IT Work - Impact of gamers players

Task -

Perhaps one of the largest impacts of ICT on the personal lives of young people has been the explosive growth of home games players or "play" stations. An article in New Scientist (23 October 2004, p26) stated that $3.8 million of games were sold in 1995, rising to $6 thousand million in 1998 and $7 thousand million by 2003. It estimated that 25% of these games were violent.

• Why are computer games so popular?

It is a form of entertainment where you can do anything you like. You can become a World War II veteren or start a new life where you fast track to being the prime minister or presedent. It gievs you imagination a kick start to make you think of all the things that you might be able to do. This makes them popular because it gives people something to do if they are bored and will also help their imaginations conjure up new things, some games might help people become more creative.

• Do computer games make you more violent?

Computer games themselves do not make you more violent. They may seem to make you more violent but you are only as violent as you were before you went on. If you get frustrated with something then it is a good time to stop that and calm down because you are only as violent as you feel or think you are. If you start thinking you are inside the game and you really are sniping Nazi's or robbing banks then you will become more aggressive. The people this affects are generally the ones who do not know how to controll their anger anyway, if you can controll it then you are mroe than likely not to start trying to "disarm you little brother" or waiting in trees for the next unsuspecting person to go past where you then shout "KAPOW KAPOW TAKE THAT YOU ****!"

You only get more aggressive if you cannot control it and tell yourself that it is not real.

• Do computer games make you more isolated?

If you play them in moderation then you will not become isolated from the outside world. They are a good escape if it is raining and none of your friends actually want to leave their houses to see each other, they just log onto their different games and play games together. They only make you isolated if you again think that they are real life and your imagination starts to fall apart.

• Do networked computer games make you more or less social?

They can make you more social, for example on days that you really don't want to go out, if it is raining or blowing a gale then you can keep in contact with your friends through the games but if you always sit there and play them rather than going out on a sunny day then it can make you less socialable, again you must play them in moderation to avoid becoming unsocialable, isolated, aggressive and senile!