AnimeWill MMO Reviews and Opinions

Whether you care what I think or not. Here is my view on the world of MMORPG's.

Author: gom276

I think what these studies and statistics are telling us is that MMORPGs and video games in general have become an important part of today's culture and we need to understand why.  Even though the particulars of any answer to that question will vary from person to person, I think there are some fundamental characteristics that remain consistent from gamer to gamer.  As an example, the Bartle Test (www.guildcafe.com/bartle.php) was developed years ago to explore this idea.  I don't know if the test has any validity in legitimate psychological circles, but the results (Killer, Explorer, Socializer, Achiever), one might say, could be applicable to an individual and how they live or want to live.  That's important.  

In a sense - and maybe I'm going out on a limb here - I think gamers are finding more to satisfy them in their lives via MMORPGs than they are otherwise and there is something unsettling with that.  I think we've all heard about one or two marriages that ended in divorce because one or the other partner was spending too much time in-game or friends deleting and cancelling their account 'for RL reasons.' 

The bad part, imho, isn't so much that we gamers have become scrutinized, but that the end result has already been supposed and that these questions are being asked under an already discriminating light.  That is to say, we are anti-social human beings and  somehow deviant by nature.

gom276: "Games are nothing more than a new form of media, no different than book, movies or TV."

Now pull my other leg.

Movies are different from books.  They are more effective at immersing the viewer in the experience.

MMOs are different from movies.  They are again more effective as immersing the player in the experience.

If we had a holodeck, it would be one more step farther along.

As we are more and more able to cater to our fantasies, we become that much more vacuous as a people.  This is why affluent nations have historically faltered and failed.  Affluence lets them cater to their fantasies and they lose the experiences that mature.  Such experiences are invariably about learning the relative importance of things in life.  When we no longer have to worry about fundamental priorities, we begin to jabber about insipid topics.  Such as our right to play games.

Our ancestors always played games.

Even if they have nothing.

It always make peoples who where not playing or finding it fun envious.  Jealous.

With games becoming better, it is only natural that the level of jealousy from peoples excluded increase.

So basically JB47394 is saying that through books, and then movies, now MMOs, and perhaps a holodeck, we are focusing too much on the "relaxing, fun" side of life instead of learning the lessons that will shape us as individuals and contribute to a strong nation like in the old days.

Fair enough argument, and I think one that's not voiced...because, well, if we live in the U.S., we tend to think everything should be handed to us because we deserve it. Especially entertainment. And we shouldn't have anyone  hounding us about it. "Shut up and let us play." I guess this is a problem that extends beyond games. Makes me kind of scared about the future.

If politicians or whoever picks on gaming alone, they're wrong to do so. It's just that gaming hasn't become a totally accepted entertainment medium yet. It's getting there.

yea, honestly once the next generation gets in there things will bring back to normal level. You have to remember these are rich people doing work, or at least saying they are doing work. Despite bribing stealing, having affairs etc etc etc. Which is what they do also.

"Movies are different from books.  They are more effective at immersing the viewer in the experience." -- Only if you have a piss poor imagination. A game or movie has limitations, where as the imagination has no bounds.

"MMOs are different from movies.  They are again more effective as immersing the player in the experience." -- This varies from developer to developer, and player to player, and like the above is in no way fact.

To gom276: In some cases, you may be correct, but as an avid MMO gamer(6 years+), I have never seen anyone who was not worried about the things in the world that matter. I am a FFXI player and my linkshell always has deep conversations about various important topics over TS.

And as for your remark on "insipid topics," these topics are relevant issues to discuss. Basically what you're saying is that we shouldn't be worried about our rights to play games. If the right to PLAY games, no matter what the genre, is removed, where do our civil liberties go? They go out the window. That would greatly infringe on Free Media laws, and Freedom of Speech, which even though is rarely practiced, would be in jeopardy.

Once games are gone, whats next? The next hot topic would more than likely be internet blogging outlets, or just the internet in general. The internet allows for mass-communication about different issues. Many politicians do not like the fact that people are allowed to discuss their ideals online for others to possibly get inspiration to start a movement in order to achieve something.

But, I do agree that people should also take the time to learn true life lessons. Games are supposed to be just that. GAMES. Casual, relaxing indulgences. Not saying that it shouldn't be a lifestyle, but I'm saying that that people should also contend with whats happening outside of their computer cases. Nothing can replace going and doing an honest days work, having a true loving relationship, or hanging out with your real friends.

But politicians, especially ones that are against the ropes or have little to no knowledge about things, usually try to demonize whatever they can in order to make people rally with them.

Reaper_Ember, wait don't we agree?  My article is about the fact that media and others tend to focus on the negative aspects of us and then try to put restrictions on us based purely upon those ideals.  I wish more gamers would know that games are a right.  They are a form of expression and art.  And interactive walk through the imaginations of the creators of the games.  And those who wish to play them.  To deny us these rights and limit their forms to me is wrong.  The whole rating thing to me is absurd, its about expression once these big companies got their greedy hands in the pot the mucked it all up because now its about money and thats when politics gets involved.  Once people make a buck on it.  Politicians want their cut of the pie through lobbying to make them leave the industry alone.  If you ask me its a form of modern day shake down.  Lobby us and contribute to my campaign and I may just kill this bill to limit your sales and create negative press.

People like Jack Thompson, are nothing more than lackies looking for their piece as well.  He cares nothing about morals its about making money from it and feeling empowered to force change through his own lobbying.

Unless gamers stand up and say get the hell out of my art gallery and developers speak out for their works of art... eventually it will go that way.   Lets hope not.

I am going to answer the questons posed...

Men, generally, want to forget the cares of the day, that is how they relax. We used to drink, a lot. Now we do other things, like MMO's. It's the "normal" progression to a more socially acceptable escape. If we didn't knock smoking and drinking so hard men overall would still be doing that instead.

Women, generally, find relaxation in telling someone else their problems of the day. The thing I find interesting is the large and larger numbers of women playing MMO's. I believe it is mostly due to guilds and other social structures that listen and let people vent without comment. We don't try to "fix" things, we just listen, and that attracts a certain percentage of women.

Overall, I think that MMO's are just like any other social club, church function, or business meeting, 90% hot air and 90% a way to relax. If the structures we know and love today were to disapear, we would create new ones.

A bit off topic, but what's the point of having a right to express your art. You want to show someone? Show your parents or your friends. Why should you have the "right" to show everyone when some people may be offended by it? Most likely, you're only going to do it for money. Maybe that's the reason? /shrug

I'm not an artist so maybe I just don't get it, lol.

for me, my art is about putting myself out there.  Being acknowledged and accepted as talented.  Especially if you put everything into it.  Most people look for some kind of affirmation for what they have accomplished.  It's nothing new.  With artists they create something that is to be viewed and enjoyed often to experience what the the artist intended you to.  Thats what makes great art.

If I create something that offends others, I should still not be limited in creating it.  Thats freedom of expression.  However I dont have to chase after them shoving it in their faces.  But I do have a right to put it in the public domain and have it be seen.  Those who wish not to look are not required.  They can choose to look away and walk past it.  When it becomes restricting my rights is when they take it down because they were offended denying others to view it and surpressing the artists right to express herself/himself.

Like it or not thats what created the society most modern countries live under.  And they have often gone through upheavals over the years of open expression and censorship, the cycle goes round and round as each generation grows into it own.

tharen are you really a gamer?  I think not.  do you "heavily concentrate" when you are typing?  Personally, after 20+ years of gaming, mouse and keyboard controls are like driving, its mostly muscle memory and I don't really think aout it anymore.  It's more immersing because I get to dictate whats going to happen.  I can snipe that guy in the head or I can wait.  I can join a raid or I can do some quests, or I can do some farming (sometimes literally).