The Double Blade Sword of Video Game

When video game is mentioned, the first image that shows up in my mind is the 3-D leisure web game where either kids or young adults play a role in a virtual world to attack, survive, construct, explore, etc. I am never a game person. In my whole life, I've only played video games for a couple of times, be seduced and challenged by friends. It was not until I saw those simulation flash games aiming to facilitate school teaching and learning that I realized games can also be serious rather than leisure. I was astonished by virtual games like Second Life when an instructor showed it in class prior to Pi-Day (March 14) last year. Then I was convinced that gaming can integrate instruction and fun in a good manner. Though, it's not necessarily means virtual games and simulation can take the place of real world practice such as community service. No matter how well the virtual games simulate the real-world scenario, it can not simulate the variability and adversity of the real world. I see good points in the serious video games that simulate the scenario unavailable to regular persons like the outer space or the microcosm, however I don't think it's should be encouraged to simulate a garden or a community where game players learn to cultivate or socialize.