Gaming can make a better world...

[Gethryon]

I know that while reading the following, you might think at some point that it's going to be a boring post and decide to just skip this one and continue whatever you were doing. I ask you to please try not to. (or if you trust me, skip my gibberish and click on that link to watch a very inspiring talk about the game we play)

Over my last 4 years of playing WoW, I've gotten this idea that WoW players aren't dumb. Raiding isn't an easy achievement. It's hard work. It's collaborative work. It's satisfactionary work. And as a psychology student I've always wondered what kind of research I could throw into this game (because there's really so much interesting things going on in this gaming world - plus the fact that doing research on something I enjoy playing a lot just sounds awesome and not like work at all :P).

Jane McGonigal talks about online gaming and how it could literally make a better world. I found it a very inspiring talk. She's done the research, she's done the thinking, and she's a good speaker. You don't need to have any sort of background to understand what she's saying. It's for general public. Watch it here:

http://www.ted.com/talks/jane_mcgonigal_gaming_can_make_a_better_world.html

[merrick]

5.93 million years!!!!!!!!! wtf!!!!!

[Bizzmark]

Geth, I loved this. I have long had similar thoughts and wondered just how the power of gaming could be harnessed even more positively.

I already think gaming has many powerful benefits.

I have also spent hours wondering on the depth of social interaction/ behavioral quirks, team work and leadership found in WoW.

So many examples but I am dozy and will ramble more about this another time.

[tinyrock]

i thought "save the cheerleader = save the world!" but i understand that in order to save the world i need to play wow much much more.

from now on say - kill the lich king = save the world

was very nice geth, thanks mate.

tiny

[Vixon/Fiz]

I want a poster of the face moments b4 an epic win, peep looks nothin like me, but im sure ive pulled that expression a few times

Vix

[Raincloud The Spiritual One]

Makes a better world then read this

http://kotaku.com/5499061/accused-game-cheater-gets-knife-through-head-and-survives

An argument between Counter-Strike players at a Chinese net café over suspected use of a 'wallhack' cheat led to a 17-year-old boy being stabbed through the head with a foot-long knife - and living to tell the tale. (Graphic Photo)

Counter-Strike players in the Jilin province of China take cheating extremely seriously, as evidenced by the grievous wound suffered by one suspected cheater on March 16. The 17-year-old victim was suspected of using a hack that allowed him to see through walls, giving him an obvious benefit in the computerized game of hide and go kill each other.

A fight broke out outside the net café regarding the hack, and one assailant decided to do a little hacking of his own, stabbing large knife into the side of the cheater's head, the tip of the blade barely protruding from the other side.

[Gethryon]

Raincloud The Spiritual One wrote:

Makes a better world then read this http://kotaku.com/5499061/accused-game-cheater-gets-knife-through-head-and-survives An argument between Counter-Strike players at a Chinese net café over suspected use of a 'wallhack' cheat led to a 17-year-old boy being stabbed through the head with a foot-long knife - and living to tell the tale. (Graphic Photo) Counter-Strike players in the Jilin province of China take cheating extremely seriously, as evidenced by the grievous wound suffered by one suspected cheater on March 16. The 17-year-old victim was suspected of using a hack that allowed him to see through walls, giving him an obvious benefit in the computerized game of hide and go kill each other. A fight broke out outside the net café regarding the hack, and one assailant decided to do a little hacking of his own, stabbing large knife into the side of the cheater's head, the tip of the blade barely protruding from the other side.

Of course, the speaker left out that there are certain retards in the gaming world, just as out there in the normal world...

Your reply is a bit like: me posting news about chocolate being able to make people happy when they're down, and then you responding with a news article about some chocolate-craving murderer. It doesn't really fit.

Regardless, there are of course ppl who disagree (well, disagree is a big word, but just "see it in a different light" or "take a different perspective") and continue a different line of study. Just look for the links posted in the comments to the TED-talk.

Just as "aggressive-making" media has been subject to loads of studies, there's been a lot of "pro-social media" studies too. If media (and in this case games) can influence for the worse, it can of course also influence for the better.

[Raincloud The Spiritual One]

Gethryon wrote:

Your reply is a bit like: me posting news about chocolate being able to make people happy when they're down, and then you responding with a news article about some chocolate-craving murderer. It doesn't really fit.

If you said that I would show the scientific facts that chocolate releases a chemical in the brain to simulate happiness. People think happiness is a state of mind. I know it is much much more than that.

Also gaming make a better world? Artifical entertainment make a better real world?

People want a better world they should try living in it.

[merrick]

raincloud ur i think your missing the point and getting off topic yet again, please stop commenting negatively against geth and accept this video for wht it is,an interesting opinion into a topic we all love

[Raincloud The Spiritual One]

merrick wrote:

raincloud ur i think your missing the point and getting off topic yet again, please stop commenting negatively against geth and accept this video for wht it is,an interesting opinion into a topic we all love

The point to anyone is different. As we all see it in different way with different perspective and different eyes. How can one accept something when they do not accept themself? Love how can you love something artificial?

People think facebook is a good idea. Yet people are stalked and killed on facebook. All I see here is something was posted if someone disagrees because they think the real world makes a better world not a cyber one then it is not liked. It was said before, been there done that. I have a opinion like anyone else. it is not liked fine. But then all opinions are different when people have their own and do not believe other opinions.

Let me quote 21 billion hours within 10 years all that is gaming. you think that is a good idea? Gamers like online worlds because? they can do what they like murder who they like and they can get away with it. In a online world basically there are no rules.