Comments: 1 (Go to Comments)
Categories: Commentary
Tags: addiction
Think about the game you’re currently playing. Got it? Good.
Now ask yourself these questions:
- Do I compete against the system and/or myself, encouraging isolation?
- Do I compete against other players, creating more/longer game scenarios?
- Does the game include progressively more challenging levels of mastery?
- Must I go to hidden or secret locations to discover clues, rewards, etc?
- Must I achieve a certain score to enjoy the game?
- Am I playing the part of a character in a story/adventure?
- Does the game allow me to build relationships with other unknown players via the Internet?
If you’ve answered yes to five of these questions then you’re probably playing a pretty good game. You are also playing a harmful game according to the authors of Playstation Nation. The elements which gamers value also “increase the addictive draw of video games.”
Of course, not all games are evil: “There are a number of educational games for the computer that can be a good alternative to video games because of their lower risk of addiction…” Yeah.
I was going to pull out the ten most outrageous statements, but the authors are so earnest that they are unintentionally funny, not inciting. For example, HeroClix are offered as an alternative to addictive video games. Introduce your kids to The Andy Griffith Show or The Waltons on DVD. Wouldn’t they enjoy At Home in Mitford on audiobook?
On February 3rd, 2008 at 8:07 pm, Paul wrote:
Has June Cleaver written anything else?