# Video games that change how you see the world **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [August 24, 2010, 4:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253 "2010-08-24T04:53:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/21 "2010-08-24T14:08:33Z")
Moved Cafe Society --\> Game Room. ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/22 "2010-08-24T14:22:14Z")
> [@antonio107](#): > > Playing Metal Gear Solid 2 made me paranoid that the La-Le-Lu-Le-Lo was out to get me. Lamest secret society name ever, though! Was that secret society controlled by the Super Evil pop singer Oliver code name [“Mr Starshine”](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QAOTxAGJUug&feature=related) ---
**Author:** ![Mister\_Rik](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mister_rik/32/491_2.png) [@Mister\_Rik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mister_Rik)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/23 "2010-08-24T14:34:19Z")
Relevant song/music video (click the “CC” button for lyrics): [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/YeV0pLRyM7o/maxresdefault.jpg "MC Frontalot - It Is Pitch Dark [720p HD official video w/ lyrics]") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YeV0pLRyM7o) (First verse, mostly) > [@Khaki\_Campbell](#): > > Tetris, for cleaning the apartment. Relevant cartoon: [![](https://pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF206-Game_Boy.gif) ](https://pbfcomics.com/?cid=PBF206-Game_Boy.gif) ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/24 "2010-08-24T14:35:26Z")
“Ok, I can skitch behind this car until I get up enough speed…then I bust a kickflip and vault off that mailbox, which should get me up to these telephone lines. Then I grind the wires for a couple of blocks, and then I can transfer to that fence and grind that until the end. I’ll pull a varial off the fence, land in a manual, and ride that until I get to that low wall over there. I’ll ollie up onto the wall, grind that until I get over to that series of park benches, and then grind each of those while pulling different fliptricks between each of them. Then once I get past that, I’ll…oh, crap, red light! Maybe I should be paying more attention to the road than playing the latest _Tony Hawk_ game in my head.” ---
**Author:** ![cosmosdan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a6a055/32.png) [@cosmosdan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cosmosdan)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/25 "2010-08-24T14:42:29Z")
two silly things PLaying a Civil war game and controling my soilders in groups. I made the mistake of not withdrawing a group of soilders from a hill in time and they were surrounded and wiped out. In some small way it made me realize the weight of commanders in the feild and what they have to live with when their choices cost lives. Playing some old game where you start with the basics and set up a village , asign farmers, miners, soilders etc. and watch your society grow. Happily and peacefully growing my society when I was attacked by a computer society I didn’t know was around. They came through and pretty much slaughtered my village. As a pretty peace loving guy it made me realize that being peace loving and non threatening doesn’t mean others bent on conquest of wanting what you have, won’t come after you. They will. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/26 "2010-08-24T14:58:19Z")
You can never listen to a song you’ve played a lot on _Rock Band_ or _Guitar Hero_ quite the same way. Can get very dangerous if you’re a plastic drummer and driving. ---
**Author:** ![Zsofia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/7bcc69/32.png) [@Zsofia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zsofia)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/27 "2010-08-24T15:11:20Z")
Na NA… na na na na na na Katamari Damacy… I still sometimes think about what I’d roll up and in what order. All these library books! ---
**Author:** ![Mijin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mijin/32/9369_2.png) [@Mijin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mijin)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/28 "2010-08-24T15:14:39Z")
> [@Ferret\_Herder](#): > > After playing online MMORPGs like EverQuest/World of Warcraft, I have to resist the urge to try to “mouse-over” a distant object to see if its name will pop up, like a car down the road that has a similar silhouette to a cop car. I get that one too, though not related to a game. If I need to say, change the time on a (real world) alarm clock, I may hover a finger over a button waiting for a tooltip to appear…or, more frequently, the word “Tools” or “Preferences” will appear in my thoughts. ---
**Author:** ![Telperion](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telperion/32/509_2.png) [@Telperion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telperion)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/29 "2010-08-24T15:34:56Z")
In Just Cause 2, one of the more efficient ways to advance to new missions is to blow up these circular red and white fuel depots that are all over the place. Funny thing is, in much of Scandinavia (The game was developed in Sweden.) there are AGA gas depots that look like this: [http://www.aga.se/international/web/lg/se/like35agase.nsf/repositorybyalias/car\_tank/](http://www.aga.se/international/web/lg/se/like35agase.nsf/repositorybyalias/car_tank/) ---
**Author:** ![ReticulatingSplines](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e274bd/32.png) [@ReticulatingSplines](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ReticulatingSplines)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/30 "2010-08-24T15:40:14Z")
After playing lots of Gran Turismo 4, I would sometimes go out driving and catch myself thinking, “I can pass these guys on this turn if I just bump them to the outside.” ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/31 "2010-08-24T16:19:01Z")
Thought of another one : don’t even think of doing anything productive on the same day you played Patapon. Because you can’t get that damn song out of your head, ever. It is impossible to think with that din in your brain. And you start walking or typing in that same stupid rythm. pom pom pata pon. Goddammit, even talking about the game does it. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/32 "2010-08-24T17:32:11Z")
Back when I was in law school, I used to walk by a construction site on the way to school every day. There would be a bulldozer with a HUGE ramp-shaped pile of dirt next to it, and I would so want to steal the bulldozer and see what would happen if I tried to take it up the pile of dirt and fly off the end of it. Too much GTA. ---
**Author:** ![Infovore](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/infovore/32/420_2.png) [@Infovore](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Infovore)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/33 "2010-08-24T17:56:11Z")
Two off the top of my head: 1. I can’t be in a nearly deserted mall in the evening anymore, especially one where it’s deserted enough that you can hear the Muzak, without looking around for zombies (courtesy of “Dead Rising”). I now consider Muzak in nearly-deserted malls to be extremely creepy rather than mildly annoying. 2. I often try to change the viewing angle of things on my computer by clicking on them, holding down the mouse button, and trying to tilt or turn them (courtesy of WoW). ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 6:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/34 "2010-08-24T18:16:28Z")
> [@Daddypants](#): > > . . . > A couple of years ago, when we were still playing WoW, we were driving someplace, I pointed to a cemetery and said, “There’s the rez point.” Two years ago I had to drive to Redding a lot. It’s a five plus hour drive and it isn’t terribly scenic. At one point in mid-tedium I found myself thinking that I should have found the flight point by now. If only. ---
**Author:** ![GargoyleWB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gargoylewb/32/199_2.png) [@GargoyleWB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GargoyleWB)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/35 "2010-08-24T18:53:47Z")
After many long flight sim dogfighting sessions, I found myself banking in my drivers seat while turning the steering wheel. My finger would also start looking for the “gear down” button when slowing for a traffic light. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/36 "2010-08-24T19:04:06Z")
Without GTA IV, I might never have discovered my passion for setting prostitutes on fire after they service me. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 7:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/37 "2010-08-24T19:19:26Z")
Grand Theft Auto, Tetris, and Snood. ---
**Author:** ![Bosstone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/22d042/32.png) [@Bosstone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosstone)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/38 "2010-08-24T19:23:01Z")
GTA is the only game where, after an hour of having fun just careening around the city in the fastest car I could steal, I’d find myself needing to rein in the impulse to ignore the speed limit in my own car and just go flying. Usually I’m pretty good about separating games from reality. ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/39 "2010-08-24T19:23:20Z")
> [@cosmosdan](#): > > two silly things > > PLaying a Civil war game and controling my soilders in groups. I made the mistake of not withdrawing a group of soilders from a hill in time and they were surrounded and wiped out. In some small way it made me realize the weight of commanders in the feild and what they have to live with when their choices cost lives. > Playing some old game where you start with the basics and set up a village , asign farmers, miners, soilders etc. and watch your society grow. Happily and peacefully growing my society when I was attacked by a computer society I didn’t know was around. They came through and pretty much slaughtered my village. > > As a pretty peace loving guy it made me realize that being peace loving and non threatening doesn’t mean others bent on conquest of wanting what you have, won’t come after you. They will. If we are talking about insights given by games, I think that playing games like GTA has given me an insight into the sociopathic mind. Fact is, it’s fun to run around killing and looting and destroying - when you are doing those things to pixels on a screen and face no actual danger from your behavior. To someone who just looks at other people as objects and is too arrogant or stupid to worry about consequences, real life must look like a giant GTA game. ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2010, 9:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253/40 "2010-08-24T21:22:27Z")
Last night I played multiplayer Starcraft and I got my clock cleaned. It was humiliating. And for some reason when I went to bed, I could not get that damn game out of my head–I kept replaying it, looking for the things I should’ve done. I finally took a Benadryl sometime after midnight. So I looked at the world this morning through very sleepy eyes. But that’s probably not what you’re looking for. More on-topic: you know those lovely spring or fall days when it’s cloudy and there’s a steady rain, not too hard and not too drizzly, and the sound of the rain is perfectly soothing? I can’t hear that sound without flashing back to Oblivion, where that sound effect/visual effect was used more or less constantly. It drives me crazy to be up on the Blue Ridge Parkway and to be thinking about an old computer game. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/video-games-that-change-how-you-see-the-world/551253.md?page=3)