While the gaming world got whipped up into an E3-invoked-next-gen-frenzy, other things have been ticking along nicely. We've had some great news stories for the industry over the past couple of weeks.
Guild Wars – NCsoft MMOG with a difference is number one in the UK and Europe, proving not all MMOGs have to be the same (see my review coming shortly). Episode III wasn't as bad as it could have been; in fact it was rather enjoyable. London gets another trade show to replace the other trade show"er"not sure if this is good news, just thought I'd throw it into the ring.
Capcom announces profits – aaay! So maybe Killer 7 will be everything I want it to be – aaaay! SCi bought Eidos, snatching it from the clutches of rock egomaniac, Bono – aaaay! And for some non-gaming news that warmed the cockles of my heart, the British weather has finally remembered it's nearly June – aaaay!
Meanwhile, the Guardian newspaper (that's one of those weird national newspaper thingies we have over here offering independent opinion on current events) had a feature on games being good for children. I kid you not. It was dashed nice of them I thought. The headline reads "computer games are good for kids – and might improve their IQ."
Now correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't it the media's job to vilify the games industry? Aren't we the route of all evil? Spawn of Satan and all things obese!? Is that us or is that McDonalds? I always get those two mixed up.
Steven Johnson, Academic, has written Everything Bad Is Good for You. And in said book he explains the benefits of playing video games and how it doesn't mean that our children will grow up to be swollen-thumbed, brain-dead morons. Apparently, that's down to genes, not playing games – hurrah!
Johnson even goes as far as reassuring parents that the fixated look, characteristic of one playing games is just concentration. Come, come now, we all know that look. The fixed gaze, the stern brow, the tight jaw and ever so slightly pursed lips – it's the gamer zombie look.
Finally somebody has recognised it for what it is. According to Johnson the gaze is a sign of deep concentration and the indication of a brain working hard. Well, we could have told him that for nothing. However, it does feel good to know that academia supports our suspicions that we have brains and they work hard.
Johnson goes on to explain that not only do most games require gamers to remember multiple combinations of buttons and use them quickly, but there are few established rules.
"When you make a move you get feedback and you have to work out the moves and the rules as you play the game," explains Johnson. He calls this process ‘probing,' which is followed by ‘telescoping' – prioritising multiple objectives into a scheme to get you to a final goal.
He says these are the core building blocks of what it means to be smart and are raw skills that can be applied to other areas of life. I know I for one have learnt that a shotgun is best for killing zombies and if you see an herb, pick it up, and all day long you'll have good luck. Johnson says that the people who are successful in life are good at these core skills, so there's hope for us all yet.
Our friendly academic even goes on to say, "Kids today are doing more intellectually things than we ever were. If were sitting around in the 70s reading Middlemarch, perhaps that wouldn't be true, but most of us were watching Charlie's Angels." I certainly was. And Hawaii Five-O.
I'm just wondering if it's too late for me as an adult gamer. Is it too late for me to benefit from ‘probing' and ‘telescoping' or are my ‘telescoping' days over? Can I join the smart gamer gang, or am I just old and past it, holding onto youth gamer!? Oh fie cruel fate!
But, if like me you're wondering if perhaps more gaming could make up for lost time – Mr Johnson has kindly provided us with a little cluster of the most mentally stimulating games. First up and Johnson's personal favourite is Sim City. Then it's more god-sim games including Age of Empires, Civilisation and Black and White. Don't worry; if that's not your bag, Ninty's Zelda games also get a mention on the back of their challenging puzzles.
Bearing Johnson's recommendations in mind, I'd probably chuck in Pikmin for strategy, Tomb Raider and Broken Sword for mind-bending puzzle action. Also throw in Sam and Max and Metroid. However, the likes of Halo and Doom don't score highly on Mr Johnson's mentalometer because with an FPS you gain little more than hand-eye coordination. In fact he was rather sniffy about the whole genre describing them as games where "you just go around shooting things."
Er"yeah"heh"heh"urr, shooting stuff is cool!
Who said gamers are intellectually muted?
Most played: Otogi2
Most wanted: Killer 7