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When games begin to take over your mind, and the real world becomes blanked out as your concentration builds and you become ever more focused on the game, is your brain really affected? What about the "square eyes" wives tale when you play for too long, or play too close to the screen?
Lets go back to that first rhetorical question, the one about gaming affecting the brain. Does it really happen? How do games affect the brain? Maybe so. When you react to games in such a way that it becomes physical, then yes, I suppose it does. When your deep into a good FPS, and the phone rings, and you don't notice it until it stops, deeply engrossed in your favourite game.
A lot of people, when talking about reactions in gaming, refer to how quickly you pull the trigger on the light gun, or press the fire button on the controller after some sort of creature or a guard steps in front of you, ripe for the blastin'! But what about the other sort of reaction? What about when you've been playing one particular level for ages, trying to suss out a really difficult puzzle, and your temperature starts to rise as you get ideas of not being able to complete it again. The same old creature jumps at you from the same corner as before and kills you as before, and you slam the controller down onto the floor, scream at the telly, and, in worse cases, damage your console without realising it. You feel nothing, then when you cool down, your hand feels like a lobster has been greeting you. That reaction, the good ol' bad temper in front of the telly is computer rage, and happens a lot when I play! So, let me win if any of you ever play me over the web! Please?!
And, of course, there are other reactions, like the ones powered by adrenaline. Things like fear, readiness and excitement. Sometimes these are fuelled by the pleasure of winning a game, or completing a level that you have been stuck on for ages. Maybe that was the wrong example, because you generally feel relieved when you finish a level like that, rather than excited of fearful. Completing a level like that usually fills you with glee and the urge to carry on playing the game to se what's next, because you have waited so long, even though you haven't actually waited, you've been struggling to reach that point. A better example of a point in a game where you feel like you are filled with adrenaline is a fast-paced game, or a scary one. Games like Resident Evil or Eternal Darkness are the best examples I can think of which might bring up a slight tinge of fear in your eyes.
The reaction that these games cause is basically, jumping or doing something in fear. But how can you be afraid of a game? Why does it happen? It's only a console with a disc in it, and a picture on the screen of the telly and some sounds coming from the speakers for Christ's sake! What is there to be scared of? The reason this reaction happens is because you get so involved in a game, it just seems to be happening, you seem to be there, and you feel the need to either warn the character, or react in some other with the feeling that the character IS you! Strange, but for some reason, it seems to be true in a lot of cases.
Maybe those reasons are proof to show that games do indeed affect our brains, but not in the ways that many people say they will. Sure, they may influence the younger generation, but I doubt it. And another point to raise, does continuous gaming affect the way we see the world? If it does, how does it differ between someone who plays a wide range of games and a person who only plays their one favourite game, or someone who will only play one genre of game? Lets hear your views.
Thanks for reading
Happy days
Twain
Lets go back to that first rhetorical question, the one about gaming affecting the brain. Does it really happen? How do games affect the brain? Maybe so. When you react to games in such a way that it becomes physical, then yes, I suppose it does. When your deep into a good FPS, and the phone rings, and you don't notice it until it stops, deeply engrossed in your favourite game.
A lot of people, when talking about reactions in gaming, refer to how quickly you pull the trigger on the light gun, or press the fire button on the controller after some sort of creature or a guard steps in front of you, ripe for the blastin'! But what about the other sort of reaction? What about when you've been playing one particular level for ages, trying to suss out a really difficult puzzle, and your temperature starts to rise as you get ideas of not being able to complete it again. The same old creature jumps at you from the same corner as before and kills you as before, and you slam the controller down onto the floor, scream at the telly, and, in worse cases, damage your console without realising it. You feel nothing, then when you cool down, your hand feels like a lobster has been greeting you. That reaction, the good ol' bad temper in front of the telly is computer rage, and happens a lot when I play! So, let me win if any of you ever play me over the web! Please?!
And, of course, there are other reactions, like the ones powered by adrenaline. Things like fear, readiness and excitement. Sometimes these are fuelled by the pleasure of winning a game, or completing a level that you have been stuck on for ages. Maybe that was the wrong example, because you generally feel relieved when you finish a level like that, rather than excited of fearful. Completing a level like that usually fills you with glee and the urge to carry on playing the game to se what's next, because you have waited so long, even though you haven't actually waited, you've been struggling to reach that point. A better example of a point in a game where you feel like you are filled with adrenaline is a fast-paced game, or a scary one. Games like Resident Evil or Eternal Darkness are the best examples I can think of which might bring up a slight tinge of fear in your eyes.
The reaction that these games cause is basically, jumping or doing something in fear. But how can you be afraid of a game? Why does it happen? It's only a console with a disc in it, and a picture on the screen of the telly and some sounds coming from the speakers for Christ's sake! What is there to be scared of? The reason this reaction happens is because you get so involved in a game, it just seems to be happening, you seem to be there, and you feel the need to either warn the character, or react in some other with the feeling that the character IS you! Strange, but for some reason, it seems to be true in a lot of cases.
Maybe those reasons are proof to show that games do indeed affect our brains, but not in the ways that many people say they will. Sure, they may influence the younger generation, but I doubt it. And another point to raise, does continuous gaming affect the way we see the world? If it does, how does it differ between someone who plays a wide range of games and a person who only plays their one favourite game, or someone who will only play one genre of game? Lets hear your views.
Thanks for reading
Happy days
Twain
Page:
Great post mate. I can see what you did when your PC was broke . . .
When games begin to take over your mind, and the real world becomes blanked out as your concentration builds and you become ever more focused on the game, is your brain really affected? What about the "square eyes" wives tale when you play for too long, or play too close to the screen?
Lets go back to that first rhetorical question, the one about gaming affecting the brain. Does it really happen? How do games affect the brain? Maybe so. When you react to games in such a way that it becomes physical, then yes, I suppose it does. When your deep into a good FPS, and the phone rings, and you don't notice it until it stops, deeply engrossed in your favourite game.
A lot of people, when talking about reactions in gaming, refer to how quickly you pull the trigger on the light gun, or press the fire button on the controller after some sort of creature or a guard steps in front of you, ripe for the blastin'! But what about the other sort of reaction? What about when you've been playing one particular level for ages, trying to suss out a really difficult puzzle, and your temperature starts to rise as you get ideas of not being able to complete it again. The same old creature jumps at you from the same corner as before and kills you as before, and you slam the controller down onto the floor, scream at the telly, and, in worse cases, damage your console without realising it. You feel nothing, then when you cool down, your hand feels like a lobster has been greeting you. That reaction, the good ol' bad temper in front of the telly is computer rage, and happens a lot when I play! So, let me win if any of you ever play me over the web! Please?!
And, of course, there are other reactions, like the ones powered by adrenaline. Things like fear, readiness and excitement. Sometimes these are fuelled by the pleasure of winning a game, or completing a level that you have been stuck on for ages. Maybe that was the wrong example, because you generally feel relieved when you finish a level like that, rather than excited of fearful. Completing a level like that usually fills you with glee and the urge to carry on playing the game to se what's next, because you have waited so long, even though you haven't actually waited, you've been struggling to reach that point. A better example of a point in a game where you feel like you are filled with adrenaline is a fast-paced game, or a scary one. Games like Resident Evil or Eternal Darkness are the best examples I can think of which might bring up a slight tinge of fear in your eyes.
The reaction that these games cause is basically, jumping or doing something in fear. But how can you be afraid of a game? Why does it happen? It's only a console with a disc in it, and a picture on the screen of the telly and some sounds coming from the speakers for Christ's sake! What is there to be scared of? The reason this reaction happens is because you get so involved in a game, it just seems to be happening, you seem to be there, and you feel the need to either warn the character, or react in some other with the feeling that the character IS you! Strange, but for some reason, it seems to be true in a lot of cases.
Maybe those reasons are proof to show that games do indeed affect our brains, but not in the ways that many people say they will. Sure, they may influence the younger generation, but I doubt it. And another point to raise, does continuous gaming affect the way we see the world? If it does, how does it differ between someone who plays a wide range of games and a person who only plays their one favourite game, or someone who will only play one genre of game? Lets hear your views.
Thanks for reading
Happy days
Twain
Lets go back to that first rhetorical question, the one about gaming affecting the brain. Does it really happen? How do games affect the brain? Maybe so. When you react to games in such a way that it becomes physical, then yes, I suppose it does. When your deep into a good FPS, and the phone rings, and you don't notice it until it stops, deeply engrossed in your favourite game.
A lot of people, when talking about reactions in gaming, refer to how quickly you pull the trigger on the light gun, or press the fire button on the controller after some sort of creature or a guard steps in front of you, ripe for the blastin'! But what about the other sort of reaction? What about when you've been playing one particular level for ages, trying to suss out a really difficult puzzle, and your temperature starts to rise as you get ideas of not being able to complete it again. The same old creature jumps at you from the same corner as before and kills you as before, and you slam the controller down onto the floor, scream at the telly, and, in worse cases, damage your console without realising it. You feel nothing, then when you cool down, your hand feels like a lobster has been greeting you. That reaction, the good ol' bad temper in front of the telly is computer rage, and happens a lot when I play! So, let me win if any of you ever play me over the web! Please?!
And, of course, there are other reactions, like the ones powered by adrenaline. Things like fear, readiness and excitement. Sometimes these are fuelled by the pleasure of winning a game, or completing a level that you have been stuck on for ages. Maybe that was the wrong example, because you generally feel relieved when you finish a level like that, rather than excited of fearful. Completing a level like that usually fills you with glee and the urge to carry on playing the game to se what's next, because you have waited so long, even though you haven't actually waited, you've been struggling to reach that point. A better example of a point in a game where you feel like you are filled with adrenaline is a fast-paced game, or a scary one. Games like Resident Evil or Eternal Darkness are the best examples I can think of which might bring up a slight tinge of fear in your eyes.
The reaction that these games cause is basically, jumping or doing something in fear. But how can you be afraid of a game? Why does it happen? It's only a console with a disc in it, and a picture on the screen of the telly and some sounds coming from the speakers for Christ's sake! What is there to be scared of? The reason this reaction happens is because you get so involved in a game, it just seems to be happening, you seem to be there, and you feel the need to either warn the character, or react in some other with the feeling that the character IS you! Strange, but for some reason, it seems to be true in a lot of cases.
Maybe those reasons are proof to show that games do indeed affect our brains, but not in the ways that many people say they will. Sure, they may influence the younger generation, but I doubt it. And another point to raise, does continuous gaming affect the way we see the world? If it does, how does it differ between someone who plays a wide range of games and a person who only plays their one favourite game, or someone who will only play one genre of game? Lets hear your views.
Thanks for reading
Happy days
Twain
Page: