The XBOX 360 & XBOX LIVE Culture

Description
One unfamiliar with it’s purpose may only describe the boxy yet somehow modern design of the Xbox 360 as plain or dull by today’s standards. Despite the not overwhelming dull white paintjob, accented by some flashes of reflective medal, this video gaming system has been a giant leap in the evolution of the video gaming industry. From the front there is a single silver cd/dvd lid with XBOX 360 etched in it, which anyone should recognize as a cd drive, accompanied by 4 small covered ports, a clear glass space which appears nothing more than a hole, and the power button, which comes to life in a vibrant green when running. The small covers for the ports house slots which charge batteries that operate the controllers and house memory cards for portable memory storage. The small glass window is the receiver for the communication between the wireless controllers and the cpu. The wireless controllers another giant advancement in the video gaming industry as previous attempts have shown very poor performance. The XBOX 360 weights 7.7, and is comparable in size to that of an average VCR or DVD player.
The top and bottom of the machine are essentially forgotten space, as they are also painted in the dull white finish, with small holes to vent for better performance placed near each edge of the unit. While looking straight at the system, the right side is finished in an extremely lackluster grey and also faceted with the small holes for ventilation.
The left hand by contrast is very meaningful for all of those devoted to playing a wide variety of games as it is the heart and sole of the operation. Here is housed a 20 gigabyte that is mostly covered in the same boring grey color, with the exception that it is bordered by a highly reflective silver colored metal, and has a thick stripe of the same metal running right through the middle of it, giving a very modern and high tech look to it. The unit acting as the lifeblood of the unit ties into all aspects of the game system. It houses much of the vital information for playing, largely dealing with memory for the games played, acting essentially as any modern day desktop or laptop computer in it’s visual user interface, and also serving as the connection center for XBOX Live, which will be discussed later.
The rear of the unit, houses all of the ports for plug-ins. Since it is not a side of the machine usually seen it is done in the same dull grey color, and houses three different plugs, with three distinct purposes. The smallest port, is the one which receives a cord to allow connection to the internet. This can be through a cord attached to a router, or through a separately sold XBOX 360 specific, wireless transmitter (about $100 retail). This relatively small port enables the entire world of XBOX Live to exist as it is, a collection of gamers, who cooperate or battle through many different games, game types, and on different levels of ability. The second of these is a port which handles the audio and visual transmission with the unit. With our constantly modernizing society, there are two different compatibility options. The first is the basic audio left and right cables and single visual cable that can be plugged into many VCRs and TVs. The other option works with modern technology, namely being compatible with HD or high-definition quality visuals appearances as well better audio quality. The final plug on the back of the machine is the one that houses the power source. The cord that extends from the machine has a built in surge-protector to help protect the delicate inner workings of the system from power spikes.
Some relatively recent variations of the basic appearance of the XBOX 360 game console are wide ranging and reflect our hyper consumer culture. There are different “face plates” that can go onto the front of the console to make it more visually appealing. Other options to show that one is not plain and boring with sticking with the basic package are the several types of controllers, which have graphics all over them, which show scenes from some of the most popular games. There are options to allow your XBOX 360 to perform different functions than what are basically equipped. One of these options is to purchase a DVD player attachment that comes with a remote, and allows someone to play DVD’s through their machine. This is very consistent with the progression of almost all of our electronics, as once they are found to be good at what they were intended to do they, immediately are analyzed to find out what other “capabilities” they can bring users; and more importantly to attract future buyers. In coordination with the biggest selling game for the console, Halo 3, they are offering a new package that comes with some upgrades over the original XBOX 360 Premium Package. These upgrades include a 120 GB processor, and also a higher quality HD connector, namely the HDMI capability. These variations to customize one’s system are seemingly unending.
Beyond just the physical “360” as it is sometimes referred to, the world of XBOX live, opens up an unending world of options that allow you to completely control and customize your gaming experience, including playing with friends, playing against strangers, and competing with others from all across the world in a huge variety of games. In this online world, every user must have a different account name, which often helps to identify ones likes, opinions, or to make a statement in the hopes of getting a reaction from another player. Even though there are semi-strict guidelines as to what the names can be as long as length limits, the names range from cuddly things to sometimes vulgar or offensive statements. Some of these games even have tournaments and other qualification events online that allow users a chance to win trips, and get invitations to go places, where tournaments for superiority of ones game are held.
Central Questions
1. What are the societal effects of allowing players to compete in a forum such as XBOX live, where they have no face-to-face interaction and the environment is usually very accepting of most language?
2. Do the violent games available on these systems really attribute a great deal to our current violent society? If so is it the fault of the video game manufacturers, parents who let kids play violent games, or society in general showing so much violence?
3. Is the very simplistic design of the XBOX 360 system the intent of the designers to not take away from the technological capabilities of the unit?
4. Will the perceived effect of the growing population of video gamers in general, online video gamers, and future gamers be much different than the way an early system such as the original Nintendo?
5. What are the good and bad effects of the XBOX 360 and the amounts of time that young kids and adults alike are spending playing?
Research – Annotated Bibliography
Anderson, Craig & Dill, Karen. Video Games and Aggressive Thoughts, Feelings, and Behavior in the Laboratory and in Life. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, April 2000 Vol. 78, No. 4, 772-790.
This article dives deep into some of the studies which show and increased relationship between people who have committed violent acts and their exposure to violent video games. The main piece I am looking at here is the part about the Columbine shootings in Colorado and the one shooters scary link to video games.
Inburn Beta. “Overreaction to video game violence goes too far…again.” January 6, 2008.
This article makes a great point about a comparison I didn’t find addressed before. It talks about the lack of video games in other countries in the world where young people are much more violent and regularly wield automatic weapons, and deal death, not because of the influence of video games, but often because they don’t have parents to supervise or teach them. This furthers the divide between games being bad and parenting being bad.
Megz, CollegeNET Forum, “The video game craze and the effects of it.” February 8, 2008.
This is in essence a blog. I understand that it doesn’t have a great deal of weight in the matter of academic integrity, however it does look at the issue of video gaming on our culture, especially as it relates to the online gaming culture, and is commented on by people on all different relationships to video games, including disgruntled girlfriends who don’t like being ignored for these little boxes.
Riegelsberger et al. “Sounds good to Me: Effects of Photo and Voice Profiles on Gaming Partner Choice.” 2007.
This study on the interaction on XBOX live done less than a year ago I feel gives great insight into the online world that is created. It shows interactions between games, and how these interactions could be changed to make the experience a more hospitable and beneficial to each users fun. There are some great figures and statistics that should prove vital in establishing and making arguments for my paper.
Schaffer, Adam. Don't Shoot: Why video games really are linked to violence. April 27, 2007.

The great thing about this article is that it seeks to discredit many studies about the linkage between video games and violence as speculative. This leaves the interpretation of the actual relationship of video games and violence up to who ever want to draw a conclusion about it. Other good points are made namely, that maybe those who are more violent in nature choose to play violent video games.
Schiesel, Seth. New York Times. “Courts Block Laws on Video Game Violence.” August 21, 2007.
This article from the New York Times, is unique in that it catalogues some of the major legal battles that have gone on between our government, and the video game industry over further regulating the sale of violent video games to minors. It also dives into the notion that our government is trying to take the link between violence in video games (playable media) to that of pornography.
Sung, Lydia. Neoseeker: “UK gov't investigates games and its effects on society.” December 6, 2007.
This article that the UK is launching another massive study into the violence in video games is not news, what I am interested in is the fact that even though they haven’t completed their study, the UK government study leader is throwing the responsibility in dealing with this issue squarely in the laps of parents. They claim that the parents need to better sensor what their kids watch.
XBOX. 2008 Microsoft Corporation
This website is the entire Microsoft produced website dealing with everything XBOX 360 related. It deals with all the games, articles written about the system, and also has a wealth of information regarding the steps that parents can take to limit what games their kids can play and such. This will give me any basic information needed to further describe the artifact itself as well as provide factual information to support my argument.
Argument
My argument will be that the XBOX 360, it’s accompanying games, and it’s created online culture is not the cause for the spotty outbreaks of violence from video game players. There have been some incidences that seem to disprove this like the columbine event where,
“Eric Harris had actually modified a version of the game Doom and placed it on his Website. In his version there were two shooters, extra weapons, and the other people in the game couldn't shoot back. He and Klebold essentially acted-out their version of Doom on innocent classmates. (Anderson, 778)”
The linkage between the lack of parental control over children playing violent games seems to be just as strong a problem as the actual violent game content. The relationship between video game violence and real violent acts is at best implied, and not proved, and thus until large studies with longevity can prove a concrete link, or field tests yield better than suggestive results this linkage can only be implied.

The Symbolic Cigarette

Through the last couple of centuries, the cigarette has evolved its meaning and place in society. It is believed that the first paper rolled cigarettes were made by Egyptian soldiers fighting the Turkish-Egyptian war, which took place in the mid 1800’s. These cigarettes were hand rolled and individually made. This way of making cigarettes continued until 1881, when a man named James A. Bonsack invented and patented a cigarette-making machine. Prior to these invention cigarettes were often sold for 1 cent a piece. Tobacco, the main ingredient of cigarettes, was used as currency in the 1600's when some colonists paid for their wives passages to the New World with 120 pounds of tobacco. There have been many variations of the cigarette between 1881 and the modern cigarette. The cigarette has evolved from the ultimate symbol of cool, to in modern times something seen by many as a senseless death machine, that provides little other than an addiction, in return for serious health problems and a major financial burden.
An individual cigarette can look as harmless as anything else in this world. It is a small cylindrical mixture of different ingredients, comprises of more than 90% tobacco, and then rolled in a special paper of white color and attached to a filter in most cases. Some of the other items put into cigarettes are sugar, which is addicting when inhaled and ammonia, which increases the nicotine absorbed by the body. Ingredients such as licorice and chocolate are added, which have never been approved to be inhaled, and when burned allow the lungs to breathe deeper enhancing the nicotine intake. A cigarette weights about 1.136 grams, is about 4 inches long, and about half a centimeter in diameter. This small item has had a tremendous impact on American society.
Many people who smoke, fueled by their nicotine addiction, describe the feeling of smoking as relief and comfort. Those individuals who go too long without smoking often get feelings of anxiety, paranoia, irritability, and have erratic mood swings. A majority of non-smokers are appalled by the smell and irritability to their lungs. The past two decades have brought the negative health consequences onto center stage for smokers and those who get second-hand smoke. Seeing someone smoking from the 50’s until about the 90’s was a very “cool” image and now can bring a wide range of opinions depending on the thoughts of the viewer.
The cigarette as a symbol in American culture as transformed from sexy to deadly and until recently few steps have been made to address this problem. Recent steps of raising taxes on cigarettes and eliminating them from public places including bars and restaurants has made great strides. In the future with growing health concerns smoking may eventually be phased out unless drastic improvements are made in their affects on people’s health. If not I will change my artifact to a coffin next year for over 5 million people who by this time next year will be dead from smoking.

AM Radio: Part II

My artifact that represents an aspect of my identity is the AM Radio. Even though there are many AM radios still in use today, they are being fazed out of mainstream use. The aspect of the AM radio that appeals to me is the sports coverage, and sports talk that are still broadcast for anyone who still chooses to listen. I breath, dream, think, and live sports. I always have and I always will. The AM radio remains my number one companion driving in the car, while Ipods, CDs, and HD radios are the modern car companions. The AM Radio may not be remembered as one of our most treasured artifacts from the past decades, but it was a central part of our culture, and should be remembered as one.

The only possible current social ties lie in the talk radio that goes on discussing our current political and future social issues. Even though this has it's place it has been mainstream replaced by the internet. Our volatile political news in this current age is kept up with on the internet on blogs, and news websites, no longer do people wait to here what is "current."

I feel that there would be very little interest in the field of Art History as well, as most of the first generation radios who received AM frequencies have likely already been salvaged and placed in museums across our material world. An example of this on a small scale is the museum that has a collection of AM (HAM) radios from the 1920’s through 1950’s at the included hyperlink.

Future anthropologists may dive deep into the social construction of the era where families sat around the radio after dinner to catch up on the “news” of the day. I feel that timeframe will be compared with our recent decade of sitting in front of desktop computers and laptops to receive all of our information, as well as when TV’s first replaced radio’s as the standard form of entertainment. As we can see from an article in Forbes these types of comparisons are already being made.

The only way that I can see the vernacular approach to material culture being a part of the AM radio in the future, would be for the continued collection of those radios that people have made on their own. These variation in these homemade radios will likely become more and more a sought after item.

As we grow older in this rapidly changing society more of the items that we seek now will one day become “artifacts” and many of our kids will look at an Ipod as a very useless primitive piece of equipment. That is the nature of our constantly changing material culture and everything will one day be an artifact, whether it is mankind analyzing the object, or some other life form.

My Artifact - The AM Radio

My artifact that represents an aspect of my identity is the AM Radio. Even though there are many AM radios still in use today, they are being fazed out of mainstream use. The aspect of the AM radio that appeals to me is the sports coverage, and sports talk that are still broadcast to anyone within signals range. I breath, dream, think, relate, and live sports; always have and I always will. The AM radio remains my number one companion driving in the car, while Ipods, and HD Radio and everything else are all the rage. The AM Radio may rate low on the future artifacts list when looking at the different things in our current culture when looked at the different disciplines of analyzing material culture.
Unless there are drastic social changes in the US and in the world I doubt that the AM radio will ever be looked at in social history as an artifact. The only possible social tie is the daytime talk radio that goes on politically discussing our current and future social issues, but I am fully confident that this has been mainstream replaced by the internet. Social change is enacted through much quicker and far reaching methods than AM radio today and in the future it is unlikely to revert back to this current Stone Age technology.
I feel that there would be very little interest in the field of Art History as well, as most of the first generation radios who received AM frequencies have likely already been salvaged and placed in museums across our material world. An example of this on a small scale is the museum that has a collection of AM (HAM) radios from the 1920’s through 1950’s at the included hyperlink.
I feel that future anthropologists may dive deep into the era where families sat around the AM radio after dinner to catch up on the “news” of their era. I feel that era will be compared with our recent decade of sitting in front of desktop computers and laptops to receive all of our information, as well as when TV’s first replaced radio’s as the standard form of entertainment. As we can see from an article in Forbes these types of comparisons are already being made.
The only way that I can see the vernacular approach to material culture being a part of the AM radio in the future, would be for the continued collection of those radios that people have made on their own, that do not come from a manufacturer. These homemade radios will likely become more and more a sought item as time goes on.
As we grow older in this rapidly changing society more of the items that we seek now will one day become “artifacts” and many of our kids will look at an Ipod as a very useless primitive piece of equipment. That is the nature of our constantly changing material culture and everything will one day be an artifact, whether it is mankind analyzing the object, or some other life form.

Introductory Post

Hellow fellow classmates. My name is David Campbell and I am a senior at UMBC working towards a BS degree in Mathematics. I enjoy many things outside of school, most of which involve sports. I like watching the Terps basketball team, football, golf and baseball. I currently play soccer and golf whenever I get a chance. Most of my time spent on the computer is spent on ESPN's website. I have never been an active blogger before so if my page looks rather plain and boring you all will know why. I am always open to learning so if you have suggestions feel free to let me know. See you in Class.