Videogames as a Medium

Video games are finally breaking thru as an artistic medium. It seems like video games have been around for a short time, but in fact, video games have been around for 40 years and have been a commercial medium for 30 years. It wasn't until the 1970s that video gaming had any sort of affect on our culture as a whole. Since the game needs input from the player for it to function, i think that's one of the biggest reasons video gaming is becoming an artistic medium, despite what it is-it still makes you think. There are many differences between video gaming and film, in film everything is done by the filmmaker and no input is required by the audience. Video gaming at times leaves some windows open and has unanswered questions while film usually wraps everything up in a nice little bow and leaves nothing unanswered. Film and video games became financially successful in its first decade of existance. Alone, video gaming has opened a form of entertainment that still needs to be examined and analyzed as much as film has.

Hyperidentities....MMORPGS....

I am not a fan of MMORPGS, Massively multiplayer online role playing games. But through this article I learned much about them. There is this whole universe where the avatar exists, usually people who play this game have more than one avatar they can pick and choose from, I thought it was always the same character. You then name your avatar, if you do not have a name in mind the game assists you in picking out a name. MMORPGS are and have been getting huge, and they seem to last for ages. Often times MMORPG players are referred to as users not players because of the fact that it is almost impossible to end the game. One thing I read in the article that I found very interesting was the Mechanism of Transference. basically, it is when a person transfers their emotions unconsciously to the avatar itself. Once thinking about it, i realized that people do do this, if they don't feel human the create a night elf, if they don't feel male or female they create a quite androgynous character. I think another way video gaming is becoming more like art is because more we are feeling and getting so emotionally involved in the game that we are actually transferring out feelings into out characters into the game, obviously it is easy to do that in film-but this proves video gaming is getting closer and closer to be considered art.

Archetypes on Acid.

No one ever thinks of going to play big ol video games in an arcade anymore, we simply have those video games to play at home now! The article explores the journey of the video game from the arcade to the home. One thing that was brought to my attention was the fact that having video game consoles are probably cheaper then going to an arcade. If you had to pay a quarter each time and were an avid gamer who went often...you'd be broke! now a day you spend a small fortune on a console and you are set for life. Although video games are much more accessible now its not to say that people do not enjoy playing all the games that started it all, like donkey kong, super mario, or galaga. We revert to playing these games because they are that good. We dont always need the graphics to be amazing, it is simply enough for the game to be good.

Batman

I am a batman girl, I love batman. Owning the game, I know it is incredible. The whole mood of the game is dark and mysterious much like the character. It is unreal how life like the avatars are. The scenery is very detailed and leaves no stone unturned-there is something everywhere. The cut away scenes are very movie like and really draws you in. This I think, could be a perfect example of video gaming as an art. This game is beautifully done. What I found interesting is that in the beginning of the game there is a villain and she is female, she is the jokers sidekick. In my experience it is rare to see a woman play a bad guy. When she is portrayed as a bad guy she is very under dressed and very sexual. Although she is wearing a short dress, nothing else about his character screams SEXY! Batman's go to person is also a woman, the oracle she finds out all information when batman needs it. She comes thru on Batman's earpiece to help him whenever necessary. It was nice to see a woman also being on the helpful side and did in no way need rescuing. I would recommend this game to anyone, it is entertaining, enjoyable, and seems very real.

The Sims

This article while being very entertaining presented many good points. The main one being when we create avatars like in the sims, and the power that we feel that comes along with it. We feel like the all mighty creator who is in charge of everything. Especially when you model characters after yourself and you family, when something goes wrong?? WATCH OUT because 9 times out of ten you are going to be upset with that person who messed up. Feeling all powerful because you can control everything can be a good thing and a bad thing. Its a good thing because you can have control over this virtual world when in reality we dont have control over much of anything. Its a bad thing because, lets face it, that will carry on into your personal life and may cause problems. You can control things in the sims like what someone will look like and when they will eat and when they will use the bathroom. You are the puppet master- i think in a sense it really fulfills some fantasies people have of being in control. And just think you can total control of everyone and everything you create in the Sims in the comfort of your living room.

Uncharted 2

This game has unbelievable graphics and a great story line. I really enjoyed sitting there and watching the game play as it happens-usually i am not into that but i have to say, I was completely sucked in. It really did feel like i was watching a movie not just because the graphics were so amazing and realistic, but because the story line drew me in and got me emotionally involved. They days of video games not getting you emotionally invested i think in the near future are a thing of the past. I believe video games like this one are doing a better job at keeping everyone emotionally invested-even if you aren't playing! Another thing i really like in the game was the woman's role. She was a bad ass who did not need a man to take care of her and to protect her, she could do it on her own. She in more than one instance saved the lead male character and was viewed as a bit of a hero even though we are still weary of her because of certain actions. I actually really enjoyed this game. Between the movie like story line and life like characters, and on top of the fact that the woman is not portrayed as a victim i am considering buying it. I think this is proof that video games aren't just games and can really break out and be main stream.

Hot Dates and Fairy Tale Romances

I really enjoyed this article, I enjoyed the article because it doesn't focus on violence in video games like everyone else does-but it focuses on sexuality in video games. It looked at Final Fantasy 9 and The Sims. One thing that was brought up repeatedly about FF9 was the Erotic Triangle theory- i thought it was so interesting and It would have never even crossed my mind! The theory is that there is a sort of triangle between the person playing the game, the avatar, and the love interest. Its like they begin to fight and pawn over the love interest. I was completey mind blown by this, who would have thought of it? What i also found interesting was when it was stated that the main character does not have many details and at times may even look androgynous when you are playing with it, but when they cut to little video you can tell that its a boy. It allows for the player to be able to identify more with the character-girls can see themselves in the character as well as boys. In the sims you have the option to create whoever you want, different skin colors, body types, sexes etc. You can even choose to live with a man if you want and aren't backed into just being in a heterosexual relationship. i think the game has made strides in making it a world where people can all really relate to their actual lives. True, in the game homosexual marriage is not allowed but having a child is, so i think we are really making progress in a sense. The article also discussed how heterosexuality is considered to be the norm- in FF9 your love interest is a woman(like so many other games) and on top of that the main character is always commenting on other women. It makes me wonder how homosexuals and women feel playing a game like that-where you are constantly reminded that being hetero is "normal." Game makers truly have to start developing games where people can actually identify with the characters- not just an androgynous character they kinda identify with. I think a game where you can choose to be a man who wants to have woman as a love interest or a man who wants a man as a love interest! the same goes for women! I think it would be a great stepping stone in getting more people interested in video games.

Art Form For The Digital Age

Video Games are everywhere, in almost every home, on t-shirts, and even influencing film. But can video games be considered an art? And i dont mean the process of creating a video game i mean an actual video game. Most people will say no. I myself am on the cusp. I think my problem is that I know that it is just a game and in reality i want to disconnect from my reality and just play a game. I feel that the graphics and sometimes story lines of a game can be amazing. Is that enough to consider it art? I think art is suppose to make you think. Considering the fact that the whole idea of video games has really got me thinking..... i would have to say yes, video games can be considered art! A new modern form of art but art nonetheless. I think now this generation growing up has come up with video games, so in the future i think it is going to be accepted as a form of art. And people wont dismiss it as just a game. One thing I think that must be changed in video gaming is how well known it is. For example we go to film from a certain director and expect to see certain things. Once people start buying video games for a certain creator then i think i will slowly start to blow up, and to my understanding its already happening. Im glad that eventually, if people are educated enough art wont only be considered paintings or sculptures, that now it can be digital, fun, and entertaining. If anything if videogaming can lure more people into the art world and even introduce people into other art forms.

Its a Video Game Certainly, but is it Art?

A good point was brought up in this article, the point being that when most people think of video games the think of adolescent boys in their boxers playing these games all day. I think that is true and it is the stereotype, but as stated video games are in that quarter century mark between it being a hugely accepted art or one that is only found in a select group like comic books for example. Jenkins also makes a great point in stating what our video games need-which is more of an emotional connection with the character and the game itself. I myself have never been emotional with a game or even cried but I think if we make video games with a more emotional connection that video games will become more relate able to people, in turn it being a media that all types of people would want to partake in. Also, I think Jenkins makes and excellent point in saying that we need to create a critical vocabulary for video games and the genre. I think if we did have a critical vocab people will understand that this can be something serious and it does have more aspects to it that just being a fun past time adolescent boys play. I think art is what you make it be. I personally dont think that a urinal on top of a table is art, but I do think that art is something that's makes you ask questions and think, I believe video games can do that and i think with time they have only gotten better and will continue to do so.

What The Bleep Do We know?!

Whether or not you agree with this film, whether you loved it or hated it, one thing is for sure.... it made you think! So many different things were presented that I think not many people have thought of or realize. People live their whole lives blaming other people and "mysterious forces" they cannot control for the way their life is going. Of course, if they are complaining it is because they are not completely happy with their life. At the end of the day... YOU are responsible for your life and what it is today. You and only you are responsible for the majority of things that happen and it is in your power to make a change. Your life is what you perceive it be, it can be great or terrible. I liked the fact that one of the doctors being interviewed said he wakes up and plans out his day- visualizes it, and because he does that he creates his whole day and that is how is day turns out. I am going to start doing this and make some changes in my own life. The idea of God, emotion, addiction, was explored in a very interesting way-some things i don't agree with but it really opened my mind.

I really enjoyed learning about Dr. Emoto's water study. It was so fascinating- do you really need more proof to show you that a way of thinking can change you? Your thoughts can really affect your physical reality. I am a firm believer of positive thinking, but this study surely solidified that way of thinking for me.

I also liked the way the film was made-there were three different film techniques- it was a documentary as well as a narrative film with actors and even had cartoons! I really enjoyed this because just when i thought my head was going to explode with the talk of quantum physics the narrative began again and relieved some pressure. I would defiantly hands down recommend this film to a friend, they can hate it if they want-but i think intellectually everyone should be challenged and this is truly a way to do it.

Super Mario Brothers Brawl and WII Play.

I have to say, I love Super Mario Brawl. I find it extremely entertaining. Yes, fighting and violence is the point of the game but boy! do you have a good time with it! In the game i will be analyzing for the course Rainbow Six Las Vegas II the game is extremely violent, with guns and blood splatter and very real deaths. In Brawl- its playful, its not bloody, its cartoonish. Because of the fact that it is a cartoon I think that many people over look the fact that It is indeed violent and the point of the fame is to get rid of the opponent. We are blinded by cute little Mario and Luigi, which makes it "ok." The majority of the characters are men, or some sort for creatures but one female is in the game and thats Mrs. Dame in Distress herself princess peach. She is still very girly, but i am glad that you are able to pick her to fight instead of just having to save her the whole game.

I also like the WII play. it is a good way to make not only children but everyone active as they play video games. Obesity has become a problem in the country and at least with this, people can have a good time while working out. I like that you can choose and make your own avatar and make them look like whatever you want. It can be a version of you or you can mold it into someone you would like to be! Its a good way to make people have a fun time while actually moving around and exercising. It is really fun to play from ping pong, to shooting games, it is not violent and it is a good alternative for those younger kids whose parents do not want them to play violent games.

Vice City

All I can say is wow- Grand Theft Auto Vice City sucks. Maybe it's because I enjoy cartoonish games like Super Mario, but in my opinion vice city is just boring! Not to mention extremely stereotypical and violent. I think it sort of scary I think it is boring because half of the time the violent things that happen in the game are terrible. I guess I have slowly become desensitized to violent images considering all we see in the media on a day to day basis.The whole game revolves around this one guy going around and beating on people. All the police officers are white and the majority of people I saw on the streets that the character was beating up were Hispanic or black. The only women i saw in the game were hookers, but it was nice to see them fight back when they got hit. In depicting Miami, it makes it out to be that there are only Cubans and Haitians here. Within the game they portray Cubans as drug dealers who wear thick chains, have accents and wear Hawaiian shirts. The game also portrays the Haitians as gang members or delinquents. The violence was intense in this game, with guns, knives and even grenades! When someone was injured blood splattered all over and I believe you got extra points for beating up on people. The only thing I can say that was a positive in this game was the fact that when the character did do something wrong-steal a car, kill or hurt someone- there were consequences and the cops would chase you and if they caught you would arrest you. Although the game is very stereotypical I'm glad to see some consequences for the persons actions. That is pretty much the only good thing i see in the game. Grand Theft Auto Vice City is defiantly not a game for me, nor do i think it is a good game for young children, what do you think?

Violence and Pop Culture

What this article says is brilliant-simply brilliant, "we should be focusing on what our children are doing with the media." Finally! someone who can objectively take a situation and not automatically run and blame the media not just video games, but movies, television, and even the net. It seems so simple, what are our children doing with what is around them? I know people who have played violent games their whole lives and are completely normal, why do these people not turn out like psychos? I think its because they have a strong family behind them helping them understand that video games and real life are two very different things. WE have to teach children what is right and wrong and show them that these are two very different realities. I am currently playing Rainbow Six Las Vegas 2, yes it is violent as violent as other games? Not at all- it is a first person shooter where the main objective is to harm others and even try to score more points for head shots. Why am i not overly aggressive? why am I not running around wanting to shoot people in the heads? It is because I took this form of media and enjoyed playing, a way to help pass the time and understood that this is not real, It is a game. Doing this in real life Is wrong and If i did go around shooting people I would not be able to just get up and turn life off- there are consequences. Stop pointing the finger at the media America its not its fault some people turn out the way they do. Whether the media was around or not some people are going to be murderers and rapists. Yes, the media can have some affect on children and their way of thinking, but that is when parents are SUPPOSE to step in and help the child understand what is a game and what isnt.

What about us girls?

While reading the article I was particularly interested in the lack of video games made for girls. Yes, if you think about it most games are directed toward the male population. But what about us girls? There are only a handful of games where girls are their main demographic. And most of those games are for PC's. Girls do like to play video games! I found it strange that since this business is all about making money that they haven't devoted more of their time and money into making games for girls to play and not just PC games! People are so naive, and I even saw that in my family- while playing a video game, Spyro the dragon a game that can even be looked at as gender neutral my oldest sister walked into the room and said: "what are you doing? video games and all that stuff are for boys." That is the general consensus that people have about video games. There is nothing wrong with girls wanting to play video games! what is the big deal? I think the article made great points in stating that video games can help peek a girls interest in technology, and that it also helps improve their computer literacy. Lets face it computers are a big part of our society and we all need to know how to use it. Girls should be able to have everything that boys have, and be able to enjoy it without feeling that this is only meant for boys, on top of that the video game industry is missing out-there is money to be made.

Fair Play:Race

In this section of Fair Play, It discuses Race. A lot of the things that I read in the article are things I already knew and am familiar with. And some things, I read it and thought "Oh yeah, thats true." For example, when I read over the fact that Native Americans were almost non existant in games as were latina women. I think those are things we are all aware of but kind of shrug off or don't really care about unless we are that group. In rainbow six las vegas there was only one woman you could chose as you player, and she was white. Although in one part of the game there was a woman you had to rescue and she in fact was Latina. Not once in the game did i see a native american or Asian for that matter. After reading this section of the article i Thought to myself, you know the only hispanics in games are either drug-dealers, sports players, or bad guys. African Americans are violent are the bad guys and have a short fuse-while 87% of whites are the hero. What kind of message are we sending to todays youth? Which made me think..... are young kids after playing certain games look to President Obama and automatically think "bad guy?"

Scary Thought.

Star Trek

I never thought I would be blogging about star trek but here I am! I think the message was loud and clear of the episode let that be your battlefield. Hate in the end will consume you and all around you. Loki and The commissioner were blinded by their hate for each other's people. They were so blinded that they couldn't see that they were the same-of course with similarities but we all have similarities. If i heard and watched correctly, they called each other half white and half black while they were fighting- it was an insult, but in realty BOTH of the are half white and half black, but once again they were to consumed to come to terms with that. The commissioner has the ability to close his eyes and use his will to do what he wants. To bad he does not take advantage of that power to banish all hate and oppression. But just like people who oppress and hate now, why give up what they feel is power?

Biel had what looked like a collar around his neck. That in a way stood out to me. It symbolized to me all the people who keep our society chained up under the cycle of oppression. People's ignorance makes me so mad- i wish they would just let things go, yes we are different colors, genders, and so one but in the end we are people-people who love and feel like you and me. Maybe, we will reach a point like it was mentioned in the show that oppression does not exist anymore-that only went on thousands of years ago, but its just something we read in history books now.

GaMer

I did not expect to like the movie as much as I did-but i enjoyed it A lot. While watching it I was like whoa this looks alot like one person shooters that I have seen people play. I guess that just means that our video games have gotten that advanced that they can be compared to a film. Especially with what we are talking about-especially the cycle of oppression, the film had a lot of things that I think we learn from a young age that are not necessarily true. We saw the gamer himself:overweight, eating away while playing video games. Not only that but he had a scooter to limit himself that much more. No, not everyone who plays video games is overweight andhome ridden because of their weight. Then we have the "hero" he is in fact a murderer whetherhe had control over it or not. But he has been glorified because he has survived so many levels. yes he is white. The main "bad guy" is black and seen as this monster who only wants to go after Gerard Butlers character... why does he have to be black? The other gamer, is a rich kid who gets whatever he wants because his family is well off. once again he is white. Althoughsouthern people are usually seen as dumb-it was nice to see that Michael c. Hall's character the genius who created those games is in fact southern. Ludacris was also a hero type figure in the film, we do not see a black hero that often which i enjoyed seeing. An Asian was snuck in there! and he was the another genius who can hack the system and fix things as needed. I think at one point or another we learn all these stereotypes at a young and a refuse to use the liberation theory and unlearn them. Most of these characters are proof that these stereotypes do exist. The film was very intense and visually stimulating. and just like Americans like.... the hero wins in the end!!!

The Fabric of Oppression

The fabric of oppression- is when groups are created that are dominant or privileges and other groups that are targeted and oppressed by it. Subconsciously, I believe we all know that White Christians is the dominant group and everyone else..... is not. A point the article made which really made sense was the point that just because you are in the dominant group it does NOT automatically mean that you will have power and wealth, but it does mean that you will have a better chance of getting that. And of course the targeted group do not mean you will be poor and weak but you will have less chances of being powerful and wealthy. I think one thing that happens more than we think is internalized oppression. That is when a person takes all the untrue, biast, stereotypical thoughts of their group and turn it inward on themselves. How terrible is it to feel bad about yourself just because people do not want to learn about you and just go by what they hear and believe is true. This internalization is of course the dominant groups fault. According to the fabric of oppression the dominant group is white, male, physically and mentally able and of course heterosexual. It is so stupid. I am sure that anyone else female, Hispanic, black etc can do just a good a job as the white male-we just refuse to give people a chance. The fabric of oppression can be seen in video games. In rainbow six las vegas you are killing terrorists and the main "bad guy" is Hispanic. Younger people who do not know any better are going to get the idea that all Hispanics are terrorists and i think equate that to what happened on 9/11. We see the fabric of oppression Everyday whether in life or in video games or the media- we just pretend not notice it.

Connections

Yes, this article was long.... real long.... but it was interesting. I really enjoyed how it went through the different theories. I really did learn new things and had several A-HA! moments. One of my A-HA moments was when the article discussed Christmas. In December it is EVERYWHERE. Music, decorations, xmas trees etc. I never thought to think what do people who do not celebrate Christmas feel during this time of year. There are other holidays in December that i knew of, Kwanzaa, Hanukkah but I never once thought of how they felt when all they see is santa claus and almost no recognition of their holidays.

I like how in the article it discussed the different theories. I liked to see all the different aspects and things it took to mold ones beliefs and how those are created. I particularly enjoyed the liberation theory. I know we as a society keep people down and almost make it impossible for them to rise up and be what they want-but everyone has the potential to! We CAN unlearn all the false information and biast that we have picked up in our lives. It is easy to learn yet really hard to unlearn. I also like the point made that it is a life long process. I appreciated that-because we all have our thoughts of certain people but through this process we can help break the cycle of oppression which we live under.

The Prince of Persia

I love this game. Visually, it is breathtaking, and the story line is not one you often see. The game takes place in India with the prince trying to defeat and evil jaffar and earn praise and respect from his father. All we really see is men in this game, we only saw one woman. That woman happened to be a princess-which quite frankly is a pretty woman. Which is obviously to entice the male players which are the majority of the players anyway. If we look at the culture of power, it is clear that in this game men rule all! it is the prince who is obviously a man going after the power- its painfully clear that men have all the power in this game when we only see one woman! If we think of ethnicity one thing really stuck out to me. The prince trying to win the praise of his father. I think in any ethnicity boys are trying to get praise from their old daddi-o. It doesn't even have to be their father anyone with a blood tie and is a male figure to them- a boy wants that praise almost needs that praise. I think it is very interesting how the game is constantly playing on the idea that the prince wants his father's approval. it is very realistic-and i like that, men even women can relate to that, no matter what age.

Race Vs. Ethnicity

Mostly everyone that i have spoken to does not know the difference between ethnicity and race. Sad huh? You would think that after everything people have gone thru in this country and the fact that Miami alone is one huge melting pot we would know the difference! Alas, we do not- so let me let you who don't know in on a little secret. Ethnicity is when real blood ties are shared or just assumed blood lines are shared. It is when we feel that we share something that comes from the same place. Within ethnicities we have sub-cultures. For example, one sub-culture that many may not consider is the gay culture. Race, is very different thing that confuses people left and right. Although many will nto agree with me there is only ONE race, the human race! Technically there is no biological definition of what race is, we just label people what we feel they are and that is their race. Race is seen by us humans as social categories, in other words its always a power struggle. The most powerful people are white which i think we all know and every other "race" is trying to claw their way up for a little taste of white people's power. It is not to say that ethnicities and race arent one in the same, they are very different but can in fact overlap, and yes, some races can be ethnic groups. But c'mon, if you sit and think about it it is so easy to see.....It is all a social construct. None of it is real!!!! it is all man made, it is made up by us!!! we take into account what we see with our eyes and because of how we were raised and by what we see on TV we automatically place the person where we want to place them in our minds. (black, white, hispanic etc) and when we place them in the category we choose to put them, we begin to think what we have been taught... this person is lazy... this person is bad... this person is good... Look we know that everyone is a little bit racist, there is no denying it! but i think we all need to grow up a little and say you know what, none of this is real, it is all made up, we are all people and DESERVE to be treated with the same respect and dignity.

The Culture of Power

Ahhhh the culture of power, something we very conveniently forget exists. Although we choose to live in our very comfortable bubble and carry on our daily lives thinking of only OUR problems does not mean that a culture of power does not exist. Lets be honest here- if you have not notcied that their is a culture of power wether it have to do with religion, gender, or ethnicity, it is probably because you ARE in that culture of power. Men, whites, Christian, these are all a culture of power. Just like we read in the article we all have atleast one trait about us that puts us in the majorirty and not in the margins. For example, although I am female and hispanic and that already margianlizes me, I am Chrisitan which makes me part of the majority. Most people do not even realize that this sort of thing exists because ethey are so comfortable. The truth is that the people who chose to be comfertable and chose not to walk in someone else's shoes will never help fix this.
The people who are maginalized like Jews, women, african americans etc. constantly feel the fact that they arent good enough and the majority has all the power, control, and respect. Everyone ignores the people whjo are off in the sidelines because as a society we automatically write them off-they scream and we dont hear nor listen to what they are saying, simply because we have put it in our minds that they dont know what they are talking about. It is up to us to stand up and fight for them. It is up for us to try and walk in their shoes and realize that not everyones life is as comfertable as us. Society will listen to the "in-group" it is in our hands to fight for the people who go unseen and unheard because of what WE have labeled them.
This sort of thing can be seen everywhere- even videogames. Usually in videogames the "good guy" is in fact a white male. The white male is either fighting against terrorists who are middle eastern or hispanics. The culture of power is defiantly seen in video games! We are so programmed to think that white males are in charge and anyone who is not white is less worthy we even have it in our video games. Although people do not notice this sort of thing, the fact of the matter is that it is in our videogames ans subconsiously we are confirming what societies rules seem to be. From a child when you are playing videogames it gets burned into your brain that the white guy is the good guy and that everyone else is the bad guy. How must the people who are maginalized feel when they see in video games that they are being depicted as the bad guy? The people who are in the culture of power never have to grapple with feelings like that because they are ALWAYS the good guy.
We must become more aware of ourselves in everyday life, in the media, and in our videogames. We must consider how others must feel when they are not the majority that is accepted, respected, and have all the power. Maybe once we are able to actually see life thru someone else's eyes we will be able to change things. The sad truth is that change is only going to come if the culture of power takes charge and starts changing the way things are. I am not optomisitc seeing that in this world is kill or be killed and in that sense everyone is looking out for themselves and do not care for people

eXistenZ

As decades pass, we as a society depict our fears in society thru film. The film eXistenZ directed by David Cronenberg is no different. This film takes our society's obsession of video gaming and really puts in under the microscope in a unique way. Many things can be taken a way from this film as to what our fears are about video gaming. One of the things I found the film was saying is that video gaming has made our society lazier than we have ever been. A perfect example is when Allegra tells Ted "C'mon you know no-one skies in real life anymore", they simply do it in their video games. We do not do anything physical anymore because we can have it at our finger tips right in our living room. As a result of a lot of our time being spent on playing video games we are lazy and in some cases overweight. Kids do not go outside and play football anymore, they sit in the living room playing the latest version of Madden. Kids spend so much time playing games that their work ethic and drive is non-existent which in turn creates lazy adults who do not contribute to society. Another thing that was seen in the film was video gaming as a addiction. Through out the game Allegra, one of the main characters in the film was constantly wanting to play every chance she got. Even when she was being hunted all she wanted to do was plug in. When they did port into the game they got such a sense of satisfaction that could not be beat. Video gaming is actually being treated now in clinics as an addiction and I think Cronenberg is trying to show us that this can be a leisurely thing but it can also be a dangerous thing. In the film the characters had ports which were installed right into their backs. True gamers I believe, would want something they could port into whenever they wanted. It helps show that now video gaming is so much apart of us, it is apart of everyday life for many people and is truly an addicting thing. What also got me thinking was the end of the film. Are they still in the game? or is this is fact reality? I think that since our video games are so realistic and people get so into it they do actually forget what is real and what is not. Especially for our younger generations it is troublesome because they try and mimic what they are doing in these games and think there is no consequence for their actions. Our society gets caught up in what we see, television, movies, as well as video games. We have trouble differentiating what is real and what is not because the technology is so realistic and simply because we give ourselves mentally so freely to video gaming and media.

I'm glad we saw this film. It's a given, this is something I would have never seen if not for my video game analysis class.I really enjoyed it, I loved how Cronenberg touched on so many different issues about of fears of video gaming so intelligently. He does not want to tell you exactly what he is trying to say- you have to think about it and work for it, which I love. Video gaming is going to continue to expand and become more and more realistic, there is no stopping it especially for those hard gamers out there. The question is, when is the realism of a game to realistic? I believe we are going to reach a point where video gaming is going to look a lot like eXistenZ. When that time comes, I think we are only going to be more destructive to our bodies, more addicted, and have even more trouble differentiating between real and fake. One can only hope that when that time comes we are able to deal with the blurred line between reality and virtual reality better than we do now.