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Beth
Ramsey | The Appalachian |
| Jeff Albright (r)
and Nathan Thomas (l) play NCAA March Madness in Coffey
Residence Hall Tuesday night. |
by Alison Fosbenner
Intern Writer
Running through allies and inside buildings made of stone,
a team of five in combat gear, weapons in hand are out in
search of the enemy. Through an earpiece, voices of teammates
can be heard shouting commands – the sounds of footsteps
and gunfire are muffled in the background.
This is a common scene for those who have chosen online games,
such as CounterStrike, Halo and Diablo as a new pastime. The
latest trend in online gaming has become extremely popular,
especially on campus.
Many Appalachian State University students have taken the
digital world of online gaming under their wings as a diversion.
“On campus there is the ASU Gamers Club that we helped
start last semester,” junior marketing and political
science major, and avid CounterStrike enthusiast, Brandon
Adcock said.
Adcock said the club attempts to make the game well-known
and also give the players tips on how to play.
CounterStrike involves two teams: the ‘Terrorists,’
whose job is to plant a bomb and not allow the other team
to rescue the hostages, and the ‘Counter Terrorists,’
who rescue hostages or diffuse the bomb.
Adcock says that CounterStrike is the number one online-played
video game in the world, and has been around since 1999.
For these students, online gaming is more than just entertainment.
“It helps me relax sometimes, by giving me something
to do to relieve stress,” Adcock said. “After
a long day of classes and meetings, playing can help me wind
down.”
For a particularly male-dominated activity, it is rare for
females to take part. However, freshman Jessica McGloin recently
joined the crowd last semester when she began playing CounterStrike.
“My friends from home started to play, and I told them
to put the game on my computer,” McGloin said.
The male online gamers treat her just the same as they would
another player. McGloin said at first the guys did not believe
that she, and the other three female gamers on campus, was
actually playing. She said now it is a good time of hanging
out and playing.
However, there are some effects that online gamers should
be aware of, according to Licensed Clinical Psychologist of
the Counseling and Psychological Services Center Rafael S.
Harris, Jr.
For instance, social isolation can take place after hours
of sitting and staring at a screen.
“As far as sitting in front of the computer, there is
no face to face interaction,” Harris said. This can
create problems in an individual’s ability to relate
because the others are faceless and nameless.
Also, with the violent nature of such games, Harris feels
that it might “dehumanize people” and also “decrease
empathy for others.”
Around campus, the trend is picking up.
“There are over 75 people on campus that play regularly,”
Adcock said.
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