Currently viewing the tag: "mmorpgs"
The internet is here to stay, and that means so are MMO’s (MMORPG’s, MUSH’s, MUD’s, and any other M*&^’s you can think of). You’d think then that with the internet being as mainstream as electricity and shampoo that everyone would know about MMO’s. Right?!
Wrong!
Just the other day I was chatting with a really close friend – who just happens to be a girl, but which shouldn’t be an indicator that I’m about to say something sexist – about World of Warcraft. I was telling her that my troll hunter spoke with a Caribbean accent and had three fingers, which for some reason caused her to break out into hysterical laughter. I was a bit baffled by this to be honest, because my troll hunter (who just celebrated his 5th birthday yesterday – yes WoW turned 5) has always had an accent that makes women melt, and only three fingers ever since he was born (generated).
So I took it upon myself to educate the young lady about the vast and untameable virtual worlds that occupy vast spaces on the internet. Their history spanning back to the dawn of the network digital age, and their breadth extending across the globe to all corners of the real world. MMO’s were the first addiction digital addiction of the true gamer geek, and shall be the last. They shall stand the test of time and always be with us. You could almost argue that MMO’s are the one true purpose of the internet. After all, the perpetuation of MMO’s has spurred the development of virtual realities; virtual realities are the purpose of the internet. Worlds within worlds; realities within realities; mirror images of mirrors.
Very eloquent stuff, but she didn’t get any of it. In fact she started yawning at the half way point, and then got up and walked away at the end. Needless to say it totally went over her head, and she forgot about my troll, his accent, and how many fingers he had, like so much useless yesterdays news.
Really it showed me that being a gamer geek is really like having a special set of genes that make you that kind of person, just like for being tall, or Asian, or a midget. If you have the gamer gene, you’ll get it. If you don’t, then about all you’ll get is bored and frustrated at the weird person who won’t shut up about his troll.
Which makes me wonder why some geneticist doesn’t go look for it, and then offer it in a box of pills for money.
“Do you suck at gaming? Need to impress a boyfriend who leads a double life as a troll? Then buy IGOTGAME capsules and show them you’re not a totally pussy!”
I should do marketing for a job!
Andy.
Regular readers of my blog (all 2 of you – including myself) will know that I am quite keen on MMORPGs. There is something about virtual worlds that I find incredibly fascinating. I’m not an console fan, owning neither an xbox360 or a Playstation3, and I don’t play any other games that aren’t MMO based. The real high for me that I’m hooked on is the world – the reality – created around you that actually is given life by every gamer that logs in and shares the world with you. You don’t just play an MMORPG, you _experience_ an MMORPG.
Okay enough with the dramatic lead in. You get it. And if you don’t, you never will, but that’s okay; different horses for different courses, as the old saying goes.
Everyone has heard of World of Warcraft, and anyone that calls themselves a gamer will not just have heard of it, but will know a little bit about it as well. Enough to hold their own in a conversation. To the non gamer though, it’s just a computer game… and that’s about it. Well let me tell you, if that were true, then you could describe the American political system by calling it, a couple of guys trying to work out who will run the country; there is an infinitude of complexity that runs deep behind the facade.
And that, is actually the problem I have right now! (Plus the point of this post, because I have to rant somewhere). To the casual player it is enough to play a basic game and be able to complete the basic quests that continue your progress. Which is what the whole point of these games are, and why people play them. Play the game –> to get experience –> to get higher levels –> get better gear –> to play the game. It’s a nice comfy feedback loop, that works – in principle – in just the same way as training for the Olympics. This week I joined a guild, a group of players in a club so to speak, to run some of the higher end content that the casual player couldnt reach on their own. And it was like country Bob coming to the big city for the first time and being totally overwhelmed. These guys still call it a game, but they play seriously. They want the big gear, the big numbers on their damage scores, and take down the big bosses that require highly refined tactics and knowledge of play style. It’s no more a game at this level than any other high level competition sporting event is a ‘game’. That’s part of the appeal to be sure, learning how to be a higher end player, doing things other players can’t do. Seeing parts of the game that other players won’t see. But there is a commitment there as well. You don’t just walk into any sporting club and challenge the top player, you have to put the work in first and prove that your worth being taken seriously, otherwise you’ll be ridiculed and laughed out the front door, or hammered into the ground and then ridiculed and laughed out the front door.
Which is where my delimma comes in. I’m at the top of the casual game now, and there is nowhere else for me to go except to the next level. But if I do, then it’s going to require me to put more time in, and take it more seriously. Maximising your DPS (damage-per-second) for a Hunter class is no less complex than working out the equations for rocket propulsion. Aquiring the equipment necessary to achieve the numbers capable of making those equations is no less trivial than collecting parts for a mint condition original 1970 vintage muscle car. Which means that the game is going to be less a game, and more a second job that is like the job you always wanted to have (in a fun way… I guess).
It does beg the question how real is the virtual reality is that I’m constructing for myself here? But that is entirely another discussion to rant about.
I do wonder that if the game becomes more serious and becomes less a game, will it remain something I do to relax, or will it become work, and bring with it work related stress?
Maybe I should take up cigarettes?
Andy.
So I had sat down to my morning coffee at work, and was just perusing the headlines of my personal email before rolling my sleeves up and getting stuck in for the day, when one particular message from a mate grabbed my eye - ”Australian Government Declares it’s truly a Nanny State”.
What the fuck have they done now? Was the first thought through my head. What new act of stupidity had they performed that deserved an email from this friend of mine. Believing it was something more to do with the mandatory filtering of the internet proposal, I was totally gobsmacked to read what I did next.
[extract]
Australia, February 3, 2009 - In a shocking move this morning, the Sydney Morning Herald has reported that Australian retailers will no longer be allowed to sell any online game that has not been classified by the Australian Classification Board.
This move directly affects games such as World of Warcraft, Warhammer Online, Age of Conan and Pirates of the Burning Seas – titles that don’t contain a single-player experience, and therefore did not apply for classification. The previous understanding was that online games, by their nature, fell outside of traditional national classifications – a loophole that the Classifications Board want stitched up.
[/extract]
Words failed me! So after 4 years of having WoW around, and nobody in the government seemingly giving a shit, all of a sudden they’ve come out and effectively banned the thing by making it illegal… overnight! Holy camels humping your grandmother, where the hell did this come from? Did anybody see this coming? Err… NO! Especially not Blizzard, or Goa, or Turbine Studios, who are the companies who make and distribute WoW, Warhammer Online, and Age of Conan. And it’s not like they didn’t want to, or couldn’t afford it; Blizzard has more money than most African countries do, and could easily afford the legal process to get WoW legitimised with a certification. However it wasn’t required the day before yesterday! Now however, WoW is an illegal game, and those caught selling it can be prosecuted in court. Which actually would be every major retailer in the country.
It’s not so much the fact that MMORPGs need to be classified that guiles me, it’s the fact this is just another example of the Australian government jumping on something else to do with the internet – something they clearly don’t understand – and applying absurd restrictive policies that baffle and upset consumers, which they say, is somehow meant to protect them.
I ask you mister government minister, how the hell is banning WoW going to make Australia a safer place? Do you even know what WoW is? My guess is your average 8 year old has a better grasp of the issues of internet gaming than your average politician. They would definitely show a damn sight more thoughtfulness in their opinions and are probably in possession of more maturity and longer attention spans too. Really, we should think about taking the minister responsible for this gem of a decision and replacing him with some kid from a primary school nearby Parliament house. So what if he might dribble on the Bills coming past his desk laiden with crayons, at least he knows the difference between a horses arse and Google.
After reading this, I had a quick skype chat with this mate of mine and we quickly agreed that we best stay put in Europe for the time being. I wouldn’t put it past our government to ban the internet altogether and make using webmail an offense punishable under the Patriot Act.
I truly wonder what new depths of stupidity the Australian government will acheive next? A prospect laughable and terrifying at the same time.
Andy.
