Forked Thread: "The Death of the Imagination" re: World of Warcraft

[apoptosis]

I do want to make it clear that i have no horse in the race about violence, addiction and video games but am trying to decipher the studies to see where the data leads.

I personally love violent video games.

 

[Jack99]

The expression "World of Warcrack" is widely used for a reason. Many, many people experience the same thing.

Odd, that's the first time I have heard it. Plagiarism of "Evercrack" perhahps? Must be relatively new, as it has less google-hits than Evercrack, and what, about 50 times as many users?

Actually, now that I think about it, it is proof that WoW players are unimaginative. I mean, couldn't they have come up with something original, instead of copy-catting Evercrack?




Cheers

 

[The Little Raven]

I do want to make it clear that i have no horse in the race about violence, addiction and video games but am trying to decipher the studies to see where the data leads.

Anything in excess leads to problems. Remember, some freakshow watched Taxi Driver a ton of times and "loved" Jodie Foster so much that he attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan. However, only a fool would believe that it was the movie or the actress' fault it happened. Pretty much any situation where something "causes" someone to do something (video games, movies, TV, books, religion, music), it's discovered that there are pre-existing deep-seated problems that contribute far more to the situation than the supposed catalyst.

 

[Mustrum_Ridcully]

Associated with higher aggression, or shown to cause higher aggression? Remember that correlation does not imply causation. I haven't read these studies you allude to, but my first thought is "perhaps aggressive people like violent games more?"

Or is it "when I am buy doing (pretended) violence, I am more aggressive?"

If I go out jogging, my heart rate goes up. If i stop, my heart is still pumping fast for a while. Does this mean sports lead to a higher heart rate?

The question that really needs an answer is what are the long-term effects.

The strongest rationale I have seen for negative effects that any time spent gaming alone means not being socializing. And if most of your time is spent gaming, you don't grow into a healthy social being. But this doesn't seem a video-game exclusive problem. If a child was solving crossword puzzles and sudokus all day, it should have the same effect.

 

[ThirdWizard]

Pretty much any situation where something "causes" someone to do something (video games, movies, TV, books, religion, music), it's discovered that there are pre-existing deep-seated problems that contribute far more to the situation than the supposed catalyst.

As Dungeons & Dragons players, we should all be painfully aware of this fact.

 

[apoptosis]

Anything in excess leads to problems. Remember, some freakshow watched Taxi Driver a ton of times and "loved" Jodie Foster so much that he attempted to assassinate Ronald Reagan. However, only a fool would believe that it was the movie or the actress' fault it happened. Pretty much any situation where something "causes" someone to do something (video games, movies, TV, books, religion, music), it's discovered that there are pre-existing deep-seated problems that contribute far more to the situation than the supposed catalyst.

The need for some sort of predisposition (or probably several factors that predispose towards a certain behavior) is definitely well known. But the 2 scenarios (violent video games and jodie foster movies) are not similar phenomena.

There is definitely a difference between a specific movie or actress and the general category of say violent video games. These games do tend in the short run at least to heighten some aggressive behaviors and physiological responses (frankly playing sports can also cause such responses).

Generally speaking Jodie Foster movies probably don't do this (the effect of Jodie Foster movies on individuals has not been well researched).

This is not to say that video games are a cause but that they could possibly be a risk factor that could potentially contribute to this behavior. Given the existent data, while violent video games MAY play a role (inconclusive), genetic factors, early-life trauma, neurochemical factors etc. definitely play a much much stronger role in such behaviors.

 

[Mallus]

As Dungeons & Dragons players, we should all be painfully aware of this fact.

I am now painfully aware of the fact that I must have some deep-seated mental health issues that causes me to spend some of my leisure time pretending to be wuxia communist revolutionary and an obese French capitalist armed with a deadly wooden stick.

I suppose it could worse. I could play elves...

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Odd, that's the first time I have heard it. Plagiarism of "Evercrack" perhahps? Must be relatively new, as it has less google-hits than Evercrack, and what, about 50 times as many users?

EverQuest I also requires 50 times more grinding and other obsessive repetitive time commitments.

"Must ... sit ... in ... corner ... of ... Upper Guk ... and kill ... same ... six ... frogloks ... over ... and over ... and over ... and over ... all night ..."

 

[Jack99]

EverQuest I also requires 50 times more grinding and other obsessive repetitive time commitments.

"Must ... sit ... in ... corner ... of ... Upper Guk ... and kill ... same ... six ... frogloks ... over ... and over ... and over ... and over ... all night ..."

Sucky puller or crowded server?

 

[Whizbang Dustyboots]

Sucky puller or crowded server?

Crowded server, back in the day.

Besides, there was no benefit to moving around, once you got the "right camp," and every reason not to, since someone else would swipe it from you if you left.