#7: Speak up if you’re an addict; a gaming addict
How many of you still play The Sims? *Hands up* I’ll be honest, I’m still guilty of playing this game. But why is it so addictive?
When we talk about video games, specifically online gaming, we are referring to the array of virtual entertainment on graphic displays that have now evolved to gaming involving users contributions in game play (Curran et al. 2005, p. 622). Online gaming is so prevalent in this digital age, allowing digital citizens to form their own communities which strengthens connectivity between them. So if we go back to the question on why online gaming is addictive, it is because of the combination of a “distinct reward structure, an open-ended design and strong social component” that makes it more demanding (van Rooij et al. 2010, p. 52).
Now lets explore the online video game Everyday the Same Dream.
This game is a lot different than your ‘usual’ video game expectations. It is about a man that commutes to work every day. It doesn’t get much simpler than that. As you continue playing, the cycle becomes somewhat “boring” doing the same thing every single time and you decide to explore other options and possibilities. The purpose of this video game was solely about representing “contemporary political realities in a relatively unmediated form” (Soderman 2011). It is a game testing the boundaries within a confined space with limited interactions between people and objects. Although game rules are made by developers, players sometimes wonder away from the norm which effectively impacts game play in most cases (de Zwart & Humphreys 2014, p. 80). However in the case of this game, you start again.
I played it myself and I found an interesting underlying message. I kept playing, going through the cycle over and over again thinking that something would change; but it didn’t. So I went further. Instead of stopping at my desk, I walked beyond that point which led me to a ledge with the optional motion, “jump”. Now this says something. The more and more repetitive life becomes, the more and more you consider “other options”.
The way this game conveys this message is somewhat clever. Despite the underlying message, overall, video games can be considered as part of reality. We immerse ourselves in the content of video games, experiencing varying emotions and strategically choosing our paths, with the rules of the game limiting and dictating what we can and cannot do respectively (Johansson 2013, p. 78).
Video games are unique. You could say it is ultimately impossible to adapt this to a 1 and a half hour movie or a 600 word book following the same narrative. Social norms that govern video games compared to movies are very much dissimilar due to the interactive nature that games exhibit (Suzor & Woodford 2013, p. 5). So you could say video games are an advantage, you interact with your surroundings and essentially ‘choose your own fate’.
Now if people ask if I play video games; yes, yes I do.
