I have never played Animal Crossing, but I know it is an obsession held by many across the world. Based on what I knew before reading Ian Bogost's, "The Rhetoric of Video Games," I would've said it's a game where cute animal characters run around and complete tasks. However, upon reading Bogost's writing, I have come to realize the game mimics real life more than I originally thought. In the game, individuals learn about debt and the realities of paying it off all while collecting small cartoon berries and plants.
I think many video games have realistic storylines threaded between their not so realistic exchange of berries for coins. In their article, Bogost admits that video games are not considered a productive use of time, but I think they are. In our society, we put a great emphasis on having a product, or some outcome of our work. Activities that do not do this aren't considered worthwhile.
The outcome one has produced after playing video games for an hour is less tangible than if they had created something, but it is just as important. Play fosters happiness which I think is exactly what playing video games does for many. Just because there isn't a tangible, positive outcome, does not mean something was a waste of time.
I was just as surprised as you to read about Animal Crossing! I am not a gamer myself, and I didn't really know what the game itself was all about. I found it to be really interesting that children playing the game can learn about things such as mortgage payments and debt. The part where Bogost explains that the player can also watch the banker gain wealth as your debt increases is also an extremely fascinating part of the game. It made me realize just how thorough the makers of these video games are. Every little detail is thought through and it is so specific that it allows for the players to learn such real and valuable lessons through their play.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you that play is important and this makes me now question how can educators include play in video game form in their teaching?
Hey Iris,
ReplyDeleteExcellent post! I was also surprised about the connection between Animal Crossing and society. This got me thinking about all of the video games that I played throughout my childhood, but did not understand that they were teaching me something. Obviously, this is not the case for every video game, but it was interesting to learn these games can be used to learn and experiment different models/ideas. This idea is being applied in many areas such as promoting renewable energy, mathematical skills, etc.
The idea that society places a lot of emphasis on products/outcomes is spot on, in my opinion. This is a direct result of living in a capitalist society, which has its' pros and cons. However, I think that there should be more room for learning through play and leisure time. As we discovered, play can eliminate barriers that some people face when it comes to learning. Additionally, leisure activities allow me to re-charge and re-focus, leading to higher learning and productivity. With that being said, video games are most definitely NOT a waste of time.
Thank you for coming to my TED Talk.
Hi Iris! I could say the same about Animal Crossing. I was never really a gamer myself and as I was growing up I thought they were a waste of time. But as I read more about Animal crossing, the game teaches players a lot of life skills. Some may not realize it until later what the game has taught them. I think the same could be applied to other games that players play. I also questioned how educators could include games like Animal Crossing and others in their curriculum. The education based games could potentially not be worth while for students. The inclusion of a variety of games could have a greater impact on students today.
ReplyDeleteIris!!I also thought this was really intriguing! My friend’s little sister and her mom loved playing that game together, and I always wondered why not just in video games but in other sorts of play, why people like to have another storyline, or live a ‘different life’. Something one of my teachers did when I was young was have a fake check book, and got to spend money and make money and all sorts of things like that. In a way, it was fun to be an ‘adult’ and do ‘adult’ things, but also have money and get prizes. I guess the main point I really want to get at is that I haven't forgotten how to write a check, and it worked. The play and having a ‘storyline’ actually helped me and I still remember the main lesson.
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