[Riko]

Here we go again

Quote

People who play car racing video games may be more prone to drive
recklessly and get into accidents, according to a study that adds to evidence
that video games can influence the behavior of some players.

http://www.cnn.com/2...reut/index.html

[maccer]

Hm... a quote from the article:

Quote

The researchers then studied 68 men and found those who played even one racing game took more risks afterward in traffic situations on a computer simulator than those who played another type of game.

This still does not tell how the users would react in a real staffic situation. First you play a racing game, and then you play some other kind of game/simulator. Since the simulator still isn't the real thing, you can't just say that the way you react in the simulator would be the way you would react in real traffic.

I would say that other factors like stress (Damn, I am late! Why can't that slowmo in front of me drive faster? I...must... pass... that... car... wrooOOOOOM....SRCEEECH... CRASH) affects driving much more than playing games. In fact, I think that playing realistic racing games improves your reaction skills in real traffic. The downside is that games make you believe that your ordinary car behaves as well as some super-equipped rally car. You might also over-estimate your driving skills if you try to drive in too high speeds.

[No One]

It's interesting, racing games never felt like driving to me. I suppose it's since I don't get the sensation of actually moving from a game.

[the Battle Cat]

No One, on March 20th 2007, 05:37 AM, said:

It's interesting, racing games never felt like driving to me. I suppose it's since I don't get the sensation of actually moving from a game.

Plus you would be further removed from the act of driving if you weren't using a steering yoke and foot pedals. That could add muscle memory patterns that would probably effect your driving on an instinctive level.

[Riko]

It just surprises me that Those Who Know Such Things (MJS) in Germany persist on trying
to get a link between gaming and malfunctioning behavior. I know its tried before in the US.
Isn't it more a question about proper raising/educating someone from the day one is born?

The only thing I can remember from the lowlands here was when a minister tried to ban
(hey another pesky car game) Carmageddon. That was Erika Terpstra if I got that right,
who was a great swimmer in her day's but that besides the point.
Though I greatly enjoyed driving *over* people in Carmageddon, outside a game it never
got in my head. Then again.........

Sitting next to a driver I can't restrain myself so now and then to yell; floor it! when a bonus
target gets in-front of the car.

Ok, you can lock me up now.

Good point TBC btw.