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"Stressful Gaming"

Playing computer games is, to most of us, a leisure activity. Something we do after school or work to relax and let the endeavours of the day drift from our brain to be forgotten. Some people though see gaming in a different light. They see gaming as challenges, something that has to be completed as soon as possible, no questions asked. They will get worked up and when they cant get past a certain puzzle or boss they will throw their pad against a wall, rip the plug out of their console and vow never to play on it again.


This isn’t the meaning of a game; it doesn’t intend to cause severe psychological strain on the gamer. Quite simply it is fun. Perhaps it is the gaming industry that is to blame for making today’s games too difficult? It is a known fact European games have a higher difficulty level than the Japanese counterparts. Have the Japanese got it right and understand games are a way to wind down fro ma hectic lifestyle? Or are their public just not as demanding as ours?


Gaming is a leisure activity, along the same lines as television, listening to music or reading a book. So when you are watching your favourite programme on TV and two of the characters get into a fight, do you manically press the buttons on your remote control and slam it down in anger when the one you wanted to win didn’t? Or when you are listening to the radio and they play an Enrique Englasias song, do you bite through the power cable? Or if you are reading a novel and the main character doesn’t solve the murder mystery are you obliged to tear out the pages with your teeth and tear them into confetti? The answer to all of the questions, hopefully, is no.


Games are meant to be fun, enjoyable and even relaxing. People take gaming a little too seriously, they get addicted to games and rush through them, not appreciating their full glory. People boast about how fast they completed a certain title, I took 8 months to work my way through Zelda: Ocarina of Time, and I am proud. It doesn’t bother me how long I take getting through a game, sometimes I will get stuck but it doesn’t bother me, I will try and try until I can resolve a certain problem and if I can’t I’ll do something else, like come onto the forums or listen to music.


A friend of mine got so wound up over a game he smashed his Playstation 2 pad against a wall, repeatedly. He ended up with a broken pad, a big dint in his wall and a broken little finger. If people get this stressed over games then something needs to change. Either the gamers have to realise games aren’t serious, they are just fun, or the games market has to loosen up on difficulty levels. I personally would like to see the public relax and little and enjoy games for what they really are instead of a mocking challenge which requires completion.


So please fellow gamers, don’t get as stressed or worked up over games. I know I aren’t speaking to all of you here, but I know a fair few will have at one point in your life got irritated and punched your Playstation or thrown your controller across the room. But please, try to appreciate games more, and relax with them.

Thanks for reading

-kyz²²-

That, Eternal Shadow, was the best reply to a topic a newbie has ever made. I am astounded! I feel though, that smashing your controller against a wall and screaming isn't entirely 'virtual stress'.

Games are the centre of home entertainment, video games are the escape away from the real game; your life. Stress is a major part of the real game, virtual stress is meaning less but feels the same. To repeatedly fail on completing an objective in a game brings that feeling we all hate. This is where I can see the virtual-stress ariving, much like if you can't sort out problems that arise in the world around us.

It's not the developers that cause stress for gamers around the globe it is the gamer who draws his own picture for his virtual stress time. Gaming doesn't have to be about trying to overcome difficult tasks just to get to mysterious worlds, but oh how the virtual feeling of success is sweet! In the real game you get the exact same feeling from completing an assignment or redecortating a room that now looks excellent. When running low on the happy emotion in the 'real game' it makes sense to sit back and get the virtual feeling to top up your save file in life.

That's what we do, look for sources of entertainment to top up our lives, we look for different things to indulge in. Gaming is just one of them and stress shouldn't be present in it but hey there comes a time when all of us reach a stage in the 'real game' that even virtual emotions can't help. Is it just the European community that suffers from the stress of advanced gaming? No, it's everyone, we were started on harder games so we have had to adapt to life as an advanced gamer. *sighs* It's hard to be good at gaming but us Europeans have to do it.

Should be there by tuesday Bazzman ;-)

Cyclone wrote:
> I didn't say stressed.
>
> The game is very hard in places, but always fair - its only you that
> make a mistake, and that means you keep on playing, until you get
> that.......damn.........Shine.

Oh I see, so its not one of 'those' games, where you can do everything exactly right and the game claims you didnt do it correctly, and are forced to re-do a whole level. I hate Shadowman!

Excellent. Post. Mate.







(When do I get my cheque?)

I didn't say stressed.

The game is very hard in places, but always fair - its only you that make a mistake, and that means you keep on playing, until you get that.......damn.........Shine.

:)

Cyclone wrote:
> Mario is the most recent example of hard but fair gaing. Wheres the
> problem?!

How can you get stressed with a fat little Italian though? Unless he is late bringing your pizza!

People aren't suddenly getting more stressed out and destroying their consoles!

Mario is the most recent example of hard but fair gaing. Wheres the problem?!

:)

Thankyou chippy

Kyz22 wrote:
For example clever people will generally find strategy games easier than the less intellegent people.


I did a similar post on that, it's in prime. But yeah, I agree with what you're saying. Nice points made.

:)