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Emotions and Videogames


Via: Alternate Reality Existence - Will Videogames Become Better Than Life?

Star Spider, who authors the Alternate Reality Existence Blog, is an Alternate Reality Event Planner. She creates interactive games and events for the corporate world, private clients and public spaces. After studying event management and game design for over 3 years she is now committed to transforming everyday moments into thrilling adventures!

In her Blog post
Emotion and Video Games, dated October 17th, she covers the amazing TED video entitled Will Video games become better then real life?

In this video, game designer David Perry says tomorrow's videogames will be more than mere fun to the next generation of gamers. They'll be lush, complex, emotional experiences -- more involving and meaningful to some than real life.

Dave Perry is the visionary game designer behind some of the most beloved titles of the past two decades -- Earthworm Jim, MDK, Messiah, and game adaptations of films such as Disney's Aladdin, Terminator and The Matrix. He has designed tie-ins for international brands such as 7-Up and McDonald's, and now works on a group of massively multiplayer online titles for
Acclaim. A programmer since childhood and a lifelong gamer, Perry has a special understanding of the mechanics that make games fresh, fun, emotionally involving -- and addictive. A sense of humor and a visionary outlook make him a sought-after adviser in the industry.

“When discussing games, we often hear about the realistic graphics, the interface, the in-game items and commerce, the audio, the difficulty levels and the length. We seldom hear about the emotions and the feelings that arise from being immersed in a game world. Even before the development of highly realistic graphics that allow for a deeper sense of reality within a video game environment, games have been moving people at many different levels. Video games allow people to have a wide range of emotional responses without leaving their homes. It is a new world and some would even claim it is a better one. When we have complete control over the world we create within digital space we can make it...perfect.”

At the end of his talk, Dave Perry introduces a student’s video about the emotional connection within digital space. The mind space described by David Perry and illustrated by the short, highly-impacting, film by his student (Michael Highland) give us an idea of what those who design video games can do without the restrictions of reality: the potential for emotional fulfillment within game space is unlimited!

Says David Perry:

“When most people go into a music store, in amongst the thousands of CD's on the racks there's always one (or hopefully more than one) CD that strikes a special cord with you. You literally can play that music on repeat, over and over and over. It doesn't mean you will love every song from that artist, it might just be that one album that works perfectly for your taste."
"Video games are the same, thousands of new games get made every year, of which there are probably just a few (maybe just one) that will make time standstill for you. But that's the point, they are out there, and they are incredibly immersive."

"If you ever meet an "addicted" gamer, you just met someone that found 'their' game. Many people that have casually dabbled in games have not found 'that' game yet, but when they do, they will understand forever why this medium is so incredibly potent. It's when you love an experience so much, it's really tough to leave."

"Games are going to get better and better at this, and the Internet is going to help people find the games that match their spirit more easily than ever before."

"Ever read a book you can't put down? Imagine that on steroids."