So here we are another recently released game where you take on the life of a vicious criminal roaming the streets and causing mayhem. I have to admit I love the games, and as of yet still need to purchase the newest addition to the GTA series.
What interests me from an exercise perspective is peoples mentality towards such games. Here I don't want to focus on how violence could effect kids yada yada yada. But I want to look at the idea that people enjoy games and exercising acts within games but otherwise avoid it at all opportunities outside of it.
An excellent example as illustrated above is riding bicycles and trying to catch moving vehicles or escape from various enemies. Of course the situations in these games are far more unrealistic then the real world and maybe this is why people enjoy it inside games yet despise it outside of it.
Are Kids becoming desensitized towards exercise?
This desensitized term is much more popular in the violence context yet it is very applicable to exercise as well. Movies and video games are becoming increasingly violent which lead to people arguing that kids become desensitized towards it, but what does this mean? Desensitizing is making people less sensitive towards something, meaning they are less likely to react favorably or negatively towards something as it becomes commonplace.
So Why do i think people becoming less sensitive towards exercise is a bad thing? Simply because they don't look on it favorably which is ideally what you want to achieve in order to get people exercising. It becomes commonplace for kids to exercise in games and not think about doing it in real life because maybe its less effective or exciting.
Are there ways to make exercising more exciting and game like then? There is, especially with the advances in technology and the growing popularity of the Xbox Kinnect, and Playstation Move.
Xbox Kinnect/ Playstation Move a step in the right direction for gaming
I believe this is a small but very significant step towards combining exercise with gaming. Yes, I am aware of Wii type games being out for a while now and providing a very active atmosphere for the players. I do feel however the Wii console isn't that used by more serious gamers, I believe that these serious gamers revolve around bigger consoles such as the Xbox and Playstation and even PC.
These serious gamers can be more of a problem to target and the brilliance of providing a chance to move which in turn effects the game is a masterstroke. For thos who are not familiar with the Kinnect or Move these are like cameras being set up which track a persons movement to some degree and this can effect a characters motion within the game.
It is a small movement change but it is a start in the right direction I believe, especially if it becomes popular among gamers. time will hopefully tell that it does and this increase in movement may even be enhanced further with more advanced technology, the possibilities are endless.
What does the Future Hold?
Granted the above clip doesn't show an increase in movement but if you think beyond this room becoming part of the world to a person also joining the mix, standing up running or walking on spot to get to place in the game/room.
There is so much possibilities with the exponential technological growth we are seeing today. Not just in the gaming world but everywhere such as medically helping people who are paraplegic to walk again.
There is also however the flip side to this technological advancement if nurtured wrongly we could see a more lazy society. This I see as the more likely, we as human beings constantly strive to make our lives easier it seems, Technology is arguably a means to this end.
I believe we need to control this technological advancement and focus it in the right places to help society grow but keep people active and healthy at the same time.
If anyone else has seen any upcoming technological advances they believe may have some good or even bad impact on people exercising I would love to see it.
