Research for the paper is slightly different then research for other topics, as the subject of gaming isn't usually taken seriously. This seems to be notable at least for how society views gaming.
My main questions would be as follows. Are we required to have one or more academic journals for reference? What I've gathered so far, I have honestly done so from just the web. I can check Proquest, however, and see if I find any more info. Also, must our paper correlate specifically to our game, or can it just relate to gaming in general?
Thursday, January 21, 2010
My research topic
I will be researching the evolution of games- from Pong to Wii Fit, how has gaming evolved? Are "bigger and better" games necessarily healthy for our society?
I think this will be an interesting topic because of the controversy surrounding games, and newer innovations like Wii Fit.
I think this will be an interesting topic because of the controversy surrounding games, and newer innovations like Wii Fit.
Research topic
I am going to be researching the differences in online games and what attracts different people to the different games. I am going to look at and determine between three different online games and compare them to see why i think they are popular and what attracts people to playing each game. Also i will look at whether age restrictions on games has an effect on its popularity, i personally don't think it will because a parent normally buys a child a restricted game anyway. I will be keen to see why people prefer shoot em up games like "fallen earth" opposed to a game like "world of war craft".
Gaming in relation to prosperity and democracy
I think that there are definitely ways that the information age will make a difference to democracy but i am not to sure that gaming can have an affect on this. I think that within the next 50 years people will be voting via some computer aided device, and the way that we can view all democratic issues will be looked at differently and broken down better via computers. I think that with the fact that there are now 24/7 news Channel's on the television has made a huge difference in democracy. Anything that is now an issue is now all over the news so that everyone can see. In the future i think that the Internet will start to play a bigger part to the way we look at everything, even bigger than it already has. I think that because of the Internet that no one will be able to not vote and the more detail in the analysis of everything that becomes provide because of the Internet will make sure every single aspect is not missed.
Final Project Thesis
Late Post From Yesterday
I have decided to investigate further into the possible educational, ethical and general effects of engaging in MMORPG play.
This is the thesis I plan on using:
I have decided to investigate further into the possible educational, ethical and general effects of engaging in MMORPG play.
This is the thesis I plan on using:
"Although the potential for great benefit to the player in terms of education, ethical development and the ability to contribute to the community does indeed exist in many Massively Multiplayer Online Role Playing Games, (MMORPGs), the true impact to the player is dependent both upon the proper and responsible usage by the player and the game's content itself.”
I feel like this has the potential of being a very interesting project. I am very interested in all of the various applications and uses that these games contribute, and I think that in order to maximize the benefits, we must understand how to engage in gameplay responsibly and safely.
Wednesday, January 20, 2010
topic
My topic for my paper is about world of warcraft. I wanted to know more about how it started, and how it became such a popular game. I had a hard time picking something for my paper, I didn't really have an intrest in some of the things we already talked about. But I figured if I did it on world of warcraft, I might get more insight to the game and better understand its popularity.
Research
I am going to do my essay on the use of online gaming in the school systems. I am interested to find out the just how much they increase children's academic levels. I am also curious to find out if there is high or low percentage of schools that participate in online gaming as a learning tool.
Topic of Game Research
My topic of choice would be to research the philosophical aspects of gaming. I would like to find out, especially, how (if in any way) gaming relates to moral philosophy within modern society. I feel that gaming can be philosophical in its own way. Furthermore, I think it may be used to relate to society and possibly facilitate change. This seems like a fairly new subject, so I'm not sure as to what I will find. Even if my thesis is proven to not be accurate, I hope to find some new information.
Research
I am doing my essay on the educational view of gaming. I am very interested in how gaming are used in the classroom and how children, statistically, learn when they are interacting with games. So far my research has come up with a lot of online curriculum and different programs that are available to teachers but I want to know why educators started to use gaming to teach.
Brief Description
The subject that I am going to research are the 6 myths of gaming and I chose this topic because there are always arguements about how violent games make you violent or games with sex makes you want to do more sexual things etc. But that is not the case.
Tuesday, January 19, 2010
The Information Age
I think that the information age i think will change things in the world. Not everyone at first had Internet, but as it got around to people and it became something everyone had in their home, or had access to some where. This allowed people to communicate, with others from local to around the world. People are able to have information at a click of the mouse, they know things from around the world. They don't have to wait to hear it on the news, or in the paper. It's like when places began printing news papers, and when television, and the radio came out. These both changed things in the world. The Internet is just bigger.
Changes for the Future
The internet is the information highway and as long as it allowed to go to places all over the world unregulated, I believe we will see many changes in our lifetime. Countries that haven't had any outside exposure to the world around them and are now able to see how other governments are run and can now communicate with the outside world will probably see the most change in the near future.
In the article about the man that built a windmill in Malawi from seeing a picture, even though it was not the internet still shows how people benefit from exposure to any means of information, be it books, newspapers,or the internet. I was really surprised to read in that article that people were coming to "charge their cell phones" after he got the windmill running, even in the poorest places on earth people have cell phones!
In the article about the man that built a windmill in Malawi from seeing a picture, even though it was not the internet still shows how people benefit from exposure to any means of information, be it books, newspapers,or the internet. I was really surprised to read in that article that people were coming to "charge their cell phones" after he got the windmill running, even in the poorest places on earth people have cell phones!
What Can Gaming Do For your Country?
Expression and communication are bound to spread and blossom, there is a way, from the smallest seed planted in the roughest terrain. This obviously applies to the communication component of the games we have been studying, and the creativity and thirst for knowledge that such gaming seems to engender can act as potent fertilizer for these seeds.
In addition to the benefits mentioned, participants in this genre of gaming are often used to being part of a functional team or clan, which may help an individual to develop integrity, loyalty and ethics in general. These traits are clearly useful in helping to create and maintain a succesful group of any kind; be it a club, or a village or even national government.
The use of gaming in the Iran voting scandal is a good example of communication finding a way through adversity. As technology continues to advance at a breakneck speed, the functions of MMORPGs such as WOW or WarHammer will most probably continue to increase proportionally.
In addition to the benefits mentioned, participants in this genre of gaming are often used to being part of a functional team or clan, which may help an individual to develop integrity, loyalty and ethics in general. These traits are clearly useful in helping to create and maintain a succesful group of any kind; be it a club, or a village or even national government.
The use of gaming in the Iran voting scandal is a good example of communication finding a way through adversity. As technology continues to advance at a breakneck speed, the functions of MMORPGs such as WOW or WarHammer will most probably continue to increase proportionally.
Gaming and the Internet: A Solution for the Future?
This is a very interesting subject, which I don't believe receives much attention.
In regards to the information age, I believe forum use can in actuality have a huge impact on society, if used correctly. While ideas can be shared in traditional forms, such as newspaper and through public interaction, young adults and children have the "internet age" as part of their everyday life. That said, it is pretty easy to identify that modern societies are headed in the technology-oriented direction. Keeping this in mind, one can only begin to imagine all of the possibilities that the internet can serve. One issue, however, is where it is currently. Presently, anything can be found on the internet, and no validation is necessary. While this freedom of speech is wonderful, it is nice to have some sort of accuracy behind reasoning. I think if a structured forum were to be set up, that illustrated individuals' ideas, then positive changes could come about. For example, instead of just posting random thoughts with little to no explanation, the forum could have guidelines for each post. I believe there are a lot of intelligent and creative ideas circulating within cyberspace, they just need to be brought to the forefront in an apparent manner.
As for game play, some games can help facilitate positive change. However, I don't believe current games do this very much, or at least not to the extent that I'm thinking. For example, if a game were to illustrate in detail certain problems, such as poverty and warfare from a victims point of view, I believe more people would recognize the issues as being realistic.
In regards to the information age, I believe forum use can in actuality have a huge impact on society, if used correctly. While ideas can be shared in traditional forms, such as newspaper and through public interaction, young adults and children have the "internet age" as part of their everyday life. That said, it is pretty easy to identify that modern societies are headed in the technology-oriented direction. Keeping this in mind, one can only begin to imagine all of the possibilities that the internet can serve. One issue, however, is where it is currently. Presently, anything can be found on the internet, and no validation is necessary. While this freedom of speech is wonderful, it is nice to have some sort of accuracy behind reasoning. I think if a structured forum were to be set up, that illustrated individuals' ideas, then positive changes could come about. For example, instead of just posting random thoughts with little to no explanation, the forum could have guidelines for each post. I believe there are a lot of intelligent and creative ideas circulating within cyberspace, they just need to be brought to the forefront in an apparent manner.
As for game play, some games can help facilitate positive change. However, I don't believe current games do this very much, or at least not to the extent that I'm thinking. For example, if a game were to illustrate in detail certain problems, such as poverty and warfare from a victims point of view, I believe more people would recognize the issues as being realistic.
Q&A/Forum Thoughts
The three questions and answers that I cam up with are as follows:
1.) Do all teams/players have weapons?
A: "All troops are assumed to carry hand weapons."
2.) How does fighting work within Warhamme?
A: “Combat in WAR will be based around the concepts of normal Abilities, Morale Abilities and Tactics. Skills cost ability points, of which each character currently has a pool of 500, which regenerate quickly both in and out of combat.”
3.) What can wizards do when fighting?
A: "Wizards may cast spells when fighting in close combat."
In regards to the forum, I thought that it was well laid out and very easy to use. I've had much experience with forums for hobbies, so this wasn't too difficult. One feature which I always like for forums is to be able to edit your post, right on the main page. I like this because I often find that I may leave out details or having typos that I like to correct.
1.) Do all teams/players have weapons?
A: "All troops are assumed to carry hand weapons."
2.) How does fighting work within Warhamme?
A: “Combat in WAR will be based around the concepts of normal Abilities, Morale Abilities and Tactics. Skills cost ability points, of which each character currently has a pool of 500, which regenerate quickly both in and out of combat.”
3.) What can wizards do when fighting?
A: "Wizards may cast spells when fighting in close combat."
In regards to the forum, I thought that it was well laid out and very easy to use. I've had much experience with forums for hobbies, so this wasn't too difficult. One feature which I always like for forums is to be able to edit your post, right on the main page. I like this because I often find that I may leave out details or having typos that I like to correct.
changes
I found that article on wow influencing the election in Iraq very interesting yet I am not surprised. We live in a very forward thinking world and with that comes how we communicate. If people are desperate to get news out or information they will use any means that is available. Why not hide a message in a game when that game goes around the world and it has access to millions of people who are not mandated. Personally I think that it is a very good way to send a message, who would think to look in a video game for a message able a presidential election that is held around the world? I think that online communication will defiantly change how the world government works. People will be more influenced by the media online and the computer is a huge channel of communication these days.
Future of Online Games?
The video i posted at the top of the page is mainly for laughs. It does however bring up some points we made in week one about the "reality" involved in on-line games and to what extent we consider them real. It also brings back our early discussion about the different layers of experience we can encounter and the attenuated experience we have of the world in general. This video shows yet a further remove from the experience we actually are looking for in the great satirical fashion only The Onion can deliver.
The article to read for tomorrow is pretty light stuff. I thought it was entertaining and so i decided to pass it on. As you guys should be working on your research projects i am keeping the workload light this week. I know you have a few days left before classes start and i also need to prep for my courses. Just be sure to drop in on the forum daily and make a contribution.
Here are the Top Ten ways Online Gaming Will Change the Future
If you need help with your research papers please let me know or go to The Owl at Purdue website. There are a lot of tools and information there for putting a research paper together.
Monday, January 18, 2010
Forum thoughts
This is the first time that i have ever done anything like this, i am completely new to the whole thing. I have enjoyed the last couple of weeks even though it has been a bit hard sometimes keeping up with the posts everyday when i have been working full days but when i learnt how to deal with it it wasnt so bad. I have enjoyed looking at how other people take on the different situations, i would have liked to of had open discussions about things, but i suppose the course isnt really based on that.
Forum Thougts
This has been my first online course so Ive had no previous knowledge of what I was supposed to do or even how to do it, after getting the hang of it, I have to say that I enjoyed reading all the different blogs from everyone on a daily basis, where in class you don't always get every one's take on the issue at hand. Ive also gotten a kick out of Mr.T's quotes of the day!!
Question / Answers
1.How can a player obtain a pet?
The Engineering profession allows players to create combat pets that they will be able to use in battle called "Guardians."
You can also Obtain a pet if you purchase a collectors edition for the Burning Crusade Expansion, or by going to the pet store @blizzard store.
2.How does a player learn a profession?
They can be trained from appropriate professional trainers that can be found in towns,cities and dungeons. Also a player can purchase new recipes and advance skill level. A player must meet certain prerequisites which include skill level in that profession and character level.
3.Is there a realm or zone just for player vs. player?
Wintergrasp is a zone fully dedicated to player vs. player.
http://wow.com
The Engineering profession allows players to create combat pets that they will be able to use in battle called "Guardians."
You can also Obtain a pet if you purchase a collectors edition for the Burning Crusade Expansion, or by going to the pet store @blizzard store.
2.How does a player learn a profession?
They can be trained from appropriate professional trainers that can be found in towns,cities and dungeons. Also a player can purchase new recipes and advance skill level. A player must meet certain prerequisites which include skill level in that profession and character level.
3.Is there a realm or zone just for player vs. player?
Wintergrasp is a zone fully dedicated to player vs. player.
http://wow.com
1. How do individuals join a guild?
They have to be invited, but they also can ask if they can be invited.
2. How does an avatar upgrade their fighting capabilities?
They must earn it. By doing quest and accomplishments they can be trained.
3. Can an avatar play with a partner avatar?
That is on a personal level. If two avatar agree to play together then they can but here is no official alliance. Most of the game is played player versus player.
http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/games/wow/
Overall I liked the forum. I had difficulty at first because I had no past experience with one but I am very glad that I learned how to do it. I Think its a great way to host a class. Easy and self explanatory.
They have to be invited, but they also can ask if they can be invited.
2. How does an avatar upgrade their fighting capabilities?
They must earn it. By doing quest and accomplishments they can be trained.
3. Can an avatar play with a partner avatar?
That is on a personal level. If two avatar agree to play together then they can but here is no official alliance. Most of the game is played player versus player.
http://us.blizzard.com/en-us/games/wow/
Overall I liked the forum. I had difficulty at first because I had no past experience with one but I am very glad that I learned how to do it. I Think its a great way to host a class. Easy and self explanatory.
Gaming: A Human Right?
For a long time when i first started playing online games i didn't interact with other players or really engage the holiday festivals and things of that nature. I always had questions about running dungeons in groups and what level you needed to be. I never knew how people acquired the good items or even knew how to go about getting them. This really limited my engagement with the game world and others in it.
Then i heard of Thottbot. This player created database would always be running in background in case i had a tough question regarding a quest, a dungeon or anything else.
Of course there are other player run databases for similar information such as Wowwiki which is a Wikipedia style, open form database anyone can edit or contribute to. The problem with these sites, as with all Wiki sites, is that the information is often not current or updated frequently enough to be of use. Most multiplayer games have Wiki sites and other similar database resources. It seems there is real community outside of the game; even if it is still focused on the game. Third party contributions to games like WoW have really kept the genre flourishing over the years. With new content releases, there is a new flurry of activity to update databases and create new third party Add-ons to enhance game play.
Add-ons such as those offered at Curse.com If you need to know what is on the blank ares of the map you can use Cartographer which will show you the entire map of the game world in addition to dungeon maps. If you need to know where to go for a quest there is a Quest Helper Add-on. If you don't like the user interface of the game there are many choices for a customizable interface. The possibilities are endless; all installed via a painless installer. You don't even have to paste files anymore.
All this highlights the freedom some game companies give players to customize their experience in game. We live in the "information age" where the amount of information we have access to is virtually limitless. Even if you are having trouble with your virtual reality there are databases and other resources to help you manage your questions and provide excellent answers. Gaming is a part of the big picture of access to information which (i believe)will be the next human right.
Witness the burgeoning of the middle class and decentralization of church authority with the printing of the Bible in languages other than Latin. Witness the power of the printing press to bring knowledge, and power, to the disenfranchised. The early twentieth century saw the daily paper as a similar power for freedom of information as every town had at least a couple independently owned newspapers which reported news from your area of the world.
Today all these modes of gaining information about your world are owned by corporations which have complete control of the content these media outlets deliver. The last great free source of information is the internet. Still uncensored in our country, the internet has a fantastic potential provide information about anything and everything a first or third world person could desire.
Recently during Iran's tumultuous elections the only open channel of information in or out of the country was online games.
A man in Malawi recently made a windmill to generate electricity after looking at a picture of one once in a book an aid worker had. This information transformed the life of his entire village. Now think about entire nations which have little to no access to information such as this which can provide the bare necessities of life for them. This boy had zero help from aid workers or money from the west in the creation of his windmill. All he needed was the knowledge of how to do it.
Considering the state of the third world in the 21st century, a little information could save thousands if not millions of lives. Information is necessary for people to protect themselves against hunger, injury and disease. How can it not be considered a human right?
While gaming may seem like a frivolous part of the big picture, it too, contributes to the democratizing power information has to change lives.
Please take a moment to look at the linked articles in this post.
For tomorrow please work on the final project and have a tentative topic and thesis ready for Wed.
Currently i have only received the first weeks essay from the following students: Heather Tracy, Dawn Trombley, Christie Sausa, Julie Peacock, Lelah Lavene, Sarah
Saxton.
I only have journals for the following students: Julie Peacock and Dawn Trombley
If you wish to receive a grade for this course you must hand in the assigned work when it is due. Please look at the course calendar for specifics on work that is due.
Sunday, January 17, 2010
Heather Tracy
Gaming Journal Day 1--Warhammer
Q1. What does your Avatar look like? Race, Name, Gender, colors, details etc.
A1. My Avatar is a High Elf Swordmaster named Bardot. She has very long light blond hair and green eyes, and is very skilled with a longsword. She wears a white and pale blue Viking--esque robe that is suited to the medieval setting.
Q2. What do you believe motivated your choices?
A2. I chose the features used for my Avatar because of some exaggerated or idealized similarities to my own, although some traits, such as the Avatar’s significant height, were chosen because of a lack of such a trait in real life.
Q3. What other choices were available that did not appeal to you?
A3. There were many starting characters from which to choose, but it was easily narrowed down as I specifically preferred to play with a character similar to myself. If one would be so inclined, one could become a dwarf or an animal if one wishes. Even after choosing your Avatar, you are given many options, from nose shape to eye color to hair style. There was also the option of joining the evil side, known as Chaos, which one may assume would offer an entire different set of choices for the Avatar.
Q4. . If there are professions or classes available what was your choice? Why?
A4. I did eventually make use of some sparring partners that were available to increase y fighting skills.
Q5. How do you feel other players will perceive your Avatar?
A5. I initially felt that other players would think she was grace full but dangerous looking, but I ended up feeling like I might look silly to other players as I ran around seeming aimlessly while I attempted to learn how to control my Avatar and fulfill my quests.
Q6. How much of your decision do you think was based on those perceptions?
A6. I did choose attributes that were romanticized versions of my own, probably very much in part because I did want to have an attractive appearance when interacting with other players.
Q7. Did cultural norms regarding beauty inform your decisions?
A7. Cultural norms did have an effect on the appearance of my avatar, partially on my own part, but also in the form of what the game offered: for instance, of all of the human-like women available for use on the game as an Avatar, they all resemble Victoria’s Secret models, which is certainly not at all representative of the average woman.
Q8. Does your avatar represent aspects of your personality that you see as strengths or does your avatar represent areas of your own personality that may be weaker?
A8. I did choose certain traits that I am proud of, and I also chose traits I envy in other people, such as height.
Gaming Journal Day 2 –WarHammer
Q1. How large is the geographical world you are in?
A1. The world in which WarHammer is set seems to be very large, although considering my inept control of my avatar’s movements, (which is inexcusable since I have logged a ridiculous number of hours playing this game) I could just be going in circles. The map is very large, and there are sections that I haven’t even been granted entrance to that extend even further beyond the map.
Q2. 2. What does the geography resemble? Is the game world completely fantasy or do the regions resemble real world regions?
A2. The section of Warhammer that I have spent most of my time resembles a medieval northern European country village. It is fairly realistic, and could be anywhere in any number of colder European countries, although the names of certain objects, characters, myths, and places strongly suggest a Scandinavian connection.
Q3. What is the tone (mood) of the game?
A3. The tone of the game is definitely that of a medieval Scandinavian village at war with another.
Q4. . Is music present? Does it enhance the tone?
A4. There is no music present.
Q5. To what extent are you able to interact with the game world?
A5. Much of the interaction with the game world is through a quest. Objects become interactive as needed to perform certain tasks. When they are enabled, it can be difficult for a rookie player to figure out exactly how to use them, but trial and error solves that issue.
Q6. To what extent are you able to interact with other players?
A6. I had a difficult time communicating with other players, not understanding many of the terms used, but my eleven year old son, playing Everquest, did make some friends that he engaged in quests with. This makes me wonder if my predispositions about communicating in this way affected my experience of the game’s social aspect.
Q7. Do you feel “at home” in the game world or like an outsider?
A7. Again, like the above question, a lot of the game and terminology confuses me, which made me feel like I was not able to participate fully. My son caught on quickly, however, and enjoyed the experience immensely, so much so that he is using birthday money to purchase a subscription.
Q8. Has this affected your experience so far?
A8. This has affected my experience, in that I get embarrassed at my inexperience and decide to stop playing.
Gaming Journal Day 3--WarHammer
Q1. 1. How much information did you have regarding this game before you began to play?
A1. I had a general idea about what the game might be like minus the social component, having played games such as Sims, Black and White, and Age of Empires, just not with other players. The addition of the social component changes the game as the players are then able to collaborate and plot, adding a new depth to the role playing game.
Q2. What are the primary tasks you have in the game? What do you spend your time doing?
A2. Most of the quests I have fulfilled involve killing marauders, (low level bad guys) in order to free the innocent country residents. I have had a very difficult time learning to maneuver my avatar smoothly about the map, so I actually really do spend a great deal of my time running past my destination and trying to position myself face to face with other characters and avatars, both for fighting and speaking.
Q3. Are the tasks fun, engaging, confusing and do they posit you in a larger story?
A3. After struggling to navigate the game it is very enjoyable, even rewarding, to complete the quests and (slowly) increase in rank. Although I have not made very much progress in the game, it is very clear that the player is increasingly part of a large story as they become more skilled in their achievements.
Q4. Are the tasks collaborative or do they have you in competition with other players?
A4. I have not been assigned any collaborative quests or assignments as of yet, but from what I understand, that does become a part of the game as the player advances. Likewise, I have not noticed any other players trying to achieve the same exact goals as I am, or competing in any other way. This could also be a result of my low experience level.
Q5. . Is there a larger premise to the game or not? Story? Conflict? Final Purpose?
A5. The game is about warring medieval and mythological groups, the purpose, I believe, to re—create the human experience that was to be had during the earliest part of civilization which reinforced certain principles of community, chivalry, honor and strength that players value and may find some aspects of society lacking in.
Q6. Are there tangential tasks to engage in which allow player interaction?
A6. As in the earlier question regarding the collaborative tasks, I have not yet encountered such a quest, but I do believe it may exist.
Q7. Do you feel your personality affects the way you accomplish tasks in the game world?
A7. I definitely see my offline personality reflection in my online behavior, which reinforces the theory that our gaming experiences can certainly be considered real experiences of sorts.
Gaming Journal Day 4, WarHammer
Q1. What social interaction have you experienced thus far?
A1. Some players have said hello to me, but generally I do not understand much of the dialogue that runs through the chat box. I also think that the area I’m in is specifically for beginners, which may explain for a lower level of communication.
Q2. Does the appearance of other player avatars affect the way you interact with them?
A2. I am having a hard time communicating all that much, but when I have, I chose to greet an avatar with a similar manner of clothing to my own, because I felt like they were the safest people to communicate. My son, however, made some friends close to his age, and they all enjoyed showing off their various intimidating avatars to each other.
Q3. Do you think you could “summarize” the player base of the game you are playing in terms of age, background, education level, race, religion etc?
A3. I don’t think you could entirely categorize the player base of WarHammer; I think it might be surprising to find the diversity of most of these game’s players. I do think that a similar need to belong among other things may be a bond between many players.
Q4. Is there a perceptible player culture and how would you describe it?
A4. Although I have not as of yet physically seen evidence of a player culture within WarHammer, I have read evidence of it on the text chat box. Many of the players, especially the more advanced, use a WarHammer—text language that is almost impossible to decode without some serious time, coffee and research.
Q5. Have met any people you think you would particularly like or dislike outside of the game?
A5. As mentioned earlier, I have not successfully engaged in a great deal of conversation with anyone, but I have watched my son interact with some of his friends, which he enjoys. I do believe he would like to meet them if the family internet safety rules did not soundly prevent against such a thing. I think that these games often breed friendship because of the bond of the common interests and likes. I think that I might have more confidence in a game based on subjects I might be more knowledgeable about.
Q6. Is there a possibility for larger communities developing in-game or are players “on their own”.
A6. I think both the game setting and the nature of activity certainly supports players become parts of larger cooperative groups, but can be played alone if the player wishes.
Q7. What benefits do the player communities offer?
A7. With yet another example of gaming becoming its own reality, the large-group player is able to hone their ability and perform to a higher level of ability and simultaneously reap the benefits when another player does the same. Once again, the large group helps provide a social base full of people with similar interests.
Q8. Do these in game player communities extend to places outside of the game?
A8. I do believe that players that have invested a good deal of time and effort in their gamin experience may indeed form groups and have meetings and events based on the game they have in common, particularly in more heavily populated areas.
Gaming Journal, Day 5 WarHammer
Q1. Record some examples of ethical and unethical behavior you have observed.
And Q2. How do these actions reflect the attitudes of this particular game community?
A1&2. For the first question, I was going to say that I noticed that when I was fighting, people would come and assist me, which I thought was good, but my son pointed out that they may be trying to “steal my kill” as he put it, so I became a bit cloudy on what was what. It does seem to me, however, that much of the premise of this game, and ones similar, is based on honor and chivalry, which seems to me, would discourage unethical behavior. Even participating in a war means that you are fighting for a cause you presumably believe in enough to kill or be killed, which could be argued to be an ethical to do.
Q3. Do these actions represent a larger aspect of gaming culture or are they isolated?
A3. I believe that these particular attributes are part of the story of this and several other games, making honor and chivalry isolated to these particular games. I think that whatever it is that the game teaches and reinforces can clearly become a reality to the player. So if the player is carjacking, the players as a group may not display ethical interaction and behavior.
Q4. What kind of learning experiences did you have in game? Tutorials, other players etc?
A4. I did not participate in any tutorials or classes besides engaging with the sparring partners mentioned earlier.
Q5. Do you think the game you played could be used as a teaching tool?
A5. I absolutely believe that this game and others similar could be used as a learning tool. In addition to the applications that we have learned about that are being developed and tested, the interest such gaming sparks in a variety of subjects ranging from history to math to computer graphics undoubtedly classifies this kind of gaming as having educational potential.
Q6. What are your overall impressions of the game you played and the community?
A6. I think that the people who dedicate enough time and energy into their gaming receive a rewarding social life in return, and their interaction can lead to many more improvements in their life. I think that the game is difficult to play, however, and the community hard to break into, until one has invested enough time.
My Gaming Experience
Participating in this particular genre of interactive gaming has opened my eyes to a whole new world. One of the characteristics of this type of game play is that rather than just fulfilling a role of entertainment, the player may be influenced intellectually and morally, as well as providing a forum for social interaction with like-minded individuals, leading to increased communication and team building skills. Engaging in the appropriate game play can most certainly yield great benefits.
There is also a downside to the world of gaming. One of the things that I noticed was that I spent much more time playing than I should have. My eleven year old also played, choosing to play Everquest 2, allowing me to gain another perspective. He became very involved, and I had to be careful that he did not play for too long to avoid some serious attitude issues. I also noted the importance of a parent monitoring the gaming to ensure appropriate social interaction.
All being said, it would seem to me that there is undoubtedly a benefit to the gamer engaging in MMORPG games-- as long as moderation and common sense is employed. It certainly is enjoyable, and the positive aspects are impressive. It will be interesting to see how this division of gaming evolves and is put to further uses in our technological society.
There is also a downside to the world of gaming. One of the things that I noticed was that I spent much more time playing than I should have. My eleven year old also played, choosing to play Everquest 2, allowing me to gain another perspective. He became very involved, and I had to be careful that he did not play for too long to avoid some serious attitude issues. I also noted the importance of a parent monitoring the gaming to ensure appropriate social interaction.
All being said, it would seem to me that there is undoubtedly a benefit to the gamer engaging in MMORPG games-- as long as moderation and common sense is employed. It certainly is enjoyable, and the positive aspects are impressive. It will be interesting to see how this division of gaming evolves and is put to further uses in our technological society.
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Games Functioning as Learning Tools
Just realized that I forgot this post from Wednesday..
I believe, in certain instances, that a game can be a learning tool. As noted in the article read, games can act as learning tools both by imposing a problem for the player to solve as well as causing the player to think of new ideas. I believe many games that involve strategy demonstrate this, on some level. With children, for example, games that involve navigation of a character can teach aspects of spacial properties. For adolescents, MMO games such as WoW or Warhammer can teach basic skills, such as team coordination and cooperation, as well as improve reaction time. In addition to this, as noted before, games can inspire new ideas. For example, although a very basic thought, I found myself comparing some aspects of the philosophical storyline within Warhammer to early Greek civilizations. A comparison that came to mind was that of Athens and Sparta.
I believe, in certain instances, that a game can be a learning tool. As noted in the article read, games can act as learning tools both by imposing a problem for the player to solve as well as causing the player to think of new ideas. I believe many games that involve strategy demonstrate this, on some level. With children, for example, games that involve navigation of a character can teach aspects of spacial properties. For adolescents, MMO games such as WoW or Warhammer can teach basic skills, such as team coordination and cooperation, as well as improve reaction time. In addition to this, as noted before, games can inspire new ideas. For example, although a very basic thought, I found myself comparing some aspects of the philosophical storyline within Warhammer to early Greek civilizations. A comparison that came to mind was that of Athens and Sparta.
Warhammer: Concluding Thoughts
In general, my game has been an interesting overall experience. I think my main fear of the game was that I wouldn't be able to excel very much. While this fear wasn't entirely dissolved, I did find myself doing better than I anticipated. The difficulty, however, was about what I expected it to be. One misconception I had about the game was that I thought it would be similar to or the same as any other war-oriented game. In contrast to this, I was surprised to see the detailed character customization. While I realize this is a feature in some other single-player and MMO games, I found the customization in Warhammer to be pretty specific. Furthermore, while the game was centered around the concept of battle, the story seemed to play out more in this game than others. For example, I was able to have more group-oriented battle with Warhammer than I have with other online games.
While I may not be playing the game as consistently as I have over the past week and a half, I will definitely play it again when I have the time.
While I may not be playing the game as consistently as I have over the past week and a half, I will definitely play it again when I have the time.
Friday, January 15, 2010
Computer games
The online gaming was not what i expected it to be at all, my ideas and thoughts about what i was going to be playing was totally wrong. The times i played it i only planned on being on the game for at about an hour at a time but three hours later and i was still finding it hard to leave things as they are. It is something that i think i might be playing every know and then after this class has finished. It definitely isn't what i expect it to be in a good way, and i don't really understand why it has such a different opinion by people. The graphics and how easy everything is to understand was my favourite bit because it just seem to make the game easier to pick up and to play for hours at a time. For some reason i thought that people just did the same thing over and over again and that's why i was a bit foreign to games like this but now i have seen the other side i completely understand how and why people are addicted to online gaming.
The Hero Inside of You
It is true that as society has advanced, our need for a hero-- and thus many traditional oppurtunities to become a hero-- has become less and less. While it is also true that the hero may take many forms, there is a natural drive to push oneself, to evolve in some way, to take the journey to a new level of one's mental, emotional and spiritual state. Earlier in our society, out of necessity and tradition most young people undertook some form of a hero journey without fail.
It makes sense that engaging in gameplay can be a way of fulfilling that instinct, of inspiring that feeling. People spend a great deal of time and energy playing these games, and are often very emotionally invested also. As we have discussed at length, gaming is a real experience, and is considered an alternate reality by some schools of thought. If this is the case, it follows that the missions and quests completed have indeed become an experience for the gamer, essentially allowing th em to have embarked on that particular kind of hero transformation.
It makes sense that engaging in gameplay can be a way of fulfilling that instinct, of inspiring that feeling. People spend a great deal of time and energy playing these games, and are often very emotionally invested also. As we have discussed at length, gaming is a real experience, and is considered an alternate reality by some schools of thought. If this is the case, it follows that the missions and quests completed have indeed become an experience for the gamer, essentially allowing th em to have embarked on that particular kind of hero transformation.
Playing WOW
I can't say my time playing WOW was bad. I actually had an enjoyable time playing the game, which I really didn't think I would. I didn't care for somethings in the game which my fiance did explain to me, but I still did like it. I didn't mind having to attack things but when it came to them just coming up to me, I wasn't that good at the game in that aspect. However I really enjoyed the graphics, and the quests were really fun. I can't say I wont play after this week, every now and then I may still play it. It still doesn't completely live up to what everyone says yet, I still really don't understand how its that great yet. I but I really did enjoy my time playing the game, and my fiance got some laughs out of it!
Impressions of Gaming
I decided to play "Second Life", which is a game which encompasses a virtual world. After creating an Avatar, characters are allowed to visit many virtual destinations, and interact with other avatars. People can become whoever they want, and buy items with "Linden" dollars, the form of currency used.
As a novice gamer, I wasn't so sure about this game....but I caught on quickly. My avatar was created, and I started exploring the worlds.
I was a little insecure about the idea of interacting with others; I am suspicious of people online, since I don't know their real identity. But so far I haven't really interacted with the other avatars, or had any problems with other players.
The only problems I have with "Second Life" is that it requires high-speed computers; my computer doesn't meet the minimum requirements of the game, so I was shut down a few times. Other than that, I have been having fun with the game!
As a novice gamer, I wasn't so sure about this game....but I caught on quickly. My avatar was created, and I started exploring the worlds.
I was a little insecure about the idea of interacting with others; I am suspicious of people online, since I don't know their real identity. But so far I haven't really interacted with the other avatars, or had any problems with other players.
The only problems I have with "Second Life" is that it requires high-speed computers; my computer doesn't meet the minimum requirements of the game, so I was shut down a few times. Other than that, I have been having fun with the game!
Heroes
The video about the Hero's Journey spoke of the metaphors in pop culture (like Star Wars) and the general meaning of a hero's journey.
First we should define heroes- they are the people that sacrifice themselves for the good of others, complete an amazing feat, or stray outside the realm of the "expected" and "average" to contribute positively to society. When I think of heroes, I think of Olympic athletes (they all face more adversities and pain in training than most normal people), mythological figures like Hercules, spiritual figures like Jesus, and everyday people who stepped forward to help others and sacrifice their own well-being and comfort.
Metaphorically, the heroes journey, no matter what the circumstances, are all based on the universal quest of enlightenment. In video games, the goal may well be to reach the last level, and to conquer the last enemy....but according to Campbell, the last enemy is always something we prize- our mind.
Our ego is much like a dragon; it guards the illusions we hold dear, and in return imprisons us in our own limited and disordered thinking. Many self-help gurus speak of the "Power of Now".....but instead of this, we all trap ourselves in our thoughts. The hero in all of us wants to conquer this enemy, and the last triumph, the defining moment of the hero, is the disowning of the ego. Jesus and the Buddha embarked on journeys of spiritual awakening and were tempted by three different temptations, which represent the ego. In Star Wars, Luke is tempted by Darth Vader to "go to the dark side", which is a metaphor for giving into the ego. By using "The Force", Jesus, the Buddha, and Luke Skywalker managed to achieve something few realize.....the knowledge of the pure goodness at our core, and the wisdom to dispel our darkest egoic tendencies. The true hero is the one who learns these truths....so in the end, we can all be heroes.
First we should define heroes- they are the people that sacrifice themselves for the good of others, complete an amazing feat, or stray outside the realm of the "expected" and "average" to contribute positively to society. When I think of heroes, I think of Olympic athletes (they all face more adversities and pain in training than most normal people), mythological figures like Hercules, spiritual figures like Jesus, and everyday people who stepped forward to help others and sacrifice their own well-being and comfort.
Metaphorically, the heroes journey, no matter what the circumstances, are all based on the universal quest of enlightenment. In video games, the goal may well be to reach the last level, and to conquer the last enemy....but according to Campbell, the last enemy is always something we prize- our mind.
Our ego is much like a dragon; it guards the illusions we hold dear, and in return imprisons us in our own limited and disordered thinking. Many self-help gurus speak of the "Power of Now".....but instead of this, we all trap ourselves in our thoughts. The hero in all of us wants to conquer this enemy, and the last triumph, the defining moment of the hero, is the disowning of the ego. Jesus and the Buddha embarked on journeys of spiritual awakening and were tempted by three different temptations, which represent the ego. In Star Wars, Luke is tempted by Darth Vader to "go to the dark side", which is a metaphor for giving into the ego. By using "The Force", Jesus, the Buddha, and Luke Skywalker managed to achieve something few realize.....the knowledge of the pure goodness at our core, and the wisdom to dispel our darkest egoic tendencies. The true hero is the one who learns these truths....so in the end, we can all be heroes.
Playing World Of Warcraft
Playing World Of Warcraft was really fun. I didnt really expect it to be good or fun at all but it was different and it was fun learning how to play a new game. I thought it was cool how you can pretty much create your own character and just run around. The only fear that I had going in to this game was learning how to play it. I didnt really think that I would be any good at the game and I would just always get killed. The thing that really made me mad was after you die how you can find the angel or your corpse to come back alive. When one of the prairie dogs would kill me and I would find my corpse and come back to life and then the same dog would kill me as soon as I would come back to life. My misconceptions for the game were turned around about the game because I thought only like "Geeks" played this game but I kind of liked it.
Film/Game Correlation
I found the film to be quite interesting, just in general. What I thought was neat was how philosophical, in a sense, it was in regards to the world fictional media.
To correlate with the game I'm playing, being Warhammer online, I would say the story or plot of the game as well as the characters and setting seem to be most relevant to the film. For example, the plot for the game is based around some positive humanistic qualities, such as courage, bravery, sacrifice, and dedication. The general story, from what I have been able to gather, is a group of people fighting to save and protect their land against a fierce group of warrior-like people who are "relentless" in their efforts to cause destruction. In addition to this, especially from what I saw in the film, I believe that the game can teach people these humanistic qualities. Furthermore, as noted in reference to Star Wars, the movie covers aspects of psychology and philosophy. I believe this pertains to my game also. The most apparent aspect of psychology relating to the game, as it is based around war, would be meeting the basic need(s) for survival. In relation to philosophy, the game brings up the question of morality, as well as the meaning of life.
To correlate with the game I'm playing, being Warhammer online, I would say the story or plot of the game as well as the characters and setting seem to be most relevant to the film. For example, the plot for the game is based around some positive humanistic qualities, such as courage, bravery, sacrifice, and dedication. The general story, from what I have been able to gather, is a group of people fighting to save and protect their land against a fierce group of warrior-like people who are "relentless" in their efforts to cause destruction. In addition to this, especially from what I saw in the film, I believe that the game can teach people these humanistic qualities. Furthermore, as noted in reference to Star Wars, the movie covers aspects of psychology and philosophy. I believe this pertains to my game also. The most apparent aspect of psychology relating to the game, as it is based around war, would be meeting the basic need(s) for survival. In relation to philosophy, the game brings up the question of morality, as well as the meaning of life.
Experience
I did have fun learning to play the game! I can't say that I will be paying for it any time soon but it was an enjoyable assignment. I did find myself getting tired of playing when all I had to do was kill kobalt vermin and workers and eat apples but I did not expect anything less of myself. I like to move fast and this game needs to be taken in strides. I was frustrated because I could not get off the path without dying but I learned by talking with people that because of the level I am at that is the case. I think I did well for me not playing video games at all and knowing nothing about the game in the beginning. I was able to search out people and ask them details about the game and take that information to help me play.
Playing WOW
Starting out I had a few misgivings on playing WOW. I was nervous that I wouldn't get the idea of it all.The thought of being obligated to play every night was daunting to me. But this week I have to say playing became more enjoyable by the day. I found after a hard day at work, that playing was my way of unwinding, relaxing and getting into a whole new mind set or "world". I found I was worried for nothing, that it is not that hard, and it is fun figuring out how to complete some quests and increase my levels. I realize that I'm guilty of letting my fears of the unknown talk me out of opportunities, so I'm glad this wasn't one of those times and now I can say that I have "some" experience with MMOG's.
Eduacation and gaming
I think this is a good point that is raised one that i think is correct, although you will never see an example exactly the same as in an online game, but there is sometimes ways to relate things to the online world. I think that why online games are so popular is because they are a cross between reality, and the make believe. I can't see there being every day problems that you face in the real world being helped by the online world, but every now and again I can see this working. However; the other way around I think is more common, there will be tasks in the online games that require you to use a bit of know how and school is the best place to pick that up. There has been a number of times that I can think of when I have been playing FIFA online and done a pattern of play that I learned in practise to break a team down that I had been struggling to score against. I was playing an online game last week and I remember that it was asking mathematical questions to get past a certain stage, I wouldn't of been able to get the majority of them right without the education i have had.
Thursday, January 14, 2010
I found the video very interesting. I saw the conection, and was able to see how it conected with playing the online game. When playing WOW I noticed that we get to complete quests for someone to get back something they lost to a bad guy, or to help protect your people from those invading. In that way you are their hero, you are helping them in a way they can't do them selves. Being a hero is an extrodinary thing, for someone to be considered that way. As you grow up you have heros. I don't think that you have to do something extrodinary to become one, it all depends on how you look at it.
The Hero's Journey
I found Joseph Campbell's The Power of Myth to be enlightening, I guess I had never given thought to how people arrive at becoming a hero before. I thought hero's were born that way. But now I see that sometimes it's unknown till that person is on a spiritual journey and faces certain circumstances that lead him to ultimately becoming a hero, sacrificing himself for the good of someone else, or having the courage to venture out of his norm for unknown territory to learn and have new experiences. He probably never thought he had that in him until he was faced with it. It wasn't till he brought up Star Wars that I seen the connection with playing online games like WOW. How we set out on a quest to help whom ever it is willing to offer us the promises of rewards and along the way find ourselves helping out anyone in need and feeling good that we are helping our "realm" in doing so.
Heros
I found it interesting, in the video, that a mother was considered a hero. She changed anothers life and gave it a choice so she is considered a hero. I think that mythology in reference to the video is very purtinant to the online gaming world. Each character has the chioce to accomplish something that makes them of worth and changes that game or each character stumbles upon something that makes them change who they are. This can be a battle, a challenge, a mission or just getting lost. Each of these things call for character adaptaion and that is what they talk about in the video as being what makes a hero. It can be by chance or it can be by will. I think that the who reason to engage in a game is to make something of the avatar that was created. Nobody wants to just create a character and have it be in the background. The whole point is to be better, to change and make a name for the character- become a hero. I think that the hero of many faces is right on: we all want to find something to believe in and those things change and take the form in which we believe them to be.
Deep Thoughts
So far this week we've really run the gauntlet and pushed the envelope in terms of what games can do. We've read the research on Ethical communities being formed online, Games as Learning tools, Psychosocial effects of gaming and the universal quest that underlies the heart of this genre.
Today we take a little break from the high and mighty realm of theories and analysis to reflect on our experience in general and share it with each other.
Before that I'd like to comment briefly on the reading. The brief article from the Higher Ed. website had some great insights and shed light on the other reading. Because we are studying these games and the people in them we are to some extent separated from them. I hope that some of you have had some genuine fun this week in addition to merely answering questions, playing and reading.
For next Monday please e-mail your completed journals. Also look at the assignment for Monday posted in the reading. I'll be away Fri-Sun. for my wife's two baby showers in central NY. If you have questions I'll try and respond to them Sunday night or Monday morning.
I'll leave you with a quote to ponder for next week.
"I am a person whose believes that there are some things in life too important for us to give up just because achieving them might make us uncomfortable."
Ethics.... If You Choose
As we have looked deeper into the different facets of the gaming world, we have learned that these MMORPGs' uses go far beyond that of simply entertainment. We have seen evidence of players fulfilling their need for social interaction and belonging in these games among other things. The readings today suggested--or denied-- that players engaging in MMORPGs are also developing their sense of ethics through the interactive play. This seems to be a reasonable claim, as long as the player has chosen to take the oppurtunity.
It is true that playing a game such as World of Warcraft may increase ones moral fiber if one is so inclined. If the player has chosen to play on the benevolent side these kind of games encourage and even require good communication and cooperation skills. These games also generally reward the avatar's positive behavior, which certainly would help convince a player to develop some sort of a code-- even if only to keep a supply of rewards.
On the other hand, if one chooses a game such as Grand Theft Auto, and bad behavior is that which is being rewarded, then the opposite may occur. This is not to say that playing such games may cause one to go on a car jacking shooting rampage. A regular player of such games, however, may not place as much value on ethics or morals, because they have had practice in the opposite direction. The players of the first group of games has had practice thinking and acting ethically while the player from the second group has not, and as we all know, practice makes perfect!
It is true that playing a game such as World of Warcraft may increase ones moral fiber if one is so inclined. If the player has chosen to play on the benevolent side these kind of games encourage and even require good communication and cooperation skills. These games also generally reward the avatar's positive behavior, which certainly would help convince a player to develop some sort of a code-- even if only to keep a supply of rewards.
On the other hand, if one chooses a game such as Grand Theft Auto, and bad behavior is that which is being rewarded, then the opposite may occur. This is not to say that playing such games may cause one to go on a car jacking shooting rampage. A regular player of such games, however, may not place as much value on ethics or morals, because they have had practice in the opposite direction. The players of the first group of games has had practice thinking and acting ethically while the player from the second group has not, and as we all know, practice makes perfect!
Wednesday, January 13, 2010
Education and Gaming
The digital world of gaming unarguably has great potential to as a developmental tool for young people on many different levels. We already established yesterday that if the appropriate type of game is used the social and team building components of a game combined with a system that rewards ethical behavior can be a very valuable tool in developing a stronger, more ethical character. Today's readings assert that with a few tweaks, games with sound moral content, such as WoW, may be used to help effectively teach students, who are living in a digitally--immersed world, a variety of invaluable subjects.
Students may study the expected schoolroom subjects, such as math, as well as social studies, science, and may even obtain valuable computer and digital social skills, which is vital for success in this day and age. As the readings mentioned, just as is usually the case, this emerging teaching tool is just that: a tool. It is not intended to replace a parent or teacher's guidance, and should be done as a parent or teacher/ student activity together. There is no teaching tool that could possibly match the human contact and attention that children require, and the student has much less of a chance to learn to their full potential without these things.
I happen to have to pre--teen sons who have been playing versions of RPG games-- not online until recently-- since they were four and five years old. When my son David started to play Age of Mythology he obviously did not understand certain aspects of the game, but with my help, he played the game for hours. (He still does on occasion.) As the years wore on, and he continued to play, his knowledge and appreciation of the game became more sophisticated, and he fully understands this game along with others such as Age of Empires. This particular pastime sparked an interest in history that spread to science and even math, and both of my children having reading levels that exceed many high school children and can tell me stories about Attila the Hun's battle techniques. It would seem that their gaming activity has had a very positive effect on their learning experience, and if used properly, gaming applications could become very useful in the classroom.
Students may study the expected schoolroom subjects, such as math, as well as social studies, science, and may even obtain valuable computer and digital social skills, which is vital for success in this day and age. As the readings mentioned, just as is usually the case, this emerging teaching tool is just that: a tool. It is not intended to replace a parent or teacher's guidance, and should be done as a parent or teacher/ student activity together. There is no teaching tool that could possibly match the human contact and attention that children require, and the student has much less of a chance to learn to their full potential without these things.
I happen to have to pre--teen sons who have been playing versions of RPG games-- not online until recently-- since they were four and five years old. When my son David started to play Age of Mythology he obviously did not understand certain aspects of the game, but with my help, he played the game for hours. (He still does on occasion.) As the years wore on, and he continued to play, his knowledge and appreciation of the game became more sophisticated, and he fully understands this game along with others such as Age of Empires. This particular pastime sparked an interest in history that spread to science and even math, and both of my children having reading levels that exceed many high school children and can tell me stories about Attila the Hun's battle techniques. It would seem that their gaming activity has had a very positive effect on their learning experience, and if used properly, gaming applications could become very useful in the classroom.
Games and Learning
I think that having online gaming, in school for maybe once a week or something wouldn't be a bad idea. It does help in ways, but I don't think it should be an every day thing, or that it should be done for long periods of time during the school day. I still think that other things should be done other than them playing a game to learn. It does help with hand eye coordination, learning how to help others, and you also learn how to complete things. Even though parts of the game maybe hard, you don't give up and you have people to help you. It shows you how to help and support one another. It would be benifitial in ways, but I don't think it should be a childs whole school day.
Learning Games
I think that using online learning games is very useful for kids. I think that it takes something a child may like (video games) and can help them learn new skills such as problem solving or reading. I think that games that help with counting or math are also beneficial. I see online games as learning tools being most effective for pre-school and elementary school children as opposed to high school students, but I'm sure that a game could be designed to encourage education in teens as well. I just see how beneficial games are for teaching younger children.
I learned how to type through playing games. It helped me to be able to practice the skill. I also learned how to do math problems because the game made it more fun and was a great teaching tool. I think that as technology progresses that incorporating it into teaching and learning will help students to keep up with other kids and also be a fun interactive way of learning. I find that for some kids its useful to actually do it and not just take notes in class.
I learned how to type through playing games. It helped me to be able to practice the skill. I also learned how to do math problems because the game made it more fun and was a great teaching tool. I think that as technology progresses that incorporating it into teaching and learning will help students to keep up with other kids and also be a fun interactive way of learning. I find that for some kids its useful to actually do it and not just take notes in class.
Ethical Consideration in the Online World
Based upon what I have read in the article as well as from my own experience with some online games as well as the use of forums, I would say that I believe online games do create ethical communities. There seems to be two apparent factors behind this. One factor, which was mentioned in the article, would be rules that are in place. The second factor is based on personal observation of online interaction between people.
Whether it be an online game or a forum, most reputable online communication has some sort of monitoring or filtration. As for online gaming, as noted in the article, players of WoW must communicate with respect to fellow players. If this rule is abused, the person is banned from the game. Furthermore, the same thing applies to those who use forums. Posters are allowed to express their opinion and make jokes, but only to an extent. Use of cursing is blocked, and the repetition of insults or disrespect for other posters generally leads to the person being banned.
In addition to this, what I have noticed personally is that, for the most part, is that online communication does well to promote community spirit and the sharing of knowledge. Most forms of identity, such as gender, race, name, educational background, and location are able to be private. Because of this, some people feel more comfortable sharing their ideas and advice. Individuals present themselves mainly through their writing, leaving little room for distraction of other details. Also, by nature, people like to be recognized and respected for what they're good at.
Therefore, when the online gamer helps a "newbie", or a retired auto mechanic helps a young gearhead get his or her car started on a forum, they can sign out feeling good about themselves for both their knowledge and for helping someone out.
Whether it be an online game or a forum, most reputable online communication has some sort of monitoring or filtration. As for online gaming, as noted in the article, players of WoW must communicate with respect to fellow players. If this rule is abused, the person is banned from the game. Furthermore, the same thing applies to those who use forums. Posters are allowed to express their opinion and make jokes, but only to an extent. Use of cursing is blocked, and the repetition of insults or disrespect for other posters generally leads to the person being banned.
In addition to this, what I have noticed personally is that, for the most part, is that online communication does well to promote community spirit and the sharing of knowledge. Most forms of identity, such as gender, race, name, educational background, and location are able to be private. Because of this, some people feel more comfortable sharing their ideas and advice. Individuals present themselves mainly through their writing, leaving little room for distraction of other details. Also, by nature, people like to be recognized and respected for what they're good at.
Therefore, when the online gamer helps a "newbie", or a retired auto mechanic helps a young gearhead get his or her car started on a forum, they can sign out feeling good about themselves for both their knowledge and for helping someone out.
Gaming and School
This might not seem to address the subject at hand, but......
when I was around 6 years old, my parents bought me a Sega PICO system, which is like a pre-cursor to the Leapfrog system. To me, it was the greatest toy ever; my parents set it up in the living room, and I was allowed to play 1-2 hours a day. Like today's playstations or XBoxes (the playstations were popular then too, but not age appropriate in my parent's opinion) the console plugged into the television, and educational games could be played. I remember that my favorite ones were based on the Disney characters. The object of the games were to teach preliminary skills like reading comprehension, spelling, math, colors, shapes, and other school-type lessons through the use of games and animated characters. Now the Leapfrog system has replaced the system and is a big hit with parents.
So I do believe that games could be used to teach children....but the game played also has something to do with it. Games that are just mindlessly violent (like fight games) seem pointless to me, but some could argue that they teach skills like strategy. One thread that seems to run though most video games, though, is cultivating the skill of persistence. Like solving a difficult math problem, successfully playing a video game requires persistance; obviously, it isn't so easy to get to that next level if you don't keep trying! So if anything, games can teach the importance of continuously persisting in not only the game, but in school and life.
when I was around 6 years old, my parents bought me a Sega PICO system, which is like a pre-cursor to the Leapfrog system. To me, it was the greatest toy ever; my parents set it up in the living room, and I was allowed to play 1-2 hours a day. Like today's playstations or XBoxes (the playstations were popular then too, but not age appropriate in my parent's opinion) the console plugged into the television, and educational games could be played. I remember that my favorite ones were based on the Disney characters. The object of the games were to teach preliminary skills like reading comprehension, spelling, math, colors, shapes, and other school-type lessons through the use of games and animated characters. Now the Leapfrog system has replaced the system and is a big hit with parents.
So I do believe that games could be used to teach children....but the game played also has something to do with it. Games that are just mindlessly violent (like fight games) seem pointless to me, but some could argue that they teach skills like strategy. One thread that seems to run though most video games, though, is cultivating the skill of persistence. Like solving a difficult math problem, successfully playing a video game requires persistance; obviously, it isn't so easy to get to that next level if you don't keep trying! So if anything, games can teach the importance of continuously persisting in not only the game, but in school and life.
Games/School
I'm not real sure that online games should be in the school curriculum for everyday, but maybe monthly or even bi weekly. I know that children today need to be motivated to do their best in school,but I guess I'm old school and feel that having them play games is almost like letting them eat desert before their dinner. I have read that it's good for coordination, problem solving,etc, so I know it has it's good points but not in everyday school hours. I know about motivation, my son Collin is thirteen and loves to carp fish,but hasn't cared for social studies until his social teacher motivated him by telling him to keep his grades above a ninety and he'll go fishing with him this summer,so far so good. I don't think I would have approved if the motivator was to play games during school?
Day 3 Game Journal
I had little information about the game before I began playing the game. All I figured that the game was about was war in some sort from the name and what some of the characters looked like from the commercials. Some of the primary tasks for the game is to select a realm, explore the lands, running around and fighting all sorts of monsters, completing missions or quests, or to interact and talk with the computer and other players all in a third person setting. I spend most of my time running around trying to kill random monsters that are walking around the level. The tasks that the game gives you arent that tough so far and they actually make me engage more in the game instead of just running around just looking for things. I have only done maybe two task and it was by myself and not against any other players. My personality has nothing to do with the way I play or approach the game.
gaming school
I think that games should be a part of school. They interact with students and give them a task in which to accomplish. Sure not every game is great but it does get kids attention. I came froma small school where we ahd to share books sometimes. And the old way of riting on the chalkboard needs to be weeded out! Kids do not pay attention! Why should they when their phone does more to engage them than there teachers are that are paid tax dollars do. Gaming helps with hand eye coordination, thinking skills and it can be on a personal level instead of having kids competing. There can also be self esteem issues. School games can promote self esteem because the kids are more interested so they are more engaged and want to succeed. I find it to be a positive experence and think that as the funding becomes available it should be more widely used.
Day two Game Journal
The geographical world for World of Warcraft is huge. It might be the biggest world that I have played on for an online game. I didn't know where I was going half of the time I would just be running around the map trying to kill these birds or these prairie dogs and usually got killed by the dogs. I'm not sure where the map represents but it looks realistic with hills, trees, and mountains. The tone/mood for the game is pretty violent but the game is pretty cool. I am thinking about maybe buying the game just to explore and do things that I am sure you cant do in the free trial version. The music in the game represents action. It is like suspense music in movies. Yes the music enhances the game because it draws you into the game and makes you think about what is going to happen next in the game. You can interact with the game world a lot but I haven't really interacted with other people yet but I see that there is a message bar and a chat bar that maybe allows you to interact with other players. I definately don't feel at home in this game world because I never really play games like this ever so I feel kind of an outsider and it is alright because it still hasn't effected my experience so far with the game.
The Hero's Journey
Joseph Campbell popularized the subject of mythology with the PBS series The Power of Myth. The video you watched was the first in the series of films which explored mythology and it's meaning on our lives today. The Hero's Journey or the Monomyth is the form that Campbell came up with to explain hero stories from cultures worldwide.
If you take my course in Mythology we spend at least a month on hero stories because, whether we realize it or not they occupy an enormous part of our imagination and our literary culture. From the ancient Greeks to modern Hollywood films, the monomyth gives us a way of connecting the mundane to the spiritual.
Essentially the hero cycle is about passing into a new realm of experience in order to discover more about yourself an your world and then returning to your normal life with this new found experience/knowledge/gift to put it to use.
Modern video games really make use of this model to a great extent, complete with spiritual advisers and all. In fact the premise of many online games follows exactly the cycle given us by Campbell.
Usually thee is a bad guy who changes the balance of the world from creativity and productivity to desolation and sterility. Inmost games the player figures as the hero with humble origins who must leave his/her home full of comfort to travel into the unknown in order to restore he balance of powers to the world/town/universe.
My hope is that in contemplating Campbell's ideas regarding the monomyth that you may connect the mundane world of gaming to that of the spiritual adventure. While i won't assert that gaming is good for your soul, it can be a cathartic experience helping us to relieve tension, relax and channel our daily frustration in a positive way through engaging in quest.
All of us need to put ourselves in uncomfortable situations in order to discover things about our selves. For some of you the past few days may have amounted to as much as you introduced your selves to the world of online gaming. Part of this course, since it is humanities, is learning about yourself to some degree. While most of our reading and assignments deal with things outside of ourselves it is important to track our own reactions to our experiences as well. I hope this course helps you learn something about your self even if it is that you don't like online games. At least you can make a decision based on experience and sound reasoning instead of prejudice and ignorance. (not implying that you are either of those)
With that i give you Fridays reading assignment: Anthropologist Digs into WOW
and
Fear and Humiliation as Teaching Methods
Skool Daze
When i was a kid i never saw the point in doing my homework. I was too busy running around with my friends to spend any time as boring as math. While i did read quite a lot in my free time, school was completely separated from the world i knew and lived in. I got on the bus every morning and was transported to a world of boredom, and when i hit puberty awkwardness. Much of modern educational theory focuses on engaging students in activities that challenge their minds but engage their interest. You can't make in education, outside of Florida or Texas, without really working to be creative about student learning.
Personally i had never thought of video games as potential tools for learning but when presented with the information in the article we read for today in addition to some of the lesson plans from the WOWinSchool website i must concede that it shows promise.
Comedians know that a good joke depends on the context in which it is told. The situation is everything. Writers also know that what is appropriate for one audience will not be appropriate for another. Clearly video games have contextual value to teach and entertain depending on the context in which they are presented and used.
Any good lesson includes specific objectives. Take a look at the math lesson objectives and you find standards and objectives with a clear purpose. DPS is a common statistic that people use as part of almost any online game environment to compare the value of different weapons or items. The question of how DPS is calculated will eventually occur to anyone who plays these games long enough. A good lesson will satisfy that curiosity.
How much should you use these tools? It is clear that these tools cannot be overused. I can see this as a laboratory type activity that might run once a week over the entire school year.
Inevitably the questions of violence comes up in any discussion of video games and it may be made more poignant by their use in a classroom setting. Research shows that young kids and teenagers can differentiate between real and imagined violence and that playing games that include fighting does not lead to further violence. While this question continues to rage around the subject, it has a history of being used as a political tool to incite voter rage in rampant censorship of media which threatens our ability to make informed decisions.
While the censorship debate is a topic for another day it is a part of the bigger issue regarding stereotypes of game players and the culture which is slowly being debunked.
For tomorrow please review the video on the front page regarding the Hero's Journey and we'll discuss it in tomorrows forum post.
Tuesday, January 12, 2010
ethics/gaming
I believe that playing online games can create ethic communities. When people are online playing a game they don't criticize one another about how they look, or who they are. It's not about if you are popular, or wearing the right clothes. You see and play with one another, and help each other out. You play the same game, and you are willing to help others, and they help you. You get to see and understand a little better how gaming can be a little different than school life or other places.
Ethical Communities
With any type of community there will be those who behave in a manner that is not ethical. I believe that online communities do have a ethical basis, but that it's up to the members of the community to conduct themselves in that manner. I think that the same applies to "real" life as well. I think that you see benevolence in many cases online as you don't necessarily know the people who are benefiting from the service. I recently read an article that stated we are much more likely to offer $5.00 to a homeless person than we would be to our neighbors. The reasoning behind this we that we would be offending our neighbors on a personal level that we do not have that fear of offending the homeless person whom we probably will never see again.
In our reading the Ethics are pretty cut and dry so that everyone understands the "rules" to abide by. I think that this is similar to "real" life as well. I think that a major difference would be that in the "real" world we have a checks and balance that i think it would be difficult to have online. In the "real" world we have a penal code and law enforcement officials. In a sense I think it would be more difficult online to have the same sort of "law enforcement."
In our reading the Ethics are pretty cut and dry so that everyone understands the "rules" to abide by. I think that this is similar to "real" life as well. I think that a major difference would be that in the "real" world we have a checks and balance that i think it would be difficult to have online. In the "real" world we have a penal code and law enforcement officials. In a sense I think it would be more difficult online to have the same sort of "law enforcement."
Avatar Selection and Society: How they Relate
Based upon the reading of the Proteus effect, it seems apparent that avatar choice is an important aspect of online gaming. Ideally, one would think that an avatar would be chosen to represent either a person's personality or be similar to their own appearance. However, the Proteus effect demonstrates that avatar choice can be parallel to social standards.
For example, as noted by the article, correlations are made between being tall and attractive. This is a very common stereotype of American society. However, it plays a part in much of everyday life. Everything from dating to job success are affected. For example, television, magazines, the internet and other forms of media all portray the "perfect" man or woman as being tall and slender.
In relation to occupations, many higher-level jobs are generally held by individuals who are physically attractive. Furthermore, most actors and actresses are usually attractive as well.
As for dating, this is pretty apparent. Individuals are consistently worried about their appearance, as well as comparing themselves to others. In addition to this, those people who are attractive tend to be more likely to find a partner than those who are less attractive.
For example, as noted by the article, correlations are made between being tall and attractive. This is a very common stereotype of American society. However, it plays a part in much of everyday life. Everything from dating to job success are affected. For example, television, magazines, the internet and other forms of media all portray the "perfect" man or woman as being tall and slender.
In relation to occupations, many higher-level jobs are generally held by individuals who are physically attractive. Furthermore, most actors and actresses are usually attractive as well.
As for dating, this is pretty apparent. Individuals are consistently worried about their appearance, as well as comparing themselves to others. In addition to this, those people who are attractive tend to be more likely to find a partner than those who are less attractive.
Ethical communities
In my opinion I don't think that online games can cause ethical groups to form. How can they really just based on ethics isn't it more time and place? Of course there are group of friends that play online games together. Obviously groups and factions are formed on online games but i dont think that they are based on ethics. I do think that the writer has looked to much into online gaming. I do think that when groups battle against other groups there is a ethical conection.
Ethics in gaming
I do believe that the virtual community can help foster ethical behavior and bring people together. Too often people get caught up in differences between themselves and someone else- (he's not cool, she's not pretty, etc) without seeing them for who they are- a human being just like us.
Because games are played using avatars, people can't make judgments about other gamers as readily, because their true identity is hidden.
Also, because we are in the virtual world and our identity in the game is not identifiable, we might be more willing to help people. It is a curious commentary on our culture that we are sometimes unwilling to help others in real life, yet online we are more likely to lend a helping hand.
Rules in these games also encourage ethical behaviors among players, so yes, I would say that ethical behaviors are taught by gaming networks.
Because games are played using avatars, people can't make judgments about other gamers as readily, because their true identity is hidden.
Also, because we are in the virtual world and our identity in the game is not identifiable, we might be more willing to help people. It is a curious commentary on our culture that we are sometimes unwilling to help others in real life, yet online we are more likely to lend a helping hand.
Rules in these games also encourage ethical behaviors among players, so yes, I would say that ethical behaviors are taught by gaming networks.
Ethics
I think that games can create a sort of community. There are people who know each others skills and they are benefited by staying together. I see nothing wrong with it. I wish that I could join one for the sake of having some help in figuring out the game. I hitnk that rules are a good thing to have becasue while a community is good it can also be bad. Players can take advantages of tohers and they can be very mean. Just like in the real world players can no include others and hurt feelings. In a community there also can be an unfair advantage in fights. To my knowledge everyone has the option to join a guild but it is a choice. Those who choose are held accountable and so there is an atmosphere of prespect. I don't think religion has anything to do with it. It is players coming together to play a game and meet a purpose.
Ethical Communities
I believe that some online games can create ethical communities. I feel it also depends on the type of online games that can be able to attain this. If the people that play have a good strong base of ethics in the real world then it will carry into the virtual one, but someone that has no respect for rules and regulations or authority than why would they change for virtual reality. I guess that if they did it would be only because they are being watched or regulated and would be banned from playing. So I do agree that online gaming is not to be thought of as a place to be teaching ethics but how to abide by them.
Gaming Journal Questions Day 1
My avatar looks kind of like a bull I believe that it is called a Tauren. He has huge horns, a goatee, a giant hammer thing as a weapon. The gender is male the race is some type of bull. The Race is a Tauren. The colors are brown and a tan mixed in together. The thing that motivated my choices for the way I created my avatar was that the name has warfare in it so I wanted to make the biggest most intimidating character that I could make. The other choices that were available were Draenei, Blood Elves, Dwarves, Orcs, Taurens, Humans, Trolls, Night Elves, and the Undead. The other options didnt really appeal to me as much as the Tauren did because the Tauren is big and muscular and I like to think that im big and muscular. Other players will just percieve my character as just another tauren because I seen a few of them that looked just like mine did. Cultural norm did not help my decision because to me all of the characters are ugly and the Tauren is one of the ugliest ones. Also the avatar represents aspects of me that represent me like the strength and the power.
avatar choice
Avatar choice is important in an online multiplayer games because the character can desribe what your personality is like. I think that people might pick somethin that would look cool or somethin that appeals to them. I think those kind of things can tell a lot about a person even though that it is in the virtual world. When I did my avatar for World Of Warcraft I tried to make look really cool. My cousin on the other hand tried to make the biggest and most intimidating avatar as he could and it reminded me of him because he is really tall and intimidating if you dont know him. So I believe that the avatar tells alot about that user.
Monday, January 11, 2010
Avatar Choice
I think that avatar choice and customization has a lot to do with the game that your playing. I find it to be similar to everyday life in the fact the most people want to be considered "normal," which is very subjective because what is normal really? Anyways, I think that fitting in can be just as important in a virtual world as it is in the here and now. I think that being able to customize an avatar allows people creative freedom to be whatever character they would like to be, but at the same time these characters fit within a world. For example you would most likely not see sonic the hedgehog rolling into the mario bros world. So therefore there is some sort of limit as you have to pick a character within a subset. I think that in general people like choices and like the control of choosing different aspects of there characters. It helps to connect with ones virtual self. I think that it gives more interaction than if every character was just a standard unchangeable version. I think its a great feature, but i don't think that if a person truely enjoyed a game it would deter them if they were not able to customize there character.
Avatar Choice
I do believe that Avatars represent our ideal selves, not our actual self. Since we are participating in virtual reality, many people choose a person that they would WANT to be, not what they actually are. This can be noted in other online sites, such as social networking and dating sites- people represent themselves in a much better light than they actually might be in reality. I am not implying that there is no truth in a person's online identity.....but I find that for the most part, people choose "roles" and personas online which do not reflect their actual self and character.
avatar choice
I think when people create their avatar on games, it does reflect who they are. Most people pick something that represents them selves. You pick something that appeals to you. When I created my avatar on World of Warcraft, I picked something I liked. I made it the way I wanted it to look, which is "cute". I believe when people go to create their avatar even if they just randomly pick something some how they picked it for a reason, and it shows some part of them.
Avatar Selection
It seems to me that what you look like both in reality and in virtual reality have the same consequences. So therefore the choices you make for your avatar's appearance are very important. You need to display that you are strong and confident so it would seem that we would make our avatar tall and good looking, because that is what society has us believe, someone short and homely has no credibility. I seen a program were they had around eight men all very good looking but very short, in a room and women were brought in to meet them and see if they were compatible. Not one women would give them the time of day,even after hearing they were millionaires and very successful doctors.That open my eyes to the truth of how we view one another.
What the Avatar Represents
The claim to a more attractive personal appearance than one may truly have is a common theme in the online social interaction scene, so much so that it has actually become a cliche. It only makes sense, then, that when it is not only accepted , but encouraged to actually create a character to represent oneself with an almost infinite amount of physical traits to choose from, that a person would choose to create the avatar with all of the attributes they may wish they had.
Many people who decide to use the social interaction provided through gaming as their primary source of human contact are often unhappy with some aspect of their life, so it is only natural that when escaping to their world online they endow themselves with all of the traits they admire. This also explains why the more attractive avatars are treated better by the other players. The players have all placed value in certain traits such as height and beauty, so they not only desire to posses these characteristics, they also admire these things in others.
Part of the unique experience of gaming online is the freedom of all restraints from one's reality and the the entry into a new limitless reality available at the click of a mouse, complete with new friends. These exciting new worlds, however, are still ultimately populated by the human beings behind the screens, and many social issues that occur in society also occur in online societies. Thus, it is not so surprising that these online societies often put great power in physical appearance, just as we do in our own society offline.
Many people who decide to use the social interaction provided through gaming as their primary source of human contact are often unhappy with some aspect of their life, so it is only natural that when escaping to their world online they endow themselves with all of the traits they admire. This also explains why the more attractive avatars are treated better by the other players. The players have all placed value in certain traits such as height and beauty, so they not only desire to posses these characteristics, they also admire these things in others.
Part of the unique experience of gaming online is the freedom of all restraints from one's reality and the the entry into a new limitless reality available at the click of a mouse, complete with new friends. These exciting new worlds, however, are still ultimately populated by the human beings behind the screens, and many social issues that occur in society also occur in online societies. Thus, it is not so surprising that these online societies often put great power in physical appearance, just as we do in our own society offline.
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