A Justification Of The Gaming Lifestyle

Gaming-digital-surround-sound-system To picture the androgynous Gamer guy stereotype is to call to mind a twenty-something, unhealthy, overweight nerd with a packet of Doritos in one hand and their generic console in the other. The public image of the social recluse, free from contact with outsiders other than the Netflix and Pizza delivery guy is one of much derision from both the online and AFK community, and it's more often than not that I am required to justify myself to new acquaintances, as well as people I've known for a while, when discussing the merits of Crysis over football. On the outside, I'm not the traditional gamer to look at, so people are always surprised to find out I spend more time combating the evil forces of the Combine than I do wandering the streets with ...people. Firstly, research has demonstrated that gaming changes you positively. That shut away stereotypical gamer I mentioned in my establishing paragraph? About as accurate as the cultured Frenchman cliche. Around 65% of gamers play socially, with friends present, not to mention the number of cooperative players on World of Warcraft, Runescape and, if you're very desperate, StarCraft - World of Warcraft has over twelve million active members with over one million messages and chat lines being opened every hour. Forty percent of gamers use it as a medium for socialising for at least fifteen minutes per week. Gaming can also have a positive effect on personal affiliations - in a survey, researchers found that 76% of gamer couples found it strengthened the bonds of their relationship. Although hardcore gamers will shun their like, so called Facebook gamers account for 40% of its use, along with other forms of social media. However much scorn it was met with, the PlayStation and Xbox social facilities are a clear sign that people are using gaming as a window to actually talk to people: even if its just to beg for a respawn, medic or health pack. MinecraftSkinRide As a full time student, my preoccupation has been disparaged by my peers as unconducive to the educational process. However, in 4 - 5 year olds, video games have been found to improve their literacy and numeracy skills, specifically verbal and written comprehension and problem solving. Although I don't fit into this demographic, companies such as IBM and Cisco use games to train their staff in all manner of activities. Many schools have started top use Minecraft, with various educational mods (if you don't know what a "mod" is, leave now and never return) to enhance the classroom environment through an emphasis on creative thought. The use of blocks to represent mathematical ideas such as area is useful, and art and physics can also be implemented. The only addition I think they could use is to use the Creeper's hiss for a more urgent fire bell. That'll get those students moving. Along with the recent adoption if Minecraft to the educational pool, a series of specifically educational games exist such as Galaxy Zoo which teaches astronomy (not astrology which is covered in the Skyrim levelling menu) by which fifty million REAL galaxies and planetary bodies were discovered and classified within a year of the games release. A more down to earth science based game, Etarna, allows players to explore and solve biochemical related puzzleshelping actual scientists to access and better understand genetic coding. It's not just education in a theoretical sense: players of popular mainstream FPS (again, if you don't know what an "FPS" is please follow the recommended advice I gave for those who didn't know what a "mod" was) games Call of Duty and HALO were assessed and performed 30-50% better than those who didn't at spotting details and mentally managing and manoeuvring through scenarios. Physical changes in the brains neurochemistry, such as a thicker cortex's were found in Tetris players; the part that manages visual/spacial information and coordination. Mario and Zelda programmed essential timing skills through guillotine traps and pits to navigate. As well as helping with coordination, Tetris along with any RPG that requires an inventory has taught resource management that I actually use in my day to day life, when choosing what to carry in my pitifully small messenger bag - although admittedly my daily struggles are less transversing the Mojave Desert and more like "how many sandwiches will I need for lunch" and "will this bus journey really warrant a physical book or should I charge the kindle?" nintendo-wii-mini The overweight gamer stereotype of repute is rapidly reducing in verisimilitude, with the popularity of the Wii Ft and Kinect, games that require a degree of physical activity. Monitoring of the elderly playing games on the Wii can be accurate predictors of future health problems. Games with motion and action can sharpen vision and even cure Amblyopia, or lazy eye in 400% less time than conventional treatments using eye patches. Even the highest level of professional occupation - those into whose very hands you would place your life - surgeons, who are gamers were 27% faster at complex procedures, and made 37% fewer errors than non gamers. Games like Call of Duty and Battlefield are now used by mainstream therapists to help returning soldiers with their PTSD. Reliving traumatic experiences in a safe environment has been found to lessen the severity of these types of mental wound, and is useful when dealing with otherwise unreconcilable ailments. Evil Super Computers - I Robot - VIKI Full integration of gamers into mainstream existence may take some time, but as we can see, the initial building blocks are already in place, with video games playing a major role in day to day life, with medical treatments and education. Now go away and leave me alone; I'm going to play Neverwinter Nights.
 
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Contributor

British writer, musician and misanthropist.