Importance of Gaming

Who said games were bad? Today, gaming is one of the leading industries and its importance is still somewhat overshadowed by luddites. Violence, sex and death take the spotlight away from the good points about gaming.

We've known the importance of gaming for a million years yet no one seems to write anything about it. Why is gaming important for today's society? Why is it needed?

In my opinion, and from all fair points of view, gaming is integral to life in today's society. A place to stimulate the mind, a separate reality, a perfect exercise workout, a social excuse to gather around... Gaming has many uses for different people.

Brain Training has been the most recent "game" developed to "improve people's mental capabilities". Although the Brain games are an obvious example of games helping out mental capabilities, many other games do the same thing only to present them in a different way. Ico's integration of two characters as the central focus of their puzzles. Zelda's dungeons. Decision making is needed in games like Warcraft and Final Fantasy. There are so many games out there which go further than the "promotes violence and sex" view in which stinky, old politicians seem to have these days.

Even controvesial games such as GTA have their own importance and relevance. They might teach some gamers that violence is wrong (mostly, it's the other way though -_-'), they might improve reflexes and/or they might help raise ideas and thoughts about the themes present such as racism or whatever.

More importantly, games are fun.

Though there are many forms of entertainment, gaming is probably one of those forms of media in which the individual is engaged. You could sit in front of the telly, sit there and listen to an iPod, but you have no input in it. Gaming is a active interaction betwen an individual. Gaming is the biggest cure for long train trips, Sundays at your Grandma's house or staying alive through that boring lecturer of yours.

Games are important to society these days and we as gamers enjoy the benefits we are given having engaged in the world of games.

How is gaming important in your life?

Discuss discuss.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

Aren't video games sometimes addicting? Probably blocking you out from doing something productive?

How ya doing, buddy?

Originally Posted by Pyrus421

Aren't video games sometimes addicting? Probably blocking you out from doing something productive?

isn't that an old wives tale?

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

I don't find games very important in my life at all. It's nice to play a story once in a while but that's about it. I could eaisly live without them.

I am a dolphin, do you want me on your body?

Like what, masturbating? If you sit down and play games instead of dunno going out or studying, chances are that you wont do that even if your mom takes away your ps2.

no homo

Games can get addictive. I was reminded when Oblivion came out. I rented it and played a little more than 35 hours in FIVE DAYS! That's a lot!

So, yeah, you need to be careful. It didn't really matter 'cause I'm on vacation but it's quite scary when you look at it.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

Its a common question along the topic. Playing video games invests time and money. In a situation where your ps2 is seized, that does not mean you won't do anything like brushing your teeth or get some good sleep.

FELIPE NO

Originally Posted by chaofan

We've known the importance of gaming for a million years yet no one seems to write anything about it. Why is gaming important for today's society? Why is it needed?

It's just another medium for telling stories; it lets you experience the story as it's being told. (Really, video games are just a stepping stone to VR experiences.) There are stories that you can tell in novels that can't be told in movies, and stories that you can tell through the medium of games that you can't tell in novels, etc. Of course, this depends on what games you're talking about. I wouldn't say that any Atari 2600 games advanced the story-telling medium but on the other hand something like FFVII certainly did.

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Gaming has become both more and less important in my life at the same time. I don't make a mad dash for new consoles anymore, and I don't spend as long playing games as I used to. I don't even play as many games as I used to. However, the few games that I do play are so important to me that I'd hate to be without them.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

:ninja: gaming's good it helps hand eye coordanation<did i spell that right> anyway it good you relieve stress and it helps stimulate the brain, so actually it helps get your creative juice's flowing just to let you know because i'm a big gamer and i think sociaty need them :biggrin:

How ya doing, buddy?

Some very popular games have no narrative whatsoever; people play these particular games for visceral, emotional reasons more than anything else. It's a shame for me because I enjoy a compelling story, but most games these days have a "plot" that could've been written by a five-year old, or have none by design.

Gaming is important economically, as it is often a driver for the creation and adoption of new technology, and it keeps a lot of people in work. Concerning the individual, I can only speak for myself. While I do enjoy several games and genres, I could probably live without games with no trouble at all. I prefer to create my own worlds and my own scenarios rather than immerse myself in yet another (often shoddily put-together) sequel. For me, that is a more productive use of my time.

This thing is sticky, and I don't like it. I don't appreciate it.

Originally Posted by Pyrus421

Aren't video games sometimes addicting? Probably blocking you out from doing something productive?

Anything can turn into a addiction. Depends on how much self-control a person can exert over their habits.

As for not being productive, what kind of human being are you if you can't kick back and relax and do something enjoyable for a part of your day? Most people have to go through a boring grind for the majority of their waking hours. Whether it's work or school. Neither of which are productive 100% of the time.

How ya doing, buddy?

Simple answer for me....It is not important in my life anymore and I have no intention of ever making it an important part again.

I was speaking idiomatically.

video games are good cuz they just get your mind off stressful thoughts and they are pretty good, who knows, maybe one day i will just make my carreer out of it.

What kind of toxic man-thing is happening now?

in the age where parents begin to pay less attention to their children, games are starting to be an alternative method where children learn basic skillz

FELIPE NO

Video games are for lame unmotivated losers, that's pretty much fact.

But is being a lame, unmotivated loser necessarily a bad thing? Discuss.

What, you don't want my bikini-clad body?

WHere did you get this fact? Nonsense.

Jam it back in, in the dark.

i'd say that videogames are an important part of my life and that playing a videogame is as important as it is for me to dream.

I look at videogames as a form of art. It takes plenty of effort to create a game, and the artistic/creative efforts to construct these alternate realities deserve some respect. given that there are different teams with the same goals, it is interesting to see what differences lie between the games. everyone has their own opinion of games: being good, having distasteful music, poor graphics, etc. and it is these games that manage to sell somewhere down the line. There are plenty of different venues for making the same game as there are different ways to illustrate and conduct them.
i've taken it upon myself to find games that people don't speak of to see for myself what sets it apart from other games. sure it may handle the same as another game, but the look and sound of the game are sure to be a bit different. there are thousands of games released per console (the major consoles anyway (;^_^) ) but not all of them make it to the US. there are even a few hundred that fail to make it to the market. by browsing the different titles launched and tracking the productions of certain development teams, i can create integrals of what i see to keep my imagination occupied. it's like peering into other people's dreams to contrast the dreams of one's own. one of the other highlights of this treasure hunting is that i can search for the reason that i am entertained by certain games over others and wonder what could be done to make a game suit my taste better.

There's nowhere I can't reach.