That's No Space Station

Showing 97 posts tagged gaming

tech, humor, and nuance by David Chartier—tech distiller, freelance writer, Macworld contributor, wrangler of Finer Things in Tech

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Not really. I’m trying to highlight the hypocrisy of solving a problem by pointing the finger at any potential culprit but That Thing You Love. Any large cultural topic, especially the US’s penchant for violence in all forms, has an incredible number of complex moving parts, each worth discussing and investigating. That includes the thing I personal love, which is video games in all their forms, especially shooters. Ironically, I don’t and won’t own a gun. We’re happy to throw science at topics and problems like this because science is illuminating; it helps us understand the world, solve problems, and move forward. But when it comes time for science to investigate the part of this machine that is near and dear to some people—guns, games, film, news media, whatever—some people point the finger in another direction, any direction, besides Their Thing. If we’re going to discuss a big complicated machine like violence in the US, all its parts need to be fair game, including the one you, I, and everyone else with an opinion loves.   High-res

Not really.

I’m trying to highlight the hypocrisy of solving a problem by pointing the finger at any potential culprit but That Thing You Love.

Any large cultural topic, especially the US’s penchant for violence in all forms, has an incredible number of complex moving parts, each worth discussing and investigating. That includes the thing I personal love, which is video games in all their forms, especially shooters. Ironically, I don’t and won’t own a gun.

We’re happy to throw science at topics and problems like this because science is illuminating; it helps us understand the world, solve problems, and move forward. But when it comes time for science to investigate the part of this machine that is near and dear to some people—guns, games, film, news media, whatever—some people point the finger in another direction, any direction, besides Their Thing.

If we’re going to discuss a big complicated machine like violence in the US, all its parts need to be fair game, including the one you, I, and everyone else with an opinion loves.

We want to throw science at everything to understand it better and make better things. After all, it’s how we got to where we are as a species. It’s also far more productive than burning or beheading people who say or discover truths we don’t like.

But when faced with the prospects of what science may find were it to study the potential dangers of the thing they like—guns, films, or video games—some science proponents respond with “no no, leave my thing alone, it’s perfectly fine. Go investigate that thing over there, that’s the problem.”

Truth is truth. We may not like what we find, but that doesn’t mean we should be afraid of investigating this thing but not that thing. Disagreeing with the results or fearing what change they might bring is not an excuse to silence science.

“So when tragedies happen, our response must be galling to those who don’t “get” games. Instead of explaining the merits of what we do, we throw up discussion-ending roadblocks of First Amendment rights and scientific research (ignoring that parent watchdog groups also claim to have the weight of scientific research on their side). It’s not unlike what the National Rifle Association does when the issue of gun control comes up. They say it doesn’t work, namecheck the Second Amendment, and change the subject. Regardless of whether you feel the NRA is right, you have to understand how galling that position is to the people who believe access to guns in the US is a significant part of the problem. Now consider that American parents are equally likely to blame games for the violence in society as they are guns, and the problem becomes clear. Parents are worried about their children, and the last thing they want to hear is denial and deflection from the people trying to sell their kids on gore and violence.”

It’s Time to Reconsider the Violent Game Debate | GamesIndustry International

Great piece that’s worth a read. This is a big discussion, and the answers aren’t easy.

via The Loop

Lego Super Marvel Super Heroes is coming. I just got this image via my digital Game Informer subscription notice, and Joystiq has more. I don’t have kids so I probably wouldn’t play these myself, but my wife is getting into gaming and they’re the perfect type of game to play with her. The Lego franchise has a great sense of humor and a really approachable, casual format. This will be an insta-buy.   High-res

Lego Super Marvel Super Heroes is coming. I just got this image via my digital Game Informer subscription notice, and Joystiq has more.

I don’t have kids so I probably wouldn’t play these myself, but my wife is getting into gaming and they’re the perfect type of game to play with her. The Lego franchise has a great sense of humor and a really approachable, casual format. This will be an insta-buy.

Valve and Xi3 announce in-development Steam-optimized mini PC at CES | Polygon

It’s the long-awaited “Steam Box,” but they’re pitching it squarely as a console:

“Today marks the beginning of a new era for Xi3,” said Jason A. Sullivan, founder, president and CEO of Xi3. “This new development stage product will allow users to take full-advantage of their large high-definition TV displays for an amazing computer game experience.”

Sadly and frustratingly, the announcement also fits the perfect profile for CES: no actual product name, no specs, no release date. The only reason I felt it worth linking is that it’s from Valve which, unlike many companies that showcase at CES, has a history of not letting us down.