Are Treyarch Trying to Teach Life Lessons?

After the Black Ops multiplayer reveal, can it be summated that Treyarch are trying to teach their players lessons their parents should have taught them?

Call of Duty has become a franchise known for its addictive multiplayer, with some players reaching new records for time sat in front of the screen. Although this is good for the games industry, it has inevitably opened the gates to heavy criticism. Unfortunately, we like playing games rather than exploring the ‘great outdoors’ or spending time with family. Are we in a time then than that social skills are not taught to us? Of course not, if anything nowadays game players talk to many different players everyday, and when I say talk, I mean negotiate tactics, share experiences and crack jokes about each others parents.

The appeal of games like Call of Duty, specifically its online multiplayer mode, is that players feel a sense of achievement, they are given realistic goals to work towards (I question reaching tenth prestige though) and there is an idea of an online community in which they are accepted. I may add we also like getting headshots, 720 no-scopes and five man sprays! With Modern Warfare 2, Infinity Ward exploited these ideas by adding titles and emblems, extra gun challenges and the final kill cam that chiselled in that sense of achievement, coupled of course with a feeling of superiority. What I argue Infinity Ward made, was a dog-eat-dog game, survival of the fittest. It taught players how to show off and boast and also that eventually everything can be achieved if you put in the hours.

Now I would like to get this straight, I am not saying Black Ops is going to be any different from this. What I am saying is that it seems Treyarch may have found a way to incorporate valuable lessons within their multiplayer that actually have some worth when we do go outside one day.

First up are the new CoD points. Basically this is a virtual currency with which players can buy, weapons, contracts, decorations and so on. The great idea about this, although it is not unique or original of course, is that players will have to make decisions. What gun do I want to buy? Should I save up for that better gun? These are examples of what questions players will be asking themselves. Essentially Black Ops is borrowing the ‘second life’ technique from RPG’s to pull their players in (basically encouraging players to have a whole ‘other’ persona in a virtual reality). It’s a sure way to get players addicted to the game, but it also means that players will be less playing a game, and more enhancing their life skills. Players will be making investments with their own money and will have to decide on what is more value to them. A gun could be a useful tool and could lead to more money, or buying a new facepaint will enable players to show off but it will only be that. Almost like buying a flashy car for the sake of it whereas this money could have been invested in a business for instance. Some may think this comparison far fetched but as video games are more and more becoming parts of young persons lives, you have to remember that this is where they are learning how to deal with life’s problems.

With the new contracts and wager matches in the game, players are essentially gambling, taking risks. Sometimes these risks will pay off and other times not. As far as I can find every definition of ‘entrepreneur’ says that risks are taken for future benefit. Although this is only a virtual reality, it is one that is often becoming the only reality for some players. But, one day these players will have to come out of their shell and these entrepreneurial lessons will only help them to make the transition… “Welcome to the desert of the real”. Contracts also teach players how to work hard to achieve a deadline on time as they can expire and players will lose their money if the contract is not completed on time. I do believe working to a deadline is an essential point in the generic job description list and getting players into this habit is surely beneficial to everyone.

The inclusion of the theatre and editor mode will also help those future media producers vent some of that creative flair and share it with the world. With these tools at hand, I am sure we are in for an explosion of montages and gameplay highlights in November but this will mean Call of Duty players, which entail the majority of youths nowadays, will be equipped with skills that will help them in their future careers. The best thing is they don’t even know about it, they think are just playing with their mates. In hindsight I guess this article is aimed more at parents who are worried about their children playing video games. Yes of course it does need to be moderated but it is time for the stereotype of gamers (you all know it) to be broken. They are far from sheltered on their consoles and PC’s and they are learning those valuable life lessons which many people doubt video games are able to teach people.

Now I know there are going to be people who say this is nonsense, but all I am trying to say is that Treyarch have probably made a game that has the potential to be more addictive than it’s predecessor, but at least they are helping their players along the way. I really don’t want to see an entire gaming generation to suddenly turn out blank when faced with a real problem. Gamers are some of the most creative, hilarious and determined people I have met…I am just glad Treyarch are in some way encouraging this at last.