GAMES IN SOCIETY

Expanding

In 2004 Nintendo moved away from traditional handheld games and released the Nintendo DS, which had an innovative touch screen interface. The system was to encourage a new generation of game players.

Mario Brain Training All ages

Better multiplayer

Playing on console games was a solitary experience for a long time. Most consoles had more that one controller, but never very many.

PC’s allowed games to be played across a network, but these were very slow until broadband became common.

Microsoft Xbox really started the online gaming revolution.

Concerns

There are various concerns about people playing computer games. These tend to get reported in the media on a regular basis, to the extent that many parents are extremely worried about their children playing for long periods of time.

Benefits

Hand-eye co-ordination – games encourage people of use different combinations of button in response to incidents happening very quickly on screen. Pilots, astronauts, athletes use games to help with their co-ordination.

Brain training – every game platform now boasts the ability to develop brain training skills. Numeracy and literacy skills can be improved.

Thinking and strategy skills – taking on the role of a military commander or creating whole civilisations. These games teach tactics and forward thinking, skills that you need in the real world.

Future impact – can take the place of films as their stories get better and better and become available on many different platforms.

Mainstream application – chat is no enabled trough games - headset, tams can play and strategize together as a team.

Psychological factors

Games are so popular because they engage thoughts and feelings at the same time.

Health Repetitive strain injury (RSI) this is

the result of performing the same movements over and over again. Symptoms are pain and weakness in the areas for the injury – thumbs and fingers.

Lack of exercise – most games involve no activity what so ever. This inactivity for pre-longed spells can become unhealthy and players run the risk of becoming overweight or conversely too distracted to eat regulary.

Eye strain – eye strain can be made worse when playing games in a poorly lit room.

Think – what other health issues can you think of?

Temper Over excitement that results in

negative behaviour Blur between reality and fiction.