 |
| Figure 1 |
"Change
in medium means change in genre" (Van Luyn, 2013). A great example of this
is the emergence of massively multiplayer online games (MMOG's) that have become
extremely popular as more people around the world have been connected to the
internet. Although representing many
video game genres, MMOG's must be played over the internet, with game play dictating
both cooperation and competition on a large scale - the resulting interaction deciding
how power and resources are distributed.
Communication
between players in MMOG's, especially those in cooperation with each other is
key. In the MMOG Grepolis, this communication is centred around the alliance
forum. For an alliance to form, and then
become strong, every player must work together. Therefore, finding a foundation
for mutual understanding must be achieved, and this is done through the forum. McNeill (2013) explains, "Common ground
becomes a means for establishing and policing community boundaries, and, in
most cases, the speaker/writer has the power to let readers in, or keep them
out, based on what information can be presumed to be shared" (p.320).
 |
| Figure 2 |
Leaders will
soon emerge, and they will be assigned roles within this alliance depending on
their abilities. For these "leaders" the forum becomes a vital means
in which to lead. In order to get ones point across, "Every writer
needs to develop his or her way with words" (Diyanni, 2005, p.16). I have myself noted that the majority of
players finding themselves in these positions of power are quite talented in
this regards. Online identities are soon formed, through both actions
undertaken within the game, and through interactions on the alliance forums. I
often wonder to myself, who are the real people behind these "online identities" and I'm sure the answer would be very surprising most of the
time.
References:
DiYanni, R.
(2005). Twenty-five great essays. New
York: Pearson.
Rowe, C.,
& Wyss, E. L. (2009). Language and
new media: Linguistic, cultural, and technological evolutions. Cresskill,
NJ: Hampton Press.
Van Luyn, A.
(2013). BA1002: Our Space: Networks, narratives and the making of place,
Lecture 6:Genre. [PowerPoint slides]. Retrieved from http://learnjcu.edu.au
Image Credit:
Figure 1. [South Park Character]. Retrieved from
http://lusipurr.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/South-Park-MMORPG-Player-Screenshot.jpg
http://lusipurr.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/03/South-Park-MMORPG-Player-Screenshot.jpg
Figure 2. [Grepolis alliance forum]. Retrieved from
http://s19.postimg.org/v228gp51f/Intro_1.jpg
Hi Luke. Great post. I enjoyed reading your explanation of the way online identities are formed through MMOG's. I've never played one of these games but I am interested too in the way online platforms allow for identities to be tweaked or invented. I think most people leave little hints as to their real identities though, just as the writer's of stories and essays do; if we take Di Yanni's (2205, p 9) advice and pay "careful attention to language - to the words on the page and to 'what's written between the lines,'" we may get some hints (place names, band names, favourite colours etc) as to who is really there.
ReplyDeleteReference List
Di Yanni, R. (2005). Introduction: Reading and writing essays, in Twenty-five great essays (pp 1 – 30). New-York, NY: Penguin Academics.
Hi Luke. Firstly, I love the image you used to support your blog post, and I can help but think that this is what you are imagining when you are asking yourself who is behind these online identities.
ReplyDeleteI agree with Havva's comment, in that users of all types of virtual networks leave behind hints of who they really are. "Montaigne reveals himself by telling us what he likes, thinks and believes" (Di Yanni, 2005, p2).
Reference:
Di Yanni, R. (2005). Introduction: Reading and writing essays, in Twenty-five great essays, page2. retrieved from: http://learnjcu.edu.au