#4: The Changing Face of Video Games
Monday, September 6, 2010 at 7:17 PM
In the past, games were solely created for the purpose of entertainment. Instead of going to the arcade, you could play Pong right at home. Later, Mario Bros. took homes by storm as Mario and Luigi embarked on adventures in living rooms. Later still, parents everywhere fretted that their children were spending way too much time playing video games and what kind of impact those games were having on their children. Games are definately evolving. They have changed drastically over the past three decades, not only in content, but in quality.Nintendo, especially, has taken strides to attract specific audiences that were not catered to in the past. For example, the Wii Fit was the first of what has now become a new genre in the video game world, "exergames," where the gamer becomes a physical participant in the game. A few other innovative themes include cooking, brain training, education and living a virtual life along with keeping virtual pets.The question is, have games evolved enough to the point that they are beneficial to you, rather than detrimental? Or are they merely wolves in sheep's clothing? If they appear too good to be true, maybe they are. Are these new game genres still considered games or have they evolved into something new? What do you think?
The very first game system I ever technically owned (the word 'technically' is used because it was originally a gift for my sister) was a Gameboy Colour. However, I never really got addicted to this game system until two years later, when my aunt gave her a Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets game console. I swear, this was the game that forever changed my viewpoint on video games. It was the first game that I absolutely, no matter how hard I tried, could not put down (it came to to the point that I could no longer hear my parents in the background yelling at me to wash the dishes because I was so indulged in the game). It was (and still is) my favourite game, even after going through my Neopets phase (and that means a lot, especially considering the fact that I was so addicted to Neopets that I even made my very own fan/graphics website for it [and a poor one at that, but I will never forget those days 'cause that's what got me so darn interested in computer arts anyway]).
Seven years later, and that game has not been touched since around the day of my 13th birthday (yes, I remember! Shush, okay, I have a very good memory at the oddest of times). The day of my 13th birthday was the day I got what I thought then was the most amazing, most clever invention ever invented in the history of all inventions...the invention that I thought would forever change mankind...no, not the cellphone (that's old news), nor is it the television (psh, television? I laugh at the very thought!), and, no, it's not even the Internet (like that thing can even compare!)...it was
THE WII.
Yes, ever since I first played it at my sister's friend's house on March of that same year, I knew that I just had to get one. I begged my parents every day to get me one. Then, on the morning of my 13th birthday, I opened that rectangular present that my parents had handed to me as soon as I got out of bed, and saw it. My life was complete.
I remember being so excited and so tremendously happy that I started playing it right away. I remember even almost being late for school that day because I was so indulged in the game. I couldn't stop. It was Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets all over again. I'm pretty sure when they realized this, my parents regretted ever giving me that present.
It's been about three years since, and the Wii is no longer used except for the odd party or two.
Don't get me wrong. I still think it's one of the most amazing inventions ever invented (though, today, I really don't think it can compare to cellphones, television, and especially the Internet). It's just I find that these game systems get in the way of you living your life (according to the story above, I was even starting to put it before my education!). Games today, especially, have made it easier for us to fall for this trap, what with evolving into these virtual reality, "you-are-actually-in-the-game!!!" kind of games...they now make it much easier to captivate players and get them addicted to the point where they'd rather play a video game than creating their own masterpiece (i.e., living their own life...haha, I'm so clever).
However, I can't forget about the advantages of today's newly evolved games. From my experience of playing them, I have learned that today's games have also definitely improved for the better: they will teach you more things about life, they will enhance your self-esteem and confidence more (the fact is, today's games seem to be more difficult than games in the past, therefore giving you a greater sense of accomplishment when you finally win a game), and, depending on what you take from the game you are playing, they can now improve your life (look at Wii Fit! The first time I played that game, I became so much more interested in living a healthier life!). Plus, the purpose of the creation of games in the first place was to give us, humans, something to keep ourselves occupied, and to have something to enjoy, and today's games are definitely more enjoyable than games in the past. So, in a way, these games are beneficial to us.
With that said, games, in my opinion, are neither wolves in a sheep's clothing, nor are they fully sheep. In other words, they are beneficial to an extent and detrimental to an extent. They aren't exactly to good to be true, but at the same time, they can be harmful to your health.The key here is really to be able to control how much and for how long you play a game (the recommended dosage, I believe, is less than two hours a day).
As stated previously, games have evolved tremendously, but even though most games have evolved to become virtual reality that allow you to actually be present in the game, they are still games. No matter what, they were still activities that were created to make lives a bit more pleasurable. No matter how different they are from the games in the past, today's games, are well, still games. They may be different (thus creating a new game genre), but they have not evolved into something completely new: they are still games. Most important, no matter how much you feel like you are in the game....no matter how real the game seems...it is still a game, and only a game, and therefore, it would be pointless to revolve your life around it.
| Yeah, games can really make you forget what is real and what is not. (Source: http://www.thecampussocialite.com/category/collegiate-life/gadgets-gizmos/page/2) |
However, I can't forget about the advantages of today's newly evolved games. From my experience of playing them, I have learned that today's games have also definitely improved for the better: they will teach you more things about life, they will enhance your self-esteem and confidence more (the fact is, today's games seem to be more difficult than games in the past, therefore giving you a greater sense of accomplishment when you finally win a game), and, depending on what you take from the game you are playing, they can now improve your life (look at Wii Fit! The first time I played that game, I became so much more interested in living a healthier life!). Plus, the purpose of the creation of games in the first place was to give us, humans, something to keep ourselves occupied, and to have something to enjoy, and today's games are definitely more enjoyable than games in the past. So, in a way, these games are beneficial to us.
| It can even give you some bonding time with family and friends!! (Source: http://www.quazen.com) |
With that said, games, in my opinion, are neither wolves in a sheep's clothing, nor are they fully sheep. In other words, they are beneficial to an extent and detrimental to an extent. They aren't exactly to good to be true, but at the same time, they can be harmful to your health.The key here is really to be able to control how much and for how long you play a game (the recommended dosage, I believe, is less than two hours a day).
As stated previously, games have evolved tremendously, but even though most games have evolved to become virtual reality that allow you to actually be present in the game, they are still games. No matter what, they were still activities that were created to make lives a bit more pleasurable. No matter how different they are from the games in the past, today's games, are well, still games. They may be different (thus creating a new game genre), but they have not evolved into something completely new: they are still games. Most important, no matter how much you feel like you are in the game....no matter how real the game seems...it is still a game, and only a game, and therefore, it would be pointless to revolve your life around it.
posted by Rowena @ 7:17 PM
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