Can video games really be somewhat productive?
NOTE, April 10'th 2006:
Dear readers, I wrote the following post over a year ago, and believed it true. I have since, due to a little bit of eye opening from my Father and other Godly men, changed my opinion on the subject quite a bit. I don't think that by any definition that video games are productive, or worthy of my time. Especially these days...
However, if you would still like to read the post, I left it here for you. Just please don't judge me based upon my mistakes. Other posts on the blog are the same way, though hopefully I've gained more maturity now. At any rate, God Bless you, and have a good day!
~ John.
Original Post:
I was thinking of what to write in the blog today, while running with Dad. Then I got to thinking, “How come I can’t come up with something creative?” I figured then that I should think really hard about what causes my moments of creativity.
Then I began thinking, “Do I really even have moments of creativity? I suppose I must, because I have come up with several things that I think were rather good ideas.” I slowly thought out the few creative things I’ve come up with, the times when I was on a spree of writing or building things. I thought about what I do when I have writers block.
Every so often, writers block hits me like a semi barreling down the freeway. All brain transmissions stop, and merely typing is an accomplishment. At that point, I tend to save all my work, shut down all my programs, and start a computer game. It is always one of the following that does the trick.
1. Americas Army.
I downloaded this game from Americas Army.com with low expectations. It’s a free game developed by the United States Army for the purpose of recruiting. It’s a huge success. This game has received such a response, that the developers work on it nearly full time now, and it’s constantly getting better. It causes you to subconsciously ‘check your six’ all day long. I love it.
As of right now, it is one of the most advanced games available, and it is certainly the most realistic. This game is more about strategy and slowly taking aim than throwing grenades and letting loose a torrent of fire from an oversupply of full automatic weaponry. This game causes me to think more than any of the other games I’ve ever played, and it always results with large amounts of creativity. Not to mention, it’s free, so the price was right for me and my budget.
2. Enemy Territory.
This game is pretty old, but it’s still fun. It doesn’t result in as much creativity as Americas Army, but it’s the same price. This is set in a WW2 environment rather than the modern day Americas Army. Unlike Americas Army, in this game you can get killed multiple times and still keep playing. In Americas Army, once you’re dead, you’re dead, just like real life.
3. Halo: Combat Evolved – PC version.
Originally designed for Microsoft’s ‘X-Box’ this game has fair graphics despite it’s age. The timeline is set in the future, and I prefer single player to the multiplayer, but it’s fun either way. The action is very, very heavy and your brain is activated in an attempt to stay alive. Unlike Enemy Territory or Americas Army, Halo has a single player, and a very good story line. It’s good if your internet connection is down, and it’s good if your internet connection is working.
Now, please note that I do not play computer games all day. In fact, I very rarely play computer games. But when the world seems to be falling apart and I just can't come up with anything witty or creative, they are a wonderful retreat from the reality.
HOWEVER, though these games offer creativity to a point, they don’t always do the trick. Sometimes it takes something that causes boys like me to cringe, and grown men to cinch up their belt and load their guns in preparation for whatever might be ahead of them – Hard Work.
I’m talking hard work. Hauling huge pieces of cement hooked to aluminum poles for instance. (That was for you Todd). Pushing yourself (or having somebody else push you) to a higher height than before.
However, in today’s world of machinery that does the hard work, we’re left with relatively easy days and less creativity.
My Dad counters that though. Recently, he has forced my to go running with him. “Some strange thing in his head thinks that running is good for me!” was my first thought. Then I went running. I was shocked at how puny I really was, needing a break after only 8 minutes. Now though, I’m doing better, making nearly 20 on average. I do have to push myself, but I have come to realize that there are amazing amounts of creativity that flow during a hard run.
In conclusion, I am hit with a stroke of creativity whenever I let my brain relax, or push my body to its limits. When running, I’m doing both.
I can’t think of anything more to write. I guess I’d better go run…
John.
Dear readers, I wrote the following post over a year ago, and believed it true. I have since, due to a little bit of eye opening from my Father and other Godly men, changed my opinion on the subject quite a bit. I don't think that by any definition that video games are productive, or worthy of my time. Especially these days...
However, if you would still like to read the post, I left it here for you. Just please don't judge me based upon my mistakes. Other posts on the blog are the same way, though hopefully I've gained more maturity now. At any rate, God Bless you, and have a good day!
~ John.
Original Post:
I was thinking of what to write in the blog today, while running with Dad. Then I got to thinking, “How come I can’t come up with something creative?” I figured then that I should think really hard about what causes my moments of creativity.
Then I began thinking, “Do I really even have moments of creativity? I suppose I must, because I have come up with several things that I think were rather good ideas.” I slowly thought out the few creative things I’ve come up with, the times when I was on a spree of writing or building things. I thought about what I do when I have writers block.
Every so often, writers block hits me like a semi barreling down the freeway. All brain transmissions stop, and merely typing is an accomplishment. At that point, I tend to save all my work, shut down all my programs, and start a computer game. It is always one of the following that does the trick.
1. Americas Army.
I downloaded this game from Americas Army.com with low expectations. It’s a free game developed by the United States Army for the purpose of recruiting. It’s a huge success. This game has received such a response, that the developers work on it nearly full time now, and it’s constantly getting better. It causes you to subconsciously ‘check your six’ all day long. I love it.
As of right now, it is one of the most advanced games available, and it is certainly the most realistic. This game is more about strategy and slowly taking aim than throwing grenades and letting loose a torrent of fire from an oversupply of full automatic weaponry. This game causes me to think more than any of the other games I’ve ever played, and it always results with large amounts of creativity. Not to mention, it’s free, so the price was right for me and my budget.
2. Enemy Territory.
This game is pretty old, but it’s still fun. It doesn’t result in as much creativity as Americas Army, but it’s the same price. This is set in a WW2 environment rather than the modern day Americas Army. Unlike Americas Army, in this game you can get killed multiple times and still keep playing. In Americas Army, once you’re dead, you’re dead, just like real life.
3. Halo: Combat Evolved – PC version.
Originally designed for Microsoft’s ‘X-Box’ this game has fair graphics despite it’s age. The timeline is set in the future, and I prefer single player to the multiplayer, but it’s fun either way. The action is very, very heavy and your brain is activated in an attempt to stay alive. Unlike Enemy Territory or Americas Army, Halo has a single player, and a very good story line. It’s good if your internet connection is down, and it’s good if your internet connection is working.
Now, please note that I do not play computer games all day. In fact, I very rarely play computer games. But when the world seems to be falling apart and I just can't come up with anything witty or creative, they are a wonderful retreat from the reality.
HOWEVER, though these games offer creativity to a point, they don’t always do the trick. Sometimes it takes something that causes boys like me to cringe, and grown men to cinch up their belt and load their guns in preparation for whatever might be ahead of them – Hard Work.
I’m talking hard work. Hauling huge pieces of cement hooked to aluminum poles for instance. (That was for you Todd). Pushing yourself (or having somebody else push you) to a higher height than before.
However, in today’s world of machinery that does the hard work, we’re left with relatively easy days and less creativity.
My Dad counters that though. Recently, he has forced my to go running with him. “Some strange thing in his head thinks that running is good for me!” was my first thought. Then I went running. I was shocked at how puny I really was, needing a break after only 8 minutes. Now though, I’m doing better, making nearly 20 on average. I do have to push myself, but I have come to realize that there are amazing amounts of creativity that flow during a hard run.
In conclusion, I am hit with a stroke of creativity whenever I let my brain relax, or push my body to its limits. When running, I’m doing both.
I can’t think of anything more to write. I guess I’d better go run…
John.
posted at
5:56 PM
