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Playing Games Seen as Brainless Hobby?
Richard Goodness writes "Recently I watched Simon Bysshe's film Modern Day Gamer. The film is a natural springboard for some talk of the shared experience of videogames and the legitimization of gaming as a form of entertainment. Therefore, in '2 Legit 2 Save and Quit,' I come to some conclusions." A good article, with some excellent points. I took this to heart, but I see a weekly D&D session with friends as being akin to a weekly poker game but with less financial repercussions, unless one counts all the books needed.
Should be used in moderation. Is eating chocolate bad? No. Is eating a pound of chocolate a day bad? Yes. What I'm trying to say is that there is nothing wrong with video games, or tv, for that matter, if used in moderation. But if you watch, or play, videogames/tv for 3 hours straight, I can't necessarily say that's good for you. I do think, though, that online games have more "interaction" then any other form of digitalized entertainment. And they are a great way to unwind at the end of the day.
If we are talking about brainless hobby, watching TV is much more brainless than playing games. How many people have fallen asleep playing a computer game (we are not talking about extreme circumstances where gamers have stayed up 72 consecutive hours playing an RPG). I have countless times falling asleep casually in front of the TV -- I must have not used the brain very much to achieve that. Afterall, slightly more intellectual games (adventure games, puzzle games, and even flight simulators) requires sound judgment and quick thinking.
I play Ragnarok Online. You know how much thought has to go into being a merchant. It's like the stock market or something.
Excuse my presumption, but have you ever thought of playing the actual stock market?
If age or income are an issue, you could still 'play' it - as a game that will teach you more than most other games, and that many people can relate to - and who knows, maybe some day your knowledge will prove useful.
The fact that people who 1)grew up before video games went mainstream 2)are socially closed to games and 3)have never played games - don't like games shouldn't matter to people as much as this article proves it does.
Look at your culture, man! The fact that we're embracing interactive entertainment instead of passive narrative is something to be proud of. The people who tell you your feelings are not valid, the people who tell you that you are wasting your time, the people who don't view video games as a form of artistic expression DON'T KNOW WHAT THEY ARE TALKING ABOUT. Literally, honestly, they wouldn't know Grand Theft Auto from Super Mario Brothers. Stop worrying about it, and talk to your peers, not the establishment.
Actually, that type of experience would be more appropiate in a futures market.
In any case, the stock market as it is won't be around in 10 years so it's a waste of time.
People who disparage video games are simply painting an unflattering picture of themselves in the books in tomorrow.
I'm inclinded to think that it's women who are the most vocal about games being "anti-social"... at least, that's how it's been in my life.
My girlfriend doesn't like it either... because it takes time away from HER... and she's much happier being passive and watching TV like a mindless sheep, rather than having to use her brain to play a game!
When she wants to though, she can play a mean game of Mario Kart.... but before long it bores her.... so...
READY.
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People who criticize video games are hypocrites -- every single one of them. They would never DARE to level a complaint against any of the other trite, meaningless forms of entertainment.
It's ironic that women are the first ones to criticize video games. Conventional forms of entertainment (film, TV, literature, music, etc) don't allow any kind of social interaction -- something women are unusually fond of. Video games, on the other hand, do. Most games support multiplayer, in-game chat, emoticons, etc. Why aren't girls all over this? I'm surprised they aren't the primary consumers of video games.
That's the whole point. Just because video games are entertainment, doesn't mean that they're devoid of valuable cultural expression. There are video games that speak to their players just as profoundly as Casablanca, Beethoven's Ninth, or Catcher in the Rye.
Video game, ultimately, are superior to all known forms of entertainment, because of the vastly greater subjectivity that video games permit. A novel is a simple, static thing, with predigested emotions and experiences. A video game is dynamic, and can be as much an expression of yourself as it is of the creators. The experience is your own, the emotions are your own.