THE GAMER’S LIFE

Every child and today even adults like to play video games. In every home you can find an X-Box or a PS3. Video games are a unique form of entertainment because they encourage players to become a part of the game's script. Although originally made for fun and leisure, video games take up a lot of the gamer’s time and have become an integral part of the gamer’s life. Today’s games are so complicated that they require players to pay constant attention to the game. Thus, resulting in players engaging in a deeper level- emotionally and physically.  Ever-improving technology provides players with better graphics that give a more "realistic" virtual playing experience. This quality makes the video game industry a powerful force in many adolescent lives.

The mainstream view of gaming has been that of an evil demon that is corrupting our children’s minds. The emphasis has been on the negative influence of gaming on children. This a biased view as, playing video games can have positive as well as negative effects on a person’s life.

Positives of gaming

The most widely known positive impact of gaming is that it improves the manual dexterity and computer literacy of the individual. It makes the player efficient. This skill is honed in strategy games such as SimCity and Age of Empires.

Multitasking, simultaneous tracking of many shifting variables and managing multiple objectives.  In strategy games, an unexpected surprise like an enemy might emerge and the player is forced to be flexible and quickly change tactics.  

Gaming also teaches simulation and real world skills. The most well-known simulations are flight simulators, which attempt to mimic the reality of flying a plane.

Sometimes the player must analyse the situation and make fast decisions, this is done almost every second of the game. This induces quick thinking in the player and gives the brain a good workout. Video games are goal-driven experiences which are fundamental to learning.

Playing first person shooter games such as Counter Strike and Battlefield series enables players to effectively judge what information should be stored in their working memory and what can be discarded considering the task at hand.

These positive aspects of gaming are an added benefit in day to day life of an individual.

Negatives of gaming

In spite of the numerous positive effects of gaming, the negative effects cannot be ignored.
Most of the bad effects of video games are blamed on the violence they contain.  Children who play more violent video games are more likely to have increased aggressive thoughts, feelings, and behaviours.

Too much video game playing makes your kid socially isolated.  Also, he may spend less time in other activities such as doing homework, reading, sports, and interacting with the family and friends.

Academic achievement may be negatively related to over-all time spent playing video games. Video games may also have bad effects on some children’s health, including obesity, postural, muscular and skeletal disorders and most important the eyes.

( Shruti Kolambikar )