Reflection

Well there you go guys... this essay has been the final straw of our journey through new communication technologies. I must admit when I first saw the outline of this subjects criteria... I had no idea what a blog even was and it wasn't until week three when I transferred from another subject I didn't enjoy that I was welcomed into the unknown world of blogging!

This has probably been my most enjoyable subject within my first semester at university and I will try to thrown in my new knowledge randomly within conversations with friends. So it has been a fun journey and I’m sure I will miss the weekly exercises and not having to hand in printed copies of my assignments, which I could get use to.

Wish me luck for our exam this Wednesday!!!!......

BYE… thanks for reading :)

Are games a waste of time?

Computer games, the internet, and other new communications media are often seen to pose threats and dangers to young people; but they can also be seen to provide new opportunities for creativity and self-determination (Buckingham, 2006). This is in a new digital generation where technology is increasing at a rapid ascent and its purposes and functions of each invention are questioned in terms of its usefulness to our society. So this poses the question whether or not video games in particular are a waste of time. Throughout this essay it will continue to explore this through the study and history of the video game, the negative effects that games may bring (e.g. violence) and the positive aspects of this new technology (e.g. educational potentials).

The academic study of video games is a relatively new discipline. Although the technical aspects of video games have been studied for years, theories that examine games as an artistic medium are a relatively recent development. This can be distinguished between the fields of Narratology and Ludology. Narratology is the study of video games from the perspective of them being stories or literacy word, in contrast to Ludology, which is not concerned with the story elements of games but rather with the Game Play elements (Frasca, 1999, ¶ 27). However, there is more to video games than just the story and the game play. It can be viewed in a technical sense, as coming to us in the same era as computers... hence the often confused term 'computer games'. The video game is defined as a game that involves interaction with a user interface to generate visual feedback on a video device (Video Games, 2008, ¶ 1). So to clear that confusion up it is simplest to understand Video games as being the larger genre, of which computer games, console games and so on, are smaller sub-genres. Thus we can trace a history of video games according to their hardware platform, from arcade machines to consoles and home computers.

The development of the video game was a gradual process which took over twenty years to arrive into our living rooms. The first graphical game invented was a version of Tic-Tac-Toe in 1952 but it wasn’t until 1972 when the first video game console was invented and could be played at home (Bellis, 2008, ¶ 1, 4). Over the past thirty years, it has become an integral part of our culture, and the video game industry has become a multi-billion dollar behemoth (History of Gaming, 2008, ¶ 1). It is viewed as a new form of cultural practise in the same way it is thought of as old media like newspapers, radio, television and film. Like related form of media, computer and video games has been the subject of frequent controversy and censorship, due to the depiction of graphic violence, sexual themes and the consumption of drugs, alcohol and tobacco.

Violent video games are popular with the male and female adolescent age group which it has been accused of causing addiction and even violent behaviour (Anderson, 2007). But they are only games, right? Games seem innocent enough when they're sitting on the store shelf, but what are we really bringing into our lives? (Reality Bytes, 2008, ¶ 1) Video games can be connected to numerous problems for youths today: obesity, lack of social skills, and decline in schoolwork productivity, and aggressiveness (McBeath, 2006). It is believed that children who are playing violent video games are being desensitized to this at a young age. However, by moving beyond the medium approach, video games are exactly what their name suggests: Just Games. They draw a history through the ages to all forms of abstract games; for example backgammon and chess. It is largely through the media’s perspective on violent games as being linked with aggression in children on how it is perceived (The Positive Effects of Games, 2005, ¶ 7). Although studies on violent video games have found negative correlations with academic performance, a positive association with other types of games has also been found. For Example the armyhas even utilized video games, ‘The American Army’, as a recruitment tool (Galloway, 2004, ¶ 2). Nevertheless not all video games are violent and negative; there are many educational based games.

Violent games are usually analyzed for their possible negative effects, and educational games are promoted as the provider of more positive effects, conversely both types of games can provide positive effects to players. There are many skills that can be learned by playing them. Some such skills include improved problem-solving abilities, perseverance, memory, cognitive ability, and academic performance and learning (Kiefaber, 1998, ¶ 10). Such educational computer games are also becoming more prevalent and popular in primary and secondary schools today as teaching tools for youths, as it allows an interactive nature through high levels of entertainment. Additionally, developers are beginning to change the view of traditional video games by creating popular games that require the player to be active – Wii Fit – or focus on using brain power – Brain Age 2.

In an educational context, the potential of games to support learning is the most recognisable educational technology produced to date. Digital game-based learning implies that developing educational games is a moral imperative, as kids of the "videogame generation" do not respond to traditional instruction (Squire, 2002, ¶ 2). It is further argued by Lloyd Rieber (1996, ¶ 14) that digital games engage players in productive play that learning occurs through manipulating simulations, and game play. Whereas older educational games have relied heavily on basic exterior game plans where learning is inserted into a generic gaming template, like hangman, where the academic content is effortlessly incorporated with gaming mechanics (Squire, 2002, ¶ 2). So the question still remains; are games a waste of time?

The answer is clearly no. The impact of video games in today's society has forever changed our customs and the way our generation live and play. it has become an integral part of our culture and its impact can be seen in politics, television and popular music. they are not a waste of time, but simply a means to our future educational systems in a new generation of new communication technologies.

Bibliography

Book References

Anderson, C.A., Buckley, K.E. & Gentile, D.A. (2007) Violent Video Game Efects on Children and Adolescents; Theory, Research, and Public Policy. New York: Oxford University Press

Buckingham, D. & Willett, R. (2006) Digital Generations; Children, Young People, and New Media. London: Lawrence Erlbaum Associates Publishers


Website References

Bellis, M (2008) Computer and Video Game History; Early arcade machines, the history of home consoles, and the history of the video game. Retrived May 26, 2008, from http://inventors.about.com/library/inventors/blcomputer_videogames.htm.

Frasca, G. (1999) Ludology meets Narratology; Similituse and differences between (video)games and narrative. Retrieved May 26, 2008, from http://www.ludology.org/articles/ludology.htm.

History of Gaming (2008). The video game revolution. Retrieved May 24, 2008, from http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/history/index.html

Galloway, A. (2004). Social Realism in Gaming. Retrieved May 24 2008, from
http://www.gamestudies.org/0401/galloway/

Kiefaber, M. (1998) Video Games. Retrieved May 29, 2008, from
http://www.units.muohio.edu/psybersite/cyberspace/onlinegames/video.shtml

McBeath, A. (2006) The Negative Effects of Video Games. Retrieved May 29, 2008, from
http://www.thelafayettetimes.com/2006/10/27/am-videogames.htm

Reality Bytes (2008). The video game revolution. Retrieved May 21, 2008, from
http://www.pbs.org/kcts/videogamerevolution/impact/myths.html

Rieber, L. P. (1996). Seriously considering play: Designing interactive learning environments based on the blending of microworlds, simulations, and games. Retrieved May 24 2008, from http://it.coe.uga.edu/~lrieber/play.html

Squire, K. (2002) Cultural Framing of Computer/Video Games. Retrieved May 21, 2008, from http://www.gamestudies.org/0102/squire/

The Positive Effects of Games (2005) Only a Game. Retrieved May 21, 2008, from
http://onlyagame.typepad.com/only_a_game/2005/07/the_positive_ef.html

Video Games (2008) Compact Oxford English Dictionary. Retrieved May 21 2008, from
http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/videogame?view=uk


Secondary Sources

Aarseth, E.J. (1997) Cybertext: Perspectives on Ergodic Literature. London: The Johns Hopkins University Press

Bolter, J. D & Grusin, R. (1999) Remediation; Understanding New Media. London: The MIT Press

Slevin, K (2000) The Internet and Society. Cambridge: Blackwell Publishers Inc.

Lecture Notes

This week we explored an overview of software and how it works.... yes i had know idea what they were talking about initially and am freaking out even more about our end of semester exam. It was discussed the difference free and open sources with the benefits and problems that occur through examples such as GNU/Linux and Source forge..... What the... even just mentioning those words my head spins out. I only use my computer for the internet and Microsoft office for assignments and the underlining technicality of it just sends my mind to wonder.

So… for the sake of my results I think I might go and try and study now.

Record Industry Suicide Reading

This weeks reading was an eye opener to me as I regularly burn CD’s, DVD’s and catch up on Hollywood gossip online instead of buying albums, movies and magazines. I probably see this as a normal occurrence among our society but have never really thought of it as stealing. It was associated to the technology existing to hotwire a car and not making it okay either. It is kind of funny because I don’t think I have actually bought a CD album or single since primary school and I didn’t even have many then. I think it is just the generation in which we live in, some many calling it the ‘iPod generation’, that it is culturally acceptable to steal music without feeling morally wrong.


But I say why pay for something when you can get it for free…


Reading for week 11: http://www.demonbaby.com/blog/2007/10/when-pigs-fly-death-of-oink-birth-of.html

Comprehensive Essay Outline

My topic is in relation to the issue raised in week six lecture regarding video games as a new academic study and cultural practice. But it was questioned whether video games are in fact a waste of time. So from this I have decided to use this question as a basis for my essay which will endeavor to illustrate... are games a waste of time?

As we are in a digital generation of booming technology I will be discussing the negative and positive sides of in particular to video games. This can be shown through the study and history of the video game, the aggressive effects that can be portrayed through violent video games that are available to teenagers and through the positive aspects for educational purposes. I can also touch on the academic study of video games through the fields of Narratology and Ludology which we have learnt within a lecture.

But, arguably, there is more to video games than just stated within this brief outline… however you will just have to wait until I elaborate this further in my essay which will be published on Friday the 30th of May at 5pm.

So keep updated. :)

These are a few references I have discovered so far for my minimum five academic articles and website links that are required for my completed comprehensive essay. However I am finding it easier to find internet references in comparison to books as they are more readily available.

Academic Book References:

--> Violent Video Game Effects on Children and Adolescents, by C. A. Anderson, D. A. Gentile and K. E. Buckley

--> Digital Generations: Children, Young People, and New Media, by D. Buckingham and R. Willett

--> The Internet and Society, by J. Slevin

--> Video Games and the Entertainment Revolution: Trigger Happy, by S. Poole

--> The Language of New Media, by L. Manovich

Web References:

--> http://www.gamestudies.org/0701

--> http://www.ludology.org

--> http://terranova.blogs.com/

--> http://www.media-culture.org.au/

Feedback regarding my essay topic would be appreciated…