“What kinds of games do you play?” This was one of the first questions my boyfriend-to-be asked me in the summer of 2014. I replied, “You know, the usual: Mario, Rock Band, and race car games.” I tried to name as many games as I could, trying to recall what my younger brother plays. My boyfriend asked me, “What MMORPG games do you play?” In my head, I’m thinking, this man is speaking in a different language. It turns out that MMORPG games stands for Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games where a large number of players work together as characters in a fantasy world to accomplish missions. In other words, an MMORPG is a role-playing game that allows you to rely on a community of other gamers to help you gain experience and build up classes to advance your character. Some common MMORPG games are World of Warcraft, Neverwinter, Trove and Elder Scrolls.
Dating a gamer doesn’t mean that they just play video games. They play various types of games. From iPhone games to board games to Dungeons and Dragons, my eyes have been opened! Growing up, I played Monopoly and The Game of Life. Since then, I have learned from my gamer boyfriend that there are much more involved board games. These games include Smallworld, Stratego, Pathfinder and Magic the Gathering where every decision in the game you make as a player is crucial. By playing these games, I have realized how the stereotype of an obsessed and lazy gamer does not apply to my gamer boyfriend. The games he play require so much critical thinking and decision making that one would not understand unless they try to play these games. These games rely on strategy, not just luck.
I remember when I first witnessed a Dungeons and Dragons (DND) game. I thought the players were crazy. Dungeons and Dragons is a fantasy tabletop role-playing game. Each player in the game creates an imaginary character with classes such as barbarian, cleric, druid, fighter, wizard, monk or rogue. The players in the game use their characters to embark on adventures in a fantasy world. One player serves as the Dungeon Master (DM), who acts as the referee and storyteller of the game. The DM says what can and cannot be done throughout the course of the game. Furthermore, the DM guides the story plot while players interact with the story with their characters. The characters form a team and go on adventures together while they solve problems, fight battles, find treasure and acquire knowledge. Watching DND is so neat because everyone works together. I get lost in time listening to the story come to life. My favorite part is when the players actually act out their characters with accents and specific mannerisms.
Having witnessed many games and participating in some, I have come to the conclusion that there are so many cognitive skills needed to play role-playing games such as math, imagination and logic. Therefore, when my gamer boyfriend needs to finish up a game, I don't stop him! Seeing the positive effects of gaming on my boyfriend and his friends, I decided to do a research project on the mental health benefits of gaming. The thesis statement of my research project is despite negative stereotypes of video games’ effects on gamers such as violence and aggression, video games have many mental health benefits including teaching gamers emotional strategies, behavior skills and new ways of thinking. My gamer boyfriend has told me on various occasions, “Gaming is what relieves stress for me.” So if you’re like me and have a gamer boyfriend, let them do their thing and join in the games…you will benefit too!
