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Useful things you learned from games

13

Posts

  • The_LightbringerThe_Lightbringer Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    The military is a complete and utter waste of our tax dollars. Video game logic clearly states that in the event of an invasion from an enemy nation/evil robots/hell/another dimension/another planet the entire earth military defense force will utterly and completely fail.

    Instead, we need to invest all our funds into a small yet elite and extremely lucky squad.

    Featuring a young farm boy/former slave/son of a blacksmith who requires the traits of naivety, stubbornness, leadership and a hopelessly optimistic personality. He will be our main weapon of mass destruction.

    Accompanying him will be his hot, tom boyish female best friend. She shall share his stubbornness but rather than hopeless optimism she shall be sarcastic and cynical. She and the main hero will also have unresolved feelings of attractions that occasionally make for humourous and awkward situations (such as victory celebrations).

    There shalt also be a hot ally who is of noble blood and openly flirts with the main hero and generally is a spoiled bitch. She also needs to be blonde haired and blue eyed.

    The team also requires the services of an old, friendly but perverted mentor and veteran who guides the team and teaches them about the earth or some other hippie shit. He will inevitably be killed by a very powerful enemy. This is but a clever ruse to enrage the main hero into fighting harder against the enemy.

    The inclusion of an unsavory rogue/thief/former enemy/daredevil is also required because every super group requires a champion representing badass and dark to compliment and exaggerate the "good guy hero" champion.

    And finally, because of US laws the team requires a single black guy who acts out his race's stereotype of being loud, obnoxious and destructive. US laws mandate that he must also die before the mentor does.

    The_Lightbringer on
    LuciferSig.jpg
  • KurrelKurrel Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    I've seen so many stories and plots resolved in similar fashions that supposed 'twists' hardly ever surprise me and I can usually predict storylines way too early.

    Also, Capitalism II. Awesome practical interface with economics.

    Kurrel on
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  • l337CrappyJackl337CrappyJack Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    A friend of mine once got an A on a college level paper about historical Voodoo using Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father as her only reference.

    l337CrappyJack on
  • Lucky CynicLucky Cynic Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Dawn of War really shined some light on me as to how big the Emperor was to the Space Marines. I thought like they were just more of special ops, more worried like where enemies were moving, taking cover, etc. But now, holy shit, its like they'll stand out in the fucking open and keep shooting, by his holy will, that is.

    No, not exactly 'real world' useful but I better understand and enjoy W40K now,

    Lucky Cynic on
  • Gorilla SaladGorilla Salad Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    In event of demon invasion, find marine who never talks, does not have enough common sense to ductape a flashlight to his gun, and stay very close to him if you want to live.
    In case of alien invasion, find cyborg who never talks and has a power suit. Stay by him.
    In case of zombies, find photagrapher with chainsaw. Stay just out of chainsaws reach.

    Gorilla Salad on
  • TiemlerTiemler Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    I've learned just how ridiculous Hollywood alien-invasion flicks are. Because, even if we really do somehow manage to overcome our inconceivably crippling technological inferiority to even mildly frustrate the invaders, we'll just be subjected to the Stellar Converter, anyway.

    Fortunately, everyone likes humans. Can't imagine why. But we're popular, even with extraterrestrials we've never met.

    Tiemler on
  • Gorilla SaladGorilla Salad Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Tiemler wrote: »
    I've learned just how ridiculous Hollywood alien-invasion flicks are. Because, even if we really do somehow manage to overcome our inconceivably crippling technological inferiority to even mildly frustrate the invaders, we'll just be subjected to the Stellar Converter, anyway.

    Fortunately, everyone likes humans. Can't imagine why. But we're popular, even with extraterrestrials we've never met.
    Everyone wants to be just like us. Fight, fuck, die. so, in truth, they still think were vikings.

    Gorilla Salad on
  • GarthorGarthor Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Senor Fish wrote: »
    In event of demon invasion, find marine who never talks, does not have enough common sense to ductape a flashlight to his gun, and stay very close to him if you want to live.
    In case of alien invasion, find cyborg who never talks and has a power suit. Stay by him.
    In case of zombies, find photagrapher with chainsaw. Stay just out of chainsaws reach.


    In case of alien occupation, find an MIT-educated scientist wearing a bright orange suit and has an uncanny familiarity with firearms. And he never talks.

    Now, don't go anywhere near that guy.

    Seriously.

    You'll just die.

    Especially right before the end, when there's that street with Striders patrolling it that will kill you no matter WHAT he does, despite his best efforts to get you to STAND OVER THERE BEHIND COVER AND NOT SHOOT THE GIANT WALKING DEATH-MACHINE.

    Garthor on
  • GoslingGosling Looking Up Soccer In Mongolia Right Now, Probably Watertown, WIRegistered User regular
    edited February 2007
    I learned lots of zoology. For example, bunnies don't understand bowling. They're also slow to react, they like surprises, they can't fly (well, they can, but only downwards), they don't milk cows (in fact, they don't know what to do with cows), they don't use toothpaste, and perhaps the most facinating thing I learned: bunnies are not ostriches.

    And did you know that bunnies don't like being shot at? I had no idea!

    Gosling on
    I have a new soccer blog The Minnow Tank. Reading it psychically kicks Sepp Blatter in the bean bag.
  • JJJJ DailyStormer Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Oh, I learned about the Davy Crockett. So fucking ridiculous I thought MGS3 made it up.

    JJ on
  • BursarBursar Hee Noooo! PDX areaRegistered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Every random piece of crap I can possibly pick up has some important use in the near future. These tweezers? Yup. A purple colored pencil? Yes, and the fact that it's purple will be vital. If I can pry the 'E' key out of my keyboard, you can bet I'll be doing something with it.

    Oh, and anything that isn't important I am physically incapable of touching. That's why my room's such a mess; it's not that I don't want to pick up my stuff, I simply cannot interact with it.

    Bursar on
    GNU Terry Pratchett
    PSN: Wstfgl | GamerTag: An Evil Plan | Battle.net: FallenIdle#1970
    Hit me up on BoardGameArena! User: Loaded D1
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  • radjagoradjago Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    I learned the rules to nearly every major sport by playing it in video game form.

    The Where in X is Carmen Sandiego games taught me a lot, or at least forced me to read an almanac to get the answers the game required.

    radjago on
    PAX East Train Alliance, Metal Gear Line: 2013 || 2012 || 2010
  • MorninglordMorninglord I'm tired of being Batman, so today I'll be Owl.Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    My time as the Warlock representative for my World of Warcraft raiding guild taught me a number of useful skills. I learnt to take responsibility for my actions and the actions of those under me. I learnt how to handle people and complaints. I learnt how to manage people to become better at what they do without shouting at them. I remember my guild leader mentioned to me that he was dissapointed with the warlock dps on our raids, even though our banishing was top notch. At this point we were trying to kill ragnaros. I had been mucking around with a pvp talent build but I took the effort to maximise a pve build and to encourage all my underlings to spec to this build. The next week the warlocks were beating most of the mages, and the week after that we downed Ragnaros and me and my 2ic were in the top 5 dps. Only one mage beat us. Every other warlock was in the top 10 except 1. He was 11. That same 11 had been at position 30 the previous week.
    Man the mage leader was pissed at his dudes that week, so was the rogue leader.
    In any case to sum it up, I learnt how to research the skills under my jurisdiction, improve the efficiency of myself and my underlings (employees), take responsibility, delegate responsibility (my 2ic become a trusted ally, eventually taking over my position when I had to step down), learn how to manage people, learn how to resolve problems from higher ups and downs and inbetween diplomatically and finally, make the decision to step down when I realised that my life did not have room anymore for a voluntary activity, showing I have good judgment skills. <---this is all in job application speak.
    That's what I learnt from wow.

    Morninglord on
    (PSN: Morninglord) (Steam: Morninglord) (WiiU: Morninglord22) I like to record and toss up a lot of random gaming videos here.
  • Alfred J. KwakAlfred J. Kwak is it because you were insulted when I insulted your hair?Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Barcardi wrote: »
    Haha... i remember thinking exactly this in Oblivion when i came across about a 60 foot waterfall southsouthwest of the main city, and surprisingly there was nothing there.

    I'm almost insulted when there's nothing hidden behind a waterfall, in a video game.

    Alfred J. Kwak on
  • malerikmalerik Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Rules to most sports, although I can't seem to find a speedball league near me...
    (fifa 95, nba jam, madden, f1, that robot baseball game, speedball!)

    Lots of facts about life, such as what things can burn and what can't, animal behaviour patterns and such like.
    (all sorts of old school games and new things like lost in blue)

    Cultural tolerance. I have learned more about the various world religions, mythologies, world views, languages and histories than I think anyone would ever have expected to.
    (Rpgs, civilization)

    The mechanics of human flight, how not to crash a plane and how to recognise approximately 150 military aircraft
    (flight simulators,i lost the manual to f-19 stealth fighter).

    the difficulties of town planning, the ins and outs of military strategy including the vital importance of technology.
    (Sim city, advance wars/world conquest/command and conquer/x-com)

    I now have the reactions of a caffinated feline, and can fire a gun(not a real one, I'm from the uk) and a bow with extreme accuracy, and land a ball wherever i want it to go when I throw it.
    (Action games, mostly shooters, and throwing grenades.)

    I unconciously move very quietly and keep scaring the crap out of my mom.
    (metal gear solid, ninja games)

    I have learned to find relaxation in simple tasks and the art of aesthetics, visual and phonic.
    (Harvest moon, Settlers 2, the sims, railroad tycoon, animal crossing, electroplankton)

    how to vent my frustration without hurting anybody, even myself.
    (streetfighter 2, tekken 3)

    That C grade might be the average intelligence, but that people with lower scores than that tend to be very vocal about their feelings. The terrible power and great defense of anonymity.
    (any online game ever)

    teamwork and co-ordination. working together to overcome odds.
    (co-op fps games, starcraft, kuri kuri mix)

    how even the best of friends can become worst of enemies when food, women, or shiny objects are involved.
    (Gauntlet 2, zelda 4 swords, lego star wars)

    And finally, most important to me at the moment, diplomacy and interpersonal problem solving. How to reason with people, see the source of a problem then come up with a mutually acceptable resolution.
    (WOW, Civilization, Space empires)

    In short, video games rock.

    malerik on
  • RockinXRockinX Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    wenchkilla wrote: »
    Abso-fucking-lutely.

    While I learned the basics of English in a classroom (second language), conversational and comprehension came mostly from TV and some from games.
    When people tell me they are impressed I have no accent and they couldn't tell I'm not American, I fondly think back to Simpsons episodes, and hours upon hours of Zelda:OoC and Starfox 64. Starfox 64.

    I learned a lot of English from games, too! But I hate that VG Cats strip, it makes me sad that the artist made those quotes go so out of context, and the guy has Falco say a quote from Peppy.

    I'm currently learning Japanese with the help of games, too. I got Zelda TP for GC in Japanese, and playing through it without having played the American version made me learn quite a few words and ways pronouncing kanjis (mind you, I thought I was going to get a Wii and the American version of TP Wii first, but it turns out it was the other way around, and I'm glad it happened this way).

    Also, when I first started taking driving lessons from my dad, I would do it very slowly and nervously for fear of crashing. I stopped for a while (he didn't visit me for over 2 years), but before going back to learning, I had played a lot of GTA SA. So once I got in the car I drove with more confidence and faster than I did before playing GTA without making a single mistake.

    RockinX on
  • EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator mod
    edited February 2007
    A friend of mine once got an A on a college level paper about historical Voodoo using Gabriel Knight: Sins of the Father as her only reference.

    I learned lots of voodoo from Gabriel Knight at age 14!

    Echo on
  • gneGnegneGne Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    - English
    - People act differently online
    - Life is too slow compared to my uberfast games

    gneGne on
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  • AkatsukiAkatsuki Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    I learned English and a lot from World War II. And other trivia, but that's what comes to mind.

    Akatsuki on
    Preacher wrote:
    ...my inner weaboo can kawaii all over this desu.

    Pokémon HGSS: 1205 1613 4041
  • FencingsaxFencingsax It is difficult to get a man to understand, when his salary depends upon his not understanding GNU Terry PratchettRegistered User regular
    edited February 2007
    RockinX wrote: »
    I learned a lot of English from games, too! But I hate that VG Cats strip, it makes me sad that the artist made those quotes go so out of context, and the guy has Falco say a quote from Peppy.
    .


    Methinks you missed the joke.

    I learned that you never have to really worry about comparing items, the last shop will always have the best.

    Fencingsax on
  • RockinXRockinX Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Fencingsax wrote: »
    Methinks you missed the joke.

    I learned that you never have to really worry about comparing items, the last shop will always have the best.

    Oh no, I got the joke just fine and laughed a lot when I read it. But then I started imagining the quotes being said on the game in my head, and it made me feel that part of my childhood was ruined.

    RockinX on
  • ParkingtigersParkingtigers Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Metropolis Street Racer helped me pass my driving test. Lots of hours spent judging speed and distance really did help out on the real roads.

    Parkingtigers on
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  • DukiDuki Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Wow, VGcats guy is becoming less and less funny. That joke was made on YTMND years ago. He clearly stole it.

    Duki on
  • bruinbruin Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    I have learned to better appreciate art through playing video games over the years.

    bruin on
  • NofrikinfuNNofrikinfuN Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    I have learned that no matter how broke you are, never sell a game you liked. (Even if you only liked it a little.) If you do, you will be cursed to one day hunt for that game until you inevitably buy it again.

    Using this philosophy, I've gathered what I consider a respectable collection of games.

    As for life lessons, I've learned that when you're attacked by zombies, get out the shotgun and aim high, because ammo is everywhere.

    NofrikinfuN on
  • YallYall Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    It's funny cause this relates to something that happened at work the other day.

    I was in the cafeteria and some lady was trying to get the milk dispenser to work, and could not. I too wanted some cow juice for my java and was tired of waiting for her.

    I politely interviened and said "If video games have taught me anything they have taught me to look for the button". I looked, found the button, and everyone got milk.

    Yall on
  • VyolynceVyolynce Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    I'm convinced that playing video games makes me a better driver.

    Not racing games, necessarily*. But in general, keeping track of various on-screen displays while navigating through a sea of enemies/gunfire makes keeping your eye on the road and two or three mirrors while singing along to the radio (and perhaps playing some steering wheel percussion) almost insultingly easy.

    *In fact, some racing games encourage bad driving habits. Like the urge to attempt 1000kph after some solid F-Zero time.

    Vyolynce on
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    AC:NH Chris from Glosta SW-5173-3598-2899 DA-4749-1014-4697 @vyolynce@mastodon.social
  • JudasJudas Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    As silly as it sounds, the Forsaken in WoW reminded me of something important. Every damn time you go to the Undercity you'll probably run into at least one mission provider who'll end the conversation with you by gutturally intoning "Remember...patience, discipline." Two principle which are essential for any successful progress...in the game and in life.

    I still hear that phrase in my head whenever I'm trying to complete a complicated project on time and start to get frustrated.

    Judas on
    Hard pressed on my right. My center is yielding. Impossible to maneuver.
    Situation excellent. I am attacking.

    - General Ferdinand Foch
  • LewiePLewieP Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    pwning n00bs is fun..




    I've wasted my life

    LewieP on
  • slacktronslacktron Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    This is a great topic. My thanks go to everyone who posted.

    I often have to justify my gaming lifestyle to my wife, relatives... well, pretty much any non-gamer who wonders why I'm still playing instead of mowing the lawn and washing the car or whatever boring shit I'm supposed to be pursuing now that I'm in my 30's.

    My kids love me for it, though. My son has started countless conversations with me over some nuance in the reality presented in Mario Sunshine. That's something.

    Anyway, I've found that in threads that go over five pages or so, nobody reads the previous posts and we get a lot of redundancy.

    So as I token of my thanks, I made this list of our collective lessons gleaned from our favorite hobby:

    -- English/Reading skills (Rhaka, wenchkilla, PotU, Stigma, SimBen, Fantasyrogue, Squirminator2k, Non-Existent Freezer, Torso Boy, Sushisource, RockinX, gneGne, Akatsuki)
    -- trivia, historical facts (shutz, Fantasyrogue, Rhesus Positive, Xusder, YardGnome, matt7718, Duki, l337CrappyJack's friend, JJ, malerik, Akatsuki, kitch)
    -- inspired/encouraged to read up, study, appreciate literary inspiration for game (Tiemler, J3p, Merovingi, radjago, SimBen, Darkest_3|i)
    -- better coordination, dexterity (043, Xagarath, malerik)
    -- how to drive (Descendant X, Parkingtigers, Vyolynce)
    -- to get up and try again, to complete a complicated project and manage frustration: "Remember...patience, discipline." (Judas, Darkest_3|i+3)
    -- pattern-reading (Tuoma, Jacoby's fiancee)
    -- helped my typing (Captain Uglyhead, Fantasyrogue)
    -- the rules and scoring systems for various sports (SimBen, radjago, malerik)
    -- logical problem solving (shutz, Qingu, Variable)
    -- how to keep calm in tense situations (emnmnme, Merovingi)
    -- I learned where to vent if I had a bad day, how vent my frustration without hurting anybody (mtvcdm, malerik)
    -- how to manage my stocks and get the best profit margins, optimization solving (Obs, titmouse)
    -- taught me organisation skills (natxcross, Morninglord)
    -- how to manage people, work cooperatively, make compromises (shutz, Morninglord, malerik)
    -- that people act differently when they are anonymous (gneGne, malerik)
    -- how to identify, emulate, or create a formulaic plot (The_Lightbringer, Kurrel)
    -- cultural tolerance (malerik)
    -- the value of running away. (natxcross)
    -- how to apply a tornaquet (Wombat!!)
    -- cause/effect, consequences of actions, to be prepared (natxcross)
    -- to take responsibility for my actions (Morninglord)
    -- improved memorization (FreddyD)
    -- tactics/strategy (VeritasVR)
    -- games strategies are not always applicable to real life (Nocren)
    -- multitasking (ThatDudeOverThere)
    -- map reading (PenguinSeph)
    -- Always, always check behind waterfalls. (LewieP)
    -- that space is an incredibly hostile environment (mistergoku)
    -- how even the best of friends can become worst of enemies when food, women, or shiny objects are involved (malerik)
    -- to better appreciate art (bruin)
    -- never sell a game you like (NofrikinfuN)
    -- to look for the button (Yall)

    slacktron on
    slacktron_zombie_fighter_sig.jpg
  • megabytemegabyte Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Strategy, absolutely strategy. How to adapt on the fly, and use available resources to effectively exploit floating weaknesses in an enemy's defense.

    Also teamwork, without the team, you'd better be the best damn player in the world, or else you've got 95% chance of failure.

    megabyte on
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  • JihadJesusJihadJesus Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    I learned a lot from Oregon Trail as a kid. Mostly that if cholera doesn't kill a particular band of settlers, then rattlesnake bites, drowning, or starvation probably will.

    Especially if you name them after people you don't like, give them bare-bones rations, and make them literally run all the way to Oregon.

    JihadJesus on
  • GinsaneGinsane Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    JihadJesus wrote: »
    I learned a lot from Oregon Trail as a kid. Mostly that if cholera doesn't kill a particular band of settlers, then rattlesnake bites, drowning, or starvation probably will.

    Especially if you name them after people you don't like, give them bare-bones rations, and make them literally run all the way to Oregon.


    It really should have been called the Slave-trail.
    That would open up a hole big can of worms on unsuspecting elementary school kids.

    Ginsane on
    Live!: Burnout Cowboy - DS: Too many.
  • NerdtendoNerdtendo Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    The Final Fantasy games have made me a math whizz. I'd add up the amount of damage I've dealt to a difficult enemy in my head, remember that number, and than utilize it to figure out the most efficient way to eliminate said enemy. I'd also keep track of how many more hits I could take before I'd have to heal, etc.

    Tribes also increased my typing speed quite a bit.. Nothing like typing a quick message while waiting for your jetpack to recharge.

    Nerdtendo on
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  • DusdaDusda is ashamed of this post SLC, UTRegistered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Every new thing I come across in class here at Neumont, I attempt to relate in some way, shape or form...to video games. Example: In my algorithms class we were studying brute force, so I wrote pages on different ideas about how to do proper collision detection.

    Dusda on
    and this sig. and this twitch stream.
  • ModainModain Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Hmmm...

    Here's an interesting article that was just slash-dotted:
    http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N2J303978.htm

    Summary: Video games improve the skills of surgeons.

    Modain on
  • NocrenNocren Lt Futz, Back in Action North CarolinaRegistered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Dawn of War really shined some light on me as to how big the Emperor was to the Space Marines. I thought like they were just more of special ops, more worried like where enemies were moving, taking cover, etc. But now, holy shit, its like they'll stand out in the fucking open and keep shooting, by his holy will, that is.

    No, not exactly 'real world' useful but I better understand and enjoy W40K now,

    The Marines ARE the Emperor's chosen (thier inital genetic code is from the Emperor is his prime) and they have unwavering faith in him. If anything it shows what a true fanaticly devoted person is capable of doing in the name of thier faith.

    You know, the more I look into it, the less I want to play Marines in 40K now.

    Nocren on
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  • EchoEcho ski-bap ba-dapModerator mod
    edited February 2007
    Nocren wrote: »
    You know, the more I look into it, the less I want to play Marines in 40K now.

    The fun part about 40k is that there is no race that is good and openminded. :-P

    The Tau? Pfft. They're all "Join our cause! Or take this shovel and go dig a hole to dump your body in!"

    Echo on
  • NocrenNocren Lt Futz, Back in Action North CarolinaRegistered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Yeah, but at least it's for the Greater Good! :)

    (And they give you the choice. Hell, you even LOOK at a Xeno and you're excuted in the Imperium.)

    And I probably woulda played Guard if I never read 15 Hours. (or was it 25?)

    Nocren on
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  • CouscousCouscous Registered User regular
    edited February 2007
    Nocren wrote: »
    Yeah, but at least it's for the Greater Good! :)

    (And they give you the choice. Hell, you even LOOK at a Xeno and you're excuted in the Imperium.)
    QUOTE]

    Even if you submit to the Tau, you are probably going to be sterilized and there are the reeducation programs. The greater good is mostly a load of crap, and they are a bunch of commies.

    Couscous on
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