Support NeoGAF

Delusibeta · Apr 7, 2014

It's another video games study, but the outcome is unusual. Essentially, they found that aggression is not linked to the amount of violent content in the game, but rather how good the people felt they are at the game. Essentially, people get mad when they suck at video games. Bonus anger happens if the controls are duff or the difficulty is too high for said person to handle.

As ever with this sort of thing, this is one study, don't take it as gospel. But hey, the funny soundbites write themselves (Mad at video games? Git gud!).

Euphor!a · Apr 7, 2014

Modified nonviolent version of Half-Life 2...?

Mumford · Apr 7, 2014

Looks like someone finally put two and two together.

Danny Dudekisser · Apr 7, 2014

Well, blue shells have made me want to kill someone.

gngf123 · Apr 7, 2014

Someone who sucks at video games here, can confirm.

But seriously, this makes a lot of sense. Border-lining completely obvious.

Fixed2BeBroken · Apr 7, 2014

weird that they used half life 2 for this. I don't think I ever got "Frustrated" or "mad" in that game.

Dota games on the otherhand......

Yoshichan · Apr 7, 2014

Aggression doesn't come from video games. Video gamers are good at handling their rage as well! I am, at least.

Funny that they used a non-violent HL2 for this though!

rdrr gnr · Apr 7, 2014

The researchers created a modified version in which rather than violently removing enemies, the player would instead "tag" foes who would then evaporate.

This version was tested alongside the normal, violent version.

However, only some of the gamers were given a tutorial before playing the game so they could familiarise themselves with the controls and game mechanics.

The researchers found that it was the players who had not had the tutorial who felt less competent and more aggressive, rather than people who had played the more violent version of the game.

Central quote. There is also the general feeling of competitiveness in MP.

Freeman · Apr 7, 2014

I can't remember one single time I lost control or became aggressive because of video games and I'm very competitive. It doesn't sound normal to me.

In any game I will be having a much better time if I'm being challenged instead of playing against someone who can't put up a challenge.

emb · Apr 7, 2014

This makes more sense. I can relate that to my experience. And it would explain studies I've read about games without graphic, realistic violence causing aggression.

Hindl · Apr 7, 2014

Of course they got this result it's obvious. This is one of the first charts you see in game design classes:

If the player skill is less than the current difficulty, the player moves into the anxiety territory, which eventually leads to frustration and ultimately, anger. Conversely, if the game is too easy for the player's skill, they become bored and eventually give up. That sweet spot is flow, where the player skill perfectly matches the difficulty, with some wiggle room in there to add surprise and variety. So if a game is too hard, people become angry. Simple as that

KojiKnight · Apr 7, 2014

Delusibeta said:
It's another video games study, but the outcome is unusual. Essentially, they found that aggression is not linked to the amount of violent content in the game, but rather how good the people felt they are at the game. Essentially, people get mad when they suck at video games. Bonus anger happens if the controls are duff or the difficulty is too high for said person to handle.

As ever with this sort of thing, this is one study, don't take it as gospel. But hey, the funny soundbites write themselves (Mad at video games? Git gud!).

Unlike every other study done on games... this is the first one where I sit back, review my life and go "Yeah, this completely makes sense based on myself and everyone I've ever seen play a video game."

zeorhymer · Apr 7, 2014

From the article I got was:

"If the game is frustrating, it will piss off the audience."

Isn't that common sense?

ThatCrazyGuy · Apr 7, 2014

I thought this was obvious. Its how I have always observed it. People aren't getting angry because of the violence on screen, they are angry because they are failing /losing.

Dio · Apr 7, 2014

"git gud" is now sound medical advice.

kick51 · Apr 7, 2014

lol stay salty, noobs get rekt

explodet · Apr 7, 2014

SwiftDeath · Apr 7, 2014

So the solution to solve said aggression would be to play more videogames until you're good enough not to get angry from playing them?

Cool will do

figadapaura · Apr 7, 2014

I have sucked at games in the past and gotten angry because of it. I think most people would be.

Just do what I do and play a different game. And stay mostly away from multiplayer.

FluxWaveZ · Apr 7, 2014

zeorhymer said:
From the article I got was:

"If the game is frustrating, it will piss off the audience."

Isn't that common sense?

Depends on how one conveys their aggression. Not everyone will throw their controller on the ground in rage after multiple losses.

GoodlifeX · Apr 7, 2014

Chacranajxy said:
Well, blue shells have made me want to kill someone.

I would like to also throw in Mario Party logic (Suck whole game, still win).

terrisus · Apr 7, 2014

People are weak. Battletoads isn't that impossible. Especially not the bike race - where there's a warp part-way through it anyway

plagiarize · Apr 7, 2014

It lines up with other studies I've read that have shown that the increase in aggression for something like Sonic the Hedgehog is about the same as something like Grand Theft Auto.

Shaanyboi · Apr 7, 2014

I do swear the most when playing Mario Kart and I get hit with a blue shell... or when I play a level like Champion's Road in Mario 3D World

NullPointer · Apr 7, 2014

Dio said:
"git gud" is now sound medical advice.

Here's your prescription for L2P. Take one of those in the morning with breakfast and supplement that with two RTFMs in the evening. Your noobness should clear up in a week or so.

Fine Ham Abounds · Apr 7, 2014

I can honestly say the only times I get mad playing games are when I can't successfully perform something that I know I should be capable of, so I'd say that anecdotally that's pretty spot on.

kick51 · Apr 7, 2014

terrisus said:
People are weak. Battletoads isn't that impossible. Especially not the bike race - where there's a warp part-way through it anyway

1) beating it without the warp is the only thing that gets you shaming rights

2) if anyone ever got past that stage, they'd be surprised to find out that's not nearly the hardest part. you at least have some control over what's gonna happen there ;_;

Not Spaceghost · Apr 7, 2014

The year is 2019, this study has lead to incredible breakthroughs in psycho therapy and advances in helping people over come their anger issues that may or may not have caused them to lash out and harm a loved one, or at least come close to that point.

After several frustrating rounds of CoD Black ops 4 you find yourself at the therapists office to deal with your anger management issues. You carefully explain to him what you've been doing before your fits of rage. Then he explains to you the link between video games and aggression and how it comes from a feeling of incompetence while playing video games. This information scares and alarms you, so you ask him what you should do.

Then he leans in closely.
Gets right up to your ear...and whispers

git gud

shandy706 · Apr 7, 2014

I agree with this study.

(Has never gotten really angry at a video game)

(Assumes self is incredibly awesome at them)

Coffee Dog · Apr 7, 2014

This is really really obvious. Of course you'll be getting mad if you're beating yourself up.

Anirask · Apr 7, 2014

Ironically the angrier/more frustrated I get, the more tenaciously I work at beating said obstacles.

And when I succeed? Sweet sweet Endorphin rush!

Rebel Leader · Apr 7, 2014

Chacranajxy said:
Well, blue shells have made me want to kill someone.

Shaanyboi said:
I do swear the most when playing Mario Kart and I get hit with a blue shell... or when I play a level like Champion's Road in Mario 3D World

Prophet Steve · Apr 7, 2014

This sounds pretty much like frustration, everyone knows that.

The thing is that the article does not seem to explain how the aggression level is determined and whether this is a long-term or short-term effect. It does say it still needs no research "longer-term" effects, but that also does not give a lot of clarity.

Whereas frustration is short-term, the previous study recently linked violent video games with long-term effects, so I think both studies might be referring to slightly different effects.

Fine Ham Abounds · Apr 7, 2014

NullPointer said:
Here's your prescription for L2P. Take one of those in the morning with breakfast and supplement that with two RTFMs in the evening. Your noobness should clear up in a week or so.

Doctor it hurts when I hold this L

terrisus · Apr 7, 2014

kick51 said:
2) if anyone ever got past that stage, they'd be surprised to find out that's not nearly the hardest part. you at least have some control over what's gonna happen there ;_;

This is true, and is what always struck me as most interesting about the fact that people always seem to hold up this part of the game when discussing impossible difficulty, given how much more difficult the rest of the game is.

I would guess it's due to people not actually having gotten past it to experience the rest of the game.

PeskyToaster · Apr 7, 2014

I usually get frustrated with myself for making stupid mistakes or if it was something outside the game and myself. Like lag or other technical hiccups.

Jinoru · Apr 7, 2014

zeorhymer said:
From the article I got was:

"If the game is frustrating, it will piss off the audience."

Isn't that common sense?

Not just that, they'll become violent. Domestic violence is a problem, no?

Miguel81 · Apr 7, 2014

Hindl said:
Of course they got this result it's obvious. This is one of the first charts you see in game design classes:

If the player skill is less than the current difficulty, the player moves into the anxiety territory, which eventually leads to frustration and ultimately, anger. Conversely, if the game is too easy for the player's skill, they become bored and eventually give up. That sweet spot is flow, where the player skill perfectly matches the difficulty, with some wiggle room in there to add surprise and variety. So if a game is too hard, people become angry. Simple as that

Gamers that found the "flow" are the best to play with. Check multiplayer, a bunch of trolls(high skill) and guys shouting obscenities(low skill).

serversurfer · Apr 7, 2014

Reminds of a joke my GF showed me the other day.

Video games don't make me violent. Lag makes me violent.

Rubius · Apr 7, 2014

My mon is a hardcore casual player. She play games 10-12 hours a day on facebook. And every hours or so I hear a "FUCK!!!!" or "YOU BITCH" because she had problems with her level at Monster Busters on Facebook. For a Match 3 game, the game get really hard at 300 and more.

I have some games like Donkey Kong Country or Crash where I yell "COME ON!" or even hit my leg or my bed because I had some death after 20-30 times trying the level.

Just have to pass the rage by yelling a little.

Red Mage · Apr 7, 2014

Kind of obvious, I'd say.

I can't for the studies that try to pin i ncreased violence to VR games. -_-;

zeorhymer · Apr 7, 2014

Jinoru said:
Not just that, they'll become violent. Domestic violence is a problem, no?

Doesn't that mean the aggression goes beyond just being frustrated at a video game? Being frustrated at work may cause domestic violence just as well.

fred · Apr 7, 2014

Anyone that's ever stepped foot in a QA department would know that this is nonsense. There's rage and swearing all over the place and you don't see testers going postal lol

Mugatu · Apr 7, 2014

I think that makes at least some sense.

I often play games to calm down and to get out aggression - if I really sucked at them they would make me even more tense and ticked off than before though instead of being somewhat therapeutic and allowing a release.

flatearthpandas · Apr 7, 2014

It's not because I suck... it's the RNG! I swear!

okayfrog · Apr 7, 2014

fred said:
Anyone that's ever stepped foot in a QA department would know that this is nonsense. There's rage and swearing all over the place and you don't see testers going postal lol

To be fair, it's those testers' jobs. I don't think they're going to rage and swear and risk losing their jobs.

As for the article, FINALLY. I almost kicked (another) hole in my wall just playing Super Mario 64 the other day. Those freakin' controls and that damn camera at times. I also get really angered when I have to do the same thing over again in video games. For an example of a game that does difficulty right, take a look at Bit.Trip.Runner. Frustrating at times, but never gets me too bothered because death brings you back to the beginning right away.

Mr. Luchador · Apr 7, 2014

Probably just had people trying to go up and down the ladders without dying.

SeventhSon · Apr 7, 2014

I believe the phenomenon is referred to as "suffering from DSP."

char0n · Apr 7, 2014

I can verify this, I've played/enjoyed some of the most violent, gory video games like Solider of Fortune 2 and regularly play shooters and 3PA games like MGR:R, and am almost entirely non violent/calm in my every day life as well as when I'm playing them. In fact the only time I get angry playing them is when I hit a crazy hard section that stops me dead in my tracks (first time I fought Senator Armstrong's final form for instance)

On the other hand, I get a blue shell in Mario Kart at the end of the final lap when I was in first... The cursing will/controllers have been known to fly.

Vlade · Apr 7, 2014

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dunning%E2%80%93Kruger_effect

Edit: I misunderstood where you were going with this..... irony?

Support NeoGAF

Aggression from video games 'linked to incompetence'

Banned

Banned

Member

I paid good money for this Dynex!

Member

Member

And they made him a Lord of Cinder. Not for virtue, but for might. Such is a lord, I suppose. But here I ask. Do we have a sodding chance?

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Banned

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Banned

Banned

Member

Member

Banned

Spaceghost

Member

Banned

Neo Member

THE POWER OF BUTTERSCOTCH BOTTOMS

Member

Member

Member

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Member

Banned

Member

Member

Member

Member

Similar threads