The computer, perhaps the modern archetype of impersonal, cold, calculating science and technology, has itself become the prime projective dumping ground of humanity’s inner psyche. This conclusion becomes all the more striking and powerful when one realized that one has very little reason to think that the designers of these games had any conscious appreciation of the fact they were projecting their internal archetypes onto their computerized creations. It would be a serious mistake to think that such raw images and projections are absent from the thoughts of adults.  Wizardry is a game apart from others of its genre. Its success probably rests on its unique abilities: no other game allows as much flexibility in building your own characters, designating strengths and weaknesses that have clear effects; and more important, no other game allows you to take a group of characters, up to six at a time, into [a] a dungeon, where they interact and work together to overcome monsters and obstacles. Characters can trade gold and equipment freely, cast beneficial spells on each other, and change position in the expedition to benefit all. Or they can run from all monsters; if one runs, all run.  

Wizardry is a projective game; people tend to put their personalities in the characters they invent. The World of Wizardry can be populated with characters of different races—dwarf, elf, gnome, hobbit, human—and different classes starting as [sorcerers], priests, fighters, or thieves; character can earn the right to become a samurai, bishops, and lords. The dungeon has ten levels to conquer and there are numerous personal levels through which your characters per [computer program], any six of which you can gather in the tavern to send on an expedition to the maze. Together your band fights monster, searches for treasures, or has a good old time at the inn. It is undoubtedly true that the historical context of the vast majority of archetypes that members of the human population have experiences throughout the ages is by now so far removed from our direct experience and daily lives that ancient traditional forms have little contemporary meaning for us. At best, they appear bizarre, as if from another planet. At worst, they seem to degenerate hopelessly into mysticism. And yet, this is precisely the attitude we must avoid.  

As those who have played Wizardry testify in their own words, it is more than “just a game.” The characters one creates are part of oneself. Hence, when one of the character dies, it is like having part of oneself die as well. I used to be against adults playing video games, I had stopped playing when I was twelve because I became frustrated. However, after analyzing how people spend their time, making good use of artificial technology can be a good use of time and a great outlet.  I know video games may help a person after a hard day at work. Video games and virtual technology do not look like my boss; therefore, sometimes I submerge myself in my character, I lose almost all sense of my own identity. I once played for three days straight without coming up out of the game. When my party was finally devastated, because the game was out giving everyone energy (points), I almost broke down into tears because I kept missing the energy. I would liken virtual reality to a fantasized system of personnel management. As a member of a small group of individuals…you must manipulate the members’ performance against the “competition” so that they achieve a certain goal. With AI technology, as in real life, the goal can be readvancement, or the quest for power, or over the long haul, the pot of gold. 

Perhaps the most interesting and potentially use of such games is in the field of child psychotherapy. This application also shows that we are not talking about the complete abandonment or nondevelopment of such techniques at all, but rather, only more reflective consideration given to their potentially socially productive use. An accepted psychotherapeutic technique of working with children, who cannot verbalize their inner emotional states as well as adults, is that of play therapy. What people play with and how they do offers window into their inner World. Thus, for instance, with AI technology, you get to generate your own imagine for your character, and the goal is to score points, when the boss comes, you try to get energy from them to get into the winners’ circle and earn a prize. This application reinforces the idea that people can work productively alone, among others, and compete with others to gain the bosses favor for a chance to become part of an elite circle, and whoever has the best project or output, in this case the most energy, wins a prize, and the application even allows you to shop and get discounts.

We hear some much about being part of a team, but we must not lose the idea of individuality and doing the best you can do without paying attention to your competition. Virtual technology allows one to project onto oneself characteristics in which one may be deficient. It teaches you to feel comfortable being your best and to tune others out. How ironic that a machine which has come to symbolize the epitome of humanity’s impersonal, calculating abilities carried to the highest levels of scientific and technological development should serve as a prime vehicle for teaching people how to be an independent productive member of society and rewards them for good behavior. Video games are very popular.  There are 155 million Americans who regularly play video games. 42 percent of Americans play for at least three hours per week. Four out of five American households contain a device used to play video games. The average game player is 35 years old. 26 percent of players are under 18 years old, 27 percent are over 50. Interest the mature adults and kids are almost equal in playing games. 56 percent of players are male; 44 percent are female. The most frequent female game play is on average 43 years old, and the average male game player is 35 years old. Of the most frequent game purchasers, 41 percent are female, and 59 percent are male.