Extra Post: Video Games and Stress

Martyn Hawley, author of understandingstress.blogspot.com, recently wrote this about video games and stress

Gaming helps ease stress:

 

Whether hardcore or causal; almost everybody has played a video game at one point or another. It’s widely believed that gaming has a negative influence on children; especially violent video games. However many studies over the past few years have led many people to now see gaming as a great stress buster.

“Many children are playing video games to manage their feelings, including anger and stress. Children who play violent games are more likely to play to get their anger out” (N.A , 2007).

Children and young adults alike take out all their anxiety in the virtual rather than the real one; this is a much safer way to handle anger issues as well.

Gaming gives you a sense of accomplishment:

We feel really good when we complete a task. Completion of a task can range from real life situations (example: college, work, ect.) to beating a video game.

““A chemical reaction occurs in any humans brain when a goal is achieved, the brain releases serotonin, a chemical that relives stress in the body.”. By playing a video game and completing a level not only does the video game itself reward you for this achievement but our brains as well reward us for finding a solution to a problem we are faced” (Lynn P, 2012).

Gaming achievement is linked to our brain just like any other accomplishment. Next time you’re feeling stressed out then take advice from Lynn and “sit down, and pick up a controller and escape into a virtual world.”

References:

Nauert PhD, R. (2007). Video Game Lowers Stress Hormone. Psych Central. Retrieved on December 5, 2012, from

http://psychcentral.com/news/2007/10/24/video-game-lowers-stress-hormone/1446.html

Lynn P. (2012). Stress a Video Games… A Videogame Canon. Retrieved on December 6, 2012, from http://canon.umwblogs.org/2012/11/29/stress-a-video-games/

N.A. (2007). Violent Video Games Help Kids Manage Stress. Science 2.0. Retrieved on December 6, 2012, from http://www.science20.com/news_articles/violent_video_games_help_kids_manage_stress-2511

An Interview on Online Interaction

For my final blog post, I interviewed a long time friend about what he thinks about video games and how things have changed since he was a child. Adam W. was a professional gamer who has participated in  video game competitions playing the PC shooter, Counter-Strike.  He was game experience as a manager at a game store. Now, Adam is married and a father of a four-year-old and his priorities in life have shifted.


VGI: How often did you play games when you were a Professional Gamer?

AW: When I first started, I played around 4 hours on school days. On the weekends and during the summer I played for at least 8 hours a day. The summer I pretty much played all day. At first it started of as just for fun and then it quickly escalated into playing with the best players in the world for 5 years.



VGI: You played Counter-Strike as a teenager, would you let your son play the game?

AW: (Laughs) Well my son is four so I don't think he can grasp what would be going on in the game. He sometimes watches me play Halo and I have let him press buttons on the controller. I think that video game violence is not an issue as long as you teach your children values and that video games are not real. I think poor parenting is a greater issue than video game violence.

 
VGI: What games do you let your child play by himself?

AW: I let him play any E rated game. I follow the ESRB rating system unless I play with him. I know the games that I play with him are ok for him because I am right there with him the whole time. One game that I he plays with me is Castle Crashers, which has some blood but it is cartoon violence. He also really enjoys playing Skylanders. I would have played it if I was a kid.


VGI: I find it weird how some of the children that I work with play both Skylanders and then talk about how much they love to play Modern Warfare 3.  What games did you play as a child? 

AW: I did play Doom when I was younger but I really didn't like it. I actually did not like fighting and shooting games until I was much older.  My mind was in a completely different place back then.


VGI: Do you think parents don't pay enough attention to what games their children are playing?

AW: Unfortunately, I think there is an issue were parents let games become their childs babysitter.  Parents are not involved enough and should sit down and monitor what their children are doing, regardless of what media they are using. I think a big issue is children can play games like Modern Warfare 3 and hear inappropriate things.


VGI: So the issue isn't really with the games themselves, just with the other people who are playing these games?

 AW: Yes, a child can be exposed to many dangerous things just by playing a competitive game online with voice chat.  I have heard some horrible things and I don't think my child should hear that.  There is a reason why it says online interaction cannot be rated on the box of a game.


VGI: I think that is understandable, I have heard some offensive things while playing online and I do not think it is a safe thing for children.

 AW: When a child hears inappropriate things from adults, online or in person, children pick up on these things and they think it is okay unless someone tells them otherwise. I don't think kids should play online games that have voice chat at least until they are a teenager.


 

Video Game Violence Harmful to Children?

Recently, I was asked if I could do a post on how video games can be harmful to children. 
The first thing I went to research was violence in video games because it is the most talked about problem in the video game industry. Parents are worried that their children will be exposed to violence and sex in games and that they will then go on to mimic the actions that they see. However, the results of my research showed that violence more than likely does not influence children.

Craig Anderson and Brad Bushman's article, Effects of violent video games, says that playing violent video games does increase aggression among adolescence (Anderson & Bushman, 2001). Also, the article tries to link video game violence with school shootings such as the attack on Columbine (Anderson & Bushman,2001).  When I read the article I questioned it because if video games lead to such things as school shootings then wouldn't there be more instances were this happens?  According to multiple sources, as video games have become more popular, violence has actually decreased (Kain,2012).  As I continued my research, I found these articles that disagree with Anderson and Bushman's findings:

• The Journal of Pediatrics  
• Grandtheftchildhood.com
• Sage Journals   
• Media Violence and Aggression

  Overall, I believe that the media has sensationalized video game violence and that they should focus on other issues within video games, such as online interaction.  Please leave your comments below on what you think about video game violence. Also, be sure to check out my next blog which focuses on online interaction.

References

Anderson, C., & Bushman, B. (2001). Effects of violent video games on aggressive behavior, aggressive cognition, aggressive affect, physiological arousal, and prosocial behavior: a meta-analytic review of the scientific literature. Psychological Science, 12(5), 353-359.
  
Kain, E. (2012, April 19). Forbes. Retrieved from http://www.forbes.com/sites/erikkain/2012/04/19/as-video-game-sales-climb-year-over-year-violent-crime-continues-to-fall/

Video Game Economy

Today's post is a podcast that I made where I talk about the Impact video games make on the economy.

Please leave a comment below.

References 


Entertainment Software Association. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.theesa.com/facts/econdata.asp

Entertainment Software Association. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.theesa.com/facts/index.asp 

Office of the Governor Rick Perry. (2011, July 18). Retrieved from http://governor.state.tx.us/news/press-release/16393/

VGChartz. (2012). Vgchartz.  Retrieved from http://www.vgchartz.com/gamedb/?name=Borderlands+2 

VGChartz. (2012). Vgchartz.  Retrieved from http://www.vgchartz.com/game/31584/star-wars-the-old-republic/

Experiences Playing Video Games from a Female Perspective

Recently, I had the chance to interview two women who enjoy playing video games in their free time. The two gamers, Ashley H. and Jessica M., were very open for a wide variety of questions. Ashley H. is a senior at The University of Texas at Dallas with a focus on and Jessica M. is a high school senior who  enjoys performing in her school band. I was curious about how they spend their gaming time and if they have had any problems being a female gamer. I have heard horror stories about how girls are sometimes alienated from their friends and that they are treated horrible online. However, The answers show that they overall have a great experience playing video games. 

Ashley H.

VGI: When did you first start playing video games?

AH: I started playing video games around the age of 7-8. My first console was a Sega Genesis.

JM: I started playing games during my freshman year of high school when I got Guitar Hero.

VGI: What are your favorite video games and what games are you currently playing right now?

AH: Oh my where do I start...If I have to choose, my favorite games are Kingdom Hearts, Metal Gear Solid 3, and Legend of Zelda: Twilight Princess.

JM: My favorite games are Assassin's Creed and Portal and I currently play both games.   

VGI: How many hours a week do you play video games?

AH: Maybe 4-6 hours now that I’m in college. It depends on how busy I am. School work comes first.

JM: I usually play about 4 or 5 hours a week, this depends on if my brother is playing games or if I have band.

VGI: Have you ever felt that video games get in the way of other important things in life? 

AH: Oh sure. It's hard to pull yourself out of a great game, especially when you're in the zone. It doesn't help that chores and homework aren't very attractive activities in the first place. When you get to college though I find most people wise up and learn to put down the controller more often

JM: Not really, I am not too into games that they just take over.

VGI: Do you play games online? Why or why not? 

AH: Nope. Knowing me I would get addicted so fast. Also, I generally enjoy activities that aren’t game related and I’d like to continue my other hobbies as well.

JM: Not often, I used to play during my freshman year but I just got bored with them.

Jessica M.

VGI: Have you or any of your friends had any interesting experiences playing games online? 

AH : Honestly, since I’m more of a console gamer, I don’t have very many stories. I’m sure I’ll think of something once this interview is over.

JM : Not that I know of, my friend once irritated a bunch of non-English speaking players on Xbox-live with the Scatman song.

VGI : What does your friends/family think about you playing games? 

AH : My family didn't really care, and they were glad video games inspired me to go into 3D animation, or at least something where I can make money doing what I love. I've always been the black sheep in the family, so they rolled with it. To clarify, this family is composed of parents who had their kids in their late 30's and had next to no knowledge about video games.

JM : My brother hates how I'm just as into Assassin's Creed as he is, but nobody else really minds that I play video games.

VGI : What do other girls think about you playing games? 

AH : Well, my girlfriends think it's awesome because they also play games. Other than those special ladies, most women don't really care.

JM : They don't really think anything of it.

VGI : Do you feel annoyed or bothered when you are called a "Girl Gamer" rather than just a gamer? 

AH : Honestly, most of the time I don’t really care, but I can see why it wears on plenty. I’ve never heard of someone being referred to as a ‘male’ gamer, especially since more and more women are hopping on the game bandwagon. It does somewhat get annoying when men treat you like you’re an oddity to be revered. Or, you’re treated like you don’t know what you’re talking about. I used to work at a game store and men would actually ask if I actually knew about games or if I was just eye candy (Those were the enjoyable few times when my manager would turn a blind eye when I chewed an ignorant fool out). To feel like one has to constantly prove themselves passionate about their pastime would be annoying for anyone, not just girl gamers.

JM : Sometimes, I show off that I am a girl gamer outside playing games. In games, however, I get a little annoyed because I can be just as good as all the guys.

Ashley wanted to add this about anyone who wanted to start making games

AH : Just a warning to kids. When you start working on games you don’t get to play them as often. But honestly, it’s more fun creating.

Guest Blog: Caleb Sherman

This week I’ll be continuing Evan’s series on video games and social isolation. My name is Caleb Sherman and I am proof that video games do not necessarily lead to social isolation. My favorite game series is that of Super Smash Brothers. After spending years of playing with my brother, dad and close friends I decided in 2009 to try playing the latest installment, Super Smash Brothers Brawl, online. Online gaming allows players to meet other gamers from around the globe and engage in friendly competition. After playing online for 6 months or so I met someone from Houston, TX who encouraged me to attend a tournament in Dallas hosted by Major League Gaming (MLG). This turned out to be a great experience as I was able to meet many of the players I had heard about but never seen in person. Below are two of the best players in the U.S., Elliot Bastien (left) and Jason Zimerman (right).

I learned that there was a competitive scene in my area and began going to tournaments locally and occasionally traveled as far as Houston. I’ve met dozens of people in the process and made quite a few friends. One of the largest tournaments I’ve attended was on Houston, TX in March of 2011. In Super Smash Brothers Brawl I use the character Donkey Kong. This character is rare to see in competitive play because he’s not quite as good as most other characters. Below is a picture of me (center, black shirt) along with a few other people who play the character.

Even though most of us had never met and lived in different parts of the United States we had a sense of unity since we played the same character. We were able to talk about strategies with our characters and offer advice before and after tournament matches.

Even at UTD I have met numerous people through playing video games, they often act as a simple point of reference that many people can associate with. The myth that video games lead to social isolation has been busted!

Worry-Free Video Games For Children

On the last post, I talked about how video games can lead people to attend social gaming events. One thing that I did notice about these events is that sometimes they are geared toward adults. Since this is an issue for young people, I have decided to make a post that shows three games that children can play that are both child friendly and encourage social interactivity. Also, these games are rated E for Everyone or Everyone 10 and up on the Entertainment Software Rating Board (ESRB, 2012). To learn more about the ESRB rating system, go to www.esrb.org.

The Pokemon Series

The Pokemon series has been around since 1996 and is one of the most popular games among young people today.  In the video games, you are usually a pokemon trainer that captures monsters that you can use to trade and battle against other pokemon trainers. These games usually feature the following:

• Ability to chose a male or female character to go on your adventure
• Capture hundreds of unique creatures
• a complex rock,paper,scissors battle system that encourages strategy
• trade and battle friends around the world 

The Skylanders Series

The Skylanders series began in 2011 and has become a phenomenon. Children love this series because they collect physical toys that can then be used inside the video game. This game series has a wide variety of characters that should excite any child.

Angry Bird Series

The Angry Bird series is the one of the most popular video games of all time. In fact, the game has been downloaded over 1 billion times (Brian, 2012). This game is popular among children and adults because of its addictive gameplay and comical characters. Also, there are many different versions of the game, including the recently released Angry Birds Star Wars.

These 3 games are the ones that my students at my elementary school play the most.  Also, parents love that these games because they do not have to worry about their children being exposed to any inappropriate material. Please leave a comment about what games you think children should play and check out my next blog post.

References

Brian, M. (2012, May 9). Rovio's Angry Birds titles hit 1 billion cumulative downloads. Retrieved from http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2012/05/09/rovios-angry-birds-titles-hit-1-billion-cumulative-downloads/

ESRB. (2012). Retrieved from http://www.esrb.org/index-js.jsp

Myth: Video Games Lead to Social Isolation Part 3

On the previous blog post, I wrote how active video games have decreased the stigma that video games cause social isolation.  Now, I would like to talk about how gaming events have also proved that games can bring people together.


Video Game Events

While playing games in your own home might be comfortable, sometimes it is good to get out and play games with others. The only way to play games with others in a public place used to be that you had to go to the local arcade. Now, we are able to meet up with gamers at many different types of public events.  These events can vary from size to a small gathering of gamers getting together to play Starcraft II or to a convention where gamers and video game developers from around the world gather to celebrate everything about video games.  

Recently, I had the chance to go to two gaming events here in the Dallas, Texas and I would like to share my experiences with you all.


Gearbox Software 2nd Annual Community Day
  

 

On Saturday, September 15, 2012, Gearbox Software held two separate events.  The first event was the Gearbox Community Day 2012 celebration which was a real treat to attend.  I have been a fan of Gearbox Software's video games for years but I had never met anyone from the company or attended any of their past events. This event had a wide variety of things to do which included the following:

• Meet with hundreds of Gearbox fans and celebrities from around the world
• Play old and upcoming games from Gearbox's extensive library
• Meet and play games with Gearbox staff
• Get exclusive behind-the-scenes access to information not released to the public
• Open discussion panels with the Gearbox staff
• Access to exclusive merchandise that was both sold and given away for free
• And much more! 

I enjoyed the event very much because it gave me a chance to interact with the fans and the developers. I had discussions with people about what they loved about certain games and got to see that the developers really appreciated their fans.

Borderlands 2 Launch Party 

The second event of the day was the Borderlands 2 launch Party.  This event had less people than before because there was a strict 21 and up age requirement to attend (due to alcohol being served).  However, this event had a more relaxed atmosphere and seemed to focus on celebrating the game more than showcasing it.  While you could still play Borderlands 2, the focus was more on socializing with people and listening to music.. The musical performances were by The Flametrick Subs, The Heavy, and DJ Jazzy Jeff.  Overall, the performances were fantastic and gave the attendees a chance to let loose.

These two events were fun and showed me that gamers love to come together. There are many different events like these that take place throughout the world if you look online. Here is a list of ways to find events like these that you can attend in your area:

• Follow your favorite companies on Twitter or Facebook to see if they have events planned in your area.
• Go to the game developer's website and join the community to find out info.
• Find or create a club at meetup.com to have a gaming event in your area.   

If you have attended a gaming event or would like to know more about gaming events please leave a comment.

Myth: Video Games Lead to Social Isolation Part 2

On my last post, I wrote how the Internet has helped dispel the belief that video games lead to social isolation. Next, I would like to talk about the growing increase in physically active video games and games that are designed to be played with friends face to face.


Active Games

Some of my greatest video game memories have been when I played party games with friends and family.  I would often play the Nintendo Wii with family or Guitar Hero with my girlfriend and it seems that others do the same as I do. According to The Entertainment Software Association, 62% of gamers play games with others ("Entertainment Software Association," 2011). It is also important to note that the rise in physically active games such as Kinect Adventures!, Wii fit, and Just Dance 3 have grown in popularity. In fact, Kinect Adventures! and Just Dance 3 were amongst the top 5 selling games in the globe for 2011 (VGChartz, 2012). 

The reason for the success of these games is that it is able to accomplish these basic things:

• Family oriented entertainment
• Incredibly active
• Uses new technology
• Fun to watch others play

The nature of these games makes you want to play games with others. While there are many games that offer these experiences, I want to focus on the two most popular party games of 2011.
 
Kinect Adventures

Kinect Adventures was a game made for the whole family that was released alongside the Xbox Kinect (a device that let players play games without a remote). The game consisted of five different mini games that showed the interactive potential of the Kinect.  I enjoyed playing the white water rafting portion of the game and it was fun to play this game with friends.

Just Dance 3  

 
Ubisoft's Just Dance 3 was an international hit that made anyone a dancer.  Playing this game is fun for everyone and will make you sweat.  Players could choose from over 40 different dance songs to play with their family and friends. This is a fantastic game to play and be social during a party or just when you want to have a family game night.

Be sure to check out my next blog post for another aspect of social gaming.


References 

Entertainment Software Association. (2011, January). Retrieved from http://www.theesa.com/facts/gameplayer.asp


VGChartz. (2012, January 12). Vgchartz.  Retrieved from http://www.vgchartz.com/yearly/2011/Global/ 

Myth: Video games Lead to Social Isolation Part 1

The culture of video games has a reputation for being a nerdy, lazy hobby where gamers sit in their rooms and do nothing but play video games. Gamers are usually thought of as people who never go outside to socialize with their peers. While this may be true for some people who play games, this is far from the truth. Part 1 of this 3 part series will focus on how the Internet has impacted socializing in video games.

Internet and video games

Due to the increased accessibility of high speed Internet, gamers are able to connect and play with people from all over the globe. World of Warcraft, a role-playing online PC game, has had over 12 million subscribers at its peak (Cifaldi, 2011). The people who play this game often interactive with each other to complete missions and just to have fun.

Another interesting fact is that there are over 40 million users who have signed up for Xbox live accounts on their Xbox 360(Raby, 2012). The people who use xbox live often play games and use party chat just to talk with friends who play video games with them. Gamers are also socializing with others by using the video game consoles to watch movies, TV shows, and sporting events.

Gamers have a desire to socialize with others while having fun. Game developers know this and have increased making games with cooperative or competitive games in mind. Recent games such as Borderlands 2, Halo 4, and the upcoming Call of Duty: Black Ops 2 focus heavily on multiplayer to increase social interaction between players.

I usually play these or similar games so that I can interact with friends old and new. For example, one of my best friends lives on the other side of the United States and I often turn on my xbox to play games and watch Netflix while I talk with him.  While it is great to play games with him and other friends online, sometimes its good to interact with people face to face. Make sure to check out part 2 for a feature focused on physically active video games.

References 

 

Cifaldi, F. (2011, November 8). World of Warcraft Loses Another 800K Subs In Three Months Gamasutra.

Retrieved from http://www.gamasutra.com/view/news/38460/#.ULJXrIao0ZQ

Raby, M. (2012, January 10). Xbox Live users topple 40 million. TG Daily. Retrieved from http://www.tgdaily.com/games-and-entertainment-brief/60687-xbox-live-users-topple-40-million

Where Can I Find Games That Have Great Art?

Continuing from the last post about if video games are considered art, I wanted to show some games that many consider to have amazing visuals and scenery that have captivated many gamers over the years.

Okami:

Creator/s: Hideki Kamiya, Clover Studios
Idea:  Hideki Kamiya was Inspired by an old painting he created in Junior High. The painting, White Wolves. involved nature and beauty and that is the elements that he wanted when creating this game.
Industry Commentary:  Didier Malenfant, president of game company Ready at Dawn, said that "To me [Okami] will forever be the turning point in games where looks stopped being about realism and realistic graphics and started being about art (Leone, 2009)." 

Flower:  

Creator/s: Jenova Chen, Kellee Santiago, thatgamecompany 
Idea: when thatgamecompany creates a video game, they create the game around an emotional tone and add gameplay mechanics around it. Kelle Santiago, president and co-founder of thatgamecompany, describes Flower as their video game version of a poem where players find balance between nature and city (thatgamecompany, 2009). 
Industry Commentary:  Winda Benedetti from MSNBC wrote that "...as artful and artfully implemented a game as I’ve ever seen. Its dazzling graphics drop you into the middle of a magical-yet-familiar place that comes alive with music as you swoop through it. And the controls are as intuitive as they come (Benedetti, 2009)."

References

Benedieti, W. (2009, February 12) MSNBC Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/29148421/#.UIuV3oa1x8E 

Leone, M. (2009, May 28). www.1up.com. Retrieved from http://www.1up.com/features/hideki-kamiya-profile 
thatgamecompany. (2009, February 12). Flower®. Retrieved from http://us.playstation.com/games-and-media/games/flower-ps3.html