Getting scaredy-cats to play HL/HL2/Bioshock/etc

[Jax Omen]

My girlfriend is a gamer. I want to get her to try HL/HL2/Bioshock. Any of the above, really.

The problem is she gets freaked out by "creepy" games. Like jumping out of her seat, screaming... freaked out.

Any advice on how to help her stay calm so she can play the games?

 

[Jeeebus]

ok I'll bite - if she freaks out from scary games, why are you trying to make her play games you think will scare her?

And if the answer is "freaked out sex," which we can all respect, why not go straight for the gold and make her play AvP?

 

[MarcVenice]

Have her visit a shrink ?

 

[ubercaffeinated]

Do cognitive reassociation therapy work with her. Turn the scary game music down or off. Turn on the lights. Have happy music playing in the background. Have posters of disney characters on the walls. Hell have lilo and stitch playing the background... and slowly over the course of days or weeks, remove each of the flowery stuff.

 

[KeithTalent]

Well playing those games with all of the lights on is much less scary than playing them with the lights off (how I prefer to play them), so make sure the room is well lit for starters.

After that make sure you are close by to offer emotional support during the overly-traumatic parts. Same rules apply here as to when you take a girl to a scary movie: stay close, very close.

After that, well I don't know. Maybe we could make a "girlie mod" or something that takes all of the scary bits and turns them into friendly, fluffy things that girls and little kids can play without being scared. You know, maybe change the headcrab monsters into kittens and give the Combine lollipops instead of guns or something. I think I may start working on this.

KT

 

[Jax Omen]

It's not so much that it's "traumatic" as that she gets really really into them and then gets really jumpy.

And I want her to play them because they're amazing games, and she expressed a distinct interest in Bioshock until she watched me play it for a bit.

She tried Portal but gave up on room 16, the turrets freaked her out too bad.

 

[andrei3333]

a shot of adrenachrone, absynth will do as well, or dont let her play at all ?

why are you maing her play games she would not enjoy ?, get her a DS and that dog game

 

[Zenoth]

Time for her to play S.T.A.L.K.E.R. ^_^

 

[Jax Omen]

... she hates the very concept of Nintendogs. She mostly plays Phoenix Wright on her DS.

Again, I'm not making her play anything, she WANTS to play Bioshock, but it scares the crap out of her. I want her to play HL/HL2.

... at all the girl gamer stereotypes in here. wtf

 

[TheVrolok]

Why does she want to play Bioshock if it scares her too much? What is it about the game that she desires, perhaps there are other games that include this thing without having the horror factor?

 

[Jax Omen]

She loves the art and setting, and is looking for a "brainier" FPS than my usual fare (most of the FPS I play include the likes of UT2k4, Serious Sam 2, Doom 3, and Halo).

 

[Martimus]

Alcohol helps quite a bit. Just be prepared to take care of her in the morning, since drinking enough to do things she is scared to do will usually make smaller girls ill. (At least in my experience.) After doing it a few times drunk, she should be more open to doing it sober because she will have gotten over the fear (More that she realizes it isn't that bad and she will be willing to do it for you without extra motivation.)

 

[ConstipatedVigilante]

Make her play Call of Cthulhu. Bioshock had a creepy atmosphere, but it doesn't compare. Not even STALKER. CoC had me near shitting my pants.

Edit: Have her play HL2. Seriously, how can anyone be scared of that except for Ravenholm? The puzzles fit the "brainy" bill.

 

[ZzZGuy]

My idea, let her play through and when she hits a spot that freaks her out to much you come in and do it for her then when it's over give her back the controls.

And start her off on HL2, it's mostly scripted action and you do what i mentioned above when it gets creepy.

(oh and i agree with Jeeebus if you are after "freaked out sex", AvP most creepy game i've ever played, graphics mean nothing when 10 aliens come screaming out at you from the dark)

 

[Jax Omen]

Heh, I love AvP2 for that very reason. But no, I'm not after "freaked out sex".

And Ravenholm is exactly why she hasn't played HL2. She saw me in Ravenholm and said "uh uh. No way" when the fast zombies started climbing the building.

 

[sandorski]

The best way to get over scary stuff is to watch it. Just like spicy food, burn the hell out of your mouth(emotions in this case) then you'll become accustomed to it.

Learn to enjoy the fear!!!

 

[Rike]

Originally posted by: Jax Omen
Heh, I love AvP2 for that very reason. But no, I'm not after "freaked out sex".

And Ravenholm is exactly why she hasn't played HL2. She saw me in Ravenholm and said "uh uh. No way" when the fast zombies started climbing the building.

You tell her she can play the whole thing, but you'll play her through Ravenholm or any other part that gets to her. Problem solved. Call it tag team co-op play.

 

[andrei3333]

what the hell is freaked out sex ? like a catwith a tail up that gets scared and gets all furry- it makes your pi pi go up instantenious ? not that i have problems with that :-|

or

is this when a person is pleasuring themselves in front of a computer while he knows that any second his (or her?) parents will be home and are feeling a little 'freaked" out ?

just trying to clarify thats all lololo

 

[apoppin]

Originally posted by: makoto00
Do cognitive reassociation therapy work with her. Turn the scary game music down or off. Turn on the lights. Have happy music playing in the background. Have posters of disney characters on the walls. Hell have lilo and stitch playing the background... and slowly over the course of days or weeks, remove each of the flowery stuff.

cognitive re association therapy? for his GF???
:roll:

Get her all scared and she will jump right into bed with him - for comfort - i bet he can figure how to further comfort her on his own
--at least it always worked for me with GFs and Scary Movies


IF You *really* want your GF to PLAY *scary PC games* then turn the music and sound effects way down
.. and let her sit on your lap, of course!
[--keep it dark ]

 

[The Bakery]

Why don't you sit next to her while she plays - with the lights on.

Fear is usually a symptom of being alone, immersed in the environment.

Also - "freaked out sex" is probably the last thing that you will ever get
from a woman.

They just don't work like that.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Don't date teenagers?

 

[MmmSkyscraper]

There are no scary games.

 

[Czar]

let her play in god mode, helps me