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Massive Multiplayer Online Games as Third Places (And why SWG isn't any more)
Mrbloodworth
Member Posts: 5,615
What is a third place? The first place is your home, where you can
relax and be comfortable. The second place is where you usually are
when not at home — work; work provides social interaction and sense of
community. Howard Schultz, founder of Starbucks introduced third places
as somewhere besides home or work where people can socialize and feel
comfortable. Think Cheers.
Online games are thus third places as defined by the eight characteristics of third places.
Neutral Ground: Individuals are free to come and go as they
please. In online games, players are not obligated to play; joins and
quits are not significant events.
Sence the NGE, they are now fanfairs.
Leveler: An individual’s rank and status in society are not
significant. As in the culture of early video game arcades, “It didn’t
matter what you drove to the arcade. If you sucked at Asteroids, you
just sucked.” Players on online games use a separate avatar unrelated
to their real life person, and social status is rarely invoked.
The NGE created two types of realworld ranks. Pro-NGE and Pro-PRE-CU
Conversation is Main Activity: In third places, conversation
is the main activity that the individuals participate in. While
debatable as the main activity in online games, players would not
disagree that conversation plays a crucial role. Often, conversation
drifts to real world discussion such as personal life, politics,
culture, etc.
The removal of reading, and also the
need or requirement of social activities, Have created a space in which no one
ever need to interact with others, consequently bonds are not created, and
attachments to the world are removed.
Creating a more transient less attached
(or loyal to the game) population.
Accessibility & Accommodation: Third places are easy to
access and accommodating to individuals. Online games allow players to
log on and off at will and there are always players online. Activity
occurs throughout all hours of the day.
This still holds true.
The Regulars: Regulars are those who give the place its
character, and attract new individuals. Guild members, who form a clan
to play the online game together, and squatters, who stay within an
area of the game, are the regulars of the online world.
I’m not sure i even need to talk
about this one. But i will. The NGE and the way it was brought about totally shattered
this concept. The regulars were tossed out with the bathwater. All the stories
of places, people and events of the past that gave the SWG world its history
and character (Differed server to server) are gone, All that is left are the
husks of what once was, and now, the screams by the current NGE (See above
entry) to remove that as well.
A Low Profile: Third places are characteristically homely and
without pretension. The population of online games follow a parabolic
curve; after the onset of players following the release, the regulars
remain while many move on to higher profile games.
Gone. Gone. and Gone. The loyal player bace is gone. What remains is a player bace that hold no loyailty to the game or its world, Eventuialy they WILL move on, and not look back.
In the words of Ralf Kostler."I'll make an exception for the NGE. I don't think you can or should
change a game that radically out from under a user base. You dance with
the ones that brung ya, whether they are the market of your dreams or
not. They have invested their passion and built expectations about
where they want the game to go. Changing things out from under them
isn't fair in my mind, especially given how they have been loyal to you
in times of trouble. It's like dumping the girlfriend who has always
been patient and loving to chase after the supermodel who probably
won't love you back."
The Mood is Playful: The general mood of a third place is
playful and witty. Players in online games crack jokes during heated
battles, perform goofy actions with their avatars, and mock each
others’ appearances. Rarely are players overly serious about game
matters.
Not any more. At one time the coumminity was suportave of new players. People would go out of thier way to help others for little or no reword at all, other than bonding and "living" in the world with the people that lived there. Pickup groups were common, as well as wondering threw the landscape and comming across a camp site, and shooting the S***.
Now, its "I dont have time" " what will you give me" "I dont need that" " only if you help me get X" " How many credits you got".
A Home Away from Home: Rootedness, feelings of possession,
spiritual regeneration, feelings of being at ease, and warmth. Online
games possess a homely atmosphere where players notice others’ absenses
and makes the overall feel of the game “warm”.
Gone. They simply dont care anymore, there is no community, there are however 100's of people selfserving themselves and only after what they can get to increase their "pawnage". Events, Fundraisers, Co-op museiams and historical socities are gone... There is nothing other than what the NGE wanted. "Kill, loot, repeat".
Social capital is analogous to financial capital in that it can be
acquired and spent, but for social gains instead of financial gains —
for example, to be comforted or receive advice. Bridging is
when individuals connect with those from different backgrounds. The
advantage if bridging social capital include gaining access to new
information and resources. Bonding is when individuals that are
already close provide support for each other, making the relationship
stronger. In a sense, bridging provides breadth while bonding provides
depth.
In online games, players come from a diverse background so they are
usually bridging social capital. However, it’s not uncommon for a bond
to grow during an online game if individuals player together for a long
period of time.
Online games fit the definition of a third place, but as players
become more hardcore and focus more on gaming, their function as a
third place wanes.
you can read the original article (with out my comments) here
----------
"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
Comments
There's free love on the Freelove Freeway.
----------
"Anyone posting on this forum is not an average user, and there for any opinions about the game are going to be overly critical compared to an average users opinions." - Me
"No, your wrong.." - Random user #123
"Hello person posting on a site specifically for MMO's in a thread on a sub forum specifically for a particular game talking about meta features and making comparisons to other titles in the genre, and their meta features.
How are you?" -Me
don't read too much into it.
It's a slow day for the board.
Good post. IMO, this is exactly why i don't believe that it's just a "game".
Great post. I really can't add more to it.
What SWG was at first was a world, not just a game. Sure, a few things needed to be tuned better (doctor buffs, composite armor, etc.), but those were just the combat sides of the game. The community and world aspect was still there and many people didn't even pick up a weapon during their whole time playing SWG! Many people just liked to be dancers, musicians... own a cantina, or have a little shop that sold medical / doctor goods on a mountain in the far reaches of a planet (one of the things I did).
The CU and then the NGE took away the community. It might have made the combat a little more interesting and fun, but in the long run it took away everything else.
*By the way, great use of analagy in your post*
don't read too much into it.
It's a slow day for the board.
Good post. IMO, this is exactly why i don't believe that it's just a "game".
Heh. Been a slow few days really, compared to what it has been like in the past.
Not much for me to say here, really. I agree with the sentiment that it is more than just a game. Or at least was...
The board will pick up after this weekend.
After PDXLan that is.
Ahh using Logic, see since I like this very much.. also adding in what has been said by some people this will be overlooked.
It is hard for some people to debate this, it is hard for people (NGErs actually) to even accept this.
I have learned that the NGE crowd is a much much different gamer then most. It really is, they are much more forgiving, accepting and more or less followers then leaders.
It's ok, this is the way it is. They get mad about it, but yet turn around and trust the dev team. All I can understand is that the anti-NGErs are people that do not OR will not accept sub-par things anymore. We seem to be not forgiving and will not follow these people at all, anymore.
I do wish people would stand up and demand a working product that is successful.
______________________________
I usually picture the Career builder commercial with the room full of monkeys and upside down sales chart when thinking about the SOE/SWG decision making process.....
SOE's John Blakely and Todd Fiala issued a warning: "Don't make our mistakes." Ref NGE
Winner of the worst MMOS goes to.... the NGE and SWG..!!! http://www.mmorpg.com/showFeature.cfm?loadFeature=1034&bhcp=1
great post. the social interaction of pre-cu/cu is why nge can only fail. if you don't make ties to people in a mmo, you will never make the game "yours".
however, if it had no bugs, nge would make a somewhat good
single player game. a mmo it is not. why pay to play alone? i don't mean the lack of players, just that you don't
have a reason to play together. imo, counter strike has more to offer group play fans than nge.
Starwars Galaxies, An Empier Diveded, That's what it says on my box anyway.
Anyway i did this and a wireless netgear system popped up this is HIS modem, obv i dont know the slighest in sharing a connection from across the street could anyone point me in the right direction as to what to do next or provide links etc
2) What you are talking about doing is illegal. His broadband provider is selling services to him. If you piggyback off him you are actually breaking the law.
3) Discussing illegal activities here can get you banned.
"A ship-of-war is the best ambassador." - Oliver Cromwell
2) What you are talking about doing is illegal. His broadband provider is selling services to him. If you piggyback off him you are actually breaking the law.
3) Discussing illegal activities here can get you banned.
Must be some weird provider that.
My provider even offers tech support for cases like that. Heck, my neighbour had a 6mb line, that was shared between 10 houses(neighbours), and the provider sent a guy to help set it up. And no, it was not a "business" package or a "neighbourhood" package..It was a simple "private 6mb line package".
But I agree that it's off topic
--Baclimon--
www.starfleetguild.com