I've posted these before, but it bears repeating.
http://www.cracked.com/article_18461_5-creepy-ways-video-games-are-trying-to-get-you-addicted.htmlhttp://www.cracked.com/blog/the-6-most-ominous-trends-in-video-games/Yes, manipulative corporate game designers are trying to addict you. Yes, it works. The entire city of Las Vegas is a monument to the
fact that the human psyche can be invaded and perverted by information viruses, just like a computer.
Yes, the individual must take some responsibility for their actions. If you know that a particular substance or action is addictive, you must refrain. As a personal example, a member of my immediate family suffered from alcoholism. I do not drink alcohol, at all, despite the social awkwardness that sometimes results. (I have no problem with those who are able to drink responsibly... genetics plays a major factor in chemical addiction.) Everyone knows heroin and nicotine are addictive, and the addict bears blame for starting. I refuse to try them, I also refuse to play gambling games. I think of this like a computer's "firewall." I only played
CoH after close inspection.
Once hooked, the user's power of choice is steadily eroded. The chains are real, even if you can't see them. Though they probably learned a hard lesson, it's too late. The addict must succumb, or find the strength to fight the addiction every day of their lives, and will never be truly free again. They deserve our sympathy and assistance.
I love computer games. I do. They, like any medium, can tell us stories, educate us, teach us courage, even elevate us. I love games where the creators exerted their full powers to give their audience an edifying experience. My favorites are
Civilization and
Alpha Centauri, Roller Coaster Tycoon, Star Control II and
X-Com, but there are many more. I'm glad these exist to enrich our culture and ourselves.
I fully experienced
City of Heroes. City of Heroes, I can say, was not addictive. I played, took long breaks and let the subscription lapse, played something else, came back when I missed it. It told stories, it allowed me to experience my created characters' stories. The stories and the other player's characters affected my characters in unexpected ways.
Manipulative, deliberately addictive games exist. They are an entirely different creation. No large work of art can ever escape the fundamental nature of its creator(s). The games I mentioned were made by people who were passionate about contributing something of value, giving that value for the ticket price. These manipulative games (
Farmville, Evony) are merely more elaborate versions of slot machines or roulette wheels, bereft of creativity or ideas, designed to exploit rather than edify, because money is all their creators value.
Avoid them like you would avoid that first cigarette, or that first hit of heroin. Revile their creators as you would revile Big Tobacco or drug dealers. Let us hope for a more enlightened future that does not tolerate such things.
Do the current and upcoming games from NCSoft resemble
Farmville and
Evony?
