rjb011's blog

For this post for CEC, we were asked to find an article, read it, and then blog about it.

This article was done by the Economist magazine.  There wasn’t an author stated for this article.  The title was “All the world’s a game”.  The main idea was simply to inform the public that videogames are on the rise and to just give out some background info.  For instance, Japan likes different games than America.  China is the second biggest market when it used to be Japan.  Of course, USA is the biggest market.  Multiple records have been set with videogames.  MW3 sold 750 million dollars in just five days (I picked up two copies – one for me and my brother. AWESOME GAME!!)  Really, this article was simply explaining some important info. that videogames are on the rise.  However, I was just using this article as some basic background info.  It would help if I haven’t lost the instructions for the paper!!

I must say, it was interesting seeing those stats and info.  Yet, I was not surprised.  I remember when it was just a small business.  Hardly anybody thought it was worth the time.  Well, my parents did.  They read in between the lines and saw what videogames could do for and my brother and me.  Especially for me, with my language difficulties.   Now, it is a worldwide business.  There are magazines, articles, websites, pop, food.  You name it, there is something based on or related to videogames.  Again, I was not surprised.  However, I was surprised that more and more “normal” people are playing it.  Even old people are starting to play it!!  Now, that is a sign that videogames are quickly becoming one of the biggest entertainment industries in the world.  Perhaps the best.  The technology is starting to get to the point that anybody can play and is easy to play.  It used to be that only the hardcore and quick-learners could play.  Now, it is the exact opposite.

Basically, this article was really quite interesting.  Some great background info.

Do people have a negative view of gaming? Interview your roommates or conduct a survey to find out.  Tell us what you learn?

I decided to do a large number of interviews  I decided on my parents and coworkers.  (Around 10.  I was bored.)

My parents have a positive view on gaming.  They were able to see how video games were able to teach my brother and me in ways they could not.  My mom and dad were there every step of the way.  And they admit, video games truly do help.  My language skills have improved just by simply reading the subtitles (Being hearing impaired from birth screws up your social skills and language skills and grammar almost immediately.  Thus, important to develop.).  My brother was able to think in creative ways to solve a problem.  The list goes on and on in a variety of ways.  So, they have no qualms with videogames.  Except when my work suffers cause of videogames…  Then, they have a bone to pick with me.  Hehe.  Anyway, even though my parents support videogames, it doesn’t mean they are able to play them.  My dad is normally too tired from work.  The best he can do is play Wii.  Simple stuff.  Not “do ultra-fast series of buttons in half-second”.  His fingers aren’t the way they used to be.  My mother is almost the same way.  Except she doesn’t have the fingers problem.  Otherwise, she is the same way as my father.

My coworkers are, for the most part, gamers.  By the way, I work at Fareway Meat Department in Sergeant Bluff.  The part-timers there are for the most part around college age or just graduated from college.  Thus, they play videogames.  It is easy to figure out their opinions.  The full-timers and managers don’t have the time to do such things.  They have families and whatnot to deal with.  Thus, they pretty much have no time for such things.  They agree it’s fun.  But, they don’t worry about it.  They have other things to be more concerned about.

All of the people I interviewed were really quite young.  So, they obviously would agree more so than, say, an elderly person of the age 70.  So, the survey is proof that McGonigal is correct.  The younger you are, the more likely you are likely to accept videogames.

According to Jane McGonical, what is a game and why are games fun?  Are her ideas different from what you thought of on your own in our class discussion?

According to her, a game is something that makes you do unnecessary work or go though needless obstacles.  In other words, the fun version of hard work.  Videogames are considered on par with sports.  They one and the same.  Thus, they are fun.  At least that is the short and brief version of what Jane mentioned in her book.

I believe she has a point.  However, there are many different ways to interpret videogames.  There might be a majority.  There might not be one.  There could be an opinion that everybody agrees on.  Or it is like politics where nobody agrees at all.  Or they do and they develop rivalries and friendships just to spite them…  Oh wait.  We alrready do that in multiplayer.  Nevermind.  Back to the point, her definition of what makes a game a game seems right on target.

Truthfully, I believe that there is an understanding as to why games are fun.  It is because they challenge us in different ways and make the time fly by. That, I believe, everybody would agree upon.  At least with the people I have met in my lifetime.  Anyway, I had trouble believing that games are considered hard work.  After thinking on it for a couple of days, I must admit Jane has a point.  I have noticed that I don’t do mundane things like watch T.V. (except for occasional shows that provoke the mind in different ways or quite interesting) or surf the internet (my time is too valuable).  I have noticed I seem unbearably bored at certain times because the task is so easy or repetitive.  All of this supports her argument.  Thus, I agree with Jane wholeheartedly on her points of what makes a game a game and what makes them so fun.