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Edav Nomad · 10-05-2008, 03:40 PM

NEW YORK (AP) -- Could playing computer games enhance mental agility enough to turn people over 50 into better drivers? Allstate Corp. wants to find out, and if the answer is yes, it might offer insurance discounts to people who play the games.

Under a new pilot program called InSight, Allstate will offer specialized computer games to 100,000 customers in Pennsylvania aged 50 to 75. The games' developer, San Francisco-based Posit Science, will track the total number of hours these drivers play.

Then the group's accident rates will be compared to a control group of people who do not play the games.
The games are not all specific to driving. They're designed to reverse age-related cognitive decline and improve visual alertness.

For example, a game called "Jewel Diver" has players keep track of underwater jewels that pop up on the screen for a moment before they are hidden under fish swimming around. When the fish stop moving, players click on the fish hiding the jewel. It's like Three Card Monte but without the cheating. Over time, the game gets more complicated as more fish appear on the screen.

Drivers may get insurance breaks for playing computer games - CNN.com

How about that Jack Thompson?

Trout Recreant · 10-06-2008, 02:52 PM

Let's give them all copies of GTA and see what happens. I think their insurance should go up.

Aodhan McDunnough · 10-06-2008, 05:21 PM

On the serious side though, video games, most especially driving games for me, have a pronounced effect iRL.

There have been several incidents in the past few years where I noticed that my driving reactions were quicker.

Verkin Raven · 10-06-2008, 10:50 PM

I've definitely noticed it. It just might be me though, but I'm so obsessed about situational awareness that doing things like riding on a bus or airliner annoy me to no end.

As for crazy driving, that's gone away with my teen years, even though I only ever played more and more racing games since. Not even the remotest impulse after a GTA or LFS session to floor the pedal or do anything stupid.

Dare I even say it? Obsessive LFS play might have saved my ass twice on the snowy roads up here. It's nothing I could qualify, but after years of practicing recoveries from slips in tough online races, I had a much better idea of what a car does in any given situation. Playing on patchy and glare ice on a closed rural airport runway helps too.

Mecha Dinosaur · 10-07-2008, 11:17 AM

I thought this thread was video and sound card drivers.

Aodhan McDunnough · 10-07-2008, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecha Dinosaur

I thought this thread was video and sound card drivers.

I've never driven a sound card before. How does it do on the drag strip?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Verkin Raven

I've definitely noticed it. It just might be me though, but I'm so obsessed about situational awareness that doing things like riding on a bus or airliner annoy me to no end.

For me it's more like maneuvering to avoid a cat crossing the road. Near-unconscious decision-making and driving.

Mecha Dinosaur · 10-07-2008, 11:37 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aodhan McDunnough

I've never driven a sound card before. How does it do on the drag strip?

It's very simple. You have 640kb of memory to load your TSRs. Sound, CD-drive, Mouse, Video: You can only choose three to load.

10-05-2008, 03:40 PM	#1 (permalink)
Edav Nomad King Edav I Nomadicstan or bust!! Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: L.A. (Lower Alabama) Posts: 2,569 SL Join Date: June 12, 2003 XBOX Leaderboard: 3^rd My Mood:	Older Drives May Get Insurance Discounts for Playing Games NEW YORK (AP) -- Could playing computer games enhance mental agility enough to turn people over 50 into better drivers? Allstate Corp. wants to find out, and if the answer is yes, it might offer insurance discounts to people who play the games. Under a new pilot program called InSight, Allstate will offer specialized computer games to 100,000 customers in Pennsylvania aged 50 to 75. The games' developer, San Francisco-based Posit Science, will track the total number of hours these drivers play. Then the group's accident rates will be compared to a control group of people who do not play the games. The games are not all specific to driving. They're designed to reverse age-related cognitive decline and improve visual alertness. For example, a game called "Jewel Diver" has players keep track of underwater jewels that pop up on the screen for a moment before they are hidden under fish swimming around. When the fish stop moving, players click on the fish hiding the jewel. It's like Three Card Monte but without the cheating. Over time, the game gets more complicated as more fish appear on the screen. Drivers may get insurance breaks for playing computer games - CNN.com How about that Jack Thompson? __________________ "Please do not nuzzle the instrument of my vengeance." - Rok'tar

10-06-2008, 05:21 PM	#3 (permalink)
Aodhan McDunnough exp(ln(Gearhead)) ti gnivol dna ykeeG Join Date: Jun 2007 Location: Philippines Posts: 3,615 Beer Tapper Gone Wild Champion! SL Join Date: March 28, 2006 Business: Aodhan's Forge SLShopper Ads: 2 My Mood:	On the serious side though, video games, most especially driving games for me, have a pronounced effect iRL. There have been several incidents in the past few years where I noticed that my driving reactions were quicker. __________________ We can't get rid of Landbots but we can stop the damage. VOTE this proposal on the Jira. Current votes: 71 http://jira.secondlife.com/browse/VWR-2905 Kontours Classic 1-prim chair. Sculpted, menu controlled http://www.sluniverse.com/php/shop/s...ct=786&cat=500

10-07-2008, 11:17 AM	#5 (permalink)
Mecha Dinosaur CS Violator +33 Join Date: Sep 2007 Posts: 925 SL Join Date: 6/13/2006 Blog Entries: 2 SLShopper Ads: 1 My Mood:	I thought this thread was video and sound card drivers. __________________

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10-06-2008, 02:52 PM	#2 (permalink)
Trout Recreant Oh God, not him! Highly flammable. Stand back. Join Date: Mar 2008 Location: West Coast, USA Posts: 2,280 My Mood:	Let's give them all copies of GTA and see what happens. I think their insurance should go up.

10-06-2008, 10:50 PM	#4 (permalink)
Verkin Raven vs. Godzilla :D Join Date: Sep 2007 Location: Vermont Posts: 818 SL Join Date: 1/4/05 Blog Entries: 1 SLShopper Ads: 3 My Mood:	I've definitely noticed it. It just might be me though, but I'm so obsessed about situational awareness that doing things like riding on a bus or airliner annoy me to no end. As for crazy driving, that's gone away with my teen years, even though I only ever played more and more racing games since. Not even the remotest impulse after a GTA or LFS session to floor the pedal or do anything stupid. Dare I even say it? Obsessive LFS play might have saved my ass twice on the snowy roads up here. It's nothing I could qualify, but after years of practicing recoveries from slips in tough online races, I had a much better idea of what a car does in any given situation. Playing on patchy and glare ice on a closed rural airport runway helps too.