Computer Games Players Struggle at ‘Real Life’

13th January 2004

Video game players from all over the globe are struggling with a recent concept, one that pushes their skills to new limits, and many are finding it too much. ‘Real Life’ features a unique challenge – to turn an isolated, socially inept recluse into a functioning human being with a job, home and life.

Whilst most players have grasped the concept of basic motion, they seem reluctant to use it preferring the less productive stance of sitting down for several hours at a time and occasionally eating.

Those who have endeavoured to use their motive skill more prolifically have managed to establish jobs, but have become perplexed at some of the subtle differences between ‘Real Life’ and their usual video games.

Computer game player Keith Wilson recounted some of the difficulties he came across:

“I had managed to get a job at a local office doing basic IT skills. However at one point I found myself in a room. My goal was to get some paperclips from the cupboard but the door was locked and I didn’t have a key. I walked back out into the corridor and noticed this NPC walking past.

“I assumed that it was a scripted action and the guy was carrying the key I needed so I knocked him unconscious to get it. But he didn’t have a key. All he had were some pills in a big white box with a red cross on it. Having tripped over earlier on in the day and bruising my knee I assumed he must have been put there to provide me with a med kit.”

Players from the United States also found it challenging as Games Enthusiast Chuck Hankman explained:

“Well, there was one scene where I was in the office, sitting across the room from my boss and I wanted to get home early. So I picked up my computer monitor and threw it across to the opposite side of the room to distract his attention from the door so I could make my escape. But instead of running over to where the loud noise had come from he just stood up, looked at me and said ‘What the hell are you playing at? You’re fired.’

“I didn’t even realise he could do that. It certainly said nothing about it in the manual.”