STRAFE, a throwback shooter looking to recapture that ultra-gory feel
The golden goose of research is a longitudinal study that follows a participant’s life from the cradle to the grave.
Such a study could allow researchers to track growth and development of their participants, as well as understand confounding factors that might prevent a definite answer to many of life’s questions. For a researcher, this is the greatest chance to understanding the human condition. Sadly, this type of study is a mirage that often falls through due to various issues.
Such a comprehensive project requires a massive number of participants that would be willing to devote a portion of time to the study for the rest of their life. It also needs researchers that are dedicated to one goal, and have the extensive funding to support the entire project. If just one of these facets crumble, decades of work could be toppled in an instant.
If such a project came about with video game issues as one of the topics of interest, many riddles plaguing the industry could be solved.
The original DOOM. You kill a myriad of baddies
This golden goose might have just appeared in the study titled ‘The Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children’, or ALSPAC for short. From April of 1991 to December of 1992 pregnant women in the city of Avon were asked to have their new children participate in order to study various factors about the participants’ growth and life.
The participant’s parents were surveyed to determine if the family had a history of mental illness. The mother’s education level, and the family’s religiosity, as well as several other factors were considered in order to determine issues that could potentially confound the results of the study. This study was the start of a massive undertaking that involved many different fields of research.
Various projects became involved with this lifetime study to determine a slew of different ideas. One video game related project eventually came in to existence, and has been following a portion of these participants since they were 8 to 9 years old. This study is titled “Prospective Investigation of Video Game Use in Children and Subsequent Conduct Disorder and Depression Using Data from the Avon Longitudinal Study of Parents and Children,” and is credited to Peter J. Etchells, Suzanne H. Gage, Adam D. Rutherford, and Marcus R. Munafò.
This study, while only a small section of the overall Avon study, has managed to stay financially afloat with interested researchers for nearly 8 years, and because of this it has been able to gather data from two important stages of life regarding the participants.
This research project was designed to discover the long-term effects of playing video games over a period of 7 to 8 years. Specifically, the researchers hoped to find if there was a correlation between playing violent games and Conduct Disorder or Depression. In order to do this, participants were asked what type of game they played, how many games they had, and how long they played at a young age.
Later, when the participant was 16, an interview was conducted to determine if they had the potential for clinical depression, and their parents were interviewed to determine if the participant had the symptoms of conduct disorder. Results were also observed from competitive games (racing/sports games) to determine if the level of aggression and ultimately conduct disorder was higher than in violent games (Shoot-em-ups).
Initially there were 14,551 pregnant women who participated in the first stage of the ALSPAC. Of the children born from this cohort, a sample of 2,453 children were interviewed about their video game habits making this one of the largest video game studies that I have encountered. Typically I would call into question a study with so many participants due to it potentially skewing the data, however in this case the large amount is a necessity.
While many participants may be interested in taking part in a study from the beginning, things might happen which could exclude them from participating later on in the study. They might have moved, died, or been thrown in jail, and so on. They also might have wanted to quit participating in the study, and while that can be a pretty bad thing for researchers, it is a completely legal and understandable situation.
Wolfenstein 3D – a 90s shooter in which you kill lots and lots of Nazis
Despite all of these issues being completely legitimate reasons to back out of a study, if there’s not enough participants in the second half of the study it will fall apart at the seams. With a large enough original sample size the damage done by losing participants is minimized. In total only 1,815 participants took part in each step. For a study lasting 8 years having a sample this size can lead to robust results.
To choose their participants, the researchers created a series of questions that were used to determine if the child played video games. Children were asked the number of games that they played, how often they played, and what types of games they played. The problem with their selection process, and ultimately for the entire study, is how the researchers defined the different types of games.
Genres are a difficult thing to pin down from decade to decade. What may be a legitimate genre in the late 90’s might not exist in the mid-2000s. In particular, this study is trying to observe the effects violent video games have on children as they grow older, particularly shooters like rail shooters and first person shooters.
However, due to the fact that these games were few and far between in the late 90s and the term first person shooter hadn’t really been cemented yet led to some difficulties in classification. In this particular case the researcher decided to use the term “shoot ‘em up” to define games where the player shoots the enemy.
The hope was that when children saw the term they would instantly know that researches meant a shooter game, rather than the classic shmup game, 1942. Due to this discrepancy many researchers and critics may call into question the legitimacy of the research, but in my opinion this is just showing a bigger problem the field of video game research has, constant change and growth.
Video games are still fairly new and they are growing and changing with new game genres are being developed every couple of years. The ability for researchers to consider this aspect within their research is as difficult as trying to predict the lotto numbers. To make up for this, many researchers are forced to place game genres into categories that really don’t fit together.
It’s the reason most researchers will consider smart phone games to be equal with console and PC games. This wouldn’t be a problem for a study that only takes a few years, but for a research project that takes a considerable amount of time such as this study, categories can make or break your research.
In this case the researcher broke the genres into nine categories which are fairly consistent with the structure of video games in the 90s. The categories included “shoot-em-up” (which could actually be anything from Castle Wolfenstein, to Contra), “sports”, “racing”, “role-playing”, “puzzles”, “strategy”, “flight simulator”, “platform”, and “other (e.g., educational or learning games).
Nintendo’s Splatoon – a far cry from a violent shooter
These categories were also used to regulate between which games were violent, and which games were generally safe. While this was the case when many of these genres were new and well defined, as time had passed many of the lines dividing genres began to blur. While shooter games were generally considered an easy way to show a violent video game where you can literally blow the heads off your enemies, this isn’t necessarily the case anymore once you factor games like Splatoon, Portal, and more into the mix.
The same could be said for the generally considered nonviolent puzzle games now seeing releases like Huniepop, Puzzle Fighter, and the Zero Escape series within their classification. It is this reason that video game research is so conflicted. A research article is made and tries to prove a point, but is contradicted by another article quickly after.
Both studies are legitimate but due to the fact that they’re not following the same guidelines on what genres are and how to judge what constitutes violence in video games, they come to two completely different conclusions. As a fan of video games I hate to say it, but this shifting, blending, and constant creation, is a nightmare for a researcher of the industry.
While this study showed examples of games fitting within each category, from a research perspective that can make reproduction difficult, because, outside a few cases, they don’t give clear cut examples of the games in the study. For research in this field to survive researchers need to understand the industry a bit better, clearly define genres while also utilizing systems already in place to monitor content in games such as the ESRB (which came into existence in 1994 so there’s no excuse). Granted the researchers in this project do explain that this is a problem with the research, and that future studies should take these issues into account.
Activision’s Prototype. It’s quite bloody
These issues can have dramatic effects on the overall success of the study, but it’s only a small problem in the grand scheme of the research. After the participants turned 16 they were asked to participate in an interview survey where they were asked questions regarding their levels of depression. Their parents were also interviewed to determine if the participants had the symptoms and potential for conduct disorder.
These two interviewed responses were then measured against the results from when the participants were children to see the end results of this study. This study looked at various relationships to determine the long-term effects video games can have on children. The researchers had found children that played shoot ‘em ups were more likely to have conduct disorder like symptoms, but the strength of this relationship was extremely small.
Out of the 1815 participants only 26 participants had showed the symptoms of conduct disorder. This is roughly 1.4% of the entire population, and while 14 of these participants said they exclusively played shoot-‘em-ups, 11 of the participants also played puzzle games, so the if playing violent games can lead to conduct disorder the relationship is microscopic to say the least. The researchers were careful to note that while there was a relationship, the strength was nowhere near what other researchers have been claiming.
To further test this data, the results were compared to those that exclusively played competitive games like sports games or racing games, and found that only the shooting games group had any signs of conduct disorder. This would act to stand in contrast to the idea that it is the violence in video games that causes aggression (and conduct disorder).
The problem with this, however, is that they didn’t consider all types of competitive games in their study. They failed to consider fighting games within their research at all (despite being a highly competitive genre) and they also failed to consider the competitive aspect of shoot ’em ups. While this may have been a problem of the generation, further research could show more conclusive reports.
The results from the depression survey also showed very little evidence to show any relationship between the use of video games and depression at all. There were 22 participants that showed symptoms of depression, but there was little to no evidence that any specific genre could be a factor in its development.
While this study has all the signs of being a golden goose, many issues prevent this study from realizing its true potential. The problems with this study are simple to make and are a problem for any long-term research project. It may seem disappointing for a researcher to have studied for several years to find nothing of value, but that in and of itself is useful in the grand scheme of the field.
26 participants showed signs of conduct disorder – 1789 participants didn’t, and of those 816 shoot ‘em up players didn’t develop the disorder at all. While significant results could have been helpful in deciding once and for all if video games can lead to violence, a lack of significant results helps show the industry that there is a long way to go before anyone can make that argument scientifically.
I encourage everyone to read this study and come to your own conclusions about the results. This study is publicly available here, and the link to the overarching study can be found for free here.
Editor’s Note: Twitter GIF was created from STRAFE’s Kickstarter video. You should check that game out.
Kaleido-Ruby
February 29, 2016 at 12:15 amCourse that won’t matter, since we’ll either still be debating this 50 years from now or we’ll just ban video games in their entirety because reasons.
Only thing DOOM did to me at 9 was heighten my exposure to WADAuthor and its ilk and then Doom Builder. Not a gun person otherwise.
Nin
February 29, 2016 at 12:40 amI’m still hoping humanity can invent a new medium it can demonize instead of video games.
Maybe VR movies.
Dammage
February 29, 2016 at 12:40 amI feel like we have disproved this in studies at least once a year for the past few years
Neojames82
February 29, 2016 at 12:41 amHmm, another study debunking the myth of violet video games makes violent people. WHAT A SHOCK!!!
But really, glad this proves yet again that there is no connection. Which pretty much can help weaken the other big issue that certain so called journalists and their ilk promote where seeing animated boobs and such will turn all men into sex crazed rape machines.
Neojames82
February 29, 2016 at 12:42 amWe have, NUMEROUS TIMES. And yet we still have fuckwits trying to keep it going for their own agendas.
Thanatos2k
February 29, 2016 at 12:43 amThe researchers should have just asked them which *specific* games they either played to completion or sunk more than 10 hours in.
Then YOU can do the classifications by cross referencing ESRB ratings and the amount of violence in the game.
Thanatos2k
February 29, 2016 at 12:43 amVR porn. You know it’s coming. I can just see the FOX News stories now….
Montrillian
February 29, 2016 at 12:47 amRemember these were 8-9 year old children that were being asked these things. Something simple like the name of a genre (at the time) was a good idea, but as time wore on the genre title didn’t match anymore.
Thanatos2k
February 29, 2016 at 12:49 amI could tell you exactly what games I was playing when I was 8 or 9. I only got like 3 new games a year, outside of rentals. I was replaying Secret of Mana and SMRPG over and over….
Montrillian
February 29, 2016 at 12:49 amI’m just glad that I haven’t seen this study really popping up. I for one thought people would latch on to the idea that there was a relationship between conduct disorder and shoot-’em-ups, but then again 26 participants with only 14 of those having both symptoms of conduct disorder and playing shoot-’em-ups is pushing it a bit.
blacksun
February 29, 2016 at 1:02 amThe sheer scale and amount of work that had to go into this study cannot be over-appreciated. It’s quite sad that we have to prove ourselves constantly though. I don’t think any other medium has ever been made a scapegoat as much as video games.
Fear Me I Am Free
February 29, 2016 at 1:30 amGames don’t cause violent behavior or sexism. We have known this from the start. Doesn’t stop people from pushing their political agenda saying they do though.
Immahnoob
February 29, 2016 at 1:37 amYeah, I was like… “Oh, another one? Is it that time of the year?”.
萌えゲー
February 29, 2016 at 1:42 amThey used to be able to affect violent video games, but not so much these days. They can cry bloody murder when they see GTA all they want, but it will still sell millions of copies, so they’ve moved on to what they know all the hip kids will look down on; niche games. They then worm their ways into positions of power, and with a new army backing them, begin their reign of terror on the niche titles. The more power they gain through this method, the more mediums they can destroy with censorship. They are starting with niche titles and moving their way up, soon to AAAs, then to movies, porn, music, art, and so on, until there is nothing left to censor. Create something new? If we allow these degenerates to continue breeding, we won’t even be able to think about anything, let alone create something.
bluemaxima
February 29, 2016 at 1:43 amlol, that isn’t 1942, that’s a poorly made edit of Game Maker’s old scrolling shooter tutorial. :P
Tubsiwub
February 29, 2016 at 1:48 amPerhaps violent people just like violent things… such as harming other people, causing conflicts… playing violent video games…
BurgerUnit
February 29, 2016 at 2:56 amViolent games have been out for a long time and I feel that if there was any tangible negative impact, it would be way more visible, as the thousands that grew up playing them would now be in a position to more easily do harm, yet it seems business as normal.
Come on fellow 90’s kids who played Doom and Quake, step it up! You’re ruining the agenda.
Miguel Angel Opazo Arancibia
February 29, 2016 at 3:03 amGood article. It pretty much sums up everything.
Then again social sciences are quite difficult.
xXMarionoXx
February 29, 2016 at 3:08 amNow where is the study about Teen and Mature games making people into Sex Addicts ?
xXMarionoXx
February 29, 2016 at 3:11 amI remember a 70s or 80s movie that had VR Porn in it.
Montrillian
February 29, 2016 at 3:54 amOr playing puzzle games.
Montrillian
February 29, 2016 at 3:58 amActually I really like this study as it looks at the long term effects on a group that’s been observed for all of their life. It’s a good way to tell if there are any confounding factors that might be better reason for their behavior.
Mr0303
February 29, 2016 at 4:34 amNo matter how many studies they conduct about this they’ll find the same thing. Could they stop wasting resources on trying to demonize video games and use them for something useful like examining the correlation between SJWs and mental illness.
Montrillian
February 29, 2016 at 4:46 amRemember this is a study that’s over 8 years old and I can see that they were just looking at what Jack Thompson was saying and was trying to see if there was any weight to the argument at all.
Mr0303
February 29, 2016 at 4:54 amThis doesn’t change anything I said in my initial statement.
DreamlessWindow
February 29, 2016 at 5:28 amYeah, like that mass shooter that was obsessed with Dance Dance Revolution.
Now seriously, violent people (and people in general) are not violent all the time, nor they are infatuated in their violent ways (when they are aware of them). I’m no expert, but I would say that violence with no set goal (like making money out of it) is usually the result of people being unable to cope up with their life, stress built up and many other things. That’s why I don’t think there’s necessarily any relationship between being violent and liking violence.
Arenegeth
February 29, 2016 at 6:19 amMy entire generation is proof of that.
We grew up with games like Mortal Kombat and Doom, Marilyn Manson music and movies like Friday the 13th and Nightmare on Elm Street.
And it didn’t matter how ‘appropriate’ or legal it was for us to consume that content, because our parents either didn’t know, didn’t care, or even when they did, we just got around them.
Today, I don’t see the streets lit on fire, and decapitated heads hanging from the rafters, probably because most of us were able to tell the difference between what’s real and what’s fictional.
So yeah, keep funding studies to prove, what reality is proving to all of us each and every day.
anonemouse
February 29, 2016 at 6:52 amGreat use of funding, guys! Way to prove absolutely nothing. Again.
Jack
February 29, 2016 at 7:13 amScience is technically supposed to be tested every so often to make sure the last people didn’t fuck it up
but this is like every year, you don’t try to re-do a test like this every year
it’s silly and a waste of time
TsukuyomiMagi99
February 29, 2016 at 10:06 amViolent video games don’t make people violent?! Next thing you’re gonna tell me is that water is wet or that 2 + 2 = 4 what kind of crazy world do we live in?!
Ero-Sennin
February 29, 2016 at 10:16 amHA!
Alistair
February 29, 2016 at 10:19 amI know why it’s every year maybe one day they strike lucky & by doing it often some day like the boy that cry wolf it happens a report that proves video games is the devil & evil & fuckwits SJWs would dance & rejoice.
Saying we told you so ban this & that we not taking away your games only destroying the video games industry.
But common sense tells there no link if a person does crime it’s due to other factors by having issues & being a ass.
Why not tv copy cat murders, I hear voices in my head Yorkshire ripper named Peter way before VG come onto the market & history way back tells you that it’s each people that decides what they gonna do.
Chocolate ISISCream
February 29, 2016 at 10:43 amMy parents conscripting me and my childhood friend to do suggestive videos in our basement, followed by molestation sessions is not what turned me into a disturbed person. It was video games.
Montrillian
February 29, 2016 at 11:34 amI suggest you seek some therapy for that.
Raziel Barkrai
February 29, 2016 at 11:35 amCan you send some? For research of course.
Go D. Usopp
February 29, 2016 at 11:36 am“Study reaches conclusion everyone who doesnt have an agenda already knew”
Some day we’ll stop bothering with these studies since the answer is always the same and always will be. Its a waste of time and money
Kev Lew
February 29, 2016 at 1:21 pmmore studied to pile up against the fear peddlers, useful. Especially like the fact this is a long term study covering a lot of different data points.
Urobolus
February 29, 2016 at 1:53 pmNow make a study that links mentally disturbed people to sonic games or other furry shit.
Galbador
February 29, 2016 at 2:32 pmYeah, dumb people appear more often than Pikachu in a Pokemon game. Sadly, we have to educate them and waste money for it, otherwise they would sad the same crap as the earlier dumb people before. What a sick sad world.
Galbador
February 29, 2016 at 2:36 pmOkay, now that we have this for the 1000x times out of the way, how about we deal with those SJWs who say that games are misogynistic… Oh wait, we did, but somehow, it still does not work for them *sigh*
It is funny how much money one could waste for those loggerheads to prove how they are so DAMN wrong. We could have done so much good for this money like making a workable health care system or help the poor people.
Nope, guess we have to educate the dumb and stubborn ones *facepalm*
Eric Kelly
February 29, 2016 at 4:03 pmat this point in time it’s just another report to add to the pile that say the same thing everyone knew back in the 90’s.
snugdarkly
February 29, 2016 at 5:15 pmAnd you’ll be lauding them for demanding censorship.
scemar
February 29, 2016 at 9:06 pmfeminists, sjw, progressives, religious, traditionalists and everyone have been trying so damn hard to find a way to turn games into their villain
and they just can’t
good riddance
Thanatos2k
March 1, 2016 at 1:29 amNo I won’t, because I don’t laud censorship. I see you’re still a fucking moron.
snugdarkly
March 3, 2016 at 1:32 amI see you’re still pretending you didn’t support Xenoblade’s censorship.
Thanatos2k
March 3, 2016 at 11:16 amYou’ve been destroyed over and over and over attempting shitty arguments about that. No need to embarrass yourself again.
snugdarkly
March 5, 2016 at 12:20 amYou can deny reality all you want. I’ll never forget that you supported censoring Xenoblade.
Thanatos2k
March 5, 2016 at 1:40 pmYou’ll never forget something that isn’t true? Wow, taking stupidity to the next level.
snugdarkly
March 5, 2016 at 4:33 pmStill denying reality I see.