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→Several of the claims in this article are extremely spurious: new section
So, is it okay if I edit [[video games]] to better reflect the facts? [[User:JonnyAmerican|JonnyAmerican]] 10:16, 17 May 2012 (EDT)
So, is it okay if I edit [[video games]] to better reflect the facts? [[User:JonnyAmerican|JonnyAmerican]] 10:16, 17 May 2012 (EDT)
:You link to the same article twice. You also need a source outside the ESA. --[[User:JamesWilson|James Wilson]] 11:43, 18 May 2012 (EDT)
:You link to the same article twice. You also need a source outside the ESA. --[[User:JamesWilson|James Wilson]] 11:43, 18 May 2012 (EDT)
== Several of the claims in this article are extremely spurious ==
I reverted an edit saying video games have caused people to drop out of college due to lack of sources. I myself have played video games heavily, and I have never felt they were a good reason to drop out of college.
Further, I also restored an edit about how games teach critical thinking skills, which they can and do. The United States military uses video game software as training material (they once commissoned a version of the game Battlezone for use as a Bradley tank simulator), and from personal experience with games like Civilization, a game of that nature forces the player to consider the tactical and strategic benefits of their decisions in building wonders and other civilization improvements, the use of military, economic, and political decision making in order to maximize the prominence and success of the civilization run by the player, which requires the player to invest considerable thought into their gameplaying decisions.
Further, as distasteful as it is, video games like Grand Theft Auto and Doom require critical thinking because the former requires the player to plan out how to complete missions successfuly without getting captured by law enforcement, which requires careful planning, as I'm sure any criminologist would easily verify about any competent criminal in real life. As for the latter, Doom had puzzles that required the player to discover keycards to open doors and had switches and motion puzzles that required the player to make tactical decisions to pass levels, not to mention some levels had limited ammunition on higher difficulties, forcing the player to figure out creative ways to maximize their kill count of the enemies with their limited resources.
All of the above require critical thinking skills on the part of the player.
Further, I've played videogames, and I still believe in God, so the claim videogames encourage atheism seems spurious as well.
As for videogames inspiring young people to kill, so do violent movies and books (Timothy McVeigh was inspired to commit his acts of depravity by the racist book ''The Turner Diaries''), but regardless, a video game does not rob anyone of free will, and everyone who found inspiration in killing from any sort of violent media had the choice not to commit those acts of violence, unless they were legally insane, in which case whatever they chose as entertainment is somewhat irrelevant, as they were unable to make rational decisions in the first place. Besides, Breivik was found to be sane (and rejected an insanity defense) regardless of his enjoyment of Call of Duty.
As for sexual immorality and desensitization to violence, I'd be willing to believe that. Many games do have permissive sexual themes (and some are outright pornographic), and many violent video games do tend to desensitive the player to violence over a perioud of time, so in that regard, they are unhealthy influences, especially to those with depraved or violent tendencies.
Still, that does not mean those parties don't know what right and wrong is, and they choose to do evil of their own will; their influences merely push them in that direction, but they are the ones who choose to give into temptation.
Stress-induced health problems (including unexpected heart attacks) is a claim that can be true, and the bright lights and intense action can cause epileptic seizures, so that is a claim I'd be willing to buy as well.
Also, I checked the references cited, and the first one is no longer available, so it needs a new reference, and as someone who still follows the gaming industry (I occasionally have read news periodicals related to gaming), that claim seems doubtful to begin with. As for the sixth reference, it only refers to statistics regarding vilent video games, nothing about "tragic results", so this claim is spurious and erroneously represented.
As for the twelfth reference, it no longer seems available at the link provided, so this needs updated before it's veracity can be cited in the article.
[[User:PatrickMarion|PatrickMarion]] 00:11, 3 January 2013 (EST)PatrickMarion