Blogpost 3: Skills Acquired in Playing Games

To become a strong player, gamers invest their outmost efforts in playing games. In the case of MMORPG, the most common power identity of a gamer is the status (the avatars) and the gaming skill of the player. The status or stats is the mathematical computation of your character’s strength (may include attack, defence, vitality, dexterity, intellect etc.) while the gaming skill is how you play the game, or in other words, your gaming style. But how does this avatar’s stats the same as your own stats? Is obsessive gaming makes increases real life skills? How does your “style” affect you in your real life?

Studies say that playing games (in general) makes an individual intellectually smart. According to the article “The Positive and Negative Effects of Video Games” of the site http://www.raisesmartkid.com, Chacha Tumbokon(Psychologist) says that, “Playing video games change the brain’s physical structure the same way as do learning to read, playing the piano, or navigating using a map. Much like exercise can build muscle, the powerful combination of concentration and rewarding surges of neurotransmitters like dopamine strengthen neural circuits that can build the brain.”  It is common for other people see video games as entirely a negative thing for the youth because of the impression it had on society before. But let us face the other side of the picture. Games aren’t entirely bad. In my observation, most of the gamers I met are smart people. How can I consider that? Well most of them, though they really are addicted to playing games, are academically smart. I have this one friend back in high school, he was addicted to many MMORPG’s and yet he’s still one of the class’ best students. In addition, he is really a good gamer. So how can I connect the dots of a practically smart person to a great gamer?

On the article “Positive Effects of Video Games on Children” (of the site: http://everydaylife.globalpost.com/) by Lisa Weber, she listed the six main good effects of video games in children as: Critical Thinking, Social Development, Educational, Hand-Eye Coordination and Emotional Outlet. “Children can experience some positive benefits from a moderate amount of time playing either violent or non-violent video games.” 

·         Critical thinking occurs when in game situations are between life and death (of the avatar, ofcourse). Gamers need to make quick decisions.

·         Social development is vital in playing MMORPG. Since it is massively multi-player, you are ought to communicate and socialize between co-players. This includes friendships, rivalries, relationships etc.

·         Educational may be about the different fields of knowledge. Whether it is mathematics or physics, it depends upon the game you are playing. The most emphasized field gamers will improve in playing MMORPG’s is linguistics.

·         Hand-eye coordination or better response time is mainly about the reaction speed of our mind. Of course when you are playing games, a kick or a punch of your avatar is just a click away. But that doesn’t just end there; simple coordination in games can also be applied in real life. Example situation, catching a falling at ease etc.

·         Emotional outlet – Playing games can be a form of relaxation and tranquillity to players. Other’s find playing games as their way of releasing their negative feelings.

Those are only few of the positive effects of gaming to children. So how can these skills make intellectually smart persons? Simple, games serves as a training ground to players. Just imagine how hours and hours of gaming affect you. Just keep in mind that not all excess is good. We must take all things under moderation and try not to be lured in it. Either way, addiction won’t do any good to us so we must learn how to control things and balance. Cyberworld or reality, just chill and enjoy both.

Blogpost 2: Love Online

Having online relationships, especially in MMORPG (Massively Multi-player Online Role Playing Games) is one primal experience for a gamer. In real life, relationships is about cuddling, kissing, hugging and dating; in the cyber world, it is about saving your partner or couple in times of difficulties, gaining EXP (Experience) together, wandering that virtual world together, striving dungeons and quests together, and most especially, gaining trust and royalty. I used to be in a relationship within a game before. To be honest, it was as better (or sometimes even better) than a real life relationship. Love stories are a lot romantic and magical in MMORPGs. Since you are playing a “role” in that particular game, pre-weaved faith is laid on you and your partner. Both of you are ought to play the life of your avatars. But what are the pros and cons of this relationship? Can we consider online love as realistic and as true to the real world relationship?

To be committed requires a lot of effort and time. In the material world, open communication is not enough, and partners should also give enough physical, emotional and material things. In the world of gaming, everything you and your couple need is good internet connection, a computer (nevertheless the platform of your game) and most importantly time. According to the article “The Psychology of Massively Multi-User Online Role-Playing Games: Motivations, Emotional Investment, Relationships and Problematic Usage” of the site nickyee.com, Nicholas Yee says that, “Users spend on average 22.72 hours (n = 5471, SD = 14.98) each week in their chosen MMORPG. The lower quartile and upper quartile boundaries were 11 and 30 respectively. The distribution showed that about 8% of users spend 40 hours per week or more in these environments– the equivalent of a normal work week.”  With that huge amount of approximate time consumed, a player can invest a dozen of relationship (any kind of relationship) in one gameplay. Meeting up people online is a lot different than meeting up people in real life. You don’t see how the person looks like, but you see how he or she interacts with his/her comrades. And how does that lead to gamers being couples?

 There are cases that MMORP games have a system that enables players to marry another player online. In the game DDTank (a MMORPG I used to play), players can even make wedding ceremonies and bow oaths together, just like a real marriage. Other games like Sims, avatars can also make love and have kids. But not all games promote this kind of system. In another game I played, avatars become couples not by the system of the game but by the way they build up their relationship emotionally and psychologically. For example, in the game Adventure Quest Worlds (AQW), I’ve had an assumed couple. How will you classify that? Simple, if you and your couple have a commitment. How to be committed? Well, to tell you frankly, there is no specific way of gaining a partner in cyberworld. You can do missions, slay monsters, chill in or farm gold. But the most important thing you need to do is chat. Chat does the difference. Since it is an online world, you will communicate via chat and nothing else. You can go overboard and reach out that person in social media (Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram) but technically in the game it is all just chat. The problem with chat is that it is not as precise as the real talk you do in life. According to the article “How to Tell if Someone’s Lying Online” of the site blog.womenshealthmag.com, Elizabeth Narins says that, “But when you’re going back and forth with someone and they take a bit longer than normal to respond, it’s not just mildly irritating—it’s also a possible sign that they’ve lied to you.” Everyone has the chance of altering their messages while chatting. Chances are that the messages they give are just formulated lies. Plus there is no way of clarifying if the thing he or she is saying true. I did alter myself when I had an online relationship before. Maybe because the cyberworld is a place where you can rule, where you can mould who you want to be.  You can be whatever you think your couple might like so it is very easy to end up changing your image. Presumably, online relationship is a sum of 30% truth and 70% lies.

                It may be dreamy and magical, but love without reality is not love at all. You may be in love with the person behind those fancy avatars but neither of your two eyes can tell if that person is someone you really love in the material world. I suggest if you really feel this strange strong connection with your partner online, don’t just be contented by chatting and seeing each other’s avatar; arrange a meet-up, go grab some lunch, hang-out and spend some real time together. Because at the end of the day, the cyberworld is just a world within our imagination. Even though that life sucks, you have to face it and live it. As long as you have each other’s back, no quest, no missions, no boss monsters of reality will end your love for each other. Who knows, the both of you might just realize that life is as easy as playing your game.

Blogpost 1: Is MMORPG good enough?

I always find playing online games, especially MMORPG’s, a great experience. In my 17 years of existence in Earth, nothing is as extreme and as exiting than playing massively multi-player online games. You can slay dragons, save beautiful damsel in distresses, make hundreds and thousands of friends, be rich and wander the world at ease. In the cyberworld of role playing games, you can almost do everything. But what this artificial world can cause our daily life in reality? How the brutality and freedom of that world make us who we are?

           In most cases, playing games results too many negative effects like addiction and dependency. In an article entitled “Are MMORPGs “addictive”?” from the site scienceblogs.com, Dave Munger says that, “… but the fact that the MMORPG appears to be negatively impacting several areas of these students’ lives — and that they continue to play on despite this — suggest it might be.” Prone to this addiction are pre-adolescence and teens from ages 8-18. It is also said that the more the person spends time playing, the larger the attachment they’ll have to their characters. When I was on my addiction days, I tend to mimic my character voice and actions in the MMORPG Grand Chase. This is because I get to play this game for years and I kind of memorized my character’s manner in the game. At first it was nothing but when my friends look at me skeptically, I realized it was a weird manner and quit doing it. Gamer’s community (a group of people dedicated in playing any tech-games) will find this manner cool and splendid but not all people can. Most people see this “Geekish” and “Weird” so it highly affects your social life. I experienced being isolated and indifferent from other people due to this manner and it makes you think you are alone. I think understanding gamers is hard for normal people because we appreciate inanimate beings for addiction reasons and get to spend tons of time, effort and money (and by I mean money, real money) on it.

Aside from affecting your social life, MMORPG can also become your focal point of reality. According to the article "3 Philosophical concepts about MMO RP gaming" by Zoran Kojcic of the site philopractice.blogspot.com, “Most of the gamers play MMO games for fun or leisure. Some philosophers would say that any form of art has the same purpose, either to entertain us or to distract us from everyday problems. Also, other people say that gaming is a form of escaping from reality (everyday problems)  into a better world where gamers are in control of everything, a world where they have second life, right to make mistakes and where making mistakes isnt really hurtfull or fatal to them or to other people.” Some people’s lives revolve on playing games. This may sound impractical but it happens most of the time. According to studies, people that have a tragic or plain life tend to recreate and/or spice up themselves by being involved in playing MMORPG’s. The idea of a perfect world, gamers try to see this as their own world where they can do whatever they want and be whatever their character is. They play the part of this specific avatar in a game like it is really them. It is, mainly, a bad effect. This can lead to negligence of one’s life as well as psychological imbalance. 

Apparently these are only two of the many effects of MMORPG in life. To be fair, MMORPG is not that really bad. There are also good effects like it improves hand and eye coordination, better response reflexes and better reaction time. I love playing MMORPG and I think without it my life would not be great. Manage your time properly and you can enjoy it both.  But I want to emphasize to all that though the cyberworld is tons and tons better than reality, it is not an excuse to neglect your life and be a slave to this world.