Why is it?

[Miss Chicken]

Why does my son, who is normally a quiet, polite, well-mannered young man, turns into bad-tempered foul-mouth beast when he is playing his Playstation?

I don't get upset like this when I am playing games on my computer.

Would any of young men of Trekbbs (or older ones for that matter) like to admit that they totally lose their temper when playing games?

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Easy. Men are competitive. Next.

And yes, i do lose my temper playing games. I was playing Civ III and i was at war, and my units kept getting destroyed. I got mad. It's a guy thing.

 

[RoJoHen]

There are two places where I lose my temper: 1) playing video games and 2) driving.

 

[Da'an]

I'm exactly the same!

The only time I swear is when I'm playing computer games, and I swear like a trooper.

 

[auntiehill]

My husband is the exact same way. It makes me crazy. He is very mild-mannered---perhaps too much so. But when he's playing a video game, he literally screams, yells, throws things, curses up a blue streak and displays a level of anger that rather unnerves me.

I've even told him that he needs to cool it, because that much aggression and hostility was actually affecting me.

It's a part of the male psyche, I guess.

 

[RoJoHen]

My husband is the exact same way. It makes me crazy. He is very mild-mannered---perhaps too much so. But when he's playing a video game, he literally screams, yells, throws things, curses up a blue streak and displays a level of anger that rather unnerves me.

I've even told him that he needs to cool it, because that much aggression and hostility was actually affecting me.

It's a part of the male psyche, I guess.

I think it's because every once in a while video games are a lot more difficult than they should be. I can only die so many times in a level before it starts to piss me off.

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

There are two places where I lose my temper: 1) playing video games and 2) driving.

OMFG yes! I have really bad road rage.

 

[MANT!]

My son is rather like the following youngster when he played PC games
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QGQkszIEMiw

But the following is more like me..

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIPGF-qpEhE

 

[ShamelessMcBundy]

Yes, so we can safely say it's a guy thing.

 

[Gryffindorian]

I get frustrated myself when I play City of Heroes MMO. I say "shit" or "This is ridiculous!" It should be normal, but your son could probably dial it back a bit.

 

[Da'an]

Actually I think it's more a case of "The Computer is a Cheating Bastard" thing.

 

[captcalhoun]

I think it's because every once in a while video games are a lot more difficult than they should be. I can only die so many times in a level before it starts to piss me off.

this is so true.

or, i can get so far through a THPS3 level and fall off so many times before i finish a challenge before it gets annoying. or i can get so far through a chase/race on NFSMW before i crash or get rammed so many times before it gets annoying.

 

[Hermiod]

Actually I think it's more a case of "The Computer is a Cheating Bastard" thing.

I agree and present prosecution exhibit A.

 

[Captain Ice]

There are two places where I lose my temper: 1) playing video games and 2) driving.

Me too.

 

[Miss Chicken]

My husband is the exact same way. It makes me crazy. He is very mild-mannered---perhaps too much so. But when he's playing a video game, he literally screams, yells, throws things, curses up a blue streak and displays a level of anger that rather unnerves me.

I've even told him that he needs to cool it, because that much aggression and hostility was actually affecting me.

It's a part of the male psyche, I guess.

Yes, my son's anger unnerves me. He has broken games controllers when he has thrown them across the room etc. I tell him "if the game is that frustrating, stop playing it"

 

[Jono]

I use to yell (I still do something) at the computer if it pisses me off while playing games. Back in the day with the CRT monitors I'd grab it and shake it as I yelled at it. I don't usually hit the computer itself, though I have, I take my anger out by hitting the desk and swearing.

 

[Da'an]

I headbutted a Nintendo Gameboy to death when I was younger.

 

[Aurian]

That is why my kiddo has the 1-hour maximum per day rule. He gets ANGRY. And it does not leave him for a while afterwards even. So I choose to take away his playing priveledges first, when he is misbehaving.

 

[Angry Angel]

I think in a way one gets too fixated, you get in a certain zone, spaced. For some that results into aggression when something doesn't work or when you're interrupted. I mostly get lazy by it and numb. That's why I hardly play games, and if I do I make sure to quit after 1.5 hours.
Best thing is to set times or at least take long breaks and do something else and as a parent to enforce that.

 

[Australis]

Odd. No 1 son plays games all the time (CoD and Battle Sumfin) and is close to somnolent near all the time.