What Playing Games Means To Me

Well then, it's been much too long since I've been here, hasn't it?  Exactly one month and ten days have passed since I last wrote anything.  Gotta imagine that my writing skills are off by now.  Or maybe the break made them better.  You'll have to read to find out, right?

To get back on the right footing, I thought I'd dive into some personal feelings in this post.  Perhaps I'm just failing at finding a decent topic to write about (OK, not perhaps; I am), but I've realized that I'll never get to writing again unless I, well, start writing again.  Ooh look, two paragraphs in and I'm already throwing deep thoughts at you.

Even if you're simply a reader of my blog and don't know me that well, you can probably tell that games are a huge influence on my life.  I'm not just talking video games, but board games, card games, and sports are certainly a part of this mix.  Not a day goes by where I don't play a game.  It might be a video game that I get to spend an hour or two on to relax.  It could be a mind game that my teacher presents to me in class.  It might be a round of Angry Birds on my phone while I wait for something scheduled to get going.  Any instance where I get to play a game holds strong meaning for me.

I suggested that I like to sit down and play video games to "relax", but my mind is hardly relaxing when I play them.  In fact, many video games today are about split-second decisions that can snowball together and determine the outcome.  Video games are a part of my life almost everyday because they are, in a sense, exercise for my mind.  My friends have heard me remark that "If I didn't have to sleep, I wouldn't."  This is because I enjoy engaging my mind so much, which is why I enjoy playing video games.  Now, I've played video games for years and years; there are certain split-second decisions that are almost second nature and don't require much thought. 

Move the stick left.  Press the B button.  These things become ingrained with practice.  Am I using my brain when I'm executing these inherent actions?  I'm sure some cognitive science majors have more insight to this than I do, but I would think that as time wears on, those actions that we get used to become more "mindless".  But this is the beauty of the video game world.  Video games offer so many different types of stimulation, from heart-pounding action that keeps you on the edge of your seat to heartfelt stories that stay with you for a long time.  Some games are built to be art, to express imagery that is meant to make the player question what they know.  Some games are meant to be competitive, to nourish that innate desire that we all have to accomplish goals.

One of the primary ways that I keep in touch with my friends is through online gaming services such as League of Legends and Steam.  A lot of my friends also play games as a hobby, so it's likely that here and there, we'll see each other online and say a hello.  Occasionally, we'll also play a game together online.  Video games not only stimulate my mind and feed my competitive edge, but they've become a powerful social avenue as well.  I don't know that I would keep in touch with these friends as well if it weren't for online gaming services.

As much as I love video games, my favorite kind of games are "tabletop" games: board games and card games.  Here, we get as much of an opportunity to use our minds and feed our competitive desires as we do in electronic space.  Sometimes, if you're playing a longer, more deeply involved game, stories and creativity can really play into the game as well.  Undoubtedly, the social aspect of tabletop games is stronger than you get with video games, just as having lunch with somebody has greater meaning than chatting with them online.

I have so many memories from the games I've played.  I remember the very first time I played the board game 7 Wonders.  I remember the poker games I used to have with my friends in high school, and in college.  I remember playing Halo with 10+ guys over a network.  I remember the video game stories that really drew me in: the Mass Effect series, Final Fantasy X.  I remember the confusion I had to deal with when sorting out the events of Spec Ops: The Line.  I remember being able to share memories of The Legend of Zelda: Ocarina of Time with other friends who have played it.

But gaming has never been just about the game.  It's the stories we hear, whether from a game or a friend.  It's the laughs we have, over events in the game or jokes we share.  It's the thoughts we're forced to deal with when we come upon a decision, whether it's chasing the right enemy or choosing the right response in a game's conversation.

Playing games will always carry a strong meaning in my life.  From moment to moment, I might not remember what I just did, but it's those great experiences within that I get to keep with me for the rest of my life.