# My gun-toting Doom geek is smarter than your cow-eyed Bible-thumper **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 26, 2001, 6:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-gun-toting-doom-geek-is-smarter-than-your-cow-eyed-bible-thumper/59507 "2001-03-26T06:50:20Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Sterra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/8c91f0/32.png) [@Sterra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sterra)\ **Post date:** [March 27, 2001, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-gun-toting-doom-geek-is-smarter-than-your-cow-eyed-bible-thumper/59507/21 "2001-03-27T17:59:59Z")
Starcraft simple? I bet you would lose against any but the computer mekhazzio.🙂 I’ve always thought that intelligence is simply a matter of pratice. So since you don’t move anything except your brain and your hands you get lots of pratice. What counterstrike would teach soldiers is a way to properly strafe-jump so you run super fast and fly through the air. And to use that rapid fire grenade script! Don’t forget hacking into your own brains speed clock and making you move 20x as fast. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2001, 3:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-gun-toting-doom-geek-is-smarter-than-your-cow-eyed-bible-thumper/59507/22 "2001-03-28T03:52:29Z")
I’d say that the whole concept is flawed. Doom really teaches you nothing practical in life. (I haven’t had a chance to use my strafing skills yet, for example.) ---
**Author:** ![Ann\_Onimous](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ea5d25/32.png) [@Ann\_Onimous](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ann_Onimous)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2001, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-gun-toting-doom-geek-is-smarter-than-your-cow-eyed-bible-thumper/59507/23 "2001-03-28T04:06:57Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Saint Zero \* > \*\*I’d say that the whole concept is flawed. Doom really teaches you nothing practical in life. (I haven’t had a chance to use my strafing skills yet, for example.) > \*\* That’s because I won’t let you do it in the house, darling. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2001, 4:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-gun-toting-doom-geek-is-smarter-than-your-cow-eyed-bible-thumper/59507/24 "2001-03-28T04:24:23Z")
The actual actions you learn in Doom-type games (keystrokes and simple combat skills) are not useful, but the skills you exercise to build those skills are worthwhile. For example, problem-solving. If I grab the red key, that wall is going to fly up and a hundred red-eyed zombies are going to pop out and fill me full of lead. What to do? Maybe finding some ammo and armor would help me. Not directly applicable, but exercising those skills can’t hurt. Hand-eye coordination is also a plus: All of those quick, precise movements needed to quickly punch keys are becoming increasingly valuable in our computerized world. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-gun-toting-doom-geek-is-smarter-than-your-cow-eyed-bible-thumper/59507/25 "2001-03-28T14:08:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Saint Zero \* > \*\*I’d say that the whole concept is flawed. Doom really teaches you nothing practical in life. (I haven’t had a chance to use my strafing skills yet, for example.) > \*\* I tried them at the mall. Geez, people get upset when you do that - all that screaming and running around. But now I’m on the news! ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Zero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c4cdca/32.png) [@Saint\_Zero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Zero)\ **Post date:** [March 28, 2001, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-gun-toting-doom-geek-is-smarter-than-your-cow-eyed-bible-thumper/59507/26 "2001-03-28T20:25:37Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by RickJay \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by Saint Zero \* > > \*\*I’d say that the whole concept is flawed. Doom really teaches you nothing practical in life. (I haven’t had a chance to use my strafing skills yet, for example.) > > \*\* > > I tried them at the mall. Geez, people get upset when you do that - all that screaming and running around. But now I’m on the news! > \*\* Oh Cool! My wife won’t let me shoot in the house. Darnit. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/my-gun-toting-doom-geek-is-smarter-than-your-cow-eyed-bible-thumper/59507.md?page=1)