Video Games Are Work!

Boy Playing Video games.

Video Games 

Your parents probably told you that video games are for play, and not for work. Well there's this cool new type of technology called virtual reality, and it mixes fun with work. Now you're asking, "What the heck is that?" I'll explain, don't worry. 

What is it?

Well it's complicated ya see, but just imagine virtual reality like this: You're playing your favorite video game, and you're watching the TV very closely. The game controller is tightly held in your hands. You think, "I wish I could be in that space ship, looking around." My dear friend, you can be! Virtual reality, VR for short, works with your favorite video game or video. VR can come in many different forms, like a bicycle helmet with a pair of swimming goggles attached to it (1). This VR style has a screen similar in size to that of your smartphone. The screen is very close to your eyes, so there must be a pair of glasses like your parents to help your eyeballs focus. Now here's the cool part, when you're playing a video game and you want to look around in the game, you must use the controller, but with VR, when you move your head the screen moves and the character in the game world moves too. So there's no need for game controller input. All you need to do is move your head, to where you want to look and the game does it, pretty cool.   

A School of Games

No, it's not what you think, I'm not going to tell you that video games are the new school, but games can make learning fun. Now if you're like me, doing school work is a chore and is never fun. But with VR it can be, I promise! Learning math, science and world history can be soooo boring during school. Remember that VR I was taking about earlier? It can be used to teach math, science, and world history all in a fun and interactive way(2). Just imagine yourself with George Washington riding across the Delaware River while singing the American preamble. Now I bet you would remember that as bullets whiz over your head and the cold water splashes in your eyes. Your history teacher would be ever so proud. Math can be fun too. Instead of using a chalkboard to do math you could use a VR head set, and do virtual adding as superheroes like Superman or Batman help you memorize those times tables.

Video games Are Work!

A man exercising while using technology. 

Some video games today require you to do a little more than just move your thumbs. The Wii, for example, is a game system that is super fun to play(3). It requires the user to use their whole body to play the video game. Some Wii games are great for fitness like the jogging game, where you run against your friends to beat their times. Sure, this all sounds great and fun, but the down sides of this are that you just stand in one spot the whole time and running. Your eyes can be closed while running and nothing will happen. To me this is just not very fun and or interactive. It's okay, but it just needs a sucker punch of VR in there to liven things up. VR can be used to make cardio games fun and entertaining. With ways the game requires the user to blink to get dirt out of their eyes, after they have fallen down a hill. They were looking behind them as a grizzly bear was chasing them, and not looking ahead for possible dangers. VR can be a super cool way to stay active and healthy, and still involve your favorite video game. 

The Future is Up to You.

VR is technology that is determined by the people who use it. If you're the student or you're the worker using it to make the world a better place. Then the future for you will be bright. VR can make you smarter, cooler, and healthier, so look to VR as an alternative to your regular boring life, spice things up with VR. Maybe in the near future you'll be reading this in a classroom with VR googles strapped to your head, as you float in a galaxy far, far away. 

References 

(1) Lamkin, P. (n.d.). The best VR headsets. Retrieved from http://www.wareable.com/headgear/the-best-ar-and-vr-headsets

(2) This is the Beginning of VR Education, and It Will Only Get Better - Road to VR. (2014, October 28). Retrieved from http://www.roadtovr.com/world-of-comenius-virtual-reality-education-biology-lesson-leap-motion-oculus-rift-dk2/

(3) Rodway, J. (2014, April 2). Still Fun Today: 10 Great Nintendo Wii Games Worth Revisiting -     Apartment Therapy Game Room. Retrieved from http://www.apartmenttherapy.com/10-of-the-best- games-for-the-nintendo-ii-apartment-therapy-game-room-194343