Friday, January 8, 2010
Game Choice
The type of game that i will be choosing is going to be an online war game for the moment i don't really have any friends who play computer games so i couldn't get recommendations from people. I am also interested about the world of war craft which everyone seems to be picking and what advert seems to come on the television every other break. I need to start participating in some of these games to get a better idea of the exact game that i want to chose. The reason i am chosing an online war game as my one of my options is becasue it is the only computer game i have really played online, but i am open to try something new.
World of Warcraft
I have pick World of Warcraft for my game to play this week. My fiance has been playing this off and on for a couple of years now. My brother has been playing this for a year now also. When ever we get together they can sit and talk for hours about WOW. I see advertisements a lot for the game to, in stores, on mt. dew bottles, and so many other things. I have watched my fiance play the game and it looks fun, and he really enjoys playing the game. I have created my person and found it kind of fun to pick what ever type of person I wanted, and the way they looked. I played for what I thought was only a hour, which ended up being three hours! The game is very interesting, for me only starting and not really knowing what I was doing, I really enjoyed myself. I had some difficulties but it didn't take me long to understand what I was doing wrong. It's also nice to be able to ask my fiance questions about things, and get some explanation. I still don't see why this is so popular with people, but I hope I soon see why.
Game Choice
I have chosen to play Warhammer. I thought it would be fun after reading the description. Plus I like that I was able to pick my character and make her how I wanted her to look. Then I started exploring the game itself and ended up playing it for more time than i care to mention. It's a game that i might even consider purchasing the upgrade to as at level 10 in this game you are no longer able to move forward. But you are able to play the trial version forever free the game advertises. I'm not entirely sure I get the object of the game, but I do enjoy running around this fictional world completing quests.
game choice
I have chosen to explore war of warcraft. One because it was the first on the list that met all the criteria and second because I want to see what people are raving about. I honestly have never played a game and when I researched this game it gave a very detailed description of how it was to be played and the choices that one could make. It explained the reasoning behind certain things and the background information that I would need in order to understand what I am doing. Now, I don't understand all the terms used such as the names of places and how they are relevant to each other but I plan to learning as much of that this weekend so I can honestly write what my experiences have been like. I hope that I am able to figure the game out enough to understand the hype of it but if not I did try it and in my mind that is what counts.
Discussing Your Choices and Responsibility
Today post is kind of a fluff piece in some regards considering that it is about your decision to play one game rather than another. However i feel it is important to think about the choices we make because they usually have far reaching consequences we may not see.
The articles i had you read for today have little to do with the decision you will make regarding the free trial you will play; but for millions of others a purchase of game software adds up to big business. In our country money talks louder than anything else and the gaming industry has a very loud voice indeed. Gaming is a multi-billion dollar, and apparently recession proof, industry. Those billions can influence policy and therefore our lives.
On a sadder note, the gold farming industry in China is a rampant effect of America's gaming industry. Like the sweatshops that create hard goods, these workers toil ceaselessly for low wages in order to provide for some an illicit prize. While It has been made "illegal" in China, authorities tend to overlook an industry that employs millions and keeps them off the streets. Something to think about when you do go out and purchase a game.
Well, this is where we discuss our choices of game. I have had a subscription to World of Warcraft on and off since its launch in 2004. What originally appealed to me about the game was the choices regarding Avatar customization and the effect that had on your faction. World of Warcraft is/was vastly different from other online games at the time in that it provided a Player versus Environment and Player versus Player platform along with streamlined, easy to use questing system which did not really exists in online games at the time. WOW also used pretty state of art graphics; which today are clearly dated. My only reservations in going into the game initially had to do with the subscription fee i incurred on a monthly basis and the stigma of playing a nerdy online game. The subscription fee quickly became pretty painless as i felt i was getting my moneys worth. As a rock climbing guide and outdoors man in general i finally learned that my game playing was but one facet of my personality even though it seemed to many like a contradiction. Walt Whitman wrote in "Song of My Self":
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
For the weekend please be sure to write the short essay to hand in before Monday. The assignment is listed under the first days assignments as Paper Assignment. Also take a look at this one short reading on The Proteus Effect
If you have any questions regarding the assignments or the reading please send an email right away to jriedl@nccc.edu or guideadk@gmail.com. Have a great weekend and Im looking forward to seeing the choices you made and what you experiences will yield next week.
Jeremy
The articles i had you read for today have little to do with the decision you will make regarding the free trial you will play; but for millions of others a purchase of game software adds up to big business. In our country money talks louder than anything else and the gaming industry has a very loud voice indeed. Gaming is a multi-billion dollar, and apparently recession proof, industry. Those billions can influence policy and therefore our lives.
On a sadder note, the gold farming industry in China is a rampant effect of America's gaming industry. Like the sweatshops that create hard goods, these workers toil ceaselessly for low wages in order to provide for some an illicit prize. While It has been made "illegal" in China, authorities tend to overlook an industry that employs millions and keeps them off the streets. Something to think about when you do go out and purchase a game.
Well, this is where we discuss our choices of game. I have had a subscription to World of Warcraft on and off since its launch in 2004. What originally appealed to me about the game was the choices regarding Avatar customization and the effect that had on your faction. World of Warcraft is/was vastly different from other online games at the time in that it provided a Player versus Environment and Player versus Player platform along with streamlined, easy to use questing system which did not really exists in online games at the time. WOW also used pretty state of art graphics; which today are clearly dated. My only reservations in going into the game initially had to do with the subscription fee i incurred on a monthly basis and the stigma of playing a nerdy online game. The subscription fee quickly became pretty painless as i felt i was getting my moneys worth. As a rock climbing guide and outdoors man in general i finally learned that my game playing was but one facet of my personality even though it seemed to many like a contradiction. Walt Whitman wrote in "Song of My Self":
Do I contradict myself?
Very well then I contradict myself,
(I am large, I contain multitudes.)
For the weekend please be sure to write the short essay to hand in before Monday. The assignment is listed under the first days assignments as Paper Assignment. Also take a look at this one short reading on The Proteus Effect
If you have any questions regarding the assignments or the reading please send an email right away to jriedl@nccc.edu or guideadk@gmail.com. Have a great weekend and Im looking forward to seeing the choices you made and what you experiences will yield next week.
Jeremy
Thursday, January 7, 2010
Annonymous
I think that the annonymous factor allows people to lose fear of judgement that so many of us often face in our day to day lives. I think that your character is an extention of oneself. Therefore they are annonymous to the other players (unless you're playing with friends) and that you can include as much or as little information in your profile as you choose.
A lot of games allow you to name your character i've noticed or to take on a specific character thus revealing very little about the identity of the person who is controlling that character. For all you know knight5201 could be a 80 year old grandfather or a 12 year old school boy. I think that the world of gaming allows the opportunity to submerse yourself as publicly or as annonymously as possible. Even though you are intereacting with others in MMO's you still control to the degree of participation you involve yourself.
MMO's offer socialization and allow interaction with others whether it be collectively to try to accomplish a mission or whether its purely for social chatter while playing the game. Perhaps for some people this is where they feel most comfortable socially and feel accepted by fellow players. Perhaps it allows them to express themselves in ways that they cannot in their everyday life.
I think in that aspect annonyminity is a really great aspect of the gaming world.
A lot of games allow you to name your character i've noticed or to take on a specific character thus revealing very little about the identity of the person who is controlling that character. For all you know knight5201 could be a 80 year old grandfather or a 12 year old school boy. I think that the world of gaming allows the opportunity to submerse yourself as publicly or as annonymously as possible. Even though you are intereacting with others in MMO's you still control to the degree of participation you involve yourself.
MMO's offer socialization and allow interaction with others whether it be collectively to try to accomplish a mission or whether its purely for social chatter while playing the game. Perhaps for some people this is where they feel most comfortable socially and feel accepted by fellow players. Perhaps it allows them to express themselves in ways that they cannot in their everyday life.
I think in that aspect annonyminity is a really great aspect of the gaming world.
MMO Games and Effects on Socialization
The article on GameSpy, I believe, had an interesting viewpoint or perspective as far as social nature is concerned. Traditionally speaking, most people, as stated in the article, would consider online game play as an anti-social event because it doesn't involve direct interaction with others. In contrast to this, the article demonstrates that online game play can actually be an alternate form of social interaction for people who may be rather shy.
Personally, I believe this can be both helpful and hurtful in terms of healthy socialization. I don't think, however, that this viewpoint would be a total paradox.
For people who may be shy or self-conscious, MMO games provide a way for individuals to connect with others and make friends without all of the awkwardness that is associated with meeting new people face-to-face. For example, such things as physical appearance, silence or breaks in conversation, and setting can be major issues for those who are shy. Online gaming takes away, or at the very least, minimizes all of these potential problems. In a positive sense, it is possible for online gaming to actually help facilitate friendships. For example, as shown by the photo in the article, often times with MMO games, groups/clans are formed and members may decide to hold a gathering. At this point, usually a period of time has passed since the group was formed. Therefore, the potential issues mentioned before can become less problematic. As noted in the article, the game is often the "ice breaker" of conversation, which helps people relax and feel less anxious.
In opposition to this, as stated earlier, use of MMO game play as a form of social interaction can be negative. For some people, I believe, it may actually promote more reclusive behavior. For example, if an individual MMO gamer becomes an active group member, they may become reliant on the group for positive social emotions. In other words, the individual might create an illusion. In some cases, friends within a group are at considerable geographical distances from each other. Thus, meeting in person would be quite difficult. Also, an individual may build a level of comfort that could prohibit them from seeking direct socialization. This level of comfort would serve as a barrier, possibly making it even harder to form regular friendships. In addition to this, it could act as a form of reinforcement. A person would begin to learn that when associating with other MMO gamers, they end up feeling content. Over time, they would subconsciously repeat the activity as a form of positive behavior.
Personally, I believe this can be both helpful and hurtful in terms of healthy socialization. I don't think, however, that this viewpoint would be a total paradox.
For people who may be shy or self-conscious, MMO games provide a way for individuals to connect with others and make friends without all of the awkwardness that is associated with meeting new people face-to-face. For example, such things as physical appearance, silence or breaks in conversation, and setting can be major issues for those who are shy. Online gaming takes away, or at the very least, minimizes all of these potential problems. In a positive sense, it is possible for online gaming to actually help facilitate friendships. For example, as shown by the photo in the article, often times with MMO games, groups/clans are formed and members may decide to hold a gathering. At this point, usually a period of time has passed since the group was formed. Therefore, the potential issues mentioned before can become less problematic. As noted in the article, the game is often the "ice breaker" of conversation, which helps people relax and feel less anxious.
In opposition to this, as stated earlier, use of MMO game play as a form of social interaction can be negative. For some people, I believe, it may actually promote more reclusive behavior. For example, if an individual MMO gamer becomes an active group member, they may become reliant on the group for positive social emotions. In other words, the individual might create an illusion. In some cases, friends within a group are at considerable geographical distances from each other. Thus, meeting in person would be quite difficult. Also, an individual may build a level of comfort that could prohibit them from seeking direct socialization. This level of comfort would serve as a barrier, possibly making it even harder to form regular friendships. In addition to this, it could act as a form of reinforcement. A person would begin to learn that when associating with other MMO gamers, they end up feeling content. Over time, they would subconsciously repeat the activity as a form of positive behavior.
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