Let’s get one thing straight—there are obviously some conditions and disabilities that greatly complicate gaming for some people. Being blind or missing a left hand certainly impedes the use of a controller or a mouse and keyboard. What may not be so obvious are the many biological factors that naturally vary among all of us that might give someone an advantage when gaming. Though all these factors are purely genetic, fear not! Plenty of training and persistence is the ultimate factor in determining gaming success.
1. Quicker Reflexes/Reaction Time
Reflexes are one of the most important parts of a gamer’s skill set. Even if you are quick to spot enemies or hazards, it means nothing if you can’t strike the correct button quickly enough. Everyone’s reaction time is slightly different because of “hard-wired” reflexes. Some people’s nerves allow electrical signals to travel faster than others. As a result, some people may be better able to react to a virtual environment. This becomes evident in multiplayer games, especially first-person shooters.
If you’re curious about your reaction time, you can test it here or here. From this baseline, you can do many things to improve your reflexes. This could involve sports, gaming, or even just getting more sleep.
2. Better Visual Motion Tracking
Just as reflexes are in-part genetic, so is our ability to track flying objects. Our brains use both observed speed and movement patterns to predict where an object will end up. The study that determined this asked volunteers to observe an actual ball. It’s likely that the same phenomenon occurs when viewing in-game objects.
Not everyone has the same aptitude for this type of tracking. In fact, some scientists think that one’s ability to keep track of moving objects is related to “fluid intelligence” (the ability to problem solve). Much of the data in relation to video games is still unknown, but you might be better at monitoring in-game projectiles if you can think on your feet.
3. Sensitive Hearing
Though you may be criticized by your friends for turning up the volume and listening for footsteps, listening to your virtual environment can be a critical part of gameplay. As humans in general, most of us are born with the ability to hear incredibly soft sounds (down to an “air vibration as small as one tenth the diameter of an atom”). Throughout our lives, we can damage this incredibly sensitive hearing. Therefore, your friend that has been to one to many rock concerts may not hear the same enemy around the corner that you do.
Also, there are certain individuals known as “golden ears.” These people can potentially pick up on frequencies both above and below the usual human range. They can also better perceive subtle differences in sound arriving in each ear.
4. Eye Color
Scientists have often pondered the relationship between eye color and vision. There is not any hard evidence that eye color affects day-to-day vision. However, some studies claim that it can play a role in performing certain tasks. They propose that darker eye colors help with reactive tasks, while lighter eye colors aid in self-paced ones.
Besides this possible correlation, the only significant advantage of darker eye colors is protection from glare. So, I suppose if you chose to game outside or just max out the brightness on your monitor, then your eye color may be useful.
5. Pattern Recognition
The ability to recognize and analyze patterns defines many games in the adventure and strategy genres. Just as with motion tracking, psychologists believe that various intelligence measures can predict pattern recognition. Now, don’t think this just refers to your IQ. Instead, they refer to various intelligence spectra such as being people smart, visually smart, or nature smart. Just as this wide range of intelligence indicators exists, so do the potential advantages. For example, those who are people smart may breeze through interactive dialogue with npcs. Visually smart individuals may find it easier to identify a cryptic wall pattern that reveals a lock combination.
Identifying patterns has been an integral part of human evolution. It’s no coincidence that those who can more easily spot a repetition (even when there isn’t actually one) are better critical thinkers and problem solvers in both real life and in gaming.
6. Finger/Thumb Shape
Since the hands are the main body parts used for most gaming, fingers clearly factor into one’s ability. Measures such as strength or even flexibility to some extent can be trained. Whether or not certain finger/thumb shapes aid in gaming is still up in the air. On one hand (pun totally intended), some claim that their shorter or longer thumbs help, especially for controller and console play. A few even claim that gaming could be responsible for future evolution of human thumbs.
Different types or shapes of thumbs could also play a role. The three main types—straight/upright, “hitchhiker’s thumbs,” and shortened thumbs—could each have certain implications for gaming that have yet to be studied. Perhaps a shorter thumb is more desirable for less slippage on the sticks of an Xbox or PlayStation controller. Or, it could be that a longer thumb allows for more mobility and precision from the top of the sticks.
Ultimately, most of a gamer’s advantages are going to come from experience and strategy rather than being a genetically perfect gamer. Almost any disadvantage can be overcome with enough time and effort. Even if you possess any of these intriguing advantages, you should still anticipate the grind, welcome the challenges, and embrace the patience that embodies all genres of gaming.
