Is 'real' important to you?

[heyheysg]

Majority of people who visit this site are 'gamers, we partake in something other people call reality.

Not all of us are full time gamers though, so it's a pretty good starting point for discussion on this topic

Playing real guitar vs Guitar Hero
Actual Football instead of a game
Dating in RL instead of a Sim etc.

There are people who avoid all kinds of media, fiction etc others who stick to the less interactive types like books and films.

If the emotions and brain chemicals result in the same effect. Is virtual that much different from real?

 

[BonsaiK]

Real isn't important to me. I think that the move toward simulated existence is a good thing, and is bringing humanity one step closer to heaven.

 

[Dark Knifer]

Virtual is different that their is always some little thought that this isn't real and doesn't really make a difference to anything. Reality has actual effects and consequences, virtual is a consequence free environment that you can do whatever you want in. So both are important to me for different reasons.

 

[Batfred]

Other than war games, real will always take precedence for me. I will drop any game to actually go and play sport, see a film, meet my mates in the pub or get it on with the ladies.

 

[FalloutJack]

Hmmm. Well, let's see. The weather outside is terrible and I can't organize enough people to go play football with me. So, I will sit down to the classic Mutant League Football, a game built to be so fricken' hilarious, and have some football follies. (And incidentally, my friends wouldn't consent to a minefield for gameplay. Heh heh.)

 

[chstens]

I play both real guitar AND guitar hero, I don't do dating sims, the concept is... weird, and if I actually found an RL sport that I thought was fun, I would be doing it RL, but as it is now, you can't kill aliens with Incindeary ammunition and biotic abilities just yet.

 

[BringBackBuck]

Hmmm. Well, let's see. The weather outside is terrible and I can't organize enough people to go play football with me. So, I will sit down to the classic Mutant League Football, a game built to be so fricken' hilarious, and have some football follies. (And incidentally, my friends wouldn't consent to a minefield for gameplay. Heh heh.)

Mutant league football. Man I loved that game. What are you playing it on? Sega Megadrive i hope

 

[FalloutJack]

Hmmm. Well, let's see. The weather outside is terrible and I can't organize enough people to go play football with me. So, I will sit down to the classic Mutant League Football, a game built to be so fricken' hilarious, and have some football follies. (And incidentally, my friends wouldn't consent to a minefield for gameplay. Heh heh.)

Mutant league football. Man I loved that game. What are you playing it on? Sega Megadrive i hope

I can't find my real and actual copy at the moment. My sister might have it. But I got the rom and I got the talent.

 

[tkioz]

Well there is a degree of real that is needed in a healthy life, and then there is the need for a healthy fantasy life, video games are just like movies, books, etc in that they are fodder for a fantasy.

In fact I think "realism" in video games, the trend we've been in for the last decade, of realistic environments and realistic settings is actually harming the medium, it would be fine in moderation, but frankly kooky off the wall stuff is the rarity now, everything is dark and gritty and brown.

I miss playing games from the 80s where you could of been a cyborg pirate fighting fish from hell.

 

[Bucket0Bones]

I play Guitar Hero because I play the real thing. Anybody who looks down on people who play Guitar Hero but not guitar is just being an elitist. However, I feel you get a much greater sense of accomplishment when you master a song on the real thing rather than on a video game. A real guitar may be a lot more frustrating in the beginning, but as you play more you get better and better and you get more of a reward for all those hours of dedication.

I do find people who play dating sims a bit strange though

 

[Simalacrum]

It really depends on what it is.

If its war, for example, then yes, virtual life is really much fucking better than real life.

If its upon something like dating, however, I'd rather have it in real life than play a dating sim.

 

[Nickolai77]

Other than war games, real will always take precedence for me. I will drop any game to actually go and play sport, see a film, meet my mates in the pub or get it on with the ladies.

You hit the nail on the head there.

Games are there to "fill in the gaps" in what real life can not either a)literally not do (like slay dragons in a fantasy realm) or b) replicate an experience that would be difficult to do in real life (fly a eurofighter, play in a proffesional band etc)

 

[Sonicron]

Well there is a degree of real that is needed in a healthy life, and then there is the need for a healthy fantasy life, video games are just like movies, books, etc in that they are fodder for a fantasy.

In fact I think "realism" in video games, the trend we've been in for the last decade, of realistic environments and realistic settings is actually harming the medium, it would be fine in moderation, but frankly kooky off the wall stuff is the rarity now, everything is dark and gritty and brown.

I miss playing games from the 80s where you could of been a cyborg pirate fighting fish from hell.

Wow. So long-range thought transmission is possible.
Seriously, very much this. The real world offers a lot of good things which (imo) should be left alone by the games industry, but when I've had my fill of 'real' for the day I want to indulge in a consequence-free unreal world, best provided by books and video games, and for that reason I usually steer clear of games that sell themselves on 'being realistic'.

 

[Pebkio]

I think real is important, but in a backwards way (apparently). I think the real and the game should be kept apart from each other. I'm not looking to replace my real life with video games. If I wanted to work for money I'd get a job. If I wanted to kill annoying yap dogs by shooting lightning from a wooden staff I'd buy Yappy Dog Barbecue 4 for the Xbox.

...but I guess you're actually asking if video game experiences can be quantified as real life experiences because it's all just chemical inputs into the brain anyway. The answer is no, it's not the same (not until we invent the matrix). Even if the Natal does everything it's supposed to, it still won't be anything like real life because you won't feel what's going on in the game.

The closest thing is the Guitar Hero/Rock Band guitar. And it's still not the same, in fidgety ways that make real life harder.

Oh... and dating sims instead of real sex. No, not the same, duh. Relationships aren't driven by multiple-choice answers.

 

[Mozza444]

If a game can ever give me as much pleasure as my girlfreind does, then i'll go with virtual.
Untill then, reality it is for me.

 

[chozo_hybrid]

Other than war games, real will always take precedence for me. I will drop any game to actually go and play sport, see a film, meet my mates in the pub or get it on with the ladies.

You hit the nail on the head there.

Games are there to "fill in the gaps" in what real life can not either a)literally not do (like slay dragons in a fantasy realm) or b) replicate an experience that would be difficult to do in real life (fly a eurofighter, play in a proffesional band etc)

What these guys said.

 

[CommyGingerbreadMan]

Real will always be more important. (albeit food sometimes, I may go hungry a bit before saving).

 

[Cody211282]

1.Playing real guitar vs Guitar Hero
GH is fine for me because I dont want to dump alot of time and money into learning how to play a real one

2.Actual Football instead of a game
Actual game in spring,summer,fall, video games in winter so 75/25

3.Dating in RL instead of a Sim etc.
RL because of what this smart man said

Sex.
A thousand fucking times sex.

honestly you need a conection with a person to have a relationship, doent work with program that you cant talk to

 

[DMonkey]

Depends on what it is.
I take my women real, and my bears fake.

 

[Murlin]

I'm stuck in reality, so I guess I'll just keep myself busy with it and try to make the best out of it. It's not like there's a lot of other options and can give you some feeling of satisfaction.