Will his eyes well up with tears, or will he see it as another redundant recreation, just another level in a game he’s long since mastered? Does he know that these stories are real?...etc.
My first reaction is to say that our kids will become desensitized to it and only see it as a game, not a learning tool for history. But, I'm also 42, so what the heck do I know?
Did you talk to your nephew about any of this? I just talked to my 14 year old son about it and he laughed and said they don't "learn" about history from the games, but they know the difference between the games, the movies and what really happened. Or some kids do, anyway -- and some don't.
And then I kind of got a look that said...Duh.
:)
I think one problem with the video games is that kids are off alone playing them all the time and parents tend to tune them out. When, if they're really into this sort of game, it's a perfect opportunity to start a discussion of history between parent and child. Or uncle and nephew.
Just like how we benefited from hearing the WWII veterans discuss how accurate the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan were.
Great post, Tony. And you are a good writer.
But, that doesn't mean Watson's still not certifiably insane. :)
commercial bin cleaning
· 2 months ago
I can't help but to agree with blue girl, many children now are so hooked up in video games, but what are the good benefits can they get with this games, anyways saving private Ryan was definitely a good movie
Tom Watson
· 2 years ago
I am a bit loopy, but it has nothing to do with inviting the versatile and erudite Tony A. to post here - he's got a good viewpoint that adds well to the mix. My kids play these games; moreover, I sometimes play them. The realism they attain is amazing; and more and more, they aim to tell a story. Tonight, my 12-year-old was playing COD3 and I listened to a cut scene, with references to Patton and Eisenhower. Hmm. He's a history buff too. And I think they do know the difference - last night coming from the scout meeting, I had 4 young boys in the car, all talking about Iraq and they really seemed to understand quite a bit - about the loss and sacrifice, that is. The 13-year-old in the car said something like, "what people don't realize is how many wounded we have - that's the crazy part." This was the same kid I'd seen a week earlier squealing with glee as he dismembered a digital enemy with a hand grenade. A great post Tony - and real food for thought.
Mike lewis
· 2 years ago
I'm a younger user and although i don't play video games as much as your Tom, i do love them - specifically Halo which is a first-person shooter. While it is more graphic than other games, they are also more fun. I have friends who have gone to iraq (where LOTS of video games are played btw) who have experienced horrific events. I can safely say that their video game experience is nothing like an actual war experience. If it brings us non-soldiers closer to the actual events, that may be good in helping us understand. And again, this is all second-hand, but while i do think video games are closer than past games to actual war, it is still NOWHERE near the reality.
Brendan Tween
· 2 years ago
I'd like to add the youthful perspective, if I may. Being a relative tenderfoot at 41, I think my perspective is a little closer to the ground in these matters. I believe that the overwhelming majority of kids that play these games know exactly what they're doing - gaming. There is an almost statistically irrelevant percentage that does not. But this stems from some mental condition - sociopathology, maybe - that would almost certainly manifest itself in some other way if the games didn't exist. Here's what I'd like to add as an important factor: drugs. By this I mean perfectly legal, wildly overused and misunderstood drugs like antidepressant and ADHD drugs. These "medicines" do, I believe, tip the balance in young minds, and bring the fantasy, consequence-less game violence, and the real world of school and neighborhood violence together. Kids whose minds are altered by SSRI drugs (and those like them), do not as easily distinguish between shooting a gun in a video game and shooting on at their classmates in school. There's a well known co-incidental component here: school shootings are carried out almost exclusively by kids on these meds. I feel certain, even though it's totally anecdotal, that violent games figure largely into the equation as well.
As for your writing abilities, Tony: I didn't understand a word you wrote, I just deduced from the crystal clear comments of the translators Blue Girl and Tom W.
I hope this doesn't discourage you from trying. Perhaps after a few more generations of foreign-talking "Alvas" have lived here in America, you'll talk like a real one too. :)
Brendan Tween
· 2 years ago
Tony, in case my attempt at humor wasn't funny, let me clarify: I thought the post was really excellent!
Jason Chervokas
· 2 years ago
I think a lot of the handwringing about vid games is just anxiety. But I know the one brief period a few years ago, when I was asked to write about the games biz and I spent some weeks playing games, I found that the repeated, task-driven action that the games required took me into a very weird mental zone. It did'nt feel healthy, felt like Clockwork Orange.
But don't forget the profile of a hardcore gamer is a 38 year old white male, not a kid. (Which means the industry has real problems because it's not attracting enough new, younger players to grow, it's just selling more and more complex games to the same audience of aging gamers.)
Tony Alva
· 2 years ago
All good stuff... I'm comfortable with the fact that kids can seperate game vs. reality. I'm not one who thinks 'Doom' created Columbine, or Judas Priest compelled some kid to murder. My uneasiness is making a game of this particular historic event. To use an extreme example, think "9/11, The Game". It just doesn't feel right to me that D-Day has been use as a baseline for a game for kids or adults to 'play'.
It feels uncomfortable to me.
jackson
· 2 years ago
Type your comment here.
Sheesh Alva! Bang Bang Boom Boom, just like Rock n' Roll.
I have not developed 'Nintendo Thumbs', as I call it, either. I think we missed that generational window.
I talked to George about this issue, and he said that his armies have surrounded your armies, and that surrender is not an option.
Who doesn't like to
Don Vittooo
· 2 years ago
( lol i have horrible spelling)
But i personally think that its a either or, when the question is asked about what the effect these type of games have on children these days. Some effects are good meaning they learn about histroic battles, or they go off and mistreat people just to be able to reenact what the just played.
Also i grew up in love with War movies plastic army soldiers, and acting as if they were actually alive i use to play war with them, like any body will do at that age.
It had no bad effect on me, because one of my friends is a USMC marine and over in Iraq as i typem and submit this comment.
Basically what im trying to say, is that it creats different effects on different people and kids.
luz
· 2 years ago
ok im 13 and i dont look at it as just killing killing killing!! and i dont think these games have affect on me as making me want to do anything like what you mentioned. Not to sound conceeded but i am very intelligent to and get straight A's and i to enjoy video games. But maybe i look at it different beacause im really into history and i study a lot of wars. It really intrest me to learn about things like this. Maybe because i also want to be in the military nyself. But anyways, the point being when i play games like this i dont look at it saying, "oh yea im going to mow these nazis down", when i play a game i look at its historical facts. To see if they got important things right. If the equipment and units are right. To see if they got their facts and settings and everything straight and maybe thats because im a history buff. But i dont look at games ad go oh sweet i like this game because theres killing and gore. Again im 13 and that is my opinion and point of view. (sorry if there was any grammar mistakes)
Hordie
· 2 years ago
Actully SOME games are historically accurate. Wtaching my 13 year old son play most of his historical war games and they do recreate fairly well most battles in mainly world war two history. Even though this does not recreate the emotions and the suffering of those veterans. If he had a chance to put the games back in time into real events then he could learn somting.
tidal
· 1 year ago
?
Onlinespiele
· 4 months ago
The scientists have made many tests and have proven that children cannot distinguish between real and virtual world. So I think such games have a negative impact to children. I am not sure about players that are 13 years old.
All Comments
My first reaction is to say that our kids will become desensitized to it and only see it as a game, not a learning tool for history. But, I'm also 42, so what the heck do I know?
Did you talk to your nephew about any of this? I just talked to my 14 year old son about it and he laughed and said they don't "learn" about history from the games, but they know the difference between the games, the movies and what really happened. Or some kids do, anyway -- and some don't.
And then I kind of got a look that said...Duh.
:)
I think one problem with the video games is that kids are off alone playing them all the time and parents tend to tune them out. When, if they're really into this sort of game, it's a perfect opportunity to start a discussion of history between parent and child. Or uncle and nephew.
Just like how we benefited from hearing the WWII veterans discuss how accurate the first 20 minutes of Saving Private Ryan were.
Great post, Tony. And you are a good writer.
But, that doesn't mean Watson's still not certifiably insane. :)
My kids play these games; moreover, I sometimes play them. The realism they attain is amazing; and more and more, they aim to tell a story. Tonight, my 12-year-old was playing COD3 and I listened to a cut scene, with references to Patton and Eisenhower. Hmm. He's a history buff too.
And I think they do know the difference - last night coming from the scout meeting, I had 4 young boys in the car, all talking about Iraq and they really seemed to understand quite a bit - about the loss and sacrifice, that is. The 13-year-old in the car said something like, "what people don't realize is how many wounded we have - that's the crazy part."
This was the same kid I'd seen a week earlier squealing with glee as he dismembered a digital enemy with a hand grenade.
A great post Tony - and real food for thought.
I have friends who have gone to iraq (where LOTS of video games are played btw) who have experienced horrific events. I can safely say that their video game experience is nothing like an actual war experience. If it brings us non-soldiers closer to the actual events, that may be good in helping us understand. And again, this is all second-hand, but while i do think video games are closer than past games to actual war, it is still NOWHERE near the reality.
I believe that the overwhelming majority of kids that play these games know exactly what they're doing - gaming.
There is an almost statistically irrelevant percentage that does not. But this stems from some mental condition - sociopathology, maybe - that would almost certainly manifest itself in some other way if the games didn't exist.
Here's what I'd like to add as an important factor: drugs.
By this I mean perfectly legal, wildly overused and misunderstood drugs like antidepressant and ADHD drugs.
These "medicines" do, I believe, tip the balance in young minds, and bring the fantasy, consequence-less game violence, and the real world of school and neighborhood violence together.
Kids whose minds are altered by SSRI drugs (and those like them), do not as easily distinguish between shooting a gun in a video game and shooting on at their classmates in school.
There's a well known co-incidental component here: school shootings are carried out almost exclusively by kids on these meds. I feel certain, even though it's totally anecdotal, that violent games figure largely into the equation as well.
As for your writing abilities, Tony: I didn't understand a word you wrote, I just deduced from the crystal clear comments of the translators Blue Girl and Tom W.
I hope this doesn't discourage you from trying. Perhaps after a few more generations of foreign-talking "Alvas" have lived here in America, you'll talk like a real one too.
:)
But don't forget the profile of a hardcore gamer is a 38 year old white male, not a kid. (Which means the industry has real problems because it's not attracting enough new, younger players to grow, it's just selling more and more complex games to the same audience of aging gamers.)
It feels uncomfortable to me.
Sheesh Alva! Bang Bang Boom Boom, just like Rock n' Roll.
I have not developed 'Nintendo Thumbs', as I call it, either. I think we missed that generational window.
I talked to George about this issue, and he said that his armies have surrounded your armies, and that surrender is not an option.
Who doesn't like to
But i personally think that its a either or, when the question is asked about what the effect these type of games have on children these days.
Some effects are good meaning they learn about histroic battles, or they go off and mistreat people just to be able to reenact what the just
played.
Also i grew up in love with War movies plastic army soldiers, and acting as if they were actually alive i use to play war with them, like any body will do at that age.
It had no bad effect on me, because one of my friends is a USMC marine and over in Iraq as i typem and submit this comment.
Basically what im trying to say, is that it creats different effects on different people and kids.