Hooked on Gaming

Zachary explains the rules of a newly created game to Peter and Zach

There is a multi-generational fascination with gaming in our family.  Our boys love playing games of all different varieties and our official game 'closet' takes up almost an entire book case (in the master bedroom of all places!).  But the types of games that come in boxes only make up a small portion of the actual game playing that goes on around here.

Zachary's creative genius for inventing games goes way back to his early childhood.  From the time he could engage his friends or younger brothers in playing games (any game, inside or outside) he would spend the majority of the time making up complicated, intricate rules and explaining them.  Sometimes the playmates would tire of the game long before it ever even started. 

Zachary prepares for battle, using a ruler for placement of the players.

A (self published) author at ten years old, Zachary used The Bloodwrath characters to create a role playing game called QTM.  Several of his good friends took to QTM and some of their playing sessions lasted well over five hours.  One legendary session on the ride to BSA summer camp in Idaho lasted eight hours and nearly drove the driver right off the road!

Cousin Violet helps Grandma Billie with her hand at Hearts.

Peter, Grandma Billie, Joseph and Zachary play a round of Hearts on Thanksgiving weekend.

Any game will do, but the new preferred pass-time for Zachary is DnD.  With borrowed books handed down to him by a good friend who used to play DnD with Tim, and the use of pod casts and websites and tips from long-time players, Zachary has amassed quite the store of DnD know-how.  He recruited a group of friends from his swim team, who get together regularly to role play using the DnD platform.

Zachary's dice collection

Ultimately, the creative energy expressed in devising, revising, and strategizing in the worlds of gaming gives more than hours of entertainment and fellowship, it grows brain cells and develops problem solving and communication skills.  For that reason, on Zachary's high school (home school) transcript, I shall award him an A in Gamesmanship.  And for his brothers and gaming friends, an honorary A+ given for going with the flow.