone get nervous when...

[Yago]

You are playing arcade/video games and you have others looking over your shoulders? I find myself to get sweaty hands when other people watch me play games at home or in the arcades. Of course, you try so hard not to screw up that you end up doing just that, then you can hear somebody in the background whisper "He sucks." Of course, my sister loves to heckle me. So when I do screw up she laughs really loud. I even remember when Twin Cobra came out in the arcades. I would make it through the first level without getting killed. Because it was a new game a lot of people wanted to play it and sure as heck did not want to wait very long to get thier turn. So they would start getting angry and say "Die already." Then, of course I would.

[felix]

I just hate it when they comment.. Like if your playing SMB1 and your on the 2nd level, you start it and the annoying person behind you starts saying, "oh oh oh!! oh!! ummm!! DUDE!! THERE IS LIKE THIS SECRET THINGY OTHER THERE!!! OH OH OHOH OH HAHHHOHOHH!!!! DO IT DO IT DO IT!!" :angry:

at that point, I would give anything to have an extra 5 feet of nes controller cord so I can beat the living bejesus out of the person looking behind my back.. :smash: BAD OVER-THE-SHOULDER-VIDEO-GAME-WATCHING-PERSON!!! NO BISCUT!!!

[Quintracker]

Oddly enough I enjoy it when people watch me play. I don't get nervous or make mistakes, at least not more mistakes than I usually would ;) Maybe I just crave attention or something heh.

[RJ]

I'll never forget when a restaurant in our area ("Rustler") got arcade games- it was in the early/mid 80s of course. I was playing Pac-Man w/ my older bro watching over my shoulder saying "ooh, you're gonna die, you're gonna die" trying to distract me. I had a few dots left on the 2nd screen & REALLY wanted to see the first cartoon (I hadnt seen it before) & I died. I instantly began pounding on him & screaming & crying & I had to go back to our table w/ the whole place staing at me for causing a scene.

Thereafter, I was labeled "sensitive."

Besides that, I dont mind others watching if I know what I'm doing or playing a game I'm good at.

[vulcanjedi]

Hmm

Long time ago on a saturday afternoon I beat the only arcade game I have ever finished. I was playing Dragon's Lair. This was right after they had installed the extra monitor. And the machine was right in the entrance to the arcade. I had been playing every chance I had and must have spent $100 in quarters up to that point. It was the first time I could relax and play because I wasn't supposed to be someplace else. It seemed to be taking an extremely long time but I was on a roll. As I was playing I kept hearing sounds behind me as people crowded around. I was hearing little ooohs and ahhhs everytime I got to another screen. Then for the first time I made it to that shiny golden lair and I heard a collective gasp behind me. I went into a zen like state of pure concentration trying to block out the rest of the arcade. And for some unknown strange reason I managed to slay the dragon without losing a life. As I was basking in the glory of seeing the ending for the first time what sounded like 50 people behind me started clapping and cheering and thats when I turned around to see just how many people were watching. The whole entrance to the arcade was blocked with dozens of people who were all watching me play.

I can't imagine if I would have lost after getting that far what they would have been saying :)

VJ

[WanganRunner]

i've actually never had that happen to me.

I think I'd probably have to turn and punch them.

[scooterb23]

It's happened to me a couple times, I felt awesome the one time when I completely ruled Discs of Tron and had a bunch of teenagers watching me play and cheer when I was only 10 :)

I had 4 people watch when I became the first person to beat Super Mario Brothers in Circleville.

Most humiliating time: getting schooled at Mortal Kombat whewn it was about a week old by a kid who needed a booster chair to reach the controls...had 30 people watching that one...

[Sylentwulf]

I'm with quin, I always preferred to have people watching me (back in the arcade days) I like it at home too, but at least half the time it's "hey you know what you should try? this, no wait no like that, do it that way, oh I guess that doesn't work, maybe you should do this?"

[Pantechnicon]

It depends largely on the game, meaning whether or not I suck at it. If I run across an Asteroids machine, for example, I like to let the young'uns watch me play a game so they can learn that these old school games aren't necessarily about blindly shooting everything around you, but actually require some finesse 8-) . There's very little that's as gratifying in my life as hearing some 12-year-old peanut say "I didn't know you could do that!" while I'm playing Galaga and get the double-ships. Watch and learn, junior....

[Darth Sensei]

That's doesn't bother me in the slightest. In fact, that's the whole allure of the arcades. Back in the day, if you could play Asteroids all day, or Pac-man for a few hours, you were like a rockstar.

It happened to me yesterday at Pinball Petes in Ann Arbor Mi. I took my nephew there for some fun (my first time there) and started playing Mr. Do. I haven't played that in forever, but I still managed to play it for about 30-35 mins on one quarter.

A few guys my age started watching and making positive comments and such.

I felt like I was a teenager again. :D

[Nez]

When I was about ten to 13 don't really remember, I was really good at the Crusin' games. I would race teens who were older then me and who had there own cars, and school em right in front of there friends. Some got very mad at me but luckily didn't do a thing.

Then there were the time when I would get first places non stop, there was like two stacks of quarters from people waiting in line. And I'd just keep on winning a free play. Just kept on racing untill either it was time to go home or the pizza was ready.

[Crazycarl]

yes...my fav time was when i was at the game works in LV, with my friend. We got the 3 hour game pass and went ape shit on the place. we decided to beat every gun game, and i could see little kids just watching us blasting threw each game. Also while i was their I was insanly good at Taxi Driver (never got good at the DC version though :/ ) and i would have people watch me as i would play for an hour, getting A and B licences.

But my fav. story in LV was my brother would play the arcade racing games were they would have 5 cars line up. and he would hussle guys....he went in w/ 50 bucks and came out with 150 LOL.

[vintagegamecrazy]

I used to draw crowds with Die Hard Arcade, People would watch me and say "he rocks" I could beat the game on only 2 or 3 credits and wail on the last boss both times and only get hit once or twice, a few weeks ago I drew a crowd at a Galaga Arcade, and people were cheering me on and I only got like 190,000 score. I play better showing off in front of a crowd.

[Moose]

A favorite memory of mine is the time I beat Time Crisis 3 with a good friend of mine. When we finished, we turned to see a couple kids had gathered and were basking in our Video Game Glory. It was pretty cool.

I only mind people watching me play if they are "back-seat drivers."

[imanerd0011]

I don't really mind a crowd watching me, but that rarely happens anymore in the Arcades (at least in the one near me). You would be lucky to see 15 people in there total.

My senior year of H.S my friends and I had a Tony Hawk Pro Skater 3 tournament. There were around 30+ of us there, and we were all gathered around 1 T.V.

[Captain Wrong]

In the arcade, I was known to "accidentally" body check gawkers with a little body English to the machine. "Sorry man. Didn't see you back there. I was really zoned out on NARC here."

Heh heh heh. Good times.

[Lady Jaye]

I remember going to the arcade at La Ronde (Montreal's local Six Flags attraction park), 2 years ago. There was a DDR machine and I started playing it. Not too far from me was a family with middle-aged parents and young kids (about 10 years old, I guess). I decided to play because a) they were staring at it, not too sure what they were supposed to do and b) because I like DDR, even though I'm in no way a great player.

Because these people weren't hardcore DDR players, it meant that even my ok prestation was good to them, so there was no real pressure to perform.

In any case, I don't care about what others think, so it doesn't matter to me when people watch me play.

[googlefest1]

I realy dont like people watching me play or waitng behind me to play - i try not to pay attention

even if im good at it - the only game i was realy good at was that starwars trilogy game by sega - a few times people would say i was cheating becasue i was useing the 2 fire buttons instead of one - but still i tried not to pay attention

ive also had people tell me to die already - when i hear that i realy try to concentrait and play longer - and if the dude is not that menacing id put more credits in

on a few occasions iv had people ask me if they could join in to play (multiplayer or fighter) - those are the best - everone should follow proper maners

[goatdan]

In the arcade, I like it when people watch me play. I actually tend to have better games when that is going on, and it just seems like it is more of a big deal :)

[dcware]

I went to a rather large arcade last summer, right in the entrance there is a deluxe Outrun 2, so I thought what the hell I'll play it a bit.

For the first time ever I made it right to the end on one credit, I went crazy "YES!!! YES!!! YEAH!!! I ROCK!!!".

I look round and there's like 30 people watching from behind the seat, they were proberly impressed until I said all that. (Was the arcade on Brighton Pier, in the UK)

[Kroogah]

I usually screw up more when I'm playing certain games, but if I get a crowd while I'm playing DDR I actually start to do better. Especially if it's a crowd of really good players, then I usually push myself to do the really hard stuff. It's great when I succeed, except for how close to passing out I am afterwards.

Guitar Freaks and Drummania are the best when you have a crowd. Closest to being a rock star you can get without actually bothering to learn an instrument.

[nesgamer]

at that point, I would give anything to have an extra 5 feet of nes controller cord so I can beat the living bejesus out of the person looking behind my back..

It's called hit Pause on the game, then unhook the controller and then beat the crap out of them with it. :D

[PDorr3]

I like people watching me play if its a game I can play without pressure, such as an RPG or platform game, but when it comes to fighting and action games I prefer nobody watching.

[Gapporin]

At home, I hate being watched. Usually my brother will watch me for a certain amount of time. He'll stand about 5 feet away from me, stare, watch me until I lose a life, say "That sucks.", and walks away. I swear, he does this every freakin' time. Drives me crazy.

The arcade is a different story. I like being watched, and I usually don't get the jerks who try to screw me up when I play. One time, I was watching this elderly guy play Marvel vs. Capcom (he was probably in his 50's). He had stocked it full of credits, and pretty much had control of the machine. Well, he noticed that I was watching him, so he asked, "Hey, you wanna come over and play?" We ended playing about three rounds together, and we split the wins both ways. That was pretty cool.

[Gregory DG]

Arcade rubberneckers don't bother me as much as the Wal*Mart or EB ones. You know... You're playing the GBA or DS system they have on display and some kid rams his head in front of the screen so you can't see it.... :angry: :angry: :angry:

[googlefest1]

At home, I hate being watched. Usually my brother will watch me for a certain amount of time. He'll stand about 5 feet away from me, stare, watch me until I lose a life, say "That sucks.", and walks away. I swear, he does this every freakin' time. Drives me crazy.

The arcade is a different story. I like being watched, and I usually don't get the jerks who try to screw me up when I play. One time, I was watching this elderly guy play Marvel vs. Capcom (he was probably in his 50's). He had stocked it full of credits, and pretty much had control of the machine. Well, he noticed that I was watching him, so he asked, "Hey, you wanna come over and play?" We ended playing about three rounds together, and we split the wins both ways. That was pretty cool.

elderly man ? 50s? - thats not elderly - youll be there in no time

[imanerd0011]

I remember going to the arcade at La Ronde (Montreal's local Six Flags attraction park).

Hey

I live in Plattsburgh , which is 60 miles from Montreal. I've never actually been to La Ronde, but have driven by it a million times (mostly on my way to St. Catherine Street with some friends. LOL )
Anyways, a friend told me that there is a "Nintendo Museum" at La Ronde. She isn't into video games that much, but she knows that I am. I asked her what was in there, and she said "I don't know".
Is this actually true???

[Uzi 9mm]

Ugh, this happens to me a lot when I play DDR. The machine is near the entrance to the arcade, so when people are walking in they usually like to watch others play DDR. Last time, I got a crowd of about 20 people, and I did Senorita on Standard, and barely passed with a D. Said crowd just sighed and walked away. :/

[legov8]

I don't get nervous when someone is watching me. Yet I do get mad when they start saying things like "Go there" and "Do this thing or do that thing". Or they start saying things like "You Suck" or "Die Alreay". That really gets on my nerves.

[kirin jensen]

It doesn't bother me so much with videogames, but with pinball...

There's always somebody's "precious little darling" (aka THAT ANNOYING FUCKING BRAT) who tries to "play" the game while you're playing it. They put their hands over the table, obscuring your view of the ball. In general I like kids, but I have yet to meet a kid hanging around a pinball table that isn't an annoying shit.

On the other hand...I do get amazing scores in the absence of children.

And you gots to love the crowds that gather for that. 8-)

[Fuyukaze]

I dont mind people watching me play because I normaly get to involved in playing the game to even notice if someone is there watching. It can be good because I dont notice anything they say or do behind my back, it can also be bad when I'm talking to them and dont even realize they left the room. I dont play arcades anymore because I think they are rip offs. The local ones have nothing but Fighters, Gun shooters, and DDR for 50 cents or more per play. I would rather just get the games at home. Atleast then I can get to play a good shooter.