Topic Eight: Are computer games a waste of time?

Lecture

The lecture today was split into two parts. One part was presented by Stephen and the other by Adam. The main focus of the lecture was to discuss the relevance of video games and, and even more so computer games. People put forward what types of games that interest them, and what trends there seem to be in game use, relating to gender and social groups. There is the possibility for gamers to become so immersed in games that they can become obsessive. It can lead to the blending of reality and their game presence, which can have detrimental effects. There is a definite difference between computer games and video games, as computer games are really a sub-genre of video games. Computer gamers seem to be more immersed and take it more seriously than a casual gamer who probably more prone to use console games instead.

We went on to learn about military simulations and similar games and how they can be seen either as simulations of a real environment, or as a representations of real environment. Sometimes the line between the two can become blurred. The main point to be made is that where does this line occur? I guess it's each persons perception of reality that dictates this. We went on to discuss the progression of games over time. Thats where the two words narratology and ludology come up. Many believe that narratology, the supposed advancement of storytelling found in games has helped to form what we see as relevant games today. The other side of the coin says gaming and games is all dependent on what entertains the gamer and has nothing really to do with the storytelling aspects of the games in question. I believe the evolution is dependent on both sides, as games, like cinema can broadcast a social consciousness or conscience that relates to a current state of affairs. However, games will always be dependent on how much pleasure can be gained from the game. The gamer must attain some satisfaction in order to keep playing the game.

Tutorial

There was a short discussion about the lecture and some of the topics brought up in it. We then moved onto our tutorial tasks for the week. This was an arduous task, as some of the tasks took a while to complete but would have definite advantages in a business environment. We went through some of the processes in Microsoft Word, like the ability to type a letter, add a header and footer and other cosmetic changes, but also mail merging and tracking changes. The next task involved Microsoft Excel. The program allows you to enter large amount of figures, for calculating complex formulas and for creating graphs and other things using your data electronically.

I did some more research for my assignment. I looked for information regarding the amount of people that are getting involved in internet gaming communities founded through games like World of Warcraft and Second Life.


Readings

The reading for this week consisted of the book Trigger Happy. It's all about the aesthetics of videogames, their supposed birth and their connections to gamers lives and gaming habits. As Steven Poole states "Videogames can only continue to thrive and evolve into a truly revolutionary entertainment medium as long as they concentrate on what they do best: build us ever more coherent constructions of ever more aesthetically wondrous worlds." The prevalence of videogames in today's current technology saturated environment is no surprise as games advance with the needs of gamers. New technology allows for different gaming experiences, whether it be better graphics or increased interactivity. The gaming industry will continue to grow and evolve to suit gamers needs.