Academic Response: Play Between Worlds

T. L. Taylor’s book Play Between Worlds highlights the social interactions and types of players seen in MMO games with the focus on players of EverQuest. Chapter two and three combined create an image of both the stereotypes and the reality of gaming and its social atmosphere and the way that multiplayer games create a more complex environment than single player games. “Because of the growth of the player’s character over time the world of EverQuest is notably dynamic in a way many other computer games are not. The experiences of the environment, monsters, other players, and even oneself changes over the course of a character’s development,” (Taylor 30). This begins with the player’s character itself and the way that watching the character over time and experiencing the world through the avatar also allows the gamer to see the world change with their character. When I first started playing I attached one of the giant tortoises early on and had to quickly run from it because its level 17 was significantly higher than my level 5 Lalafell, Moji. However now at level 23 not only do I have better skills to battle the tortoise but I also have more hit points and higher level armor to protect Moji from its stomping and chomping.

MMORPGs build in a necessity for socializing in game to gain the most experience and enjoyment out of the game as possible. The community and gameplay is built just as much by the people playing as it is the developers. Without subscribers there would be little to do because the game relies on gamers to sustain it. “In large measure because of the multiplayer nature of the game, participants undergo a socialization process and over time learn what it means to play far beyond what the manual and strict rules articulate,” (Taylor 32). This socialization, Taylor argues, is not solely through the generic instructions given by the game but is also shaped by other players. Many behaviors in the game are learned through observing and interacting with other characters and seeing what is socially expected and acceptable in this specific gaming community. For example, every time it looked like my character was struggling in lower level areas people would arrive and help Moji battle various creatures. Although the help was not always needed and was sometimes a bit surprising it seemed, at least in my experience, to be the norm in those areas as people are newer to the game and the characters may need a little more assistance starting out. Had I actually needed help, FFXIV has many of the same mechanics as other MMOs like EverQuest that allow players to request help if they need it. “The use of the yell command to receive help is one basic building block in supporting cooperation within the game,” (Taylor 33). These built in ways of intercting with other characters and directing your comments to the entire area rather than only the people in a specific group or those on a friend list allows players to interact with anyone they encounter and build relationships with that community even if it is only for a short raid or immediate help against a difficult scenario.

Taylor argues that these experiences are necessary to fully experience the depth of the game. “While EverQuest certainly can be played alone, the solo game is only a partially realized experience,” (Taylor 38). In MMORPGs I agree that the experience is improved and more developed when the gamer immerses him/herself into that social community within the game. By creating a reputation and forming in game relationships or helping others the gamer sustains not only their character’s development physically as they become stronger but also socially as the character forms bonds. “People become known for their skills as raid leaders, accomplished class players, group organizers, and general knowledge of the game and world,” (Taylor 44). Building this reputation allows the gamer to gain leadership within the world and leave a bigger impact on their own gaming experience and those of the people around them. They are not only growing as an individual player but helping others improve their time in the game.

A final important note Taylor looks at in the third chapter of Play Between Worlds are the stereotypes of gamers. As documentaries, news stories, and pop culture discuss gamers and gaming culture they reinforce stereotypes of the casual gamer and the power gamer. “The casual gamer is often seen as someone ‘with a life’ who invests only moderate amounts of time in a game, while the power gamer appears as an isolated and socially inept player with little ‘real life’ to ground him,” (Taylor 70). These stereotypes remain in the public eye and continue to effect the way that gaming is viewed by the media but does not represent the reality. While both types of gamers exist, casual and power, the people who fit these categories are not the clear cut stereotypes they are perceived to be. While their type of play may differ based on whether they are a power or casual gamer it does not have bearing on whether they play because of a lack of social life or a full social life, and it neglects entirely the social aspect of gaming that is necessary to fully experience MMOs in the first place. The biggest factor in how a gamer plays is not related to their social life in game or out of game but is instead based on their motivation and style of gameplay. “As many EQ players comment, the game never ends, so players must be self-directed in how they progress,” (Taylor 75). They choose the way they strategize and explore the world. Personally, I take Moji through pretty slowly and love to explore new areas but some people play through quests in a snap to get to the next one more rapidly.  

Academic Response: Romance and Gaming

                  A major factor in gaming, especially MMOs, is the shared experience of playing the game. The gamer shares this experience with their avatar, their guild members if they join a guild, the other people playing the game, etc. When playing a game with a significant other it adds a level of intimacy to both in game and out of game bonding because both people in the relationship have this connection to the lore of the world and their ability to meet and befriend each other’s avatars. Establishing characters’ side by side, levelling up in the same world, and working together in the game combine out of game experiences with in game experiences. It allows both parties to be in the game physically together and experience an entire virtual world as a team, thereby also allowing both to form a connection to this world and to the other person through their shared experiences in the game. This can bring the two together by providing a place where they can get to know each other more in an environment that is open enough to give them space to explore their own characters while also providing enough opportunities for privacy such as through /tell which they can use to directly message the other person or forming a party to battle together.

                  When talking about romance in games usually people look at how it harms relationships due to the time spent in the game that leads to issues such as Gamer Widows/Widowers or catfish as false online identities have come to be known. The ability to fabricate a new identity for yourself can lead to miscommunication or intentional misleading because the other person will have no clue what is real and what is false through a screen. Something less commonly discussed is the way that gaming can strengthen bonds in a relationship and allow both people in the relationship to explore new identities for themselves, but as a team. When both are gamers and participate in the same game or MMO it provides opportunities for a relationship to grow through gaming together. The time spent enjoying a game and having fun doubles as time spent with your significant other when you work together in the game even if they are on opposite sides of the world. Neither person in the relationship is neglected during time spent in game if both partners play at the same time, thus removing the issue of one becoming a Gamer Widow/Widower, because the hobby is shared between the two. It lacks the separation of one person playing while the other sits idly by or does something different which over time can lead to feelings of isolation.

Prior to playing FFXIV I rarely played video games but with the addition of a mutual game to play with goals for each of us to reach both individually and together has allowed John and I to game together as a shared hobby. While we gain the individual satisfaction of watching our own avatars level up we are also able to help each other complete quests or get through particularly difficult areas of the game. When I encountered Quiverons that I repeatedly fought against, lost, repeated, and was unable to surpass and get the needed items for a quest, John and I met up at that area in the game. We compared skills and what was needed in the area so to determine where to begin, which groups to pull each time we advanced, and an hour and a half of frustration at the quest I was finally able to complete it with his aid.

One reason bonds build quickly in MMORPGs is the ability to build trust. This is described further by Yee, “In EQ, we engage in difficult, sometimes dangerous and often life-threatening struggles. Even though it isn't RL - you learn a lot about the character of the person playing the game. Some are selfish and greedy in EQ and you figure they are similar in RL - others are eager to help and think of others over themselves - and I have found them to be the same in RL.” While general quirks may be the same both in and out of game, as are characteristics like selflessness or selfishness, gaming together as avatars can bring out new facets of a gamer’s personality and thus also allow gamers in a relationship to learn more about each other through gaming. Their decisions in game may not parallel the decisions they would make in real life, the patterns of gameplay they form, or certain behaviors in game may emphasize fragments of who they are in real life that may not have manifested themselves previously. Through gaming we learn more about ourselves and, in turn, we are also likely to learn more about the people we love if gaming together.

Academic Response: Identity and MMORPG Gaming

                  The most comprehensive experiences I had in creating a character for a game before FFXIV were playing D&D and Animal Crossing. Although other games I played had character creation aspects to them I never got far enough into the games to become attached to my avatar or the characters I interacted with in the game. Creating Moji for FFXIV was fun but with every step I kept wondering if I would wish I had chosen a different eye color or hair style or face paint later on after starting the game. The permanence of character creation in an MMO had never really occurred to me because I really only thought about the phenomenal amount of customization options that are offered during the creation process. Now twenty or so hours into the game I know I still do not have the experience necessary to say much on how rewarding it is to level up and bond with your avatar but I can already feel myself getting attached and at the end of each day looking at my checklist of things to do while wishing I had more free time that night to play.

All of the reasons we discussed in class about why people become attached to gaming really clicked at 3:00am one night when I finally reached level 20 after setting that as my first big goal to reach in the game to get the Halloween quests. Going through a dungeon and finally getting the big text on the screen that the dungeon was successfully completed gave me a surge of relief, adrenaline, joy, excitement, and sense of accomplishment that was stronger than I could have ever expected. Maybe for someone else that would have been a simple way to level up or get some new gear but for me this was an entirely new experience and after a week stuffed full of school work and stress it left me feeling rejuvenated and gratified.

Someone going through a difficult time can look to gaming as a place to let go of their everyday concerns and enjoy themselves in a virtual world where they can do anything and be anything that they want. A child being bullied in school may look to online gaming to build confidence and improve their communication skills in a safe environment. It provides a safe space where they can be anyone they want without the fear of social ramifications they may face in real life. In Ready Player One this an especially important factor in the connection the main character feels with gaming. “Best of all, in the OASIS, no one could tell that I was fat, that I had acne, or that I wore the same shabby clothes every week. Bullies couldn’t pelt me with spitballs, give me atomic wedgies, or pummel me by the bike rack after school. No one could even touch me. In here, I was safe,” (Cline 32). None of his insecurities are visible while playing the game and he can create an avatar that he wants to be within the game and experience the OASIS through this new identity. Over time these identities can help gamers gain more confidence in themselves by allowing them to live out in game experiences as their avatar. They could create a character they see themselves as, or someone they want to be, someone opposite themselves, whatever the character ends up being it will help them feel a sense of accomplishment when their character achieves something in the game and may help the gamer look at what qualities he or she values in everyday life.

                  Felicia Day, known for roles in Supernatural, The Guild, and Dr. Horrible’s Sing-Along Blog wrote a book entitled You’re Never Weird on the Internet (Almost): A Memoir which details her own experiences in MMO gaming. “Let me simplify: As a kid, this video game SAW INTO MY SOUL. It defined me, then projected me into a world where I could be a virtual hero version of myself.” MMOs can bring out new facets of a gamer’s personality by providing a platform through which they can explore the facets of their out of game identity and experience the game through their own virtual identity. Spending any time with someone new will change a person, but spending time as someone new for significant amounts of time can change the gamer even more dramatically. It can empower their confidence by proving with effort and dedication they can overcome any quest.