Could video games aid LD?

**LukeSid** · 06-03-2013 01:17 PM

I’ve been playing video games for over 30 years and, even in early wire-frame games, I was really there in my imagination. Some modern ones even give me goose-pimples when I’m playing.

Two years ago, before I’d even heard of LD I was working my way through “Halo Reach” on legendary level (not bad considering my age) and I always played late at night, using headphones. I got blocked on trying to access the control room full of elites. They murdered me for days (worse, one would occasionally enter the corridor I was hiding in – I get goose pimples talking about it- that’s how involved I got.)

One night - I think now that I had a “hypnagogic jerk” – I opened my eyes and there was a young girl sitting by my bed. She wasn’t looking directly at me and her image was really vivid and lifelike – then the image “froze” and became more like a picture. That’s the first time in my life I’ve woken and said “Wow!” (it was that mind-blowing)

A few days later I had a second experience. I was dozing on my couch (old boys like me do that) and it was as if a hatchway opened below me and a young man peered up at me (again, a vivid image and my impression was of a fifties style American technician – I don’t know why I thought that – Neither experience was frightening – just “Wow!”)

But I never went back to complete the level and I became edgy about hanging clothing on the pegs of my bedroom door. Several times I awoke and the outlines seemed threatening.Since then I‘ve noticed that, after switching off my light the darkness seems to “seeth”- as if there’s movement everywhere. That might be perfectly normal and may be link to “floaters” in my eyes or something –but I’ve never noticed that phenomenon before that. Of course, it might just be my over-active imagination and old age, but it hasn't gone away.

Some websites say video games can alter brain function and I wonder...can they perhaps be an aid to LD…has anyone any ideas on that?

P.S. No more vivid images like that since I stopped playing at that level of intensity.

**dutchraptor** · 06-03-2013 02:19 PM

Video games can be either extremely useful or detrimental to lucid dreaming. Personally I think it really helps me...
All my dreams, just like in games, are set in 3rd person with the ability to quick load and quick save etc. I have very little difficulty gaining control in my lucid dreams because I just know that like in a game I am practically invincible. On top of this, the style of a game will often pass onto my dream resulting in medieval or fantasy dreams a lot more than on a normal day.

However they can also ruin your LDing progress in a few ways. Firstly when you play games you are usually in a dimly lit room and it is late, which obviously doesn't go down well with your sleep cycle. Secondly scary games can provide you with more anxiety filled dreams. Thirdly you can often get immersed into a game and forget to reality check when you see weird things because you accept the games world.

All of these problems are luckily easy to avoid or use to your advantage. Play games at a proper time and go to bed a few hours after it gets dark, use nightmares etc to induce lucid dreams and doing frequent reality checks while gaming will all ensure that you make the most of your time gaming.

**LukeSid** · 06-03-2013 03:09 PM

Hi dutchraptor Thanks for responding. I've stopped playing games late at night but I'll try what you said. As I remarked on a previous occasion, since I'm trying for lucidity my vivid dreams are less frequent and seem to have watered down and that's another mystery. My waking dream this morning was something about Indian athletes really doing well at some Olympic games and I wonder what the hell that was all about?...it seemed more of a statement than a dream that I was involved in...neither am I Indian nor am I very interested in sport or Olympic games. It's almost as if my mind is playing tricks on me, teasing me

**Scionox** · 06-03-2013 07:58 PM

Like dutchraptor said, video games can help with ideas in dreams and also they can induce pretty fun dreams as well.

I am hardcore video game player and i don't think i have experienced any negative effects besides playing overly active game before nap making it harder to fall asleep, but that's easy to avoid.

As for that olympics dream, maybe you just heard it somewhere that day or some other day briefly? Sometimes dreams can pick completely random theme from through the day or earlier.

**LukeSid** · 06-03-2013 10:33 PM

Hi Checker666 You might be right about hearing it somewhere. Dreams are often pretty crazy things anyway aren't they. I'm just a bit too involved in games I think. I suspect that I would perhaps get battle fatigue in a real war...I just take the whole virtual thing too darn seriously. Incidentally, after initial reservations, I'm loving Halo 4...some highly-playable levels on there...although I'm steering clear of legendary...too risky at my age

**Zoth** · 06-03-2013 11:10 PM

Look at this article

**LukeSid** · 06-04-2013 12:55 PM

Hi Zoth Thanks for responding. I've already tried the list of tasks and nearly drove myself mad. I'm at home indoors a lot and I put down things like mirrors, doors, flowers and that was fatal My day was one continuous RC (I must have looked like I was on something, with eyes darting everywhere, looking at my hands, pinching my nose etc) and I clearly need to refine my lists into things I see more infrequently...and that's a better test of conditioning anyway.
Funnily enough, I was looking at your MMR post just before I saw your post on this thread and that might well help me. I definitely have memory loss for names and I can only remember that last dream of the night at the moment so this aid might well be what I need
It's all good fun isn't it!

**KingYoshi** · 06-04-2013 01:20 PM

I've been playing video games since I was 2 years old and could barely keep hold of the controller. Aside from the genetic aspect of it, I contribute nearly all of my treasured qualities to video games (reflexes, ambidexterity, intelligence, advanced cognitive processes, clutch ability, creative imagination, lucid dreaming, etc.). Without my ridiculous amounts of video game playing, I'd be a completely different person right now. My kids will be playing video games at a very early age.

**LukeSid** · 06-04-2013 02:54 PM

Mmm...Perhaps my long years of playing might help rather than hinder me. We started with the "Pong" game, then flirted with Atari, then IntelliVision and Coleco (we paid circa £200 for those consoles all those years ago) I loved the sad vulnerable feeling I got playing "Free for All" level in "Wasteland" on MW2 when one of those guys who roamed around endlessly at high speed would kill me before I even got a shot off. (I blamed my poor internet speed of course, although it was presumably the slower reaction time we oldies have)

**KingYoshi** · 06-04-2013 10:31 PM

Originally Posted by LukeSid

I loved the sad vulnerable feeling I got playing "Free for All" level in "Wasteland" on MW2 when one of those guys who roamed around endlessly at high speed would kill me before I even got a shot off. (I blamed my poor internet speed of course, although it was presumably the slower reaction time we oldies have)

You may be right, but CoD online is full of bull shit. I'm into the series, I play them online religiously, and am damn good at them. Still doesn't mean I don't get screwed over every 5 seconds

. So much depends on the lag compensation in the game that it can drive you mad, haha.

**Lucidit** · 06-04-2013 10:43 PM

Idk, but when I play DotA late in night, and then go to sleep, I always have dreams where I'm playing ''Dream DotA'' which is totaly different from normal DotA lol.
But it's awesome ahahahah
Althought, they aren't Lucid...

**Caboose128** · 06-04-2013 11:24 PM

I had a dream once, it was during an afternoon nap. My TV switched on, this guy popped up and proceeded to talk about video games. He said that our brains like video games because a certain part of our brains shut off while playing them, providing a relaxing effect. He said that if he was to get up, write down everything that happened in his dreams, smoke a cig and then go back to bed (the WBTB method), that it would make his brain really tired.

So if you suffer with a lot of anxiety I could see how they could be helpful! This guy seemed to think so hahah but who knows if it's real valuable information or just random dream hogwash. That's up to you to decide!

Also, for those interested: Daphne Bavelier: Your brain on video games | Video on TED.com