Video Games Make You Smart?

[Lil.Prayer]

So yea.... I was just playing some StarCraft the other day, and I saw some people talking about how the games Rot your brain, while some other people talk about how the game makes you smart. StarCraft is an RTS (Real Time Strategy). Then later I went to go play WoW. I was watching some people duel outside Org. They had to counter everything that they threw at each other. Making their reflexes really good. Now in todays commercials I see how video games help little kids with numbers and letters. I still play video games a lot, and for me I see games help you out a lot.

[Nicky]

I believe they can help you out alot aswell, its where I learned the majority off my english as another example.

I dont believe in the whole rot your brain deal unless its really excessive where you sacrifice actual dedicated studies and worldly experiences for gaming.

[Ruari]

Yeah, I do think Video games can improve certain parts of your intelligence, although I don't think WoW is a good example of that. There's better games out there to practice your reflexes or tactical thinking.

[Dan Andrei]

Hello, first post here..
Um...yeah, I think Video-Games can improve your reaction time. The internet is said to be bad because it offers so much information at one time that the brain can not process it, also because there is no real ,,searching'' anymore and just typing a question can give you the answer to it.
I personally think that's not true, that just allows us not to answer the same questions and actually progress..
But anyways, Video-Games like RTS's may improve the mind, I'm not so sure about Shooter-kind-games, as they might improve reaction time, they also require a lot of concentration from the player, making your mind really tired after the end of the week.

[Kauz]

Video games are quite intellectually rewarding, in my opinion.
It really depends on your age though. For example, I learned how to count to 100 at the age of ~4 ( I think... at the age of 4-5), thanks to an Aladdin platformer game, where you had to pick up apples and you had this little counter on the corner of your screen. I believe that the knowledge you acquire when playing games during your adolescence tho, the stuff you learn are on rather subconscious level.

[Olaf]

Really, Shooters are not that deep. It's really only basics. Same counts for (MMO)RPGs. Games with depth are games with mindgames, RTS, Fighters, maybe some sports. Of course, MMORPGs do improve your English.

People who say games are worthless are usually right. Most games do suck.
People who say games are extremely intelligent are usually wrong. Most games suck.

Most of those people really don't know what they're talking about.

Examples (leaving the possible English you can learn from any game aside):
Good game examples:
Ensemble RTS
Blizzard RTS
Fighters like Street Fighter and Super Smash

Bad game examples:
World of Warcraft
All other MMORPGs.
Flash Games (98% of them)
Grand Theft Auto
Max Payne
Anything like the last 2.

[PseudoPactum]

Shooters, RTS's are problem solving under duress. MMOrpgs are social skills (similar to fiction books). RTS's and turn-based strategy games teach you problem solving and strategic thought - just as chess does. These are just a few arbitrary examples. Of course they can be debated, what can't?

However, games are entertainment, primarily. They can have story, plot, and interaction, but in the end, they are entertainment, similar to how movies are entertainment. Although, that analogy doesn't really work, as games are much more versatile, especially in the sense that they are interactive and competetive. E-Sports is one example, and don't call bullshit on that. Its an emerging market - go to South Korea and see.

"Most of those people really don't know what they're talking about." What makes you more qualified?

Sorry if this is just a useless agrevating reply, I didn't really put much thought into it.

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[Olaf]

""Most of those people really don't know what they're talking about." What makes you more qualified?"

I agree with your entire post, so I'll just comment on that.

"Most people" mostly meaning people who don't know anything about gaming, and tards who think they go in-depth to games. You cannot analyze something you don't know anything about. Most adult people for example, who once played Mario Kart 64 for the fun of it (nothing wrong with it really) quickly judge gaming on what they have experience with. And Mario Kart 64 isn't quite a game with a hell lot of depth.

Another example is the tards I mentioned earlier. If you have played Warcraft 3 for example, but the only thing you did was complete the campaign, your opinion about whether or not gaming has positive influences on one's mental condition is of extremely little value. Common sense really, was just pointing out the obvious.

Am I qualified to have an opinion of value? I think I do, obviously that's just something the listener has to decide for himself. But I have been a competitive gamer for about 5 years now, and I think my experience with the subject gives me at least a little bit of credibility.

[Alan]

Seeing as you've said this..

"Really, Shooters are not that deep."

..and then said this..

"If you have played Warcraft 3 for example, but the only thing you did was complete the campaign, your opinion about whether or not gaming has positive influences on one's mental condition is of extremely little value. Common sense really, was just pointing out the obvious."

..what do you say to this (link)? It doesn't sound like you've spent much time playing First-person shooters, particularly ones online.

[Olaf]

I've spent many hours playing the genre, both offline and online multiplayer. By saying shooters are 'not that deep' I'm mostly referring to other games. Yes Shooters have depth, yes they require strategy, no it's not as deep as other games.

FPSs only require the basics of mindgaming, so long as that's the case, it is never as deep as other games. Yes, team coordination is something you have to pick up, yes it requires good management, yes that's a skill which isn't picked up that easily. But no, it's not that deep.

Team coordination eventually goes naturally, the skill cap to it is not necessarily low, but with practice easily achievable.

[Schizo]

real time strategy make you smart, because you need to make a strategy how to defeat your oponent.

[Josh]

Video games and television were two of the best things that ever happened to me. They taught me much about life, morals, strategies, human relations and...etc. There's nothing you can learn from these two things that cannot be used in the real world as something constructive and intelligent. Most people who criticize these learning methods either don't truly understand what their blabbering about or haven't experienced it's positives effects. These forms of entertainment like every other, should be used in moderation, or else the negative effects begin to outweigh the positive effects.

[Amer Rhys]

While i agree that video games can help to develop certain positive traits, they do not make you smart.

Most games are not designed as learning tools, and while some people may come away better off, it largely depends on perception, learning technique and mental state. Fact is, there are far more effective means of learning the same skills that video games may teach you.