"The Zone"

HeWhoGoverns · Post by **HeWhoGoverns** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 12:50 am

Can anyone supply me with articles about "the zone"? By "zone" I mean the total and complete devotion of concentration to playing shmups. The "nirvana-like state of mind." When you "become the ship" Any resources would be helpful. I'm doing a project on the meditative qualities of videogames, and I think that shmups can play a large role in this project.

Twiddle · Post by **Twiddle** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:07 am

adrenaline injection due to being under extreme amounts of stress

thread over

Randorama · Post by **Randorama** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 1:54 am

+1

I missed this kind of thread!

DBHashman93 · Post by **DBHashman93** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:12 am

If you have access to research journal articles, psychology refers to it as a "flow state" and although there aren't too many studies on the subject I'm sure you will be able to find a few. There are several characteristics that seem to increase the likelihood of being "in the zone" or in a flow state, but the only one I can remember off of the top of my head is that the task being performed should be slightly more challenging than the person's current skill level.

I know that may seem fairly obvious but again there is SOME empirical research to back it up...you just need to find it. Sorry I can't link directly to journal articles...

EDIT:

This may be more in-depth than the scope of your project but I found an article that may be helpful. Here is the abstract:

Media enjoyment is theorized by synthesizing empirical literature from uses and gratifications with Csikszentmihalyi's flow theory. This article argues that enjoyment of media results from a flow experience realized when media message content balances with individual ability to interpret that message. Further, it theorizes that media experience, along with individual differences in cognitive abilities, facilitates or prevents flow state in media users. Therefore, it is a balance between individual differences in cognitive abilities and media message challenges that explains enjoyment of media use. The authors offer the case of video game usage as an exemplar, and examples of cognitive tasks are provided and linked to game genre content.

The author is John Sherry and the article title is
Flow and Media Enjoyment. PM me if you're interested in seeing the whole article (it's 18 pages)

shoe-sama · Post by **shoe-sama** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:18 am

1) have to know exactly where hitbox is just by looking seeing shot is going

Pixel_Outlaw · Post by **Pixel_Outlaw** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 3:22 am

Thoughts actions and mental states exceed time and become one. Everything is comprehendable and action is independent of time. A purse turns into a fleeing cat and the Lolly Taxi becomes a mountain of Wal*Mart bargain goods. Your controller becomes an extension of your soul. The mind operates without permission.

Post by **Ghegs** » Tue Dec 04, 2007 8:36 am

There also UPLIFT - Enabling Latent Human Capability Through Gaming, but unfortunately the program hasn't been put up for download. I e-mailed them about it a long time ago, but never got any response. Still, the documents might be of interest.