My Childhood. Inspiration: the "What if"s"

I Remember as a child of 4 (1977) being bored and having a friend coming over to play, not knowing how we would have fun. Mom had bought a HUGE roll of yellow paper, about 4 feet wide and maybe 50 yards long. I invented a game where we would draw a course, which was the battlefield. Would draw mountains and rivers with bridges, outlines. Simple. Then at each end we'd draw a square, and that was our tank. Then, on each turn we would hold our pencil, finger on the eraser and push down to make a strike. That could be our move, or our cannon shot when we came in range. It was fun. For a few days...

All of a sudden one day, a funny looking box appeared in the living room with cords stretched to the television and the most amazing thing we had EVER SEEN!

Suddenly, We were transported into a world of live action combat, with at least 4 colors, and complete with SOUNDS! Not many, but SOUNDS! So lifelike, so in the moment, so gripping in intensity. Yelling, screaming and laughing.

There came fast and furiously many other games and i was always fascinated by the ones that involved the adventures of "people". i had always read "choose your own adventure books as a kid, and now there i was in the safety of the living room risking it all to save the princess in my own adventure...

The years went by and we'd always talk "what ifs". "what if, instead of 4 colors, there were 8". Then , if a rolling log hit a wall, and the wall would actually break! "what if, when we grow up, water looks like water, or people like people! 

"WHAT IF: we could have a "shootout" where the fastest button press
meant victory! No injury, no regret, just cheers and pats on our own backs!

The years went by and we became seasoned vets, always comparing our progress and next day at school bragging rights for the first one to get the secret treasure.
We were always inspired, always excited, and always has something to look forward to no matter about the bully at school, the incredibly boring exercise of accurately repeating information to get a "good grade".
When the school day was done we had worlds to call our own, things to see, to accomplish and battles to be won. As the years went by i never lost the appreciation for what could be done in the world of
Video Games. The depth and breadth of imagination, insight and storytelling. The tangible sense of defeat with a conflict lost, coupled with the renewed determination to do it better, faster the next time.


I never lost the appreciation.
To Be Continued....