Tuesday, September 16, 2014

My revised article

Video games are about as varied as the people who play them; they range from one player to an entire group, but what makes them so special? And why should people, particularly parents, be more open to the inclusion of them within their home?

Games, no matter if they are played through a console or not, tend to break barriers between people; they create a common objective that everyone must strive towards which causes a community to be created.

You might be thinking why can't we just do this with TV, movies, or books? Well, you can, but video games bring a different experience. Mostly, the three other things are one sided - they only talk at the viewer. However, video games allow the player to interact and make their own choices. The viewer of a movie cannot chose a different street to drive the actor's car down, but in video games we are able to.

Yes, video games are fun, but why do they get such a bad reputation?

Games do have a rating system, which should be followed; they are rated for a a reason and the majority of the scrutiny that video games receive tends to come from those that do not follow the careful rating system.

There are some games that are just pure mayhem, such as Saints Row and Grand Theft Auto. They include a lawless world in which any crime goes unpunished, but others are not so violent and empty. Games such as Dragon Age and Mass Effect include themes such as good vs. evil, and the importance of building trust with your squad mates. They not only show us good morals, they show us that when faced with impossible odds greatness can be achieved no matter where you come from.

Overall, video games are a great, new-age way to teach important morals to the population. Though, be aware that ratings, and even one's own opinion, should be followed above all.

4 comments:

  1. Kristin,
    Have you read Jacob's post yet? Love how you frame the world of community gaming. I'm wondering if I should have engaged in gaming a long time ago with my kiddos now.... We eventually bought them some contraptions, and I did try my hand at Mario Kart...though unsuccessfully. Unless you're supposed to drive off the road! And we tried wii, which I loved. Except that I was quite active and nearly hit my hubby every time we played wii tennis! Thanks for this post!

    ReplyDelete
  2. This is all too true, the medium of games is both unique and misunderstood and a lot of the fear--which is not the right word--about games involves exactly what makes it so different, player control.

    There was an attempt by a Californian Congressman--Leland Yee-- to legally enforce the rating system. Ultimately it failed, but it indicated that many people--at least in good old California--weren't paying attention to those ratings.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It's particularly interesting to see how games are different from movies and television. I wonder if the lines will be blurred between mediums in the future.

    Maybe someday a movie audience will get to make decisions for characters that will affect the plot and make every audience's experience unique.

    ReplyDelete
  4. I am interested in a game coming out and this was a very informative article as a background for gaming, thanks.

    ReplyDelete