Socially Responsible Video Games: Enough is Enough
Derek Hidey
Issue date: 2/22/06 Section: The AT Wire
I recently read an online news article on MSN's website titled, "Game developers ask tough questions." Despite the article being from 2001, it presented a good subject for debate. At the Game Developer's Conference, game creators discuss "nearly every aspect of their craft." One of the high points of such discussion was how to add socially valuable messages to video games. "Most of what we do in games is indulging people's fantasies of power without responsibilities," said one developer. He or she was right, video games do provide fantasies and entertainment to people and that is all they should do!
People don't play video games so that they can learn about social responsibilities! We (gamers) play video games for fun and to escape the hassles and stresses of reality. When you are playing your favorite game, Halo 2 for example, would you want the Master Chief's dialogue to include corny morals and life lessons? Education and video games just don't mix, at least not on the level of mature video games.
According to Rusel DeMaria, author of "Hit Games with Social Values: What's Stopping You?", video games that involve education "suck... They put the message ahead of making a great game." Often times education games focus too much on the messages and less on the content and action, though this isn't really the problem. The main problem here is trying to find a balance. A balance of education and action will cause most games to become mediocre and dull. It just doesn't make any sense. The best thing to do would be to leave the two genres completely separate. Make educational games
that are made solely to teach and make action/adventure games solely to entertain. People who want a game for educational purposes will buy an educational game, period.
DeMaria preached on, "My contention is that if we're clever, we can do everything a great game does and still have something to say." Can you say, "Subliminal messages"? I don't want game developers "saying" anything to me through their games! This is the absolute wrong direction for video games because in the end it becomes just another form of bias media. An example is the way civic journalists present information to the public through newspapers and television. The goal of a civic journalist is to "educate" the people and make them more socially responsible. The problem is that they are educating according to their own bias opinions. One civic journalist might believe one action is socially correct while another might not agree. To sum it up: I don't need or want game developers sending me their bias messages through the games I play, and neither should any gamer.
There were also questions being asked about game development being considered an art. Ernest Adams, founder of the International Game Developers Association and author of "Will Games Ever Become a Legitimate Art Form?", believes that games lack "key elements" and that they need "to make any statement other than 'Let's have fun.'" This concept is just downright wrong. Video games are a source of entertainment, not some outlet for people like DeMaria and Adams to convey their ideas. Who cares if video game development is considered an art form or not? Is it really that big of a deal if it isn't? I think people like Adams are getting too caught up in their quest for self fulfillment that they are missing the mark. "To be an art, work must be more than merely
entertaining, it must contain ideas," concluded Adams. If I want to see "ideas" I'll go to an art gallery, if I want to be entertained I'll play video games. GG.
People don't play video games so that they can learn about social responsibilities! We (gamers) play video games for fun and to escape the hassles and stresses of reality. When you are playing your favorite game, Halo 2 for example, would you want the Master Chief's dialogue to include corny morals and life lessons? Education and video games just don't mix, at least not on the level of mature video games.
According to Rusel DeMaria, author of "Hit Games with Social Values: What's Stopping You?", video games that involve education "suck... They put the message ahead of making a great game." Often times education games focus too much on the messages and less on the content and action, though this isn't really the problem. The main problem here is trying to find a balance. A balance of education and action will cause most games to become mediocre and dull. It just doesn't make any sense. The best thing to do would be to leave the two genres completely separate. Make educational games
that are made solely to teach and make action/adventure games solely to entertain. People who want a game for educational purposes will buy an educational game, period.
DeMaria preached on, "My contention is that if we're clever, we can do everything a great game does and still have something to say." Can you say, "Subliminal messages"? I don't want game developers "saying" anything to me through their games! This is the absolute wrong direction for video games because in the end it becomes just another form of bias media. An example is the way civic journalists present information to the public through newspapers and television. The goal of a civic journalist is to "educate" the people and make them more socially responsible. The problem is that they are educating according to their own bias opinions. One civic journalist might believe one action is socially correct while another might not agree. To sum it up: I don't need or want game developers sending me their bias messages through the games I play, and neither should any gamer.
There were also questions being asked about game development being considered an art. Ernest Adams, founder of the International Game Developers Association and author of "Will Games Ever Become a Legitimate Art Form?", believes that games lack "key elements" and that they need "to make any statement other than 'Let's have fun.'" This concept is just downright wrong. Video games are a source of entertainment, not some outlet for people like DeMaria and Adams to convey their ideas. Who cares if video game development is considered an art form or not? Is it really that big of a deal if it isn't? I think people like Adams are getting too caught up in their quest for self fulfillment that they are missing the mark. "To be an art, work must be more than merely
entertaining, it must contain ideas," concluded Adams. If I want to see "ideas" I'll go to an art gallery, if I want to be entertained I'll play video games. GG.
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John @ Educational Software Sales
posted 2/03/10 @ 8:41 AM EST
Compulsive video gaming is a modern-day disorder that experts tell. The more time you spent on the computer playing video games. It my result to a point that it my affect your social relationships. (Continued…)
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