spartan231490 said:
aescuder said:
spartan231490 said:
aescuder said:
Every now and again I start entertaining these thoughts. And then go back to gaming as per usual.
Seriously though, what would we all be doing without video games? If you think about the collective participation hours spent on them we (collectively) probably would have found a cure for cancer or be all a virtuoso at some instrument.
or we would have all read books or watched movies. which do you think is more likely?
escapism is escapism, regardless of the method.
I've read on Jane Mcgonigals research (look up Reality is Broken) that gamers are super-engaged in videogames not because they are really big on escapism but because games these days are designed to be engaging (or addicting if you want to be cynical).
So it's not because most gamers are escapist although I definitely am, but more of videogames being really good at creating blissful productivity. There is a constant feedback system and we always feel like we are accomplishing something.
That logic makes no sense. If they didn't want escapism, they would never have started playing video games to begin. A really good book is more engaging than a bad book, but you still need the motivation to pick it up and start reading. Also, I always feel like I'm accomplishing nothing when I play video games.
Don't be so quick to dismiss the research. Look up Jane Mcgonigal and watch/read some of her stuff. God even extra credits did a segment of something like this.
Of course you need the INITIAL motivation to do it, but then we go into the science of attention which is not the same as interaction and definitely not the same as engagement. Its the capability to sustain someone's attention over extremely long periods of time that is sort of interesting -- a self-sustaining engagement economy if you will.
You really don't feel any sense of accomplishment when you play games? every time you kill someone/something? every time you craft something? every time you beat your friend? every time you beat a level? every time you level up? every time you have an epic win? every time you actually finish a game? These are all reward systems that keeps players engaged and want to keep playing more, and is something that is somewhat unique to gaming.
There is escapism quality to well built worlds, but then there is deep gameplay mechanics that keeps you playing. There is nothing generally escapist about realistic games but its the gameplay mechanics that makes them engaging. Plus, I would hate to think that I just play games because I hate the real world so much that I want to escape from it - it really the case for me.
If you really feel like you're accomplishing nothing when you play games then I think maybe you should stop (since they don't really give you any positive emotions) or I think you might be playing them wrong.
