TheChez.net

by Hydro033

Stop and think with me for a second. Was there ever that one kid who, no matter what he tried, was good at everything? You know what I’m talking about, one of those kids. Well, they exists when it comes to video games too. What I’m trying to discover is what makes these kids so damn quick at becoming good. I think they all have a common innate ability that gives them this skill that others just do not possess or have to a much lesser degree. I’m not talking about quickly adapting to a game because you played a game with similar physics, environments, or conditions, but rather having this innate cognitive ability to succeed. Not just doing it, but doing something fairly new and learning it fairly quickly.

I’m trying to pinpoint this ability in relation to video games (although it may apply to all things as well). I keep coming back to a concept called Spatial Cognition. It is an ability to perceive objects and understand them in such a way that one would know how they would react to certain stimuli. So, for example. One can see a ball, feel a ball, hold a ball, and then estimate how far they can probably kick that ball. Or, someone can pick up a plastic bag, see it, understand it, and realize what might happen if they kick that bag. I think that someone people are just much better at recognizing these things compared to others.

In a sense, it does have something to do with that person’s intelligence. It also has something to do with that person’s understanding of physics. One thing I believe that is a major influencing factor, is that person’s attention to detail. If one is to observe the world more minutely than another, he would have better spatial cognition because in a sense, he is more studied, learned, and practiced. The kid who pays more attention in class gets the better grades, plain a simple.

Applying this concept to video games, I believe that certain people have the ability to translate this spatial cognition into virtual reality. Some people can do it, others can’t. There are just those kids who can adjust to a game quickly and immediately become competitive, if not dominant. How? Who knows! But some players can just get into a game and figure things out much quicker than a person who owns that game or has been playing it for a while.

Prior video game experience, obviously, plays a major role. Prior experience leads to more developed hand-eye coordination which may be at the root of my investigation. I think advance spatial cognition coupled with superior hand-eye coordination will lead you to one of these “uber gamers.” Take out one element and that person becomes a damn noob.

Can this be what separates the hardcore and the casual gamers? To be continued…