Post date: Aug 18, 2014 1:19:01 AM
I love to learn. If I didn't, I wouldn't have gone back to college so many times after graduating with my Bachelor's Degree in 1990. I found myself either signing up for different art classes or joining college concert bands and learning new music. And when not doing either of these two things, I learned a wide variety of dancing styles: country western two step, disco hustle, west coast swing, and many more. These activities engage my mind in ways I never really thought about until now. I can easily apply the ways in which I learned these things back then to the ways I am learning to play some very detailed video games this semester. In dancing, someone shows you the steps and you follow them. I have read that some video games begin in the same way (Lara Croft Tomb Raider for one - Gee explained that the young Lara learned by following her mentor and repeating the steps.) I learned how to throw a ceramic pot on a wheel by grabbing some clay, getting some directions from a teacher, and then giving it a try. Many failed attempts to throw the pot did not keep me from trying again. As in Portal, many failed attempts at finishing a level did not keep me from trying again. And I remember quite vividly my reaction when learning to play the clarinet, I threw it across the room in frustration because I could not complete a very advanced section of music and the speed I needed to play it. I experienced ALMOST the same thing with Level 15 of Portal just last week. Thankfully, I did NOT throw my computer across the room. I have matured!
The simpler game of Hay Day has not challenged me at all. I do not feel the same emotions that I feel when I play the other games. It is very routine oriented and frankly, unexciting. I complete the short list of tasks I need to complete a few times a day and then I leave it with absolutely no anticipation pulling at me to return to the game. I know that if I want to move up a level I must do certain things and I know I can. It will take time. Playing it is relaxing in a sense because it does not cause me any stress and eventually I'll to that next level. So, I keep playing.
Portal in particular is challenging and grabbing my attention. I certainly have been frustrated with it. But I also want to go back and play some more as soon as I have time. I think that I am close to the last level ( 19 I think) so I feel like I must keep going. I must also go to sleep at a decent hour so I must shut it down. I remember staying up late just to keep dancing (often on a work night) and suffering the consequences of tired me the next day. I know the consequences of being a tired teacher, however, so that does not happen now. Will these games keep me up on a work night?