Part 1:
Advantages for using video games and Virtual Worlds as learning uides is that they can create social interaction between students with similar interests. They also encourage higher level thinking and enhance kids reaction time. A constraint to using video games for learning is that some students may continue to think of the game as just a game for their entertainment.
Part 2:
I learned that whenever I am playing a video game they are more then just some source of entertainment. There are issues behind each game, moreso online computer games because of the use of the internet. More people can access the games online and they are more simple for people to play. I have also learned how video games have been criticized about the amount of violence and that no one really noticed until recently that there can be a lot of good which comes from video games.
Another thing that caught my attention while learning about video games, especially the online multiplayer games is that they can become an addiction just like gambling, smoking and drinking.
Serious games are not as concerned with how they look than with what they are trying to explain. Serious games are more concerned with the message behind the actual gameplay. Small messages pop up through the gameplay that make the player aware of what the game is representing. For example, Darfur is Dying, Ayiti: The Cost of Life, and Hurricane Katrina: Tempest in Crescent City are all concerned with the issue of poverty.
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Monday, June 1, 2009
Task 9
I have learned that video games can be used as another means of expressing issues that exist in the real world. My understanding of virtual worlds has not changed at all through this course. I still find virtual world games like second life completely different then what real life is like. However, I can now see why people would use games like second life to escape from their actual life. It is a fantasy and they can be whoever they want to be without anyone judging them by what they actually look like in real life. I still don't understand why people get so involved in games like these. from my own experience playing second life, I can play it and leave it on the computer without a care in the world about what happens to my character in the game. I had people judge me based on my character in the game. It feels wierd because that is not me. Second Life and games like it are all on a 2 dimensional surface that can break down at anytime. Real life is completely 3 dimensional and playing second life maybe like living a fantasy life but it is also living a lie to. It is an addiction just like gambling and smoking.
I have learned that even playing a game there is always a message behind it. No matter what platform the video game is on, whether it is Playstation or the computer there are issues surrounding the game such as gender, identity and race.
Part 2:
Some concluding thoughts for my paper are that video games being online can make everyone aware in any country about cultural and social issues in other countries. By playing these games people can become educated and understand life in specific countries in certain situations. Players can also learn how hard it is to live in poverty. For example when I played Ayiti I kept going in debt after each year and 4 of the family members died because the strategy I was using did not provide the family with enough money for treatment.
I have learned that even playing a game there is always a message behind it. No matter what platform the video game is on, whether it is Playstation or the computer there are issues surrounding the game such as gender, identity and race.
Part 2:
Some concluding thoughts for my paper are that video games being online can make everyone aware in any country about cultural and social issues in other countries. By playing these games people can become educated and understand life in specific countries in certain situations. Players can also learn how hard it is to live in poverty. For example when I played Ayiti I kept going in debt after each year and 4 of the family members died because the strategy I was using did not provide the family with enough money for treatment.
Thursday, May 28, 2009
Task 8
I would have to say that watching video games is different then being a fan of sports or watching a movie. I think that to get any excitement out of of video games you have to be playing them. There have been sometimes where I have watch someone playing a video game, more specifically a sports game. What caught my attention was how real it looked. When I first glanced at it I thought that it was an actual game being televised on the t.v. What made it seem more of a video game then a televised game was when I saw two players run through each other and that the ball went through the wall and it counted as a home run, instead of bouncing back off the wall.
Part 2- The most dominant type of media that expresses global issues worldwide is television. However, recently there is a new way to express global issues and that is in online video games such as Ayiti. Ayiti is a game that brings social and cultural issues about Haiti to the video game world.
1. Being a game on the internet makes it accessable worldwide
- Talk about who is able to play this game
- Talk about why this game is online rather than on a console
2. It represents real problems in Haiti
- I will connect the real issues in Haiti to the issues raised in the game. The biggest one being poverty
3. The message of the game is more important than the graphics
- I will talk about the gameplay. How the characters move, what to look for, the graphics. More importantly I will discuss the message in which the game is trying to convey to its audience.
Being as accessible as it is online, anyone of any age can play this video game. It is very simple to play and the message it is conveying is very straight forward. Even though the graphics are not exceptional it is very easy to tell that this game deals with the issue of poverty.
Part 2- The most dominant type of media that expresses global issues worldwide is television. However, recently there is a new way to express global issues and that is in online video games such as Ayiti. Ayiti is a game that brings social and cultural issues about Haiti to the video game world.
1. Being a game on the internet makes it accessable worldwide
- Talk about who is able to play this game
- Talk about why this game is online rather than on a console
2. It represents real problems in Haiti
- I will connect the real issues in Haiti to the issues raised in the game. The biggest one being poverty
3. The message of the game is more important than the graphics
- I will talk about the gameplay. How the characters move, what to look for, the graphics. More importantly I will discuss the message in which the game is trying to convey to its audience.
Being as accessible as it is online, anyone of any age can play this video game. It is very simple to play and the message it is conveying is very straight forward. Even though the graphics are not exceptional it is very easy to tell that this game deals with the issue of poverty.
Tuesday, May 26, 2009
Task 7
I have not joined any online communities. The reason I probably haven't joined an online community is because it would just be another distraction on the computer when I am trying to do other work. I would rather meet people in real life than over online communities. I find the internet to be very public. There may be firewalls and other security measures taken to secure sites from creepy people, but there is always a way around everything. It is just the matter of finding it. It is also harder for people to lie in person. Yes people do lie in person, but they can only lie so much. Facial expressions play a huge part in communication. I would rather meet friends in person then online, but that's just me.
I would say that virtual communities can be real communities because it is a place where different people can come together with a common interest. They can chat with one another and share their ideas with one another. The difference between virtual communities and real communities is that there is no sense of physical presence of an actual being in an online community.
The benefits of being in communities is that people can socialize with one another about similar interests. When someone is in a community, they feel like they belong to something.
Part 2:
Thesis Statement- Video Games are a new way of expressing global issues to the youth of modern day society.
I would say that virtual communities can be real communities because it is a place where different people can come together with a common interest. They can chat with one another and share their ideas with one another. The difference between virtual communities and real communities is that there is no sense of physical presence of an actual being in an online community.
The benefits of being in communities is that people can socialize with one another about similar interests. When someone is in a community, they feel like they belong to something.
Part 2:
Thesis Statement- Video Games are a new way of expressing global issues to the youth of modern day society.
Thursday, May 21, 2009
Task 6
The game that I have chosen to write about is MLB 09 which is obviously a sports game. Every character in this video game is male. From the players on the team, to the broadcasters voice commentating during the game. There is not a single aspect of this game which involves women in any sort of way.
This game is similar to some of the online computer games because the player can create a character from scratch. However, the only choice is male, but the player can adjust any aspect of the avatar from eye position to weight and height.
In this game race is not really an issue. It is more about being realistic and making sure that it incorporates all the players in real life baseball. In real life baseball their are numerous players from different parts of the western world, from South America to Canada. That being said, any male of any race could relate to the game. Even with the avatars that the gamer can create because of all the different skin colours to choose from.
Part 2:
Totilo, Stephen. (2006). Can Social-Change Video Games Tackle Divorce, Poverty, Genocide?
Retrieved May 21, 2009, from
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1535474/20060629/index.jhtml?headlines=true
The article from this website talks about how people think that video games are incredibly violent. Then it goes on to talk about all the good games which are accessable online, which resemble problems in everyday life such as families dealing with poverty, families dealing with divorce, solving major problems between two opposing countries. I would use this article in my paper to support the message which the game provides to the gamers playing it about actual events in the real world.
Dill, Karen. (2007). Video Game Characters and the Socialization of Gender Roles: Young People’s Perceptions Mirror Sexist Media Depictions. Journal of Sex Roles, 57: 851-864. Retrieved May 21, 2009, from http://www.springerlink.com/content/d7667776258nt866/fulltext.pdf?page=1
This article focuses on the portrayal of gender roles in video games. I can use this article in my essay by explaining the roles of each gender in the game Ayiti. There are not specific roles for each gender. the player can choose which gender does what task, whether it is working on the local farm or being educated.
Entertainment Software Association. (n.d.). Video games and social issues. Retrieved May 21, 2009, from http://www.theesa.com/gamesindailylife/social_issues.pdf.
This article talks about the video game industry being a new way to connect to the public in the 21st century. It is a way to explain to young teenagers and those unable to travel to poverty stricken countries, the continuing issues going on in other countries accross the globe. I can incorporate this article into my paper when I talk about the social interaction created by video games in recent years.
Dill, Karen. (2006-2009). Gender and Race on the Screen. Retrieved May 21, 2009, from http://www.education.com/reference/article/gender-race-screen/.
This article touches on both the issues of Race and Gender in video screens. It says that women of colour are almost completely non-existent in video games and that video games have typical stereotypes of each race. The black men in the games are criminals and gangsters compared to the white who are more dominant in heroic roles. The part I plan to use in my paper from this article is near the beginning when it talks about the role of women in real life as housewives and how they are viewed in video games now as objects.
This game is similar to some of the online computer games because the player can create a character from scratch. However, the only choice is male, but the player can adjust any aspect of the avatar from eye position to weight and height.
In this game race is not really an issue. It is more about being realistic and making sure that it incorporates all the players in real life baseball. In real life baseball their are numerous players from different parts of the western world, from South America to Canada. That being said, any male of any race could relate to the game. Even with the avatars that the gamer can create because of all the different skin colours to choose from.
Part 2:
Totilo, Stephen. (2006). Can Social-Change Video Games Tackle Divorce, Poverty, Genocide?
Retrieved May 21, 2009, from
http://www.mtv.com/news/articles/1535474/20060629/index.jhtml?headlines=true
The article from this website talks about how people think that video games are incredibly violent. Then it goes on to talk about all the good games which are accessable online, which resemble problems in everyday life such as families dealing with poverty, families dealing with divorce, solving major problems between two opposing countries. I would use this article in my paper to support the message which the game provides to the gamers playing it about actual events in the real world.
Dill, Karen. (2007). Video Game Characters and the Socialization of Gender Roles: Young People’s Perceptions Mirror Sexist Media Depictions. Journal of Sex Roles, 57: 851-864. Retrieved May 21, 2009, from http://www.springerlink.com/content/d7667776258nt866/fulltext.pdf?page=1
This article focuses on the portrayal of gender roles in video games. I can use this article in my essay by explaining the roles of each gender in the game Ayiti. There are not specific roles for each gender. the player can choose which gender does what task, whether it is working on the local farm or being educated.
Entertainment Software Association. (n.d.). Video games and social issues. Retrieved May 21, 2009, from http://www.theesa.com/gamesindailylife/social_issues.pdf.
This article talks about the video game industry being a new way to connect to the public in the 21st century. It is a way to explain to young teenagers and those unable to travel to poverty stricken countries, the continuing issues going on in other countries accross the globe. I can incorporate this article into my paper when I talk about the social interaction created by video games in recent years.
Dill, Karen. (2006-2009). Gender and Race on the Screen. Retrieved May 21, 2009, from http://www.education.com/reference/article/gender-race-screen/.
This article touches on both the issues of Race and Gender in video screens. It says that women of colour are almost completely non-existent in video games and that video games have typical stereotypes of each race. The black men in the games are criminals and gangsters compared to the white who are more dominant in heroic roles. The part I plan to use in my paper from this article is near the beginning when it talks about the role of women in real life as housewives and how they are viewed in video games now as objects.
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Task 5
Participatory Culture has become the popular thing for online gaming in the recent years. Based on the reading by Sotamaa, participatory culture plays a huge role in character modification. The article also talks about rendering gameplay maps and modifying how weapons are used in online games. The most popular aspesct of particpatory culture is that the gamer has conrtol of what he or she wants to do in the game. For example with online games, players can create any character they want to, with choosing different skin tones and from a range of different types of clothes. This ties into our recent discussions of online identity. The reason being is that the characters which people create using different skin tones, weapons, etc. are creating their online identity with this character.
However this is not entirely the case in the article that talks about fantasy baseball. The only similarity between the two is that the gamer still has control over what he/she wants to do in the game. The gamer chooses the baseball players he/she would feel are the best players for their team and then manage the team through the season.
Task Two:
Another serious game I found under the same heading as Ayiti is Hurricane Katrina: Tempest in Crescent City. The gameplay in both of these games are completely different. In Ayiti the gamer controls a family of five and can choose what to do with any member of the family, whether it is to send them off to work, or become educated. Whereas in Hurricane Katrina the gamer can only be one person and has to go through the game in a certain pattern. Unlike Ayiti, the gamer has no control over the objective of the game. Both games raise the issue of social awareness but I would have to say that Ayiti is the better game overall based on the style of gameplay. It is more strategic than Hurricane Katrina and there is more action going on that the gamer has to be aware of.
However this is not entirely the case in the article that talks about fantasy baseball. The only similarity between the two is that the gamer still has control over what he/she wants to do in the game. The gamer chooses the baseball players he/she would feel are the best players for their team and then manage the team through the season.
Task Two:
Another serious game I found under the same heading as Ayiti is Hurricane Katrina: Tempest in Crescent City. The gameplay in both of these games are completely different. In Ayiti the gamer controls a family of five and can choose what to do with any member of the family, whether it is to send them off to work, or become educated. Whereas in Hurricane Katrina the gamer can only be one person and has to go through the game in a certain pattern. Unlike Ayiti, the gamer has no control over the objective of the game. Both games raise the issue of social awareness but I would have to say that Ayiti is the better game overall based on the style of gameplay. It is more strategic than Hurricane Katrina and there is more action going on that the gamer has to be aware of.
Wednesday, May 13, 2009
task 4
Part 1:
I ended up choosing to (hypothetically) play Everquest 2. I chose to play this game over WOW because it was my first choice.
The race I chose was dwarfs because the description of them applied to what I belive I would be like if I were to ever be in a war. What appealed to me was the description of the dwarfs. Even though they are dwarfs no one should ever underestimate them or judge them based on there height. They can always surprise the enemy on what capabilities they have.
The class I chose to be was a beserker. The reason being is that if I were to ever be in a battle or war I would want to be the one on the front lines trying to kill as many enemies as I possibly could. What appealed to me at first was the type of armour the beserker was wearing. The second thing which appealed to me was the description of what a beserker does in battle. He is the one at the front of the army. I hate seeing in movies the general of the army sitting at the back of the batallion on his horse sending in all his men to die.
If I were to name my character, he would be called Des Troy (Destroy). The type of personality my character would have is anti-social and is very blunt. He doesn't care what anyone thinks. He takes his own orders within boundaries.
Not all of this is related to my real life identity. I'm actually very gentle, nice and sociable. The description matches more of my identity when someone pisses me off.
I do not have an avatar at all. If I ever were to have an avatar in a virtual world I would not be concerned at all about the appearance or personality of the avatar. If people in the virtual world want to judge my real life identity based on my avatar, that's there problem. Online gameplay is online gameplay. I don't live that life, I live my real life.
Part 2:
One theory that could apply to the discussion topics from my previous blog would be the narrative theory raised in Simons' article. It talks about how majority of games has a beginning and an end and that the players playing them know that. Well it's the same thing in real life, people know that there is a beginning to life on earth and that it eventually comes to an end. In the article it states that if something bad happens to a persons avatar in the game it will not happen in real life. This statement seperates the virtual world from the real world, however there are some similarities between virtual and real life. Both are a quest, the same person has goals in real life and has goals playing in the virtual world and you have to go through certain stages to reach them in both cases.
A second theory I would use is brought up in Taylors article dealing with Women and gaming. It says that video games are played predominately by men. The majority of game creators are men and the real world is predominately controlled by men. Women in the gaming world are looked at the same way in the real world, mainly as weaker than men are.
The strengths of both of these theories is that they point out the similarities between both worlds.
The weakness is that they can be contridicting and show how different the two worlds are from each other.
I ended up choosing to (hypothetically) play Everquest 2. I chose to play this game over WOW because it was my first choice.
The race I chose was dwarfs because the description of them applied to what I belive I would be like if I were to ever be in a war. What appealed to me was the description of the dwarfs. Even though they are dwarfs no one should ever underestimate them or judge them based on there height. They can always surprise the enemy on what capabilities they have.
The class I chose to be was a beserker. The reason being is that if I were to ever be in a battle or war I would want to be the one on the front lines trying to kill as many enemies as I possibly could. What appealed to me at first was the type of armour the beserker was wearing. The second thing which appealed to me was the description of what a beserker does in battle. He is the one at the front of the army. I hate seeing in movies the general of the army sitting at the back of the batallion on his horse sending in all his men to die.
If I were to name my character, he would be called Des Troy (Destroy). The type of personality my character would have is anti-social and is very blunt. He doesn't care what anyone thinks. He takes his own orders within boundaries.
Not all of this is related to my real life identity. I'm actually very gentle, nice and sociable. The description matches more of my identity when someone pisses me off.
I do not have an avatar at all. If I ever were to have an avatar in a virtual world I would not be concerned at all about the appearance or personality of the avatar. If people in the virtual world want to judge my real life identity based on my avatar, that's there problem. Online gameplay is online gameplay. I don't live that life, I live my real life.
Part 2:
One theory that could apply to the discussion topics from my previous blog would be the narrative theory raised in Simons' article. It talks about how majority of games has a beginning and an end and that the players playing them know that. Well it's the same thing in real life, people know that there is a beginning to life on earth and that it eventually comes to an end. In the article it states that if something bad happens to a persons avatar in the game it will not happen in real life. This statement seperates the virtual world from the real world, however there are some similarities between virtual and real life. Both are a quest, the same person has goals in real life and has goals playing in the virtual world and you have to go through certain stages to reach them in both cases.
A second theory I would use is brought up in Taylors article dealing with Women and gaming. It says that video games are played predominately by men. The majority of game creators are men and the real world is predominately controlled by men. Women in the gaming world are looked at the same way in the real world, mainly as weaker than men are.
The strengths of both of these theories is that they point out the similarities between both worlds.
The weakness is that they can be contridicting and show how different the two worlds are from each other.
Monday, May 11, 2009
Task #3
The video game I have chosen to research is Grand Theft Auto 4. What I would like to know is what possessed the people who created this game to make it?
The theory I am using is that they wanted to create a game that would be a close representation of the real world. Or at the very least look as realistic as possible. This theory in my opinion seems the most probable for a game like this. If the graphics were not so realistic there would not be as huge of a fan base as there already is.
The research method I attempted to use for finding the answer to my question is going on google and typing in the reasons behind the making of Grand Theft Auto. Some limitations to this research approach are based on the lack of information given about the actual reason which caused the people to make the game. The information I have found through research pages about the game talk about making updates on the game based on the time of its release. The company updates the graphics and style of gameplay according to the restraints of the system and expectations of the gamers.
Some of the weaknesses to the theory I'm using are that it does not revolve around the interaction of people playing the game. Another weakness is that it is focused on the people or company who made the game and not the physicality of playing the game itself.
Part 2:
Some of the things I could talk about in my paper about the game are how it is played, the graphics of the game, what kind of social, cultural issues does the game raise. I could also talk about the concept of the game and what players have to be focused on throughout the game as they are playing. Issues that stand out in Ayiti is the struggle of life living in poverty or what making it through life. The message that I receive from playing this game is that it is a way to remind myself that even though this is a game there are people in the real world who live like this.
The theory I am using is that they wanted to create a game that would be a close representation of the real world. Or at the very least look as realistic as possible. This theory in my opinion seems the most probable for a game like this. If the graphics were not so realistic there would not be as huge of a fan base as there already is.
The research method I attempted to use for finding the answer to my question is going on google and typing in the reasons behind the making of Grand Theft Auto. Some limitations to this research approach are based on the lack of information given about the actual reason which caused the people to make the game. The information I have found through research pages about the game talk about making updates on the game based on the time of its release. The company updates the graphics and style of gameplay according to the restraints of the system and expectations of the gamers.
Some of the weaknesses to the theory I'm using are that it does not revolve around the interaction of people playing the game. Another weakness is that it is focused on the people or company who made the game and not the physicality of playing the game itself.
Part 2:
Some of the things I could talk about in my paper about the game are how it is played, the graphics of the game, what kind of social, cultural issues does the game raise. I could also talk about the concept of the game and what players have to be focused on throughout the game as they are playing. Issues that stand out in Ayiti is the struggle of life living in poverty or what making it through life. The message that I receive from playing this game is that it is a way to remind myself that even though this is a game there are people in the real world who live like this.
Thursday, May 7, 2009
task 2
The main focus of the early games was to make it available to everyone and to make video games competitive, like the man said in the video about pong, without a score it was no fun cause there was nothing to establish who one the game. It was a way to occupy teenagers so they would not be out vandalizing peoples property. The types of games that were created for the arcade were mainly one player games. But with pong the type of gameplay was multiplayer so that the people playing the game could interact with others.
Games and consoles are way more advanced now. Games are becoming much more realistic and are more complex. The games of the first five generations were way more simplified than the games of the past three generations. It all has to do with the enhanced graphics and the little details, such as facial expressions, muscles on the bodies, all the gadgets on guns, etc.
Games today provide more ways to interact than previous ones. The use of online gameplay gives gamers the opportunity to communicate with people across the globe. The focus of gameplay has not changed at all. Video games are still about being competitive with others and to try to be better at games than other people.
Part 2:
The that I have chosen to write my paper about is Ayiti. The reason why I have chosen this game is because it reminds me of other computer games that I enjoy playing such as the Sims and Age of Empires. It also reminds me of one of my favourite board games, which is the game of life. the concept of Ayiti is to be able to keep a family of five healthy for a certain amount of time and also sending them to school to be educated or into the work force. Ayiti was made by Global Kids and Gamelab and is for people ages 11 and up. It is a game like Age of Empires which involves mouse control.
http://www.gamesforchange.org/main/gameprof/685
Games and consoles are way more advanced now. Games are becoming much more realistic and are more complex. The games of the first five generations were way more simplified than the games of the past three generations. It all has to do with the enhanced graphics and the little details, such as facial expressions, muscles on the bodies, all the gadgets on guns, etc.
Games today provide more ways to interact than previous ones. The use of online gameplay gives gamers the opportunity to communicate with people across the globe. The focus of gameplay has not changed at all. Video games are still about being competitive with others and to try to be better at games than other people.
Part 2:
The that I have chosen to write my paper about is Ayiti. The reason why I have chosen this game is because it reminds me of other computer games that I enjoy playing such as the Sims and Age of Empires. It also reminds me of one of my favourite board games, which is the game of life. the concept of Ayiti is to be able to keep a family of five healthy for a certain amount of time and also sending them to school to be educated or into the work force. Ayiti was made by Global Kids and Gamelab and is for people ages 11 and up. It is a game like Age of Empires which involves mouse control.
http://www.gamesforchange.org/main/gameprof/685
Tuesday, May 5, 2009
Blog #1
My name is Patrick McCrudden and I am half Canadian and half Irish. I am a Film Studies major and I would be extremely happy to one day become a motion picture director. An interesting fact about myself is that I am related to Mr. Dressup which is pretty awesome! I have already one three Best Director awards for directing one act plays. One in which I attended the Sears Drama Festival which involved one act plays from numerous high schools in Ontario.
I am more into movies and sports than video games. However, I do play video games on a console when I have nothing better to do. The types of video games that I play are mostly sports games such as MLB 09 and NHL09. The reason why I play sports games is because it is a chanfe from the typical shooting games which I'll admit are fun to play as well, but I can only play them so much. I do not really have a favourite game but if I had to choose it would be MLB 09. The reason being is that it involves one of my favourite sports and that I can make the Blue Jays win the World Series every year.
I think that it is important to talk about virtual worlds, gaming, games, and gamers because video games can influence people who play them in negative ways. For example, the controversy around the grand theft auto series has had an impact on how society views these games as very violent and can influence young teenagers to repeat the actions in the games. However, the online gaming can be looked at in a positive way. It is another way to socialize with different people while remaining in the comfort of their own home.
I am more into movies and sports than video games. However, I do play video games on a console when I have nothing better to do. The types of video games that I play are mostly sports games such as MLB 09 and NHL09. The reason why I play sports games is because it is a chanfe from the typical shooting games which I'll admit are fun to play as well, but I can only play them so much. I do not really have a favourite game but if I had to choose it would be MLB 09. The reason being is that it involves one of my favourite sports and that I can make the Blue Jays win the World Series every year.
I think that it is important to talk about virtual worlds, gaming, games, and gamers because video games can influence people who play them in negative ways. For example, the controversy around the grand theft auto series has had an impact on how society views these games as very violent and can influence young teenagers to repeat the actions in the games. However, the online gaming can be looked at in a positive way. It is another way to socialize with different people while remaining in the comfort of their own home.
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