Where Next for Gamers in Islington?
Published: 19th April, 2011
ADVERTISING FEATURE
WHEN was the last time you played a video game? For Islington's relatively affluent community, chances are it wouldn't have been too long ago.
You may not own the latest gaming console, have an avatar or even a ticket for Kapow! at the Business Design Centre, but it is likely that you have been 'gaming' during the last month. Perhaps you played Angry Birds on your mobile, cultivated your crops in Farmville or even took the chance to play roulette online. Whatever you think about the culture of gaming, the chances are that you have become a gamer without even realising it.
Gamers have traditionally been assumed to be solitary beings who engage in role-playing games (RPGs) or who spend their time immersed in the virtual world rather than face real life. Seizing on the popularity of social networks like Facebook, the playing field has expanded and caters to everyone. We may not be part of the hardcore community but many of us now qualify as casual gamers.
Casual gaming is exactly that; a game targeted at or used by a mass audience of players, normally in a social setting. A social game such as Farmville has over 80 million people playing it every month, while Angry Birds attracts (on average) 40 million people to download a game that allows simple game-play on a mobile phone.
The market for gaming is growing at a tremendous rate and game development studios that used to rely on hardcore gamers to shift products are now seeing the opportunity to move beyond the RPGs or sports simulations that have been the popular gaming choice. The increased exposure on television of traditional casino pursuits such as poker or roulette has led to casual gamers wanting to experience the glamour of Las Vegas without the jetlag and hotel bills. Online gaming is no longer part of the sub culture; it has become part of the mainstream.
Yet still there will be people who dont identify themselves as gamers. Admitting that you game (even casually) can have a social stigma. For the casual gamer, they only need to play the game for a few minutes at a time and normally as a means to have a break from whatever else they are doing. Casual gaming gives the opportunity for game play in short bursts, normally during a lunch break or on public transport and the simpler the activity, the more likely that a player will continue to return.
Consider the first truly popular casual game; Solitaire. Installed by Microsoft as part of their Windows package, this card game could be seen on computer screens in offices throughout the country as workers took time out to click on a virtual deck. How many of those people that used their lunch hour to play a video game counted themselves as gamers? The same goes for people that now use social media games such as Foursquare to check in to bars, restaurants and other venues; they are gaming.
Jane McGonigal, a games developer and author, believes all games share four defining traits; a goal, rules, a feedback system and voluntary participation. Irrespective of whether you are playing an RPG, helping a frog cross a busy road or gambling on black when you should have gone red; these traits are essential for game play.
In simple terms, the goal is the outcome that the player hopes to achieve and helps to focus attention. The rules are the limitations placed on the player whereas the feedback system tells players how close they are to their goal and provides motivation to keep playing. The final element is the most important; the player must choose to play the game of his own free will; that should mean that the game is a safe and pleasurable way of passing the time.
That is the point of gaming. People have been playing games for centuries and just because they are now more accessible through technology, shouldnt make them any less fun. Deciding to play a game isnt a chore; millions of people worldwide choose to take part in games every single day and from every social level. If you take the chance to engage in a gaming world it can be a rewarding experience and not just one that gives virtual currency.
Games are fun and whether you choose to game on a console or online, the game play should be challenging enough that you wont achieve your goal every time but provides a compelling reason to return and try again. That is what makes you a gamer.