Study Finds Gamers Prefer Control, Competence Over Violence

Science News reports on a new study which found that the violence in video games was not a significant contributing factor to players' enjoyment. Instead, the feelings of control and competence the games engendered were closely linked to how fun the players found it. Quoting: "... the researchers extensively modified a popular first-person shooter video game called Half-Life 2 to have less gore. Half the people in a group of 36 male and 65 female college students were instructed to dispatch adversaries as the original game intended, 'in a thoroughly bloody manner,' says Ryan. The other half was instructed to tag enemies with a marker. 'Instead of exploding in blood and dismemberment, they floated gently into the air and went back to base,' Ryan describes. An extensive survey of the two groups showed that the exclusion of violence didn't diminish players' enjoyment of the game."

Comments

65% Women? Yeah that's accurate.

[IanDanforth]

Researchers have also have discovered that Laura Croft's breast size does not significantly change the appeal of the character, Animal Crossing is just as fun as GTA, and female night elves are rarely created in WoW.

Re:65% Women? Yeah that's accurate.

[Anonymous Coward]

> Animal Crossing

The TV spot for that makes me want perform unspeakable acts of cruelty upon small fluffy animals, punch the guy in the face and make out out with the girl. This fluoxetine-imbued, saccharin shit is easily the most emotionally confusing and disturbing thing I've ever seen on TV.

If there was a top secret government program to convert non-violent, law abiding citizens into serial killers... the animal crossing ad looping constantly for 2-3 days would be all they needed.

Re:65% Women? Yeah that's accurate.

[rts008]

Researchers have also have discovered that Laura Croft's breast size does not significantly change the appeal of the character...

True, True...butt,

Well, actually we are watching for a realistic bounce and jiggle on the oversized jugglies....and a nice butt....and a skimpy costume...and
Uhmmm....gotta go....more research needed here...

signed,
Researchers

Re:65% Women? Yeah that's accurate.

[Anonymous Coward]

Sarcism n. Origin: From narcissism and sarcasm. Meaning: To ironically and insultingly refer to one's self-love Example: - "Yeah, like I'm the most good-looking person here." - "Woah, that was totally sarcistic dude."

interesting

[theeddie55]

My studies showed that my tetris addiction was directly linked to the violence of the game, I'm now going to have to go back and look over that paper, see where I went wrong.

Really?

[east coast]

I can't speak for anyone else but I play video games so I can shoot people in the nutsack.

Man...

[Anonymous Coward]

I just wanna shoot people who think video games make me violent.

Re:I, for one, ...

[maz2331]

Prefer that the rows of Tetris blocks explode in an orgy of gore and fire - with extra points if it's somehow sexualized.

Re:Violent games stopped me from playing

[MsGeek]

Oh yeah...he wants the "Rapture" mod. You know, the one where you type in a code and the Rapture happens. The virtuous peasants get taken to Heaven by Jesus, and you, the evil warlord, gets to gather up their stuff. Simple.

Re:Control vs. violence

[The End Of Days]

Only when you aren't any good at it.

Re:The real test is gravity.

[Anonymous Coward]

Yes, yes, of course. We've all outgrown the need to entertain such juvenile fantasies. ...

(Tifa, they're gone now. I still love you.)

Re:Control vs. violence

[Mozk]

I think that with video games a controller would be the ultimate form of control.