Video games and the World Wide Web
Reading these articles got me thinking about the capability of virtual reality. I think virtual reality is the next big leap in video games and it can use the web for interaction with other people, like MMORPGs. There is a book by Piers Anthony that is all about the dangers of a virtual reality game called “Killobyte”. It’s kind of cheesy and at times sex-obsessed, but it was my first introduction to the idea of a virtual reality game. The three main characters are players in this game. One is a diabetic young woman, one is a parapalegic ex-cop, one is a psychotic teenage boy. The teenager is a hacker who got mentally scarred by a virtual sex program and makes a game out of trapping and messing with players in the game. The debate about violence in video games reminded me of this and it’s interesting to look at how players react to shooting and killing other people’s characters, especially in a virtual reality setting, where you are making the motions with your body and will actually feel the recoil and see the person bleed to death before you.
on April 10th, 2008 at 4:38 pm
Very interesting. Ever see the Star Trek TNG episode called “The Game”? Part of an alien takeover plot, and a little like “Invasion of the Body Snatchers.”
Cautionary tales….
on April 13th, 2008 at 1:03 pm
WOW. That sounds like an awesome book. I agree with you that virtual reality is the next big leap in gaming, if the Wii is any indication. People are starting to grow tired of just pressing buttons. I mean, what would you prefer? Pushing the A button to swing a bat, or swinging a remote, and then the virtual character emulating your motion? Now the Wii isn’t virtual reality, but the motion part of it is one facet of virtual reality. I bet the next generation of wii would include a helmet so that you won’t even need a tv. The display would be inside the helmet. You could look around by turning your neck and use the wiimote to control your hands. This VR display was attempted by Nintendo back in the late 80s called the Virtual Boy, but it was a complete failure and way ahead of its time.
on April 14th, 2008 at 5:04 pm
yikes, that whole violence in video games topic freaks me out. the fact that gamers often get so numb to all the violence and killing that they don’t even give it a second thought is absolutely awful. so many video games are centered around killing and shooting and other violent activities that it’s becoming the norm…and that’s a bad norm to have. why is it that people are so fascinated with violence?