I Think Gaming Needs a Renaming....

[MelasZepheos_v1legacy]

Won't work, and is also unnecessary.

Comic Books are probably the best example. Renaming them Graphic Novels does nothing except show how desperately you're trying to convince people that what your reading is not a comic book, really...

People who call Comic Books Graphic Novels for the sole purpose that they think it sounds somehow 'smarter' or 'more mature' are like people who bought the 'adult' covers of Harry Potter. I refer of course to wankers and pretentious gits.

For the same reason, people who started calling Video Games Interative Entertainment would just give off the stench of someone trying desperately to justify their hobby. And if you feel like you have to justify it, then you should probably evaluate how your self-esteem is tied to other people's approval.

If you like something, call it what it is and screw anyone who thinks it's childish. I read comic books, I play video games and I have absolutely no misgivings about either.

 

[burningdragoon]

I don't know....I just cant think of anything that fits without soundong pretentious

Interective experience?

ok other thna that I got nothing, plus its more of a mouthful than video games (personally I always felt more comfortable calling them computer games, video games feels like an american term)

I think this said it best. Every time someone posts something like this they always come up with something just sounds... not bad, but wordy and sounds like it's trying to hard. I somewhat agree with the idea of renaming, but I really don't think a good solution is going come from just thinking about it.

Also, lesser point but you know what else is an interactive entertainment? Sports. Hell, even reading and using your imagination is interactive on some level.

 

[jovack22]

This is why STD is no longer politically correct to say and is replaced with STI.

That's because they aren't diseases - they are infections.

I really, really hope you're not being serious...

 

[Kavachi]

It IS a toy...

what are you even doing on the escapist?

I apologise, I didn't realise gaming had to be super serious and manly and totally not a toy for people to enjoy it. My bad.

I never said it had to be super serious, but to say that it is just a toy after many people on thsi very forum tried to get it respected by others is just trolling in my eyes.

 

[Kavachi]

It IS a toy...

what are you even doing on the escapist?

saying such things on a gaming-lifestyle forum seems like trolling to me

toy   
[toi]
?noun
1.
an object, often a small representation of something familiar, as an animal or person, for children or others to play with; plaything.
2.
a thing or matter of little or no value or importance; a trifle.
3.
something that serves for or as if for diversion, rather than for serious pratical use.

read #3 very carefully!

So music is a toy and all sports are toys? Don't you see how ridiculous that sounds

 

[Kavachi]

It IS a toy...

what are you even doing on the escapist?

They are toys, he isn't joking. A toy is an object that exists to provide entertainment. A video game does just that. That doesn't mean it can't be any of the other fancy things we call them, like "art" and "medium" and "piece of technology", but it is also a toy. And so what? "Toy" is just a title given to it, it doesn't mean anything.

I agree. The term toy doesn't really mean anything to me either. But alot of people will dismiss games as "just a toy" and that is what we are trying to avoid.

 

[Ogargd]

How about not changing the name because that idea is incredibly flawed, they are games we play and changing what we call the medium won't change a thing, people will still be against it and see it as childish and others will enjoy it.

 

[PontiusTM]

Well let's sum this up. The usage of of the newly so called "Interactive Entertainment" aims at what? Fun!
What does the word game imply? Fun!
Besides: Entertainment won't in the least better the genres stand, because what is called entertainment today? Dull TV Programmes and more alike. Why do we always need to try to redefine the value of things by renaming it, even when the whole content remains the same, that is, having fun in a simulated (non-)reality.

So: Deal with it. I think it is not the sake of the name that is to be dealt with but with the perception of it in the eyes of non-gamers.

(Won't find an end) besides: nearly everything aiming at fun by active participation is called game. think of it

 

[Plinglebob]

A someone who hates this push for games to be seen as art (as well as the term "Graphic Novel") I see nothing wrong with the terms Gaming and Gamer. As time goes on, like the film and comic industry before it, those that like games and see them as acceptable and relevant material will increase and those that don't will decrease. The problem is everyone is too impatient.

 

[squid5580]

It IS a toy...

what are you even doing on the escapist?

saying such things on a gaming-lifestyle forum seems like trolling to me

toy   
[toi]
?noun
1.
an object, often a small representation of something familiar, as an animal or person, for children or others to play with; plaything.
2.
a thing or matter of little or no value or importance; a trifle.
3.
something that serves for or as if for diversion, rather than for serious pratical use.

read #3 very carefully!

So music is a toy and all sports are toys? Don't you see how ridiculous that sounds

footballs, basketballs ect are and the same with musical instruments. We never said gaming is a toy which is the arguement you are trying to use.

 

[Lukeje]

It IS a toy...

what are you even doing on the escapist?

saying such things on a gaming-lifestyle forum seems like trolling to me

toy   
[toi]
?noun
1.
an object, often a small representation of something familiar, as an animal or person, for children or others to play with; plaything.
2.
a thing or matter of little or no value or importance; a trifle.
3.
something that serves for or as if for diversion, rather than for serious pratical use.

read #3 very carefully!

...so under that definition a novel is a toy?

 

[squid5580]

It IS a toy...

what are you even doing on the escapist?

They are toys, he isn't joking. A toy is an object that exists to provide entertainment. A video game does just that. That doesn't mean it can't be any of the other fancy things we call them, like "art" and "medium" and "piece of technology", but it is also a toy. And so what? "Toy" is just a title given to it, it doesn't mean anything.

I agree. The term toy doesn't really mean anything to me either. But alot of people will dismiss games as "just a toy" and that is what we are trying to avoid.

Why? What do we care? Why should we care? Whenever anything fun comes along there is going to be haters who hate it. Will make up blatant lies about it to define it as evil. SO you can either take the low road and feed the trolls or you can take the high one and ignore them and let things continue and enjoy it inspite them. Afterall they haven't had any effect on D&D, movies, music, or comics. Everyone of these things not only were called evil and demonized by a small number but evolved and grew inspite them. Everytime a gamer gets their panties in a bunch because someone dismisses games they are just feeding the fire not helping the evolution.

 

[squid5580]

It IS a toy...

what are you even doing on the escapist?

saying such things on a gaming-lifestyle forum seems like trolling to me

toy   
[toi]
?noun
1.
an object, often a small representation of something familiar, as an animal or person, for children or others to play with; plaything.
2.
a thing or matter of little or no value or importance; a trifle.
3.
something that serves for or as if for diversion, rather than for serious pratical use.

read #3 very carefully!

...so under that definition a novel is a toy?

Yup guess so (fictional ones anyways). Now I will crawl into my bunker and prepare for the wrath of the bookers

 

[tahrey]

I think the reason these threads come up is that we see a lot of flak hitting gaming as a medium when it doesn't deserve it or when other non-gaming media (i.e. movies) are involved in a similar situation and no one thinks anything of it.
(snip)
I mean, it is getting better. Video games are now legally considered a form of art(yay!), so things are improving. Any attempt or desire the change the name I find to be merely a wish for respect where it is due.

I agree at least with this part of it. OK, the pastime doesn't have that good an image. But is rebranding it with a moniker that probably won't take, and will easily be seen through going to do jack shit? A rose by any other name...

And I think you'd all know what I meant if I was to try insulting someone by calling attention to how they are follically and vertically challenged and enjoy the company of Rosie Palm and her four sisters on far too regular a basis?

How about we keep the name as it is, and try to improve the image as well? Or just sit it out ... the same as a lot of new things that come on the scene and are derided and misunderstood at first, that all typically bites the dust after, oh, a half century (we're 3/5ths the way there) once most of those who raise the biggest stink are either dead or no longer in a position to continue stink-raising.
Heck, my mother's heading for retirement in a couple months, but even she's been known to enjoy the odd round of Tetris - even before casual gaming was a "thing". There's going to be a majority either on "our" wavelength, or at least sympathetic to it, before too long. Why act as sops to the elder bigots by changing our shit around?

 

[ManWithHat]

Spoiler: And I quote...

I think the reason these threads come up is that we see a lot of flak hitting gaming as a medium when it doesn't deserve it or when other non-gaming media (i.e. movies) are involved in a similar situation and no one thinks anything of it.
(snip)
I mean, it is getting better. Video games are now legally considered a form of art(yay!), so things are improving. Any attempt or desire the change the name I find to be merely a wish for respect where it is due.

I agree at least with this part of it. OK, the pastime doesn't have that good an image. But is rebranding it with a moniker that probably won't take, and will easily be seen through going to do jack shit? A rose by any other name...

And I think you'd all know what I meant if I was to try insulting someone by calling attention to how they are follically and vertically challenged and enjoy the company of Rosie Palm and her four sisters on far too regular a basis?

How about we keep the name as it is, and try to improve the image as well? Or just sit it out ... the same as a lot of new things that come on the scene and are derided and misunderstood at first, that all typically bites the dust after, oh, a half century (we're 3/5ths the way there) once most of those who raise the biggest stink are either dead or no longer in a position to continue stink-raising.
Heck, my mother's heading for retirement in a couple months, but even she's been known to enjoy the odd round of Tetris - even before casual gaming was a "thing". There's going to be a majority either on "our" wavelength, or at least sympathetic to it, before too long. Why act as sops to the elder bigots by changing our shit around?

I will have to agree with you. A name change probably isn't needed and likely won't do anything otherwise. Possibly more harm than good. We may just have to ride it out until all those naysayers are long gone and dead and then our beloved medium will have its much deserved peace and quiet. Until then, we'll just have to be more sociable with those "outsiders" and act like normal people.

 

[SammiYin]

It IS a toy...

what are you even doing on the escapist?

I apologise, I didn't realise gaming had to be super serious and manly and totally not a toy for people to enjoy it. My bad.

I never said it had to be super serious, but to say that it is just a toy after many people on thsi very forum tried to get it respected by others is just trolling in my eyes.

Call it whatever you want, as far as I see it, taking games too seriously and trying to get it'respected' and 'accepted' by other people is even more childish than just flat out admitting it is a toy.
It's like a fat guy sitting with his 'graphic novel' collection raging at anybody who calls them what they are, comic books.

There's more ways to be respected than by trying to be something you're not.

 

[Abengoshis]

Interactive Entertainment! BRAVO! BRAVO! HOW BLOODY ORIGINAL. ¬_¬

That has got to be the most vague title I have ever seen.

Also, it won't stop it being called a toy, since toys are also "interactive entertainment"...

 

[jovack22]

This is why STD is no longer politically correct to say and is replaced with STI.

That's because they aren't diseases - they are infections.

I really, really hope you're not being serious...

Serious as to why medical science chose to rename the condition to reflect them being sexually transmissible infections? I suppose we are.

It's clear you have had no experience with the medical field then.

The change was created mainly because the word "disease" carries a larger stigma over the word "infection".

Search up disease and infection and you'll see the two words will often go hand in hand. The fact that many people can have the infection but not display symptoms could also be said that they have the disease but are not displaying any symptoms yet -- which is the reason why some person thought that diseases had to be characterized by visual symptoms (which is the easiest way of primary screening).

At least that's how we talk about things in drug research at the pathology labs. I know MDs who still say STD and agree that the change to STI is completely insignificant and silly.

 

[Tharwen]

Interactive Entertainment... hmm... it's too hard to say easily in conversation. We need an alternative.

May I suggest 'Intie' for starters?

 

[jovack22]

This is why STD is no longer politically correct to say and is replaced with STI.

That's because they aren't diseases - they are infections.

I really, really hope you're not being serious...

Serious as to why medical science chose to rename the condition to reflect them being sexually transmissible infections? I suppose we are.

It's clear you have had no experience with the medical field then.

The change was created mainly because the word "disease" carries a larger stigma over the word "infection".

Search up disease and infection and you'll see the two words will often go hand in hand. The fact that many people can have the infection but not display symptoms could also be said that they have the disease but are not displaying any symptoms yet -- which is the reason why some person thought that diseases had to be characterized by visual symptoms (which is the easiest way of primary screening).

At least that's how we talk about things in drug research at the pathology labs. I know MDs who still say STD and agree that the change to STI is completely insignificant and silly.

You are most welcome to your opinion. I'll stick to the correct term.

It's not an opinion. Did you read what I wrote? Let me be more clear since I work in this field. They changed it primarily because of the stigma and negative connotation associated with the word, and because for the common person with no background in microbiology, the word infection implies that they may have contracted something without realizing it -- thus reducing the spread through superficial means... so it was more of an epidemiological/social reason rather than a biological one.

Diseases and infections go hand in hand. Not all diseases are infectious (genetic diseases etc), but all infections are caused by an invading parasite species -- which of course will exhibit some sort of negative attribute -- i.e. a disease. Which is why many MDs PhDs scholars etc (myself included) believe the change was pointless. Not all infections exhibit characteristics immediately, but will in fact manifest themselves eventually in the case of STD/STIs when in the right circumstances.

Would you consider HIV a disease? I mean, it's just a BBV infection right... Do you see the folly in that train of thought now?

It's fine if you wish to just "stick to the correct term" but hopefully now you understand the reasons behind things.