On the "game-type-to-academic-success" discussion, I think the whole thing leads to oversimplification of what's going on. There are so many explanations for the phenomenon being observed, most of them equally valid and likely.The Escapist Staff said:
For instance, reading and writing tend to be very stationary activities. Someone who prefers sports games might just do so because they enjoy sports, which are not stationary activities. And someone who enjoys reading or math or other more academic activities might like having the time to think a lot between actions. Action-heavy games (like shooters and sports games) are very different from Contemplation-heavy games (like strategy games, turn-based games, and RPGs).
Really, I think the core issue being expressed here is pacing, specifically the ratio of how much time you spend planning your next move to how much time you spend executing those plans. In FIFA games, you're spending most of your time doing and less of it thinking (in the stop-and-plan sense, that is). People that prefer fast pacing are going to be drawn to activities like sports (and sports games), and tend to spend less time on slower activities. People that like the act of thinking/planning/contemplating/calculating/etc. are more likely to be turned off by activities that don't give them the time to do that, and instead favor activities that provide the pacing they want.
(And, on the other side of all of this, people who share a similar pacing preference are going to tend to feel that those with whom they share that preference seem "smarter." As a teacher myself, I can definitely say it's very easy to prefer or favor the students who are most like ourselves.)
EDIT:
Also, agreed on the "Stop making me push buttons to do X" deal. As a tabletop GM, you don't make your players roll the dice to start the car, or saddle the horse, or draw the sword, unless that event matters. Just because you can affix a dice roll or button push or game mechanic to an event doesn't mean you have to every time.
The Batman games with their vents are a killer example. In combat, you feel this incredible flow because each button push translates to several complex actions -- the cause-to-effect ratio is skewed very much toward effect. The vents do the exact opposite of that: You're pushing a button -- the same button -- many, many times to do precisely one insignificant thing. One makes you feel effective and powerful, and the other makes you very aware there's a controller in your hand.
laying a game) several times. Knowing that kind of takes you out of the comedic element of it all. As far as the concept of 'clueless gamer' goes, Conan is just slapping himself with the ignorance of the general culture (from like, back in the 50's [even?], jocks vs. nerds)
