Read:
Helen Thornton, (2009). Claiming a stake in the videogame: what grown-ups say to rationalise and normalise gaming. Convergence 15 (2), 135-139. (electronic databases)
Helen Thornton, (2009). Claiming a stake in the videogame: what grown-ups say to rationalise and normalise gaming. Convergence 15 (2), 135-139. (electronic databases)
Very thorough take on gaming, analyses discourses of gamers, especially gender and sexuality.
Read:
Jenkins, H. (2006). The War between effects and meaning: Rethinking the video game debate. In D. Buckingham & R. Willett (Eds.), Digital Generations: Children, Young People, and New Media (pp 19-31). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Ass. (E-reserve)
Read:
Jenkins, H. (2006). The War between effects and meaning: Rethinking the video game debate. In D. Buckingham & R. Willett (Eds.), Digital Generations: Children, Young People, and New Media (pp 19-31). New Jersey: Lawrence Erlbaum Ass. (E-reserve)
Summarising the main points in the two articles (posted on Blackboard):
Thornham Reading:
Helen Thornham visits a number of console gamers over a certain period of time, across Ireland and England. She finds that gamers are not just knowledgable about their games, they also have an enhanced knowledge of technology. As it seems, to be a cool member of the gaming community you have to take sides. Just as with the Apple vs Microsoft discussion there is a Sega/Nintendo decision to make. You can't like games from one vendor and like those from the other as well. Also, peer pressure seems to have a certain impact as credibility grows with the coolness and the performance of the consoles that gamers own. There seems to be an ongoing competition between gamers. This might be about the hardware, the games, technology, performance etc.pp. Thornham also claims that sexual orientation plays a role in the way the gamer hirarchy is settled within the group of people that live in a house and engage in gaming.
Jenkins Reading:
Jenkins takes sides for a more differentiated view on violence in games. The most interesting remark I think he makes is that not just because you engage in violent online games you automatically become a violent person. "New meanings take shape around what we already know and what we already think, and thus each player will come from a game with a different experience and interpretation." (p.20) He further reinforces this thought with an example brought forward by Gee (2003):
"Gee, for example, discussed Ethnic Cleansing, a game designed by Aryan Nation to foster White supremacy. For many students, he noted, playing the game will encourage critical thinking about the roots of racism and reaffirm their own commitments to social justice, rather than provoking race hatred. Whether the game's ideas are persuasive depends on the player's backgrounds, experience, and previous commitments. Games, like other media, are most powerful when they reinforce our existing beliefs and least effective when they challenge our values."
Gee, J. (2003). What Video Games Have To Teach Us About Learning And Literacy. New York: Palgrave.
I think that problem gamers are those who already have their issues with connecting with society. Having little connections with the outside world might distort the perception of what people are like. To relate to what Gee explains, the gaming experience might reinforce this perverted perception of the world around these people and lead to incidents like the Columbine shootings.
Then again to derive from incidents like these, that gamers engaging in violent games are all ticking time bombs, is an exaggeration. This would then mean that all gamers have had the same social experience and set of values that would be reinforced through this kind of games.
Response by Annalese Fowler:
Author: Annalese Fowler
Posted Date: Wednesday, 4 April 2012 13:53:15 o'clock WST
Edited Date: Wednesday, 4 April 2012 13:53:15 o'clock WST
Hi Volker,
I certainly agree with your comment. Jenkin's article gave me a new perspective on violent gaming. I had never thought that the games represented huge advances in technology and niether had I thought that violent people gravitated to play these games to fuel their actions and in fact that is quite contrary. Particularly where Jenkins goes onto explain that, "in Grand Theft Auto 3 ... but more experienced players tell me they often see how long they can go without breaking any laws, viewing this as a harder and more interesting challange." Jenkins, H. War Between effects and meaning: rethinking the video game violence debate. (p28)
Annalese
My Response:
Hi Annalese, when I read that remark about Grand Theft Auto 3, I was absolutely stunned. I always considered these games as a little dull and created for the simple minded car buff. But placing social conscience into a game like this, I think, is quite an interesting move. In fact, I regard this as a step further to reality. Then again, I find this idea pretty spooky as it plays with our psyche. Just think about it, when you play with a friend and you survive because you decided to become a good person within the game.
It actually sparked my interest in giving this game a try.
Write about your personal experience with games and your attitude to video and computer games.
Referring to the Thornham Reading, I would regard myself as a solo gamer. The reason to do so might derive from my preference to challenge myself at sports, rather than compete with others. Rather than engaging in field games like Football or Volleyball, I'd rather engage in street bicycle racing. Transferring these preferences to online gaming I never engaged in network games. Rather than egaging in a virtual war, I prefer to play strategy games by myself. My favourite ever was Pharao, which only was available for the Windows '95 platform. With the mergence of Windows XP, Pharao vanished from the screen. Today I don't engage in PC games or online gaming at all. I feel uneasy sitting there, staring at the screen and clicking away with the mouse without getting anything done. I think, after a while I realised that gaming is just a waste of time. I also realised that gaming is more of an IT-Geek thing. When I worked in a bank related IT-Service business, the gamers were all software programmers. I remember one of them starting his own business as a subsidiary of his employer and actually developing his own game - Bomber Man. It was a jump and run game that could be played solo or in a network environment. The developers got together on a regular basis at his place, networked their PCs and played all night. Of course it was not only Bomber Man, but also other popular shooter games from the early days of the 2nd Millennium. However, the game never made it into the shops and the developer realised that there was already a game called Bomber Man that had been developed in Japan. Although I was close friends with most of the developers around Bomber Man I never had any interest to get involved in gaming.
Thornham Reading:
Helen Thornham visits a number of console gamers over a certain period of time, across Ireland and England. She finds that gamers are not just knowledgable about their games, they also have an enhanced knowledge of technology. As it seems, to be a cool member of the gaming community you have to take sides. Just as with the Apple vs Microsoft discussion there is a Sega/Nintendo decision to make. You can't like games from one vendor and like those from the other as well. Also, peer pressure seems to have a certain impact as credibility grows with the coolness and the performance of the consoles that gamers own. There seems to be an ongoing competition between gamers. This might be about the hardware, the games, technology, performance etc.pp. Thornham also claims that sexual orientation plays a role in the way the gamer hirarchy is settled within the group of people that live in a house and engage in gaming.
Jenkins Reading:
Jenkins takes sides for a more differentiated view on violence in games. The most interesting remark I think he makes is that not just because you engage in violent online games you automatically become a violent person. "New meanings take shape around what we already know and what we already think, and thus each player will come from a game with a different experience and interpretation." (p.20) He further reinforces this thought with an example brought forward by Gee (2003):
"Gee, for example, discussed Ethnic Cleansing, a game designed by Aryan Nation to foster White supremacy. For many students, he noted, playing the game will encourage critical thinking about the roots of racism and reaffirm their own commitments to social justice, rather than provoking race hatred. Whether the game's ideas are persuasive depends on the player's backgrounds, experience, and previous commitments. Games, like other media, are most powerful when they reinforce our existing beliefs and least effective when they challenge our values."
Gee, J. (2003). What Video Games Have To Teach Us About Learning And Literacy. New York: Palgrave.
I think that problem gamers are those who already have their issues with connecting with society. Having little connections with the outside world might distort the perception of what people are like. To relate to what Gee explains, the gaming experience might reinforce this perverted perception of the world around these people and lead to incidents like the Columbine shootings.
Then again to derive from incidents like these, that gamers engaging in violent games are all ticking time bombs, is an exaggeration. This would then mean that all gamers have had the same social experience and set of values that would be reinforced through this kind of games.
Response by Annalese Fowler:
Author: Annalese Fowler
Posted Date: Wednesday, 4 April 2012 13:53:15 o'clock WST
Edited Date: Wednesday, 4 April 2012 13:53:15 o'clock WST
Hi Volker,
I certainly agree with your comment. Jenkin's article gave me a new perspective on violent gaming. I had never thought that the games represented huge advances in technology and niether had I thought that violent people gravitated to play these games to fuel their actions and in fact that is quite contrary. Particularly where Jenkins goes onto explain that, "in Grand Theft Auto 3 ... but more experienced players tell me they often see how long they can go without breaking any laws, viewing this as a harder and more interesting challange." Jenkins, H. War Between effects and meaning: rethinking the video game violence debate. (p28)
Annalese
My Response:
Hi Annalese, when I read that remark about Grand Theft Auto 3, I was absolutely stunned. I always considered these games as a little dull and created for the simple minded car buff. But placing social conscience into a game like this, I think, is quite an interesting move. In fact, I regard this as a step further to reality. Then again, I find this idea pretty spooky as it plays with our psyche. Just think about it, when you play with a friend and you survive because you decided to become a good person within the game.
It actually sparked my interest in giving this game a try.
Write about your personal experience with games and your attitude to video and computer games.
Referring to the Thornham Reading, I would regard myself as a solo gamer. The reason to do so might derive from my preference to challenge myself at sports, rather than compete with others. Rather than engaging in field games like Football or Volleyball, I'd rather engage in street bicycle racing. Transferring these preferences to online gaming I never engaged in network games. Rather than egaging in a virtual war, I prefer to play strategy games by myself. My favourite ever was Pharao, which only was available for the Windows '95 platform. With the mergence of Windows XP, Pharao vanished from the screen. Today I don't engage in PC games or online gaming at all. I feel uneasy sitting there, staring at the screen and clicking away with the mouse without getting anything done. I think, after a while I realised that gaming is just a waste of time. I also realised that gaming is more of an IT-Geek thing. When I worked in a bank related IT-Service business, the gamers were all software programmers. I remember one of them starting his own business as a subsidiary of his employer and actually developing his own game - Bomber Man. It was a jump and run game that could be played solo or in a network environment. The developers got together on a regular basis at his place, networked their PCs and played all night. Of course it was not only Bomber Man, but also other popular shooter games from the early days of the 2nd Millennium. However, the game never made it into the shops and the developer realised that there was already a game called Bomber Man that had been developed in Japan. Although I was close friends with most of the developers around Bomber Man I never had any interest to get involved in gaming.
Discussions
Contribution to dicussion board about a report featured on the ABC TV-series Catalyst:
Hi all,
I hope that people will find their way back to this interesting feature on Catalyst, broadcasted on 26 April 2012. It is about game addiction and also cmprises the story of a young man who played World of Warcraft (WoW) for almost six years, before he decided to move on and get a life. The interesting thing is that - although many parents are concerned that their child would become an addict - this is one example of an individual who would decide by himself, that this is going too far and that it would be time to quit. Here's the link to the video for download or stream from the ABC-Catalyst Website: http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/3480368.htm
Contribution to dicussion board about a report featured on the ABC TV-series Catalyst:
Hi all,
I hope that people will find their way back to this interesting feature on Catalyst, broadcasted on 26 April 2012. It is about game addiction and also cmprises the story of a young man who played World of Warcraft (WoW) for almost six years, before he decided to move on and get a life. The interesting thing is that - although many parents are concerned that their child would become an addict - this is one example of an individual who would decide by himself, that this is going too far and that it would be time to quit. Here's the link to the video for download or stream from the ABC-Catalyst Website: http://www.abc.net.au/catalyst/stories/3480368.htm
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