Question of the Day, August 15, 2010

[GeneticallyModifiedDucks]

Other.

Namely, the ability to spout verbal abuse at strangers through a microphone.

About the only skill I can think of that is common among gamers.

Did you even read the question? It says which skill would be most beneficial to society. I don't think screaming into microphones is something that's going to help anyone with anything. Except maybe venting frustration.

As for me, I voted for problem-solving. Gamers are used to thinking outside the box. A key in real life usually goes into a door. A key in a game could go into any number of places.

 

[Gladion]

Are those things qualities of gamers?

 

[zombie711]

Puzzle solvers. Some one has to make FAQ's.
I kid though

 

[Ragsnstitches]

Are those things qualities of gamers?

You'd be surprised. While the "casual gamer" is indistinguishable from the average Joe, there are gamers who are quite imaginative/intelligent/gifted at various things. Whether this is a result of or complimented by games, or that it has nothing to do with games, is debatable.

 

[Naheal]

Imagination and problem solving go hand in hand.

 

[Zhukov]

Did you even read the question? It says which skill would be most beneficial to society. I don't think screaming into microphones is something that's going to help anyone with anything.

Yes, I read the question.

My point was that the skills listed (imagination, problem solving etc) aren't any more common among gamers than among the rest of the population, nor are they fostered by the playing of games.

 

[Comieman]

Problem Solving.

Ya know, problems like how to win against a team of people using g18 akimbo.

Or how to farm 1000g in an hour without doing dailies or farming Auction House.

Or how to do the last mission in SC2 on expert without breaking your computer with FISTS OF RAGE

 

[More Fun To Compute]

At first I thought endurance because one thing that separates gamers is the ability to apply themselves for long periods. But a lot of people give up on games without finishing them and others only play them because of carrots like achievements or narrative so they may not be self motivated.

So I voted Imagination. We may not all be creating works of art or science but we are trained to visualise how things can change if we act. Wasn't there something recently saying that gamers are more likely to be able to lucid dream, as in taking control of our actions in dreams?

 

[Jared]

I would definetly have to go with problem solving! AS...we use our heads, alot of the time...we have to think about where we are going to shoot, move those units, or what set of attacks would work.

So, we can often find some great solutions! I know I have, pulling on gaming knowledge, made some great calls

 

[Bryan Jue]

I'd say imagination first, and then problem solving.

 

[Psydney]

I would have picked teamwork, but if it's the kind of teamwork that encourages one group of people to work together hating another group of people - well, the wider culture probably has enough of that already. So I'll take imagination, since that seems like a quality in sadly short supply in our cynical "profit-at-any-cost" era. Hmmm, guess I'm feeling gloomy and pessimistic this morning.

 

[Sharkosauros]

Imagination: because without it, we'd stagnate.

This, and sometimes Teamwork, everyone knows half of the multiplayer community is a noob thrower, so hmn Teamwork not so much

 

[CincoDeMayo]

Imagination, it's the first step of problem-solving. Thinking "how do I solve this?" instead of "how did he solve this?" is the difference between leaders and followers.

 

[templargunman]

I said other, the other being the ability to buy products that often last only hours before they become far less entertaining at insane prices.

 

[bassdrum]

I was going to say teamwork, but then I remembered Modern Warfare 2, so that's obviously out. Therefore, I'd say problem solving--gamers are always finding ways to break down the walls (figuratively and literally) in the games that they play.

 

[Drexlor]

Problem solving. Gamers have to solve problems all the time.

 

[Jamous]

All of the above. In terms of the world, I'd say that you need all of them for each quality to work effectively.