Xbox Evolution

Your Mom told you that video games will warp your mind. Was she right, or is your gaming actually benefiting you? All we hear about playing video games is bad, but could the positive effects be steering our very evolution?

What does it take to play theses extremely sophisticated games? First of all, it takes above average dexterity in your fingers. The xbox controller has 14 buttons (or more depending on what you consider a button) All of which are controlled by the thumbs, index and middle finger.

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If your a gamer, move the previous fingers as fast as you can, then try moving the last two and you'll see a signifigant difference.

To effectivly play games such as Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 2, which grossed over $300,000,000 its first day, you need to not only use every button on the controller, but you have to use them with well timed precission.

The more you play, the greater your dexterity gets. Video games help surgeons' dexterity

Playing video games improves manual dexterity among surgeons, making them faster and less likely to make mistakes, US researchers said

How important is dexterity?

Humanity's origin must have been propelled by the autoevolutionary effects of increasing intelligence, language, culture, tools, low fecundity and manual dexterity

Secondly, to excell at these games you have to above average visual abilities as mentioned in this article: Video games 'good for you'

The researchers have shown that gamers were particularly good at spotting details in busy, confusing scenes and could cope with more distractions than average.

The two scientists also found that with a little game playing the visual skills of anyone can be improved.

And it is not just seeing better, but also the ability to recognize a situation, increased reaction to the situation, and dramatically increases hand eye coordination.

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All of these characteristics contribute to the evolution of a species. And since the game console has become a household staple there is a generation of young adults that have some of the most advanced dexterity and hand-eye coordination our species has ever had.

So what may lie in the future?

a S.M.A.R.T. BrainGames system that consists of a special controller, a helmet with built-in sensors for monitoring brain activity and a Smartbox that receives the brain signals

Video games actually can be good for you

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Drone Operators are the the fighter pilot of the future.
US now trains more drone operators than pilots

As part of an expanding programme of battlefield automation, the American air force has said it is now training more drone operators than fighter and bomber pilots.

Have you heard of David Adair? He claims to have seen an engine that he called a symbiotic engine, which he speculated was run by the pilots brain waves. This does'nt seem too far fetched to me with all things considered.

Now I know I could be wrong, and video games could just be a waste of time and energy, but maybe not.

-E-

[edit on 7-1-2010 by MysterE]

hahaha - is that what you tell your mother or mrs when she tells you to get off the game....

but well thought out and your probably right.....

Ill try using this with my Mrs when she tells me to stop playing...

[edit on 7/1/2010 by booda]

Haha, ya I say sorry sweetie, i'm busy evolving! Doesn't work though!

-E-

you forgot the most important thing, they're good fun.

evolution?.......................my wrist cracks when i move my right thumb...................

[edit on 7/1/10 by pieman]

The OP is actually onto some credited information. Studies ( I will look for them) have shown that video gaming has an increased affect on a persons hand eye co-ordination, reaction time, problem solving abilities, lots of stuff.

The way i play video games is i hop on my stationary bike, and usually play NHL10, and i can say i have pretty good hand eye co-ordination. Using so many different aspects of your body and mind at once is never a bad thing.

[edit on 7-1-2010 by Hack28]

Study finds video games increase student achievement:

thejournal.com...

Improves real world vision:

vision.about.com...

To show im not bias, increase aggresion :

news.bbc.co.uk...

reply to post by Hack28


Adding the bike to is it takes it to the next level, training your mind and body. I read a study that playing games increases the heart rate to amounts similay to light exercise.

-E-

Playing games does increase hand eye coordination, but to state you require above average dexterity is a bit much I feel.

Video Games Boost Visual Skills, Study Finds

Playing computer games can improve your eyesight, experts say

Playing computer games helps children learn, insists minister

Not sure where I saw it but there was a video I saw of a ballet dancer learning new moves and a study that showed it takes on average 50 attempts / repetitions of any new movement for the brain to be able to replicate the movement well enough to run on auto pilot so to speak.

I'm a gamer through and through but I’m also a loving husband and father of 2, I hold down a full time job and look after the kids on the weekends when my other half is at work, on top of all this I run a bedroom recording studio.

I wish I had the time to play long involving games....

Korg.



[edit on 7-1-2010 by Korg Trinity]

This has been going on for a while now, but not on a scale as big as games.
The equiptment best for evolving these abilities i would say has to be musical instruments, take the guitar or piano for example.
You need exceptional eye-hand co-ordination to master these instruments. If everyone learned to play an instrument as they do with games, imagen what we would be like now? For musical instruments have been around since ancient times, imagen if it carried on untill now with everyone playing them?

reply to post by MysterE


Its genius really, because you get into the game you dont notice your working out. When i get the puck im all amped up i peddle faster, next thing you know youve had a good 2 hours of cardio. I suggest to all my friends.

I also have heard the the Army uses simulators like video games as training. We all know Nasa uses simulators, far far more advanced but tricking the senses is still a usefull preperation tool.

Originally posted by Korg Trinity
Playing games does increase hand eye coordination, but to state you require above average dexterity is a bit much I feel.

Check out the link in the OP that states that doctors use video games to increase their dexterity to assist in surgeries. I believe you gain dexterity the more you play.

-E-

Originally posted by Trolloks
Take the guitar or piano for example.
You need exceptional eye-hand co-ordination to master these instruments.

Actually not true. Although you may need good hand eye when initially learning, but the truth is once you know your keys or your axe well enough you can do it with your eyes shut.

In fact quote often I am too busy tweaking settings on the monitor to be able to actually look directly at what my hands are actually doing.

Though having said that I do practice my runs till my fingers bleed )

All the best,

Korg.

reply to post by Korg Trinity


I agree, as a beginner on the guitar I used to need to look at the neck when doing my blues scales, I've been playing since Easter last year and now I don't need to look at all

as for games evolving people, I think it's the reverse, it's making a huge % of the population stay home bum out and shoot tango sukkha's

reply to post by Korg Trinity


What your arguing for here is actually an increase in hand eye co-ordination. If you dont have to look at your hands you have great hand eye co-ordination. Youve got er backwards.

Originally posted by Hack28
reply to post by Korg Trinity

 

What your arguing for here is actually an increase in hand eye co-ordination. If you dont have to look at your hands you have great hand eye co-ordination. Youve got er backwards.

Err... how can not having to look be good hand eye... there is no eye in it lol

reply to post by Korg Trinity


Hand eye reffers more to you ability to do things with your hands without necessarily focusing directly on them. Because your eye sees things quicker than your mind can react to them having good hand eye is reffering to the time in-between seeing and moving your hand.
Like those catches you make when you just stick your hand out quickly, same concept.
So not having to look at your hands when playing guitar is a mix between muscle repitition and hand eye. Since the object is not moving once your eye is trained enough to the location it no longer has to look for it to make your hand move, it is aware of its location "in the minds eye".

reply to post by Hack28


"Eye–hand coordination (or hand–eye coordination) is the coordinated control of eye movement with hand movement, and the processing of visual input to guide reaching and grasping along with the use of proprioception of the hands to guide the eyes. It has been studied in activities as diverse as tea making, the movement of solid objects such as wooden blocks, sporting performance, music reading, online first person computer gaming, and copy-typing"

So I guess when your playing from a book you are, when your playing a tune you know, your not. Playing a Giutar, i would of thought, takes great Dexterity but that is not Hand-Eye Coordination.

Whatever game you play you will always be following your eyes with your hands, even if you know the game. Try playing Forza 3 with your eyes shut, and ive been racing on some of these tracks for many years over various games.

I know this isn't the direction the thread is going but I had the feel for a car before I ever drove thanks to Gran Turismo. The realistic feel of the game let me experience how far I could push a car before it would slip, how fast I can take curves, etc.. It's proved helpful.

I'm making my kids perfect Gran Turismo before they drive!