Disclaimer: The opinions expressed within this column are those of the participants and the moderator, and do not neccessarily reflect those of the GIA. There is coarse language and potentially offensive material afoot. More sponduli! Don't say we didn't warn you.

Since I don't have anything clever or humorous to use as a launching point, I'm just going to toss my two cents into the discussion Zak ended the column with the other day. So how's that sound? Good, glad we're on the same page.

Zak made the argument that games are still a comparatively new format, and all forms of entertainment have gone through a stage where they were considered mindless diversions at best. In fact, I've also made the same assertion in the past, and it's certainly not without its measure of truth. However, using movies as an example, there are several important differences between seeing a flick and playing a game. Differences that, I think, will ensure gaming remains a niche hobby for some time to come.

• For one thing, there's the time devotion necessary. Whereas playing a game (particularly an RPG or adventure game) requires plopping down in front of the set for hours on end, you can go see a movie with friends in a matter of 2 hours or less.
• That brings us to the second major difference: whereas movies are seen as an acceptable social activity, games definitely aren't. There are a few noteworthy exceptions, sure, but you're not exactly going to take a date home to play Final Fantasy X. (Unless you have an unusual relationship, but I'm trying to address mainstream society, so forget you.)
• Finally, there's price, which was already mentioned; compared to just about any form of entertainment, games aren't cheap. You've got the console, the games themselves, and if you really want to game in style, the home theatre setups that can reach into the thousands. We aren't talking picking up the latest Stephen King novel here.

Believe it or not, the average person isn't interested in spending a good deal of money isolating himself so as to play the latest game. When most people have time on their hands, they use it to socialize, build friendships, create new ones, look for dates, etcetera, etcetera. I'm not saying I condone such activities, but from my limited dealings with humanity, they seem to be all the rage.

Unfortunately, these constraints aren't limited to the dreaded "mainstream." All of the aforementioned limitations eventually weigh in on even the most die-hard gamer. Like Zak mentioned yesterday, as I near graduation and slowly edge towards becoming one of those "adult" things, time is increasingly an issue. Although there was a point in my life where I didn't mind popping in the latest sequel, as my time becomes more limited, I'm not interested in investing my attention and my precious free time to an enhanced version of a game I've already played before. If a game isn't trying to be something different, I'm pretty much not interested.

So, I'm asking you readers to do me this: let me know how you would create and market a game that would overcome these deeply ingrained social barriers. How would you continue to keep your games fresh once it came time to make another? Similarly, when do you feel the day that you no longer call yourself a gamer will arrive? And if neither of those topics appeal to you, just let me know why I'm a big subnormal for expecting every game to be innovative and fresh. I know you guys can be creative, so think up something good and then mail me, okay?

-Drew Cosner, big bastard who just pawned a letterless "column" off on your ass.