Passing Time

Many of us know the feeling of being rushed all too well.  We stress out, start to panic, and rush, rush, rush!  This takes a toll on our bodies, and causes us to lose sight of many of the joys life has to offer.  I’m guilty of this myself, and wish I could change the fact most of life just feels too rushed and stressful.  It would do us all a little good to take it easy every now and then, and just lay back.  Sometimes when one takes a break and comes back to a problem, they may discover a new solution hidden to them while they rushed and stressed out.  Taking extra time could lead to better results.  However, I realize it’s hard to take your time, relax, and not stress out in such a hectic world as ours.  When it comes to games on the other hand, one has all the time in the world to do as they please, and it’s perfectly normal. 

Time and its importance tend to flow a little differently in the video game world.  I realize that there are some games in which time is a factor, such as sports games, racing games, or other timed games; but there are other games where time is at the mercy of the gamer.  One great example of a game that refuses to be rushed by time is Bethesda’s Elder Scrolls V:  Skyrim.  This game is a perfect example of a world in which one needs not rush.  The player in Skyrim is constantly bombarded with quests, or journeys to go on, but they need not be completed right away.  In this world, one does so as they please, and may decide to finish something we they see fit.  A dragon’s about to destroy the world!? It’s okay, you have plenty of time to hunt, mine, and perform other quests.  The game does a fantastic of letting the player do things when they want to.  One could even just walk around gazing at the digital environment if they wish.  This is one aspect of gaming I wish the real world would pick up.  Imagine a world in which no one would be rushed or stressed out, and people were far more calm and laid-back, taking time to notice the greatness life has to offer.  Once again, I realize this would be incredibly difficult to work, for some things really do require immediate attention.  However, it would be awesome if the world could learn a thing or two from games about time.

Another way in which some video games tend to ignore the fast-paced rush of real life is during conversations.  Conversations in real life tend to flow at a rather fast pace.  One person says something, and many times expects a response in a fairly short amount of time.  Conversations in video games however, don’t necessarily flow at the same speed of real life conversations.  Many games involve deep conversation mechanics where a player may choose what to say, such as Mass Effect, and Dragon Age, but for now, let’s take Skyrim again as an example.  An NPC (Non-Playable Character) may approach your character in the game and initiate a conversation.  After they have finished stating what they wish to state, It is up to the player what to say next.  There are usually a few choices to choose from when deciding what to say back, but more importantly, the player has time to think about what to say, if they choose to take the time that is.  A player can choose to respond to the in-game conversation immediately, or wait to decide on what to say for however long they wish.  This can give the player plenty of time to decide what’s best to say in the situation.  If there were a time limit on such a thing, the conversation would feel rushed.  If this is the case in video games, why shouldn’t conversations flow this same way in real life?  Think of all the good it would bring the world if people would simply take the time to think about what they are going to say.  I realize personally, I have made mistakes in real-life conversations for simply not thinking about what to say.  Once again, I realize that this may be difficult to incorporate into real life, and that it’s awesome to carry on a fast paced conversation with a good flow, but I believe it would also benefit the real world if we would stop becoming so rushed in our speech and think about the weight our words may carry.

One final way in which video games tend to differ from the fast-paced and rushed real life, is how gamers can walk away from them at any time.  Games are hopefully fun, and in some instances, they may not be so fun.  Sometimes, they may become frustrating, or one may simply grow tired of playing a particular game.  Whatever the case may be, a gamer may stop playing any video game they wish whenever they wish.  They may come back to the game in twenty minuets, or may come back to it in twenty years; there is rarely any time limit on when they have to come back to the game.  This is another aspect that real life needs to pick up from video games.  Most of the time, people tend to rush through problems or dilemmas and may not reach the result they need.  However, sometimes, if one were to simply take a break, and step away from the problem for a bit, they may discover the solution they have been searching for. 

In conclusion, the real world has a lot to learn from video games.  Reality can become hectic at times and feel rushed, overwhelming, and stressful.  However, if we were to look towards video games, they show a great example of how we can make reality a bit less hectic and stressful.  Sometimes, we just need to relax, and take it easy.  It’s not healthy to stress out so bad and constantly be in a rush.  Don’t always simply say just what comes out of your mouth:  think about what the best thing to say in the situation may be.  Also, if a problem seems to crazy, step away from it.  Take some time away from the problem, relax, and come back to it refreshed and re-energized.  There’s a lot that reality can learn from video games, and while some aspects may be difficult or near impossible to implement into real life, it never hurts to not stress out so bad.