MMORPG gaming and console gaming have traditionally been thought of
as completely separate and different playstyles. As the video game
industry progresses however one can see that there are reasons to play
both, rather than one sub-genre exclusively. This essay will go over
the vast differences, as well as the universal traits that make both
these forms of gaming complementary rather than contradictory.
One
powerful trait both mmorpg gaming and console gaming share is that of
escapism. Research has shown a strong connection between pain and
anxiety. In fact, Nationwide Children's Hospital has put this into
practice by helping burn victims. The children play in this virtual
reality to distract them from the painful process of healing from burn
wounds. Although most would assume a virtual world such as World of
Warcraft would be more imersive there are also console games such as
Fable which would beg to differ. Here we see a powerful tool of video
games, escapism, which unchecked can lead to an unhealthy obsession
with the virtual worlds.
A driving force of the mmorpg gaming
industry is progression. Progression via game is slightly different
but most deal with ones virtual character leveling up skills, stats,
and equipment referred to as gear. This progression leads to a deeper
immersion associated with most console games that can usually be played
for a day, turned off, and turned on a month later. With mmorpg games
however, the world around you continues whether or not you are
progressing. If you aren't progressing you are natually falling behind.
This is a similar trait to a game we all play, life.
An mmorpg is the
highest form of capitalism and hard work pays off, whereas console
games can be seen as a quicker escape with less progression goals.
Console games have had single player forms of progression without the
online aspect, also known as roleplaying games. Games such as Final
Fantasy, Zelda, and even Super Mario. We see the ability for console
games to have progression in the form of both virtual characters as
seen in final fantasy and zelda, but only map progression in games like
Mario wherein the character doesn't progress, just the maps do.
The
inability for console gamers to personify there virtual characters has
led to the explosive growth of the online pc mmorpg industry. With the
advent of online play however, console worlds are now becoming closer
to their cousin PC or Mac. One can look at the success of Halo and John
Madden football on the console systems. It is the ability for quick fun
but also combined with an everchanging leaderboard system to progress,
to become the best player. It is this hybridization that gives console
games the appeal of casual gamers which the mmorpg industry scares
away. If one wants to load up a game of Madden for an hour they can do
so and turn it off without fear of Brian Urlacher losing 5 tackling. If
one does the same in Warhammer they may find themselves logged in with
inferior gear and guildless.
Guild Pressure! Guild pressure is
just like peer pressure only it's intensified by players you mostly
play with in your virtual world. In the past console gamers did not
have to worry about letting someone down if they turned off final
fantasy. Perhaps Cloud was secretly angry but he could never let you
know. Today, not being able to attend a raid in World of Warcraft, or a
PK run in Ultima Online can have social consequences within these
heavily socially based virtual worlds.
Turning down your guildmates can
be difficult and even against your interest in the guild. In real life,
if your boss asks you to do something because they rely on you, you
would most likely help him/her out. The virtual worlds are no
different. One's guild leader may ask you to help camp a spawn or
partake in a hunt; if the answer is no all the time you will inevitably
lose standing with the guild leader, if not the entire guild. Before
the onset of online console play, you made all the decisions and had no
one, except maybe your brother/sister nagging you to turn on the game
and play.
Now even Console gamers have this social dynamic seen with
Clans. Clans are synonymous with guilds but the term is used for most
console guilds. If you are a member of a Clan that is hardcore you
better be sure to make the big clan matches. Let your clan down, you
let everyone down. It is this mentality that is changing casual games
to a more serious, hardcore feel that PC games had exclusively for the
past decade. You are now a part of something larger than yourself. It
can be incredbily satisfying to be in a guild or clan and help those
you care about, but it can be equally as hard to say no to those very
same friends.
Both mmorpg gamers and console gamers have
considered themselves separate. The reality is both gamers enjoy
aspects of progression, escapism, friendships, and of course FUN! We
forget at times the games are for fun. As a human species we are
naturally hedonisitic so why not enjoy all forms of the video game
industry? I'll see you in World of Warcraft and a game of Tetris later.
With the market being saturated with games requiring cutting edge
technology platforms and connections such as World of Warcraft, City of
Heroes, Tabula Rasa, Warhammer, and Age of Conan, is there really a
point to playing a 2d game? Even though the obvious answer may appear
to be no, the real answer is an emphatic yes!
One
of the main reasons people choose 2d mmorpgs over their 3d counterparts
is because of system requirements and capabilities. To currently run
World Of Warcraft one needs a pretty updated computer, not to mention
graphics card; in comparison most 2d mmo's don't have strict minimum
requirements and can be played by the masses, including countries that
are just getting into the technology era. This is important as it
allows users from all over to join in and get a true sense of community
vs a game where it can only be played by the 'well-off' or richer areas
of the world.
Besides a less strict requirement to play and
bigger available player base, 2d games can give the user a "General's"
mentality when playing the game. In 3d games one is often in first
person view or very close to it and they can only see from that
perspective. In a 2d mmorpg a user can see the whole screen/field and
make decisions based on that. It tends to lead to a less stressful,
more fullfiling experience as you see all around you.
Going
back to technology, 2d games technology and artwork are pretty much
mastered at this point, whereas 3d games are still evolving to become
more real and less polygon like. A 2d game made today can have the best
2d graphics which could either look realistic or go for a
clean/crisp/bright cartoon look; The ability to make the game as
intentioned is a huge plus for 2d video games and games like diablo II,
starcraft II, and revamped Ultima Online prove how great 2d graphics
can now look.
Another huge advantage is movement and pvp.
Currently 3d pvp is awkward and less related to movement on screen as
compared with button mashing, unless you're playing a FPS. 2d games are
easier to maneuver for now and give the user greater control over his
character/avatar. This allows for more precision attacks and movement
within the virtual world; old school ultima online is a classic example
of how an easy interface, simple graphics, and movement made it one of
the greatest pvp games of all time. In contrast, DAoC was laggy, buggy,
and movement was very non user friendly. Five years later in World of
Warcraft it has improved dramatically but the time/spatial relations in
3d have not been mastered so pvp in that environment will never be as
consistent as that of a 2d game today.
To recap: You don't need to buy the newest hardware to play and usually can play on a dial up as well. The
member base/community is larger due to less stringent hardware/network
requirements and gives a more broad sense of community. No more just
playing against rich people. The art is mastered; the 2d graphics
have been pushed to their limits and allow stunning visuals for both a
realistic and cartoonish look. Playability, movement, pvp; 2d games
just allow the user to run his character like a general and pinpoint
his moves. 3d is still evolving and figuring out what it can and can
not do. Nostalgia...don't these great games bring back memories?
The World of Warcraft is a much populated world, in fact many
people would say that it is an overpopulated world. If you're wondering
what on earth World of Warcraft is, to put it simply it is a Massively
Multiplayer Online Role Playing Game (MMORPG), and the World of
Warcraft characters to be found within its confines are as colorful as
you will find anywhere on Earth.
The
World of Warcraft characters can come in many different varieties and
belong to one of ten Wow Classes and each character takes on a life of
it's own after creation. This life is infused into the characters by
each different player and is the reason why MMORPG's like World of
Warcraft are so popular with people.
Wouldn't you be like to be
anyone you wanted to be, even if it was only for a few short hours a
day? This is why many people are drawn to the game, the World of
Warcraft characters gives everyone more scope than they would otherwise
be able to get elsewhere.
This becomes enhanced when there is
Player vs. Player situations. Because the World of Warcraft characters
can take on the life and the mannerisms of the player, no two World of
Warcraft characters are alike. This makes for interesting times when
players meet.
To choose your World of Warcraft characters
(because with one account you can create up to a maximum of 50
characters which can be spread across the different servers), you will
need to go through a series of steps.
The first step is choosing
your faction. You need to decide first of all whether you're going to
be part of the honorable Alliance, or whether you want to be a part of
the mighty Horde.
You will then need to go on to step number
two, where you need to decide which race your World of Warcraft
characters are going to take.
Are they going to be Human, Orc,
Dwarf, Troll, or one of the other eight playable races? (You get an
extra two races if you have the Burning Crusade expansion pack to make
it a total of ten playable races.)
Once you choose what race (or
races) your World of Warcraft characters are going to be, you will then
need to choose Wow Classes for them.
Your World of Warcraft
characters can become one of these nine different wow classes, and this
will in essence be their identity, i.e. as in an Undead Mage. ÒUndeadÓ
here being the race, and ÒMageÓ being the class.
They can choose
from world of warcraft Druids, world of warcraft Shaman, world of
warcraft Hunters, world of warcraft Warriors, world of warcraft druid,
world of warcraft Warlocks, world of warcraft Mages, world of warcraft
Paladins, world of warcraft Priests and world of warcraft Rogues.
You
will then have the pleasure of choosing for your World of Warcraft
characters professions so they can earn gold, silver, and copper to
finance their adventures through the lands of Warcraft. When you finish
this step you will then be ready to take your place in the World of
Warcraft.
About the Author: Visit our site for more great information about learning how to play warcraft using a warcraft guide where you'll find all the Wow Classes information you'll need to change the way you play forever.
Broadband – For Online Gaming
If you are one of the tens of millions of people who are an avid
fan on video games you will be well aware of the huge market that has
developed for MMORPGs. (Massive Multiplayer Online Role Play Games!).
With
the likes of Lord of the Rings online, Guild Wars and the massive World
of Warcraft (honing in over twenty million players world wide alone)
being widely available it is little wonder that it is no longer “nerdy”
to want the most up to date hardware, software and internet connection.
The video game industry is one of the most dramatically
increasing within the modern business world, with demands for strong
storylines, good voice acting, up to date graphics and design as well
as a reasonable price all being compulsory for a successful video game
nowadays.
The recent popularity boost that has resulted in the
MMORPG has meant that broadband speed and reliability has become very
important for gamers, as most of these games require real time online
team work with each player having a specific job to fullfill. So if you
have signed up to an online game and want to get the best out of your
new game, you should check out the new deals on the market for
broadband.
Many people who signed up to broadband when it began
to be common in households will be used to internet that is better than
dial up, but may be missing out on the speeds available with today’s
suppliers. If you have not updated your package since you first got it,
checking out the recent offers such as broadband via wireless routers
or fibre optics may increase your broadband quality ten fold.
So
if you don’t want to get into trouble from team mates because you
didn’t supply that crucial healing spell due to your broadband having a
slow spike, perhaps you should look into getting an update on your
broadband package!
About the Author: Jennifer Quirk is an experienced reviewer of travel and financial products based in and around the UK.
To have your own opinion considered for publication or reprinting in Digital and Broadband,
please submit your comments or article to: submissions@digitalandbroadband.com, for our review. If approved, we will also
include the links back to your own website or blog that you may provide, at our discretion.
We reserve the right to edit out links back to sites we deem to be inappropriate in nature.
