The Shining Source

This occurred to me whilst watching ?Snakes on a Plane? last week (watch those hits skyrocket!). Whenever I watch a film and a character plays games, it?s rarely a normal part of their character - they?re either kids who won?t do their homework, grown-ups that wildly thrash about, tongues flapping, or have some other form of abnormality that stops them functioning normally. Probably caused by games, but that?s another story.

I wrote a CV a few weeks ago, and didn?t feel that ?playing videogames? was a good hobby, even though ?reading books? and ?watching films? would be fine, and are arguably more passive activities (contradiction?). I like to believe that you shouldn?t feel ashamed of anything you enjoy, but when writing that CV I felt ashamed to say I enjoyed playing games. That?s sort of upsetting.

Games are bigger business than ever, and will be all over the media this Christmas with the new console launches. Does this validate the existence of games? Are games acceptable now that everyone knows about them?

I really want to know your take on this, which is why I?m hosting a special ?The Collected Writings of James Newton? podcast - catchy name not included! - for you to air your views. You can get in touch in these ways:

Skype - JamesProsody. Leave a voicemail!

Email - mail@prosody.co.uk. Either attach a sound file (mp3 please!) or just write your comments down. I?ll be happy to hear them.

Leave a comment here on this post.

However you do it, do get in touch - I?d love to know if you think games are - or will ever be - acceptable and ?normal?. Here?s another thought - would you want them to be?

I think that videogames have made a lot of progress here. But, I don't think they are seen anywhere near as acceptable as other pastimes, such as reading or watching TV. To answer your question above, I personally don't think that just because everyone knows about games, that they become acceptable. There is still a stigma that videogames are for kids, or are just too full of senseless violence to be played by mature adults. Of course many don't feel this way but, I'm guessing most people who enjoy videogames grew up playing them. As opposed to someone in there forties who just decided to take up gaming as a hobby because they heard how popular they are.

I don't think videogames get a fair shake in media either. Which really could impede on their acceptance level. Other than when new systems are released and the news shows some footage of people waiting in lines outside stores, the only time I can remember a news story on a video game is when someone starts blaming them for being too violent.  Perhaps when some viewers see these news stories ( where they just show clips from a GTA or WWII clone) they think that this is what all videogames are about.

In the future though, I completely expect games to be just as if not more acceptable as other forms of entertainment. Like I said before, I really think a lot of progress (and a few setbacks) has occurred. I'm really hopeful that the Wii will attract more than just 'gamers' but also people who usually don't play games.

For me, games are acceptable and have always been acceptable.  When I play games it's not _just_ for giggles or to feel powerful.  I need stimulation through strategy or puzzles to keep me interested.
Multiplayer is where it has been at for me for a very long time.  Only the best single player games (or the trickiest "puzzles") get my attention, and then only for a limited time.
The only stigma I feel at the moment admitting to nongamers that I play a lot of games in my free time is that I know a lot of players who don't do anything _except_ play games, and lose their jobs or end friendships because they are too busy playing a MMORPG of some kind.  I feel I need to make it clear that I am not an addicted gamer like that.  Normally by saying something like "Yeah I play quite a lot of games.. no WoW though, that's bad for ya."
With that small clarification aside, I am just as likely to tell people I play games as I am to say what kind of music I like.  No big deal about it.

In my opinion, gaming as a hobby is definitely acceptable as long as you're not suffering from serious addiction. In that case it can be a serious drawback on your CV...

Twist it and say you enjoy strategy and/or logic based games that test and improve your abilities. Simple.

I play Harvest Moon. Does that count?