The video game culture has evolved over time due to the emergence of new technologies and the dynamics in the gaming world. The popularity of video games can also be attributed to the development of a new gaming culture that allows for the use of the internet and other online gaming platforms. The video game culture can be defined as the new media culture that gives gamers mind-blowing gaming experiences from the comfort of their homes. The gaming culture has a lot of subgenres including shooting games, sports games, action, and adventurous games among others. I will be discussing the video game culture and particularly the shooter game, gaining literacy into this culture as well as the language that is used in the game. This video game can be defined as the new trend in society that allows people to demystify interactions in society through gaming experiences. The video game culture has intensified social interactions seeing that people from all walks of life and ages can engage without limitations. The video game culture is, therefore, a novel way to improve social networking, grow mental skills and most importantly, to keep the gaming culture alive.
Question 2
Growing up, I was always exposed to computer and video games as a recreational activity. I was also in a local area network of gamers who took part in video games every too often. This exposure to gaming played a significant role in ensuring that I got my membership in this culture. I further developed an interest in the skill and looked forward to taking part in the shooter video games professionally and not only as a recreational activity. This was the first step in learning the art.
I also did extensive research on how to play the shooters game, and this went a long way in perfecting the art. I learned the rules of the game by watching online games and tournaments, and this was a ticket towards my membership into the gaming culture as interest developed into daily practice and eventually into a passion.
Question 3
Intensified practice played a significant role in developing literacy in the gaming culture over time. A lot of hours went into practice as I understood that the shooters game was an art that could only be perfected through practice. The realization that the best shooter gamers put in over 50 hours of training every week motivated me to put in a lot of work and effort in the game. Whether I was gaming for fun or competing with a counterpart, I made sure to put in five hours into the game every day.
Joining a community of gamers is very important in perfecting the gaming art. This is because having a people with whom you can share experiences makes one aware of the expectations in the game. In this community of gamers, I found people who had extensive experiences in the gaming world (Eskelinen 66). They shared their journeys, their challenges as well as how they overcame. This was very important as it ensured that I learned from the best. Having a community of gamers also made sure that I did not go through the journey on my own; something that played a significant role in the development of my literacy in gaming.
While it is essential to have a community of gamers with similar interests, it is more important to find a team that engages competitively in gaming. Finding a group gave me so much exposure in this culture. Through this team, we had tournaments, and here I was able to meet shooters from opponent teams who had more exposure and more gaming tricks than those in my group. This further intensified my skills and knowledge in the gaming culture.
Question 4
There are many relevant issues in the gaming culture. While some of these issues are rarely talked about, being an insider in the culture has made me aware of some of the emerging topics in this culture. The paralysis of physical games, for example, is an essential topic in the culture. Headlines have been made on how the popular online gaming culture has resulted in the paralysis of physical activities resulting in a lazy and obese generation. This is nevertheless not the case. My culture values mental and physical health just as much as other cultures. This is why it has gone an extra mile to sensitize people on the positive and physical effects of gaming.
Further, this culture aims at increasing creativity and making gaming a productive activity as opposed to a fun and time-wasting activity as many people have tagged it. The economic and financial aspects of this culture have therefore been talked about with more people being encouraged to familiarize themselves and to engage with this culture as a way to earn a livelihood and to grow social networks.
Question 5
Like every other culture, many rules and regulations have to be adhered to by every insider in the gaming culture. The knowledge of these rules is often a sign of commitment and fidelity to the game. The shooter game is one of the most dangerous video games as it involves the use of a deadly weapon hence the many rules in this game.
Safety is the most important rule of this culture. While the gaming culture looks to crown a winner and the strongest opponent, it also looks out for the safety of the opponents. Some of the safety rules in this game include the need to avoid being at a close shooting range and the need to shoot only when it’s necessary. This allows gamers the space to compete fairly. This rule also states that good sportsmanship means putting the safety of players above gaming prowess.
Professionalism is also another rule that every insider in the gaming culture adheres to. Professionalism ranges from teamwork, respect for other gamers irrespective of whether one has lost or won in a tournament. Dedication, focus and practice are also some of the rules that are vital for every player.
Question 6
Gamers have developed a unique language that identifies them with their culture. This language helps them to relate to each other within the course of their interactions. Most of the time, this language constitutes heavy jargon that can only be understood by insiders. Gamers also make use of slang terms that are peculiar to outsiders in this culture. Also, abbreviations are widely used in this culture, and this can be explained by the need to shorten the heavy jargon.
Terms like AAA which means, triple a game are often used to refer to the ultimate competition that will crown the champions in gaming. Other words like the ditch, which means to abandon a game, grind which is used to mean to do an action repetitively to move on to the next stage are also other terms that are common among gamers. Others terms like to ‘frag,' which means to shoot and kill an opponent, FPS which means First Person Shooter is also common among players. There is no doubt that the gaming culture has developed a whole new system of language that allows them to interact exclusively with each other (Ryu 299).
This peculiar language system makes gamers distinct from other people. Further, it allows them to enjoy their space without having to use heavy jargon that other people do not understand. Like any other culture, the language used within the gaming culture has made it easy for insiders to understand each other even as they enhance their skills.
Question 7
The video gaming culture has become a widely accepted culture over the years. Children are now being introduced to this culture at a very tender age as a way of keeping them engaged. Teenagers are also being encouraged to take part in gaming activities as a way of passing the time and most importantly, to keep them away from disruptive societal practices like crime and drug abuse, but this has nevertheless not always the case (Thorne 810). The gaming culture was considered a highly disruptive culture and thus subversive (Everett 311). This culture was attributed to violence, laziness, and idleness. This is not the case anymore.
People have been sensitized on the impacts of gaming and the gaming culture and how it could benefit society. Gamers are thus perfecting the art to enable them to engage in competitive tournaments that are lucrative essential to the young generation and society at large. People’s mindsets are therefore slowly changing as they begin to accommodate and accept this culture. With the dynamics in technology and the emerging trends in this culture, there is every reason to believe that the video gaming culture will continue to be widely accepted both as a recreational and lucrative activity.
Question 8
Being a gamer often means acquiring specific skills that go a long way in building an individual’s identity. Some of the skills that I have developed as a gamer include focus, resilience, and professionalism; skills that have gone a long way to inform how I interact with people and how I see the world. Being a shooter, for example, requires a lot of concentration and focus, a skill that I have acquired over time by continually taking part in the game. Also, I have used such skills in other aspects of my life, which helps in increasing fulfillment in life.
Concisely, taking part in the shooters video game and spending of my time behind the screens has confined me to a world where most of my friends are gamers. My social circle is therefore made up of players. This has not only helped to build a strong gaming culture, but it has also made my social interactions very easy (Granic 66). Gaming has become part of my daily life. Whenever I am not gaming, I am thinking about gaming and developing some new skills and ideas that could be useful in the growth of the gaming culture.
Works Cited
Eskelinen, Markku. "The gaming situation." Game studies 1.1 (2001): 68.
Everett, Anna. "Serious play: Playing with race in contemporary gaming culture." Handbook of computer game studies (2005): 311-26.
Granic, Isabela, Adam Lobel, and Rutger CME Engels. "The benefits of playing video games." American psychologist 69.1 (2014): 66.
Ryu, Dongwan. "Play to learn, learn to play: Language learning through gaming culture." ReCALL
25.2 (2013): 286-301.
Thorne, Steven L., Rebecca W. Black, and Julie M. Sykes. "Second language use, socialization, and learning in Internet interest communities and online gaming." The modern language journal 93 (2009): 802-821.
