I was impressed by Jane McGonigal’s idea that playing the video game could help people to make a better real world. She combined the games and tech with the real life via art. Art is a bridge to connect the world of game and world of reality. She mentioned that the video game players are the fantastic human resource for the future development of the world. In addition, according to Jane’s speech, blissful productivity, social fabric, urgent optimism, and epic meaning are the four characteristics that could help video game player could also do something useful in the real world.
However, from my point of view, I doubt Jane’s opinions. Jane said in the video game there are always a number of people to help the player to accomplish a mission but not the same in the real world. My question is focus on this aspect. In the world of game, people could achieve success and add some points after they finish one mission together with some other people. However, in the real world, it is hard for a people always have someone around them, assisting them to finish one mission. What’s more, the game always has an end and solution after the player pass all the missions. In the reality, no one knows what will happen and there are a lot of uncertain elements so that people do not know what kind of obstacles they will meet.
Therefore, I wonder whether the world of game could really help the real world even though video game player may have some useful characteristics?
I think the important distinction to think about here is not that McGonigal said just playing games would help the world. Yes, a lot of games can cultivate camaraderie, problem solving and a sense of community which is good. However, she really focused her energy on the games like ‘World Without Oil’ and the ‘Evoke’ game she helped build. It simulated real world crisis like food shortages and what the players learned in the game world, they carried out into the real world and they continued the habits they adopted in there.
You bring up a good point. The fact that people always have other people to help them accomplish their missions in the video games is not always feasible in the real world. I think that this may have a negative effect on people in that they will always think that the end of an issue is easily attainable. In response to your question, I think that some video games could have a positive effect, especially if they focus on real-world issues and ways that they may be overcome. Otherwise, I think that video games can have detrimental effects on our world when they promote violence as a means of problem-solving.
I like how you compared the uncertainty of the real world to the predestined outcomes of video game worlds. Now days video games are actually creating complexities in games by creating different endings and storylines based on the decisions you make in the game. Obviously these are not anywhere close to real life but they are getting there. I think the point of the video was to create awareness and hype about this kind of thinking and gamer decision problem solving skills. I think this concept could be very helpful in the future but right now nothing more than some simple research games even seem feasible. I think there is some uses for games in a military setting especially.