300 point Health Project

I'm sure anyone who goes to the same school as most of us here knows what I'm talking about. The huge health project that is absolutely required to pass the class. Xig and I are doing ours on the effects of video games on teens. We present on the 6th of December and we only have six notecards. We need some serious help. We need some people to interview, reliable stats, and cold hard evidence of its effects. We also need three places where people can go for help. We really need some help, and if anyone could help in some way it'd be greatly appreciated. You may even get a cookie if I get off my lazy-ass and go gather some suplies. If you're willing to help us out, just let one of us know please. Thanks guys!

Well, I'd be willing to be a test subject, but I havethe same project to do so I can't help too extensively.

Well I Could Try An Help Yall, Thing Is I Dont Know How To Help OTZ

Thanks for your support guys, I think what we can do is probably put up a bunch of interview questions so we can gather data about things like: who's playing, what they're playing, why they play, preferred genres, how they think it affects them, etc.

Gamer Interview

Please fill out your
Age:
Gender:
Country or Region:

1) How often do you play videogames?


2) What genre of games do you play?


3) What is your preferred console?


4) Why do you play videogames? Explain.


5) Why do you think others play videogames?


6) Do you think most videogames are too violent? Explain.


7) What makes a videogame enjoyable to you? Explain.


8) Do you buy games based on their rating? Explain.


9) Do you think playing videogames has affected your relationships with others?


10) Have videogames affected your level of physical activity? Why or why not?


11) When did you first start gaming?


12) Do you think videogames can be addicting? Explain.

Please fill out your
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Country or Region: … US, MN

1) How often do you play videogames?
Couple times a month

2) What genre of games do you play?
Puzzle, RPG, fantasy

3) What is your preferred console?
Super Nintendo! Or Gameboy Advance… or PS2... Hmm…

4) Why do you play videogames? Explain.
Entertainment, I’m bored. To fill the dark void in my soul… Wait, ignore that one.

5) Why do you think others play videogames?
I’ll assume similar reasons.

6) Do you think most videogames are too violent? Explain.
Nah. Well, not the ones I play at any rate, I dunno about things like Halo…

7) What makes a videogame enjoyable to you? Explain.
I dunno… plot, maybe? Oh! Sound tract!

8) Do you buy games based on their rating? Explain.
No. What would be the point? A rating is just a letter.

9) Do you think playing videogames has affected your relationships with others?
Sure. I hang out with my brother more than before.

10) Have videogames affected your level of physical activity? Why or why not?
No, that was low WAY before videogames

11) When did you first start gaming?
Define gaming. Since I was small, when I played Tetris, I suppose…

12) Do you think videogames can be addicting? Explain.
Probably. I wouldn’t know; I’m a book nerd.

This is Meghan, BTW.

Please fill out your
Age: 16
Gender: Female
Country or Region: USA, … Midwest I think

1) How often do you play videogames?
Ne’er

2) What genre of games do you play?
Non-existent ones

3) What is your preferred console?
Any I can get my hands on, since I don’t have one of my own.

4) Why do you play videogames? Explain.
I don’t, ‘cause I don’t have any.

5) Why do you think others play videogames?
For fun, because they’re bored, and because they like to lie to themselves and say they’re being productive while putting homework off.

6) Do you think most videogames are too violent? Explain.
Some are.

7) What makes a videogame enjoyable to you? Explain.
Good plot, good graphics, and *graphic* scenes.

8) Do you buy games based on their rating? Explain.
No, I read the back.

9) Do you think playing videogames has affected your relationships with others?
Yeah, I have so many more friends now. They’re weird -- I mean, COOL like me.

10) Have videogames affected your level of physical activity? Why or why not?
No, I didn’t do shit before anyway. Now I just have a reason.

11) When did you first start gaming?
Two or so years ago.

12) Do you think videogames can be addicting? Explain.
Heh heh heh, MAYBE.

Age: 15
Gender: female
Country or Region: USA Johto

1) How often do you play videogames?
Not too often, actually.

2) What genre of games do you play?
Traditional RPGs, action-RPG, puzzle games.

3) What is your preferred console?
Erm, probably my DS.

4) Why do you play videogames? Explain.
It's fun, helps me relieve stress or boredom. Also, most of the time the game is a lot more interesting than real-life. It's kind of like reading a story.

5) Why do you think others play videogames?
Probably the same reasons.

6) Do you think most videogames are too violent? Explain.
No. I think our rating system is ridiculously harsh in the US. I honestly am amazed that we have something considered "cartoon violence." I know that sounds ridiculous, but for some reason, the idea of somebody needing to raise a game up a rating because somebody slaps another person and stars fly around their heads pisses me off.

7) What makes a videogame enjoyable to you? Explain.
Pretty graphics, good music, enjoyable characters. Having a story is important sometimes, but games like Rhythm Heaven disprove slip past that rule, though.

8) Do you buy games based on their rating? Explain.
Nope. Buying a video game is a lot like buying a book. I judge by the cover.

9) Do you think playing videogames has affected your relationships with others?
Yeah. I honestly prefer playing video games over talking to my parents.

10) Have videogames affected your level of physical activity? Why or why not?
Uh, yes. I don't want to go outside, but that's probably more to blame on the Internet than videogames.

11) When did you first start gaming?
Erm, fourth grade.

12) Do you think videogames can be addicting? Explain.
It depends on how fun the game is. If it's not fun, then of course it's not addicting. On the other hand, if it's really fun, I can honestly remain stationary for hours on end.

Gamer Interview

Please fill out your
Age: 17
Gender: Male, apparently
Country or Region: Essex, England

1) How often do you play videogames?

On a daily basis I'd say

2) What genre of games do you play?

At the moment it's mostly Real Time Strategy and general RPGs. A few MMOs and the occasional shooter too.

3) What is your preferred console?

I'd say my PC. Or the SNES :3

4) Why do you play videogames? Explain.

Varies depending on the game really. Yume Nikki was more an insightful experience than simply a game, it made me think a lot, whereas CounterStrike is just something I play for the fun of shooting a counter-terrorist in the face :D And then we have Minecraft, which is just plain addictive...

5) Why do you think others play videogames?

Again, I'd say it varies. Some may want to escape, some may simply be passing free time, some may want to be a professional and enter tournaments or something.

6) Do you think most videogames are too violent? Explain.

Not at all. There are infinitely worse things going on in the real world than what the average video game has you getting up to, and I can assure you these atrocities haven't been inspired by video games. Most people I've seen complaining about video game violence have been society inflicted idiots that think the current war isn't over oil.

7) What makes a videogame enjoyable to you? Explain.

The first thing that comes to mind is the ability to get totally absorbed, to lose myself in the storyline, the atmosphere and the environment and feel as if I'm there myself.

Even without that, I also enjoy any game that gives me a good mental workout and really challenges my ability in a particular area (e.g I love StarCraft because it challenges my logical thinking, multitasking and tactical abilities, whereas CounterStrike simply challenges my reaction speed and finger dexterity :P

8) Do you buy games based on their rating? Explain.

I can't remember the last time I so much as looked at the rating for long enough to comprehend it.

9) Do you think playing videogames has affected your relationships with others?

Tough question indeed. I think it's affected things as much as any other insightful experience has. Some video games have really made me challenge my outlook on life, love, friendship, society and all that jazz, and I won't doubt they've affected the way I've treated others and viewed people.

And then from another perspective, you could say the amount of time I've spent sitting in front of a screen has affected my social life, but I'm personally not a very outwardly social person anyway.

10) Have videogames affected your level of physical activity? Why or why not?

Nope. I'm certainly not an outside person, but I often go out and ride my bike for a few hours, or simply go for a long walk, it's kinda like meditation to me. Gives me time to think without my mother interrupting me every 5 minutes with her crap.

11) When did you first start gaming?

I can't even answer that. I've been gaming since before I can remember :P

12) Do you think videogames can be addicting? Explain.

Of course they can, just like any other given object, activity or substance can be addictive depending on the addict in question.

But aside from the smartassery, yes, I think video games can be devastatingly addictive. If a person finds the right game, the game that talks to them and meets their desires and needs, they may as well have stumbled upon a stockpile of <insert mentally addictive drug here>. Mentally addictive drugs get you addicted because they give your mind what it wants, if a game gives your mind what it wants, then it'll be just as addictive.

Please fill out your
Age: 15
Gender: Hermaphrodite
Country or Region: Lala Land >_>

1) How often do you play videogames? Every Day :P


2) What genre of games do you play? First Person Shooters, RPGs, Racing, And MMOs


3) What is your preferred console? Xbox


4) Why do you play videogames? Explain. I Play Video Games Because I Have Nothing Better To do And They Are Fun.


5) Why do you think others play videogames? Because They Are A Bunch Of Nazi Conformist Cheerleaders


6) Do you think most videogames are too violent? Explain. No, You Han Never Have 2 Much Blood Guts And Gore :3


7) What makes a videogame enjoyable to you? Explain. The Fact That It Is A Different "World" Where I Can Connect With Friends Or Make New Friends.


8) Do you buy games based on their rating? Explain. No, I Buy Them Baised On There Content


9) Do you think playing videogames has affected your relationships with others? It Dosent? Well It Gives Us Something To Talk About Sometimes?


10) Have videogames affected your level of physical activity? Why or why not? No, I Still Am In Sports And Do All Sorts Of Other Physical Activity O_o


11) When did you first start gaming? I First Started Gaming When I Was About 5.


12) Do you think videogames can be addicting? Explain. Sometimes For Crazy People I Guess?

(My Daddy)
Age: 41
Gender: Boy
Country or Region: Lala Land

1) How often do you play videogames? Everyday


2) What genre of games do you play? Murder Death Kill (And Cafe world)


3) What is your preferred console? Ps3


4) Why do you play videogames? Explain. To Kill Time, I Am Effin Bored And It Kills Time >_> Dose That Explain It?


5) Why do you think others play videogames? Uhhh??? Cus They Are Killing Time?


6) Do you think most videogames are too violent? Explain. No, They are Not Violent They Need To Be More Graphic.


7) What makes a videogame enjoyable to you? Explain. Blood, It Gets My Aggressions Out


8) Do you buy games based on their rating? Explain. Yes, The Worse The Rating The Better The Game.


9) Do you think playing videogames has affected your relationships with others? No


10) Have videogames affected your level of physical activity? Why or why not? No, Cus I Still Get Up And Move I Dont Play Them For 20 Hours A Day...


11) When did you first start gaming? When The Commodore 64 Came Out.


12) Do you think videogames can be addicting? Explain. Yes, Blood Is Addicting Violence Is Cool!

Age: 15
Gender: Male
Region: Minnesota

1)How often do you play Videogames?
Maybe once a week nowadays. A lot more during the summer and every year before that. I usually play in marathons, playing for multiple hours day when I get a new game, ecspecially if it's a good one.

2)what genre of videogames do you play?
RPGs, strategy, and a good sprinkling of everything else. Usually a low amount of MMOs(cause my parents don't approve of the chat feature. Needless to say, their policy has changed somewhat as I got older, but they still don't like me being on the computer too often, so I wouldn't have the freedom to devote my time to any games you have to constantly play to go anywhere in. Plus, most MMOs hav virtually no story and of the ones that do, it's a boring, uninspired story. ) and shooters(because my parents don't approve. )

3)what is your preferred console? Probably my wii, because it's the best one I own, but I've played the SNES and the PS2 far more often. Mostly because I like to play the old classics, partly because anything I play on the wii is closely monitored by my parents, who don't like any game above a rating of E.

4)why do you play videogames?
First off, I enjoy it. It's like any other activity one can enjoy. It's also somewhat like reading a book, except you are the main character.

5) Why do you think other people play Videogames?
For some of the same reasons. Though I think a lot of people use videogames as more of a venting mechanism.

6) do you think most videogames are too violent?
Somewhat. Most videogames aren't all that violent. There are some that are mildly violent, and others that are extremely violent. I'm not entirely sure what my posistion on this is, but I think that the assumption that videogames CAUSE people to become violent is absurd. Violent people are violent by nature, and these people are the ones that will choose to emulate the violence seen in videogames. Normal people probably arent going to go out and kill people after playing assassin's creed, though there is a chance I do think that exposing young children to violent videogames is probably a bad idea, though, with their impressionability and all.

7)What makes a videogame enjoyable to you?
Most importantly, a good story. An extremely well thought out story, deep characters, and an intriguing environment usually make the game for me. If it's not a game I play for story, good gameplay is vital. It has to be complex enough to challenge me (or simple with challenging levels) to keep me interested for long. Good graphics are nice, bu not a necessity.
I also like games with open-ends. (you can continue playing after the game ends, usually there is some extras to be found after the credits roll.

8)Do you buy games based on their rating?

The only way ratings have ever affected me buying videogames is by influencing my parents. (oooh it's rated teen, you're going to become a rapist and a drug addict if you play this.)

9) do you think playing videogames has altered your realationships with others?
Certainly. Though not all the effects are negative. They give me and my friends something to do together when we are bored.
Some might say that videogames cause people to be more reclusive, but I've never been social in the way it is defined now.

10) do you think videogams have affected your level of activity?
Slightly. There have been occasions where I've chosen to play games instead of go outside, but here have been opposite decisions also.

11)When did you first start gaming?
I'm not entirely sure, but it was around first or second grade. I remember the first game I ever played was the original legend of Zelda.

12) Do you think that videogames can be addictive?
Absolutely. Though there isn't any potential for physiological addiction, a person can definitely get hooked mentally.


There you go. This took over an hour to type on my iPod, and doubtless there's s spelling error somewhere, I'm just oo lazy to check for it.