Gaming and Imagination

I mentioned in my introductory post that imagination plays a gigantic role in my gaming experience. I’ve maintained the ability to go inside the fantasy “zone,” which makes any game seem better than it probably is.

I believe as some gamers’ age they grow spiteful about losing the focus that came with childhood; the ability to drift into fantasy. Certainly part of becoming an adult is realization, but imaginative thinking doesn’t have to be left behind. A game can only be as engaging as you let it, and if ones expectations are too high, that perfect game may never come.

I do not use this as a way to justify bad games, but I feel there is a message to be had here. Gaming is a two-sided relationship. The game and the gamer. Games can be an escape just like the arts, or a book. A fantastic tool used to trigger the mind. And if the developers mindset is right, and the gamers is too – there’s magic to be had.

Absolutely. Although I'm now 34 I've maintained my ability to let myself be swallowed up by what I'm doing, be it reading a book, watching a movie or playing a game.

Furthermore I've always had the ability to enjoy things for what they are and not for what I would have liked them to be ... unless I've let myself get too hyped up about the game/movie/book. I did that with FreeLancer and was never able to truly enjoy the game for what it was. I tried really hard not to jump on the hype train when Oblivion was nearing release and as a result I got swept off my feet, plunged headfirst into the world of Tamriel and didn't emerge until I finished it some 300+ hours later.

The same ability works with books and movies as well. I've always been able to enjoy, let's say an Arnold movie, simply because I wasn't expecting Shakespearean dialogs/acting. Coupled with the ability to be swallowed up, I've had countless hours of prime entertainment from books, movies and games (of course when you're deeply engrossed in a movie it is infuriatingly annoying when you get pulled back to the real world by commercial breaks - which is why I practically never watch TV anymore).

The day I lose my ability to be sucked in, is the day I shoot myself.

I rather "go into it" when I read, rather than when I play, except the game is exceptionally immersive to/with me.

On the other hand, this could also explain why watching TV is so popular.