This seemed more like a WOT thing then a Computer and Console thing, but I guess thats up to the guys in the white suits to decide.

 

http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20070118/hl_nm/video_game_dc

so people who become addicted to video games are really lonely individuals who can't cope with reality.. and thus finds comfort in the clear-cut world of Video-games?

Can we point fingers to some forumites? Plz?

Players' enjoyment of games depended on whether the games made them feel competent and independent, and, in the case of multiplayer games, connected to other players.

 

Players who enjoyed their experience showed increases in well-being, self-esteem, and vitality after playing, while those whose needs weren't satisfied reported lowered vitality and mood."

 

Take that, gluttons for punishment! Enjoy your hardcore mode and the lowered vitality and mood that comes with it - I'll play on normal difficulty, thank you very much!

I play on easy because I have low self-esteem and need to feel better about myself.

 

Hardcore makes me cry for my mommy.

 

Most games I've played over the decades reward me for solving problems with violence more often than not. This doesn't help me in the real world, where such activities are usually cut short by law enforcement personnel or concerned citizens. This is one reason I've edged into the adventure game genre; they tend to emphasize non-violent solutions and inventive thinking, which is more rewarding when applied to the real world. Games are better than movies at influencing people because in games the person is an active participant, usually 100% of the time.

OTOH I like the fantasy element of just shooting a jerk who happens to be the problem. In a game, of course.