• Thank you to Carol and Steve Bowman, the forum owners, for our new upgrade!

Videogames as PL Memory Triggers

Spatz

Spatz

Senior Registered
Like books and movies, videogames provide visuals that can serve as triggers. The industry has progressed far beyond the days of Pac-man and games have become their own genre of entertainment and art. Many games receive awards upon their debut for their plot depth and level of visual engagement- these things contribute to the mental engagement of the users, and can trigger certain mental and emotional phenomena. The game Amnesia is famous for being all sorts of terrifying and there are lots of gameplay videos made showing the player's reactions.

Naturally, since the plots and visuals have progressed past Pong, there are quite a few games with a theme from history. Nowadays these games are very well made and some strive for the highest historical accuracy- usually with visuals but also with plot. Have you been triggered by any videogames with historical themes?

Skyrim, for example, is probably one of the best games depicting things from the Viking heyday. It's easy to get lost in that world and I wouldn't be surprised if someone had a 'flashback' or deja vu moment whilst playing it.

I wasn't able to play war games of any kind at all for several years, whether that was laser tag, re-enactment, or even a videogame, the experience was just too intense and so I avoided the subject altogether. These days I'm rather better and so 80% of the games I play are probably war games. I don't usually play first-person shooter style games since I prefer the 'micro' and like strategy games more, but there are still a lot of emotions involved with this even though my character isn't crawling through the rubble with a gun. Even though I've come a really long way, some games still give me the heebies and I'm wondering if anyone else has experienced such.

For example, a new-ish game named Verdun came to mind, I found it with great reviews and bought it almost right away, but it took about a week to build up the courage to try it. I know some other members have experienced WWI and perhaps you may feel similarly, here are some screenshot links (images too large to post):
http://media.moddb.com/images/articles/1/129/128161/auto/web32.png


World of Tanks is another game with stunning visuals and historical accuracy. Some of the maps in this game are very stimulating to the mind, as they're modeled after areas of historical tank battles. I get a certain sort of stress playing this game and someone I know who was a tanker in a past life sometimes has a few emotional issues when playing. They remember what tank they commandeered back in WWII and since they can play it in the game, interesting results ensue.
exclusive_wot_british_tanks_artwork_exclusive_desert_smaller.jpg

Assassin's Creed III takes place during Colonial America and the American Revolution and is rather unique for this. The plot isn't too realistic but the graphics and gamesets are stunning:
http://daxgamer.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/Assassins-Creed-III_09-24-12-12.jpg

There are a ton of other games and I could rattle off examples all day, but I'm interested in feedback:

Anyone else had these sort of experiences with videogames based off of history? Have you had memories or emotions triggered by them?

If you don't play videogames at all and have never heard of any of the games I'm talking about, that's fine. If you've lived a past life as a soldier, how does the idea of playing a game like the above sound to you? If you could, would you try it? Why or why not?
 
The only game I play is Tetris. I like organizing things into tidy blocks, and making them disappear. I got "addicted" to it, and had to get my daughter to hide the game, because I realized it was not a constructive pursuit. It was a great stress reliever, though.


As for soldiers, and current games with beautiful, complex graphics and themes - I think that whether or not playing the games would be enjoyable depends on the nature of your war experience, and your feelings about it. That the games could serve as triggers seem logical, particularly as gamers become very immersed in the experience. I am eternally fascinated by movies and documentaries about WWII, but I think the preoccupation is unhealthy, as it tends to fuel stereotypical prejudices. Is it the same with video games?
 
LOL Briar, I'm a Tetris fan as well but have to agree not to go near it. It used to serve me well on work break times as it guaranteed not being disturbed. :D


I do agree with this one Spatz from the other side to gage what games people can & can't play as a view to their pl's.


A young man I know likes the war games. He has appeared in my French resistance life. As he's only just turned twenty I suspect another life in between & am quite sure his being involved with war continued. There are other clues to this also but it fits another piece of the puzzle & helps me understand better.
 
I don't know if this theory fits in my case, but here's my opinions.


I enjoy RPGs but only because they let me escape from my current life. My favorite childhood games were also always of the pretend variety. I was always the mommy taking care of the children. I never really liked anything else. Basic board games I guess. I hate puzzles though.
 
I tend to enjoy military games like Starwars; the philosophy is quite oddly attractive and the Halo Series
 
starrynight said:
LOL Briar, I'm a Tetris fan as well but have to agree not to go near it. It used to serve me well on work break times as it guaranteed not being disturbed. :D
I do agree with this one Spatz from the other side to gage what games people can & can't play as a view to their pl's.


A young man I know likes the war games. He has appeared in my French resistance life. As he's only just turned twenty I suspect another life in between & am quite sure his being involved with war continued. There are other clues to this also but it fits another piece of the puzzle & helps me understand better.
Click to expand...
Sweet there definitely might be a link to military lives and military games :D
 
Hey, Tetris teaches a useful skill. Puzzles! Loading a dishwasher, bagging grocheries and packing the trunk of your car. Just three that came to mind.
 
I can add to the list, Chryscat. Storing the left-overs in the fridge after Thanksgiving dinner! I have read that most Tetris addicts are women. If we link games to past lives, does a love of Tetris mean a soul's energy is primarily female? We have yet to hear much from those who play military games. We must have members who play them. Any thoughts?
 
I'm into Halo;Heroic/Legendary and am a English Civil War Veteran. I suspect that there is a link but who knows.
 
"Halo" does seem to have a religious connection, Twilight. Is that what you find appealing about it? I have heard there are big "Halo" tournaments. Do you compete?
 
Not really but I've thought about it though maybe when I'm older and better skilled. Due to the same reason why Dad quit hunting in the 6th grade; getting through my education and kick starting my career as a tax collector and activist was the most important objective due to the recession.


However, once I have a secure footing on my career, I'd love to go :)
 
Well, as someone who plays a ton of videogames and knows quite a few professional gamers, I'll advise that it takes a lot of time to get to the pro level and you probably make the right choice as choosing education as a priority. That being said, if you're serious about competition as something more than just a fun hobby, it takes about as much time as a part time job to be even decent. Hopefully your career affords you this time since it takes some dedication!


To stay on topic, since you mentioned that you'd spent a past life as a soldier, are there common themes to that particular war and Halo?


I make the obvious connection with past lives and war games, with the conflict itself and the uniforms, weapons, machinery, even environment etc. being the same but in a game like Halo which is set in some sort of future, what is the connection you draw? I know nothing about the English Civil War so you'll have to explain!

I have read that most Tetris addicts are women. If we link games to past lives, does a love of Tetris mean a soul's energy is primarily female?
Click to expand...
Interesting, I hadn't read that! I played a ton of it when I was much younger. While I'm hesitant to remark on the gender of my soul energy, I typically relate with activities that tend to be more popular with males.

Sweet there definitely might be a link to military lives and military games
Click to expand...
I tend to draw links to military past lives and military anything. Read an interesting discussion about the soldier vs. the warrior and perhaps those who still play war games are really just still playing war.
Anyways, that's why I asked around, to see if anyone had felt the same or had reactions to games like that. Of course there is a link! But I also think it's interesting to hear what folks do after an emotional/spiritual reaction. Was it remarkably unpleasant and so would you avoid these games/movies, or are you more drawn to them.

That the games could serve as triggers seem logical, particularly as gamers become very immersed in the experience. I am eternally fascinated by movies and documentaries about WWII, but I think the preoccupation is unhealthy, as it tends to fuel stereotypical prejudices. Is it the same with video games?
Click to expand...
Yeah, I think it's logical too. The immersion experience adds a dimension that isn't there with movies as well and it is (and has been) typically 'easier' for me to watch a war movie than to play a war game.


Regarding unhealthy preoccupations, I think anything that someone does or is interested in can be unhealthy if it is an obsession, no matter the subject. Most people who hear anything about my interest in WWII think it's cool, actually -especially since I'm female and that's rather uncommon. Maybe that's just an American thing, it's still a big deal here and is a popular subject. What particular part of WWII are you interested in, and what about it makes you prejudiced?
 
I'm particularly interested in the European theater of operations. D-Day, and the covert ops aspects are interesting. I recently watched a documentary about an American unit that was composed of artists, architects, set designers, etc. They created the illusion that there was an American military presence where none existed. The designer, Bill Blass, was part of the unit. Lately, I watch things about the war in the Pacific. It was a big gap in my knowledge. I had relatives who served in all theaters. The other day, I watched an old film from the 60's about the Battle of the Bulge. There was a scene where Nazis in American uniforms (covert ops) did the German straight-arm salute. It made my blood run cold, and I was almost physically ill, so for me, it fuels hatred. I think that's an unreasonable reaction, and I don't know where it comes from. If you see film interviews of real veterans, from all sides, they have managed to put the animosity behind them, yet some people with PLs haven't. I thought about that, and concluded that over the course of long lives, they had time to come to terms with the experience. Those who died didn't, and in many cases, plunged back into bodies. What do you think?
 
BriarRose said:
The other day, I watched an old film from the 60's about the Battle of the Bulge. There was a scene where Nazis in American uniforms (covert ops) did the German straight-arm salute. It made my blood run cold, and I was almost physically ill, so for me, it fuels hatred. I think that's an unreasonable reaction, and I don't know where it comes from.
Click to expand...
Here's a bit of history. Do you know where the Nazi's dressed in American uniforms came from? They all had American accents because they were born in the U.S. Their parents moved the family back to Germany during the 1930's. One thing that tripped them up was the lack of current events knowledge that all of the real Americans knew. Such as which teams were in the 1941 World Series, or what time did the attack on Pearl Harbor happen?
 
It's all cool :)

Spatz said:
Well, as someone who plays a ton of videogames and knows quite a few professional gamers, I'll advise that it takes a lot of time to get to the pro level and you probably make the right choice as choosing education as a priority. That being said, if you're serious about competition as something more than just a fun hobby, it takes about as much time as a part time job to be even decent. Hopefully your career affords you this time since it takes some dedication!
To stay on topic, since you mentioned that you'd spent a past life as a soldier, are there common themes to that particular war and Halo?
Click to expand...
At the Pillar of Autumn out of almost nowhere becides ship politics, the Elites and Grunts attack the ship. Some like the Master Cheif escaped but others were not so lucky and were detected by the Covenant patrols.


When I was 10 years old, I lived in a town right near the waterfront called Redding. We had a dock holding my father's boat but when the Seige of Redding took place, my father died saving me, my sisters and Mother's lives. Unfortunately my brother was not so lucky and was sent to the orphanage.


I guess it would be safe to say thst the lifepod was the boat and the Covenant's actions were just life the Royalist foes......


After the Redding attack, my personal obgective was to avenge my father. I was displeased by King Charles and was worth every shedding of his blood just like when the Arbiter exectuted the Prophet of Truth


Inbetween the wars has been hardly explored at the momment but I hope to relive the battle :)

Spatz said:
I make the obvious connection with past lives and war games, with the conflict itself and the uniforms, weapons, machinery, even environment etc. being the same but in a game like Halo which is set in some sort of future, what is the connection you draw? I know nothing about the English Civil War so you'll have to explain!
Interesting, I hadn't read that! I played a ton of it when I was much younger. While I'm hesitant to remark on the gender of my soul energy, I typically relate with activities that tend to be more popular with males.


I tend to draw links to military past lives and military anything. Read an interesting discussion about the soldier vs. the warrior and perhaps those who still play war games are really just still playing war.


Anyways, that's why I asked around, to see if anyone had felt the same or had reactions to games like that. Of course there is a link! But I also think it's interesting to hear what folks do after an emotional/spiritual reaction. Was it remarkably unpleasant and so would you avoid these games/movies, or are you more drawn to them?
Click to expand...
 
I did know that, Argonne. That somehow makes it worse, but I'm sure other countries, including the U.S., have used that ruse. The special effects unit I wrote about was classified information for 60 years. It had been so successful that the military held the idea in reserve, in case it was needed in the Cold War.
 
BriarRose said:
There was a scene where Nazis in American uniforms (covert ops) did the German straight-arm salute. It made my blood run cold, and I was almost physically ill, so for me, it fuels hatred. I think that's an unreasonable reaction, and I don't know where it comes from. If you see film interviews of real veterans, from all sides, they have managed to put the animosity behind them, yet some people with PLs haven't. I thought about that, and concluded that over the course of long lives, they had time to come to terms with the experience. Those who died didn't, and in many cases, plunged back into bodies. What do you think?
Click to expand...
Well, based only on my observations, I tend to agree with you on that one. Methinks that when someone dies in a traumatic fashion, with physical/emotional distress, they tend to be 'stuck' in some way spiritually or mentally and perhaps someone who lives beyond that is not. Maybe death isn't a requirement for that, per se, but traumatic events are, in my opinion. I've met a few veterans of different conflicts, and it really does seem to depend on the person, but in many of the more famous WWII veteran stories, members from each side definitely have come to terms and don't seem to have a problem being friends.


Regarding your Nazi hatred, I'll agree with you that it may be unreasonable, and it definitely sounds uncomfortable. Hate isn't the best feeling... and it's not particularly constructive. So I don't blame you for perhaps avoiding the subject if you get this reaction. If you feel badly/inappropriately about something and don't know why, sometimes it's just best to leave it alone for a while!


Well argonne, since you mention WWI a lot, how do you feel about the WWI game I posted a picture of? Would you ever have an interest in playing a game like that and what does the thought of clicking around in the trenches through a videogame make you feel?


EDIT:

I did know that, Argonne. That somehow makes it worse, but I'm sure other countries, including the U.S., have used that ruse
Click to expand...
Yes, dressing up as the enemy and infiltrating them is an old, old trick. Otto Skorzeny was famous at Nuremberg for Operation Greif, among other things, but a British commando testified having done a similar thing. I personally don't like that idea, it's not 'playing fair'. However, what you mentioned with the set artists is really interesting and I know both sides pulled things like that, I think it's creative and honestly sort of cool. But on the other hand, it's sort of a shame that the unique creativity of the human imagination is put to work destroying each other.
 
BriarRose said:
The special effects unit I wrote about was classified information for 60 years. It had been so successful that the military held the idea in reserve, in case it was needed in the Cold War.
Click to expand...
Was that the one related to D-Day? I've seen newsreel footage where they had inflatable rubber decoys that looked like tanks, trucks, etc. from the air. It was to fool the German reconnaissance planes. It worked very well. I'm sure it would work equally well with spy-satellites.
 
I think we're talking about the same unit, Argonne. They did use inflatable decoys, sound effects, painted backdrops, etc. A lot of the men went on to successful careers as artists, photographers, etc., and became very well known . They were involved in D-Day, and many other operations, and are credited with saving many lives. It was called the "Ghost Unit", and the documentary was filmed by PBS.


Another interesting story is "Operation Mincemeat", where the British planted a dead body with documents presenting disinformation to throw the German high command off before the invasion of Italy from North Africa. That's the path my father took during the war - North Africa, Italy, France.


On the German side, I find Rommel to be a fascinating figure. This morning, I found a book called, "The German Aces Speak" on Amazon. You see Spatz, there are other women with a strong interest in war. It has been pointed out to me that my feelings about WWII are irrationally strong, since I wasn't alive, and lost no relatives to combat. I also harbor no ill will toward the Japanese.


Argonne, you and I are the same age, and we both watched the same anti-German propaganda programming on TV as children. Do you have strong feelings triggered by war movies? Sorry, Spatz. I don't know where our gamers are, but we must have some! I hope they chime in, and share their game experiences!
 
I always liked strategy games, like


- Command & conquer


- civilization


- Age of empires


Rpg´s


- Call of duty


- CS


and especialy games that simulated ww2 scenarios


(back then i didn´t quite understood why i allways dropped the (allied weapon, an picked up the "enemy" weapons...)


and didn´t like to shoot the "enemy"...


Flight sims


- Microsoft WW2 flight simulator (Europe Series)


- IL2 (Forgoten Battles)


- Birds of Steel


- World of warplanes


( here, the same, i can only play with specific planes... and i´ve tried others, but i just fail to play with them.)


Now, all makes sense to me.
 
I know this is somewhat unrelated, but you made me think of something. Have you heard of an anime called 'Hetalia'? Its a historical parody that's mostly set during WW2 and the characters are personified countries (so theres a Britain, France, America and so forth). On youtube I watched a Q&A of some Hetalia cosplayers and at the end they did an 'ask a cosplayer' segment, so they were 'out of character' for that.


Many were asked why they chose to cosplay the character they chose. The responses were interesting-esp the Germany cosplayer's response.


That fandom always make me wonder if pl influence to a degree which chatacters they like (since they're nations).


If anyone is interested I can pm the link (or post here if allowed)
 
As a child I always remember being drawn to watching my dad play Medal of Honor on the PS1.


I've also been very attached to racing games since I was young and have a wonderful sense of familiarity when playing them. I've never driven a car before, but I've often had dreams where I get into a car and start driving, and it's totally natural! I know exactly what I'm doing, and the driving feels euphoric!


Over recent years my partner and I have both been particularly drawn to Skyrim, we both find it very relaxing~
 
ColourODarkness said:
I've never driven a car before, but I've often had dreams where I get into a car and start driving, and it's totally natural! I know exactly what I'm doing, and the driving feels euphoric!
Click to expand...
Do you know what kind of car it was? Can you find a photo of it?
 
flashback said:
I always liked strategy games, like
- Command & conquer


- civilization


- Age of empires


Rpg´s


- Call of duty


- CS


and especialy games that simulated ww2 scenarios


(back then i didn´t quite understood why i allways dropped the (allied weapon, an picked up the "enemy" weapons...)


and didn´t like to shoot the "enemy"...


Flight sims


- Microsoft WW2 flight simulator (Europe Series)


- IL2 (Forgoten Battles)


- Birds of Steel


- World of warplanes


( here, the same, i can only play with specific planes... and i´ve tried others, but i just fail to play with them.)


Now, all makes sense to me.
Click to expand...
Yeah, I felt very similarly and we've played a lot of the same games. I'm not and was't as into flight (I played World of Warplanes when it was in beta and while its a beautiful game, flight mechanics and dogfighting just isnt my thing. Ever play any of the Red Baron games? Six year old Spatz panicked every time lmao) I prefer games with more focus on ground units, but like you said, it all makes sense to me now.

I know this is somewhat unrelated, but you made me think of something. Have you heard of an anime called 'Hetalia'? Its a historical parody that's mostly set during WW2 and the characters are personified countries (so theres a Britain, France, America and so forth). On youtube I watched a Q&A of some Hetalia cosplayers and at the end they did an 'ask a cosplayer' segment, so they were 'out of character' for that.
Click to expand...
LOL, I remember when that was a thing and despite having my own ties to WWI and WWII it never quite appealed. I was asked to join a cosplay group as Germany, I guess because of how I look, but with a bit of a peek into what that sort of thing would be like, I rapidly and firmly declined. While I tend to hold the opinion that an obsession with anything that has a historical theme doesn't just come from nowhere, and certainly some individuals may be drawn for pl experience reasons whether they're aware of it or not, I'd be hesitant to make that evaluation for an entire interest group in this case.
 
argonne1918 said:
Do you know what kind of car it was? Can you find a photo of it?
Click to expand...
I can never really see the car (either that or I never remember it), I only ever remember see myself getting into the drivers side, which always seems to be on the left.


On another note I've been watching a playthrough of a video game called Banished recently, which is a medieval town/city building simulator, and whenever I watch I get this terrible feeling of longing/sadness.
 
OMG I just bought Gears Of War 2, days ago and accidentally played it past midnight despite it being a work day. I've never done that in my career before.
 
Oh dear, staying up late and playing videogames on a workday? I'd better not talk, I'm a terrible influence for this. "Just one more level" and "Just one more win" is a slippery, slippery slope :laugh:


In any case, it's definitely easy to get fixated on those types of games and I'll admit sometimes I have to take a step back and take a break. These videogames are quite literally designed to be addictive and interesting and they're supposed to make you respond on some emotional level -whatever that emotion might be for you- since the designers and companies obviously want you to play their games. There is a lot of psychology that goes into game design.


Naturally some folks connect with and respond differently to them due to those pl experiences, but even though one might feel very strongly and it might feel okay, it isn't always healthy to get so fixated. Methinks looking back and saying 'Hey, maybe I shouldn't stay up and play this beyond a reasonable bed time' is a responsible thing to do in order to keep that from being a habit. Even if something is really fun, it's a good idea to take some cool down time.
 
Memories Triggered By Video Games?


I'm posting this because I want to know: Has anyone ever had flashbacks to PLs that were triggered by simply playing a video game? I'd imagine such things would happen with games like The Elder Scrolls, Call of Duty, and other realistic, historical looking games. I'm also curious as to wether it is possible that people who play Sims may be recreating PL events (by how their sims look, how the families are set up, where they live etc.)


I'm sorry if this is a dumb question. I'm not trying to ridicule anyone here, in fact I myself have had memories triggered by video games. (Though it was more of a feeling not a vision)


Prepare for long post (reading this is optional):


When I used to play Sims 3 all day long I would get this nervous feeling whenever the babies and toddlers cried. That was...maybe 7 months ago :confused:... anyway, the day before yesterday I pondered on this. I slowly revealed a life as a Scottish mother, named Adaira, who was married to a man named Marcas. She had two sons, Alasdair, whose nickname was Alas, and Rabbie. This life took place in the early 1300s. The town name began with the letters B-o. I didn't get the rest unfortunately. :(


In 1301 (that's the year that came to me) there was a small scale raid on the town (no king or conqueror, just thugs, so there probably isn't any historical record). My two sons were taken. I spent years in mouring, until 1308, when I delivered a third child. Unfortunately, I died in childbirth, so I never knew it's gender.


P.S. I actually posted that before but I posted on an old thread so I'm posting it again in a new thread.


Thanks for reading and sorry for the long post! :o
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top