The Future Of Gaming Is In Their Hands...

[ApaFox]

Saw something interesting today that I wish to share...


I was working at my dead end job shoe store the other day, walking around in circles while trying to pretend I gave a crap, when a mother and three of her lil ones strolled in. The youngest in a stroller(looked about 5 or 6) while her middle and eldest walk along on each side.

As I "worked" I noticed the middle and youngest had each a Nintendo DS, but I thought "Prally playin' some Cars or maybe even Spider-Man." .... you know what I mean, right? Anyway, being the curious type, I walked over to take a peek. To my surprise, each were playing a arousing game of NEW Super Mario Bros. They were concentrating to each his own game. Made no fuss, and even followed mommy around the store as though following some kind of radar since it appeared that their faces never left the screen. "I good game to start an expensive hobby with." I thought.

With kids these days now being Halo-holics(don't get me wrong, fun game), blasting, shooting and dropping more F-bombs then grenades. Playing Grand Theft Auto on the PSP( really happened, some twelve year old playing GTA while mommy went shopping), it makes me wonder... are gamer kids just ganna grow up only know how to kill-kill-kill, shoot-shoot-shoot without knowing their roots? Without knowing the good ol' games that made it possible to earn those achievement points for shoot x amount of people in under five minutes?

I donno... It's just a thought going through my head and really just felt like typing it out.

Thoughts? Maybe a story of your own?

I donno, just puttin' it out there...

[Mr Aids]

I do not approve of this. At all. I can just see the average IQ of the population dropping with each generation.

Some games require thinking from the player, and maybe this would help with their intelligence. There are some puzzle games out there that challenge the player, but these are not popular. No, the games with violence, sex and the majority of the words starting with the letter 'f' are the big hits. This is not setting a good example to children, and are likely to display inappropriate behaviour, including criminal actions. Factors are more of an influence to a person's personality during childhood than adulthood, so I can only see things going downhill from here.

As a child, I did play video games, but I would also read a lot, and engage in creative activities such as writing and drawing. I probably have that to thank for me not turning out like a complete dumbass.

[avian-reader]

I play video games for their plotlines, which is why I'm loving Persona 3.

But I have to admit, I take a lot of pleasure from any game where I can watch guys squirm in pain when I crotch-shot them. I also love Metal Slug.

Although, to be honest, I can't see the point in Grand Theft Auto, I find it really boring; as far as Rockstar games go, I prefer Max Payne and Canis Canem Edit.

[Seven Rain]

I pray to every god of every religion everyday that children don't have to face a grim future of generic clones and boring plots that try making up for bad ideas with swearing.
I pray that kids don't really think Natal and motion control in the place of actual controllers or online-only play are the future of gaming.
I pray that they realize how important the past of gaming is, and where it's roots lie.
I pray that they know the difference between "Best" game and "Favorite" game.

I still have hope in the future, but only if we gamers make it our job to show the newer generations what true gaming is...
And even more important... Not to ARGUE over what real gaming is, and to accept all opinions.
I think that's what will ultimately decide the future integrity of gaming. Knowing how to respect opinions and remember where it all started.
Honestly, I don't care if kids play generic games with bad plots and obscenity, as long as they realize it's only a small part of what makes up the gaming world.



In summation; I don't disapprove of stuff like GTA, (in fact, I love Vice City and GTAIV,) but I disapprove of people not knowing the importance of gaming's roots.

[avian-reader]

Well I guess the question now isn't "are videogames an art form?" but "are videogames a religion?"

I guess I'll just second pretty much everything Seven Rain just said.

[Seven Rain]

I'd probably start a Video Game religion...
...If I wasn't too busy sitting around playing Video Games.

[tezzle]

This is why I stick with Nintendo. I mean, the Wii can't even handle most crazy big fancy violent kill-kill-kill games the X-Box Live twerps play online all day until a new one comes out & they practically burn the old game and never ever play it again because "DEWD! Screw Halo 2! GOW, man!" "DEWD! You still play GOW? F***ing HALO 3!" "Come on, bro, COD4!" "GOW2!" Uuuuuuugh. THEY ONLY BOTHER PLAYING STORY MODES FOR ACHIEVEMENTS!

Sorry, I got a bit carried away...Yeah. I don't play those games. I'm not even good at them. Even a lot of old games I suck at. Anyway, as far as remembering your video game roots goes, youth these days sees the past as basically inferior, regardless of the medium. They're ignorant and stupid and one can only hope this changes with age. Sometimes it does...sometimes.

[avian-reader]

I think society in general seems to have a tendency for acting like past generations and civilisations were inferior and stupid. I find the people that behave like that arrogant and very annoying.

[TerminalMontage]

The future of gaming already came.



On a related note, it's tough being a parent now, and everyone seems to be getting lazier, so anything with a TV on it keeps the kids quiet.
And that's how the media gains control of your children. They have so much power, and the people playing and watching these things are completely oblivious to it. We live in a sad, sad time, and most people don't even realize it.

[avian-reader]

We live in a sad, sad time, and most people don't even realize it.

Maybe it's better that they don't know, that way they can have happier lives, despite it being a sad time.

[TerminalMontage]

Yes Ignorance is bliss.
But they've gotta fight the power maaaaaan. They aren't as free as they are led to believe.

[avian-reader]

But why must they fight? They are content.

What right have you or I to take away their contentment? If we don't like what's going on, surely we should fight alone, and not take away what happiness the do have?

If they feel free, then surely they're as free as they ever can be? We could have no oppressors, and yet feel trapped, and therefore not truly be free. Cannot this work in reverse?

[tezzle]

But why must they fight? They are content.

What right have you or I to take away their contentment? If we don't like what's going on, surely we should fight alone, and not take away what happiness the do have?

If they feel free, then surely they're as free as they ever can be? We could have no oppressors, and yet feel trapped, and therefore not truly be free. Cannot this work in reverse?

Okay, this went from videogames to...whatever this is. Let's get back on topic...video games SUCK now.

I've got a new topic to bring to the table: Every console seems to rely on a few big games every year, while releasing only mediocre or crappy games in between. Agree? Disagree? Or should we just go back into debating human's rights to the truth of their crappy lives?

[SuperBiasedMan]

Let's get back on topic...video games SUCK now.

I've got a new topic to bring to the table: Every console seems to rely on a few big games every year, while releasing only mediocre or crappy games in between. Agree? Disagree? Or should we just go back into debating human's rights to the truth of their crappy lives?

Well, yeah. But the same can be said for film, TV, music etc.
The thing is the cheap 'popular' rubbish (this doesn't mean everything popular is rubbish) earns a lot of money for the companies so they can then put this money into their quality work.
Although, the problem is too many quality games are now generic shooting games with no personality or appeal other than one-upmanship.

Wait, which side was I arguing?

[Izkata]

Well I guess the question now isn't "are videogames an art form?" but "are videogames a religion?"

You don't know about Wintereenmas?