Computer Gaming

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It has been a while since I played a computer game. But I got a new laptop (Dell Vostro 1310) that is equipped with an okay graphics card and decided to give Company of Heroes a shot. Initially it felt silly to go back to doing something that little boys play with, but like many good computer games, this one just kind of sucked me in. Last Friday I was hit with a meltdown and it was bad. Sleep disruption was extreme and my cognitive abilities were affected. Usually when this happens, I am a prisoner to my own discombobulated mind. Not knowing what else I could do, I decided to spend the weekend playing Company of Heroes

After a day of hard gaming on Saturday, I slept like a baby for 9 hours straight. It is interesting that I could play the game because when I am in a meltdown mode, I usually cannot even watch the movies I leech off the internet. Not only could I play and enjoy the game, I found the engagement of sight and sound pleasurably soothing. There was something about all that unmelodic but not unpleasant clanging cacophony of simulated rifle fire and heavy explosions that actually quieted my mind. It forced me to focus and drew my attention to killing krauts instead of allowing my brain to play mind games with me from my store of bad memories. What seemed like another disaster weekend passed only too quickly.

What can I say? Computer games are great. They can be an excellent diversion. Shooters in particular are a great way to let off steam. I mean, hell, there are worse ways to "escape" your misery (drugs, alcohol, etc.)

At least with drugs and alcohol you've got good anecdotes.
Instead I regale people with how bad I'm doing at X-Com. I mean, after I tell them what X-Com is and how one can be bad at it.
I mean, it's a brave new artform and all but it's easier to totally waste your life on them than any entertainment gone before.

yeah, i end up grinding on WoW or FFXI (even though i kind of dislike WoW, the simplicity of gameplay and the lack of dependance on group dynamics makes it easy to play when in a meltdown/shutdown) just killing whatever i see in sight, and then bam, good again. though thats only good with some of the lesser shutdowns :/ when im unable to think, then im unable to play games >_>;

My first game was KISS: Psychocircus (Sega Dreamcast), but when I bought a computer my first game was S.T.A.L.K.E.R.: Shadows of Chernobyl. I played every day until I found that it kept me in suspence, and it was psychologically difficult to continue

I would not want to talk about my first computer game ; let's just say that I most definitely grew up with the computer gaming industry. What I wanted to point out was the effect that playing computer games had on my neurological patterns. At a time when my brain was essentially drilling holes into itself, engaging in a game of kill the Nazis helped me to sort of "unlock" the Gordion knot as it were. When in melt down mode, it is very unlikely that I remain functional for days, unless the meltdown is pretty mild. What happened last week was actually quite serious but playing a game took the edge off and I was able to pass the time pleasurably without getting consumed by all the negative and destructive emotions that overwhelm me when I melt down. It was about how the combination of sight, sound and tactile response penetrated into the deeper caverns of my brain and sort of gave it the "work out" it needed to stretch out the misfiring neurons. Speculative? For sure, but I felt almost "normal" this weekend when I would usually be stewing in my own juices.

Computer games are addictive and people who routinely spend 50 hours a week gaming probably need help. But amongst the possible addictions, gaming is probably the least harmful and people do grow out of it; I did. Unlike say meth or alcohol, playing computer games does not leave damaging and lasting effects on a person's life. By and large, most people do see the futility of pushing those pixels round and round. But then again, it is not as if whacking a little white ball is any more meaningful. And, to the extent that it helped me get past a difficult episode, I do not think it is a waste of time.

I have played only two video games in my life, Bugdom and WoW. WoW can be a "wonderful" way to escape reality and to relieve stress, as long as you can manage not to get too addicted, or to let the game take over your life. I think for me it's a simple numbers game. You have to find the most efficient way to get the mob's health number down before your health number is down. Over and over and over again.

At one time when I was very stressed when I whent to see a doctor, I was told that I should play some video games to relieve stress as that is what I like doing. It was good to get a rest from Highschool, and just have some fun.

I love gaming. Call of Duty 2 on Veteran is awesome. One mistake and you're dead.

I don't want to "grow out of" computer games... the idea that "only little boys play them" is bullsh**. In my opinion, computer games are by far the best entertainment around. I don't watch TV anymore because it's really boring these days. In fact, you could say that I've "grown out of TV."

actually most people playing video games these days ( at least in the US) is the 18-30 male demographic ( a lot of 12-18 males play too but not as much as stereotypes lead people to believe). That's the main reason Consoles are in the $400-600 range, the people who buy them have the disposable income to afford them and the time to play them.

Another reason they are so expensive is because they are very expensive to make, most consoles are sold at a loss, the money is made up buying the games ( hence $60 games).

In Australia we have to pay around $100 for most games, sometimes as much as $120, our curency is 95c to american $.

You should buy from Europeans on eBay. I sell there and post to Australia. Both Europe and Australia are PAL.

Thinking of getting Call of Duty (not sure which version though) and living in Asia means that I have the option of buy a pirated copy (US$4) which cannot be played in multiplayer mode on the internet, or buying an original copy (~US$40). Which version of Call of Duty should I be starting with? Is playing in multiplayer mode with teenagers any fun?

Have you tried Play-Asia.com? They are cheap. Call of Duty 4 is $34.90 there.

Thanks for the tip but there was this word of caution from play-asia.com:



A pirated copy costs $4 but I cannot play online. An original copy like the one that play-asia.com is selling costs $34.90 but there is a risk that I cannot play online outside of Hong Kong. Since I live in Singapore, I am not so sure if it is a risk that is worth taking for me. Is the online play for Call of Duty any good? I played WoW for about 3 months when it first came out and got really tired of meeting 12 year olds who cream my ass before I could even react. It is humiliating to lose to someone who would have to call me uncle, but that is life. I could challenge the little critters to do research on the Chinese nickel pig iron industry and then we can see who is better; but then everyone would call me a bully. My hand eye coordination really is not as good as it used to be, such are the travails of growing old. Part of the reason I am thinking of just buying a pirated copy is that I do not think I will ever be good enough at Call of Duty to play online. But of course it is wrong to 'steal' from the big media companies that churn out these soul sucking titles that rock the world of many a young man. Still, it is $4 versus $34.90.