What I Learn from Video Games- Part 1

I love games- sporting games, card games, video games. The whole idea of games and gaming- the competition, the thrill of winning, the drive to push harder, be faster, play better- compels me and excites me like nothing else. I could easily become addicted to the rush of gaming, which is why I tend to restrict any gambling games with very stringent rules and limits.

In Jane McGonigal's Reality is Broken, the author makes some fascinating claims about the role of games in human existence. As an avid gamer- though not in the most fashionable sense of the word- I can relate. In fact, she argues that there are psychological benefits and real life lessons that only games can provide. After reading her book, I've kept that idea floating around my head. Occasionally, it settles upon something that I see or do and resonates wickedly. This is one of those times.

I'm currently involved in a game on my cell phone called "Knights and Dragons." Oh all right- I'm a bit obsessed with this game. It's purpose is to wage war to procure experience, gather coins to buy better armor, and defeat enemies in increasingly tougher levels in order to complete quests. There's a lot going on in the game and very few explanations. As addictive as the game is, the creators very wisely included speed bumps- slow coin collection, wait time after battle before your lives recharge- that ensure that you never get your fill in a single setting. It may be one of the best crafted games- as far as addictiveness and "leaving-you-wanting-more" that I've ever played. [I can say this because I am currently stuck- and have been stuck- on a level of "Candy Crush" for over a month. I rarely go back to play- the frustration level is too high and the rewards do not come enough.]

So, in my quest to fashion the best armor, make friends, defeat dragons, complete quests, and gather my bounties of coins, just what have I learned from the experience?

#1- At first, you don't have to know what you're doing to do it. Sometimes, just doing is reward enough. You cruise along, collecting coins and slowly upgrading your armor. You battle some monsters and figure out how to use your power booster. You try things out and experiment, knowing that at this low level in the game, there aren't serious consequences. The small, manageable goals and successes draw you deeper into the game. You decide to do this- it works or it doesn't. You use what you've learned to get better, plan better, set better goals.You practice and play and plot... and sometimes you win. Then, the monsters crumble at your feet and gift you with experience points and rewards.

Later, when you get smacked around in the person-to-person battles with players who you should be beating, you can go back and figure out exactly what the secrets to lasting, substantial success are. But you have to get hooked first. Nobody works really hard at this kind of game- or anything, really- without being hooked. And nobody gets hooked by being told what to do. People are naturally resistant to other people bossing them around. When I choose to spend my time on something, it's not because someone told me I should. It's because I want to- for whatever reason works for me. I've been hooked. Sometimes its' seeing someone else's results and wanting to mimic them; sometimes it's looking for a challenge. People don't get hooked because they've been given all the answers. It's interesting that knowing how to win doesn't give nearly the satisfaction of figuring out how to win.

I truly appreciate the efforts, vigilance, and fast reflexes of chemistry teachers. Completely connected, I promise. If a student in a chemistry lab is told up front what is going to happen in their experiment, then directed step-by-step in how to do it, they most likely will not get much from the experience. I'm sure everyone has been in that situation where someone explains the mystery and thrill right out of an otherwise cool idea. Students who are hooked by the prospect of getting good grades will follow right along, listen attentively, and proceed to follow directions perfectly achieving the desired result and getting a high grade... and then promptly forget they ever did the experiment.

Of those students who are left, you have students who are and who are not hooked on the wonder of chemistry. The ones who are not will probably be asleep or ask to go to the bathroom and never return. They get nothing from the lab. But the ones who are hooked on chemistry rather than grades are the ones who start mixing things together to see what happens, who make predictions and test them out, who can't help but wonder- if calcium burns red and copper burns bluish-green, what color would that girl's hair, with all the gel in it, burn? Back to my initial comment about appreciating the efforts, vigilance, and fast reflexes of chemistry teachers.

The point: and the thing that I've learned from playing video games- a cheat might help you win the game, but winning the game is never the reward. Getting good enough to win, learning enough to win, and putting in the effort-sometimes monumental- to win is the point. The reward is so much more than winning- it's victory.