A pro game post at the Huffington Post?

Game talk
12 Comments

Yep, written by Danielle Crittenden.

12 Comments

  1. Dang, that’s an awesome article.

    It’s funny how the mainstream still talks about videogames as if it’s all Space Invaders (not that Space Invaders isn’t good fun, mind you…) played exclusively by pre-adolescent boys. Or Grand Theft Auto, if they listen to Wacky Jacky Thompson. But at least some folks are waking up and realizing how much has changed in the last 25 years.

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  4. I thought the comments were interesting. Most comments were positive, but one author—iamthewalrus109—is clearly demented. I hope that someone addresses his/her blatantly false assertions.

  5. Morgan:
    The walrus needs to be ignored directly, and ringed with sane posts. As is already evident there. 🙂

    That way he stands out in stark contrast and there is no melt down.

    As to the article, it’s great to read. We are moving closer and closer to the point where the major media accepts the fact that most people play some form of game, and computer games are just another means to that end. Pop culture acceptance is already close at hand. Just need a little more patience. I figure after Jack Thompson lights his hair on fire for attention, the negative side of things will seem as kooky as it is.

  6. That’s great. I’ve always thought that games can have a very positive influence in educational ways like this. And here again, “realism” and “world” can be big contributors in MMORPGs. Kids can learn the basics of real life aspects of trade skills. They can learn about smithing metals, growing crops, woodworking, and anything the developer wants to put in.
    It’s more than just learning though, there’s also the little matter of raising interests in subjects among kids who otherwise might not care to look. This can extend to archaeology, astronomy, history, economic development, or again anything the developer wants to put in.

    I can look to myself as one example. I was a dumb jock, to put it simply. I was an outdoors kind of kid. I hated to read, and to say I was a “C” student would be putting it kindly. Untill my brother got me interested in D+D. From that game alone I gained new interests in fields such as history and metallurgy, just because of being exposed to things from both the game and other players. When UO came out, I noticed that it had lots to offer kids in this way also. It’s not just the game, but the conversations they cause between players. The little tid bits of info that inspire curiousity.

    I can also look at my son. He had trouble reading and comprehending, but once he started playing Multiplayer games, he improved dramatically. Along with this came the little tid bits, and from there greater interests in new things. Not long ago, he got an A+ in his math course. He knows where parts of the world are, he knows a great many “tid bits” that I can see are starting to raise some interest in him. As a parent, I am ecstatic about this. I’m watching him go from “lost” to “found”, right before my eyes. Games and their social environment has had the most influence on this, I am certain.

    I would really like to see a greater effort in this aspect of game making. It can open up the world of possibilities to kids, all while they’re having fun.

  7. BTW, thought I’d add this. My son does not seem to have suffered at all in the social aspects due to games. He has a steady girlfriend, and she comes over to our house often. He’d rather spend his time with her doing other things than be on game machines. The other day he was telling me about how he stayed after school to help her on a project in the school library, along with his buddy and his girl. They were downloading fart sounds and playing them for laughs, in the library. I could only think “life is good”. And it all started with him getting interested in things.

  8. Just reread the comments, iamthewalrus, is clearly insane or lives in a cave and is writing a manifesto against technology….

    Amaranthar-
    great stuff you wrote there 🙂

  9. As with most things, once you learn a bit beyond the stereotypes you can find out some amazing things. I found it humorous that the author criticized TV for being passive, then went on to say that video games were likely worse. Games are not passive, and the interactive nature of computer games (and games in general) make them excellent for learning. Stuff that most of us here have known for a long while.

    But, it is nice to see other people catch on, hmm? 🙂

  10. I think everyone knows this. But people tune into ideas just like they do TV channels. Just like TV being called the vast wasteland, but at another time those same people will speak glowingly of public television.
    The gaming industry just needs some people within it to change the channel and remind them of other aspects, so the industry can move on to better things, instead of getting bogged down on whatever’s currently on.

  11. Amaranthar wrote:

    But people tune into ideas just like they do TV channels.

    With Cox Digital Cable, sometimes you just can’t change the channel. You have to wait until the box resets. In the meantime, you just have to sit there, staring blankly at an empty window imagining what life would be like with another cable service provider.

    Analogize that! 🙂

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