Video Games, the Good and Bad

                                                        Video Games: Pros and Cons

“Video games change your brain”- both positive and negatively. Most common instance is, it makes you smart. There are many other benefits associated with it. However, like all other creations they may have many negative impacts as well.  In this article I will discuss the pros and cons of video games.

Pros:

These days, video game producers try to make more challenging games. Players spend time solving puzzles and beating the hurdles in the games. These require a high level of thinking which is not learned in school and colleges. Their mental strength increases here just like the way reading books do (proved by experts).  As such they become more intelligent.

Games like Angry Bird, Cut the Rope, Assassins Creed, Dragon Age, and FarCry involve solving quests in many different ways. Each level toughens with the progression and players are forced to innovate new ways to solve objectives. This aspect helps players become creative.

In shooting games, players are required to sprint, shoot, and defend all at the same time. They need to keep track of their position, where they are heading and if the gunfire is hitting enemies. All these has to be taken into consideration simultaneously when playing those games. These ask for great a deal of eye hand co-ordination that helps pass the information to the brain. These enable nerves to follow the rapid instruction to finger tips. Researchers suggest this allow players acquire visual, iconic, surgical and special skill. Also, a reason was given by experts as to why fighter pilots of today are more skillful is that this generation’s pilots are being taught on video games.

Economic theories dictate resources in the world are limited. There is no better way to teach this lesson than games. In most recent games particularly strategic ones, skill is honed to manage limited resources and make the best use of it, just like real life. Notably, The American Planning Association, the Trade Association of Urban Planners and Maxis, the game creator, have claimed that SimCity has inspired a lot of its players to take a career in urban planning and architecture.

Video games give your brain a real workout. Many stressful situation like battle against enemy forces in action games makes players to take quick decisions. According to the study video games can be used to train soldiers and surgeons as simulation. It’s also made clear action game players make accurate decisions. Bavelier said, "Action game players make more correct decisions per unit time. If you are a surgeon or you are in the middle of a battlefield that can make all the difference."

Gamers are always kept aware of the term game-over. They know this and develop strategies and anticipate danger early to survive. These not only levels them up in games but also in real life.

Situational awareness builds up through playing games. As mentioned earlier games take players to a world full of danger. They need to keep track of situation to beat opponent. They make arrays of consideration to track hostiles, friends, environment and the ever changing difficulty. These helps them adapt to changes. Defense News reported that the Army include video games to train soldiers to improve their situational awareness in combat.

The gamer reads to get instructions, follow storylines of games, and get information from the game texts. These inspire them in reading books and become knowledgeable.

War games like Battlefield, Call of Duty, Liberation War 71, Medal of Honor makes players patriotic as those games involve war against enemies of humanity and nations.

“If you fail once, try hundred times” is a motto developed by video games. Players generate perseverance to keep on trying even after failing many times at higher level. These also help them in harsh times of real life.

History lessons can be learned with pleasure playing video games. Assassins Creed could be your history teacher as it makes you take a journey to many historical events and renowned figures.

 Cons:

Some video games entices violence and chaos. The most popular open world game GTA (Grand Theft Auto) series is one of such games. This game involves plenty of immoral activities that can encourage teens to do thievery, robbery, murder, rape etc.

Playing games is acceptable, addiction is not. In most cases young children seem to suffer this problem that hampers their growth (according to the study of Minneapolis-based National Institute for Media and the Family).

These days, players seem to be hardcore enough to spend infinite hours in playing games. They waste endless hours and their productivity reduces. As such adults fall behind in jobs. Children and teens fail to achieve academic success.

There are some games that can cause health problems. Puzzle games and other strategic ones might give headache and nerve disorders. In addition gamers who play sitting on a chair, might loose their natural shape of the backbone. Some might also suffer walking problems.

#keepitnerdy

Written by Mohammed Sadman Shahriar (@MSSK91)

All photo credits google.com

Reference:  http://www.raisesmartkid.com/3-to-6-years-old/4-articles/34-the-good-and-bad-effects-of-video-games