Editorial: Online Gaming: The Next Great Frontier or Darwin at Work?

[Clint DeBoer]

<A href="http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/OnlineGamingNewGolf.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 125px; HEIGHT: 93px" alt=[outlawgolf] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/editorials/online-gaming-the-next-great-frontier-or-darwin-at-work/image_mini" align=left border=0></A>World of Warcraft, Lineage, Everquest, City of Heroes… the list goes on. I’ve read more and more about people meeting within one of these games and ending up getting married. Recently, my wife handed me an article in Newsweek that described online role playing games like World of Warcraft as the new golf. Really?! ‘Cause I’ve always shied away from corporate positions because I suck at golf. That and the 80-hour work weeks. I’ve always been OK with the bloodthirsty backstabbing and the stepping on the spines of the weak just to further your own career. Now, if MMORPGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Game) and other MMOGs (Massively Multiplayer Online Game) are the new golf, I’d consider that a perk that may make all that work worth it.

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[mikeyj92]

Funny coincidence of this editorial and this past Wednesday's season 10 premier of South Park. I loved the episode, it was spot on.

As a former EQ player (played nearly 3 years on and off before it held no interest for me anymore), I was lightly addicted for only a short time...all the while I was married and doing other things too. But there are ALOT of full-time addicted players in all of those games that just make me shake my head. They are in the prime of their lives and are wasting these years sitting at a computer screen playing a game. For every player that is playing a MMO responsibly, I'd wage a guess there are 8-10 who are full blown addicted and are playing the game at the expense of some other (more important) aspect of their life.

[Matt34]

I played Star Wars Galaxies for 8-9 months. I wasn't "addicted" but I did log quite a few hours, mostly during the weekends. It was my first MMORPG but what really made it enjoyable was the group of people I played with. The game had some major flaws but I could overlook most of it because it was fun to be with 20-25 people all on team-speak as you raid a Tusken camp.

The biggest down side to MMORPG that I find is if you don't get onboard within the first couple months of the release there is no way you can compete with the "hardcore" gamers. I haven't played another MMORPG yet but I can see myself playing one in the future.

[mikeyj92]

The biggest down side to MMORPG that I find is if you don't get onboard within the first couple months of the release there is no way you can compete with the "hardcore" gamers.


The fact is, there is NO competing with the true HardCore games in MMO's.

Unless you seriously have no life, as South Park made hilariously clear.

Don't try to compete with the hardcores and you'll enjoy your own toon more.

[j_garcia]

Well, with the 360's online capability and the forthcoming PS3 community, IMO MMORPG and MMOG ARE the future. Much more fun to compete against someone who thinks a little more real time, because once you've learned to exploit a game's weaknesses, the game isn't quite as fun anymore, because people have the ability to be less predictable. Despite that, I have no intention of playing online.

[Matt34]

The fact is, there is NO competing with the true HardCore games in MMO's.

Unless you seriously have no life, as South Park made hilariously clear.

Don't try to compete with the hardcores and you'll enjoy your own toon more.

I never did try to compete, just stating what I observed.

I'm waiting for that episode to show up on Itunes Monday.;)

[Haoleb]

I saw that episode of southpark too and thought too, that it was pretty much verbatim what goes on. One of the funniest episodes I think ive ever seen. a few of those scenes were like looking in a mirror at myself when I used to play Socom or Wolfenstien. I dont play any video games really anymore, and never even was into them too much when I did but a desk with ramen noodle cups and burned cds, with my headphones on and the keyboard/mouse setup like they had it just sitting back and yelling at the screen when people do stupid stuff.

Yup. Pretty funny.


"Mom!.... MORE HOT POCKETS"

[Tom Andry]

I had a gamer friend proofread my editorial and he mentioned the South Park episode. I'm going to have to check that out too. Sounds like a good one.

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

"Why don't we just delete him from the servers?"
"We can't. he's reached a previously unthought-of level. He killed the Admins."

[Haoleb]

The Southpark episode on Youtube...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HmrNFp9qgAM

[Bigsilvs]

I still find it humorous that people think just because someone plays a video game (online or not) say 15 hours per week, are losers or have no life. Video games are like any other source of entertainment. How come people don't look down on others that watch movies or tv, read books, listen to music etc for 15 hours per week? Lets face it, many video games are not for kids anymore. I work in a warehouse and you would be surprised to see how many people actually play video games on a regular basis that are in there 30's and 40's.

[Haoleb]

speaking of warcraft economy... omg. My jaw dropped when I saw this auction.

http://cgi.ebay.com/World-of-Warcraft-60-Rogue-Transferable_W0QQitemZ230035473418QQihZ013QQcatego ryZ4596QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Thats why your a "loser" if you sit at your computer and play video games in your entire amount of free time. Its not REAL

Music is REAL, Tv.. well depending on what you watch. I for one stick mainly to discovery and those type of channels so its not a waste. People get obsessed and drawn into the games so much they loose sight of reality. And anyway, When you hear one of your classmates talking about how many mana burns and how much mongoose potion his dwarf can expell. Whats the first thing that comes to mind?

[Nick250]

Damn. Wrong kind of online gaming.

[mikeyj92]

I still find it humorous that people think just because someone plays a video game (online or not) say 15 hours per week, are losers or have no life. Video games are like any other source of entertainment. How come people don't look down on others that watch movies or tv, read books, listen to music etc for 15 hours per week? Lets face it, many video games are not for kids anymore. I work in a warehouse and you would be surprised to see how many people actually play video games on a regular basis that are in there 30's and 40's.

Have you played an MMORPG like Everquest?

Try playing only 15 hours per week and being able to play with the same group of players.

The hardcores in games like EQ and WoW are doing 6-12 hours PER DAY. I am not kidding. I have seen it sustained at that rate of play firsthand from people I've known in-game.

When I talk about "hardcore" gamers, I really mean hardcore. Fulltime time job hours playing these MMO's. Seriously.

[Sheep]

I never got into MMORPGSlahsdkfjhasdf games. I only play Need For Speed: Most Wanted (not anymore) and Counter Strike: Source.

I do agree that just because someone plays games a lot doesn't mean they don't have a life. Ever heard of a LAN party? I gamed for 24 hours straight. I also game with a bunch of good friends. Are we losers with no lives because we play games sometimes? GMAFB. You guys haven't even gamed before, yet you criticize the hell out of it. Whats wrong? Have an addictive personality?

These kids playing games should get with the times. Everyone gets piss drunk and stoned, or any other form of high on the weekends. These gamers have it all wrong. :rolleyes:

SheepStar

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

I don't play WoW, so fill me in on this....

*I can "buy" gold from several sellers on Ebay

How does this gold end up in your WoW characters possession? Can you email gold or do you pay the Eay people's chracaters to meet your WoW character at a predetermined place/time where the transfer is made? (which would be like the WoW escort service.... "I am not selling gold. I am selling a unique opportunity for our WoW characters to meet on the fields of Gorgoroth, and and all item andor currency transfers that happen will be a consesual agreement between two adults".)

And how about the companies that offer to "level up" your character. Are you just paying them to log=on for you and kill wild boars endlessly until your character is the desired level?

[Rob Babcock]

Being addicted to RPGs is no more pathetic than being addicted to golf. No, check that- it's less pathetic.:D

[mikeyj92]

I never got into MMORPGSlahsdkfjhasdf games. I only play Need For Speed: Most Wanted (not anymore) and Counter Strike: Source.

I do agree that just because someone plays games a lot doesn't mean they have a life. Ever heard of a LAN party? I gamed for 24 hours straight. I also game with a bunch of good friends. Are we losers with no lives because we play games sometimes? GMAFB. You guys haven't even gamed before, yet you criticize the hell out of it. Whats wrong? Have an addictive personality?

These kids playing games should get with the times. Everyone gets piss drunk and stoned, or any other form of high on the weekends. These gamers have it all wrong. :rolleyes:

SheepStar

I have gamed before, I still play HL2:Deathmatch nearly every day for at least 15 minutes or so.

I'm referring to the MMO player who plays every day for 6-12 hours per day. These guys are the single guys living at home still or they live with roomates even though they are near 30 already.

Gaming every day doesn't make you hardcore with no life, gaming every day for 10 hours though, does.

[Rock&Roll Ninja]

Being addicted to RPGs is no more pathetic than being addicted to golf. No, check that- it's less pathetic.:D
An online game subscription and computer are certainly cheaper than buying new graphite/titanium clubs every year.

[Wayde Robson]

I loved that Tom!

Of course it stereotypes the worst of the "gamer". Yeah, it's probably a bit offensive. But it was funny!

I don't like when people read an editorial like that and think you're out to offer the most comprehensive and unbiased all inclusive everything that anyone ever thought of on that topic.

I had/ still have a bit of a Warcraft3 Frozen Throne habit. But they're only 1/2 hour games. I just have to play one more then that's it, honest.

[Jack Hammer]

My old roommate used to play SOCOM online for 10+ hours a day. He took it way to seriuosly, from specialized controllers to setting up conference calls to organize the players on his team, to trying to setup local meetings. He was a pretty cool person, but sometimes he acted like a total loser with no life when he played. He was like a crack head, but jonesing for online-gaming instead of drugs.

[Sheep]

My old roommate used to play SOCOM online for 10+ hours a day. He took it way to seriuosly, from specialized controllers to setting up conference calls to organize the players on his team, to trying to setup local meetings. He was a pretty cool person, but sometimes he acted like a total loser with no life when he played. He was like a crack head, but jonesing for online-gaming instead of drugs.

Old thread I know, but you should have seen the last LAN party I was at.

Normally, we play against each other, but this time someone came up with the great idea of teaming up and facing REALLY hard bots (Godlike in UT2004). We worked our way up to godlike, but once we neared it, we had to break out the white board and make a plan. We spent about half an hour planning out our attacks, and who did what with who.

In the end, it was the BEST gaming we EVER did at a LAN, and this would qualify as textbook "no life". We didn't beat the Godlike bots, but there is another LAN coming up, and we're ready to go again, with new strategies.

Point is, people game like this because its the best way. Large organized groups not only accomplish the most, but have the most fun too. This is no different then playing street hockey with some good friends against a team of strangers.

SheepStar

[mikeyj92]

Old thread I know, but you should have seen the last LAN party I was at.

Normally, we play against each other, but this time someone came up with the great idea of teaming up and facing REALLY hard bots (Godlike in UT2004). We worked our way up to godlike, but once we neared it, we had to break out the white board and make a plan. We spent about half an hour planning out our attacks, and who did what with who.

In the end, it was the BEST gaming we EVER did at a LAN, and this would qualify as textbook "no life". We didn't beat the Godlike bots, but there is another LAN coming up, and we're ready to go again, with new strategies.

Point is, people game like this because its the best way. Large organized groups not only accomplish the most, but have the most fun too. This is no different then playing street hockey with some good friends against a team of strangers.

SheepStar

I don't equate this type of "gaming" to that of the playing WoW in a room by yourself, for 6+ hours every day and 12+ on each weekend day.

LAN's like that are just as social and competitive as going out and playing a game of pickup-b-ball...just not as good for your body. ;) Sounded like a blast.

Online gaming has a viable grasp on gamings future. MMORPG's are also the most addictive style of game. They can be alot of fun though, as I can attest.