mentioning a video game in my ps?

Is it ok to mention it? I know it sounds like a bad thing to do but its relevant. the course im applying to is architecture, I've put Something along the lines of this

Oddly enough, my fascination with Italian Architecture came from a series of video games in which the player has the ability to roam accurate replicas of the cities Florence, Venice and Rome, during the Renaissance period. Intrigued, I began researching Architecture during the Renaissance and rapidly became fond of the work of Filippo Brunelleschi, an Italian Architect renowned for designing the dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence

This is the truth btw lol I don't want to lie in my ps

So yeah is it ok to mention the game?

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 1

yousif92

Original post by theonelink

Is it ok to mention it? I know it sounds like a bad thing to do but its relevant. the course im applying to is architecture, I've put something along the lines of this :

Oddly enough, my fascination with Italian Architecture came from a series of video games in which the player has the ability to roam accurate replicas of the cities Florence, Venice and Rome, during the Renaissance period. Intrigued, I began researching Architecture during the Renaissance and rapidly became fond of the work of Filippo Brunelleschi, an Italian Architect renowned for designing the dome of the Basilica di Santa Maria del Fiore in Florence.

This is the truth btw lol I don't want to lie in my ps

So yeah is it ok to mention the game?

It sound okay but the "oddly enough" part is too chatty and would annoy the hell out of me as a university entrance-guy/girl. Also, drop the narrative part with the "i began". But other than that, it sounds like quite a good idea.

Reply 2

Planto

I wouldn't. Of course it's entirely legitimate that a videogame might spark a player's interest in its subject matter, but there is still a somewhat ignorant stigma surrounding games in general. It's possible that by associating your passion for the subject with your interest in games you'll extend this stigma to your application.

Skip the part about the videogames and go straight to the bit where you started reading.

Reply 3

Nelo Angelo

Don't mention video games unless there ones you've developed or had a hand in developing them and only for a Comp sci course. Unis will look down on that sort of motivation

also assassins creed 2 is awesome(guessing thats the game your refferring to)

Reply 4

theonelink

thanks for the replies and lmao yeah ac2 ftw

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 5

I Murder Carrots 4 Fun

Don't. For one thing Brunelleschi is a fairly basic feature of the art historical canon and so admitting that you discovered him via a video game will make you sound uncultured, and for another, casually name-dropping implies you know loads more but just haven't squeezed it all on your statement, thus making yourself look much better.

Reply 6

Cringe

Original post by Planto

how fake is this post.

Reply 7

Planto

Original post by Cringe

how fake is this post.

Excuse me?

Reply 8

Cringe

Original post by Planto

Excuse me?

have you ever considered that the person who will look at the application might have a different take on things? they might casually play video games themselves. after all its not good to stereotype. interviews hav to be very objective and they are trained to do that. I think its quite unique. they are basing your application on your academic acheivements and if the rest of your application is sound they will see it as a positive. i say go for it. you might even b turning a negative into a positive.

Reply 9

Planto

Original post by Cringe

Indeed you might, but is it worth compromising your application to mention something irrelevant? Nobody is going to be impressed by the fact that someone plays videogames, so it certainly doesn't add any weight to the application. He can tell them about his interest in the subject just as well without mentioning videogames as he could if he did mention them so, since mentioning them may indeed harm his application, there really is no reason to bring it up.

At best, it's irrelevant, at worst, it will look unprofessional and cheap. And this is coming from a casual game developer who has been playing games for the best part of 20 years. It is a bad idea.

And I'm still not sure what was "fake" about my original post.

Reply 10

theonelink

to be honest i think it would be something different and the person reading it would think so too, it is the truth after all...I wouldnt have known anything about Italian architecture if it wasn't for Assassin's Creed :tongue:

I do go on to mention more about the architect btw..its just the one mention of the game

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 11

electriic_ink

I would argue that it doesn't matter how you became fascinated by Italian Architecture, the relevant point is that you are and that you have evidence to back up the claim. So I would leave it out on those grounds.

Reply 12

Cringe

Original post by Planto

i got you. the fake part was not looking at the reality. either way i think its still stereotyping and that in itself is just bad as someone who is trying to look at an application.

at the end of the day a statement is just that its a little story. if it was just straightforward it would be in bullet points.

Reply 13

c0nfus3d

Original post by theonelink

Get rid of the PS part, someone might copy it :colone:

Reply 14

Cringe

cmon guys he should tell the truth. any experienced interviewer would be able to tell a gamer from his hunchback :biggrin:

lol ^

I agree with the stereoptyping, just because I play a few games every now and then doesn't mean its all I do or i have no social life etc

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 17

_Mazza_

Original post by theonelink

thanks for the replies and lmao yeah ac2 ftw

Well seen as Assassin's Creed 2 is only a year old I'd leave out that it sparked your interest in the subject. I know it's highly unlikely that the admissions tutor would know it was from this game, but if they did would you want them knowing/thinking you didn't really have an interest in the subject before then?

Reply 18

Sonny_J_D

There is still a belief that video games are dumb entertainment for kids and/or losers... Despite the fact that the gaming industry has moved on (to the point where someone can develop a serious interest in History from playing certain games) people perceptions haven't.

To tell the truth my interest in History came about a similar way - I started researching the truth behind events in WW2 games like Call of duty/Medal of Honour... Even though I became really knowledgeable about the subject I felt embarrassed about how I came about it...

Even though it may be the truth, they don't want to hear the real reason you are engaged in the subject - they want to hear what they want to hear *sighs* This is what makes PSs so hard...