Hacker News Board Hacker News, browsed like a classic message board
Live data from Hacker News

A link between video games and unemployment

economist.com

Post reply on HN
Print view View original

141–150 of 177 posts

Re: A link between video games and unemployment

#141

Post by suby »

klenwell wrote: post #126
jboggan wrote: post #16

Video games become the sole source of agency in many people's lives. This isn't just for the unemployed, but also for folks stuck in a job where they feel like they lack control. I couldn't understand at first why my fellow Googlers found so much time to play video games, but after a couple of months I understood. Afternoon Halo matches became the highlight of my day, I felt like I had more choice and responsibility…

Insightful observation. Makes sense. As a variation on this idea... I have a job now where I do have control over some stuff that matters to me (and it definitely helps!) But I still like to take a video game break once or twice a day. My game of choice is a Risk-clone on my phone. It's nice because it moderately cognitively challengeing, offers some variety with different maps, and the AI is quite mediocre -- which…

Out of curiosity, could you give the name or a link to the game?

Re: A link between video games and unemployment

#142

Post by Obi_Juan_Kenobi »

notyourwork wrote: post #113
slg wrote: post #55

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Not only are they cheap, but the nominal price of video games hasn't budged much in something like 30 years. AAA titles have always hit the market in the $50-$60 dollar range since the days of the NES (and maybe earlier, but that is before my time). It isn't surprising that video game companies have introduced additional revenue streams with DLC or microtransactions in order to counter inflation in both real dollars…

I am not sure I agree with this statement. I remember new PS1 games retailing for $39.99, I remember PS2 games retailing for $49.99. It wasn't until the ps3 generation were games $59.99. My friends and I always joked about how each generation games went up $10.

$40 in 1995 is about $64 now.

The prices have probably changed a little, sure, but a lot of that is just inflation.

Re: A link between video games and unemployment

#143

Post by Jare »

maroonblazer wrote: post #135
Jare wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's true that games require player agency and thus by definition are active. However, your characterization of games using terms as "hyper", "acute" and "battle" is rather limited and outdated. Games that underplay or avoid challenge and focus on exploration, immersion or rhythm, can offer a state of mind and activity as conducive to mindfulness as walking or swimming.

What are some games that best exemplify a focus on exploration, immersion or rhythm?

Ico, Journey, No Man's Sky, and RiME most recently worked wonderfully for me. Certain "grinding" activities in MMOs like WoW would count too.

Re: A link between video games and unemployment

#144

Post by pdpi »

maroonblazer wrote: post #135
Jare wrote: post #129

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's true that games require player agency and thus by definition are active. However, your characterization of games using terms as "hyper", "acute" and "battle" is rather limited and outdated. Games that underplay or avoid challenge and focus on exploration, immersion or rhythm, can offer a state of mind and activity as conducive to mindfulness as walking or swimming.

What are some games that best exemplify a focus on exploration, immersion or rhythm?

Rhythm is easy. Dance Dance Revolution, Guitar Hero, Rocksmith are three mega-popular ones. As a hybrid between standard action/rpg type games and rhythm games, Crypt of the Necrodancer is a phenomenal game.

Exploration is harder -- I can't think of any off the top of my head that have absolutely no combat component. However, that's pretty much how I play Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. I've barely been engaging in the combat aspect of it, choosing mostly to just roam and explore and climb and enjoy the view.

Re: A link between video games and unemployment

#145

Post by voidhorse »

Video games are sometimes hammered a bit too hard. They certainly have their negative impacts, but the media harps on the downsides so much they often obscure benefits. They're one of the few forms of entertainment that actually force you to think--it's very easy to consume movies, television, and even leisurely books without thinking hard or at all, 'passive consumption'. Video games, by their nature, force you to at least use your noggin a little. Sure it probably becomes passive consumption too once you've played a particular game enough and have habituated skills, but at least it's engaging your mind on some level at the start. They can also fuel a healthy (though of course, potentially unhealthy) sense of competition, which other entertainment, aside from physical sports, can't.

I've become more aware of these little benefits as I've stopped playing games in lieu of other priorities. That being said, I don't think I'll go back to playing video games to any intense or serious degree any time soon--they really are quite addictive. I guess because they tap into those natural human drives for accomplishment, control, and competition, unlike other forms of entertainment. It's a fun hobby, and probably third best as far as general benefits go, behind creative hobbies and sports. That being said, it is way too easy to get sucked in, and to, as this article seems to suggest, let games become a substitute for more meaningful structures in your life.

Re: A link between video games and unemployment

#146

Post by nindalf »

ddebernardy wrote: post #105
emodendroket wrote: post #39

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think it's hard to beat books for economical. But certainly games are in reach.

Are they really? I've never spent more than a few days on a book, but I've certainly spent well over 300 hours on some video games. I love reading, but to me books seem quite expensive as an entertainment medium in comparison with computer games.

I just finished a couple of books that take approximately 17 hours on average. They cost me $5 each on the Kindle store. Hard to beat $0.3/hr. I also spent a few hours at a LAN cafe yesterday, at $1/hr, which is a reasonable rate here in South Asia.

Of course I could have gone to the library, but I read a lot more if the book is a tap away on my tablet.

Re: A link between video games and unemployment

#147

Post by noonespecial »

btdiehr wrote: post #96
noonespecial wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Video games also provide a quality sorely lacking in real life. They try very hard to prevent cheating, because if there's too much cheating, or too much inequality between players, no one will play. Hmmm...

Exactly, that's why runescape and world of warcraft have adopted the marxist game mechanic of automatically redistributing all resources and exp between all players at the end of every day.

Warcraft is nearly a pure meritocracy. I might not have very much when I start, but there is a clear path that I can take to level up. In short, Warcraft is fair.

It is exactly that dynamic of actually being predictably rewarded for hard work that people are finding in these games.

Redistribution schemes may seem just but they are very seldom anything approaching fair. Its no surprise that they almost never appear in any game mechanics.

Re: A link between video games and unemployment

#148

Post by Camillo »

jboggan wrote: post #16

Video games become the sole source of agency in many people's lives. This isn't just for the unemployed, but also for folks stuck in a job where they feel like they lack control. I couldn't understand at first why my fellow Googlers found so much time to play video games, but after a couple of months I understood. Afternoon Halo matches became the highlight of my day, I felt like I had more choice and responsibility…

What were you working on at Google?

Re: A link between video games and unemployment

#149

Post by imron »

zo1 wrote: post #91
JKCalhoun wrote: post #45

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> Video games are cheap compared to other entertainment. Maybe with the exception of the public library.

Most people do not find value or entertainment in knowledge or reading. So they don't want to go to the library because it's not really a source of entertainment for them. Gaming on the other hand, probably engages them a whole lot better.

You're being down voted for stating an unpopular truth.

As much as I might wish it wasn't the case, I still agree with what you said.

Re: A link between video games and unemployment

#150

Post by rybosome »

watwut wrote: post #70
Analemma_ wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is the easy response to the article. It is partially true, but the article is more true than you're giving it credit for. There are other articles about this (e.g. http://www.vulture.com/2017/02/video-games-are-better-than-r... ) all confirming that unemployed people who play video games don't have the same increase in unhappiness that other unemployed people have. Which might be good for their short-term well-b…

Economy is not helped by people being eternally miserable - miserable people are less likely to find another job, more likely to start drugs or commit crime. Depression does not tend to incite people towards meaningfull action. Staring into wall does not build work experience anymore then game. Nor does hanging around cheap alcohol with other unemployed. I do not know what the issue with construction is, but it is hi…

I dunno, there's a line. Being a little bit uncomfortable can spur one to action. Most new parents are driven to be attentive partly out of a fear of killing or harming their child, for instance. Being just miserable enough to be motivated towards something healthy is actually good - the trouble is that it's very easy to be tipped over into destructive comfort-seeking.
Post reply on HN