I've been lately curious if not even fascinated with gamers and the gaming culture. It's hard not to be when your boyfriend and pretty much 100% of his friends are frequent gamers (as in they play video games at least once a day). And what with the arrival of another good friend and his new purchase of a PS3 (Play Station 3) there doesn't seem to be a lot of time left for the girlfriend.
Funnily enough, I am a gamer too. Well, sort of. The example here, World of Warcraft, abbreviated WOW. About a week ago I showed some interest as my BF spent yet another night bewitching, casting spells, and killing other players . So he made a character for me *just as a joke*, and to his surprise I started playing it. I just found the graphics and the sheer scope of the game amazing!! A week later I'm up to level 18 already.....
For those of you who don't know, WOW is one of the most popular MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game), in which a large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world. Originating from the original Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, the current The Burning Crusade is the fourth expansion of the game, with yet another set to be released in the near future. That is something WOW gamers are sure to get excited about, The Burning Crusade being the fastest-selling PC game of all time, selling nearly 2.4 million copies in just 24 hours.
Gamers are a complete subculture of their own in new media cultures/studies, and World of Warcraft gamers are yet another more fragmented subculture within that gaming culture, which is referred to as a hyperlocal culture or community. Users within that subculture all have something in common, a shared interest, or something that differentiates them from mainstream culture. WOW gamers, for example share their interest in the game, and can either add them as a friend to the game and talk to them in real time if they are both online, or they can discuss topics of interest in online forums.
Another example which differentiates WOW gamers is their online language. The abbreviations used by gamers seems like a completely different language!! Some of the more easier ones include lol = laugh out loud (we all know what that means) and afk = away from keyboard. But this is where it gets tricky.
I asked one of my friends to say a sentence in, what I call, WOW language. This is what he came up with:
LFM BWL Need DPS & Healer Pref. Lock & Pally.......
...... I know exactly what you're thinking, or more likely what you're not understanding. Let me translate that into more legible English. "Looking For More Need Damage Per Second & Healer Preferably Warlock & Paladin". Does that make more sense? Still not? Ah, it's too difficult to explain when the person writing doesn't get it themselves. Like I said, TOTALLY different language!! Maybe I just need to practice.
I could go on and on with this game and more, but it is just too big for me to put in one blog. There's just so much to talk about, PvP (player vs. player), the different characters, the realms, or even just more about gaming culture or MMORPGs. So I'll play a little more, explore a little more, kill a little more (that sounds so bad...) and learn a little more, and maybe then I can understand WOW language myself and write a little more about the amazing world of WOW.
Funnily enough, I am a gamer too. Well, sort of. The example here, World of Warcraft, abbreviated WOW. About a week ago I showed some interest as my BF spent yet another night bewitching, casting spells, and killing other players . So he made a character for me *just as a joke*, and to his surprise I started playing it. I just found the graphics and the sheer scope of the game amazing!! A week later I'm up to level 18 already.....
For those of you who don't know, WOW is one of the most popular MMORPG (Massively multiplayer online role-playing game), in which a large number of players interact with one another in a virtual world. Originating from the original Warcraft: Orcs & Humans, the current The Burning Crusade is the fourth expansion of the game, with yet another set to be released in the near future. That is something WOW gamers are sure to get excited about, The Burning Crusade being the fastest-selling PC game of all time, selling nearly 2.4 million copies in just 24 hours.
Gamers are a complete subculture of their own in new media cultures/studies, and World of Warcraft gamers are yet another more fragmented subculture within that gaming culture, which is referred to as a hyperlocal culture or community. Users within that subculture all have something in common, a shared interest, or something that differentiates them from mainstream culture. WOW gamers, for example share their interest in the game, and can either add them as a friend to the game and talk to them in real time if they are both online, or they can discuss topics of interest in online forums.
Another example which differentiates WOW gamers is their online language. The abbreviations used by gamers seems like a completely different language!! Some of the more easier ones include lol = laugh out loud (we all know what that means) and afk = away from keyboard. But this is where it gets tricky.I asked one of my friends to say a sentence in, what I call, WOW language. This is what he came up with:
LFM BWL Need DPS & Healer Pref. Lock & Pally.......
...... I know exactly what you're thinking, or more likely what you're not understanding. Let me translate that into more legible English. "Looking For More Need Damage Per Second & Healer Preferably Warlock & Paladin". Does that make more sense? Still not? Ah, it's too difficult to explain when the person writing doesn't get it themselves. Like I said, TOTALLY different language!! Maybe I just need to practice.
I could go on and on with this game and more, but it is just too big for me to put in one blog. There's just so much to talk about, PvP (player vs. player), the different characters, the realms, or even just more about gaming culture or MMORPGs. So I'll play a little more, explore a little more, kill a little more (that sounds so bad...) and learn a little more, and maybe then I can understand WOW language myself and write a little more about the amazing world of WOW.
3 comments:
hahaha Yeah girl!
i have subscribed to your Blogs and will surely read them every week.
woot
Hello Kathy... ive just read your blog on WOW the other day and i find it amusing.
I myself has played WOW previously and YES!! it is an interesting game. Theres sooo much to explore and sooo much to learn. As well as sooo much profession to use sooo much collection sooo much hunting sooo much friends etc... in fact sharing is essential towards the game.
I am also part of a gamer but its interesting to see how online community in games effect daily people. It is well demonstrated where they build their own culture including a language that is written only to players for WOW.
This generation i can see people giving up their main core and using the extra energy which helps them to express their true identity using a online virtual world. take for instance, leveling and growing is one of the biggest goal in WOW however people can also learn different professions such as cooking, mining, aiding etc... Even shopping like EBAY. There are players which spent all day in WOW to save gold pieces and purchase rare items for collection, present in public, or use in battlefield.
The game is much broader that we may think but definately this is a good starting point for myself.
I will continue to read your blogs and see if you update and WOW information.
Yeah right on Derek your spot on! Love this blog! I hope to see your updates and to find out more about WoW.
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