With Pleasure Comes Pain

25 June 2004 µ 3:31 pm
As Promised, A V. Commentary

Forget about Reality TV, what about Reality Games?

People are getting practice at a different “real life”, but with the comfort of detachment. We now have the option of living lives separate from our own, without stepping foot outside of our homes. This has been around for many, many years: video games such as Mario Brothers, The Legend of Zelda, etc... but there has been an incredible increase in reality gaming as of late, one that almost raises the question of if there is a subliminal message encouraging us to take on these new lives – to embrace them.

Those of us who have embraced and play these games are learning lessons and using these lessons in the real world, or we are taking the opportunity presented to us in video games to live on the edge, knowing that our choices will stay in the virtual world. It’s possible for these gaming experiences to provide promise and positives into our real lives; however, the opposite is also true.

Let’s look at the various choices available now. (I acknowledge that I’m just brushing the surface...)

Kuma Reality Games released a scarily real war game (Kuma/War), based on recent activity in the Middle East (aka, the war on terror). As the news of the war unfolds, subscribers receive constant updates of new missions - recreations of “real world events”. In addition, they receive news shows, extensive intelligence (as noted on Kuma Reality’s website, from news sources), and insight into the missions from military veterans. To give an idea of how this works – here is the current featured mission: “In direct response to the brutal murder of 4 US civilian contractors, the First Marine Expeditionary Force encircles Fallujah, Iraq and begins a month-long campaign to flush out and punish insurgents holed up in the Sunni stronghold.” That’s about as “Real” as it gets.

MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online RPGs – I apologize for lumping all of these together) have taken on a huge market and are seeing an insane amount of success (look at me with FFXI). I want to say the start of this was Everquest, but if one looks back even further, there were MUDs, MUSHes, and MOOs (all text based multi-player RPGs). These games provide an alternate universe with monsters and non-player characters with which you can interact. There is also the benefit of teaming up with people from all areas of the world to solve puzzles and explore these different worlds together.

The Sims is a perfect example of playing a regular life while living a regular life. A comment I recently heard, “Anyone who plays the Sims has no life.” In fact, this is not true – they have multiple lives, variable in every way imaginable. People have the option to post information about their Sims on the internet. As stated on the Sims website, one can design lives, run lives, and ruin lives. That’s better than just living the one we have, eh?

It’s inherent that people are always fascinated with that which they aren’t experiencing (we always want what we don’t have). We wonder what it would’ve been like if in our current environment, we had chosen a different path – if where we ended up now could’ve been different. We wonder if the world we live in were a different place entirely, how would we be? These questions loom, and these game designers provide answers and in most cases, well constructed ones. The Matrix Online, an MMORPG, gives one the opportunity to live in the world of Neo and Trinity. Kuma/War gives one the opportunity to live the news, to capture Saddam Hussein. The Sims allows godly powers: create a family – make their choices, determine their destiny. And, all of these are available with a click of the mouse or a pushed button on a controller.

While I find Kuma/War to be unbelievably grotesque and exploitative of both the soldiers and any victims, I admit it does pique the curiosity. To, in an accurate way, solve a puzzle that actually loomed over the military is a bit appealing. I won’t support it in any way, but I can see the gun-toters, the “Nuke Iraq” folks lurching at the chance to kill them some terrorists.

Recently, I started playing FFXI (Final Fantasy XI, online). This game provides the opportunity to see a different realm without having to worry about being in situations that could be detrimental to you in reality. What I find most amusing about this game is the “warning” screen that you have to acknowledge every time you play. It basically says “We know the world here is exciting, but please don’t forget your real life, your friends, your family, school, and work.” I suppose it’s natural for people to become so absorbed in the world that their real lives suffer. (Side note: Anyone who has seen the film “Mazes and Monsters” knows that this is a possibility with any gaming. It is true that it happens – the over-saturation of an rpg into one’s life. It’s very unlikely that anyone will go raging about claiming that they have to save Zelda, but it is a possibility, especially in today’s society.)

I had a long term stint with the Sims “back in the day”. I needed something to do to occupy my time, and while I had been sheltered, the Sims offered a form of escape and was a fantastic time-suck. There is mass appeal in any game that lets you play God (I loved Black & White too). “I don’t like the way your career is going – quit your job. I hate that you’re seeing that random dude – you’re dead.” It became a challenge to ensure that these Sims were receiving care to keep them “living” harmoniously. Essentially, by helping them live harmoniously, I was doing two things 1. keeping my own life harmonious (no boredom = good) and 2. sheltering myself even further (my Sims went on more vacations and trips downtown than I ever did during that time period).

In the current issue of Utne, there is an article briefly touching on these very things. The comment made was that it gives people practice to hone their skills – to make a generation of gamers into seriously critical thinkers. This raises a variety of questions. One of which is – Do players start gaming with the intention of increasing brain activity, raising the level of concentration, or is there some other deep seeded reason? And, what really is the outcome of the play?

The Reasons We Play
Escapism – life is filled with enough challenges that are directly affecting us – why not use video games as an opportunity to “step out” of life and into another realm, where the control lies with the player – endgame happens when the player says endgame. We escape the stress of our everyday lives. Indeed, we also enter a world with its own stresses; yet, as stated previous – we are in control, whereas in real life, control is something we desperately seek.

Fun – “hey, blowing shit up is fun”, and well, we could do it in real life, but the consequences looming are far too heavy to shoulder, i.e. “I don’t have the balls Timothy McVeigh did.” Or, it would require us to join the military (which I recently heard on NPR is a popular reason for gun happy/adventure seeking teens rise to the occasion).

Experience – when do you ever get to roam a complete fantasy world, kill monsters with weapons you’ve never seen in real life, and converse with a variety of people from all over the world? These experiences melted together are available in online rpgs.

Challenge – We can get our Sims to this point faster than anyone else without using cheat codes. We can “flush out insurgents” faster than the real troops. We can figure out these puzzles, and be successful with them. It is for the same reason people do crossword puzzles or play sports – to be challenged to think faster, be better. It is a challenge mentally, and to a very small extent physically – button mashing does take practice!

The Outcome of Our Play
Over-Saturation into real life – The gaming becomes the focus. While with friends, we only talk in gamespeak. “How do you kill this? How do you get there?” We spend our money on advances, upgrades, strategy guides... because it is the most important thing to us right now.

Creation of real life friendships – Especially in multi-player online gaming where you have to form teams and socialize, friendships are just waiting to be built. There is the safety of knowing that the other players do not know you in reality, but, there is the opportunity. (This can be claimed for any online medium of meeting people – Hey, even I have several friends I’ve met via the ‘net.) For some, this is an easier route to expanding the “friend database” in comparison to the alternative – talking to strangers in hope of making a new friend.

Isolationism – It becomes a constant. Rather than go out with friends or enter a real environment, we feel more comfortable in our gaming world – so we stay there. By doing this, we create a blockade, making it more difficult to enter into real social situations. (I hate when in real life people actually say “LOL” rather than laughing. But people become so accustomed to it that this is their natural response.)

Knowledge – Video games have been used for training for many years. By taking it upon ourselves to game implies that we are training ourselves, but for what? We may not realize it, but by role-playing in MMORPGs, we’re increasing our camouflage abilities – to enter an environment that may be uncomfortable but take part nonetheless. By playing games like Kuma/War, we’re educating ourselves about warfare, what it’s really like, and learning how to handle these situations in a given fashion. In the Sims, we are seeing how to build relationships and practicing this in a safe environment. We see different career paths and learn how to run a household – Yes, a baby needs a lot of care. And, don’t forget – hand-eye coordination is sure to increase with practice.

I’m not against reality gaming, nor do I push for people to play. However, with the right combination of reason/outcome, it can be a fantastic option for many people. It is more interactive and beneficial than watching television. And the safe haven is often just that, Safe. Safety is something we relish. In a society where we are hard-pressed to find safety, the gaming world is a breath of fresh air.

I encourage people to play if they know that they can balance their playing without having their real life suffer. If they want challenge, find it in a reality game, and gain some knowledge from that, it is only advantageous. But if they want challenge, and become obsessed, then real life may take a backseat. Just like the warning in FFXI, play, enjoy, take from it what you will, but do not lose sight of what is important – the need to maintain real life relationships and focus on your life choices.

If handled with care, the tests, triumphs, and failures we encounter in reality gaming can only better prepare us for the tasks at hand in our real lives as well.

	25 June 2004 µ 3:31 pm As Promised, A V. Commentary Forget about Reality TV, what about Reality Games? People are getting practice at a different “real life”, but with the comfort of detachment. We now have the option of living lives separate from our own, without stepping foot outside of our homes. This has been around for many, many years: video games such as Mario Brothers, The Legend of Zelda, etc... but there has been an incredible increase in reality gaming as of late, one that almost raises the question of if there is a subliminal message encouraging us to take on these new lives – to embrace them. Those of us who have embraced and play these games are learning lessons and using these lessons in the real world, or we are taking the opportunity presented to us in video games to live on the edge, knowing that our choices will stay in the virtual world. It’s possible for these gaming experiences to provide promise and positives into our real lives; however, the opposite is also true. Let’s look at the various choices available now. (I acknowledge that I’m just brushing the surface...) Kuma Reality Games released a scarily real war game (Kuma/War), based on recent activity in the Middle East (aka, the war on terror). As the news of the war unfolds, subscribers receive constant updates of new missions - recreations of “real world events”. In addition, they receive news shows, extensive intelligence (as noted on Kuma Reality’s website, from news sources), and insight into the missions from military veterans. To give an idea of how this works – here is the current featured mission: “In direct response to the brutal murder of 4 US civilian contractors, the First Marine Expeditionary Force encircles Fallujah, Iraq and begins a month-long campaign to flush out and punish insurgents holed up in the Sunni stronghold.” That’s about as “Real” as it gets. MMORPGs (Massive Multiplayer Online RPGs – I apologize for lumping all of these together) have taken on a huge market and are seeing an insane amount of success (look at me with FFXI). I want to say the start of this was Everquest, but if one looks back even further, there were MUDs, MUSHes, and MOOs (all text based multi-player RPGs). These games provide an alternate universe with monsters and non-player characters with which you can interact. There is also the benefit of teaming up with people from all areas of the world to solve puzzles and explore these different worlds together. The Sims is a perfect example of playing a regular life while living a regular life. A comment I recently heard, “Anyone who plays the Sims has no life.” In fact, this is not true – they have multiple lives, variable in every way imaginable. People have the option to post information about their Sims on the internet. As stated on the Sims website, one can design lives, run lives, and ruin lives. That’s better than just living the one we have, eh? It’s inherent that people are always fascinated with that which they aren’t experiencing (we always want what we don’t have). We wonder what it would’ve been like if in our current environment, we had chosen a different path – if where we ended up now could’ve been different. We wonder if the world we live in were a different place entirely, how would we be? These questions loom, and these game designers provide answers and in most cases, well constructed ones. The Matrix Online, an MMORPG, gives one the opportunity to live in the world of Neo and Trinity. Kuma/War gives one the opportunity to live the news, to capture Saddam Hussein. The Sims allows godly powers: create a family – make their choices, determine their destiny. And, all of these are available with a click of the mouse or a pushed button on a controller. While I find Kuma/War to be unbelievably grotesque and exploitative of both the soldiers and any victims, I admit it does pique the curiosity. To, in an accurate way, solve a puzzle that actually loomed over the military is a bit appealing. I won’t support it in any way, but I can see the gun-toters, the “Nuke Iraq” folks lurching at the chance to kill them some terrorists. Recently, I started playing FFXI (Final Fantasy XI, online). This game provides the opportunity to see a different realm without having to worry about being in situations that could be detrimental to you in reality. What I find most amusing about this game is the “warning” screen that you have to acknowledge every time you play. It basically says “We know the world here is exciting, but please don’t forget your real life, your friends, your family, school, and work.” I suppose it’s natural for people to become so absorbed in the world that their real lives suffer. (Side note: Anyone who has seen the film “Mazes and Monsters” knows that this is a possibility with any gaming. It is true that it happens – the over-saturation of an rpg into one’s life. It’s very unlikely that anyone will go raging about claiming that they have to save Zelda, but it is a possibility, especially in today’s society.) I had a long term stint with the Sims “back in the day”. I needed something to do to occupy my time, and while I had been sheltered, the Sims offered a form of escape and was a fantastic time-suck. There is mass appeal in any game that lets you play God (I loved Black & White too). “I don’t like the way your career is going – quit your job. I hate that you’re seeing that random dude – you’re dead.” It became a challenge to ensure that these Sims were receiving care to keep them “living” harmoniously. Essentially, by helping them live harmoniously, I was doing two things 1. keeping my own life harmonious (no boredom = good) and 2. sheltering myself even further (my Sims went on more vacations and trips downtown than I ever did during that time period). In the current issue of Utne, there is an article briefly touching on these very things. The comment made was that it gives people practice to hone their skills – to make a generation of gamers into seriously critical thinkers. This raises a variety of questions. One of which is – Do players start gaming with the intention of increasing brain activity, raising the level of concentration, or is there some other deep seeded reason? And, what really is the outcome of the play? The Reasons We Play Escapism – life is filled with enough challenges that are directly affecting us – why not use video games as an opportunity to “step out” of life and into another realm, where the control lies with the player – endgame happens when the player says endgame. We escape the stress of our everyday lives. Indeed, we also enter a world with its own stresses; yet, as stated previous – we are in control, whereas in real life, control is something we desperately seek. Fun – “hey, blowing shit up is fun”, and well, we could do it in real life, but the consequences looming are far too heavy to shoulder, i.e. “I don’t have the balls Timothy McVeigh did.” Or, it would require us to join the military (which I recently heard on NPR is a popular reason for gun happy/adventure seeking teens rise to the occasion). Experience – when do you ever get to roam a complete fantasy world, kill monsters with weapons you’ve never seen in real life, and converse with a variety of people from all over the world? These experiences melted together are available in online rpgs. Challenge – We can get our Sims to this point faster than anyone else without using cheat codes. We can “flush out insurgents” faster than the real troops. We can figure out these puzzles, and be successful with them. It is for the same reason people do crossword puzzles or play sports – to be challenged to think faster, be better. It is a challenge mentally, and to a very small extent physically – button mashing does take practice! The Outcome of Our Play Over-Saturation into real life – The gaming becomes the focus. While with friends, we only talk in gamespeak. “How do you kill this? How do you get there?” We spend our money on advances, upgrades, strategy guides... because it is the most important thing to us right now. Creation of real life friendships – Especially in multi-player online gaming where you have to form teams and socialize, friendships are just waiting to be built. There is the safety of knowing that the other players do not know you in reality, but, there is the opportunity. (This can be claimed for any online medium of meeting people – Hey, even I have several friends I’ve met via the ‘net.) For some, this is an easier route to expanding the “friend database” in comparison to the alternative – talking to strangers in hope of making a new friend. Isolationism – It becomes a constant. Rather than go out with friends or enter a real environment, we feel more comfortable in our gaming world – so we stay there. By doing this, we create a blockade, making it more difficult to enter into real social situations. (I hate when in real life people actually say “LOL” rather than laughing. But people become so accustomed to it that this is their natural response.) Knowledge – Video games have been used for training for many years. By taking it upon ourselves to game implies that we are training ourselves, but for what? We may not realize it, but by role-playing in MMORPGs, we’re increasing our camouflage abilities – to enter an environment that may be uncomfortable but take part nonetheless. By playing games like Kuma/War, we’re educating ourselves about warfare, what it’s really like, and learning how to handle these situations in a given fashion. In the Sims, we are seeing how to build relationships and practicing this in a safe environment. We see different career paths and learn how to run a household – Yes, a baby needs a lot of care. And, don’t forget – hand-eye coordination is sure to increase with practice. I’m not against reality gaming, nor do I push for people to play. However, with the right combination of reason/outcome, it can be a fantastic option for many people. It is more interactive and beneficial than watching television. And the safe haven is often just that, Safe. Safety is something we relish. In a society where we are hard-pressed to find safety, the gaming world is a breath of fresh air. I encourage people to play if they know that they can balance their playing without having their real life suffer. If they want challenge, find it in a reality game, and gain some knowledge from that, it is only advantageous. But if they want challenge, and become obsessed, then real life may take a backseat. Just like the warning in FFXI, play, enjoy, take from it what you will, but do not lose sight of what is important – the need to maintain real life relationships and focus on your life choices. If handled with care, the tests, triumphs, and failures we encounter in reality gaming can only better prepare us for the tasks at hand in our real lives as well.
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