Playing With A Purpose

Thursday, March 1, 2001

Piaving With A Purnose (NAPSA)—-Flaying video games amounts te more than Just fun and games for many Ameri- he \ erred to video games is powerful learning ools. “The striking vorids created by ‘ame developers offer xciting potential to ~} cans, according to a recent survey. The survey, commissioned by the Interactive Digital Software Association (DSA), found there are B each,” she said. RB some important reasons 145 mil- lon Americans—almost 60 percent of the population—enjoy video games. Evidence suggests video games can be: Socially Beneficial According ta the survey, the majority of people who play video games (59 percent) do so with family andfriends. The group says the findings confirm a widely held belief that interactive entertainment can help bring people together: * 33 percent of gamers play with their siblings. 6 27 percent play with their spouse. * 25 percent play with their parents. * 48 percent play with other family members. Educational Tools The IDSA says increased demand for problem solving and role playing games represent a consumer shift from action-based games (popular in the past) to more thought-provoking ones---a belief supported by Celia Pierce af The USC Annenberg Center for Communication. =OExperts speculate hat future video ‘ames will let stuents take virtual field rips ta geographically liverse environments md even witness hisorical events “first and.” Skill Builders The IDSA reports A study found that video games can help that games are often used ta help victims of post traumatic stress syndrome cope with ditficult past emotional experiences. Other studies have documented eases in which video games have helped improve eye-hand coordina- teach children important social skills. Pierce says, “Today’s best-selling games are about discovery and experimentation.” Pokmon Crystal for Game Boy Color, for example, uses popular characters to encourage users to solve problems and think creatively. Players must decipherthe language of the “Unown,” where at first glance, the language looks almost like hieroglyphics, but upon cleser inspection, are actually English words that need to be read correctly to unlock mysteries. Tools In Schools At a recent Massachusetis Institute of Technology conference, education expert Bonnie Braceyre- tion, cognitive and cooperative play skills. Players in Pekmon Crystal, for instance, need to maneuver characters on screen and make real time decisions. In addition, the game can be made more complex by linking different users to the same game, allowing for group play--and a greater mental challenge. For more infermation, visti the Web sites www.pokemon.com or www.idsa.com.

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