Celebrities. TV Shows. Professional Athletes. Motion Pictures.
We've gotten hold of them all and we're not giving up any ground now.
Gaming has evolved folks, from the embarrassing past time restricted to your basement after hours to something worth discussing in the world forum. Questions, real and thought provoking, are stacking up by the day and they're being addressed by substantial figures, and not just in our own ranks.
When I was small, gaming was something those nerdy kids at the front of the class did. And don't even get me started on girl gamers in the early 90s, we may as well have been unicorns. But media? Public Relations? They didn't exist. Compare game ads from then to now and you'll see some amazing changes.
Brad Pitt commenting publicly on Rock Band. Megan Fox discussing her Mortal Kombat skills. Jimmy Fallon makes gaming a regular part of almost every show. We're getting bigger, better, and finally, more accepted, and I can't hide my pride.
Though the battle is just starting to take a healthy turn, there's going to be longer nights ahead. Cyber-athletes still struggle to be taken seriously. A lot of people still giggle when questioned about the evolution of video games.
This is no longer about killing aliens, or saving princesses (even if they're in another castle), this is about a new medium of expression violently breaking free. And granted, you can't deny the classics - at the end of the day most of us are still down with destroying our share of Goombas, but there's somthing more now. Games have storylines, musical scores, character development - unlike a major motion picture. But the interactive element is what makes us different, what makes the gaming realm so much more...interesting.
And given all the leaps we've taken in acceptance, thanks in large part to Casual Gaming's rise and the success of the Wii, I'm eager to see where we'll be standing in another 5-10 years, and what the big issues will be then. And how many more media giants will be willing to come out of the gaming closet.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Sunday, June 28, 2009
Hunter/Gatherer Responses
So there's all this pressure in the media against the gaming industry and its role in the sudden violent uprising. If I pay point out a few trends here...
All our violent offenders...are male. Remember that, I'll come back to it later.
The majority of our violent offenders are under the age of 20, so still high school age, and for the most part, still living at home with Mom and Dad. Or Mom and Mom, or Grandma and Grandpa. Whatever. Actually, I've never seen any kids in a same sex parentage go batshit bonkers and try to kill 15 kids at school. Perhaps that's besides the point. Or perhaps that's one of several points here.
Contrary to popular belief kids, video games are not an adequate babysitter. It might seem that way given all the interesting noises, bright colors, and thanks to the internet - human interaction, but look closely.
There's more to child rearing and passing time than the simple passage of minutes. There are rules, expectations - besides the fun factor there needs to be the function factor. How does this benefit my life? What am I learning here, and more importantly, why?
As a child of the console generation, I've seen both sides of the coin. Does my love for violent games make me a more violent person inside? Perhaps. So why haven't I gone off the deep end, why haven't I purchased a series of handguns and murdered my classmates?
That's where family comes in. Human interaction, role models, compassion - warmth. Something very different from the warm glow of the monitor. Something you can't buy or barter. There was expectations, social norms, that come with spending time with and around real people. I learned early on that tantrums are not acceptable and merely make you out to be the butt of endless jokes. And I learned that as stress relieving as profanity may be for me, it might not be for the other guy.
Granted that last part is sort of my way of admitting I'm trying to be better, but I still consciously swear like a sailor. We all can't be saints, even part time. Back to the point.
Gaming is a wonderful hobby, don't get me wrong. And if you're talented enough, a possibly revolutionary career (I'll revisit cyberathletisim in a later post). However, there's no way a controller can replace arms, or a console the comfort of a stable heartbeat. Parents, even steady friends, anything are not only helpful but necessary. They help separate the real from the surreal and they guide into what is expected from us not only in our tiny fish bowl but in the bigger picture that will eventually become our lives.
Long story short, shooting or stabbing people, especially people you love, is NEVER acceptable.
So why the violent streak in males though? Why are women able to kick back and relax while the men batter each other senseless? What release do they get from calling each other fags and assholes that we don't seem to rejoice in?
I trace it back to our caveman roots. That whole hunter/gatherer breakdown of the genders. You see, man is programmed to kill. He is programmed to take care of himself in the interest of survival. In past times, man was more disciplined and civil, which was part of his survival technique. Unsavory characters dressed and acted as such - the best way to hide your madness was to do so in plain sight behind proper attire and ettiquette. But times have changed, evolved, and the definition of "proper" gets broader by the day. So what is a man to do with his Hunter instincts, the part of his consciousness that bid him to perserve his legacy and dignity?
He calls the other guy a fag. Tells him that he is garbage. Reminds him that he's a noob.
Or in severe cases, stabs him in the chest to prove his supremacy.
Man isn't protecting himself from physical threats such as predation or competition. No. He's protecting his mind, his soul, his consciousness, from something more. His loss in that game represents his loss in life, his failure to protect himself. He needs to let others know he's not weak any way possible. So lashing out occurs, in all the wrong ways.
Are parents to blame? Perhaps. Are the games to blame? Also, perhaps.
But I think this is mostly something that's coded deep into our genetics that a combination of events has led us to overlook. Men are more brutal, more obvious, more passionate creatures when it comes to fury and frustration. Women have always been the more collected, meticulous, and cautious in their means. Check your Psych books, it'll check out I swear.
I guess the important question here isn't why these boys go ballistic, but how do we stop them? And that's something that's treated on a case by case basis. Something that we're going to have to work together to solve if we have any hope of preventing a much more dismal future. To nip the trend in the bud, we need to get off our soap boxes, stop pointing fingers, and have a productive cycle of discussion to find the method to this madness.
Until then, I'm going to continue owning some kids online to work out my inner aggressions, but as long as I keep that working out online without involving any real firearms, I think I'm going to be okay. Statistically speaking, of course.
All our violent offenders...are male. Remember that, I'll come back to it later.
The majority of our violent offenders are under the age of 20, so still high school age, and for the most part, still living at home with Mom and Dad. Or Mom and Mom, or Grandma and Grandpa. Whatever. Actually, I've never seen any kids in a same sex parentage go batshit bonkers and try to kill 15 kids at school. Perhaps that's besides the point. Or perhaps that's one of several points here.
Contrary to popular belief kids, video games are not an adequate babysitter. It might seem that way given all the interesting noises, bright colors, and thanks to the internet - human interaction, but look closely.
There's more to child rearing and passing time than the simple passage of minutes. There are rules, expectations - besides the fun factor there needs to be the function factor. How does this benefit my life? What am I learning here, and more importantly, why?
As a child of the console generation, I've seen both sides of the coin. Does my love for violent games make me a more violent person inside? Perhaps. So why haven't I gone off the deep end, why haven't I purchased a series of handguns and murdered my classmates?
That's where family comes in. Human interaction, role models, compassion - warmth. Something very different from the warm glow of the monitor. Something you can't buy or barter. There was expectations, social norms, that come with spending time with and around real people. I learned early on that tantrums are not acceptable and merely make you out to be the butt of endless jokes. And I learned that as stress relieving as profanity may be for me, it might not be for the other guy.
Granted that last part is sort of my way of admitting I'm trying to be better, but I still consciously swear like a sailor. We all can't be saints, even part time. Back to the point.
Gaming is a wonderful hobby, don't get me wrong. And if you're talented enough, a possibly revolutionary career (I'll revisit cyberathletisim in a later post). However, there's no way a controller can replace arms, or a console the comfort of a stable heartbeat. Parents, even steady friends, anything are not only helpful but necessary. They help separate the real from the surreal and they guide into what is expected from us not only in our tiny fish bowl but in the bigger picture that will eventually become our lives.
Long story short, shooting or stabbing people, especially people you love, is NEVER acceptable.
So why the violent streak in males though? Why are women able to kick back and relax while the men batter each other senseless? What release do they get from calling each other fags and assholes that we don't seem to rejoice in?
I trace it back to our caveman roots. That whole hunter/gatherer breakdown of the genders. You see, man is programmed to kill. He is programmed to take care of himself in the interest of survival. In past times, man was more disciplined and civil, which was part of his survival technique. Unsavory characters dressed and acted as such - the best way to hide your madness was to do so in plain sight behind proper attire and ettiquette. But times have changed, evolved, and the definition of "proper" gets broader by the day. So what is a man to do with his Hunter instincts, the part of his consciousness that bid him to perserve his legacy and dignity?
He calls the other guy a fag. Tells him that he is garbage. Reminds him that he's a noob.
Or in severe cases, stabs him in the chest to prove his supremacy.
Man isn't protecting himself from physical threats such as predation or competition. No. He's protecting his mind, his soul, his consciousness, from something more. His loss in that game represents his loss in life, his failure to protect himself. He needs to let others know he's not weak any way possible. So lashing out occurs, in all the wrong ways.
Are parents to blame? Perhaps. Are the games to blame? Also, perhaps.
But I think this is mostly something that's coded deep into our genetics that a combination of events has led us to overlook. Men are more brutal, more obvious, more passionate creatures when it comes to fury and frustration. Women have always been the more collected, meticulous, and cautious in their means. Check your Psych books, it'll check out I swear.
I guess the important question here isn't why these boys go ballistic, but how do we stop them? And that's something that's treated on a case by case basis. Something that we're going to have to work together to solve if we have any hope of preventing a much more dismal future. To nip the trend in the bud, we need to get off our soap boxes, stop pointing fingers, and have a productive cycle of discussion to find the method to this madness.
Until then, I'm going to continue owning some kids online to work out my inner aggressions, but as long as I keep that working out online without involving any real firearms, I think I'm going to be okay. Statistically speaking, of course.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
I'm Concerned....
About the well being of Milo.
You see, he's all by himself in this limitless world. Sure, he's got a dog to keep him company, but what about his parents? Guardians? Anything? How about friends?
Well, I guess there's me, but do I count as a friend? I mean, Milo just met me. I'm technically a stranger. But he's never had a mother to tell him never to speak to me.
What if I'm a bad person? What if I shout at Milo or hit him...or worse? What if I'm entirely unqualified to be Milo's friend?
What kind of childhood will he have?
Far from perfect I'd guess.
These are some of the nearly infinite questions I have regarding the well being of Milo. But it's only the beginning. Once we've become friends, where does it lead and how aware is he?
Milo is supposedly the first entirely self aware gaming character, destroying the fourth wall and allowing the player to become a fully involved character in the world they've bought into. A nifty idea yes, but there's something about "self-aware" that sort of starts the old goosebumps.
You see, what stops Milo was abandoning ME if I'm not nice to him? Or perhaps if he gets bored with me? What stops him from being smarter than I am, more polite than I am? Perhaps I resent Milo for his perfection, how obvious he makes my human flaws. His mechanics remind me of how flawed mine are. His "perfect childhood" is a perfect display for how fractured mine was.
Then there's the question of ethics.
What sort of self respecting adult plays with a little boy for hours on end? Am I the only one that sort of senses this bit of pedophilia in the works?
There's so many questions but I suppose time will answer most of them as Project Natal develops and Milo becomes a household name. For the time being, I hope he's got a Child Services Counselor that comes packed in, just in case.
And that we have a kill switch for Skynet when/if he does become self aware.
You see, he's all by himself in this limitless world. Sure, he's got a dog to keep him company, but what about his parents? Guardians? Anything? How about friends?
Well, I guess there's me, but do I count as a friend? I mean, Milo just met me. I'm technically a stranger. But he's never had a mother to tell him never to speak to me.
What if I'm a bad person? What if I shout at Milo or hit him...or worse? What if I'm entirely unqualified to be Milo's friend?
What kind of childhood will he have?
Far from perfect I'd guess.
These are some of the nearly infinite questions I have regarding the well being of Milo. But it's only the beginning. Once we've become friends, where does it lead and how aware is he?
Milo is supposedly the first entirely self aware gaming character, destroying the fourth wall and allowing the player to become a fully involved character in the world they've bought into. A nifty idea yes, but there's something about "self-aware" that sort of starts the old goosebumps.
You see, what stops Milo was abandoning ME if I'm not nice to him? Or perhaps if he gets bored with me? What stops him from being smarter than I am, more polite than I am? Perhaps I resent Milo for his perfection, how obvious he makes my human flaws. His mechanics remind me of how flawed mine are. His "perfect childhood" is a perfect display for how fractured mine was.
Then there's the question of ethics.
What sort of self respecting adult plays with a little boy for hours on end? Am I the only one that sort of senses this bit of pedophilia in the works?
There's so many questions but I suppose time will answer most of them as Project Natal develops and Milo becomes a household name. For the time being, I hope he's got a Child Services Counselor that comes packed in, just in case.
And that we have a kill switch for Skynet when/if he does become self aware.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Are You A Girl Gamer?
Question 1: Do you own your own console? If Yes, Continue On. If your entire gaming history can be defined as what you play while at your friend/spouse/boyfriend/girlfriend/neighbor/coworker's place, stop now. You fail, thank you, have a nice day. You classify as a "Casual Gamer" which is an entirely different breed, and will be entailed in a separate survey.
Question 2: Do you understand the difference between the Big Three? If Yes, Continue On. If by "Big Three" You are thinking of Commandments, Laws, Rules, or some other series events, stop now. You've stumbled slightly and become lost. You are not a gamer. Answer for the curious: Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony.
Question 3: Are you now, or have you ever been, a booth babe? This question is more out of curiosity's sake, it doesn't really take off points unless that's your entire gaming history in a nutshell, then please refer back to Question 1, except you'd be worse than a Casual Gamer.
Question 4: Do you believe that video games are for boys and girls play for either A.) Attention, B.) Boys, or C.) Curiosity. If Yes to any of those, go away. If No, continue on, you're doing good.
Question 5: Does your gamertag include something stereotypically female in it, such as "babe", "chick", "grl" or some other variant to announce your gender to the world? If yes, why do you feel your gender is such an important part of your name? Has it brought you more positive or negative attention? If no, is there a specific reason you wanted a gender neutral name?
Question 6: Have you ever had friends roll their eyes at you when you tell them about all the kids you fragged? Or when you excitedly ranted about the newest trailer for (insert upcoming title here) If yes, welcome to Gaming Geekdom. If no, you're not doing it right.
Question 7: Are you familiar with any other female gamers? (we do represent more than 40% of the total market right now you know) If yes, awesome, keep it up. If no, do some research, get Google running, and find your sisters in arms.
So what's your score ladies? Are you diehard gamers, willing to pass on a night with the girls to reach that next Prestige in Call of Duty, or are you some boy's cute controller warmer?
You decide.
Gaming's not a man's game any longer, and we long as we're willing to stick together, we might be able to graduate to plain old "gamer" someday. But for now, let's represent the outgroup proudly.
Question 2: Do you understand the difference between the Big Three? If Yes, Continue On. If by "Big Three" You are thinking of Commandments, Laws, Rules, or some other series events, stop now. You've stumbled slightly and become lost. You are not a gamer. Answer for the curious: Nintendo, Microsoft, and Sony.
Question 3: Are you now, or have you ever been, a booth babe? This question is more out of curiosity's sake, it doesn't really take off points unless that's your entire gaming history in a nutshell, then please refer back to Question 1, except you'd be worse than a Casual Gamer.
Question 4: Do you believe that video games are for boys and girls play for either A.) Attention, B.) Boys, or C.) Curiosity. If Yes to any of those, go away. If No, continue on, you're doing good.
Question 5: Does your gamertag include something stereotypically female in it, such as "babe", "chick", "grl" or some other variant to announce your gender to the world? If yes, why do you feel your gender is such an important part of your name? Has it brought you more positive or negative attention? If no, is there a specific reason you wanted a gender neutral name?
Question 6: Have you ever had friends roll their eyes at you when you tell them about all the kids you fragged? Or when you excitedly ranted about the newest trailer for (insert upcoming title here) If yes, welcome to Gaming Geekdom. If no, you're not doing it right.
Question 7: Are you familiar with any other female gamers? (we do represent more than 40% of the total market right now you know) If yes, awesome, keep it up. If no, do some research, get Google running, and find your sisters in arms.
So what's your score ladies? Are you diehard gamers, willing to pass on a night with the girls to reach that next Prestige in Call of Duty, or are you some boy's cute controller warmer?
You decide.
Gaming's not a man's game any longer, and we long as we're willing to stick together, we might be able to graduate to plain old "gamer" someday. But for now, let's represent the outgroup proudly.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
A Formal Introduction, if I may...
Well look what you've gotten yourself into this time.
You stumbled through without a second's consideration to the consequences, and now you're stuck here with me. And you don't know a thing about me yet, do you?
I suppose I should introduce myself then.
My given name is Kristen, but for all intents and purposes the name Epidemic will suffice. Everyone who knows me knows that I answer more readily to my gamertag than my actual name.
That's right, my gamertag. PMS Epidemic. I'm a gamer. And I'm a girl.
I'll let you marinate on that a little bit.
My console of choice is the XBox 360, though I currently own all three "next generation" consoles, and a few of the last generation as well. I've been gaming as long as I could walk, so it's save to say that there's more money invested in my gaming hobby than my college education.
In terms of online gaming, XBox Live's got me hooked. And no, I'm not some crazy Microsoft fangirl, promise. It's just the best way to keep everything organized, to keep in touch with all my friends, despite the extra fees. I'd rather pay for the convenience.
What do I play? Anything, everything, I'll give it a try once or twice. I'm a notorious achievement whore, so you'll see some strange games in my history, but I enjoy shooters primarily. I've got a pretty severe love of the Rainbow Six games actually. Action games, racers, fighters, I'll play it all for awhile if the mood strikes...and Guitar Hero has a near and dear place in my heart.
Well now that I've covered the most important part, I guess I should fill in some minor details...
I currently reside in Albany, Oregon, a small town like a million other small towns in the country. But I just moved to this small town from Rockland County, New York, a small town slightly bigger with less livestock. But it's not all that bad, the quiet is a nice change.
I'm a journalism student, hence the decision to start this blog. Digital distribution is the future and I intend to put myself out there as many ways as possible. So this is my long and convuluted way of saying hello and offering some background to whatever idle observer should pass by.
I'm 22 years old, an artist at heart with a love of all things unique, and currently passing as a tourist sort of Oregonian...so if that seems interesting, I hope you keep up.
Otherwise, I'll catch you on XBox Live I'm sure, I've got some F.E.A.R. 2 to enjoy this week -
You stumbled through without a second's consideration to the consequences, and now you're stuck here with me. And you don't know a thing about me yet, do you?
I suppose I should introduce myself then.
My given name is Kristen, but for all intents and purposes the name Epidemic will suffice. Everyone who knows me knows that I answer more readily to my gamertag than my actual name.
That's right, my gamertag. PMS Epidemic. I'm a gamer. And I'm a girl.
I'll let you marinate on that a little bit.
My console of choice is the XBox 360, though I currently own all three "next generation" consoles, and a few of the last generation as well. I've been gaming as long as I could walk, so it's save to say that there's more money invested in my gaming hobby than my college education.
In terms of online gaming, XBox Live's got me hooked. And no, I'm not some crazy Microsoft fangirl, promise. It's just the best way to keep everything organized, to keep in touch with all my friends, despite the extra fees. I'd rather pay for the convenience.
What do I play? Anything, everything, I'll give it a try once or twice. I'm a notorious achievement whore, so you'll see some strange games in my history, but I enjoy shooters primarily. I've got a pretty severe love of the Rainbow Six games actually. Action games, racers, fighters, I'll play it all for awhile if the mood strikes...and Guitar Hero has a near and dear place in my heart.
Well now that I've covered the most important part, I guess I should fill in some minor details...
I currently reside in Albany, Oregon, a small town like a million other small towns in the country. But I just moved to this small town from Rockland County, New York, a small town slightly bigger with less livestock. But it's not all that bad, the quiet is a nice change.
I'm a journalism student, hence the decision to start this blog. Digital distribution is the future and I intend to put myself out there as many ways as possible. So this is my long and convuluted way of saying hello and offering some background to whatever idle observer should pass by.
I'm 22 years old, an artist at heart with a love of all things unique, and currently passing as a tourist sort of Oregonian...so if that seems interesting, I hope you keep up.
Otherwise, I'll catch you on XBox Live I'm sure, I've got some F.E.A.R. 2 to enjoy this week -
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