Games, wasting of life?

splinters
Chief Warrant Officer
Posts: 733
Joined: 21 May 2009, 18:55
Type the number ten into the box: 0
Contact:

Re: Games, wasting of life?

Post by splinters »

I play games for escapism and also for inspiration. I tend to go for games you can play in short bursts and like platformers or FPS shooters. Games like Bioshock really have an impact on my work thanks to their visual style and I am now playing Batman: Arkham Asylum on PS3. It is moody and involving and I spend a great deal of my time admiring the design and artwork.

So not a waste of time in my opinion although i do have a friend who spends far too much time on WOW......
User avatar
lothissen
Petty Officer First Class
Posts: 68
Joined: 07 Jun 2009, 14:31
Type the number ten into the box: 0
Contact:

Re: Games, wasting of life?

Post by lothissen »

Splinters you swine, i'm having to wait till sometime in september to get Arkham Asylum on the pc.
I downloaded the demo and it looks amazing, can't wait.
--------------------===============AKA Jayr===============--------------------
------------------=========3D Coat -Lightwave- Messiah=========------------------
splinters
Chief Warrant Officer
Posts: 733
Joined: 21 May 2009, 18:55
Type the number ten into the box: 0
Contact:

Re: Games, wasting of life?

Post by splinters »

Ah, tis a fine game indeed and one of the best I have played so far. Very true to the darker Batman style and plays very well on a console. You will love it.
User avatar
richlevy
Senior Chief Petty Officer
Posts: 162
Joined: 17 Aug 2009, 20:08

Re: Games, wasting of life?

Post by richlevy »

Racing games:

Grand Prix Legends 1998
GTR2 2006

Others:
UnReal Tournament 2004
Age of Empires
Spider Solitair (free, it comes with the OS)

Rich
My Flickr site, here you can see some of the photography I do:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/rich-l/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;
Kurt
Chief Petty Officer
Posts: 140
Joined: 11 Jul 2009, 00:11

Re: Games, wasting of life?

Post by Kurt »

Leon, I think you're quite right that people today are relying on computer games for their entertainment far too much. Much more than is healthy, that's for sure.

It seems that many people of a certain age group have become so dependent on that kind of recreation, that they can't enjoy simple activities like reading, painting, writing, making music, or ordinary outdoor pastimes. They're just no longer interested.

I think that's a loss. I can't see how that can be good for anyone. It limits a person's ability to grow and develop and find their real potential.

If you became obsessed with, say, crossword puzzles, and did them every day for hours, people would say you have a problem. And they'd be right. Yet I know many young people who care about nothing else but computer gaming. They will spends hours every day of the week sitting in front of a TV, juggling the control box and peering at a screen.

The only part of them that gets exercise is their fingers! And I find that they really resent it if I point out to them that there are other better things to do. Kind of like a drug addict who won't listen to advice.

No, it's not good to limit yourself to playing computer games. The world's got much more to offer than that.
Last edited by Kurt on 29 Aug 2009, 08:14, edited 1 time in total.
theuns
Lieutenant Junior Grade
Posts: 868
Joined: 10 Jun 2009, 11:21
Type the number ten into the box: 0
Location: South Africa

Re: Games, wasting of life?

Post by theuns »

I don't think you can say something is just good or bad, as long as you have a balance its fine...

i've seen several reports on studies done that says there are some pretty good benefits from playing games, but that does not mean playing it all day long...

ps. most game players are between 30 and 40 years old according to surveys done at E3...

I play mostly at night, between 9 and 12 in the evening, rest of the day is work and family time and other hobbies (very little tv)

I also find it very inspirational, apart from a lot of fun and nice distraction from a hard days work ...

currently playing Mirrors Edge, Far Cry 2, Age of Empires III, Brothers in Arms: Hells Highway, Call of Duty 4, Assassins Creed, Company of Heroes: Tales of Valour, Need for Speed Carbon, Flatout, Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars...

Those are just the recent ones ;)
theuns - tSer since 2000
.:| http://theunsfvo.cgarena.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; |:.
.:| http://bluestarcreations.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; |:.
User avatar
LeonRegis
Captain
Posts: 1946
Joined: 18 Aug 2009, 17:36
Type the number ten into the box: 0
Location: Brazil/Earth/Orion Arm/Milky Way/4th Dimension/This Universe/Multiverse???/Singularity???

Re: Games, wasting of life?

Post by LeonRegis »

Kurt you're absolute Right! Other side is that Games are too efficient in distressing but with no other benefit, and if you read studies about violence and gore you will never play FPS games... Studies about dry-eye, vision problems. If you need to distressing you can play an instrument and at the same time learn good things and not just how to make 3 followed headshots. I try but it's hard, after you take knowledge you never stops, never :| it's worst than heroine in vicious terms and almost in mental, when you are playing you close your thinking to the game world, you look like a zombie (principally when you are playing Resident Evil, kidding :D ).

How old are you Kurt?

Thanks
Be the change you want to see in the world. - Mohandas Gandhi
theuns
Lieutenant Junior Grade
Posts: 868
Joined: 10 Jun 2009, 11:21
Type the number ten into the box: 0
Location: South Africa

Re: Games, wasting of life?

Post by theuns »

Have a look at the advantage and disadvantage that you could get from it :

http://www.google.co.za/search?hl=en&so ... +game+bene" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 38 million hits

http://www.google.co.za/search?hl=en&q= ... arch&meta=" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; ... 2 million hits

Like I said before, if it is used in moderation, then it is good. ANYTHING that is done or used too much is bad, love, food, exercise, sleep... everything you can think of...

I agree that excessive violence is not good and many games go overboard with it... there are negatives linked to it as well that you need to be aware of...
theuns - tSer since 2000
.:| http://theunsfvo.cgarena.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; |:.
.:| http://bluestarcreations.wordpress.com/" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false; |:.
splinters
Chief Warrant Officer
Posts: 733
Joined: 21 May 2009, 18:55
Type the number ten into the box: 0
Contact:

Re: Games, wasting of life?

Post by splinters »

I don't think you can say gaming is bad...everything in moderation is OK.

I draw, write, illustrate, play piano, watch movies, listen to music, go for long walks, spend time with the familiy, exercise etc. but do like gaming. Sometimes I spend a bit too much if I get involved in the narrative but never more than 3-4 hours in total.
Kurt
Chief Petty Officer
Posts: 140
Joined: 11 Jul 2009, 00:11

Re: Games, wasting of life?

Post by Kurt »

leonregis wrote:Kurt you're absolute Right! Other side is that Games are too efficient in distressing but with no other benefit.....
That's exactly right, Leon. Sure, it relieves some kinds of stress problems a little, but there are many other things that people can do to relieve stress and at the same time gain additonal benefits.

First thing that comes to mind is sport. Not necessarily hard contact sport. Any physical exercise is good for relieving mental tension, because it forces the person to switch his brain to a different mode. While it's in that mode, it gets to rest up a little.

The main harm in computer games is that they usually involve the player getting very stressed indeed! Some of them are specifically designed to rev you up, and threaten you. You must kill so many enemy or you'll be killed yourself, etc., etc..

To me, this is like getting in your car, and hitting the gas pedal while pressing hard on the brake. Game players get all the adrenalin buildup, but with no outlet for it. They can't physically attack the screen, but the game makes them want to, very much. They can't smash the controls, because then they woulodn't be able to play any more games.

The more violent computer games are perfect mechanisms for giving stress, instead of removing it!

I'm 63, by the way, so I guess my opinion on computer games is going to be a little influenced by my vintage! :)
Post Reply