But is it really only a game? Speaking for myself, gaming has helped me through a lot of difficult times in my life. Without being too specific, around twenty years ago I'd lost my father and thought I was going to lose my mother. One of the ways I coped was by playing Final Fantasy IV. Playing the game helped me forget the bad things happening to me, and I really do think I came out better for it. To this day FFIV is my favorite of the series, not because it has the greatest story or game play, but because of what it represents. It feels like a warm blanket. It helps me to feel comfortable and secure, and never fails to calm me down.
For many people they are just games. But for others, you can't divorce the experience of a game from the greater context of the life in which it is played. Just as in any hobby, the meaning of an experience is limited only by how much one vests into it. Gaming can mean as much or as little to a person as that person desires.
There are many ways in which games can effect our lives, and I'd like to highlight two extremes. On the one hand, there is an article On Hot Blooded Gaming, Kreyg wrote Video Games: My Guardian Angel. I encourage you to read the whole article, but here's an excerpt:
School wasn’t the only place where things were rough for me, life at home wasn’t exactly peaches and cream. You could say that my parents didn’t have the perfect marriage. There are too many times I can recall my parents having intense fights and screaming contests. Unlike the kids from school, I could immediately escape the madness going on. Most of the time I would close the door to my room and turn up the game volume. When I was playing whatever game it was, I felt like I wasn’t a part of the war going on outside. Video games were my safe zone when the fighting broke out. I didn’t exactly know what was going on, but as a kid, I was scared of all the yelling and knew it wasn’t good. I just wanted it to go away, and playing video games helped make that happen for me. My parents eventually got divorced when I got to middle school. It was a rough time, but I knew I could pop on a game and forget about my troubles for the time being – and I did just that.
Kreyg's story is one I think a lot of us can relate to, and hopefully he'll be joining us for an interview on the next Nation of Gamers.
On the other side of the coin is this video by CirrusEpix and posted at ScrewAttack.com.
Obviously I disagree wholeheartedly with the sentiment in this video, but it still illustrates that, for good or ill, games can have a profound impact on our lives.
What do you think? Are games important to you beyond the enjoyment they provide? Have you had a bad experience made better by gaming, or a good experience that turned bad? Do you feel that games help or hinder your development as a person? How has gaming effected your life?
As always, feel free to comment here or take it to the forums for more in depth discussion!
My parents have learned to overlook me playing games, but they have described my behaviour to be almost catonic while playing games which does show my detachment to the outside world while playing single player games. I guess this behaviour is a little frowned upon by society but it shows the immersion that a person can feel while playing interactive narative. I think the beauty of video games is that your actions have their own consequences which allow you to feel more apart of whats going on screen.
ReplyDeleteCertain games for me illicit joy, mainly online multiplayer games, but the finaly fantasy series holds a special place becuase I used them to overcome some troubled times when important people passed away in my life. I feel that gaming did make me feel better instead of moping, however it was viewed quite negatively by the people who I knew.
As a person I'd have to admit video games have pushed some ideas on me, but for better or worse I'm happy that I picked up morals from games rather than TV. Games with a choice tree do tend to highlight that actions do come with consequences as opposed to the Hollywood "everything turns out for the better no matter what your actions are" type message.
Let's be frank. All of us here have played a lot of video games, and most opinions will be slightly biased...granted, it's impossible NOT to have a biased opinion, especially over a topic as medially controversial as this, but still.
ReplyDeleteI think I should begin with saying that I do not consider myself one of those nerds/geeks who hangs out in their basement playing hours of WoW or any other game really, and the only things they find funny are Portal jokes and people playing Alliance. I have a social life. I have friends, I'm active in extracurricular activities(that aren't chess club), and I have a girlfriend who is actually very attractive.
If you asked me whether or not I play too many video games, I'd say yes. However, I don't believe that it's a problem. Gaming is a hobby, not a cult or way of life...and it should remain that way. If you asked some other random Joe whether or not they play too much football, and they said yes, would that be considered a problem? Not in the public eye, no. Gaming too much, however, would.
I think that, like football would, games certainly do not hinder my development. Sure, I may not get enough sleep, and I may miss a few homework assignments just because I love Mass Effect way too much, but again, that's not a problem.
I'm not going to lie, however; I do not honestly see any good things that have come out of my gaming other than a few fun communities and something to do on Friday nights when I'm my friends don't want to hang out.
The bottom line is; gaming is a hobby. It's fun, it's enjoyable, but it needs to be taken in moderation, like everything. Gaming helps, that's certainly true, when you need and escape or a stress reliever; nothing is better than killing a few Spies that are cloaked or ranting on an internet forum about how Halo is the worst game ever made (It is, really.) Gaming hurts, by causing you to not do relevant things like having friends when you want to play WoW or Call of Duty.
It's like Yahtzee said in his Dragon Age: Origins review. "If you like fantasy RPGs then DAO is for you. If you don't like Fantasy RPGs then I guess you can just go and have sex with people instead."
I think that "Its only a game" applies to a lot of players, but there are many who take gaming seriously not only as a pass time but as a lifestyle guide.
ReplyDeleteFor my mind, your attitude towards games is very much dictated by your personal life (ie that does not involve computers) and priorities therein.
I recently became a father and have since, dropped gaming time dramatically. Not out of necessity, my boy sleeps well and often is asleep in the evening when I would otherwise be gaming. This time has now become much more precious to me as I can spend some quiet time with my darling wife.
Previous to moving in with my wife, I would
- arrive home from work
- change and go to the gym
- get home from the gym, grab dinner and
- GAME ON!
Now my priorities lie with my family and genuinely spare time then becomes my game time which has essentially resulted in my gaming dropping to 3 sessions of 40 - 70 minutes per week.
On the other hand, I know people who do nothing BUG game outside of working hours. Their priorities lie with their clan/guild mates and getting as many hours as possible in per week. HARDCORE!
Really it boils down to this.
- Priorities
- Time available for gaming
- How seriously you take gaming
If your priority IS gaming, you have lots of time to game and take it really seriously - It's probably more than "just a game" to you.
If your priority is family and friends, spend only your spare time (instead of making time to game) and approach gaming as a casual passtime...
Its just a game!
Hmm... this really made me thing. What is the benefit to being a gamer if you let it take over your life? Playing almost 500 hours of TF2 used to be a badge of honor, but now its becoming less so.
ReplyDeleteI have backed away from TF2 and while there were some great moments, the extent of what I took away from TF2 when I left it are limited to a big fat server bill and 20 straight days where I could have been hanging out with IRL people. thats realisticly about 50-60 days where my life has been drained into oblivion.
My personal life has suffered with the rise of gaming in my life. My grades have gone down, homework was not getting done, and I would rarely hang with friends.
Right now I am at a cross road, either continue gaming and possibly come out with no major achievements in my life, or keep it to a minimum and get on with doing something that can change the world, or at least my small little corner of it. I hate to say it, but that video does have a lot of truth to it.
Video gaming has in fact helped me through a lot of the problems I have had in my life. My life has never been one of any sort of enjoyment, and gaming helps me escape it as a whole. Better than the alternatives i have used over the years, gaming has become therapeutic for me.
ReplyDeleteWhile gaming everything around me ceases to exist. While immersed in my games I feel a sense of accomplishment completing a quest or finishing a game. They helped me forget the world around me and focus solely on the moment.
On the other end of the spectrum there are those few individuals who end up getting themselves in lots of trouble. My cousin for instance got kicked out of college because of his gaming and this was way before World of Warcraft, this was back in the Diablo days. This is the main reason why my parents were so against me gaming at first, as explained in earlier posts.
Gaming has made my life seem less worse than it actually is. Its escape still takes me in and allows me to feel accomplishment even if they are just pixels on a screen and have very little in the way of "productivity". It lets me forget the world around me and focus on the one moment that I have. I am the same way when i read books though now that i think about it, completely immersed in the single experience grasped on my fingertips.
I'll be honest, gaming is my hobby, but not my priority. I'm a pre-med biology major in college now, and while I could put in stupid amounts of time in gaming while I was in high school, that doesn't fly now. Games were a way to pass the time on a long car ride, or when there was nothing going on with my friends. Now, gaming is limited to me and my friends chilling in a dorm room playing a half hour of X and an hour of Y.
ReplyDeleteBelieve me, gaming in large quantities is a BAD THING. Just like eating potato chip is a large quantity is a BAD THING. Gamers should realize that setting up priorities is the only way they can find a good balance on their lives. And maybe this is suicidal by saying this, but social interaction and making friends is more important than having all the consoles, a futuristic computer, and any game you want.
I'm not dissing what Spencer had to say by any means, but it's time to look at gaming from the perspective of people who aren't gamers. Represent yourself well, because you're giving people impressions of what it is to be a gamer.
I love to debate this topic. This is one of the topics that I really have a strong sediment towards, and I've always liked hearing/being a part of debates about it. So, here I go.
ReplyDeleteTo me, gaming is a double edged sword. There are many things about gaming that can affect daily life in a positive way, and there are many things that can affect life in a negative way. Let me get the positives out of the way first: Through games, I've met many fascinating people over the Internet that I would never be able to/have the courage to meet outside of the Internet. For example, I never would've met people like Mint, who is one of, if not the nicest person I've ever heard, and you guys, for just being some of the funniest people I've ever heard. Through games, I've found my perfect career path. I plan to study for a Video Game Design in college, and are taking classes currently at my high school about programming, web design, etc etc. I honestly can't find anything else that I want to do except work on games. The reaction people get when they see/become a part of something that you had a hand in is something that I want to experience for the rest of my life.
Now, the negatives. I will sadly say that games have been a major factor to my not-normal-for-my-IQ grades. I know a 2.5 GPA isn't HORRIBLE.. but it's not good for me. I'll also admit that I'm sorta addicted to gaming, which means I'd rather not go out and hang out with friends then spend time at home and game. Gaming has been a negative on my social life for sure, and I've been trying to break the habit for years. But, the addiction has led me to my career path, and all the interesting people that I've met over the Internet.
Overall, I do see Games as more then just games. Games, for me, are a lifestyle. Yes, I know that sounds cliche, but the experience that you get playing a game is nothing that you can get with a movie/music, and something you'll have a hard time replicating in daily life (Unless you LARP.. ugh.. we'll get to you later). Games are entertainment sure, but isn't something always better when you see someone enjoying something you created? It's the same kind of aspect like when you're a movie director/worked on a movie. When the finished product is released, wouldn't you feel awesome walking down the street and hearing people say, "Hey look, it's (insert name here)! He/She helped work on (insert movie)! I love that movie!" Maybe I'm just a non-social social person, but the experience you get from games is one of the things I want, and always want to, live my life around.
The video is correct saying gaming is entertainment, but he completely misses several factors. He is assigning way too much of his personal struggle with an addiction to gaming as a whole. He was unable to manage his life and hobby in a healthy way and yet he implies that a large number of gamers have the same problem. Certainly there are people with gaming addictions but defining an entire group of people based only on the extreme is unreasonable. Secondly, the way he says gaming is simply entertainment diminishes the value of it. The phrase "it's only a game" is generally only used when something negative is involved. Whether it's a person who doesn't understand the appeal of gaming or a person trying to defend games when they're related to something awful like violence in children and teens, it's important to realize that games aren't "just games." For a lot of people the Harry Potter series aren't "just books" and the Star Wars series aren't "just movies." Entertainment is defined as "something amusing or diverting" and yet we as a culture place so much importance on entertainment. When was the last time a movie made you cry? How about a book? Has a game ever made you cry? Just because it's a new format of storytelling doesn't make it any less valid or powerful, it just requires more time and effort than maybe plopping in front of the TV for an hour and a half.
ReplyDeleteIn the end, I've always used escapism as a coping mechanism. I can certainly relate to Kreyg's experience because in middle school my parents also got divorced. There wasn't a moment that I didn't have a fantasy novel and a sketchbook at my side and as soon tensions started mounting I buried my nose and let the pages become my shield. I think this is probably a common reaction for anyone in a tense situation that they have little or no control over, but that doesn't make it negative. My mom once told me that my interest in anime was "just a phase" and yet now I'm graduating from a top art college with a degree in animation. Just as I was inspired by anime, I was also inspired by Final Fantasy X. The art was gorgeous, the characters were compelling, and being a sappy fourteen year old girl I was completely enthralled by the unfolding romance. The game explored a beautifully complex world that I could actively explore and interact with. I cared about what happened the the characters and wanted them to succeed because they represented qualities that I aspired to display myself, whether it was Wakka's enthusiastic energy and staunch support of his comrades, Riku's indomitable cheerfulness, Lulu's intense confidence, or Yuna's calm determination in the face of insurmountable odds, Final Fantasy X was absolutely more than "just a game" to me.
Personally I think that it is "just a game"
ReplyDeleteIts just like any other hobby/activity that someone invests their time into. Its supposed to provide enjoyment and a diversion from real life. Its not some special thing that's unique to gaming. If you take games serious enough that they are making you less happy in life, you're doing it wrong.
Games is just a nother way to learn and i m reading book about it. For example Half-life 2 + sdk hammer you can learn architecture
ReplyDeleteMy two cents:
ReplyDeleteI think that "it's just a game UNLESS YOU MAKE IT REAL."
if you think the game is real, it's closer to real than if you think "oh well, this is fake."
love the show, love you guys (especially Wes) and live long and prosper.
I have the same experience as Kreyg when it comes to videogames. I may be an emotional wreck right now if it wasn't for them and I would certainly not be able to write this. This was also at a time of extreme exclusion at school, literally nobody would talk to me or associate themselves with me.
ReplyDeleteDuring my familiy's time of emotional turmoil my parents, disapproving of games limeted time on the PS2 we had at the time. It was pokemon Gold that 'saved' me and I would spend most of the time at home 3pm-7pm on it closed off to whatever was going on at the time. Games were my escape from my depressing situation and as such the pokemon series and Gold have earned a place in my heart.
i honestly think, that i dont have a girlfriend because i spent most of my time gaming.
ReplyDeletenowadays i'm more rl socializing, but i'm embarrased to tell a girl, that i'm playing games...
i think i missed something of my life, but i also had a good time.
in my childhood i had literally no friends. so i played games, and they made me forget.
they can help, and they can destroy... everyone has a different experience.
but you cant focus your whole life around gaming. especially, not around one thing only