Realism in Video Games: How Much is Too Much?

Argument For and against Realism

Legal Actions and Resistance Over Realistic Games

An increase in realism in video game development has lead to some games being considered too realistic in a negative way.

Manhunt 2

• 3rd-person game

• Player uses stealth-like mechanics in order to execute enemies in many gruesome ways

• Developed to be played on the Wii gaming system

• Florida Attorney General had an issue with this game because on the Wii it requires gamers to actually perform violent actions with the controllers in order to execute individuals

Is being able to physically go through the motions of killing someone, even though it is only a simulation, taking realism to far?

Effects of Realism on a Gamer

There has been numerous studies on the role realism plays in games and the effect it has on gamers. Most deal specifically with realism pertaining to violence. The difficulty is measuring realism and it's impact on aggressive feelings or thoughts, and physiological arousal.

In the study, 2 types of games were played: Violent realistic and violent non-realistic games. (Realistic being it can happen in real life)

4 different assessments were conducted:

• Word completion test "Ki__"
• Likert Scale (aggressive feelings) 1(strongly disagree) to 5(strongly agree) "I feel mean"
• Trait aggression analysis 1(not a characteristic) to 5(extreme characteristic) "Once in a while, I cannot control the urge to strike another person"
• Physiological arousal (heart beats per minute, body temperature)

Results: Those who played violent realistic games had an increased heart rate, increase in aggressive thoughts, and increase in aggressive feelings. Those who played violent non-realistic games did not have a difference over time in the previously mentioned areas. Both did not exhibit an increase in body temperature. Players with repeated exposure to violent realistic games had a stabilizing effect.

Tennis For Two

Realistic Qualities in Video Games

• Lighting, shadow, and perspective (example. Deus Ex Human Revolution)

• Authentic Racing Experience (example. EA Shift 2 Unleashed)

• Accurate physical movement through space (example. EA Sports NHL 11)

What is Realism?

Manhunt 2 was banned in Germany, Ireland (later lifted), Italy (later lifted), Malaysia, New Zealand, and South Korea.

Definition of Realism...

• To view or represent things as they really are

Two aspects of Realism relating to video games...

Graphics displayed

• How realistic does this game look? (e.g. detailed environments or realistic movement of characters through space)

Game Content

• How realistic is the content? Is the story line feasible?

Final Thoughts

History of Realism in Video Games

Realism in Video Games:

How Much is Too Much?

Realism in Video Games: How much is too much?

Creative Freedom

• Developers should be able to create a game as realistic as they want, it is the consumers choice to purchase it.

Because there is not enough research on the long term effects of realistic games on players, there is no way to measure if there is too much realism being implemented into video games that can cause a negative effect on players.

• In 1958, Physicist Willy Higinbotham invents what is considered the first video game called “Tennis for Two” in Upton, New York at the Brookhaven National Laboratory.
• his game was played using an oscilloscope. The graphical realism was simple and very different from what is observed today in video games. The content realism was straightforward in that the game appeared to be a tennis game occurring.
• In 1980, the game “Battlezone” was released. This is considered to be the first 3-D game, which was an improvement in realistic game-play. It was a first person shooter style game with 3-D objects.
• In 2000, the game “The Sims” was released. This game was in which the gamer would live a simulated life. Characters could interact with objects in their environment like everyday life and could control how the simulated environment looked. The realism related to content and graphics was very well done and made the game extremely popular.
• In 2008, the game “Grand Theft Auto IV” was released. This game was an action-adventure game in which the gamer played as the main character who was involved in crime, drugs, and gangs.
• The development of video games throughout history has displayed an increase in realism both graphically and within game content. The advancements in technology has really increased the potential of realism implemented into games.

Created by Patrick Gonzales

and Andrea Scardina

Grand Theft Auto IV

Unrealistic Qualities in Video Games

• Eating food to gain health or regenerating health, if only if only.

• Being able to carry unrealistic amount of weapons

• Leveling up, you can't do that in real life.

• Jumping out of water, still can't do that in real life.

• Reloading ammo, no bullet shall be wasted unless you have terrible aim.

• Seeing around corners without looking, I didn't know I could do that!

The list goes on...

Navigation

Works Cited

• What is Realism?

• History of Realism in Video Games

• Unrealistic Qualities in Video Games

• Realistic Qualities in Video Games

• Effects of Realism on a Gamer

• Legal Actions And Resistance Over Realistic Games

• How Much Realism is Too Much?

• Final Thoughts

Cooper, Hollander. "The Top 7... Totally Unrealistic Things Games Do All the Time." Video Games, Cheats, Guides, Codes, Reviews. N.p., 19 Oct. 20212. Web. 05 Nov. 2012. <http://www.gamesradar.com/top-7-totally-unrealistic-things-nearly-every-game-does-anyway/>.

"Florida Attorney General: Wii Is a Bit Too Realistic for This Game." Destructoid. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. <http://www.destructoid.com/florida-attorney-general-wii-is-a-bit-too-realistic-for-this-game-32465.phtml?a=1526>.

Kudler, Amanda. "Timeline: Video Games." Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/gamestimeline1.html>.

"List of Banned Video Games." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 May 2012. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_video_games>.

Saltzman, Marc. "The 8 Most Realistic Video Games in the World." The 8 Most Realistic Video Games in the World. N.p., 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 05 Nov. 2012. <http://www.sync-blog.com/sync/2011/02/the-8-most-realistic-video-games-in-the-world.html?pid=1047>.

"The Gaming Research Report." The Gaming Research Report. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. <http://gamingresearchreport.com/2012/02/29/realism-licensing/>.

Ward, Mark. "Video Games Need 'Realism Boost'" BBC News. BBC, 08 July 2007. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6934462.stm>.

Cooper, Hollander. "The Top 7... Totally Unrealistic Things Games Do All the Time." Video Games, Cheats, Guides, Codes, Reviews. N.p., 19 Oct. 20212. Web. 05 Nov. 2012. <http://www.gamesradar.com/top-7-totally-unrealistic-things-nearly-every-game-does-anyway/>.

"Florida Attorney General: Wii Is a Bit Too Realistic for This Game." Destructoid. N.p., n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. <http://www.destructoid.com/florida-attorney-general-wii-is-a-bit-too-realistic-for-this-game-32465.phtml?a=1526>.

Kudler, Amanda. "Timeline: Video Games." Infoplease. Infoplease, n.d. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. <http://www.infoplease.com/spot/gamestimeline1.html>.

"List of Banned Video Games." Wikipedia. Wikimedia Foundation, 11 May 2012. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_banned_video_games>.

Saltzman, Marc. "The 8 Most Realistic Video Games in the World." The 8 Most Realistic Video Games in the World. N.p., 24 Feb. 2011. Web. 05 Nov. 2012. <http://www.sync-blog.com/sync/2011/02/the-8-most-realistic-video-games-in-the-world.html?pid=1047>.

"The Gaming Research Report." The Gaming Research Report. N.p., n.d. Web. 06 Nov. 2012. <http://gamingresearchreport.com/2012/02/29/realism-licensing/>.

Ward, Mark. "Video Games Need 'Realism Boost'" BBC News. BBC, 08 July 2007. Web. 04 Nov. 2012. <http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/6934462.stm>.