Should we make an effort to be "better gamers"

[Peench]

No I'm not talking about staying up all night or missing work to get a few more rounds of Gears of War in so that you can hang with the likes of Pickle, Pr0phet and the other regular GOW players. I'm talking about whether we should be taking steps to give gamers a better name in general.

We all know the wrap. People like Jackl Thompson and Hillary Clinton fear what they don't truly understand. That said, there are far too many gamers out there who are, for lack of a better descriptive term, assholes. Sites like PreGameLobby.com were created expressly for the sake of allowing gamers who don't spend all day gaming the ability to get together with other gamers of like mind or skillset and simply play to have fun. If we aren't having fun, what's the point of gaming?

Perhaps there are some grains of truth to the sweeping generalizations about gamers these days. Oddly enough, the generalizations tend to focus on the younger crowd of gamers, which apparently are not the average. The latest studies show the average age of gamers at 35. Sure there are plenty of us who are immature, but most of us know we all just want to have fun and aren't going to do anything more drastic than destroying a controller if we lose a match.

I read through the article "being a better gamer" and found it very detailed and very impressive. It provides loads of information about companies and sites created for the purpose of giving back to communities, our troops and others through video games. Links are also provided for those of you who are interested in getting involved in these existing philanthropies.

Most of us have come here to PreGameLobby because we like playing with other mature gamers who simply want to have fun. We've been somewhat forced here by some of the negative stereotypes out there about gamers. So while we band together to have fun with each other, do we have an obligation, or should we, do anything *more* to dispel the myths and show the world that gamers are giving, caring, mature persons who live somewhat normal lives and who can have fun gaming?

[MadBryan]

Yes, I'm trying

[lovekeiiy]

Should we as a group, as gamers, try to dispel the negative image the group has, yes. In time, and as gamers age and younger generations play video games as a whole, like watching tv, it will become accepted. I think of video games like rock n' roll of the fifties; it was perceived by the media to be a very bad influence and morally corrupt to the youths.

On an individual bases, the best thing to do is to help groups mentioned in the article. And if you really want to influence the politicians, make sure to vote.

Unfortunately, with the media's information and the general publics ignorance the gaming culture, it's just a long batter, at this point, to overcome.

[TheEman28]

I think the first step for some people to be better gamers is just being better people in general. I think PreGameLobby.com shows that gamers are more than just people who wear StarTrek t-shirts and live at home with mom. (No offense to those that still do though, LOL)

[Quo]

Always gotta stomp out ignorance where you can. Normal people are gamers too.

I was in a gamestop Saturday night and I came within a few seconds of leaning over the counter to the manager and saying "Dude... BATHE. You're giving us all a bad name." I could smell the stinky basement dweller from across the counter. I'm afraid that persona is so prevalent that it's here to stay, but in little bits and pieces we can show that there are other kinds of gamers too...

[Snake1399]

as with anything else in life, people are gonna say and think what they want, no matter how you try to sway em, so i say eff it. If you enjoy gaming for whatever the reasons, then you shouldnt really care what the higher ups or anyone else for that matter thinks......

[kingsfan2099]

I have to agree with Snake...if they don't get it and only see the minority of 13 year old boys who love berating and cussing at one another screw them. I mean people will always look at, with scrutiny, those that do things out of the mainstream. I played tournament paintball for two and a half years and anytime I told someone about it they assumed I got dressed up in my camo and went out to the woods and was trying to start a militia when in fact you were usually out in brightly colored jerseys running around air inflated obstacles trying to shoot the other team... You would always come across people ignorant about the sport saying a friend of a friend of my cousins step-brother shot a guy with a frozen paintball and killed him...just so you know a frozen paintball will not fly straight...try it if you don't believe me...This is the way people are...Until something breaks into the mainstream it will be viewed as, "oh thats what the outcasts do". I think with the popularity of the wii many more people will get that gateway drug into gaming. While the average age of gamers is increasing you must look at the total number of people playing video games as what the important number is. The more people playing games the less they are going to scrutinize what they're doing.

[lovekeiiy]

Originally Posted by Snake1399

...If you enjoy gaming for whatever the reasons, then you shouldnt really care what the higher ups or anyone else for that matter thinks.....

Although, I agree with the over theme, but you should care exactly what the higher ups think, or in this case politicians. These are the people who, for the most part, create the laws of our society. And yes, they try to exploit whatever platform they can to get or keep their job; it's just the nature of the game they have to play.

Unfortunately, there have been many attempts to create and pass laws that limit games, either by how or who they're distributed to or their content. Personally, I have major issues whenever there are attempts to limit content. Some control over who eventually end up playing the games isn't a big issue. There are some games that I feel you should have some level of maturity to understand and handle it's content. It's a parent job to decide what's appropriate for their kids to play.

And just because no laws that have been passed about limited content or distribution, according to the article, in staying laws, doesn't mean one won't in the future. It doesn't take much to all of sudden have a game such as Halo to become illegal game for all to possess or create; some could argue that it prevents anyone who plays them to be able to make decisions a reasonable person would within the normal confines of commerce (I'm not saying this would happen, just a hypothetical scenario).

Although, I don't expect anyone, nor would I, shove how gamers are down the general public's throat. There are some opportunities that can be used to show how there are only few bad apples versus the few socially stable and adjusted that is currently believed.

[pickleL7]

yes we should.and Peench suck it for stealing my post....

[Causedawg 83]

Originally Posted by Snake1399

as with anything else in life, people are gonna say and think what they want, no matter how you try to sway em, so i say eff it. If you enjoy gaming for whatever the reasons, then you shouldnt really care what the higher ups or anyone else for that matter thinks......

I agree. You're not going to change a damn thing, so just have fun and screw anyone who's gonna make a big deal about it.

[WILTRON]

Of course we should try. I'm certain that no one I meet on a daily basis through work or personal interaction would even know that I play games unless I told them I did. I don't fit the persona.

Unfortunately, like it or not, almost every stereotype is true for the majority (gaming or otherwise). That's how it becomes a stereotype.

[TheEman28]

I agree lovekeiiy about this country's lawmakers. The one thing I think is occuring that may be good is that a newer generation is slowly making it's way into congress. The newer senators and congress people have played video games to some extent in their lives and may have a better understanding of what it means to be a gamer. Not like some of the older, dusty, narrow minded politicians out there who think that playing scrabble by the fireplace is the hip thing the kiddies are doing now-a-days.

[Peench]

Originally Posted by pickleL7

yes we should.and Peench suck it for stealing my post....

Thanks for letting me!

[pickleL7]

Originally Posted by Peench

Thanks for letting me!

Dude...Thats gross

[The Milk Man 09]

I think weather we change or not there will still be the extreme, which many of us here do not fit into, that will still be seen as the "norm" when people think of gamers. We can try to change it as much as we want but as long as a large group of our society do not play games they will still see us all as big kids that cant let go weather or not its just another form of entertainment. On the other hand Oprah just bought a Wii a few weeks ago so MS and Sony should just quit trying to beat nintendo as soon as Oprah preaches how beneficial a Wii is to family togetherness ect, because as soon as that happens house wifes everywhere will be snatching them off store shelves by the arm full.

[Prophet0ne]

It's a good idea Peench. How could it hurt? It doesn't take much to go out of your way to help somebody or make someones life a little easier. We're pretty avid gamers in my family and will often help friends and family and sometimes even strangers with gas, food and money. Over the last 3 years we've decided to have a smaller Christmas for ourselves and instead have surprised 3 different families with theirs. Last year we had some friends who fell on hard times because of hospital bills. With surgery and meds and three kids they were struggling. We went a little crazy and did dinner for them, bought and decorated a x-mas tree, bought the kids a leap frog game for the 4 year old a DS for the older one and a ton of diapers for the baby. That may be a bit much for some and we generally don't go over like that but it was pretty awesome to see the kids faces and these were/are some good friends of ours.
Point is helping people and being a gamer is a no brainer. Most of us own one or several game systems and probably have something to give, so why don't you? If PGL finds a good cause to support that they can throw their name into I'll donate for sure.
I just fell off my horse and I cant find my soap box.