Every semester on campus, students can be seen talking with friends, laughing at their mistakes and screaming loudly out of joy or frustration. While one may think this is normal college life, it is also the emotion in the world of video gaming on campus.
The reasons for continuing all the levels in campaigns vary among students. For Michael Johnson, video gaming on the PC started as an intellectual project.
“I really enjoy puzzles and challenges,” Johnson said. “I like the mental aspect of certain video games. There are a lot of games I don’t play because I prefer ones that require you to think about how to succeed in the gameplay.”
The obstacles and “boss level” experiences of accomplishing extremely difficult tasks kept Johnson playing video games in college on a simple laptop and dual screen display. The challenge and strategy of gameplay also had a great impact on Kory McMahan. His favorite game is Age of Empires.
“First person shooter games are highly competitive,” McMahan said. “I am also a very competitive person so that plays in to my enjoyment of games. I also enjoy playing with friends in games like Halo and Call of Duty. Gaming was a way of getting to hang out with them.”
Some may not be looking at the mainstream gaming experiences. Many indie games offer specific experiences that appeal to many people who are looking for specific ideas and actions. These varying actions and gameplay styles allow people to experience the world through pixels and cyber-friendships that are formed in online multiplayer experiences.
New games and levels of artwork are being created every day. Anyone who wants to join the experience of gaming can by simply appreciating the artwork, the challenge or the friendships that can revolve around playing videogames as a student body that enjoys community.
