Realism in Video Games

Between the two there are 25 years of technological advancements, tens of thousands of lines of code and a much deeper understanding of gaming. Both are widely regarded as entertaining video games, the difference lays only in technology. Classic games could get away with simple graphics and unrealistic control. Modern video games are expected to be more realistic with 3D graphics and real-world physics engines. They are life simulations, in a manner of speaking. But it's not for everyone. As technology steams forward, some gamers ponder jumping ship. The old-school style of video games with completely unrealistic settings, visuals, and environments is becoming a more sought-after commodity in the age of technology. It could be the fuzzy warmness of nostalgia, but it could be something a little more... real.

Video Games as Games

In essence, a video game is a simulated environment with a set of rules. A complex toy for the digital age. Players learn to manipulate these rules and use them to their advantage. This is the inherent fun in a video game: learning, mastering and eventually conquering the rules.

The value of non-realistic video games is that the player must become more aware of the unfamiliar gaming world. Learning how far Mario can jump, what bricks and coins do and what can be done with turtle shells is all a part of the game. Becoming involved in the gaming world is how video games entertain us.

As video games progress in realism, the rules become increasingly like the ones we live with from day to day. Breaking those rules is still expected, but in a much more believable way. This could change as games more convincingly mirror the outside world. And honestly, who wants a game where you pay the rent?

Take the I out of Video Game

Making a game more like the real world creates something slightly different than a traditional video game. It's nothing better or worse, but something that may need a separate consideration and separate treatment. Putting Katamari Damacy and Grant Theft Auto in two distinct categories makes a lot of sense, wouldn't you agree?

Video games of today are vastly different than yesterday. Their affects on players, most notably children, are ultimately unknown. Any form of new media falls under the same category of "mysterious" and "scary". There's no reason to fear it, no reason to condemn it. Remember when the Beatles were a bad thing?

Evaluating games under one lumped term "video games" is convenient but rapidly becoming obsolete. Critics such as the unfortunately famous Jack Thompson have gained press by saying video games train people to kill. The tiny nugget of almost unrelated truth in these foaming-at-the-mouth rages is that video games have become a very broad form of entertainment. Saying "video games are bad" is a lot like saying "music is bad", lumping Korn and Britney Spears right in there with Bach and Mozart.

This raises all sorts of issues in the minds of gamers and the general public alike. Many people who grew up playing classic games such as Pong, Super Mario Bros. or Tecmo Bowl will attest that video games are harmless hobbies that offer welcome entertainment at the end of a long day. Connecting the Atari classic Combat with real-life violence is absurd, even though the game simulates dogfights and tank warfare. To the uninitiated this spells danger, doom and other frightening Old Testament words. But really it's just some harmless fun.

Or is it? Read on for the rest of the scoop.