Thank goodness I'm saved...thanks to a game?

[RobotoWorks]

So with all the talk in the media about video games being detrimental to humans (socially, mentally, etc), I'm sure there have been times in life where it has actually done the exact opposite.

Last year I was invited so a Super Bowl party, having known nothing about football, I was worried that I would look stupid, well luckily my brother had Madden '07 for his Xbox 360, so I started playing it, memorized everything I could about the two teams that were playing, and well I went in that Super Bowl Sunday, fooling everyone into thinking I was a football nerd.

So when has video games ever helped you?

 

[RebelRising]

Well, despite studying for a drug test (academic, it was for a Health class), I was stuck on one question, but I remembered the answer because of all the chems/drugs I had used in Fallout 3. I think it concerned stimulants.

Hanging head in shame now.

 

[Aura Guardian]

Brain Age 1 & 2 and Big Brain Academy help me out a lot.

 

[Smiles]

I'm using gaming to get my brother off of drugs! something to distract him when he detoxes. so far it hasnt helped much, but thats because he isnt really trying to quit...

and hes an ass

 

[KittywifaMohawk]

I can't remember anything that they've actually done for me.
Good or bad.
So I guess it's a good thing and a bad thing. Everything is evened out.

 

[TheBlueRabbit]

I actually developed my love of baseball from playing the old Triple Play series. Not only did it help me learn the teams, leagues, and players, but it gave me a basic understanding of the rules. Since then, I've parlayed that into a part time gig as an umpire.

 

[Dramatic Flare]

I've single-handedly proven to my English teacher that she should let her children play video games by a short demonstration of KOTOR2.
Epic story writing deserves recognition, no matter the form.

 

[Beffudled Sheep]

Violent video games are the only things stopping me from going on a violent killing spree with my... toys...
God bless games and God bless the 2nd amendment in case violent video games disappear.

 

[SimuLord]

I've learned more about the finer points of soccer from Football Manager than I have in 14 years of watching matches on TV, even when the audio's been from the European feeds.

 

[Bofus Teefus]

I've got EA to thank for anything I know about sports. Is that a good or bad thing?

 

[TMAN10112]

Games like the Medal of Honor series got me interested in World War 2 when I was a kid. If it wasn't for that then I probably wouldn't be such a history buff.

 

[Erana]

I shocked everyone by knowing the Solja boy...
Which I learned from a Korean MMO...

 

[DirkGently]

Playing Marathon taught me about bussard ramjets, AI's, and all kinds of things. Not sure if it's come in handy really, yet, though. Like most people in an earth sciences class, They Might Be Giants helped out in regards to the sun.

 

[pantsoffdanceoff]

Age of Empires in World History class. Got a 98%.

 

[Snowalker]

if you had asked 30mins ago, nope, never. I went to a girl's birthday party, this girl I liked, and her boyfriend asked me to play a shooting game. I pwnd his ass, ok, maybe its not that impressive, but it made me feel good.

 

[wulfy42]

Over the years video games have saved my life many times. Without them I would be dead for sure because I suffer from a rare disorder that causes me to die of boredom if I spend to much time without anything to do. I always travel with a book to read just in case, but video games have been my cornerstone since dull books do not push back the waves of boredome enough, only the better authors will do and I run out of them even with the help of video games!!!

 

[Link Kadeshi]

Well, I think gaming has heightend my reaction time, so I hold that responsible for me not having killed a bicyclist who rode out in front of me at an intersection where I was going 55mph. Almost killed him, went into a ditch and onto a farm. Not my proudest of parking jobs, but seeing as he gave me about 25 feet to stop, I'd say it turned out well. Just bearily missed a telephone pole, cement post and a wooden post... I'm certain those misses were luck, though.

 

[Fronken]

I'm using gaming to get my brother off of drugs! something to distract him when he detoxes. so far it hasnt helped much, but thats because he isnt really trying to quit...

and hes an ass

Sad to hear about your brother, but keep trying, had a mate who did the same thing (with a cousin), and it worked successfully, sure, gaming didnt "save" him completely, there were many other things that helped him quit, but it got him into spending his time in another manner than to hang around with "bad people" (aka dealers).

So keep fighting, it can work!