"Video games have now become a way for people to identify themselves to find like-minded individuals, and participate in a world that merges with their "real life" in new and exciting ways" (Nielsen, p. 149).
In reading this chapter, Nielsen reaffirmed the ideas behind how video games have become a staple medium in today's society. More specifically, the video game has become a home for many of those who choose to interact both with and within it, creating a "player culture" based not only on the video games themselves, but the actual act of gaming as well. While game communities refer to player cultures that exist within gameplay, the metaculture exists around and beyond the game, including fan sites, forums, game magazines, and even instances where fellow players discuss a game in real life (Nielsen, p. 152). Moreover, the metaculture of a game is composed of "serious players" who are dedicated to a game to the point of actively engaging with it and its players whether through the composition of in-game languages such as "1337speak" or re-using content from other media to produce related media (Nielsen, p. 158). Included in this metaculture are those who participate in modding video games as well as those who play these games professionally. Ultimately, by accepting the video game as a serious medium, capable of not only producing intriguing narratives but as a source of discussion and player interaction, people are able to "live" within these created communities.
As an avid gamer, I can truly appreciate and understand what Nielsen is explaining in this chapter. When I initially began playing games competitively by joining leagues and clans (or guilds), the motivation was simply for the sake of finding competition and to rank myself in comparison to other players. However, as I played with the same people throughout different games, I began to connect with them. Despite never having met a large majority of my online "gaming buddies," we regularly talk or chat outside of the games that we play, both about games and real life. In actively engaging with the online community, I was able to find people that I related to, not just in the shared interest of the game, but in regards to issues that existed outside of the gaming world however, it was the metaculture of these games that made it possible.
In meeting new people, the internet has opened a new world of possibilities. More than the anonymity that has received all the credit for people being able to interact more freely on the internet, I believe it to be the result of easily being able to find people who share a common interest with you. How do you, personally, weigh online relationships (including those that have existed primarily over the internet)? Do you see them as less valuable than those that you have established physically in real life? Is there a bias against online relationships as not being real due to the nature of it?
I feel that online relationships can be less valuable than relationships that were created in real life. I say this because a persons perception of someone that they met online can change when they meet in reality. Personally i have online relationships with friends from my playing clan, but i cannot value my relationship with them as i would value a friend in real life. I do feel that their is a bias towards online relationships just because of the stereotype that is seen as "nerdy".
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