Video Games and Computer Holding Power

Full Title plus author, date and publisher and link where possible:

Moderators:

• Tolga Ozuygur

• Renee Oldemonnikhof

Keywords: Video Games, Microworlds, Arcade, Meditation, Computers, Pinball, Simulation, Imagination, Role-Playing

Summary of key points raised in the text:
-Does playing games cause an addiction?
-Is it possible to enter an altered state of mind while playing games?
-Does playing games contribute you? In your personality? Reflexes? Will they help you get off the tension of the day? Help you meditate?
-Does playing games open you the gates of the all mighty computational world? Could it let you be a programmer?

Discussion Notes & Afterthoughts:
-What is the differences between sports, pinball and arcade?
-Why does people use playing games to escape from the real life? Does this apply to every player? Aren't there players that are playing games just for fun?
-What are the advantages and disadvantages of getting professional on playing a particular game?
-Should people be concerned about gaming addiction?
-Could really playing games should have lead to an age where every player is a programmer? Why this theory did not happen? Or will it ever happen? Can anyone be a programmer in future? What would be the consequences?

What keeps bugging me:
-Is playing games this complicated? Is there really a concept this deep? Can a non-gamer sociologist perceive the principles behind why players enjoy playing games? Could this reason simply be the way that humans are evolved in order to complete objectives to survive, and game designers are abusing this hard-wired part of our brain to offer us a similar simulated objectives?
-Wouldn't it be a good idea to interview game designers as well as game players?
-Why did she use the term D and D? While the correct usage is D&D. Should this be a reason for us to question her research on the matter?