So if 19% of you are watching TV and playing...

Roxianna · #1 02-01-2007, 02:56 PM

...my question is, why?

Is it because at the core, many aspects of the game are boring, repetitive or too much like work? Is it because you are lonely while playing? Why go to all the trouble of immersing yourself in a fantasy/scifi world, only to have constant reminders of the real world yammering at you in the background?

And finally, if 19%* of you watch TV and play, is there a crossover idea here. Could there be a special kind of TV show designed to go with a game?

*19% according to an ongoing Guildcafe PlayerVox poll.

SpugNothuson · #2 02-01-2007, 03:05 PM

I'm one of the 19% but more accurately 90% of my game time is spent in total immersion, but every now and again a TV show comes on that I just can't miss, but there are so many things I need to get done in my games.

For example, Top Gear / Supernatural / 24 / Prison Break comes on TV, I get out of group, stop PvP and PvE and do character maintenance. In SWG this means going to my harvesters and filling them with power whilst emptying them of there resources then throwing it into my factories. In WOW I would smelt those 100 pieces of Ore into Bars and sort out my Auctions. I've not found a labourious task on Vanguard yet, I'm sure there is one somewhere though (Bank and Inventory management maybe).

EvilAerosolCan · #3 02-01-2007, 04:36 PM

I selected watching TV, but I'm not really watching TV. If there's a show I like, I'll usually just go watch it. If it's a show I kind of like, I'll just listen to it (which makes my wife mad when I turn around every 5 minutes and ask her what just happened

). If it's a show I don't like, I don't even pay attention to it. If I get bored with a game, I'll just log and go do something else.

Charbroil · #4 02-01-2007, 06:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by EvilAerosolCan

I selected watching TV, but I'm not really watching TV. If there's a show I like, I'll usually just go watch it. If it's a show I kind of like, I'll just listen to it (which makes my wife mad when I turn around every 5 minutes and ask her what just happened

). If it's a show I don't like, I don't even pay attention to it. If I get bored with a game, I'll just log and go do something else.

I think ambient sights and sounds are soothing in a way... I think a lot of people may have TV, radio, CD's, iPod, etc etc on in the background because it keeps one foot in r/l... maybe people feel less guilty for indulging in game play for long periods of time if they multi-task... I dunno... just throwing ideas around...

I personally need to do one task at a time... I'm easily distracted... it's my ADD

Dakokain · #5 02-01-2007, 06:56 PM

I used to watch TV when I was grinding my jedi because grinding jedi sux. Normally when I play games, I listen to the game music and sounds otherwise I don't really feel immersed in the game. I usually do have to turn the game volume down in order to hear people talking in ventrillo.

Crystalia · #6 02-01-2007, 06:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roxianna

...my question is, why?

Is it because at the core, many aspects of the game are boring, repetitive or too much like work? Is it because you are lonely while playing? Why go to all the trouble of immersing yourself in a fantasy/scifi world, only to have constant reminders of the real world yammering at you in the background?

There's a lot of things that need to be done at one point in a game which don't necessarily require 100% of your attention.

For example in Eve, WoW and other games, travelling from one point to another takes time and you can't really do anything very productive while doing it. So watching TV, listening to music, reading, ... etc during that time allows you to stay busy while you sit there and wait.

Skyles · #7 02-01-2007, 08:18 PM

I've never really played games to escape - I enjoy games, but (unless I've just started playing and I'm learning the controls) they don't require 100% focus. Just because I'm gaming doesn't mean I want to miss the news, or an interview or debate I wanted to catch, or the latest episode of a series I like - or more importantly, a good talk with a friend or family member over what we just watched or listened to.

Very few games create an atmosphere that makes me want to fully immerse myself - and those that do usually manage it only in areas. The haunted hotel in Vampire: Bloodlines was a rare example that comes to mind.

Your question about immersing yourself struck me as a little strange (since that simply doesn't register as a goal for me), and made me wonder - how many of the people who include lots of media or other 'distractions' were high social or high exploerer (my two high marks) in the bartle test? Does the motivation for gaming influence the way we game?

Kabol · #8 02-01-2007, 11:40 PM

I just find myself more easily connected with others when I'm online. I don't actually multitask usually during gaming, but when it is a task that doesn't require all of my attention, I tend to. Most of the time I'm talking with friends. Lot easier for me to keep in touch, game, read, and write all with my computer in front of me :P

PsyOps · #9 02-01-2007, 11:48 PM

I'm almost completely focused on the game but I usally watching the simpsons or Stargate SG-1. Since the only games I can play on my crappy computer(new one expexted by May) is Day of Defeat, Zoo Tycoon 2 and half-life 1. So their all games I can easily play and watch TV at the same time.

Ravage · #10 02-02-2007, 02:51 AM

Not watching tv much...sometimes, but not terribly often.

More likely, I'm listening to Rush, Glenn, or Hannity while I play WoW, which happens to be a very entertaining combination.

However, with tv, I will watch wrestling and comedies quite often while playing MMO's. Any other games and any other television generally requires more of my attention. MMO's are simplistic and repetitive, even a well made one like WoW, although if I'm PvPing I tend to be a little more focused.