I began my gaming journey when my parents brought home our very first console — the Intellivision. That chunky controller with its number pad marked the beginning of something that would shape decades of my life. Then came the ColecoVision and Commodore 64, each leap forward feeling like a glimpse into the future.
But things truly got serious with the Amiga 500. The 1990s brought an explosion in microprocessor advancements and the dawn of real-time 3D rendering. Consoles and PCs were no longer toys they were portals. And when CD-ROMs entered the scene, we stepped into what I call the golden age of computing.
1993: The Turning Point
That was the year Elite Frontier II launched on the Amiga a universe contained in a box. For the first time, players could explore vast star systems that felt alive. Ironically, that same year, the internet went public, though I didn’t catch on right away. I was finishing my studies, unaware that the world was changing faster than any of us could comprehend.
Then came the PC era. I built my first rig and dove into Doom, Wolfenstein, Carmageddon, Blood, and Hexen. Those weren’t just games they were experiences that defined how I saw technology, art, and storytelling. Life was simple: a keyboard, a mouse, and a glowing CRT screen.
Growing Up (and Logging Out)
Then came adulthood, Real life kicked in. Bills replaced loot drops. Work became the grind. Gaming took a back seat.
Years later, I returned to find gaming transformed. I arrived late to the PlayStation 1 and Xbox era, but when the PlayStation 2 landed, it consumed me. Weekdays were for gaming, weekends for parties and sleep was optional.
Then I saw Battlefield 1942 running on a friend’s PC. My old setup couldn’t handle it, so I discovered internet cafés and with them, the golden era of online gaming.
The Birth of the Online Tribe
Battlefield hooked me first, then Counter-Strike. I met a tribe of like-minded misfits, and together we built digital friendships stronger than most real ones. Then came World of Warcraft. Civilization collapsed for us we became digital nomads, living, fighting, and laughing inside a world within a world.
I was a PvP purist a lone wolf and troll of the highest order. I lived for the hunt, the ambush, the gank. We weren’t heroes. We were chaos. But that chaos built something special server identity, rivalries, community. It’s a kind of culture that’s almost extinct now.
Maybe we were part of the reason world PvP faded away in ‘WOW’ but damn, it was glorious while it lasted.
When Imagination Was Everything
Then came Eve Online the grandest sandbox ever conceived (imo). Politics, betrayal, espionage gaming had evolved into a stage for human drama.
Looking back, though, I’ve realized something: where technology fell short, imagination filled the gap.
We didn’t need photorealistic graphics or bzillion-dollar engines. We had passion, creativity, and a sense of wonder that filled every blank pixel. Developers back then weren’t chasing trends they were inventing magic.
Today’s Problem: The Empty High
Now, games look incredible but too often, they feel hollow. Studios serve the masses, not the soul. Players chase the next dopamine hit, buying, consuming, discarding, and wondering why they’re never satisfied.
I’ve done it too. After thousands of hours and hundreds of titles, I’ve realized that what we truly crave isn’t the next game — it’s the feeling that the game respects the player. The spark of imagination.
Somewhere along the way, we mistook stimulation for meaning. Our brains learned to chase instant gratification, yet they’re starving for depth — for worlds that challenge us to think, feel, and imagine again.
A Father’s Perspective
As a father, I think about this often. My son is starting his own journey through the digital world, and I see in him the same wonder I once had. But I also see the traps over-consumption, impatience, escapism.
I guide him as we play World of Warcraft together. He learns how to navigate the auction house, build community, cooperate with others, and handle conflict. It’s more than just a game—it’s a space for learning real-life lessons. We make it that way.
Lets take Minecraft as an example, I have one rule: Survival mode only. No shortcuts. No creative mode (yet). Because effort fuels imagination and imagination fuels creativity.
The Real Question
As parents and as players we need to ask ourselves:
Are these games enriching our lives, or just wasting our time?
Are they inspiring imagination, or merely triggering dopamine?
If you’re a parent, don’t just watch your child play, join them. Step into their world. Games can become shared adventures where you bond, laugh, and learn together. In those moments, you’re not just a parent, you’re a companion on a quest, a trusted ally in their story.
Let them take the lead. Let them make choices, solve problems, and discover what it means to guide others. The lessons of teamwork, leadership, and resilience that games offer are real, if we choose to see them that way.
Because gaming isn’t just entertainment, it’s a reflection of who we are, how we think, and what we value. And when we share that world with our children, it becomes something far greater: a journey we take together.
The Final Thought
When I revisit the classics, I’m reminded of what made gaming magical in the first place imagination. The power to fill in the blanks, to see worlds where there were only pixels, and to create stories no developer ever scripted.
Technology builds the playground but we bring the play.
So I’ll leave you with this:
What was the last game that truly made you feel something not because of its graphics or rewards, but because it sparked your imagination?
Share your thoughts below let’s keep the conversation, and the imagination, alive.
#LichLabs #GamingCulture #RetroGaming #GamingNostalgia #ParentingAndGaming #MindfulGaming #EliteFrontier #WorldOfWarcraft #Minecraft #EveOnline #GamingCommunity
