Random Gaming Thoughts

[isiolia]

Or, more specifically, play and seriousness are uncomfortable bedfellows.

Unless gambling is involved?

[Exhuminator]

The biggest obstacle isn't demographics or even trends in game content, it is that games are a form of play and play is a concept most associated with youth.

And yet baseball and football and chess are forms of play taken quite seriously by adults? Or is that an illogical conflation?

Goddamn it man don't crush my dreams.

[Jmustang1968]

It wont totally get rid of the belief, but I think it will subside a lot.

I think it will change into a mainstream vs niche thing as well. Popular fps such as CoD will be deemed normal while RPGs, MMOs, many PC games will be deemed nerdy and Nintendo and handheld games will be for kids. These already exist, but I think it will become more prominent.

[dsheinem]

GOOD NEWS EVERYONE. One day everyone currently over the age of 45* will be dead and video games as a conduit will be accepted with the same level of seriousness as other mediums by successive societal generations.

I actually doubt that will happen. The biggest obstacle isn't demographics or even trends in game content, it is that games are a form of play and play is a concept most associated with youth.

Or, more specifically, play and seriousness are uncomfortable bedfellows.

I'd also add that sports culture is generally exempt from this discomfort in large part because of the values typically associated with sports (health, competition, attractiveness, leadership, toughness, prosperity, etc.). These aren't values that are associated with video games.

Edit: Chess, to the extent it is valued, is tied historically to values of intelligence (strategy, adaptiveness, etc.)

[dsheinem]

Or, more specifically, play and seriousness are uncomfortable bedfellows.

Unless gambling is involved?

And gambling is seen by society as a degenerate practice. Many states and nations ban it, people are arrested for it, it can destroy lives, etc.

[Exhuminator]

competition, toughness, intelligence, strategy, adaptiveness

These are values that in time could come to be associated with gaming by society at large, considering the varied genres available and esports movement. On the other hand, animation has been around for eons now, yet is still considered juvenile entertainment by Western society in general. But that may be an apples to oranges comparison given the millions of dollars spent on producing mature rated content in the video game medium.

[dsheinem]

competition, toughness, intelligence, strategy, adaptiveness

These are values that in time could come to be associated with gaming by society at large, considering the varied genres available and esports movement. On the other hand, animation has been around for eons now, yet is still considered juvenile entertainment by Western society in general. But that may be an apples to oranges comparison given the millions of dollars spent on producing mature rated content in the video game medium.

There are a lots of values like these which, I agree, COULD perhaps become associated with games at some point...but it requires an entire cultural shift to do that in terms of how, where, and when games are used and discussed in society. The importance of team sports and athleticism in one's life is woven into the fabric of everything in Western culture from education to advertising, and that's part of the reason why those values are so firmly entrenched in that arena.

eSports might be gaining in popularity as a kind of entertainment...even as a spectator sport...but it is still grounded in a medium whose values are seen to be almost entirely those of play.

[Erik_Twice]

Regardless of what assets were on the disc, there wasn't actually any nudity shown in the game. If you're referring to the craptacular writing, then, sure

Yeah, I was talking about the craptacular nature of the game itself

But yeah, perhaps sex scenes in games wouldn't be so godawfully embarrasing if they could actually show a penis.

I think the ESRB and in turn Steam are a lot more focused on context. Plenty of M-rated games on Steam have nudity and sex, just not as the primary theme. Just like R-rated movies can get away with plenty, but if the entire thing is softcore porn, well...it's probably gonna get an NC-17 rating, and not get carried by a lot of retailers as a result.

Which is bollocks in an on itself

[Jmustang1968]

I have been seeing a shift towards gaming acceptance. The problem is, some give gaming a bad name. The young late teens early 20s who are perceived as not wanting to do anything but sit and play games. They get the lazy, wont get a job, mooch of their parents moniker. The game playing is closely tied to their perceived identity.

[Exhuminator]

COULD perhaps become associated with games at some point...but it requires an entire cultural shift

I understand what you are saying, and I believe what you are saying holds merit. But that cultural value aspect is a bit different than what I was originally talking about.

The issue of content within a game, originally I was referring to that. It is absurd anyone would see nudity in an M-rated game with contention, yet not mind it in an R-rated film. That "games are only for kids" hypocrisy is what I believe will continue to fade in time with successive generations of gamers.