Clinton Wong is a current resident at QUT Kelvin Grove. He is currently studying a bachelor of Communicaton design. Previous to this Clinton undertook a year of international business at griffith University.
The users interactive experiences within the online world:
Filiciak.M (2003), The video game theory reader, New York, London: Routledge. ISBN: 0415965780
This book details a comprehensive account about the emergence of video games as a new media form and its relationship with the users. Chapter 4 Hyperidentities: A postmodern Identity pattern in Massively Multiplayer online role-playing games by Filiciak, specifically analyzes user interactions within MMORPG’s. Filiciak suggests that users participate within online games as a freedom of self-expression. Through participating and interacting within the online society and other players the user is able to freely express themselves. The chapter discusses that participants Generate avatars to represent idealistic images of themselves rather than realistic images of themselves. Filiciak identifies that while the avatar may not resemble the user, the users real-life identity is reflected within the avatars persona and actions within the game world. The chapter further discusses that the formation of self-identity is under constant construction and is largely influenced by societies reliance on emergent new media technologies and a consumerist lifestyle. Through this process of defining identity Filiciak draws a parallel between real life experiences and online experiences, formulating that online games are prime examples of how one interacts within the modern world while providing a medium of free self-expression without the limitations of the contemporary world.
--Clinton Wong 21:21, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
McBirney. K, (2004); Nested Selves, Networked Communities: A Case Study of Diablo II: Lord of Destruction as an Agent of Cultural Change; The journal of American Culture. Malden: Vol.27, Iss. 4; pg. 415.
Katherine McBirney’s article focuses on a case study of the popular online Role playing game “Diablo 2: Lord of destruction�? in order to explain the inner workings and ideological, cultural and social structures of massively multiplayer online role-playing games. McBirney identifies that online games such, as Diablo 2 is a platform, which instigates co-operative interaction between various players. Allowing players the freedom to choose parties to traverse and explore various environments and complete set quests. McBirney states that such platforms allow for a unique form of “escapism�? whereby users break away from the present social constructs and develop a virtual or fantasy “self�?. Her article details that through participating within online societies the user develops three main identities, the real self (the user), the online identity and the character within the game. She explains that these identities are ultimately contained and shaped according to the real life self. Through McBirney’s research into the Diablo 2 online environment she is able to relate key aspects from the game environment, such as religion, society, culture and landmarks to pre-historical aspects within the real world. An instance described is the modeled resemblance of “the temple of Kurast�? to the ancient Mesoamerican constructs. She explains in her article that these resemblances help users identify culturally with the game environment. The paper also investigates the formation and clusters of communities within online games. McBirney suggests that Communities of players are established based on similar gaming ethics, based around social and moral codes of conduct.
--Clinton Wong 21:21, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
Social interactions between players:
Donseong .C and Jin Woo. K (2004), Why people continue to play online games: in search of critical design factors to increase customer loyalty to online contents, Cyber Psychology and behavior, Vol. 7 Issue 1, p11, 14p.
This article provides a detailed account into the key factors influencing player loyalties within online role-playing games. Donseong and Jin Woo article explores the experiential side of online gaming connecting user experiences towards success of customer loyalty to specific games. The authors appropriate the use of flow theory in order to express their hypothesis, clarifying that players with focus and little distraction attain positive feedback with the games, leading to customer loyalty. Donseong and Jin Woo identify that player interactivity is one of the key contributors towards successful user experiences. Further explaining that interactivity within online games are driven by two main factors, person to system (personal interaction) and person to person (social interaction) interaction. Through the analysis of the problem solving theory Donseong and Jin Woo classify personal interactions within 3 subgroups. Goal, target and feedback orientated interactions. Donseong and Jin Woo also places emphasis on the social interaction as a key influence for customer loyalty. Analyzing the relationships and bonds formed between the various users online and its positive coloration within the users mindset. Donseong and Jin Woo categorize these experiences into 2 main subgroups, places for communication and forms of communication tools. These subgroups represent the networked self, enabling the users to meet virtually within the space and communicate with other players. The article provides a survey, which analyzes 1993 participants across 16 multiplayer online games. The survey is based around the 5 participatory experience questions (customer loyalty, flow, personal interaction and social interaction). Through this Donseong and Jin Woo provide sufficient evidence to back up their hypothesis.
--Clinton Wong 21:21, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
Heckel .H (2003), Online social interaction: The case of Everquest, http://home.att.net/~hheckel/Online_Social_Interaction__The_Case_of_Everquest.pdf (6/8/2005).
This article analyzes the social structures formed within online games using the popular multiplayer role-playing game Everquest as a medium for a case study to determine whether online interaction can be seen as a form of socializing. Heckel discusses the trajectory of online games, from its early pen and paper stages to its successful implementation on the internet, within Multi user domains (MUD’s) and MMORPG’s, moving towards a global reach, allowing users from various areas of the world the ability to communicate and interact virtually. Heckel specifies that games such as Everquest were designed specifically for the social interaction between its online users, whether it is for a common goal such as a quest or forming online friendships or communities. Within this article the author addresses both arguments for and against online games as a form of Socializing, directing arguments towards the positive socialistic aspects of online games through the using arguments presented by previous academic scholars. To justify his argument Heckel studied a group of Everquest users, observing their interactions with other online gamers, through their conversations. In addition to this, the author investigated the respondent’s answers to series of questions regarding social aspects of the game. The results depicted that whilst in the online world players were expected to play their character roles out within the community. For instance healers were used as support to aid wounded character. Though Heckel’s research also pointed towards a strong social bonding between characters within the game. Her survey showed that whilst the role-playing portion of the game was significant players seemed to be drawn towards the community sense (corrilating similarly with whang and changs results within there survey of lineage.). Her analysis displayed that characters would socialize as they would in the real world, discussing world news and gossip about events that occurred within their real life. Heckel observed that most players did not distinguish the differences between socializing in the real world and online world.
--Clinton Wong 21:21, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
Manninen .T (2003), Interaction forms and communicative actions in Multiplayer games, Game studies: The journal of computer game research, vol 3 issue 4, http://www.gamestudies.org/0301/manninen/, (4/8/2005).
Manninen provides and insightful account of player interactions within online games, through the study of communicative and social characteristics of the players. This article explores the main attraction of online games as giving users the ability to converse and interact with other players. Manninen explores the Communicative action theory whereby; the quality of interaction is based on the forms of actions that are undertaken by the online users. The author discusses that the sense of realism drawing users into the game is large due to the types of communicative and collaborative brought together through user relationships. Within the article Manninen studied the interactions between players, namely the facial expressions, Physical contact, spatial behaviors and other interpersonal characteristics displayed by online characters. The study took place across 20 online multiplayer games, recording empirical research from networked games session and self-organized gaming sessions. Through this study Manninen categorized the social behavior of the players into six forms of actions: Instrumental, strategic, normately regulated, dramaturgical, communicative and discursive action. The study analyzes the players’ behavioral interactions within the virtual world. Further more Manninen discovered that various actions had significant roles within various aspects of player-to-player relations. An instance of communicative action included the collaborative strategies that are discussed between players partaking in online battles.
--Clinton Wong 21:21, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
Papargyris. A (2004), Learning opportunities in massively online role playing games player communities, http://www.eltrun.gr/papers/papa.pdf (6/8/2005).
Papargyris’s article studies the development and interaction of communities of players within the Massively multiplayer online role-playing game, “Earth and beyond�?. This article specifically focuses on examining a the motives for playing the game, the outward behaviors exhibited towards other players and the communal values that is derived from forming close net online communities or guilds. The research paper uses the social theory of “communities of practice�? or CoP in order to analyze these social interactions. CoP suggests that learning occurs through a participatory action within a community. To obtain these answers Papargyris’s analyzed the inner workings of the online guilds system within “Earth and Beyond�?, through actively participating in a 7 month quantitative research in the game itself. Through his research Papargyris’s suggests that the key motivational influence for repetitive online gaming is due to several factors, including: reciprocity, reputation, sense of efficiency and attachment or commitment to the game and other players. His studies denoted that the community guilds system worked within a higharchial system, whereby higher ranked members denoted a semblance of regular participation within the game. These members would act guides for lower skilled members serving as administrative members. Papargyris’s also explains that guilds contain a socially competitive aspect of the game, whereby guilds compete for recognition and ranking. This in turn indicates their strength within the online community. The author’s research indicates that these guilds also provide users with a foreground for social interaction, allowing users to express themselves freely to other online players and live out their online utopian existence.
--Clinton Wong 21:21, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
Whang .L and Chang .G, (2003) Lifestyles of the virtual world residents: Living in the online game “lineage�?, The others: center of computer game research, http://www.itu.dk/op/proceedings.htm, (4/8/2005)
This paper explores the lifestyles and behavior patterns of online gamers, who adopt the virtual world as a part of their daily lives. The research paper looks specifically at the subculture of the popular online game lineage. The authors of this article identify that online players view the virtual world is a medium for social expression. Whang and Chang investigate the deeper socialistic side of online gaming, whereby online characters form fall in love, make friends, form online communities or guilds and undertake certain daily tasks. Through this retrospect the authors relate the similarities of the game world and the real world, in that they provide the user with duties, in which they are able to carry out in their day-to-day lives. Whang and Chang used a series of question-based surveys across 4,786 respondents. Detailing the participant’s behavior or attitude towards aspects of online games. These questions included the social, role and achievement orientation of the participants. Through this the authors identify various forms of participants, which they broke down into 3 categories. The single orientated player, the community orientated player and the Off-real world player. Their research explores the various mindsets of these three groups of users. The single orientated player was recognized to be more solely orientated (29.6%), the community players’ portrayed socialist and community based attitudes (44.8%) and the off-real world players depicted more anarchical attitudes. Whang and Chang’s research document distinguishes that these three groups partake within online socializing, (some more then others) many seeing it as a more valuable priority then experience gaining.
--Clinton Wong 21:21, 11 Aug 2005 (EST)
