My Fellow Vizzed Players,

   As you may already know, this website has become home for some of the most loved video games of all time in terms of the classics.  Also, with the emergence of more advanced video games that you may have for your gaming councils (X-Box, PS3, Wii, etc.) continue to raise the bar in terms of realism and effects.  It's obvious that since the development of Atari games, we have come a long way.

   However, a few months ago in a gaming magazine, I came across a very interesting question:  When I blow away people in video games, I'm fine, but when I watch horror films and stunts that don't go so well and I cringe.  Is it normal to feel this way, or am I crazy?

   The answer the magazine editor gave was all too true: While playing a video game, you're blowing up pixels that represent objects that do not exist (NOT REAL), so that why you don't feel any regrets, if any.  On the other hand, while watching stunts that fail or horror flicks, you feel afraid and genuinely sorry for the people involved because THEY ARE REAL and bad things are happening to them.  Not to mention the fact that there are serious consequences for bad things happening to real people.

   With this article in mind, no matter what game we decide to play, it's still important to keep a picture or definition in your brain that helps you clearly identify the important differences that separate Fantasy from Reality. Lord knows that in today's world it's becoming more important to do so by the day.

   Your thoughts and opinions on this post are welcome and appreciated.

This is a good point. Its always important to know that games are pure fantasy. Not only so you understand they're okay, but so one doesn't grow overly obsessed with them either.

There is a very fine line between fantasy and reality, contrary to what some people may believe. This article, in my opinion, solidifies that because movies are the lesser of two fantasies, but only slightly, and yet it triggers a greater response than the average video game. I will maintain that fantasy is where the great innovations are born and we carries these innovations into reality, yet in reality is where we evaluate if it is feasible...it is also how we contain what fantasies are not plausible and leaves them exactly as that: fantasy. A lot of people do blur the line, especially children when they are trying to make the distinctions between what is real in physical means, and what is real psychologically.

I guess my rambling (yes I am cutting it off before I spend too long on this) equals this: fantasy is the key to reality, but only when we are careful which doors we open for everything in a fantasy could escape through.

That's some good advice you have there. It's important to distinguish between the two, especially in this day and age when all you have are 10-year-olds playing Call of Duty and Halo all day. Before you know it, something terrible might come out of all of this.

Redrunelord : I can't even begin to tell you how comforting and intelligent your words are in response to this article.  Indeed, Fantasy brings new ideas to Reality, but only if such ideas will result in making the world a better place.

Bravo, Redrunelord.  Bravo.

Geomancer476 : Thank you for your kind words. I always felt when I would write that I would think like that and...i guess that has become my opinion over time.

I don't really think I can add much more without repeating what i already said though.

One other scary thing is that games are trying to be too realistic this might harm the thin line between fantasy and reality. Too many children are playing realistic shooting and crime games and it might alter their perspective on reality.

I for one think games should still look fake so it's easier to find that line between fantasy and reality.

RequiemHaunt : The insight that you offer is a good as well.  All the more reason for parents to take more responsibility protecting their own children from playing games with a high mature content rating. That is, until said children are able to properly distinguish the difference between what is right and wrong in terms of the real world.

When I was nine, I was introduced to games like Super Mario Bros. and Legend of Zelda (original version); both of which showed no blood and gore.  Plus, before I even started to play such games, my parents taught me about how swords and knives can be very dangerous in the real world.

This is a good article for parents to read first and talk with their children about Fantasy vs Reality before even thinking about buying a gaming system and choose the games they play wisely.