neils clark

Shavaun and I are polishing a chapter on the ways in which children develop, and how videogames can influence that process in ways that are positive and negative.

The final section explores the “right to play.” A few years ago, the then-secretary general of the UN Kofi Annan, said that children have the right to play.

…the right to play belongs to everyone. And that, by the same token, development, health and peace are not “spectator sports”. They require commitment and engagement by individuals, communities, as well as governments.

Obviously, he didn’t seem to have videogames on his mind. Instead, he was discussing organizations like Right to Play. I’d recommend you all check out their video [here]. It’s an organization supported by a number of world-class athletes, and it’s focus is bringing play and sport to young kids around the world.

To develop right, kids need to learn physical movement, they need social interaction, and they’ve got to be able to creatively and spontaneously imagine things (”I am not Pete the 5 year old, but rather MONSTRO THE WISH-GRANTING GENIE! FEAR MY WISHES, MORTAL!!!”). As they go through different stages, what’s appropriate, and what they can understand in their play-time changes.

Imagination is Important.

We tend to see videogames as something apart from ‘play,’ or ’sport,’ and some of that separation hasn’t been warranted. We like to attach words like “virtual” to online worlds, so as to understand this distance, or dissonance. In the end, the general population is still trying to understand how these spaces are different or similar to the ones we have. Nevermind that, I’m still trying to figure it out. One of my favorite papers in this area is Malaby’s [Beyond Play].

But there are also tangible differences right now, and most videogames simply don’t fit the bill for kids of certain younger ages. But this won’t always be the case. Take, for instance, Richard Bartle’s view that game companies are working on providing more agency for the imaginative elements, and Spore, the game that promises such agency. Certainly not all virtual worlds will be appropriate, as taking a game online tends to mean that lighthearted topics of discussion will meander from prim troubles to violent rape. And not all kids are developmentally at the point where they understand the facetiousness, double entendre, and plain old crudeness of that humor. Most adults don’t get it.

And with interfaces like the Wii or the Dance Dance Revolution pad, the physical activity needed for a child’s sensory integration could happen in well-designed environments via videogames.

Still, there’s just so much to talk about when we contrast that video, linked above, to kids who have been growing up with today’s games.

It comes down to the texture of the experience in the game, and understanding that there’s really a large range of experiences possible. Games could be made where young children in developing countries could create their own castles, right alongside other children in Britain, Peru and Japan. Maybe the game would make them move their body.

Or Maybe the Game Should Give ‘em One of Theeeeese!

Right now, there are free online games which sport more gore, and are more invisible to parents than ever before. I watched a 12 year old boy play this game [Endless War] and other intensely graphic games while sitting three feet from his mother. He was on a site called addictinggames.com, of all things. I sat down next to his mother, and asked about his gaming. She said that he was a perfect angel, and used the computer for highly educational ends.

So I walked over to the boy, and encouraged him to show his mother how cool his games were. Suckeerrrrrr.

Videogames are unique experiences, and I would argue that the UN’s “right to play,” for the time being, is a wholly different game.

Neils Clark :: Oct.17.2007 :: Games, Media Experience ::

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