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An old-time science fiction person predicted that as the 21st century goes on, people world wide, and in the Western world, as well, will slowly but surely lose interest in all forms of traditional competitive sports, such as soccer, baseball, football, wrestling, and the rest of them, and electronic gaming, computer games, electronic entertainment, and ultimately advanced life-like virtual reality, will replace them.

Is this likely or not? Or will there be a mix of both, where the electronic and VR systems enhance traditional sports?

A related prediction I read was that eventually with advanced bio and nano engineering of human beings, traditional sports like baseball will become useless when these enhancements become so commonplace that even laws against their use in the sports would be impossible.

What do I mean by this? Simple: Imagine if everyone or nearly everyone except some "bio purists" (whether it be for faith based or secular reasons) refuse to become part of the enhanced masses. Then everyone from childhood on has biological enhancements for speed, strength, agility, and other properties. It would be useless for sports teams and associations to pass rules or laws saying "You cannot participate in this sport", when 99 percent of the public masses have been enhanced. To do so would be enforcing a handicap in a sense. What's the use of being an all-star baseball batter or pitcher, when those skills can be programmed into you from childhood?

Another prediction is that humans would make robots that can do the sports for them as they watch. Robot boxing matches, for example.

Think about this: Why would you waste your time sitting in front of a big tv screen watching some guys throw or kick a ball around on a field, when you can immerse yourself in a life like virtual reality simulated world where you get to be the master of your enviroment?

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:51 pm

Is this likely or not?

Lmao.......awesome...

I seriously doubt if any of us see it happen in our lifetimes. But yes there will probably come a time when people will get so lazy and apathetic that virtually no one will have any incentive to participate in any physical sport. But again I doubt if we ever see the end of Monday Night Football in our lifetimes>> or any other huge spectator sport for that matter.

There was an old top 40 song back in the late 60s and I still think about it from time to time and I encourage all of you to pull it up on Youtube and listen to it. The group "Zager & Evans" were a one hit wonder with the song "In The Year 2525". Listen to that song really close and see if we are not heading in that direction. It was released in 1969 when I was a kid but I still vividly remember it.

I think electronic gaming will grow but I doubt it'll ever reach what professional sports are.

I think it probable that those disinclined to participate in proper sports will do so less and less, whilst atrophying their brains with gaming. The only thing that will stop the human race from evolving into two distinct species will be the inability of one of them to get out and procreate.....

e-Sports is already a major growing phenomenon. It's really fun to watch, especially if you play games like League of Legends and Overwatch. These players are incredibly skilled with an insane amount of dedication, perseverance, and tenacity.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/27/us/espor ... index.html

I sort of doubt traditional sports will die away. I imagine even if e-Sports and other electronic sports takes off, there will still be a market for human physical based competition.

And ChrisinHove, your statement about atrophying brains and procreating is incredibly elistist and narrow minded. That's like saying all sports jocks are meatheads and wasting their time playing games; that's simply not true just like your statement.

cornfed wrote: ↑

Mon Dec 10, 2018 4:43 pm

e-Sports is already a major growing phenomenon. It's really fun to watch, especially if you play games like League of Legends and Overwatch. These players are incredibly skilled with an insane amount of dedication, perseverance, and tenacity.
https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/27/us/espor ... index.html

I sort of doubt traditional sports will die away. I imagine even if e-Sports and other electronic sports takes off, there will still be a market for human physical based competition.

And ChrisinHove, your statement about atrophying brains and procreating is incredibly elistist and narrow minded. That's like saying all sports jocks are meatheads and wasting their time playing games; that's simply not true just like your statement.

I sincerely apologise. It was a bad joke and unnecessarily offensive.

I was watched a TED talk the other day about how the US Army struggles with the fitness of their recruits, now, and the horrific rate of serious injury that they suffer during the earliest training runs, all arising from lack of sport and PE participation. He stated that it’s a strategic risk to the USA, it’s that bad. There was a gamer in the UK news the other day who hadn’t left his home for three years, and I pretty sure he cannot be the only one.

The physical and sociological problems associated with excessive sedentary lifestyles are potentially significant. Gaming can be skilful and rewarding in its own way, but I think that referring to them as Sports is disingenuous.

In my opinion, No.

Physical sports are more than just playing games for entertainment. They fulfill our primal need to hunt, to compete, on a level you can’t satiate with a computer screen.

Similar story for spectators and spectators generate money. To keep that cash flowing you have to ensure there is no shortage of new talent coming up to provide the entertainment. As a result there are no shortage of youth sporting programs to foster that new talent. There were always kids that didn’t play sport. Before computer games they did something else. For those kids that have that desire to compete, they will.

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:51 pm

Is this likely or not?

Not!

Next! :)

demoncase wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:27 pm

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:51 pm

Is this likely or not?

Not!

Next! :)

Tell me your predictions again regarding advanced virtual reality to when it gets to the point of a Star Trek like HoloDeck: Will that type of technology ever become realistic and widespread enough for the masses to use and what effects would that have if it did?

"Will electronic entertainment and computer gaming make traditional sports obsolete?"

Only if you can't get off the couch.

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑

Fri Dec 14, 2018 8:42 pm

demoncase wrote: ↑

Wed Dec 12, 2018 2:27 pm

SpyderEdgeForever wrote: ↑

Sat Dec 08, 2018 9:51 pm

Is this likely or not?

Not!

Next! :)

Tell me your predictions again regarding advanced virtual reality to when it gets to the point of a Star Trek like HoloDeck: Will that type of technology ever become realistic and widespread enough for the masses to use and what effects would that have if it did?

Also no, regardless of how widespread it becomes:
People will still want to run around outside- and do things and make stuff. (Indeed: there's piles of Star Trek episodes where they deliberately go to do something real instead of the holodeck)

People are funny like that- it's almost like being outside in the fresh air, doing something fun with friends or alone, provides real experiences and wholesome enjoyment that don't feel the same as being sat inside.

Absolutely not. If you never played sports, you really cant understand. The passion, drive, commradery and feeling of competition and desire to win as a team, it just cant be put into words or simulated by a computer.

I was very fortunate to be gifted athletically and was able to go to college and play football (D3...so no, I wasn't some superstar haha) Those times provided me with some amazing memories and taught me a lot about myself, good and bad. I'm sure anyone that has ever played a sport could also agree on that aspect of it as well.

Not to mention the revenue college and professional sports brings to the franchises and universities.

TkoK83Spy wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 16, 2018 2:47 pm

Absolutely not. If you never played sports, you really cant understand. The passion, drive, commradery and feeling of competition and desire to win as a team, it just cant be put into words or simulated by a computer.

Agreed- and even in non-competitive sports- I can't see how the simple pleasures and sensations of being sat by a riverside fishing for an afternoon could be reconstructed with a headset and a haptic glove.

Simple pleasures can't be effectively reconstructed with complex simulations- when the simple pleasure is accessible and available.