May 20, 2003
"Gamers". Damn stereotypes!
Posted by Jess in
Gaming
Libby has commented on an article she read in which the author discusses whether computer games are considered productive or counter-productive. Thankfully, it seems that the three of us share the same opinion (that games are NOT counter-productive).
What I found interesting was that the author of the game didn't take it a step further by discussing different game genres and the merits of each. Libby, along with the author, mentioned Half-Life and the like, the main merit being the ability to blow off steam and take a break only to focus stronger later (I won't go into bragging rights after making a fabulous shot :-)
I wanted to talk about the merits of puzzle-solving adventure games.
Matt and I play together, discussing the choices and the next step. There's just something amazing about locking ourselves in the house for the weekend, enjoying each other's company, solving the game, and emerging with brains bursting (and hurting) from having to come up with lateral ways of problem solving in order to move on.
Among our favorites:
Zork: Grand Inquisitor (you'll be laughing the moment the credits roll)
The Longest Journey (the story will suck you in. Fabulous puzzles)
The Neverhood (Claymation. Extremely silly, with great puzzles)
Grim Fandango (Based on the day of the dead. It's like a movie)
Now for those like me, that eat up the opportunity to solve a puzzle, you will find no greater thrill than The Stone. Most puzzles are created such that you know what you have to do, you just have to think of a way to get to that result.
Imagine not even knowing that you have to do. The Stone is an online game in which you are given a picture. Sometimes there are mouseovers, sometimes not. You look at what you see, plug them into a search engine, and go nuts. Not only do you have to solve the puzzle, you have to find out what they are asking in the first place. It's solving a puzzle in which the first puzzle is finding out what the actual puzzle is. The link above contains sample puzzles.
Now, onto more merits of computer games (well, this one isn't really a computer game. It's a video/arcade game). But the benefits just can't be ignored. I'm talking about Dance Dance Revolution.
This game involves techno music, a pad on the floor with 4 arrows in each direction, and corresponding arrows on the screen. Arrows will shoot up to the beat of the music. When the arrow that comes up synchs with the arrow on top of the screen, you have to hit the arrow on the pad.
Not only is this an incredible aerobic workout, the advancing levels of the game can help your reflexes become razor sharp. Even CBS News has noted that some elementary schools have adopted this game as part of their phys ed programs.
It appears I've gone on a bit longer than I intended to, I just can't ignore the fact that I think these "games" have helped me become a better person all around. Productive? I'd say so.
Don't get me started on Dungeons and Dragons. Yes, Matt and I still play, and hope to play this with our future children. Why? Because of the virtues it teaches. What I have I learned from it?
Patience. Turn taking. Chivalry. Teamwork. Problem solving. Comraderie. Honor. Math (yes, really!). Oh, and lastly thanks to Cindy, I have learned that no matter how many orcs you search, the last one always has a precious gem in his boot.
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The puzzle-type games you're talking about are the kind my Mom prefers, too -- she's really a pacifist at heart, so you won't see her shooting it up...
;-)
Gamers eh ? You might like this then:
http://www.penny-arcade.com/view.php3
lol! Now why go and give away our secrets?! hehe @@@@@
LOL... Libby, you should really show her Half Life. She's probably love it. :-)
I'm a pacifist, but you should SEE the change of personality once I start playing GoldenEye 64. Mwahahahahahaaaa....
Chris, I'll have to start reading that regularly. :-)
Cindy, I'll try not to give away too many of our secrets. We have to stay one up on Matt, LOL (the DM, by the way).
i will never forget the day we discovered the half life crossbow. it was a bunch of guys all on the network where we used to work. we were playing a level that was a big castle, and there were a couple of crossbows lying around. no one had any idea that the crossbow could do that sniper thing. i happened to find it and figure it out first, and started laying waste to everyone from long distances.
up on the top of the screen you can see whenever someone gets killed, and a picture of the weapon that killed them, and i think the name of the person who scored the point. (its been a while.) i kept hearing "dammit vaughan!" over and over again. and WHAT THE HELL IS HE **DOING**!!
oh man, that was fun. i really used to clobber those guys in that game, most of the time anyway. i spent waaay too many hours honing my 3d shooter skills, from the original wolfenstein to doom / doom2 / half life / quake / unreal / etc. my fellow programmers had no idea what they were in for. but its been about 4 years now. no time with a 2 year old. and my home computers aren't up to snuff anymore either, esp for today's games.
i never was very attracted to the puzzles. i know people who are into that, and they are just as fanatical/addicted to that stuff as i was about 3d shooters. maybe more so. ??
I've said it before and I'll say it again:
"I hate puzzles!" *grumble*
;-)
Lets not even mention I play on a Half Life team (go [VDC]) and still have all my D&D stuff in the basement from years past. LOL
(and yes, the last rc always has what you want in the boot and there is always a secret door where you don't think there is one)
Okay... some observations about gaming. Yes, it certainly can reduce productivity, when it becomes like any other excessive personal indulgence.
Personally, I'm a recovering gaming addict, having spent upwards of 50 hours a week a couple of years ago on my Half-Life Team Fortress Classic tournament team. (Feel the Satch, baby!) Playing on a team with friends led to competitive play, which led to elaborate recruiting and planning efforts, which led to some significant success, which led to administering of a league, which led to becoming a Gamecaster DJ (think Wil Wheaton's "Arena", but by serious gamer on Shoutcast.), which led to co-coverage of the EU TFC Worldcup tournament. I actually had gaming *groupies* for cryin' out loud.
I never want to spend that much of my time on something that doesn't pay cash money again.
*That* is a loss of productivity. Immersion in a subculture has its advantages, but losing sight of professional and personal responsibilities for the sake of winning that next match is simply not healthy.
[JS]Ice9 was a fun persona to wear for a year or so, but games have every bit as much risk of destroying productivity as cocaine. Play with caution.
Good point! How true... anything in moderation. Same with alcohol. Salt. Sugar. Fat. American Idol. (couldn't resist)
But seriously, you are so right. Here's an old post of Matt's (and my fav!) where he explains about his addiction to EverQuest (or Evercrack, as it's also known).
He had a serious addiction to that game also... it didn't get in the way of his work, but it did get in the way of our relationship.
Well, on the lighter side, he was unproductive. I, on the other hand, had a sudden abundance of time to get things done. :-)
http://www.mattandjess.net/blog/archives/000054.html
