Ahhh Games!

Games. We’ve all played them whether we like to admit it or not. In my last post I discussed the issue of stereotypes that are associated with gamers- these stereotypes in my opinion may cause gamers to be ‘’closet gamers’-people who don’t want to admit they play games. I don’t in any way consider myself a gamer, however I do indulge in the odd game with friends on PlayStation, xbox and even the ever so old fashioned, mega drive. Mega drive is my favorite as it is really the only one I can play games on as it has an easy controller and simple side scrolling screen games that allow me to know exactly whats going on rather than these games you play on xbox where you control the direction you move and your vision direction with two separate analog sticks. Not only can I not get the hang of this multi tasking but the controllers are also waaaay too big for my hands- we used those horrible bulky ones- so it was no surprise to me when I read that this very controller was awarded by the magazine Game Informer  the ‘blunder of the year’ award for being too bulky compared to other game console controllers in 2001. The other reason I prefer the older video games that are played on Mega Drive is because these xbox games I see my friends playing-like the series of Halo games- have too much going on for my limited game playing ability. I find myself getting frustrated just watching people play let alone when I’m holding the controller and in control. This situated immersion where players feel as if they are within the game space/environment or constructed image allows players-such as my Halo obsessed friends- to feel as if they are a part of the game. Some prefer this illusion of being inside the game/space where they are involved in the storytelling of the game, myself however will continue to stick to the games where i look at a space on screen rather than immerse myself within that space. I think I will stay away from this complex gaming -Bring on bejeweled :)
Rebecca J