The avatar Rob uses to represent himself on the PlayStation Network
Sony
It’s Wednesday, which means it’s time for another Get To Know Your Gamers. This week, the spotlight falls on Mr. Rob Nielsen. If anybody ever really knew what it meant to be a gamer, it’s this guy! Read on to find out why and to hear the rest of what he has to say. As always, if you would like to be featured in "Get to Know Your Gamers", feel free to drop an email and we'll get you in the rotation!
Tell us a little bit about yourself. Where are you from, what do you like to do (besides play video games)?
I`m Rob and I`m from Waterloo, Iowa. I play video games way too much. When I`m not, I`m usually playing my guitar, painting, or watching terrible horror films. If I`m not doing any of those things my nose is probably stuck in a book.
What got you into gaming?
Art is really important to me, and video games are just another art form, so I was always interested in them as far back as memory allows. I consider my generation very fortunate as we were able to grow up in the golden age of a new art form.
What was your first console / game?
My first console was the NES, and my first game was the Super Mario Bros/Duck Hunt pack-in. I still have them, and all my original NES and SNES games and systems.
Some people won’t play a game if the graphics are bad. Do graphics have that big of an impact for you?
Graphics can add a great deal to immersion if done well, but they aren`t my primary criteria for playing a game. I`m usually a lot more interested in the gameplay and the story. For example, I would point to a game like Super Metroid, a case where the graphics were stunning when the game was released but in which the game remains completely playable today, almost twenty years later, on the strength of its story, intuitive controls, and atmosphere.
What do you look for in game / what makes a game ‘fun’ to you?
Since I`m primarily interested in single-player experiences, having a strong story is really the deciding factor when choosing the games I want to play. Like a film or book, I lose interest quickly if I don`t feel like I can relate to the protagonist or if the plot isn`t compelling. Also a strong element of exploration in a game always seems to hook me and keep me playing, wanting to see what`s around the next corner. Finally, as a lifelong fan of horror literature and films, scary games are always a personal favorite. My very favorite games usually contain all of the above elements in one fashion or another.
Do you consider yourself a ‘casual’ or ‘hardcore gamer?
I don`t really think of myself as either. I don`t think anyone should self-define using paradigms like that because they`re inherently limiting. I think people should just play the games that appeal to them.
Do you prefer a solo or co-op / multiplayer experience?
Single player is really important to me. Multiplayer is a nice added component for a great game, but for me, if a game doesn’t have a great single player experience, the whole game just feels shallow and unfulfilling. However, I understand that other gamers may have a different viewpoint.
What are you playing right now?
I just finished Castlevania: Lords of Shadow, which in my view is an incredible game and very underrated. Currently, I`m playing Demon`s Souls, Fallout: New Vegas, and Patapon 2, all of which are really great games as well.
What is the worst game you’ve ever played?
I remember purchasing The Elder Scrolls: Daggerfall upon release. Upon starting the game, the software would often glitch and spawn your character in the first dungeon with a random negative number for health, sometimes one`s hero would fall through the floor and out of the game world when walking, and the hero could loiter in the in-game shops until they 'closed' for the evening, steal everything on the shelves, and walk out the front door with no consequence whatsoever. In fact, the game was so broken that the main quest could not be completed and the game was completely unwinnable until Bethesda patched it later. However, post-patch, the game is one of the best RPG`s ever made and still a personal favorite to this day.
What do you consider to be the best game ever?
Hands down the Mario series is still the best, across every Nintendo console iteration, and always will be. Individually though, I would have to name Silent Hill 2 as a personal favorite.
Random Thought?
Keep on enjoying this awesome hobby, and a personal thanks to my good buddy Tony for giving me an opportunity to ramble for a while!