Online games, Aggression and Creativity







Introduction 

Violence refers to physically hurting or inflicting pain on someone. It could be intentional as well as unintentional. With the increasingly popular live shows in social media of online games like PUBG or GTA, violence is rampant. On the other hand, online games are a way to get engaged in 'fun' away from the physical 'danger' of outdoor games. We need not require the physical presence of players and thereby with an online connection and workable phone you can connect to the online gaming community.  

Pro's

Of course, as normal people, we play online games to enjoy and be free from boredom. We also met people from different walks of life. We could be anonymous and be what we want to be and find a kind of new identity not given to us but which we create on our own. Online games have made it easier, quicker and cheaper to achieve a kind of gratification not seen before. Also, different tournaments are bringing regularly organized which leads the participants towards a sense of achievement when we win matches or just to be part of the competition. Countries of obscure origin are put on the map and players are socially and financially benefited. The young people can develop hand-eye coordination, leadership skills, employ strategies (Maybe Art of War), and so on. In youths, it may be a part of 'fun' culture wherein they direct their creativity and energy to develop their personality as well as a social relationship. 

Con's

According to the GAM (Bushman and Anderson, 2002; Anderson and Carnagey, 2014), violent video games can make teenagers acquire, repeat, and reinforce aggression-related knowledge structures. Furthermore, as they form their own social circles within the games, they find different ways to inflict violence on people. Young people when exposed to explicit violence for a prolonged time are more likely to have aggressive behavior. Of course, the family environment may also be an important part of the behavioral dynamic. Nonetheless, prolonged exposure to blood, gore, and killings in online games have led to aggression desensitization (diminished emotional responsiveness in response to repeated encounters with violence) among people. Thus individuals are more likely to use violence as a solution to even the simplest problem. Furthermore, we lose way too much time on such games, addiction is evident. Especially, the 'violent' games' are more likely to make us 'shut off' emotions related to aggressive behavior, disrespect, bullying, and negative aspects of human behavior.  


Creativity in PUBG



First a brief intro: Based on the Japanese movie 'Battle Royale' PUBG i.e. Player Unknown Battle Ground is a multiplayer online battle royale game created by Mr. Bredan Greene. A subsidiary of South Korean video game company Bluehole, it was first released in March 2017 as a beta version and in 2018 mobile version was released. With 100 players fighting for survival, there is a fixed time at a certain location as the blue zone creeps like a death god, the experience of surviving is unforgettable. 

It was a new kind of game gaining massive popularity instantly as it included players of any skill with lots of features. Most iconic is the wide choices of clothes you could acquire with virtual currency or real money for premium costumes which is optional. This also includes the availability of different kinds of weapons, skins, and scenarios of game-play. The game-play is free and easily accessible. Other than that emotes bring life to the character with entertaining dances, amazing gestures, and fun communication i.e. non-verbal. Back to the subject:

Oxford defines creativity as: "The use of imagination or original ideas to create something; inventiveness."

(Video description: Creativity in Teamwork i.e. self-explanatory)


More about PUBG

 All the maps available are very detailed. All of these maps are based on real-time places of Russia, Thailand, Canada, and more. From urban centers of Erangel, stark dusty desert environment. of Miramar, exotic jungles of Sanhok with its Asiatic temples and buildings to snowy basked in the light of a super moon and aurora borealis of Vikendi, we could immerse in unforgettable experience which the designers of the game have worked really hard to make as real as possible.



A new map LIVIK had been on 4 July. The beautiful map facilitates quick game-play and beautiful vistas from jaw-dropping pink flower fields, to waterfalls and from green lush forests, to a small sub-urban which is totally cool with a tint of sky blue and fluffy clouds. As it is very difficult to visit our favorite destinations, thereby the new map can partially fulfill our wish to be in a beautiful location with having a nature vibe.  




PUBG is all about survival. Though it is unlikely, whether a man will be stranded in a strange place without civilization, if s/he is, then he needs to depend is him/herself to survive till the end. The solo feature facilitates us to survive with the philosophy of to do or to die. There is a duo if you have a BFF or squad for those who feel safe in a team. Of course, in a team of strangers, you can not trust everyone fully. Though you cannot hurt someone directly, you can be as easily killed by grenade or Molotov by your nefarious teammate. This shows another facet of human behavior, a darker side. 

People from different countries come to play PUBG, and if you are learning a foreign language, it can be a great place to have made new friends, have conversations, and practice your language proficiency. You can talk from the mundane to interesting kinds of stuff which you might not be able to talk about face-to-face.





Other than that PUBG is about strategy for more serious players as mentioned in Art of War by Sun Tze, here are some of the lessons:

Lesson 1:  Choose your battles: "He will win who knows when to fight and when not to fight." If you are outnumbered you need to retreat, sneak and survive till the end and if you outnumber them take advantage.





Lesson 2: Timing is essential: It is a must find the 'right' timing to get headshots, eliminate several opponents by taking cover, using health, and fighting back. Having good timing means that while you do not hesitate to execute when the time is right, you don't rush in either unless the conditions favor it.

Lesson 3: Know yourself, know your enemy: Information does matter, and an educated guess is better than a gut decision. Not only is it vitally important to have insight into what the enemy might be attempting to do to take advantage of their weaknesses and know one's own corresponding strengths and weakness, but it is also important to take into account factors such as the environment, weather, and troop morale. 




Lesson 4: "All warfare is based on deception. We need to be adept in was meant to incorporate one's own unique perspective so that it would not be possible for the enemy to anticipate it. 

Lesson 5: The best way to fight is not to fight at all: To win 100 battles is not the height of skill, to subdue the enemy without fighting is." It is definitely difficult to not kill in PUBG but it is possible to get chicken dinner without a shot, it requires patience, avoidance, and sneaking skills.




Other than that, it requires a lot of luck, skill, and decisiveness in the game, especially when you want to loot the drop as a team or alone. Especially alone there is a greater reward, yet also greater is the risk. 





Finally, what do we need to survive, basic things like bandages, clothes, and drinks are a must? Chicken dinner is a luxury for survivors and this is depicted in the game as winning is difficult to achieve but not impossible. Though violence is a major part of PUBG, we cannot avoid it. By understanding the tragedy of violence, we can understand the value of peace. It does not mean advocating violence in personal or social life, it means realizing its causes and consequences in the modern world and trying to mitigate as far as possible.




PUBG is not just a game, it is a community of different people wherein many join just for "fun" factor, some to prove themselves despite repeated 'game over', some to be social with friends from around the world, some to find newer experience in newer seasons, discover hidden secrets and be immersed in the beauty of the game. Likewise, the development of online games is the ongoing evolution of entertainment and social platform not limited by the physical factors of expensive equipment, playing ground, participants, and more. To use or misuse it, for better or worse is in the hand of the user. 

Reference:

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2019.00384/full

https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0111790

https://www.health.harvard.edu/newsletter_article/violent-video-games-and-young-people.

https://glitchygamers.com/how-to-reach-conqueror-in-pubg-mobile/

http://blog.tutorming.com/expats/life-lessons-from-the-art-of-war

https://gfycat.com/warmheartedcheapbream

https://effectsofinternet.wordpress.com/tag/online-gaming/

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