Thanks Tracy, and Mike!

The first article by Emily Sohn looks at the positive side of gamming. The article begins by describing the various ways in which video games are targeted as being negative influences on children, but then outline ways in which video game use can benefit children. Sohn suggest that video games are better at grabbing children’s attention than school, allowing children with ADHD to learn how to decipher complicated narratives which increases reading, and communication skills. Sohn also suggests video games teach children multi taking skill, and allow them to be able to focus on multiple objects at one time.

The second article Amy Clark takes a different look at gamming. Clark suggests that gamming is an addictive activity, and that many people lack the motivation to stop. Clark say that gamming addiction can be as real as a drug addiction. For that reason Clark looks at a gamming detox center in Amsterdam. The center focuses on breaking people of there dependency on gamming.

Both article make sense. I can see how games would help keep kids engaged on a task. I can also see how gamming can become a “real” addiction, that would enter into the realm of a sickness. Sohn does not suggest there is a difference between boy and girls when it comes to addition grabbing games. However, while Sohn’s focus in this article is on youth she say that gamming could help anyone, including adults who have ADHD. Clark’s article suggests that the “addiction problem” is primary found in young males and that the treatment center has not seen any girls as of yet. Clarke also say that this problem is ONLY being seen in young males. I rely think she needs to check her facts.

The next article I looked at was, Is tomorrow’s Clapton playing ‘Guitar Hero’?By: Daniel Terdiman. (http://news.cnet.com/Is-tomorrows-Clapton-playing-Guitar-Hero/2100-1043_3-6220398.html)I really enjoyed this article. During my time in 4P21 I have had mixed feelings about gamming. Sometimes I feel it is a bad influence for kids and sometime I feel it is a positive influence on kids. This article really points to the positive side of Guitar Hero, which is the game I have been playing this semester. Terdiman, interviewed two NYC guitar teachers who both feel that games like Guitar Hero and Rock Band are the best thing to happen to Rock and Roll and the guitar in a long time, and that instead of deterring kids from picking up a real guitar, the game is more of a recruiting tool, and introducing kids to classic rock music. I agree with this. I am a big fan of old school classics. Five years ago my younger cousins had no idea who Queen, or Black Sabbath were but now their I-pods are full of the classics. I think that its true, kids will play the game but after a while they will want to pick up a real guitar and shred!  

I think that my game guitar hero I and culture industrys are interesting. When you watch tv or see print adds that show ghI you are totally like damn I want to play that game. I was so excited to try it. The peopel who were playing looked so cool and when I play GHI I feel cool.

The next story is about David Stone, another character from GH. This is a series of short stories about Stone’s rise to the top of the rock industry. The story features many of the characters from the game.

I also read some “guitar hero poetry” it was all kind of short but funny just the same.

Ok, well , my feelings….. All I can say is WOW!!!!  Who are these people? I am not talking about Jonathan “Falco” Falcon, I know who he is, I am talking about the people who spend time writing his back story!!!!  I truly did not think I was going to see any fan fiction about GH!!! Boy was I wrong! There are 30 different stories on this one site! This is crazy, these people or characters in the game  contribute almost nothing to the game it’s self! Why do they need a back story, which has time and who cares. The game does not really rely on the characters, they are an extension of you, and they represent your play in the game. They do not add anything to the story or the game play, they are irrelevant to the game, the game could easily function without them. Hahahaha I am still laughing! I can kind of get behind maybe some other fan fiction, like what Luke Skywalker does when he is not battling the empire, but GH1 fan fiction, seriously?

The reviews are mixed, some are like “get a life” some are like “OMG I love Falco, keep writing” and some are arguments like “ Falco would never do pop-punk, how dare you suggest such a thing”. The comments do not add anything to the story, or the game. They make me laugh, especially the ones that are actually emotionally involved in the story.

If I were to write fan fiction about GH1 it would be called “Falco goes to rehab”. It would be based on Falco realizing he is a fictional character in a video game, where real people control him with a plastic guitar! Upon this discovery Falco goes into a deep state of depression, starts doing mass amounts of cocaine, and when all of his fake (video game) money runs out he starts turning tricks in the men’s bath room of the bus station in order to support his new addiction to crack. The story would take a pivotal turn when,  David stone, Falco’s close friend from GH1 finds Falco, passed out on the floor of the bus station bath room! Stone, who is now the number one Rocker in all the land, helps Falco get back on his feet, and convinces him to go to rehab. I think that would be a good story! Rated PG-13!

It’s hard to describe the difference between consuming media and passive play/leiaure. When people watch TV, movies, catch a flick, read a book, etc. its passive leisure. However, because playing video games you are required to participate in the game, and be engaged in the action it’s more or less participatory leisure. Now that being said video games are in many many ways passive, they do not require a significant amount of physical exsurtion (maybe wii), and for many games you do not need to be mentally engaged to play. Now there are many games that are full of stratagie and make you think. So that is why it’s hard to describe the difference.  I would suggest that media consumption is a broad term that includes gamming, reading, surfing the web, going to the movies, watching movies etc. Consumption can have passive or participatory aspects, the bottom line is we are consuming media, the way in which we engage in the media is really the only difference, and for many media forms such as gamming it can be passive, or participatory. This is also not a new concept, think about movies like home work out videos, or yoga on tap, media that is more than passive, its participatory.

My game (GH1) is a really good example of a game that is more than just passive. It requires the use of motor skills, such as hand eye coordination, and really good focus. While other games I have played before I can almost be asleep while I play (grand theft auto, tony ps. Etc) when I play GH1 I need to pay attention and I need to really be involved in how I am playing the guitar. GH1 is also kind of pleasant for someone watching,  (passive), the music is catchy and popular, and its funny watching the people try and keep up with the song.

Basically, my game makes you want to become a better guitar player. So the better you do you earn cash for new guitars, contumes etc….this does not really give you any advantage in the game it just makes your player look cool. Its actually kind of lame. There is very little interaction in the game.

I have really been enjoying my time playing GH1. I have so far been able to move quite quickly through the levels on “medium” and I am coming near the end. However, the last few songs are proving difficult. GH1 really captures your attention and is just hard enough that you can beat the levels but it really takes some time. Its hard to put down the controller and I am finding I can play for an hour and it feels like only a few minutes have past. I feel that one could pass an entire evening playing GH1 and not even notice! This is not really a good thing I would suggest. I think I am going to focus my paper on how video games use up peoples time or as ‘time wasters”. I am going to look at studies on people spending too much time playing video games. I am also going to look into if anyone has done any research on responsible gamming. To determine if there are ways people can have video games for there leisure time but it does not interfere with responsibilities.

I have been looking into my paper. I think I will most likely write about GH1. I do not think GH1 is important to an sort of community.  I like GH1 because it is a perfect example of how people waste time pretending to do something then actually doing it.

            CJ who is the main character is a Black male in his late twenties. During the course of the trailer CJ Changes his appearance many times. As the song suggest CJ must struggle to survive this can be done by working at the gym, eating fried chicken (but not too much or he will get “fat”) and killing his rivals. This survival suggest to be masculine you must be fit, eat junk food and be a big man on the streets. It also perpetuates several stereo types by suggesting that Black males eat fried chicken and strive to be gangsters or thugs.  

In the game I am playing (GH1) there are a couple of female characters. They are dressed provocatively in tight outfits, long hair, and make up. I would suggest the game portrays female rock stars as sex objects, who must be thin and attractive to perform. Feminist might see this as a slight against women. They might say the game is using women to attract male player to the game or that it would make women feel they should fit a certain image to be a rock star.

I have played many different consoles over the years, I owned a NES and loved it, the games were challenge based but simple, the games were cartridges that often required you to blow into them to work, and the console its self needed a little tap now and then to fire up a game. My room mate owns a ps2 and its quite different from my NES, the disks dont need to be blown into, and i think if i taped the consol it might break. The games are often quite violante and based on real life, and in a first person format. Despite the graphics, and advanced game play every system has one big thing is common, THEY ARE ADDICTING!!!!

In my last Blog I mentioned playing guitar hero 1 I see this being an enjoyable game and look forward to starting. I feel that the nice thing about guitar hero is that it can appeal to a wide range of people, males & females, young and old. The songs are from many genres, and generations. I also feel that (from past experience) GH1 is a social game that promotes social interaction and some friendly competition. I am looking forward to playing a little more.

TJ

My name is T.J. I am a Brock University student in my fourth year of a four year honors degree program. I am looking forward to graduating in the spring and the interesting places my degree might lead me.

My first game system was a Nintendo, I was in grade 4 when my parents bought it for my bro and I for Christmas.  It was awesome playing Super Mario Bros, and Blades of Steal, and duck hunt. Since then I have played many systems but still really enjoy going back for a little duck hunt or Mario. Today I do not have a lot of time for video games. School, work and sports keep me pretty busy.

My room mate has a Play Station 2 and loves the game guitar hero. For my video game this semester I have decided to play Guitar Hero 1. I have not started to play it yet but my room mate ensures me that it is “sick”. I am looking forward to becoming a guitar hero.

TJ