Group Members

Anwar Al-Awadhi & Yvonne Chow

Topic

(Gaming)

Issue

(A historical and analytical account of the different technological advancements in the field of gaming)

The History of Gaming

The first arcade game was introduced in 1971. It was called the galaxy game arcade and it was stationed in the students union at Stanford University. The galaxy game could be thought of as a blunt version of today's geometry wars game. In essence, the player controls a space ship that shoots missiles towards polygonal shapes, while trying to avoid them. The arcade game was coin-operated. For 10 cents a player could play a single game, and for 25 cents he could enjoy an extra two games!

One year later (1972), the first gaming console was sold in the USA. It was called the Magnavox Odyssey. The console required the user to place a plastic sheet on the screen of his/her T.V.This sheet would act as a theme for a particular game programmed within the console. For instance, if one were to play a game of hockey on the Magnavox Odyssey it would be necessary to use the "hockey-theme" plastic sheet. In simpler terms, think of the game "4-square" without the squares. The sheet resembles the drawn out squares on the court. All in all, the Magnavox Odyssey system sold 2 million units.

The origins of online gaming are not that clear. It is understood that from 1970s-1980s university students especially those in the computer sciences were heavily engrossed with programming. In 1978 a system known as the Bulletin Board System(BBS) developed by Ward Christensen. The BBS is considered as the precursor to the world wide web. The BBS system allowed a user to log in to a terminal and interact with other users. Some Bulletin Board Systems had games installed within them and allowed users to play against one another. These games were referred to as multi-user dungeons (M.U.Ds).

In 1983 the gaming industry experienced an economical crash. It was mainly due to poor game design, and unorganized manufacturing of products. One such example was scene when statistics became available. It was noted that at one point the pac-man game out produced its relative console.

So far the period spanning from 1971 to 1983 is considered as the first three generations of gaming. The history of gaming expands four generations beyond that and they are summarized as follows with their respective periods and hit-consoles:

Fourth generation (1989–1997) (Sega=SNES)

Fifth generation (1994–2002) (PS>SNES)

Sixth generation (1998–2008) (PS2>XBOX)

Seventh generation (2004–Present)(XBOX 360>PS3)

The Pros and Cons of Gaming

[ADVANTAGES]

1)The general consensus is that playing games is fun

2)Health benefits

Mental (hand-to-eye coordination, color contrasting)

Physical (Recently the Wii gaming-console has been able to incorporate physical activity in games)

3)Simulation Gaming (sports, flight, etc)

[DISADVANTAGES]

1) Social Implications

Mood swings

Isolation

Violent Behavior

Poor social skills

Neglect of responsibilities

2) Health hazards

Damaged eye sight from prolonged periods of gaming

Bad posture

Loss of sleep

Improper hygiene

Social Networking

Many gaming web pages provide users an opportunity to sign up and join as a way to connect with fellow game lovers. It is a way to interact and communicate with others who have similar interests. Social networking in gaming can also have its benefits. Communicating through these networks is easy and efficient and anybody with computer access is able to do so. There are hundreds and hundreds of these sites lurking on the World Wide Web. There are even networks out there like Raptr that can send out alerts when you are about to play a game which allows friends to know what you are playing. Even popular social networks like Facebook offer games which let you compete with friends. When it comes to social networking, there will always be risks. The number one risk is the ability of connecting yourself to anybody in the world. Communicating with strangers behind a screen is very dangerous. You are not able to see who they actually are. There is the chance where they may say that they are a certain age, gender, or race when they are not. Anybody is able to lie and pretend they are a certain person when they are not. This is especially dangerous for young girls with male predators lurking around the web. As long as people are aware of the risks involved and educate themselves with potential threats, social networking among gaming sites is an excellent way to share and communicate with others the same interests.

An Overview of Gaming Addiction

How do we define gaming addiction? Addiction in universal terms is a psychological disorder that affects a certain chemical process within the brain. In essence, when a person has good experiences (winning, tasty food, etc)their brain releases a neurochemical known as dopamine. This chemical is responsible for providing a person with feelings of enjoyment or pleasure. Gaming becomes an addiction when the levels of dopamine released within the brain especially in areas such as the frontal lobe or basal ganglia are exceptionlly high. Physicians usually compare the elevated levels of dopamine in gaming addicts to those experienced by intravenous drug users and alcoholics.

Gaming in the Media

Information on gaming and its derivatives is spread by various forms of media. Gaming is usually broadcasted through gaming websites, news networks, and journals (paper/electronic versions). However, it is important to note that not all forms of media are applicable to any given topic (in this instance gaming). This also induces one to consider the moral and ethical implications that are brought up by the media.

The most prominent ethical issues erupt from the "NEWS" media networks. Contrary to what most people believe, media especially those similar to the news depend heavly on stereotyping techniques to convey their message to a large audience in a short period of time. (advertisments, news stories, entertainment, etc). In turn, these stereotypes become an issue when:

They become a REALITY-->Giving certain groups AUTHORITY over others-->Stimulating discrimination

Unlike news networks, gaming websites do not stimulate discrimination, but some stereotypes can be found in some of the games that they present. The real problem lies within the gaming forums which are "mediated" by gaming websites. Here one may encounter normal forms of social interaction between gamers, however there will be the occasional act of "mis-conduct" between two individuals expressing their opinions on a particular topic.

Recently, gaming journals have erupted into the scene of gaming with a clear emphasis of hacking down stereotypes and to set the record straight when it comes down to gaming information. One particular gaming journal is "Cerise", a gaming journal geared towards a female audience and to the general public as well.