playing Battlefront

I asked for suggestions for August's 'first' and this was the winning response: play 'Battlefront' with The Children. It won quite possibly because it was the only suggestion. But the more I thought about it - and the other 'firsts' I could come up with on my own, the more I realised how awesome it was.

It is the summer hols, after all. And I've been known to play a video game or two.

In case you're unfamiliar, gameplay centers around the Clones/Stormtroopers and their battles on both sides of the Galactic War. There are also 3 other playable sides: 1. the Rebel Alliance fighting against the Imperial Stormtroopers, 2. the CIS (Confederacy of Independent Systems) versus the Republic Clones, and 3. the Clones against the 'Sepies', aka the Separatists. It's all highly technical and important stuff. Obviously.

What else The Children want me to know:

• It's collaborative: 'you gotta work with your unit to get to accomplish the mission'

• It's violent: 'there's shooting and stuff, mom; it's kinda the whole point'

• It's frightening: 'being blasted by an AT-AT is downright scary; they're huge'

• It's fun: 'blowing up droids is awesome'

Another important thing to remember: you don't battle in space in the first Battlefront. Apparently that happens in Battlefront 2, 'which is possibly a better game because you can get awards, have space battles, and run, and play as either the Jedi or Sith...' (I get the impression they want me to play 'Battlefront 2'.)And if I'm very brave, this post will be updated at the weekend with a video of the actual 'first' occurring. That's a big if.

So what say you? Are you trying anything for the first time today? And do you wanna play Battlefront with me? I'm pretty good.

Onward.