The "General Games Chat" forum, which includes Retro Game Reviews, has been archived and is now read-only. You cannot post here or create a new thread or review on this forum.
I have been playing computer games for 80% of my life, and have played in spells of 6-8 hours straight with no effects on my health whatsoever. Computer games are meant to be fun, but a hobby quickly turns into an annoyance when limits are introduced. How are we supposed to enjoy playing games with warnings on every single one?
Computer game manuals now carry warnings, such as, "Take a break for 15 minutes every hour". How are we supposed to enjoy playing computer games when we are 'advised' to take a break every hour? These are apparently the effects from playing computer games for long periods of time:
Some people (1 in 4000) suffer from photosensitive epilepsy (P.E)- which basically means that these people will suffer from an epileptic fit from looking at flashing lights. How does this effect computer games then? Well, it's all to do with televisions. They work by sending lines that flicker downwards on the screen. This means that people that suffer from P.E can also have fits from watching TV, but you don't see warnings on watching television though…do you?
Another thing that adds to epileptic fits is tiredness. It clearly states in the manual that to avoid epileptic fits, you should not play when you are tired. If this is the case, why don't people who argue about epilepsy mention this fact when they are trying to campaign against epilepsy? The manual also clearly states that you should play in a well-lit room. Again, they don't mention this. Why? Well, they want to put limits on computer games, so why would they want to mention about things that actually go against these complaints.
A report made in February earlier this year stated that doctors are calling for warnings on vibrating controllers after a boy suffered an injury. An injury from a console controller; that's pretty strange. It also had never happened before. So what actually caused this injury then? A 15-year-old boy played on his games console for more than 7 hours a day straight. 7 hours a day, seven days a week. A long time, but then again, it already stated in the manual to take breaks from computer games, so what do the doctors have to back up their case then? Well, in the report it does actually mention about the guideline (i.e. Well-lit room, tiredness etc) so they can't complain about that. What they did say though is that there should be a sticker on the controller. It's says about playing guidelines in the manual! Why do they need a sticker on the controller then? DR. Bernard Goenveld says, "Most people always read the manual, and the health warnings, but they don't think about it. If we put a sticker on the controller, maybe they would read it." What he didn't mention is the fact that people may peel it off (I certainly would) or they may not even notice it. They also stated that, "playing 7 hours a day is excessive and exceeds the console maker's recommendation." Sound familiar? Yep, that's what it says in the manual. So not only have they made a pathetic attempt to put a sticker on a controller, they also have attacked their own argument, which to gamers is quite amusing.
Another health report made in 1995 tried to show how playing computer games can be bad for your health. Graham Harding, a scientist familiar on the subject and the reporter Norman Swan had this report:
Norman: "How common is P.E?"
Graham: "It's very rare in the population, and is more common in Girls than boys."
Now, given hardly any girls play computer games, it raises the chances of having an epileptic fit from 1 in 4000 to 1 in 6000.
Norman: "Are some children only affected by certain games?"
Graham: "Oh yes. Some Children are only affected by some games, and some are only affected by parts of a game. Take one child, he played a ghost busters game. He was only affected by P.E when he looked at the map on the screen because it had a special frequency. He found that by sitting away from the screen, he wasn't affected."
Norman: "But doesn't the manual say that you should sit away from the screen?"
Graham: "Yes, it does. If the child had sat away from the screen, he wouldn't have had the problem."
Norman: "So, what you are saying is that the manual clearly states that you shouldn't sit near the screen, but the child did? If that's the case, then it was the child's fault entirely,"
Graham: "Yes, it was."
Norman: "It was? That means doctors are fighting a losing battle then against health and safety warnings on games."
Graham: "Yes, indeed they are. The manual clearly states all the warnings on games and controllers."
Norman: "So why do people still suffer from epileptic fits then?"
Graham: "They ignore the warnings. It's their life, they treat it as they like"
So, as you see, Doctors have no way of campaigning and protesting against health warnings, as they are already in the manual. Those that are affected by P.E know the consequences of not reading the manual, and it's their fault. Doctors have no evidence that computer games can cause epileptic fits to all players, so playing computer games for long periods of time do not effect us in any way, unless you have epilepsy or are stupid and don't read the warnings.
Computer game manuals now carry warnings, such as, "Take a break for 15 minutes every hour". How are we supposed to enjoy playing computer games when we are 'advised' to take a break every hour? These are apparently the effects from playing computer games for long periods of time:
Some people (1 in 4000) suffer from photosensitive epilepsy (P.E)- which basically means that these people will suffer from an epileptic fit from looking at flashing lights. How does this effect computer games then? Well, it's all to do with televisions. They work by sending lines that flicker downwards on the screen. This means that people that suffer from P.E can also have fits from watching TV, but you don't see warnings on watching television though…do you?
Another thing that adds to epileptic fits is tiredness. It clearly states in the manual that to avoid epileptic fits, you should not play when you are tired. If this is the case, why don't people who argue about epilepsy mention this fact when they are trying to campaign against epilepsy? The manual also clearly states that you should play in a well-lit room. Again, they don't mention this. Why? Well, they want to put limits on computer games, so why would they want to mention about things that actually go against these complaints.
A report made in February earlier this year stated that doctors are calling for warnings on vibrating controllers after a boy suffered an injury. An injury from a console controller; that's pretty strange. It also had never happened before. So what actually caused this injury then? A 15-year-old boy played on his games console for more than 7 hours a day straight. 7 hours a day, seven days a week. A long time, but then again, it already stated in the manual to take breaks from computer games, so what do the doctors have to back up their case then? Well, in the report it does actually mention about the guideline (i.e. Well-lit room, tiredness etc) so they can't complain about that. What they did say though is that there should be a sticker on the controller. It's says about playing guidelines in the manual! Why do they need a sticker on the controller then? DR. Bernard Goenveld says, "Most people always read the manual, and the health warnings, but they don't think about it. If we put a sticker on the controller, maybe they would read it." What he didn't mention is the fact that people may peel it off (I certainly would) or they may not even notice it. They also stated that, "playing 7 hours a day is excessive and exceeds the console maker's recommendation." Sound familiar? Yep, that's what it says in the manual. So not only have they made a pathetic attempt to put a sticker on a controller, they also have attacked their own argument, which to gamers is quite amusing.
Another health report made in 1995 tried to show how playing computer games can be bad for your health. Graham Harding, a scientist familiar on the subject and the reporter Norman Swan had this report:
Norman: "How common is P.E?"
Graham: "It's very rare in the population, and is more common in Girls than boys."
Now, given hardly any girls play computer games, it raises the chances of having an epileptic fit from 1 in 4000 to 1 in 6000.
Norman: "Are some children only affected by certain games?"
Graham: "Oh yes. Some Children are only affected by some games, and some are only affected by parts of a game. Take one child, he played a ghost busters game. He was only affected by P.E when he looked at the map on the screen because it had a special frequency. He found that by sitting away from the screen, he wasn't affected."
Norman: "But doesn't the manual say that you should sit away from the screen?"
Graham: "Yes, it does. If the child had sat away from the screen, he wouldn't have had the problem."
Norman: "So, what you are saying is that the manual clearly states that you shouldn't sit near the screen, but the child did? If that's the case, then it was the child's fault entirely,"
Graham: "Yes, it was."
Norman: "It was? That means doctors are fighting a losing battle then against health and safety warnings on games."
Graham: "Yes, indeed they are. The manual clearly states all the warnings on games and controllers."
Norman: "So why do people still suffer from epileptic fits then?"
Graham: "They ignore the warnings. It's their life, they treat it as they like"
So, as you see, Doctors have no way of campaigning and protesting against health warnings, as they are already in the manual. Those that are affected by P.E know the consequences of not reading the manual, and it's their fault. Doctors have no evidence that computer games can cause epileptic fits to all players, so playing computer games for long periods of time do not effect us in any way, unless you have epilepsy or are stupid and don't read the warnings.
Page:
I really do hate all these campaigners saying that games are bad for your health and that they shouldn't be played. I have played games from the age of five on variety of different systems and in arcades (where you are really close to the screen).
It's like trying to get cycling banned because some people might have an asthma attack or fall off and break their neck, or banning PCs because of RSI caused by keyboards.
Haven't these people got social lives?
It's like trying to get cycling banned because some people might have an asthma attack or fall off and break their neck, or banning PCs because of RSI caused by keyboards.
Haven't these people got social lives?
Things like the Wavebird prevent us from sitting near the TV screen, which is a good thing, as the consequences are already known.
Maybe people are most likely to get an epileptic fit when they are addicted to a game and sit there for hours...
:)
Maybe people are most likely to get an epileptic fit when they are addicted to a game and sit there for hours...
:)
Nice post
Ive always sat away from the screen otherwise i cant see it otherwise. and now that i have a wavebird controller there is no need for me to sit colse to the screeen because i can play from my bed
Ive always sat away from the screen otherwise i cant see it otherwise. and now that i have a wavebird controller there is no need for me to sit colse to the screeen because i can play from my bed
very good. the game i have ever played most is FF7. Lost count, i was doing some leveling up and then it was 2 in the morning!(Started at 7) lol
Thanks for the replies. :)
Health Warnings don't need to flash in Neon lights or get broadcasted every two minutes on TV, they are there, are visable if peopel took the time to read them, and as you said Mr Ripper, people just assume. Assuming gets you nowhere. :)
Health Warnings don't need to flash in Neon lights or get broadcasted every two minutes on TV, they are there, are visable if peopel took the time to read them, and as you said Mr Ripper, people just assume. Assuming gets you nowhere. :)
I know that I don't have P.E because I play and watch T.V as much as the next guy and not had a problem.
Nice post.
Certainly it's true that the gaming industry is targeted by campaigners more because they don't like gaming than any genuine health threat. Pretty much any health problem with games applies to most household items anyway. ie. don't abuse it, and you don't have a problem.
Sit too close to the TV, and you'll develop eye problems, jump on your bed too much, it'll break and you'll hurt yourself. Put the iron on too hot, and it'll melt your shirts. The list goes on.
The more important issue is that health warnings are all well and good, but all they really do is cover the manufacturer's backsides from a legal perspective. Very few people actually read the warnings, because they assume they know how to safely use the equipment. Unfortunately, some of them are wrong, and as was said in your post, that is entirely their fault.
I see no need for change.
Certainly it's true that the gaming industry is targeted by campaigners more because they don't like gaming than any genuine health threat. Pretty much any health problem with games applies to most household items anyway. ie. don't abuse it, and you don't have a problem.
Sit too close to the TV, and you'll develop eye problems, jump on your bed too much, it'll break and you'll hurt yourself. Put the iron on too hot, and it'll melt your shirts. The list goes on.
The more important issue is that health warnings are all well and good, but all they really do is cover the manufacturer's backsides from a legal perspective. Very few people actually read the warnings, because they assume they know how to safely use the equipment. Unfortunately, some of them are wrong, and as was said in your post, that is entirely their fault.
I see no need for change.
Very interesting post mate, I can fondly remember getting up at 5 in the morning to play Zelda OOT and playing it for 5hrs non stop (not even breaking for food!)!
I have been playing computer games for 80% of my life, and have played in spells of 6-8 hours straight with no effects on my health whatsoever. Computer games are meant to be fun, but a hobby quickly turns into an annoyance when limits are introduced. How are we supposed to enjoy playing games with warnings on every single one?
Computer game manuals now carry warnings, such as, "Take a break for 15 minutes every hour". How are we supposed to enjoy playing computer games when we are 'advised' to take a break every hour? These are apparently the effects from playing computer games for long periods of time:
Some people (1 in 4000) suffer from photosensitive epilepsy (P.E)- which basically means that these people will suffer from an epileptic fit from looking at flashing lights. How does this effect computer games then? Well, it's all to do with televisions. They work by sending lines that flicker downwards on the screen. This means that people that suffer from P.E can also have fits from watching TV, but you don't see warnings on watching television though…do you?
Another thing that adds to epileptic fits is tiredness. It clearly states in the manual that to avoid epileptic fits, you should not play when you are tired. If this is the case, why don't people who argue about epilepsy mention this fact when they are trying to campaign against epilepsy? The manual also clearly states that you should play in a well-lit room. Again, they don't mention this. Why? Well, they want to put limits on computer games, so why would they want to mention about things that actually go against these complaints.
A report made in February earlier this year stated that doctors are calling for warnings on vibrating controllers after a boy suffered an injury. An injury from a console controller; that's pretty strange. It also had never happened before. So what actually caused this injury then? A 15-year-old boy played on his games console for more than 7 hours a day straight. 7 hours a day, seven days a week. A long time, but then again, it already stated in the manual to take breaks from computer games, so what do the doctors have to back up their case then? Well, in the report it does actually mention about the guideline (i.e. Well-lit room, tiredness etc) so they can't complain about that. What they did say though is that there should be a sticker on the controller. It's says about playing guidelines in the manual! Why do they need a sticker on the controller then? DR. Bernard Goenveld says, "Most people always read the manual, and the health warnings, but they don't think about it. If we put a sticker on the controller, maybe they would read it." What he didn't mention is the fact that people may peel it off (I certainly would) or they may not even notice it. They also stated that, "playing 7 hours a day is excessive and exceeds the console maker's recommendation." Sound familiar? Yep, that's what it says in the manual. So not only have they made a pathetic attempt to put a sticker on a controller, they also have attacked their own argument, which to gamers is quite amusing.
Another health report made in 1995 tried to show how playing computer games can be bad for your health. Graham Harding, a scientist familiar on the subject and the reporter Norman Swan had this report:
Norman: "How common is P.E?"
Graham: "It's very rare in the population, and is more common in Girls than boys."
Now, given hardly any girls play computer games, it raises the chances of having an epileptic fit from 1 in 4000 to 1 in 6000.
Norman: "Are some children only affected by certain games?"
Graham: "Oh yes. Some Children are only affected by some games, and some are only affected by parts of a game. Take one child, he played a ghost busters game. He was only affected by P.E when he looked at the map on the screen because it had a special frequency. He found that by sitting away from the screen, he wasn't affected."
Norman: "But doesn't the manual say that you should sit away from the screen?"
Graham: "Yes, it does. If the child had sat away from the screen, he wouldn't have had the problem."
Norman: "So, what you are saying is that the manual clearly states that you shouldn't sit near the screen, but the child did? If that's the case, then it was the child's fault entirely,"
Graham: "Yes, it was."
Norman: "It was? That means doctors are fighting a losing battle then against health and safety warnings on games."
Graham: "Yes, indeed they are. The manual clearly states all the warnings on games and controllers."
Norman: "So why do people still suffer from epileptic fits then?"
Graham: "They ignore the warnings. It's their life, they treat it as they like"
So, as you see, Doctors have no way of campaigning and protesting against health warnings, as they are already in the manual. Those that are affected by P.E know the consequences of not reading the manual, and it's their fault. Doctors have no evidence that computer games can cause epileptic fits to all players, so playing computer games for long periods of time do not effect us in any way, unless you have epilepsy or are stupid and don't read the warnings.
Computer game manuals now carry warnings, such as, "Take a break for 15 minutes every hour". How are we supposed to enjoy playing computer games when we are 'advised' to take a break every hour? These are apparently the effects from playing computer games for long periods of time:
Some people (1 in 4000) suffer from photosensitive epilepsy (P.E)- which basically means that these people will suffer from an epileptic fit from looking at flashing lights. How does this effect computer games then? Well, it's all to do with televisions. They work by sending lines that flicker downwards on the screen. This means that people that suffer from P.E can also have fits from watching TV, but you don't see warnings on watching television though…do you?
Another thing that adds to epileptic fits is tiredness. It clearly states in the manual that to avoid epileptic fits, you should not play when you are tired. If this is the case, why don't people who argue about epilepsy mention this fact when they are trying to campaign against epilepsy? The manual also clearly states that you should play in a well-lit room. Again, they don't mention this. Why? Well, they want to put limits on computer games, so why would they want to mention about things that actually go against these complaints.
A report made in February earlier this year stated that doctors are calling for warnings on vibrating controllers after a boy suffered an injury. An injury from a console controller; that's pretty strange. It also had never happened before. So what actually caused this injury then? A 15-year-old boy played on his games console for more than 7 hours a day straight. 7 hours a day, seven days a week. A long time, but then again, it already stated in the manual to take breaks from computer games, so what do the doctors have to back up their case then? Well, in the report it does actually mention about the guideline (i.e. Well-lit room, tiredness etc) so they can't complain about that. What they did say though is that there should be a sticker on the controller. It's says about playing guidelines in the manual! Why do they need a sticker on the controller then? DR. Bernard Goenveld says, "Most people always read the manual, and the health warnings, but they don't think about it. If we put a sticker on the controller, maybe they would read it." What he didn't mention is the fact that people may peel it off (I certainly would) or they may not even notice it. They also stated that, "playing 7 hours a day is excessive and exceeds the console maker's recommendation." Sound familiar? Yep, that's what it says in the manual. So not only have they made a pathetic attempt to put a sticker on a controller, they also have attacked their own argument, which to gamers is quite amusing.
Another health report made in 1995 tried to show how playing computer games can be bad for your health. Graham Harding, a scientist familiar on the subject and the reporter Norman Swan had this report:
Norman: "How common is P.E?"
Graham: "It's very rare in the population, and is more common in Girls than boys."
Now, given hardly any girls play computer games, it raises the chances of having an epileptic fit from 1 in 4000 to 1 in 6000.
Norman: "Are some children only affected by certain games?"
Graham: "Oh yes. Some Children are only affected by some games, and some are only affected by parts of a game. Take one child, he played a ghost busters game. He was only affected by P.E when he looked at the map on the screen because it had a special frequency. He found that by sitting away from the screen, he wasn't affected."
Norman: "But doesn't the manual say that you should sit away from the screen?"
Graham: "Yes, it does. If the child had sat away from the screen, he wouldn't have had the problem."
Norman: "So, what you are saying is that the manual clearly states that you shouldn't sit near the screen, but the child did? If that's the case, then it was the child's fault entirely,"
Graham: "Yes, it was."
Norman: "It was? That means doctors are fighting a losing battle then against health and safety warnings on games."
Graham: "Yes, indeed they are. The manual clearly states all the warnings on games and controllers."
Norman: "So why do people still suffer from epileptic fits then?"
Graham: "They ignore the warnings. It's their life, they treat it as they like"
So, as you see, Doctors have no way of campaigning and protesting against health warnings, as they are already in the manual. Those that are affected by P.E know the consequences of not reading the manual, and it's their fault. Doctors have no evidence that computer games can cause epileptic fits to all players, so playing computer games for long periods of time do not effect us in any way, unless you have epilepsy or are stupid and don't read the warnings.
Page: