When I first read the title of this video I'm not so sure that I could agree with Steven Johnson from the start. I always believed that there were some things that we could learn from pop culture but I didn't think that it could have such an impact on us.
One thing that just absolutely stood out to me is his example he gave about his nephew and his statement about the industrial tax rates in regards to a problem he was having in his game of Sim City. Games like The Sims basically give you this world to create and your "world" could have problems that could be faced in your reality. I'm sure that in the virtual world problems are a lot easier to solve than those in the real world , but it can put you in the mind of how to solve the same problem or spark your thinking if you were to ever face that problem in reality.
Another thing that stood out to me in the video was his talk about televesion. My grandma is the biggest critic of children watching so much tv. She thinks that watching televsion rots brains. She's even taken it so far as limiting herself to 2 hours or less of television a day. I'm actaully glad that Steven Johnson touched on the fact that watching tv actually teaches you things because of the plots of the television shoes keeps your mind on a constant race.
Overall, I think my opinion of how pop culture can make us smarter changed a little more after watching the video. He didn't have me completely convinced but I think Steven Johnson's talk just furthered my opinion.
Monday, August 19, 2013
Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Jane McGonigal's Gaming Can Save the World
Before actually watching Jane McGonigal's video, I was a little fuzzy to the idea of games playing a part in helping solve real life problems. Just by looking at the title of the video, I thought the woman may have been a little coo-coo; afterwards she opened an entire new insight on how games are actually related to the real world.
Jane McGonigal started the video off introducing a thesis which would be that gaming can help save the real world. She stated that most gamers are so engaged in games because of the escape from reality. In the game world , especially in online games, you are more interactive with people you're gaming with whereas in the real world you can walk pass strangers and not interact at all. It's almost like online gaming allows you to do things in the game world that you wouldnt normally do in the real world. McGonigal also explained how gamers play games so much for the thrill that they receive from being able to achieve the tasks.
One thing that absolutely stood out to me is towards the end of the video when McGonigal had put her theory into action. She put together an online game and the basis of the game was that there was a gas shortage and the gamers had to find solutions and live off this problem. I found it cool how they were able to make a simulation and it really amazed me that after weeks of playing the game, the gamers actually started applying what they had learned in the game to their real lives. If something as simple as an online game can make a change in 1500 people, I could only imagine what changes it could have if larger numbers of people were put in the same situation.
Jane McGonigal started the video off introducing a thesis which would be that gaming can help save the real world. She stated that most gamers are so engaged in games because of the escape from reality. In the game world , especially in online games, you are more interactive with people you're gaming with whereas in the real world you can walk pass strangers and not interact at all. It's almost like online gaming allows you to do things in the game world that you wouldnt normally do in the real world. McGonigal also explained how gamers play games so much for the thrill that they receive from being able to achieve the tasks.
One thing that absolutely stood out to me is towards the end of the video when McGonigal had put her theory into action. She put together an online game and the basis of the game was that there was a gas shortage and the gamers had to find solutions and live off this problem. I found it cool how they were able to make a simulation and it really amazed me that after weeks of playing the game, the gamers actually started applying what they had learned in the game to their real lives. If something as simple as an online game can make a change in 1500 people, I could only imagine what changes it could have if larger numbers of people were put in the same situation.
Monday, August 12, 2013
My Favorite Game/Tech/App/Site
I'm highly interested in several things under to topic "games and society". My favorite game system would have to be Microsoft's Xbox 360. It really amazes me how much you can actually program the system and make it do a great deal of tasks. My favorite thing about it is that it just keeps improving as time goes on. Now you have lots of things that make your gaming experience more of a reality. Xbox 360 uses the Kinect motion sensor that allows you to use the motion of your own body to play any game from dancing, to playing a game of archery, to even taking adventures like white water rafting.
My favorite game using the Xbox 360 system would have to be a tie between Dance Central and The Micheal Jackson Experience. These two games are both played using the Kinect motion sensor. They are both along the lines of being taught a series of dance moves and eventually having to perform them on your own. I love it because in general they are enjoyable games for the entire family. Not only that, people in today's society complain about gaming making people "lazy" and this game is a great way to partake in exercise.
My favorite game using the Xbox 360 system would have to be a tie between Dance Central and The Micheal Jackson Experience. These two games are both played using the Kinect motion sensor. They are both along the lines of being taught a series of dance moves and eventually having to perform them on your own. I love it because in general they are enjoyable games for the entire family. Not only that, people in today's society complain about gaming making people "lazy" and this game is a great way to partake in exercise.
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