Directed Blog Post 4: MMORPG Research
First and, I think, most importantly, these websites appear to pool a sample of people that are playing the game at a consistent and intensive rate. Another factor to think about is the fact that many people join the game but only play for a limited time. The word average in the charts and graphs becomes key to understanding any of the progress. Both of these websites, PlayOn and The Daedalus Project, are trying to find trends in cultural, social, and psychological phenomena’s amidst the world of massively multiplayer online video games. The Daedalus project taking first hand user accounts and PlayOn using statistics to base it’s conclusions.
Gender Bender
According to the gender section on PlayOn, we see significantly more male players than female players taken from the sampling. Even though their avatars are female,this does not meet it constitutes a female player. They suggest that “gender-bending” may account for the equally represented presence of male and females respective to Horde and Alliance in World of Warcraft.
Sit Play Sit
When speaking with a friend who was recently “addicted” to World of Warcraft, he told me that he and his fellow guild members would play for ten hours at a time with breaks for snacks and bathroom. A lot of people play for multiple reasons.
Some people say it is a stress reliever.
“I'm a dentist and my wife is the head of an insurance company claims department. These are 2 fairly stressful occupations - we use EQ to unwind. Neither one of us cares for the trash on television and this is something we can do together in a cooperative spirit. [EQ, M, 70]”
Others play to avoid depression or for resolve.
“Divorce, troubles with my children, friends and parents. Sometimes I found myself really alone and with a lot pain. The best escape or refuge i found at this time was to go into the game to play and forget all that real life and pain. [Vanguard, M, 43]”
This is just but a sample of people. There are probably many instances where people play for the spirit of the game and competition.
Credibility?
Is this research viable in drawing any medical conclusions? Certainly the numbers are there but then again this is just a fraction of the MMO population. First hand accounts can be rare and too specific for the nature of the event. Then again over time, it will be interesting to see the effects of the long term. I feel that this research could be used in further studies along with medical professionals to draw conclusions. Currently the research is being done by business and technology firms looking for new ventures of enterprise.
Stereotypes
Along with these games, many different stereotypes follow. As goofy as the Southpark episode may seem, I have seen many of these images in real life (not the gross ones). My "addicted" friend often said he would go for hours without eating and then at the end of a session binge on a bunch of food. I have seen many other people gain weight, lose sight of their appearance, and become reclusive. I've also heard the team speak configuring stats and other requirements for battle. As with any stereotypes, there are many other unique people playing and they don't exhibit these traits. In fact, there are people in my classes that I am surprised to see playing WoW.
Stereotypes in Research
These types of stereotypes can't be completely accounted for in the research. These anomalies prove to be so entertaining, they become popular perspective. Numbers however tell a different story. One thing I have seen in common with the data and stereotypes is the length of time people play. Vast amounts of people are playing these for vast amounts of time. So much time, in fact, we can start seeing patterns over the course of a few days. As was the case when they tracked the levels of people with the new WoW expansion. It showed the amount of people hitting new levels over a period of 30 days.
What I learned?
From this research, I learned that these MMOs are having a large impact on our culture. The fact that this kind of research is being done indicates this. I think it is too soon to tell anything from current studies. I'd be more interested in the psychological studies. If there can be diagnosed problems from MMOs, I see a responsibility from first the game manufactures and secondly the parents of players to regulate these issues. When you purchase the game, it says it requires a monthly fee. Monthly implies more than one month. These companies are setting themselves up for these types of dangers. They want people to become hooked because that means more profit. I think people should take a step away from legitimizing MMOs and start looking at their purpose.
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