Having been a proponent of games and gaming for most of my life, I tend to focus on the more virtuous elements of the sport. Games have helped push processing technology forward via the popularity of video games on both consoles and PC. They have brought people together in comradery for years with simple rules and competition, à la billiards or poker. They have been used as teaching aids and regularly include cultural references which introduce players to myths and legends of various peoples and countries around the world. Some of the most popular subjects are the pantheons of Norse, Greek and Roman gods. Other favorites include Irish and Scottish folklore, mostly in the form of fairies or druids. Of course, Japanese history and martial arts often appear, represented by Samurai or Ninja. Games have a lot of potential redeeming value, provided that the player is mature enough to learn in addition to being entertained. However, it’s up to the player to be responsible, because gaming can be highly entertaining, highly educational, and highly addicting. Continue reading
Tag Archives: gaming
Guest Blog | With Great Gaming Comes Great Responsibility
Filed under Gaming, Guest Blog, Kurt Klein
Guest Blog | Press Pause to Continue
Over the past few weeks there has been a lot of conversation, anger, and frustration centered in the geek gamer world regarding perceptions of women. This culminated in a denouement yesterday when several celebrity women were victimized when their nude photos became available for anyone to see online. The geek community has a problem and we owe it to each other as members to have an honest, respectful conversation.
Unfortunately all the noise, emotion, and anger make it difficult to process through these issues because nuance is involved and it’s hard for someone Hulk-raging into their final form to process anything subtle. So let’s hit pause for just a moment and look at the issues. Continue reading
Filed under Gaming, Geek Life, Guest, Guest Blog
Guest Blog | The Thrill of the Hunt
I’ve been on the hunt for a new game recently. Dark Souls 2 was a bit of a disappointment, though the DLC has alleviated that a little. Still, choosing a game to play has been a bit of a task since life doesn’t offer as much time as it used to for research like reading and talking to other gamers. After about a week of trying out several games I own of differing genres, I settled on the idea that I need to get back to my roots. A good JRPG style game is what fit the bill. This called for a pilgrimage to the game store—a sacred time for any gamer on the hunt. These trips are usually very ordinary: a clean store, friendly staff perhaps preoccupied with a conversation about the latest releases, and a few people perusing the wares. I headed out to my local game store (let’s call them Potsemag just for anonymity’s sake.) When I arrived, I was greeted in the usual way, an enthusiastic, “Welcome to Potsemag!” Continue reading
Filed under Gaming, Guest Blog, Kurt Klein
Guest Blog | In Defense of Games in the Modern Age
I have had the fortune of growing up alongside the gaming industry. I have seen games advance from board games, to Pong, to Warhammer 40k and The Last of Us. What I never overlooked was that the games I played were compelling and full of possibility. During this relatively short history, games have been relegated to the domain of children, which is understandable. However, I champion the idea that games can be a valid tool for expanding a person’s worldview by exposing him to foreign ideas and culture. Books have long been lauded as the escape and education medium of choice, and rightly so. The nuance of word choice and the tone and meter of the author combine with the reader’s imagination to create compelling worlds to which he can escape and characters to which he can escape. However, video games can offer a similar experience, while allowing the player to feel in control of the story, at least to a degree. More than that, video games can expand players’ understanding of the world, cultures, and even themselves. Human history is told in stories. What more is a video game than an interactive story? Continue reading
Filed under Gaming, Geek Life, Guest Blog, Kurt Klein
Therefore I Geek 