tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986656794771949064.post2367003954668788460..comments2011-11-26T01:35:33.566-05:00Comments on A Video Gamer's Perspective: The Need for Honest EffortCounterpowerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03554275991049428627noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2986656794771949064.post-72207979927240014102009-02-12T01:58:00.000-05:002009-02-12T01:58:00.000-05:00I agree that many video games impart a great varie...I agree that many video games impart a great variety of skills to the players, with some being more useful than others. When I really get into a game, I work to master the gameplay, even if my first endeavor is a poor one.<BR/><BR/>I recall that the first experience I had with building mastery from scratch was the game Tetris Attack for the SNES. If you're not familiar, the game isn't actually much like Tetris, but is a puzzle game nonetheless. Anyway, I remember being terrible at it, but I found the environment to be very fun(it was themed after Yoshi's Island, an excellent SNES game), so I kept at it. After many, many hours of playing, I grew to see patterns that I would never have detected beforehand, and I became something of an expert at the game. <BR/><BR/>Of course, I've had similar experiences with dozens of other games. Pokemon, the dozens of JRPGs I've played, and various strategy games all fall under my successful endeavors towards mastery. As for the usefulness of all the skills I acquired, I cannot say. However, one reigning, universal theme is the strong connection which bolsters hand-eye coordination. <BR/><BR/>All video games have an element of kinesthesia. Your description of DDR is probably the greatest example of how far the connection between what you see and the translation into movement can go. I would describe myself as thoroughly adequate at DDR, playing mostly in Standard with occasional jaunts into Heavy. I haven't played in well over a year, though, so I imagine I've deteriorated considerably. Still, I can likewise attest to the fruits of an honest effort to improve--DDR's lack of the element of luck forces people to perform exactly as they are.<BR/><BR/>There is a definite feeling of accomplishment that accompanies the mastery of any skill, even if the skill is virtual. So while training the perfect characters may not mean much in the real world, the internal satisfaction gained is certainly real, and therefore worthwhile.Tommyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17919169412681091867noreply@blogger.com