From the advent of the simple devices in the 1940s to modern consoles, video games have largely impacted our society. Their use has span from mere entertainment to teaching and in military training. They have evolved through the years with advances in technology and availability of cost effective hardware.
Pong by Atari in 1972 denotes the commencement of the arcade age. This period, in which arcades were very popular and widely used, ended in the early 1990s. Most gamers shifted to home consoles that allowed them to enjoy the gaming experience within the comfort of their houses.
Classification of modern video games divides them into three groups. PCs falls in the first category, where the mouse, keypad and computer screen are used in gaming. TV screens are used to display the action in console gaming, which makes up the second group. The third group, hand held devices, contain both the screen and control pad in a portable unit.
Motion based consoles have recently become popular with the introduction of Nintendo Wii. PlayStation Move and Xbox Kinect are a testament to this recent shift to more interactive and physical gaming. Modern consoles have internet capabilities as well, with the result being increased online gaming.
Many critics are, however, crying wolf over the increase in depictions of violence. They attribute violent behavior in children to their gaming habits. Repetitive strain injury, eye strain and bad posture have also been coined as the cons of gaming.
Developers and supporters agree that the latter three problems can arise from excessive gaming but refute the former claim. Research has proved the existence of a correlative relationship between violent gaming and aggressive behavior, but no proof exists of a causal relationship. While one can argue that violent gaming can lead to aggression, it may also be argued that aggressive people like violent gaming. Ratings of games also exist to protect children from exposure to extremely violent material.
Gamers have also shown an improvement of hand-eye coordination and visual acuity. Problem solving skills have also been improved as a result of gaming that requires the gamer to find solutions within the game play. Gaming is a very social activity, and with the online platform in place, it may be considered a globalization tool.
Video games are not to be considered children's toys only. Statistics show that the average age of a gamer is 34 years. Most people at one time or another have played them. Join the wave. Be a gamer.
Pong by Atari in 1972 denotes the commencement of the arcade age. This period, in which arcades were very popular and widely used, ended in the early 1990s. Most gamers shifted to home consoles that allowed them to enjoy the gaming experience within the comfort of their houses.
Classification of modern video games divides them into three groups. PCs falls in the first category, where the mouse, keypad and computer screen are used in gaming. TV screens are used to display the action in console gaming, which makes up the second group. The third group, hand held devices, contain both the screen and control pad in a portable unit.
Motion based consoles have recently become popular with the introduction of Nintendo Wii. PlayStation Move and Xbox Kinect are a testament to this recent shift to more interactive and physical gaming. Modern consoles have internet capabilities as well, with the result being increased online gaming.
Many critics are, however, crying wolf over the increase in depictions of violence. They attribute violent behavior in children to their gaming habits. Repetitive strain injury, eye strain and bad posture have also been coined as the cons of gaming.
Developers and supporters agree that the latter three problems can arise from excessive gaming but refute the former claim. Research has proved the existence of a correlative relationship between violent gaming and aggressive behavior, but no proof exists of a causal relationship. While one can argue that violent gaming can lead to aggression, it may also be argued that aggressive people like violent gaming. Ratings of games also exist to protect children from exposure to extremely violent material.
Gamers have also shown an improvement of hand-eye coordination and visual acuity. Problem solving skills have also been improved as a result of gaming that requires the gamer to find solutions within the game play. Gaming is a very social activity, and with the online platform in place, it may be considered a globalization tool.
Video games are not to be considered children's toys only. Statistics show that the average age of a gamer is 34 years. Most people at one time or another have played them. Join the wave. Be a gamer.
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