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OK. This took me a while to think up and type, so please don't slate me too much for GAD etc. OK, here goes......
Modern technological advancements are some of humankind's greatest achievements thus far. When the first computer was built during World War II, people were sceptical about its capabilities and reliability. However, it would prove to be the greatest tool ever fashioned. Every day, scientists are discovering new ways to make microchips smaller and faster. The past ten years have demonstrated the most rapid progress technology has ever witnessed. Ten years ago a 6 MHz machine was the fastest consumer computer on the market, and now we are witnessing 1, even 2.5 GHz processors. Imagine where we will be in another ten years. Twenty years?
Ever since computers became mass market, people have been finding alternative uses for this marvel. Of course its uses for work are taken for granted, but what about when you need a break? That's where the wonderful world of computer gaming kicked in. Designed to provide entertainment and escape the stresses of the real world, games were a wonderful substitute for doing your boring old bookkeeping.
As the technology improved, so did the games. Remember how huge DOOM was? How revolutionary DOOM was? How...violent DOOM was? Of course it was with unrealistic two-dimensional sprites, however it was still depicting the slaughter of human beings. This caused a stir in the media, and I'm sure even the players... but it sure was fun, wasn't it? And then Quake came along, introducing 3-axis gameplay. The realism factor was enhanced even more.
But you still knew it wasn't real--the guns were far fetched and the enemies were as smart as cows (well, maybe not that smart, according to DC in her cows post). Deciphering the difference between fantasy and reality was extremely simple. Then came games like Rainbow Six and Soldier Of Fortune, with gameplay that makes you think you're holding the gun and artificial intelligence that sometimes makes you wonder if you are facing a human opponent. Now the fine line between fantasy and reality is shattered. "But what's a little spinal fluid between you and a friend?," as Eminem so eloquently puts it. It's merely an extension of one's fantasy onto the computer screen. However, what happens when people start to believe more and more in what they see?
Members of the government and social action groups have pointed the finger at violent video games as the cause of recent occurrences of real violence, and it's probably only going to get worse before (or if) it gets better. As the video game industry grows exponentially, the demand for such games will increase as well. Developers are appealing to the masses, and people demand blood, guts, and action. It is human nature to have a certain "killer instinct" when it comes to survival. But what happens when your brain can't tell the difference between survival and stabbing someone in the back playing Half Life? That is when things start to get complex, and hopefully developers will be smart enough not to make things realistic enough for people to think that it could be them on the monitor.
Playing Soul Calibur on Sega's Dreamcast made me realize what leaps and bounds that we are overcoming to make video games experiences plausible. The character movement looks 100% on par. The only thing that keeps the fighters from looking completely realistic is the cartoony, stylized look. Other than that, with the motion capture and graphical technology, it looks nearly spot-on photo realistic.
For all this violence, you have to draw the line somewhere, and someone finally did. The Electronic Software Ratings Board (ESRB) was established in 1994 to add some sort of regulation to the gaming industry. Offering a warning symbol system to parents, little icons are placed on game boxes to let you know what kind of game it is that you're buying. Most parents wouldn't buy their 5 year-old Unreal Tournament 2003 knowing that it was rated "M" (Mature). Even though games are now required to post an ESRB rating on the box, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will make any difference.
After trekking on over to my local Woolworths a few years ago, a new game had just come out: Grand Theft Auto. I looked at the box, and the screenshots, and decided that it looked promising. On my way to pay for it, I noticed the "M" sticker in the bottom corner, and suddenly became a little sceptical about buying it. I was pretty sure they would bust me for not being 17, but instead they just typed in the total, I handed them the money, and I was on my way. What's the point of having such a widely used system if not even one of the most respectable shops enforces it?
Driving games, on the other hand, are prime examples of excellent uses of realism. With the fairly recent use of force feedback, we are able to feel the twists and turns of the road, with extremely pleasing results. Driving Sims are on a level of their own, with superlative attention paid to detail. Such games as Gran Turismo and Need For Speed (1-5) make you feel like you are really at the wheel. Applying beautiful graphics with accurate physics, one could even learn from playing racing sims. I recently got my driver's license, and found that driving came quite easily to me. Video games had prepared me for what I would have to expect. Of course it's not the same thing, but it's still wonderful to have a feel for how to accelerate and stop before stepping actually foot in the driver's seat. For example, the Gran Turismo driving tests were not 100% accurate, but they were a challenge, and got you used to the feel of a vehicle.
Sex sells. So does violence. It's the sad truth, but if this were what is perceived as acceptable by society as a whole, then anyone that doesn't enjoy video games would be the outcast. I am not trying to take sides here, as I can bring up plenty of points for each argument. Even I love congregating around a 55" projection TV with 3 of my friends to take place in a shoot em up marathon. It's entertainment. It's a way to release and to escape reality. My friends don't become brainwashed from playing a game (although they may get a little rowdy). We escape reality, and everyone draws that conclusion instantaneously, sub-consciously or not. Video games will never be real; they are the antithesis of real.
Never underestimate the impact that the media has on society. Remember that the children being born now are the ones that will decide our fate...the ones that will be in control of Nano-Technology and in charge of colonizing Mars. A lot goes on in an adolescent's mind, and what they are exposed to now will likely determine how the Earth is governed in 50 years. We can certainly raise a generation of Quake, or Grand Theft Auto: Vice City players without creating an army of bloodthirsty killing machines. Instead, we can build androids to do that for us, and that's another debate altogether...
Well there you go, and remember, it took me ages, don slate me too much :D
Rašta
Modern technological advancements are some of humankind's greatest achievements thus far. When the first computer was built during World War II, people were sceptical about its capabilities and reliability. However, it would prove to be the greatest tool ever fashioned. Every day, scientists are discovering new ways to make microchips smaller and faster. The past ten years have demonstrated the most rapid progress technology has ever witnessed. Ten years ago a 6 MHz machine was the fastest consumer computer on the market, and now we are witnessing 1, even 2.5 GHz processors. Imagine where we will be in another ten years. Twenty years?
Ever since computers became mass market, people have been finding alternative uses for this marvel. Of course its uses for work are taken for granted, but what about when you need a break? That's where the wonderful world of computer gaming kicked in. Designed to provide entertainment and escape the stresses of the real world, games were a wonderful substitute for doing your boring old bookkeeping.
As the technology improved, so did the games. Remember how huge DOOM was? How revolutionary DOOM was? How...violent DOOM was? Of course it was with unrealistic two-dimensional sprites, however it was still depicting the slaughter of human beings. This caused a stir in the media, and I'm sure even the players... but it sure was fun, wasn't it? And then Quake came along, introducing 3-axis gameplay. The realism factor was enhanced even more.
But you still knew it wasn't real--the guns were far fetched and the enemies were as smart as cows (well, maybe not that smart, according to DC in her cows post). Deciphering the difference between fantasy and reality was extremely simple. Then came games like Rainbow Six and Soldier Of Fortune, with gameplay that makes you think you're holding the gun and artificial intelligence that sometimes makes you wonder if you are facing a human opponent. Now the fine line between fantasy and reality is shattered. "But what's a little spinal fluid between you and a friend?," as Eminem so eloquently puts it. It's merely an extension of one's fantasy onto the computer screen. However, what happens when people start to believe more and more in what they see?
Members of the government and social action groups have pointed the finger at violent video games as the cause of recent occurrences of real violence, and it's probably only going to get worse before (or if) it gets better. As the video game industry grows exponentially, the demand for such games will increase as well. Developers are appealing to the masses, and people demand blood, guts, and action. It is human nature to have a certain "killer instinct" when it comes to survival. But what happens when your brain can't tell the difference between survival and stabbing someone in the back playing Half Life? That is when things start to get complex, and hopefully developers will be smart enough not to make things realistic enough for people to think that it could be them on the monitor.
Playing Soul Calibur on Sega's Dreamcast made me realize what leaps and bounds that we are overcoming to make video games experiences plausible. The character movement looks 100% on par. The only thing that keeps the fighters from looking completely realistic is the cartoony, stylized look. Other than that, with the motion capture and graphical technology, it looks nearly spot-on photo realistic.
For all this violence, you have to draw the line somewhere, and someone finally did. The Electronic Software Ratings Board (ESRB) was established in 1994 to add some sort of regulation to the gaming industry. Offering a warning symbol system to parents, little icons are placed on game boxes to let you know what kind of game it is that you're buying. Most parents wouldn't buy their 5 year-old Unreal Tournament 2003 knowing that it was rated "M" (Mature). Even though games are now required to post an ESRB rating on the box, it doesn't necessarily mean that it will make any difference.
After trekking on over to my local Woolworths a few years ago, a new game had just come out: Grand Theft Auto. I looked at the box, and the screenshots, and decided that it looked promising. On my way to pay for it, I noticed the "M" sticker in the bottom corner, and suddenly became a little sceptical about buying it. I was pretty sure they would bust me for not being 17, but instead they just typed in the total, I handed them the money, and I was on my way. What's the point of having such a widely used system if not even one of the most respectable shops enforces it?
Driving games, on the other hand, are prime examples of excellent uses of realism. With the fairly recent use of force feedback, we are able to feel the twists and turns of the road, with extremely pleasing results. Driving Sims are on a level of their own, with superlative attention paid to detail. Such games as Gran Turismo and Need For Speed (1-5) make you feel like you are really at the wheel. Applying beautiful graphics with accurate physics, one could even learn from playing racing sims. I recently got my driver's license, and found that driving came quite easily to me. Video games had prepared me for what I would have to expect. Of course it's not the same thing, but it's still wonderful to have a feel for how to accelerate and stop before stepping actually foot in the driver's seat. For example, the Gran Turismo driving tests were not 100% accurate, but they were a challenge, and got you used to the feel of a vehicle.
Sex sells. So does violence. It's the sad truth, but if this were what is perceived as acceptable by society as a whole, then anyone that doesn't enjoy video games would be the outcast. I am not trying to take sides here, as I can bring up plenty of points for each argument. Even I love congregating around a 55" projection TV with 3 of my friends to take place in a shoot em up marathon. It's entertainment. It's a way to release and to escape reality. My friends don't become brainwashed from playing a game (although they may get a little rowdy). We escape reality, and everyone draws that conclusion instantaneously, sub-consciously or not. Video games will never be real; they are the antithesis of real.
Never underestimate the impact that the media has on society. Remember that the children being born now are the ones that will decide our fate...the ones that will be in control of Nano-Technology and in charge of colonizing Mars. A lot goes on in an adolescent's mind, and what they are exposed to now will likely determine how the Earth is governed in 50 years. We can certainly raise a generation of Quake, or Grand Theft Auto: Vice City players without creating an army of bloodthirsty killing machines. Instead, we can build androids to do that for us, and that's another debate altogether...
Well there you go, and remember, it took me ages, don slate me too much :D
Rašta
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Uck, I really hate cheaters. I'm very surprised at you Rasta!!!:(
>Well there you go, and remember, it took me ages, don slate me too much :D
a quick copy and paste from IGN took you ages?
a quick copy and paste from IGN took you ages?
To be fair, this version comes without any of those distracting pictures, or the annoying pleas to join IGN Insider. Great stuff. Cut and pasted like a true pro.
So do you write for IGN then?
Or do you think that lovingly removing the paragraphs suddenly makes someone else's work your own?
Or do you think that lovingly removing the paragraphs suddenly makes someone else's work your own?
I made a post on this topic quite a while back. It can be found at:
http://ukchatforums.reserve.co.uk/ (SPACE) display_messages.php?threadid=48193&forumid=416
Most people seem to think that games are realistic enough for them to cope with. However, they also agree that parents have the repsonsibility (not the games developers) to make sure the games do not affect the lives of those who play them.
It is an interesting topic and one that people will debate about for a long while. Nice post.
http://ukchatforums.reserve.co.uk/ (SPACE) display_messages.php?threadid=48193&forumid=416
Most people seem to think that games are realistic enough for them to cope with. However, they also agree that parents have the repsonsibility (not the games developers) to make sure the games do not affect the lives of those who play them.
It is an interesting topic and one that people will debate about for a long while. Nice post.
Er.... anyone else??? You can comment on it if you want........ :-(
I did..
Erm...... has anyone actually read this???
Leave it now...
Just try and make it easier for the eyes in future!
:c)
Just try and make it easier for the eyes in future!
:c)
Oops, should I repost it? :-p
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