Call of duty & console gaming destroying independent thinking

I was told about a disturbing documentary on TV a couple of weeks ago regarding games and what they do to young personalities.

They got lots of kids together to play games like COD or footie.

Then later they took the kids one by one into a room for a short interview

The interviewer would then "accidentally" spilled over a tub of pencils.

Most of the kids who played football or team games jumped to help with picking the pencils up.

None of the kids who played COD helped at all. The experiments were repeated with other kids and the results were always the same.

Games like COD destroy empathy in children.

My recall of the story might not be accurate but I think the gist is there.

reply to post by MzMorbid


too true.

.... and love the signature.


I think there is two issues here - humans adaptability and the limits of coding.

Lets face it we are the masters of adaptabilty.
We are capable of learning things at astonishing rates and when things become easy, in this context, we get bored. We instantly want more... nothing seems to satisfy.. (a ref for mzmorbid).

Then the is the eternal battle of software improvement. I may be a little off here, but developers are constantly fighting the battle of making code more effecient and getting the most out of the hardware available at the time while adhering to quick load times, insane graphic demands and the insatiable needs of the bored gamer.

The used to be this thing called the software crisis back in the 90's where software couldn't keep up with hardware, or to say it another way, software couldn't utilize the hardware it was running on. Gaming was on the cusp of the multi billion dollar industry it is today & HW was leaps and bounds, and continually improving faster than software (at the time). Software was holding us back. Not forgetting we all were easily pleased. Lets face it Wolfenstein was the shizzle.

I'm not sure if that is still the case, but I guess the needs of the end user have changed somewhat to.which may be driving SW development to an all new level and is thrashing hardware to its outer limits.. but I "digest"

I believe games like COD are nearing the gameplay limits, at a highlevel, you blow stuff up, work your way through levels, beat someones elses time or frag the entire lan party with single shot of your pistol and that is about it. You are the man/woman all seek to beat. The next release comes out, slightly better graphics & environment yet same goals & objectives only you are a little wiser, better and older.

I'm not sure its a deliberate thing, because these young developers are driving/crashing their F430's and really aren't too fussed what you think about v2.1.01.3 and are usually working to a spec given to them by their boss and their loyal fans but with limits imposed directly or indirectly.

I don't think games are killing independant thinking at all, they may enable some bad personailty traits in people that were always going to struggle with this problem at some stage of their life, but you get out of games what you put in.

Just my thoughts.

reply to post by RadeonGFXRHumanGTXisAlien



I am a humble man, and feel great pain when discussing myself, and the merits of being myself. With that prologue....

...i am an avid XBOX LIVE player, and own all COD titles since COD IV: Modern Warfare. Yesterday I played Black Ops for about 9 hours total throughout the day. Hardcore Team Deathmatch is my game. I used my sons account ("festered flaps", currently...although he changes it about every 2-3 months)

I don't think many folks would ever accuse me of not being an individual. Nor would I be accused of linear, mainstream thinking. Nor have I ever been accused of being a slow iwtted person.

As a matter of fact, the last 2 weeks has seen me realizing some of the most insightful realizations I have ever had (see the content of my blog for a narrow view of some of these realizations).

There are plenty of games out there that stimulate thinking. As someone as already mentioned, Portal is an excellent example. Another one is the Nintendo DS. I realize it's not a console, but it has tons of puzzle games and critical thinking games. It's just that shooters are the most popular. The changes made to CoD over the years are a result of Activision wanting to expand their audience and keep the game fresh. It's smart business. You certainly can't argue with the results.

reply to post by wigit


I think this study that you mention represents a possible folly seen all too often in social sciences: the reversal of causation.

Kids who play team sports generally have a better work ethic and a concern for others. kids who do not show lower levels of these behaviors.

So what is the cause, and what is the effect? Do team sports make you a better team player? Does it make you less lazy? Would it make you a better citizen, more concerned about others?

I think the experiment you mention points out something that is well known: when you are part of a team dynamic you learn about things like duty and all that kind of stuff. But what if the REAL answer was, people who play team sports already have these traits?

What if the slackers that play COD instead of attending football practice are antisocial by nature, not be nurture?

I don't think we have enough evidence to blame a game. Not when I can find story affter story that contradicts what you report from that study (my own child included, who plays football AND Xbox Live).

I bought a ps3 and call of duty MW2 and then Black Ops some weeks later. O my god I wasted so many hours of my life on that game last fall and through spring. Then I sold it after becoming level 10 prestige.

I plan on repeating this cycle when MW3 comes out. Not going to lie..I LOVE the action in these games. I don't believe in such a thing as IQ or Intelligence or Smart so I judge not who plays these games just have fun and enjoy.

I think the internet is ruining console gaming. Back in the day when I was a kid there were no stupid "walkthroughs" or online "guides". Now people have a little trouble with a game they just look up a cheat or a walkthrough, instead of trying to figure it out. I always thought that was were all the fun came from, figuring it out. Why the hell would a rational person pay 50 or 60 dollars for a game and then cheat on it? I don't get it.

reply to post by bigfatfurrytexan


I see no evidence to support the idea that sports players have any better or worse off lives than game players. Besides, neither really matter in the end who wins or loses.

the only thinking i see from online COD players is racism, shouting excuses and some idiot playing music in game chat. do i have to mute everyone?

Reply to post by billy197300

Also add updates and add-ons to your post. the game creators are using the internet to thieir advantage by
First selling you an incomplete game then charge you for material that should have came with the game to begin with.


Posted Via ATS Mobile: m.abovetopsecret.com

reply to post by one_small_step


Thanks...just checked it out again and noticed it's got crappy resolution...so i found a better one!

reply to post by strafgod


yes the is the main thing i hate about the gaming industry today.
downloading extra content when it should have been on the original game.

just bought a new game recently, Deus Ex: Human Revolution and the day it came out there was already downloadable content. a new mission and extra gear. you have to either pay on xbox live or buy the limited edition game. i was lucky and paid for a standard copy but the guy at the store made a mistake and gave me the Ltd version.

this kinda thing is going to make skyrim suck eventually when you dont want to pay every other month for a new map.

The only thing COD is destroying is the gaming industry itself! It's lowered the standard for how games should be, basically paving the way for dumb downed games with no substance, with this new generation is more than willing to accept and I don't like it!

Guys guys....Skyrim is coming out it November so COD doesnt matter =D

reply to post by RadeonGFXRHumanGTXisAlien

It sadly seems to be the case with everything these days.. Games are being dumbed down, tv is being dumbed down, movies are being dumbed down, music is being dumbed down, education is being dumbed down and so on.

I miss those point and click adventure games from the 90s that actually made you think. The only way to get through the game was by using logic and solving puzzles.

Originally posted by WoundedByHonesty
reply to post by RadeonGFXRHumanGTXisAlien

 

Oh come on. Consoles have limits, as the controller can only do so much and the hardware is fixed (unless modded) so the comparison is not viable. Before this degenerates into a Console/PC debate let me say that sometimes the smarter people go for ease of use rather than opting for a virus-ridden nightmare. But tell that to the poor people on PSN... I guess you really can't win. But this has nothing to do with intelligence.

Odd how it was different in 80s and 90s then even though the controls was even more simple then.
Most games of today just dosent offer much of a challenge at all.

Originally posted by RadeonGFXRHumanGTXisAlien
The past few years, we've seen a rise in a video game franchise, titled "Call of duty", and the rise of console gaming with, the ps3, xbox 360 and nintendo wii becoming "mainstream" and "casual", gaming is less hardcore and, anyone can just jump in, from toddlers to grandma, not that im saying thats bad, but it gets to a point, when it becomes bad, and we've currently long gone past that point.

The first 4 COD games, did take some skill and had a learning curve.
But from there on in, it seemed every other sequel, became basically the game playing the game for you, from perks, to auto aiming, and killstreaks, there is no learning curve behind the game, and the past 4 games have been EXACTLY the same, other than just a re-skinning, and the upcoming Modern Warfare 3, is just the deleted scenes from Modern Warfare 2, nothing has changed.
Yet people are sucked in, wowed and impressed by this new version of the game?

I mean, if a different accent can "impress" and "wow" people, then that proves how dumb people are, anything will impress the masses.
It seems people love the most useless of things

I would have to say that gaming has been lowering the IQ bar of people since Doom fell of the map. By offering no mental challenge other than pressing a button, the brain tends to be frozen in time, and it stays stagnant even after the game is over.
Games like COD, that break record sales, have little to do with thinking, and more with easy tasks.
People would prefer to play on a console, than build a PC to play, everything is just done for them, no thinking needed.

Do games, and consoles kill independent thinking?
Seems the only people who game on consoles and play call of duty, are bro-gamers (people from fraternities, generally the low i.q'd, and 13 year olds).

edit on 12-9-2011 by RadeonGFXRHumanGTXisAlien because: (no reason given)

1) COD sucks MW sucks COD

reply to post by RadeonGFXRHumanGTXisAlien


I believe all first person shooter video games were developed by the military for psychological training the human brain to be a warrior in real warfare. It is but a short step from looking over a video gun barrel and seeing the rounds hit, and looking over a real gun barrel and seeing the rounds hit. You are being trained to be a killer, plain and simple.

reply to post by juleol

I miss those point and click adventure games from the 90s that actually made you think. The only way to get through the game was by using logic and solving puzzles.

Odd how it was different in 80s and 90s then even though the controls was even more simple then. Most games of today just dosent offer much of a challenge at all.

So? Keep playing them then. I spent my tax return a couple years ago on a ps3 and ended up taking it back to the store 2 days later and getting my money back. Then I dusted off the old super nintendo and bought NBA Live for like $1.99 on ebay and I'm gonna buy more old snes games. If you all have so many complaints, then why would you give them your money for this crap?

I agree with wigit 100%, and I have no desire to play COD or any of those games, let alone give my money to the companies who make them.

reply to post by RadeonGFXRHumanGTXisAlien


There are way more games than COD out there. You can take Assassin's Creed for instance. Or portal 1 and 2 are pretty awesome. The god of War series is just breath taking..and all those are different genres. Prince of Persia was a good one too. There are plethora of games, old and new or even old ones like Tetris they remade with new challenges, are very stimulating both visualy cerebrally. And I do agree that Battlefeild 3 will kick MW3's butt. Don't be so pessimistic. It's just a game afterall