It wasn’t too long before we discovered Ventrillo, which was a huge improvement over the in game voice chat feature. Additionally we found that our improved communication skills had transcended the game. We were talking more and I think understanding each other better in general.

Chatting online while playing games not only made the game more enjoyable, it also enabled us to just talk while we were playing the game. More than once the game has become a background element that is more of an excuse to have a good conversation than the focus.

Now we talk and play online for hours and often will use Ventrillo just to talk even when we aren’t playing the game. All without having to worry about a huge bill, which considering he lives 400 miles away, is a big deal. My dad and I talk more now, whether playing the game or not, than we did since I was still living with my parents. More importantly, even though we aren’t in the same physical location we have found a way to spend enjoyable time together, not just as father and son, but as friends.

My dad is 54 and I am 34. Three years after that first night of gaming, he has a game rig that rivals mine, complete with joystick and headphones with mic. He even has the special gaming keypad. These days he probably spends more time playing games online than I do. In fact, half of the time I go online to play, he’s already there, often in a game and squaded up with some of my friends, kicking ass, and taking names - literally now that Battlefield 2142 has added the dog tag feature. There is nothing quite so humiliating in a game as being knifed by your dad.

And it’s happened more than once while we were online playing a game that someone in the squad or chat room will pick up on the fact that half of the time I’m referring to him as “dad” instead of “Greg” will ask me later, “Dude was that you dad?”

“Yep sure was.”

“Ah man, that’s so cool. I wish my dad was into games and would play online with me.”

I heard that comment now so many times I’ve lost count, but I never get tired of hearing it. It is cool that my dad plays games.

Our wives think it’s a riot. My mom might even be a little ticked off at me for having help addict my father to video games, and whenever the phone rings at my house after 9 PM or so, my wife teases, “There’s your dad” and mocks, “Can Erik come out and play?” which to be honest I don’t mind one bit.