[WisdomListens]

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If it ain't games, it'll be something else. Plenty of distractions out there for those that are willing to fritter away their lives.

 

Yeah theres much worse things out there which in itself is also frustrating. Most gamers are around my age (19) plus or minus 10 years and thats why it hits close to home. 

 

[El_Doug]

Precisely!  If we were all capable of being human dynamos, without the need to relax or unwind, sure we could solely blame our lack of ambition for not spending every spare waking moment learning a language or personally curing cancer. 
 
In the reality I live in, everyone needs to take a break.  Is gaming really all that bad?  Some people choose to sit around and watch sitcoms.  Even "Angry Birds," the most mindless game of all time, requires more brain power. 
 
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If it ain't games, it'll be something else. Plenty of distractions out there for those that are willing to fritter away their lives.
 

Whether reading, playing games, listening to music, watching a movie or getting in some range time, I know I'm wasting my time. And I really don't care. Man's gotta have his downtime.

 

 

[WisdomListens]

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Just yesterday I read an article on gold farming. I don't play MMOs so this was new to me. For the gold farmers, I guess it wasn't really a waste of time. But this was at the cost of living and working in sweatshop conditions. So if you're doing this for money, would this change your outlook on gaming? If you were subjected to doing a repetitive task within a game you enjoy to attain a monetary benefit, is it still a waste of time? I've got friends who are going into public interest law and they'll be getting by with enough to feed themselves, but putting the rest to loans. They're ok with that, but compare that to the people who run these sweatshops. In one sense, gaming isn't as much a waste of time because these gold farming operations owners make far more than my friends, who are going to become public defenders and work to save people from foreclosed homes, will ever make. But, I don't think what they do is more helpful to society than what my friends may do. I could be wrong, who knows, maybe the gold farmers have discovered an untapped market that may be studied in some economics textbook, but I doubt that was their intention. I think the value judgments in this thread are a little skewed, and when you use monetary gain as one indicator, then other factors are overlooked.
 
After 8 years of playing Magic cards, there was one skill that I took away that's help me: haggling with rules and learning its effect on other rules. It's helped me get through the UCC, so I found some beneficial use playing that game.
 
As an aside, I've never seen this many replies to a BeamtheGreat thread. I think this trumps his earlier, more hillarious threads.

I'm not quite clear on what you're trying to say. Could you explain it a little more please

 

[WisdomListens]

Quote:

Precisely!  If we were all capable of being human dynamos, without the need to relax or unwind, sure we could solely blame our lack of ambition for not spending every spare waking moment learning a language or personally curing cancer. 
 
In the reality I live in, everyone needs to take a break.  Is gaming really all that bad?  Some people choose to sit around and watch sitcoms.  Even "Angry Birds," the most mindless game of all time, requires more brain power. 
 


 

Yeah I agree everyone needs down time. My concerns lie in what people do in their up time--thats if they even have an up time. If you are working hard on something that truly interests you and game in your down time then that is the ideal.
But with some people, it seems to me, is gaming changes from being a down time activity to the highlight of their day, week, month... Like people who have a job they hate or have no interest in whatsoever and MMORPG's are where they can be a better version of themselves. In another role.

 

[El_Doug]

I would agree with your assessment of getting lost in games, especially with regard to MMORPGs.  Everyone should find something worthwhile to put a bit of cerebral power into, and spending all day grinding menial tasks in an artificial world borders on crazy (imho, of course). 
 
That being said, if your passion is, say, an RTS game, and your goal is to actually get better, then playing the game every day in order to practice, analyze, and improve your play IS constructive... so long as you don't forget to talk to people every now and then  

 

[WisdomListens]

Quote:

I would agree with your assessment of getting lost in games, especially with regard to MMORPGs.  Everyone should find something worthwhile to put a bit of cerebral power into, and spending all day grinding menial tasks in an artificial world borders on crazy (imho, of course). 
 
That being said, if your passion is, say, an RTS game, and your goal is to actually get better, then playing the game every day in order to practice, analyze, and improve your play IS constructive... so long as you don't forget to talk to people every now and then  

"gl" and "hf" doesn't count as a conversation haha
 
Yeah, I agree RTS games require quite a bit of brain power. The pro StarCraft players are without doubt talented, especially in multi-tasking and remembering procedures.

 

[revolink24]

I would agree with your assessment of getting lost in games, especially with regard to MMORPGs.  Everyone should find something worthwhile to put a bit of cerebral power into, and spending all day grinding menial tasks in an artificial world borders on crazy (imho, of course). 
 
That being said, if your passion is, say, an RTS game, and your goal is to actually get better, then playing the game every day in order to practice, analyze, and improve your play IS constructive... so long as you don't forget to talk to people every now and then  

Also, I talk to people about RTS games in real life. It's part of my social life.

 

[logwed]

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Also, I talk to people about RTS games in real life. It's part of my social life.

And talk about them online! 

 

[Beagle]

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Sure it is. So are nearly all hobbies. But what's wrong with that? You don't have to be doing something productive every minute of your life. Sometimes you should just have fun.

Yeah, so go out and play ball, interact with people, or go to the beach. Do something that stimulates your brain and imagination, not something that deteriorates it. Sitting in front of ones computer for hours on end playing 'games' is absolutely a waste of time. This is not a rehearsal. What scares me is that these zombies get to vote.

 

[JamesMcProgger]

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Sure it is. So are nearly all hobbies. But what's wrong with that? You don't have to be doing something productive every minute of your life. Sometimes you should just have fun.

QFT.
 
and gaming is one of the best timekillers ever.

 

[logwed]

Quote:

Yeah, so go out and play ball, interact with people, or go to the beach. Do something that stimulates your brain and imagination, not something that deteriorates it. Sitting in front of ones computer for hours on end playing 'games' is absolutely a waste of time. This is not a rehearsal. What scares me is that these zombies get to vote.

Throwing a ball or sitting on a beach, while both fun things to do, are NOT more intellectually stimulating than playing a game of Starcraft or any other number of games. Saying something like that is simply ignorant. 

 

[JamesMcProgger]

 
Quote:

Yeah, so go out and play ball, interact with people, or go to the beach. Do something that stimulates your brain and imagination, not something that deteriorates it. Sitting in front of ones computer for hours on end playing 'games' is absolutely a waste of time. This is not a rehearsal. What scares me is that these zombies get to vote.

 
That sir is a very wrong statement, I forgive you though, not everyone can understand the science of gaming. 

 

[BobSaysHi]

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That sir is a very wrong statement, I forgive you though, not everyone can understand the science of gaming. 

must've played too much ball.
 

 

[revolink24]

Throwing a ball or sitting on a beach, while both fun things to do, are NOT more intellectually stimulating than playing a game of Starcraft or any other number of games. Saying something like that is simply ignorant. 

Ha, thanks for saving me from saying it.

That said, I enjoy my time outdoors as much as any. It is still possible to balance a multitude of activities into your life, after all.

Allow me to give a brief explanation of why Starcraft does not, to use the cliche words of those who are anti-gaming, "rot your brain". It has been described by many as "adrenaline chess": a game which requires the development of strategies, the management of economies, quick reactions, anticipation of your opponents, quick math, and strong decision making. You must also consider hurting the other player's economy, defense of your own base and economy, and a huge number of other things. It is probably one of, if not the most intellectually stimulating thing I do all day (and most of my life is dedicated to my coursework.) Here's a wiki page on Starcraft strategy. It is also an intercollegiate sport.

It is very much the evolution of the strategy board game for the next generation.

Now I certainly understand the skepticism of some about video games, they tend to hear all the horror stories from the media of people's lives being consumed by MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft, where people sit all day grinding up their levels simply to see those numbers jump. But to assume all gaming is the same is simply silly.

 

[WisdomListens]

Quote:

Ha, thanks for saving me from saying it.

That said, I enjoy my time outdoors as much as any. It is still possible to balance a multitude of activities into your life, after all.

Allow me to give a brief explanation of why Starcraft does not, to use the cliche words of those who are anti-gaming, "rot your brain". It has been described by many as "adrenaline chess": a game which requires the development of strategies, the management of economies, quick reactions, anticipation of your opponents, quick math, and strong decision making. You must also consider hurting the other player's economy, defense of your own base and economy, and a huge number of other things. It is probably one of, if not the most intellectually stimulating thing I do all day (and most of my life is dedicated to my coursework.) Here's a wiki page on Starcraft strategy. It is also an intercollegiate sport.

It is very much the evolution of the strategy board game for the next generation.

Now I certainly understand the skepticism of some about video games, they tend to hear all the horror stories from the media of people's lives being consumed by MMORPGs such as World of Warcraft, where people sit all day grinding up their levels simply to see those numbers jump. But to assume all gaming is the same is simply silly.

Add in some basic physical exercise and you've got both the mental and physical aspect dealt with. Ta da!