So then the inter-prison Halo 2 tournament is off?
According to the Associated Press, it seems that Missouri, USA is no longer allowing inmates in its prisons to play video games. According to the report, newly elected governerner Matt Blunt says that prisoners should "pick up skills and abilities that will allow them to go back out into society and be productive citizens. Playing video games doesn't have anything to do with either of those objectives."
While I suppose it's his business what he wants his prisoners doing with their time, I have to wonder if he's really looked into the issue of whether video games allow one to pick up useful skills and abilities or not. Let's look at some examples:
Burger Time - Useful burger-making skills, showing you exactly how many times to stomp on a burger before its edible. Also, useful skills at avoiding anthropomorphic wieners and fried eggs.
Dr. Mario - Should be obvious. How many other games teach you to be a physician, a pharmacist, and a virologist, all in one sitting? You can cure anyone after you've played this game, once you figure out whether their germs are red, yellow, or blue.
Sim City 2000 - After playing Sim City 2000, I learned lots of things that were later quite helpful in life. For example, police stations only cost $500. After learning this, I had two police stations built on my front lawn. It's cheaper than an alarm system, andI feel quite safe.
Katamari Damacy - Companies are always looking for bright young candidates who can pick up lots of cows and things on a sticky blob and then launch it into the sky. And if they're not, then they should be.
Everquest - A big part of Everquest involves crafting, where you pull ingredients for a Doily of Prettiness +3 out of the steaming thorax of a recently destroyed giant spider or something, click on the doilycrafting machine three times, and it's done. In real life, it isn't quite that simple. In real life, it takes five clicks.
So there you have it, five examples of games that teach useful life skills. And that's without even getting into the Monkey Island series.
While I suppose it's his business what he wants his prisoners doing with their time, I have to wonder if he's really looked into the issue of whether video games allow one to pick up useful skills and abilities or not. Let's look at some examples:
Burger Time - Useful burger-making skills, showing you exactly how many times to stomp on a burger before its edible. Also, useful skills at avoiding anthropomorphic wieners and fried eggs.
Dr. Mario - Should be obvious. How many other games teach you to be a physician, a pharmacist, and a virologist, all in one sitting? You can cure anyone after you've played this game, once you figure out whether their germs are red, yellow, or blue.
Sim City 2000 - After playing Sim City 2000, I learned lots of things that were later quite helpful in life. For example, police stations only cost $500. After learning this, I had two police stations built on my front lawn. It's cheaper than an alarm system, andI feel quite safe.
Katamari Damacy - Companies are always looking for bright young candidates who can pick up lots of cows and things on a sticky blob and then launch it into the sky. And if they're not, then they should be.
Everquest - A big part of Everquest involves crafting, where you pull ingredients for a Doily of Prettiness +3 out of the steaming thorax of a recently destroyed giant spider or something, click on the doilycrafting machine three times, and it's done. In real life, it isn't quite that simple. In real life, it takes five clicks.
So there you have it, five examples of games that teach useful life skills. And that's without even getting into the Monkey Island series.
posted by Andrew Lenahan at 6:50 AM
2 Comments:
What about Animal Crossing? You learn how to shake trees and get money, and find fossils, and lets not forget about the wondrous skill of Feng Shui.
Also, the part about the beehives is pretty accurate, too...
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