Giving: With Strings Attached

My friends and family all tend to play different types of games, and none of us can really relate to what the others play. For example, my best friend Kelly plays Sims 3.



I do not understand this game at all.

Honestly, I get the appeal on some level, but when choosing how to use the time I've budgeted for video games, Sims is very low on that list. Still, it was her birthday and I wanted to get her something she'd enjoy even if I didn't totally get it. I imagine this is the same feeling most parents have when buying games for their kids. That analogy may not be entirely inaccurate in describing our friendship.

So the birthday comes, and she is now the proud owner of this:



I looked briefly at it. It seems to be a cross between spring break and an episode of True Blood.



Two things I enjoy on an intellectual level, but for some reason do not hold the same appeal in this iteration. Still, she wanted it, and I gave it to her on the condition she create me and Jessica Hamby (a character from True Blood) living together.



Seeing the result, it was both admittedly creepy and funny. I probably should've also asked that we be exclusive to each other, but Sim-Me seems to have coped fine with things over time.



It was probably the best game-related gift I've ever given someone.

On the opposite side though, the best game-related gift I ever got was from Hamza and Jesse.



To be honest, it was something I won for donating to Child's Play during their gaming marathon. I love our community, and I loved watching them and the rest of the Dtoid staff play games and mess around for a really good cause. Receiving these things made me feel like I was a part of it even though I wasn't there in person. Most importantly, it showed me that something undeniably good, like helping sick kids in our own way, can happen because of video games and the people that love playing them.