We need a definitive teaching on games better yet: My rant

[Robyn_p]

I agree that video games probably aren’t any worse than any other activity. I mentioned in either this thread or the other thread about video games that it’s the addiction that’s bad in most activities, not the activity itself. I agree with others who’ve said that even religious activities can be less-than-good if a person becomes addicted to them.

When it comes to a TV show, I think that whether or not it’s a social activity depends on the show. I watch “Biggest Loser,” and we all talk about it at work the next day.

I think that most shows have a following of fans, if not in real life, then online. It’s fun to interact with other fans and chat.

The “somnambulant” aspect of TV can certainly be bad, but it can also be good for those of us who need desperately to slow our brains down and take some “time out” from a too-hectic life.

The harmful aspect of video games comes with the rapid fire to the pleasure centers of the brain. They deliver so many good “hits” that it’s very difficult for a susceptible person to walk away from them. Highly addictive, and those who have addictive personalities need to be aware and beware. So far, no one has admitted to playing video games for 24 straight hours, but I’m guessing that you all know people who do it regularly. That’s not healthy for anyone. We have to face our own flaws and act in such a way that they don’t overcome us.

I guess it depends on the person. Personally, I find the Internet and TV deliver more pleasure to my brain than video games do, which is why I can only play for about an hour or two on a game, but can spend three or four hours browsing this website at a time.

But I think you’re right in that people with addictive personalities probably should avoid them. If you are able to balance it though, I can’t see anything wrong.

I also think that there is a certain degree of futility to playing video games that doesn’t happen with reading books or other activities. Many of us can recall many of the books that we read and enjoyed even when we were very small. (I still have the first book that I ever “read”–a very old copy of Little Black Sambo.) Many of us have learned life lessons from the characters and situations that we read about.

But video games?–honestly where are the life lessons? Where is the beauty and scope? Where is the appreciation for the human condition, for the grandeur of nature, for the mysteries of spirituality?

Oh man, yes! There is certainly all that in video games, some of it more memorable for me than my favorite books. (And I’m a reader, I prefer reading actually.) I have a lot of good memories from games.

And some of these do in fact deal with the human condition. Like the Walking Dead, which might be the most human game I’ve ever played. Yeah it has zombies, but that’s not what it’s about. It’s about redemption and sacrifice and loss and doing the right thing even when the world’s gone to hell. I’ve never cried from a book, I cried a little at the end of that game.

Or Bioshock, which had some pretty deep commentary on what happens when people try to build a utopian paradise free from moral or ethical boundaries. And that game was a First Person shooter.

There’s a lot of junk out there (like there is in any medium) but there’s a lot of gems too. Games with memorable characters and gripping stories. Just have to know where to look for them.

 

[Robyn_p]

I think you’re forgetting about video games whose primary focus is on an engaging story and character development. Like I mentioned before, some of these are even thematically complex. I think these aren’t well know outside of gamers because story played a small rolde in early video games and the massive popularity of games like Call of Duty, which have absolutely no substance to them

The original ones, set in WWII, were pretty decent. They let you be part of historic battles like Bastogne and Carentan, and they were pretty challenging too. I have some fun memories playing those games with my dad.

But yeah, now they’ve dumbed them down so much they’re not even recognizable. It’s a shame really. They used to be good shooters.

 

[ironchapman]

I’m not a Catholic, but here’s how I see it if an Orthodox raised the same question for the Orthodox Church.

There doesn’t particularly need to be a definitive teaching on video games because the same principles that govern the consumption of all other forms of media are applicable to video games, most part. There might need to be some tweaks to fit the particular nature of video games when compared to other media (just like how things are different between TV and books), but the principles are basically the same.

 

[C794]

The original ones, set in WWII, were pretty decent. They let you be part of historic battles like Bastogne and Carentan, and they were pretty challenging too. I have some fun memories playing those games with my dad.

But yeah, now they’ve dumbed them down so much they’re not even recognizable. It’s a shame really. They used to be good shooters.

You have a point; I enjoyed those games too. They were really fun and some of the first games for my 360 that I really got into. Quite honestly, I have even enjoyed the modern ones; Call of Duty can be a really fun series. My problems come when I look ay the series as a whole. The games are all rehashes of each other and have cheepened the genre. I think BioShick is a good example of how to do a shooter right. It has depth, an intriguing setting, and even fun gameplay – granted it isn’t as good as Call of Duty. When I played BioShock for the first time I was blown away by how good it was; the developers were creative and had a story to tell that was thematically deep. The business philosophy with COD seems to be change a couple things, come up with new levels every year in order to have annual – or almost annual – releases; there’s nothing significantly new about each release. Since these games are the most popular shooters, they create an image of a genre that isn’t expected to have any sort of mature storytelling (by mature I’m not referring to amount of blood, language, or sex) nor any creativity. I think it’s a shame really because shooter can be so much more. I’ll always be partial to RPGs, but I have seen what this genre can do and I want more of that.

Okay; I really don’t hate Call of Duty; I think they can be fun, but from a perspective of what’s good for the industry I have many problems with this series. Still, I do still enjoy them.

I’m not saying they should stop making these games. Many people do prefer games like this and I think it would be unfair to stop making games that appeal to them. And without Calk of Duty, I wouldn’t have a game for my friends to beat me by ridiculous margins in .

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

(if the food just comes to you already prepared, please PM me and let me know the Secret!).

I live with my parents and three siblings, plus a housekeeper. Not everyone in your life has to be playing a video game.

I would say that at least a half-hour of that should be spent in intimate communication with God, whether in Mass, private or public prayer, singing/playing/listening to spiritual songs and hymns, sitting outdoors and meditating on God’s creation, spending time on CAF and other online religious sites, etc.

Well I’m not very religious anymore so I don’t think this applies.

If you have a family, especially a spouse, you really should spend a few hours of that 6.5 hours with them in work and play, or with the spouse, making love or at least being loving.

How I wish. If you’ve got a job opening for a copywriter in Los Angeles, then maybe I’m just a little bit closer to following your suggestion.

If you don’t spend real time with your family members, especially your spouse, and also your beloved children, then you are living badly.

Gaming is how I spend time with my family. (That and eating out.)

But why?! There are so many other things to do that will bring so much pleasure not only to you but to others.

Wanna bet? B)

One suggestion is to spend the time doing chores to improve the place where you live.

I’m guy. Not a homemaker.

Another suggestion is to listen to or even better, MAKE music!

Video games have awesome and memorable music! Some use rock. Others use folk. And of course, plenty of them use orchestras!

Not just your spouse and kids, but all those OTHER family members–your parents who are getting older everyday, your aunts and uncles and cousins and all the “Greats”–all of whom are marching to the grave along with you. Why not get together with them on a regular basis?

Most of my extended family now immigrated to your country ma’am.

Get a pet and care for it.

Which one?

Sit out on your deck and smell things.

Don’t have any other deck other than the one I use in collectible card games. I do sniff it though! It smells like burning victory. Mmm… yeeaaahh… new cards. BD

Learn to dance if you have the physical chops.

Nope! No! Definitely not!

Write that novel you’ve been meaning to write.

My stories are often inspired by video games and other geek culture tropes. 8P Heck, I could write a short paragraph now that fantastically exaggerates the games I played last week with some friends.

Become a fan of a sport, preferably an obscure sport without a lot of fans (synchronized skating! Then you can meet Cat and we can chat about your new favorite sport!)

Gaming is an obscure sport.

Get involved with politics and make a difference. Be in a protest march and wave signs.

My professor went to prison for that. No thanks.

Paint something (a picture or a house).

In the words of Tony Stark: “Absolutely ridiculous. I don’t paint.”

Really LEARN computers–take Computing 101 in the local junior college, and move on from there.)

I quit that course. Math is to me as vampires are to a crucifix.

Become a triathlete–or even better, learn to ice skate and join my husband at competition!

Cat, I hate to be really harsh now but did you know that pro-athleticism is what spawned a culture of bullying that in turn led to the Columbine massacre?

Sit around the local coffee shop–not the hip one, but the REAL one where all the old guys hang out, and spend an hour solving the problems of the world with them.

I do that!

And after that, WE ALL PLAY GAMES!

 

[Joe_5859]

I dont know about anyone else, but I still think its odd so many adults today play video games…I had game systems when I was younger, also had one when I was in my early 20s, but this is around the time that I outgrew it and lost interest, Today at 39, I have no interest in them anymore.

But when I was younger and played them, I do recall my parents and other adults sometimes watching and being in the room at the time, but they were never really interested in playing, they thought of it more as a kids game, or a toy, Im not sure the year it happened, but it seems the video game companies somehow changed alot of peoples views on this, so its fairly common for older adults to even buy games and game systems today.

So, these companies succeeded at keeping people buying their products, but the strange thing is, it seems like the companies are catering to the players more, for example, when I played games like this, it was common for the game companies to come out with a new system every so often, and of course, you could not use the games from old systems with the new systems, forcing everyone to buy new games all the time…this has apparently stopped, which doesnt make sense to me, I would think game companies would want to keep creating new systems and make them non-interchangeable so people must keep buying the new version…strange that they dont do this anymore…??

They still release new consoles. The big three video game companies (Nintendo, Sony, and Microsoft) have all released new hardware in the past two years. Of those three, only Nintendo’s new one is backwards compatible with their previous console (but not the ones before that). Nintendo has consistently released a new console every 5-6 years for the past 30 years. The other two are less consistent with their time frame, but still in that same ballpark. There has been no change in that respect.

 

[Robyn_p]

You have a point; I enjoyed those games too. They were really fun and some of the first games for my 360 that I really got into. Quite honestly, I have even enjoyed the modern ones; Call of Duty can be a really fun series. My problems come when I look ay the series as a whole. The games are all rehashes of each other and have cheepened the genre. I think BioShick is a good example of how to do a shooter right. It has depth, an intriguing setting, and even fun gameplay – granted it isn’t as good as Call of Duty. When I played BioShock for the first time I was blown away by how good it was; the developers were creative and had a story to tell that was thematically deep.

I know right? I was not expecting that kind of thing when I first played it.

Also, being able to shoot lightning out of your hand was pretty awesome.

The business philosophy with COD seems to be change a couple things, come up with new levels every year in order to have annual – or almost annual – releases; there’s nothing significantly new about each release. Since these games are the most popular shooters, they create an image of a genre that isn’t expected to have any sort of mature storytelling (by mature I’m not referring to amount of blood, language, or sex) nor any creativity. I think it’s a shame really because shooter can be so much more. I’ll always be partial to RPGs, but I have seen what this genre can do and I want more of that.

Yeah I agree there’s a lot of potential in them. There’s no reason shooters can’t be fun AND have an engaging, thoughtful story. Bioshock did it. Half-Life 2 did it. Those are both well written, exciting games. We really do need more of those.

Okay; I really don’t hate Call of Duty; I think they can be fun, but from a perspective of what’s good for the industry I have many problems with this series. Still, I do still enjoy them.

I’m not saying they should stop making these games. Many people do prefer games like this and I think it would be unfair to stop making games that appeal to them. And without Calk of Duty, I wouldn’t have a game for my friends to beat me by ridiculous margins in .

Ha, same here. I can hold my own against a swarm of zombies, but put me up against anybody with a rifle and I’m pretty much toast.

 

[mikekle]

Im waiting for a video game system that makes a person feel like they are actually in the game, not virtual reality either, I realize this kind of technology isnt quite here yet, but hopefully is getting closer.

Seems like they could use a ‘screen’ that would wrap around to include a persons full range of view, and would be as tall as a person…this could be set up in a gaming room, so when the player turns on the game and sits in the right position in relation to this HUGE screen, it would literally seem like they are in that particular world and the game would encompass their full range of view…now I would buy that and get back into gaming!!!

 

[Joe_5859]

Im waiting for a video game system that makes a person feel like they are actually in the game, not virtual reality either, I realize this kind of technology isnt quite here yet, but hopefully is getting closer.

Seems like they could use a ‘screen’ that would wrap around to include a persons full range of view, and would be as tall as a person…this could be set up in a gaming room, so when the player turns on the game and sits in the right position in relation to this HUGE screen, it would literally seem like they are in that particular world and the game would encompass their full range of view…now I would buy that and get back into gaming!!!

Yeah, that’s probably a few years off.

Although, I seem to remember recently seeing some new TVs that actually did curve slightly outward at the edges to create more of a sense of “enveloping” the person watching. If they are getting the technology down to create curved screens like that, then it seems like what you are describing could actually be possible some day.

 

[Cat]

I live with my parents and three siblings, plus a housekeeper. Not everyone in your life has to be playing a video game.

Well I’m not very religious anymore so I don’t think this applies.

How I wish. If you’ve got a job opening for a copywriter in Los Angeles, then maybe I’m just a little bit closer to following your suggestion.

Gaming is how I spend time with my family. (That and eating out.)

Wanna bet? B)

I’m guy. Not a homemaker.

Video games have awesome and memorable music! Some use rock. Others use folk. And of course, plenty of them use orchestras!

Most of my extended family now immigrated to your country ma’am.

Which one?

Don’t have any other deck other than the one I use in collectible card games. I do sniff it though! It smells like burning victory. Mmm… yeeaaahh… new cards. BD

Nope! No! Definitely not!

My stories are often inspired by video games and other geek culture tropes. 8P Heck, I could write a short paragraph now that fantastically exaggerates the games I played last week with some friends.

Gaming is an obscure sport.

My professor went to prison for that. No thanks.

In the words of Tony Stark: “Absolutely ridiculous. I don’t paint.”

I quit that course. Math is to me as vampires are to a crucifix.

Cat, I hate to be really harsh now but did you know that pro-athleticism is what spawned a culture of bullying that in turn led to the Columbine massacre?

I do that!

And after that, WE ALL PLAY GAMES!

Well, to each his/her own.

Would you be able to provide some links to articles about the “pro-athleticism spawning a culture of bullying leading to the Columbine massacre?” I’ve never heard this, and I have relatives who lived in Columbine.

I think what led to the Columbine massacre was mental illness, not a pro-athleticism culture. The boys who did the killings were sick in their heads, and for some reason, were not able or not willing to get care for their sickness.

I think that bullying is caused by an imbalance of power, and that those in authority must step up and take action to balance out the power. Sadly, all too often adults in school settings step away and encourage a theoretical strategy called “peer mediation”, which is basically, “You kids work it out yourselves.” This strategy does not work when there is a marked imbalance of power. A kid who is getting pounding by a more powerful kid can’t “work it out himself” because he’s too busy crying and screaming.

 

[Lost_Wanderer]

Would you be able to provide some links to articles about the “pro-athleticism spawning a culture of bullying leading to the Columbine massacre?” I’ve never heard this, and I have relatives who lived in Columbine.

Dissecting Columbine’s Cult of the Athlete