It’s odd to think that whilst it’s a trait of the human race to fear the unknown, we choose to sleep every night under the perpetual threat of being transported into the very dark depths of our minds at the closing of an eyelid. Instead of exercising caution, we choose to embrace this unknown entity and take a journey into a fantastical world where nothing is quite what it seems.
[drop]Based around our relatively meagre efforts to discover how the brain works, scientists have determined that during our daily life we only use thirty percent of our brain’s potential. However, when we drift off at the end of the day this activity increases by seventy, suggesting that our dreams are formed from the most powerful moments of the brain’s existence.We are led to believe by the relevant media outlets that reality is real, but as Inception so effortlessly suggests, could we be living in our very own dream world now? Nobody knows, but the prevalence of dreams and other occurrences such as déjà vu should serve as conclusive proof that life isn’t as clear cut as we are led to believe.
Society has gradually evolved the word “dream” into something that connotes pleasure, but dreams can torture people as well as allow them to live out their impossible wishes. Greatest fears or past events can all be manipulated into something extremely sinister and made to seem so real to the inhabitant.
[drop2]Whatever you dream, a reason why we play videogames is to fulfil the fantasies that we cannot in reality. Whether it is working as a detective in 1940’s Los Angeles or becoming a world class footballer, videogames serve as an open door to all of our greatest aspirations and hopes. Likewise, titles such as Dead Space and Resident Evil allow us to participate in the fear of a nightmare whilst living in the knowledge that the fear is born out of the pixels on the screen and not a projection from the brain that could, potentially, be less synthetic than we allow ourselves to consider.Frankly, I find it difficult to believe that our minds can’t equal and even better the experience that can be had from playing videogames. Maybe in years ahead we will be playing videogames inside our heads, and returning to reality at the click of our fingers. For now though, I am forced to play with my Dualshock and simply speculate about where videogames could be taken in the impending years.
Who’s to say that this is reality? For all we know, we could all be a participant in one, awesome videogame, and a young boy could be sitting inside an arcade twiddling a joystick, leading our lives. Tough to comprehend, but with the existence of déjà vu and the little we know about the brain, who’s to say that someone, somewhere, isn’t inserting another coin?
Death_In_Flamez
Open your mind so eyes can see, videogames can take you anywhere you wanna be….
Crocadillian
Nice little article. Reminds me of Dreamfall: The Longest Journey which I bought recently. I think with its prequel, The Longest Journey, are the best adventure games ever made.
If anyone hasn’t played them, YOU CAN BUY BOTH FOR £3.75 ON STEAM DURING THE SUMMER SALE! http://store.steampowered.com/sub/320/ (over 80 hours of awesome, go do it).
InternationalGamer
Ohhh, so GTA or any video game is a mini game in the video game we are in. Nice…
Roynaldo
I thought this about 12-13 years ago when i watched the Matrix.
Peco
There is no spoon.
TSBonyman
Student: “Master – how do i know this world is real?”
Master *punches student’s nose, breaking it* ” If you felt that it’s probably real”
Toby M [Dexter17]
Glad this has been received well – I know it’s a bit different, but it’s good to think on a Saturday, isn’t it?
Oh, and contrary to popular opinion I wasn’t on drugs when I wrote this! I’m just fascinated by the way our brains work and the little we actually know about them.
Foxhound
Best and most thought provoking read on TSA this year. Loved it.
rht992
if my life were a computer game someone would just be playing zelda
rht992
also thanks TSA now my mind is MELTING!
heedbaw
Sweet article. You might be interested in Get Lamp, which is a film about Text Adventures. Richard Bartlett(? not sure, creator of MUD) had an awesome rant in that. Basically no matter how far you push technology the human imagination will always be superior at fleshing out worlds than any garphical representation ever could. So the ultimate virtual reality game, is a book :)
heedbaw
lol ,and just remembered the thing about reality that was on BBC not that long ago with Prof. Al-Khali(?again name memory fail).
There are some who theorise that all of the matter that exists within our universe is a 3 dimensional projection of data that is stored on the outside surface of the universe. brain melting