Book Chapter
A Glimpse into the Wonderful World of Gaming — Chapter 1
My Personal Connection to Computer Games and Their Significance in My Life
Dear Readers, this story introduces the first chapter of my book, “A Glimpse into the Wonderful World of Gaming.” I introduce the book in a previous story. I also shared the foreword written by Dr Mehmet Yildiz, chief editor of ILLUMINATION Integrated Publications.
I slightly edited the chapters to make them appealing to readers on Medium, changing the style and removing some content that might be too much in a story format.
Chapter 1: A Review of My Five Favorite Video Game
I started playing computer games when I was only two years old. My parents were computer literate and in the education field, so they got me started with educative games.
My first experience was with Sesame Street and Dora the Explorer games. I thought Sniper was a real animal and always felt sorry when trying to steal Dora’s possessions. I still keep my stuffed toys of favorite characters like Elmo and Big Bird.
On my fifth birthday, my grandparents spoiled me with a laptop computer. I was gifted an iPad on my seventh birthday, and on my ninth birthday, a high-end iMac computer full of games.
In addition, most of my friends gave me gift cards with games. So, my childhood was all about playing computer games. I got so into games that I never had a day without playing at least one computer game.
I am also part of extensive game networks such as Steam, Xbox Live, Playstation Network, Scoreloop, Mobage, OpenFeint, and Twitch. I will introduce these networks in my upcoming stories.
I would like to introduce five games I played most frequently in this story. As I played hundreds of games, including them all in a single story is impossible. So, I decided to introduce around five games in each story.
I’d like to briefly introduce five great games that gave me pleasure in my childhood and improved my cognitive skills.
First, I start with Minecraft, as I still play it. I collaborated with several friends in primary school, and we even created our server on a free Unix operating system. I usually play with a few friends in a survival world we created together. Minecraft is a creative or survival game in a world of blocks.
I enjoy Minecraft because the survival aspect is straightforward to understand. For example, I love gathering materials, building houses, fighting enemies, and slowly making and obtaining better items to complete the main objective of defeating the Ender Dragon.
I also enjoy the creative aspect of Minecraft since there are hundreds of blocks and items we can use to create whatever structure we desire. For example, a structure can be a house, city, castle, pixel art, or sculpture.
The next game is Rocket League. I enjoy it because it relies on teamwork if we are playing with others. Like any other team-based game or sport, Rocket League requires us to play with the team and defend or score goals with the help of each other.
Rocket League is a game of soccer, but with the players replaced by rocket-powered cars. There is something really rewarding about improving our skills and achieving a higher competitive rank.
Rocket League is a competitive game in which we can play against other players in a team of three or two or in a one-versus-one duel approach.
I found an article posted by Dr Mehmet Yildiz. He provided a sophisticated review of the game. He looks at it from the perspective of a cognitive scientist. I link it here to give you an idea of what he thinks about Rocket League.
The third game is New World. It is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game abbreviated as an MMORPG, set in “an alternate-history in the twilight of the Age of Exploration and takes place on the fictional and supernatural island of Aeternum in the 17th century.” You may learn more about it on their website.
From the beginning of the main story to the end, it was a blast to play through. And even after you complete the story, there are still many side quests to complete.
After we complete all the main story and side quests, there’s still a bunch of PvP (Players vs. Player) and PvE (Player vs. Environment) content, which can be fun to play with over 1000 players on the server.
I enjoy New World because of our role in completing PvE quests or PvP events. We can play our three leading roles: Tank, DPS/Damage Dealer, and Healer/Support.
Within these three roles, a bunch of sub-roles use different types of weapons based on our playstyle, whether we prefer close-range, long-range, or magical weapons.
The fourth game is Forza Horizon 5. It is an online and offline open-world racing game set in Mexico. It is the type of racing that can be played however you want.
If you enjoy circuit racing, you can exclusively focus on that. On the other hand, if you enjoy cross-country races, drifting, online PvP racing, etc., you can focus on that.
I like Forza Horizon 5 because it’s great for all kinds of players. Whether you’re new to racing games or a longtime fan, this game has something for everyone.
Plus, it has lots of options to change the difficulty, not just for the races but also for things like steering, braking, and tire wear.
Another reason I enjoy Forza Horizon 5 is because it’s not too realistic like those games where you need a special wheel controller, but it’s also not too arcade-style like Need for Speed.
In my view, it’s just right in the middle.
The fifth game on my list is Splitgate. It’s an online first-person shooter game with a cool twist — portals. Think of it as a mix between Halo and Portal.
In Splitgate, like other FPS games such as Halo and Call of Duty, you team up with other players in various game modes like team death match, free-for-all, and domination. But what makes Splitgate stand out is the ability to create portals anywhere on the map.
I really enjoy this unique feature because it adds a whole new dimension to the game. It lets you escape when you’re in a tight spot or surprise enemies by popping up through a portal behind them.
Splitgate also offers competitive game modes where you’re ranked based on your skill level. You get special rewards at the end of each season depending on your rank.
In summary, I find computer games enjoyable for several reasons.
First, they help keep my mind active. Second, they provide a way for me to reduce stress. Third, they allow me to socialize with my gaming friends.
However, I do have concerns about getting too addicted to certain games. Sometimes I lost track of time and played for hours, even skipping meals and losing sleep.
I had to go to work without any rest, and it was not a pleasant experience. I now use a timer to remind myself to take breaks to address this.
Excessive gaming also led to some back pain, so I’ve learned the importance of taking regular breaks, at least every hour.
Thank you for reading this chapter. I will post one chapter a day so please stay tuned. I look forward to your feedback. This is my first book about gaming.
The book is available on Amazon and will be published in other outlets soon. If you read the book, I’d appreciate your honest feedback on my improvement as an author. Currently, I am writing a new book about virtual and augmented reality.
If you are a writer, you definitely need a writer bio. Please consider introducing yourself in a story and submit it to ILLUMINATION. I will curate them for you. More info is in the attached story.
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About Me
I write articles in my field covering gaming, film-making, social media, and design. I am also a YouTuber. Thank you for subscribing to my account to get notifications when I post on Medium. I also created a new website to share my content for free and promote stories of writers contributing to my publications on Medium. I also have a Substack newsletter. Let’s connect on Twitter and LinkedIn.
I own two publications on Medium. One for video gamers and another for YouTubers and Podcasters. I also support Illumination Integrated Publications as a volunteer editor and participate in collaborative activities in the Slack Workspace. Writer applications for my publications can be sent via this weblink. Please add your Medium ID.
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