19
Nov
2014
Nov
2014
Art, Games, and Tech Discussion
categories: Unit 08
I found that the presentation made by Jane McGonigal was very convincing and interesting. Most of parents are afraid that their Children are addicted to computer games which are bad for health and mental issue. Nonetheless, Jane contends that gaming can make a better a world and “Games like World of Warcraft give players the means to save worlds, and incentive to learn the habits of heroes”. She does not mean the role of game is to predict the future but to empower people to make best scenario outcome in the future. I am thinking it’s a considerable wish and we should show more positive perspectives on the computer game
rtran@uoregon.edu
November 21, 2014 at 7:30 pm (10 years ago)You made some very interesting points in your post. I can see the logic in Jane McGonigal’s argument that video games could teach players “habit of heroes”, but I believe it has less to do with the video game itself, and with much more to do with the player. Yes, video games could be beneficial, but video games could also be harmful if not properly used or supervised; players need to be well balanced and not overused it to an unhealthy extent. To me, I can see video games as a good analogy to many other pleasures that society offers to the general population. For example, like drugs or alcohol consumption; not everyone that like to drink are harmful to themselves or anyone else, if used properly (in fact, studies show that a regular consumption of small portions of alcoholic beverages improves health function). But depending on the person using it, they can abuse the substance and it will end up becoming more harmful than good. So to conclude, I believe it is irrational to claim video games could either be good or bad to the player; as it all depends on how the player interprets and uses the video games.
Fisher
November 23, 2014 at 1:12 pm (10 years ago)Hi Sabrina!
I understand your argument made in your post, however I think that spending 30+ billion hours a week on video games is not beneficial to change and gain insight on how to improve world crisis. Rather than spending 30 billion hours a week on games, those hours should be dedicated to research and travel to understand and see with your own eyes what are going on in the world. In the Ted video I understood the point that was coming across regarding how gamers gain so much confidence and insight in the game, however its a fantasy world. That confidence and insight is not going to travel with them to the real world to help solve world problems. What do you think? I agree that video games build character however I do not think it is going to help empower people for the real world.