My Altered State of Gaming

I know people who sometimes take themselves, a friend, camping gear and acid off into the woods for a weekend. They combine these things whilst far away from society and disconnect for a while.

I don’t do that.

However, if you drew a line between me now, writing this article sat at my desk with my head filled with the worries of life, and them, miles away watching the pixelated trees sway magically for many hours, gaming could sit somewhere on it, I reckon. Gaming is such an easy thing for me to sink time into because it’s so enjoyable to allow my brain to float off for a moment or two.

Obviously, I don’t want to draw too strong a parallel between videogames and Class A drugs for fear of messing up my words and encourage everyone to try the wrong one (play videogames, don’t do drugs, if you were wondering which way round I would suggest). I’ve also never tried acid, so might be talking out of my arse (which I believe you can witness, if you take acid).

Things I have done, to reach this conclusion however are: 1) Been drunk and had a “balloon” of nitrous oxide on several occasions 2) played a lot of Minecraft/Transport Tycoon/mindless racing games. And both allow me to be happy in a way nothing else can. Both take the part of my brain that over-thinks, worries, and organises, then makes it go quiet.

In the case of laughing gas, the chemical reaches the brain and, amongst other things, inhibits the NMDAR-mediated currents causing several sensations which are different in everybody. For me, a calm descends over my brain and any thoughts I have bounce around an echo chamber for a few minutes. One deep breath later and I’m back in the real world with a stupid grin on my face.

In the case of videogames the effect is far less chemically controlled, but still a little similar. Taking Transport Tycoon for this example, as it’s what I was playing this morning, I’ll open it up, take a look around at my web of railway lines and find a problem; this area is too crowded, this junction is a bottleneck for trains, this industry needs a station etc. Then, my brain sets to work slowly solving the problem; laying track, leveling ground, setting routes for trains and watching them chug on their way from destination to destination.

After about half an hour I’m either bored, or starting to zone in. If the latter, the part of my brain that causes all the chatter gets occupied by logic. Simple, solvable, easy logic. One afternoon later and I’m back in the real world with a stupid grin on my face.

I never want to take any drugs which inhibit my actions for more than a very short amount of time. However, I am happy to play a game which can keep my attention for hours upon hours. Perhaps I know the damaging effects of too much Minecraft is simply that I see the world in blocks and have nightmares about creepers for a few days. Regardless, I’ve been pleasantly surprised about the pleasure-causing similarities.

Now if you don’t mind I’m going to build another junction. Just one more. I can stop whenever I like.