Do you think Beatmania or any other music game isn't just physically Healthy but...

PGwojowski · 07-31-2006, 01:27 AM

Mentally. I went and played that game on the Nintendo DS where you have to match different colors and shapes and stuff and I realized...

When you play DDR or Beatmania, you are constantly recognizing shapes and patterns. It is just like that game except in a very different format. Your brain is consantly focused. Sure the game doesn't make you smart, and neither does that DS game, but when you see the advertising for the DS game they say, "Just keeping your mind fixed on a few problems every day can help increase bloodflow to the brain." or something like that.

I think watching little dots and arrows speeding up/down (or in circles or spinning or anything depending on whether you choose mods) the screen keeps my brain fixed and focused for a long time, so does that mean I am training my mind like they say in that Nintendo DS game?

Psh, I don't know, but I thought it made a worthy topic, and it seems like there could be plenty of topics for discussion regarding it.

raven_tker · 07-31-2006, 01:36 AM

my mind drifts off much of the time while playing iidx regardless

i think its why i cant AAA anything. I cant concentrate on pressing buttons within a certian period of time for two minutes, though i dont think inhaling solder fumes is any healthier.

DELICIOUS HOT COCK · 07-31-2006, 02:08 AM

Even if your conscious mind drifts off, some part of your brain is processing. I think it's valid anyway.

Monster in a box · 07-31-2006, 05:21 PM

Bemani hurts my wrists, and my eyes.

Arimasen · 07-31-2006, 05:29 PM

I don't watch the notes scroll down, I just stare at one point on the screen and use the minimal perspective view of my eyes to watch the screen to see all the notes without moving my eyes.

FrozenHalo · 07-31-2006, 06:03 PM

I think its the same for a lot of players.

Shuugo · 07-31-2006, 06:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Arimasen

I don't watch the notes scroll down, I just stare at one point on the screen and use the minimal perspective view of my eyes to watch the screen to see all the notes without moving my eyes.

Same for me. I just focus on one point, on the difficult parts though I change the way I look at the notes falling.

DELICIOUS HOT COCK · 07-31-2006, 08:50 PM

That still builds focus.

shungokusatsu · 07-31-2006, 09:20 PM

Usually, watching notes scroll down is like looking at cars coming from the opposite direction pass by on a highway.

EvangelionUnit03 · 07-31-2006, 10:39 PM

If you knew a bit about the brain, Brain Training claims to work because it "exercises" many parts of the brain.

Rythmn games...it most likely doesn't do as much. It becomes a conditioned thing. Note appears, press button.

seiya256 · 08-01-2006, 12:29 AM

It actually depends on how you play. If you work mostly on the visual cues, then yes it is very limiting on how much it "trains" your brain. If you use the visual cues to translate to the music/rhythm that it creates, then you are actually using multiple areas of the brain as well as left/right brain coordination. Studies are showing that people who continue/learn to play music at an older age are less likely to have Alzheimer's than those who don't. (I sure as Hell hope it helps because my brain is starting to go fast! ...now where did I put those keys?)

Victamone · 08-01-2006, 12:38 AM

It's probably healthy for the brain but not healthy enough to the point of recognition. But what do I know? Absolutely nothing about the brain.

Audity · 08-01-2006, 04:17 PM

On the subject of playing an instrument, even if one plays Double on IIDX and gets really good, at least from my experience (Im not really good tho), even the most basic piano songs will confuse the hands that are trying to play separate rhythms. Probably not true 100% of the time, as I just seem to have really bad left+right hand balance FOREVER. So just because you can AAA One More Lovely A14 doesn't mean it will help at all when learning piano. If anything it makes it worse. I'm always relying on trying to find a combined rhythm, yet I see all these piano players that could be playing something even just fairly melodic (bassic?) in the left hand and bust out a simple melody in the right hand, as if their left hand is on autopilot. Definitely an impossibility for me, especially if the bass is like repeating a non-constant-8th-note bassline, like 8th notes then a pause then a "gallop" then some random strange stuff.

I also barely practice playing piano, but still IIDX helps in no way whatsoever besides muscles.

Arkaaito · 08-01-2006, 09:38 PM

I don't know about whether it's biologically helpful, but I would say it's definitely psychologically helpful.

I view Beatmania as something of a meditative activity, like a cross between playing the flute and multiplying 10-digit numbers on paper. This in turn helps me relax and gives me a chance to think about the things present in my life and work out what to do about them.

However, if this is relevant, there are certainly other activities which are helped by Beatmania playing - quick mathematical computations and piano playing among them.

misterCQNZR · 08-02-2006, 09:12 AM

If anything all bemani games do is strengthen hand eye coordination, just like any other video game (but probably moreso).