Heya!
This psychology is not only for those who develop and design games (like me), but for everyone who has played games before (Yeah I bet they did). Joining me will be my counterpart: Andrew Angelove (Hellooo). Don't get wrong that I'm merely talking about video games, I'll touch on early games too as they progress through the ages (Shit! History!), yeah I'm talking to those chess dorks (he didn't mean it. Really) Before we begin, I'm saying this totally of my own opinion, what you think could be different, just take mine as a perspective of a different angle (90 degrees actually).
So shall we begin? (Go for it! You'll be sorry!)
First, history time (****). Chess is a representation of war as it was common in that period of time. Chinese chess, Go (Go where?), checkers, and many less popular war games of which I don't know (Someone didn't study history) These games were played by nobles (rich asses), and these games were much more fun than sending their men to die (phew!), as less stress was induced and the loss of a chess piece wasn't a fatality in reality. What's more is that these games trained the mind, they were an educational aspect for a prince before he would take the crown and wage his own wars using similar principles (atta boy!) I'd like to keep the histroy lesson short (HAZZAH!)cuz it's just a short introduction to how games were at the very beginning.
Now, I'm sure my audience has played at least ONE computer game before (if no then how are you seeing this?). Short history (-_-), video games began from simple, pixelated fun (like Pong!). So now we're in an age where games have advanced so much, it blows your mind away (literally) and takes you into another dimension of fantasy apart from reality. Stunning visuals make it seem almost realistic. Games have become gateways to a world where you are the hero of a story. Games have become a platform to interact with other players. Games... have become addivctive (like music ^_^).
Games show us a world in which we will never live in without the limits of keyboard and mouse (and xbox!). Let's say you finally take your eyes off an addictive video game (say no to drugs), now, take a long walk around the patch of world you live in. Do you see elves battling orcs? Or Space marines blasting at aliens? Or even worse! Do you see Mario knocking levitating pathways with his head to gain points? (WTF?) NO! All of which u enjoy living in your second life is untouchable in the real world (NO! My level 100 warhammer!). You say to yourself "Who am am I kidding? I achieve warlock ranking but I'm still a pathetic garbage collector." (Again no offense to anyone who really is a garbage uncle playing WOW)
We play games to escape from horrible reality to fantastical fiction. But how long are we going to keep the illusion? That is never going to happen to you. The closest you can get is being a hero cop (But I want Grand Theft Auto!). In this world, anyone who has a mind to live for wants to be the hero, and the only way we can achieve that is though games- nope not movies (they're less interactive). So we feed our hopes of being freed from the limits of the universe through games. But you'll be a little kid out in the cold world waiting for Santa Claus to give you a teddy bear instead of earning it through tedious work (And then you Die!) Which is sad :(
Don't get me wrong, I'm an upcoming game designer and developer so I believe in games (that sounded wrong. So you're Gameristian? Gameslim? Gameindu?) Shaddup! There have been games and a certain anime (Blood +) in which I have fallen in love with and relve in the happiness which isn't mine but the virtual characters'. I cry (He does! Like a baby!) Screw you! I admit that I have been greatly moved by these fantasies but I cry because I come to realize that that happy ever after will never be mine (miracles man, miracles)
Games are in truth, an illusion that a fantasy awaits for us, but it is but a distant dream. Dreams. They say dreams come true. Well most of them do, but not you saving a princess from a dragon with a kickass steed. Reality will always kick in every time you wake up, and you begin your day with boring school and boring work (bleah!).
So I bet your hopes are down already, especially all you hardcore fanboys and girls (Anime boy droolers!) And I am not going to tell you that fantasies can be real.
Although hope seems lost, let's not give up on games just yet. If you ever wonder why games haven't been burnt down because of heresey, it's because it's a pastime! We come home from work or school, exhausted, and you don't feel like stressing out on sports (Sports is still okay), so what do you have? A Playstation 3 with your name on it (really?) So you laze on the couch, and with the mere movement of your fingers, you enter another world and kick monster ass with a giant buster sword! With such ease you dive deep into a fantasy world where boring garbage won't hinder you from your quest (Hurrah for the garbage uncle!) The computer, xbox, playstation, nintendo DS, and other platforms for gaming, is our own gateway to break a fraction of the fabric of space time continum to dwell in the lands of Azrath! (If you brought games to the past, you would be considered a GOD!) Right... And so you can see updates on games like the wii where body movement is used to control the way we play (it's still gay LOL!), we do our best to reach into the fantasy world.
So even if fantasy is purely unreacheable, games are still used to immerse us as deep as we can into the fantasy universe. (Advertising like Shamwow) So! It is a matter of where you put your belief in- Is gaming your life or a treat from Mr Claus? Space out your time between gaming and work to prevail in your REAL dream (C'mon boys and girls! Whaddya wanna be when you grow up?) Sloppy Joe in front of the tele or successful Bill Gates with a loving family? Don't make games your life (look who's talkin) Well except for us game designers and game developers, we hike the Everest of gaming to bring you new installments for your pleasure ^^, we just try not to get waist deep in gaming snow (HAH! Good one!)
YES! (YES!) We're finally done here! As you can see we stayed up through the night to get this psych done so its best if you appreciate it. Any suggestions can be left in the chatbox to your left (Although it has just too little space) Seeyall another time! (Yeah so long suckers!)
So please comment please!!
