Rachel Allen
rallen19@uwyo.edu
Computer gaming has evolved ever since the 1980s, with technology becoming smarter, stronger and- most importantly- faster. With humble beginnings in 8-bit entertainment and games like Snake and Pong, the gaming industry has exploded into a worldwide phenomenon. Millions of games and gaming systems have been released, upgraded and rereleased- the most notable of which are the Xbox and the Playstation. This is what people typically think of when they hear “gaming.” However, I’d like to look at the danger- or lack thereof- of free games.
This category does not really have a genre, because it ranges from free to play games on steam, to flash games, to iPhone apps. There are a few that reached cult popularity overnight, becoming household names among high school students. I guarantee that very nearly everyone who reads this article has at least heard of Cubefield, even if they haven’t played it for themselves. Cubefield’s concept was incredibly simple- dodge oncoming cubes to reach the next level, collide with cubes and you start over- but gameplay itself was difficult. The combination created a kind of addictiveness that we’re seeing more and more of every day. Some similar examples are Cubefield’s successor, Agar.io, and their iPhone counterparts- Flappy Bird and it’s predecessor, Temple Run. Games like these rocketed to the top of the charts, reaching a legendary status of popularity until they lost their novelty and were replaced.
These games have both benefits and disadvantages. While they may improve players’ reflexes and hand-eye coordination, they’re often played on school computers or during class. Apps on iPhones are less of a problem because of the consequences of having phones out in class, but both kinds can distract from research, homework, and the responsibilities of day-to-day student life. This may have played a part in the strict regulation of websites that can be accessed on school property and even the confiscation of cell phones if the teacher catches students using them during lectures.
Games like these are fine for short study breaks and stress-relief, but it’s surprisingly easy to get distracted for hours on end until it’s dark outside, you haven’t studied and holy crap how did this happen? However, this problem can be solved with the practice of self-control. Simply having a time limit for taking a break and stepping away from the books can eradicate this problem completely. Scientists say that having study breaks is helpful in learning large chunks of information. Just don’t let them get out of hand.
The older generation, or the parents of many of the University of Wyoming’s students, has a common complaint about the attention spans of their children. I can’t tell you how many times my parents have reprimanded me for spending to much time on YouTube or- even worse- Vine saying that it’s shortening my attention span and causing problems with my focus. Vine, the latest phenomenon in video sharing, maximizes on the perceived attention spans of today’s teens. Each clip is only six seconds long and the site puts each clip on a loop, JUST in case you missed it the first time. No wonder our parents think we can’t focus on anything.
Some may argue that this new genre of gaming is only making the problem worse. Those games are lightning fast, require little to no focus, and you respawn almost immediately. The “consequences” are shortened attention spans, a habit of getting easily distracted, and a desire for immediate gratification.
I’d like to leave with this argument- It’s just a game. Games are a form of entertainment, made to occupy us in what precious little free time we get as students. We all know that this time could be spent better, hanging out with friends, talking to our family, or reading, but in all honesty, that’s a moot point. I don’t care what you do with the time between class and practice, as long as you’re not hurting anyone. However, when you’re playing Flappy Bird, the number of casualties is likely to increase. Please play Flappy Bird responsibly.
