Can VR and Online Gaming Really Make Our Lives Easier?
Technology; we’ve lived without it in the past, but could we really go without it now, in the modern age? Think about how fast technology has evolved over just the last fifty years: we now hold full-on computers in the palms of our hands, we have access to the internet in most places that we go, and we don’t have to leave home to order most things that we need to survive. Potential new homeowners can now take online virtual reality tours of homes if they are too far away to attend open houses. Gamers can make friends with people who live half a world away, and we can play mobile slots on our phones instead of having to get all dressed up to go down to the casino.
Technology is constantly making our lives better and easier; it takes the hard work out of menial jobs that were once done by people who are now able to turn their attention to more important things. It brings us closer together and increases our lifespans.
The question we want answered is; can playing online games, something that seems on its surface to be only for fun, and making use of VR tech improve our lives in any new and exciting ways? We think the answer to that question is yes. Let’s take a look at why we think that online gaming and VR technology can make our daily lives that little bit better.
Virtual Reality
There are a number of ways that VR technology is already used to make our lives a little bit easier in a lot of ways.
Medical Training
Medical training has been in-person, in a class environment training for almost all of medical history, for obvious reasons. These days, thanks to virtual reality technology, medical students can practise whatever they need to in a simulated environment, at least to start with. This means lower costs over a long period of time for their university, as well as easier access to training when physical spaces are not available.
Flight Training
The same things that were true of medical school were true of flight school for a long time because there were a limited amount of training options. Would-be pilots can now use flight simulators to log a large number of their training hours and are only required to log a certain number of physical flying hours. The same goes for military training, where soldiers need to learn to operate tanks and other military vehicles.
Exercise
We got one of our first tastes of gaming, helping us exercise, when the beloved Wii came out. Gamers could play all kinds of sports and move around in their homes instead of sitting still in front of a screen. Virtual Reality offers the same opportunity but on a far more intense and detailed scale. Once you put that headset on, you are completely immersed in the VR world. If you have the right equipment, you could go skiing in the alps or play tennis against one of the world’s best.
Gaming
Gaming improves our lives without us even realising it’s happening.
Improved Cognitive Abilities
Gaming improves a vast number of your cognitive abilities if you play a reasonable amount. If your attention span is chronically short, doing something you love, like gaming, can help it improve without you feeling like you’re putting in any real work. Your decision-making abilities can also be improved by gaming. Many games put you in high-pressure situations where you need to make crucial decisions in a timely manner; this can be excellent practice for real life. Gaming can also improve teamwork and delegation if you often play games where you operate in teams or squads with other players. Like with most things in life, practice makes perfect!
Less Stress and Anxiety
Do something you love simply because you love doing it; this is a must if you want a balanced life and to keep your stress and anxiety at bay. Stress and anxiety are both standard parts of life, but if they begin to overwhelm you, you must have some way of dealing with them. Doing any hobby you enjoy is an excellent way to blow off some steam, but this is especially true of gaming: where else can you leave a trail of carnage and destruction in your wake without getting in trouble for it?
Meet New People
Team games and gaming communities are excellent places to make new friends. You have a whole set of people around you with whom you already know you have common ground because you all love gaming. These communities can be a place to turn when you feel lonely, when you need help overcoming a challenging game or level, or just to chat and meet people. There are still a lot of negative stereotypes about the gaming community, and indeed every community has its bad apples, but there is a lot of good as well if you know where to look.
Wrap Up
It’s clear that online gaming and virtual reality technology are here to make our lives better and much more enjoyable; do you already use them in your life?
This is a submitted article.
