CBC's (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation) Doc Zone series includes one called "Gamer Revolution".A Details regarding it are in http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/gamerrevolution.html[/url] along with some interesting statistics in the associated fact sheet at http://www.cbc.ca/doczone/gamerrevolution_factsheet.html[/url].A The Web page says that "Over 800 million people worldwide are regular players" and that this show is the first "first full-length documentary to look past the hype, paranoia, and hoopla to explore the real stories behind the computer game revolution."
It also says that:
Quote:
GAMER REVOLUTION explores how computer games are not only a new medium for the 21st century, they are a massive form of change in our world." says Rachel Low, President, Red Apple Entertainment. "The idea of living inside a computer-generated universe is happening right now. The line between the real world and the virtual world is disappearing. Millions of people feel that they have a life inside these games."
I just saw the show on TV tonight.A Although it was somewhat interesting and entertaining, it was also rather disappointing as they focused almost exclusively on the positive effects of gaming.A IMHO, it was not very well balanced.A As for the addictive qualities and associated problems resulting from that, about the only thing related to that is they did say at one point that "It is not accident that the games have an addictive quality.A That is how the developers created them."A Also, one person said that most games were designed to provide on the order of 50 hours of entertainment, WoW was designed to provide from 500 hours to an unlimited amount of "enjoyment".A A The show did profile one couple, with the husband possible playing more than he should but not so excessively as to not fulfill his responsibilities and the wife farming out the task of getting to a higher level for her avatar to some inexpensive players in Romania.A Also, the show did profile one guild that had about 60 members and met 3 times a week for perhaps 3 or 4 hours of play each time.A I am not sure whether or not this is a typical guild but from what I have read on these boards there are many more serious guilds that exist.
One final interesting thing that I heard was a quote from Willian Gibson regarding on-line game playing.A He said that it depends on "consensual hallucination".
Overall, I do not recommend that any of you should bother to see this documentary should you have an opportunity to do so.
- John O.
[em]Carpe Diem![/em] (Seize the Day!)
Thank you for watching this for us, and providing such a thoughtful review. ... all I can think is, for whatever reason the creators of the documentary didn't want to go to the trouble of providing a really balanced look at gaming and its effects, good and bad. It's sort of like the lotto: there is an "official line" about what legalized gambling does for communities, and it's just too inconvenient and depressing to talk about the other side of it. I guess I continue to feel, though, that regardless of what's said on TV, real people and families will experience the true effects of compulsive gaming in their lives, and eventually come to realize that something just isn't right. We see them here all the time, that's all the proof I need.... Jane
I agree with Jane, we won't be loosing our cause anytime soon... :(
"There is little difference in people, but that little difference makes a big difference. The little difference is attitude. The big difference is whether it is positive or negative." --W. Clement Stone
There's another video game documentary being televised on the discovery channel these days. It's in about 6 parts, I think. It's called "The Rise of Video Games". Part one started with the invention of Pong and was pretty interesting. I have recorded them and watched bits and pieces but I haven't had time to watch the whole thing. Watched bits and pieces of part 5 the other day. It was about virtual worlds and society. They talked about WoW and SecondLife, interviewed Nick Yee, the gamer who thinks he's a scientist, and came to the conclusion that this is a wonderful thing that we now have the option to live either in the real world or a virtual world. Wonderful.
"Small service is true service while it lasts. Of humblest friends, bright creature! scorn not one
The daisy, by the shadow that it casts,
Protects the lingering dewdrop from the sun." -------William Wordsworth