Benefits of FPS

[goldfish]

There is now research showing concrete benefits from playing first-person shooters. (Not surprisingly, the benefits are in the area of visual perception).

http://www.nytimes.com/2003/05/29/science/29VIDE.html

Hmm, I wonder what benefits accrue from playing D2??

[Grumpy]

Benefits from D2.

1. Better understanding of teenagers (thank god)
2. Less time at bars, this has many subsections of benefits I won't go in to
3. When I come across the names of weapons and armors in other stories I immediately know what they are, what they look like and can imagine their potential damage.
4. Less time drinking...oh, I said that one
5. E-mote experience...;-)
6. Led me to multiple forums which immproved my procrastination abilities
7. I come in contact with people that I never would otherwise....like Republicans...I guess I had to talk to some eventually....

I'm sure there are many other fantastic benefits....

[TaMeOlta]

I try to remain wary of Evil Urns , since R/L is very much like HC :blink: (my boss is a Lasher - send HELP ! :o )

[Nicodemus Phaulkon]

Still, he noted that an increased capacity for visual attention was helpful in tasks as diverse as flying, driving, radiology and airport screening.

Not to mention slinging burgers at Macdonald's.

Fascinating. I wonder if the additional "benefits" of being overweight, combative, socially-challenged and a pronounced ability to remain hidden in their parents' basement for 30+ years weigh in too?

The professor and her student decided to study the connection between video game playing and visual attention. They carried out four experiments on undergraduates, all of them male because no female shooter game fans could be found on campus.

TONS of implications in that statement.

Only the shooter game improved visual attention, Dr. Bavelier said, and it did so in both sexes. Among novices, the effects waned within a couple of months, but superior visual attention skills seemed firmly rooted in game addicts.

Right. And the ability to be able to identify 10 flashed objects over 4 is sufficient to override the other aspects of life... like not being stuck for an answer when someone says "Hello".

Would you like fries with that?

[pakman]

Somehow I don't believe it......

I know from experience that playing games leads to: less time with friends because you have to get that damn awper, less time spent studying, lower grades, and overall general laziness. Unless your friends play them with you :ph34r: :blink: I can't imagine counter-strike having any positive influence on me except that it make me look like a gun nut when I start talking about the firing rate and accuracy of the colt M4A1 carbine assault rilfe, or the .9mm mp5 SMG.

I disagree with this article even though I have been playing games for years. I equate this too the news found at http://www.bbspot.com.

[Occhidiangela]

Coffe spill with a chuckle.

And the ability to be able to identify 10 flashed objects over 4 is sufficient to override the other aspects of life... like not being stuck for an answer when someone says "Hello".

Thankee, Nico, 'twas a moment enjoyed. :D

[--Pete]

Hi,

From the article: "Researchers are reporting today that first-person-shooter video games — the kind that require players to kill or maim enemies or monsters that pop out of nowhere — sharply improve visual attention skills. "

Now, you say you don't believe it and give as examples a bunch of things that have nothing to do with visual attention skills. You conclude that "I disagree with this article even though I have been playing games for years."

Looks to me like you need to find something that improves your reading comprehension skills.

--Pete

BTW, I for one found nothing strange or unusual in this article. We mostly live in a world where attention to what is going on is no longer much of a survival characteristic. This is pretty clear from the way people drive and even from how they walk. So the ability to be aware of our surroundings is never fully developed in most. Training in that ability develops it. What is so earth shaking about that?

[kandrathe]

It surely explains that 10,000 pixel stare, and the extremly fast twitch muscles in their mousing hand apparent in most avid FPS gamers. :)

Other types of action games, including those that focus on strategy or role playing, do not produce the same effect.

The article fails to make the link between gaming (e.g. Chess) and improvements in higher brain function. While the criticism is valid that video gaming is physically non-taxing, I think it is more mentally challenging (participatory) than watching the TV. Certainly, a combination of physical and mental training is ideal. It would be interesting to make a study of how avid FPS conditioned people fare in a complex, fast action task. For instance, flying a fighter jet.

[FenrisWulf]

Sure, I can agree with Pete on this one. I don't think that the article was intended to show that video games build strong life skills; we can all laugh that one off as we get back to another questing run, alone at our computer, in the dark. However, I've definitely noticed a marked improvement in visual acuity among some of my friends who are hardcore into First Person Shooters. For instance, I was watching one of my friends play Soldier of Fortune II a few days ago. As he was romping through the forest, he suddenly stopped, and asked me if I saw "him". I had no idea what he was talking about, and spent almost a minute scouring the screen. To me, there was only jungle, but he pulled out his sniper rifle, aimed at a patch of trees, and started zooming...at 20x zoom, I was just barely able to see the head of a man, less than a centimeter tall on the screen. It was pretty damn amazing.

[Nicodemus Phaulkon]

It would be interesting to make a study of how avid FPS conditioned people fare in a complex, fast action task. For instance, flying a fighter jet.

They'd probably pass out and do a nice Raggedy Andy impression the first time they experienced G's. Not only would they suffer from a less-than-perfect heart-to-head ratio, they'd have to pump blood around all that ill-gotten gain from Pringles and Code Red Mountain Dew.

Certainly, a combination of physical and mental training is ideal.

Ah, but there's the rub. Usually, it's the physical training that's in place first and foremost, then the mental training is established. The other direction doesn't work. Well, unless you count some abusive CS clanner that suddenly decides he should start doing some pushups in the morning. I believe the Jury is still out on THOSE success rates.

Find me one short, in-shape, Type A personality with his eyes towards Miramar, Ca who's an "expert" at ANYTHING on the computer, much less FPS games. I'd like to shake his hand... right after I eat my socks.

*tips helm*

[Kasreyn]

The only reason people don't realize that stereotyping people by specific habits of behavior (like FPS playing), taken out of context, is as silly as stereotyping them by, say, skin color, is because it's not as obvious.

I'll forego the tiring and overly easy task of presenting you with examples of in-shape, sociable, friendly, gainfully employed people I know who could kick your ass at any FPS you care to name. It's not worth the effort. ^_^

-Kasreyn

[WarBlade]

3.  When I come across the names of weapons and armors in other stories I immediately know what they are, what they look like and can imagine their potential damage.

Sorry, but on the scale of accuracy there's a lot there that makes one think that an Iraqi Information Minister has found employment at Blizzard.

Acouple of examples:
- The Bearded Axe has a perfect graphic when you see it in your inventory, but none of the one's I've personally wielded, made or researched have been two handed axes. :lol:
- The inventory graphic for Plate Mail looks a lot like what byzantine lamellar is thought to have been. :huh:

. . . and on "damages and attack speed" . . . don't even go there. :lol:


Back on topic, D2 does have some benefits, not least of which is the incentive for mental excercise in problem solving, tactical thinking etc.
In my opinion at least.

[Nicodemus Phaulkon]

You could attempt to see my post as being facetious, and attempt to develop a sense of humor that would override your own need to appear clever.

Would that be worth the effort?

To quote Hugo A-Go-Go: "Right into mine trap". :lol:

[Kevin]

Edit: If any read it, forget it, there is no point in what I posted as it really won't help anything in the long run.

Consider the post deleted.

[LiquidDamage]

I know from experience that playing games leads to: less time with friends because you have to get that damn awper, less time spent studying, lower grades, and overall general laziness.

I know you are mostly joking, but I thought I'd point out that ANY activity outside of "spending time with friends" and "studying" is going to lead to: less time with friends, and less time studying. I'd also like to point out that some people have friends that play games, and by playing games with them, it actually leads to MORE time with friends.

Also, I'd say that "overall general laziness" contributes to game playing, not the reverse. Honestly, the only reason I play games is because it is something entertaining and involving that doesn't require physical effort, or leaving my room. All I need now is a refrigerator and the Meat Toaster next to my computer, and my life will be complete.

That actually might be bad, though, as currently my laziness is mostly responsible for the fact that I am not overweight. It takes SO much effort to walk 20 feet to the kitchen.

[kandrathe]

Lol.

I'm sure they don't just take any goof ball, strap him in and see how it goes... "Go ahead and land it, if your able." Personally, I prefer "Whoopass", by Jones Soda before lighting up the afterburners on my dual 3.0 Ghz P4 gaming box. I'd say if Bush can do it, we all can. But then again, he is a runner.

For you Aussies and Kiwis.

[WarBlade]

For you Aussies and Kiwis.

Nah, that must be purely an Aussie thing. Kiwis save their operating costs by finding new and inventive ways to scare the piss out of people in flinging them around on the end of a rope.

[Kasreyn]

Facetiousness requires some sly hint that one isn't completely serious. There was no such hint. All I saw was unkind mocking of a stereotype of people who probably constitute a certain nonzero percentage of LLers. I don't see a need for that here.

As to "traps", if you were attempting to bait someone into attacking your post, then the proper term for you would be, "troll". So I'm hoping that's not the case.

Cheers,

-Kasreyn

[Nicodemus Phaulkon]

Fine. Fine. I'll stop with my attempted Dave Barry-isms. Without a plethora of emoticons permeating them, they don't seem to be hitting the target. At least Occhi and Duckula managed to pick up on the humor.

Facetiousness requires some sly hint that one isn't completely serious. There was no such hint.

You obviously haven't heard the joke involving Pringles and Code Red. Perhaps it's not as wide-spread as I assumed. Perhaps you don't get out of the house much.

All I saw was unkind mocking of a stereotype of people who probably constitute a certain nonzero percentage of LLers. I don't see a need for that here.

And might even include myself, neh? How's the view from your pedestal, Hoss?

As to "traps", if you were attempting to bait someone into attacking your post, then the proper term for you would be, "troll". So I'm hoping that's not the case.

No. Just another attempt at humor. I suppose you haven't a clue who Hugo A Go-Go is, either?

Never mind, then. Chalk it up to me being in a chuckles-mood, and obviously not being unsubtle enough about it.

[ithil]

> You obviously haven't heard the joke involving Pringles and Code Red.

Hee. In my case it was Doritos and Code Red, and I got a lot of ribbing at a LAN party when I set up my computer and sat down with two personal 2-liters of Code Red. :-P

> Perhaps you don't get out of the house much.

Yeah, that's the stuff.