Read a Book!

[Shadsie]

Something that may be of interest...

There's a new book out about video games and how, in moderation, they can have real-world benefits. I haven't read it, but would like to. There's a article about it here by its author:

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jane-mcgonigal/video-games_b_823208.html

I'm sure that all of us "in the culture" have heard about Tetris helping to soothe victims of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder and how brain-teasing games have been a help in sharpening the minds of old people. Heck, the new "get up and get active" bent of Wii has become so well-known, it was (positvely) parodied on an episode of "The Simpsons." This book is supposed to cover that kind of thing.

So, maybe I'll pick it up next time I'm in a bookstore.

However, don't go into the comments of that article if you want to keep your sanity. I'm a regular comment-jockey at HuffPo and it always makes me feel suicidal to the point I have to take a break from all the fighting an elitism for a while. I thought the Religion section (where I usually "hang") was bad. And it is bad - real bad. I had no idea that saying "video games are not evil" among a non-conservative crowd would have similar effects! You'll find pages of people whining "Read a book!" "Go out and live life!" I even got a troll on me when I, after defending the merits of having a little fun on my time off with Link or rolling Katamari whining at me to read a book instead. I replied that I've read lots of books and I *write* them. This got me a condescending "I'll bet you do... I'll bet you do..." ARGH. Why is it that some people think that one thing necessarily detracts from anothter? Geez. I may enjoy the fishing mini game in TP, but it doesn't keep me from going out and actually fishing. I enjoy the stories of games, but I read. And write.

Heck, the article is by a game designer right there who's written a book - probably more than all those people who whine "Read instead of game!" have done with their lives. *Laughs.*

 

[LolGames4U]

Awesome! I'll totally read the article. I really hate people who make comments about games that are stereotypical and just plain ignorant. I'm a girl so I get a lot of teasing for being as otaku as I am and let me tell you, it stinks. When I'm older and I have my own company I want to break those stereotypes about gaming in general and girl gamers. Thanks for the great article!

 

[monkeefun]

I just added this book to my wish list. It sounds really interesting. It amazes me how many people still attach such a stigma to video games, and assume that gamers have no lives (or any other of the numerous stereotypes that go with being a gamer). Most of the gamers I know are also some of the most intelligent people I know.

 

[Shadsie]

Something that may be semi-related:

I was reading articles in an issue of "Poets and Writers" magazine, a periodical my fiance' subscribed to in order to inspire and beneift the both of us - (looking at possible markets for our stuff, he writes, too - funky science fiction stuff to my love of fantasy). There was a series of articles by published writers about their inspirations. The person whom I felt best represented my "type" was a science fiction writer who cited a childhood of playing video games as one of his inspirations. He talked about how "figuring out the physics of a fictional world" helped him to learn how to worldbuild. Obviously, the physics of Mario and Zelda aren't like real world physics (you just try gliding around in the air on a chicken!) but they *are* internally-consistent. This is pretty much the key in writing fantasy worlds - the rules of the world can be strange, magical and whatnot, but a given world has to be consistent to its own laws or else it will not make sense. I totally related to this article, and to gaming as a partial inspiration.

Heck, I think writing Zelda fan fiction helps me in writing my "real" fiction because I'm always thinking about internal consistency and worldbuilding - just like that. I play Zelda (or write geeky fanworks) - I have to figure out the various ways Hyrule works, which in turn, gets me to thinking hard when I'm trying to create an original (my "real writing") work world from scratch.

When I have time, I'll have to grab the magazine and see if the article is reproduced online anywhere.

In other words, if I ever get for-reals published (my life is made of shattere dreams...) I'll laugh at the naysayers who think my hobbies don't contribute anything to my life.

 

[LolGames4U]

I want to write some fan fictions; definitely have to keep track of what happens and who says what etc etc etc. Same with anything, but all the worlds in gaming have to be consistent.