2008 - Communication Across the Curriculum (CAC)

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S o c i o l o g y n00bs 7 is left largely to groups of more experienced players. From this stable foundation of cultural norms, smaller groups have developed. Many aspects of real world social structure are mirrored in the virtual world. While a nuclear family group is unnecessary, a primary group is often found in an organization known as a Guild. These player groups can range from a few players who have banded together for the easy chat functions the grouping mechanic affords them, to larger groups who organize regularly for a practice known as raiding in which a group of close to 150 players chooses to literally lay siege to an enemy town or village. Many times a guild will serve the same purpose as a family group for new players, taking on the responsibility of teaching the young adventurers their roles in the online society. These roles can range from broad categories like the unspoken politeness codes mentioned earlier, to more specific roles based on your class or profession choice. For instance, returning to World of Warcraft as an example, a guild might teach a starting rogue that in a group their job is to sneak around the enemies, whereas a warrior would receive instruction on making sure to attack enemies first so they don’t notice more fragile members of a party. Guilds and the smaller groups that spawn from them are a major source of socialization in a virtual society. Two larger types of groups involve links between Guilds known as Alliances and Factions. Alliances exist between guilds and Factions are formed when multiple Alliances band together for a common purpose. While small guilds serve the purpose of facilitating close relationship and help regulate social roles among players, larger groups, factions in particular, serve as informal power groups, often dictating a game server’s 8 unique customs and folkways. From this community socialization structure, reputation and status begin to take a larger role in MMORPG makeups. It has been said that whenever humans gather, like dogs, dominance is always established. In the society of America, this point is proven true by the very manner in which our statuses are arranged. At the top of the proverbial food chain, celebrities and the wealthy hold the pinnacle of power in society, and 9 1 W r i t i n g A c r o s s t h e C u r r i c u l u m
V o l u m e I V : F a l l 2 0 0 8 R e s e a r c h P a p e r become the measure by which other, less influential, individuals judge themselves. This behavior also holds true in MMORPGs, who have also developed a form of celebrity caste among their society structure. A wonderful example is the unforgettable antics of one Leroy Jenkins, a player in World of Warcraft made famous when his guild filmed an instance in which he charged headlong into certain death, screaming his name as he led a large number of dragon hatchlings out of their nest to slaughter not only himself but his entire party. It should be noted here, that because death has no lasting consequences in the game, violence becomes a much more viable source of humor. Yet it is not only the large scale interactions that matter in the society of an MMORPG, but also the personal interactions that are possible. If a player should desire a deeper connection, more personalized contact options between players exist, such as the Friendlist mechanic, which allows you to add the character names of people whom you may have developed a strong relationship with to a list of players whom you gain a more intimate knowledge of, such as their location in the game at any given time, and the time they last logged in. It is even possible, should romance bloom, to get married in virtual ceremonies, complete with traditional regalia and music. Such groups, from the large to the small, and their interactions, are an important aspect of MMORPG’s when they are considered from a sociological stand point. There is also a large aspect of internal competition known as PvP or Player Versus Player play. This involves an almost sporting style event or a gladiatorial style conflict between players. There are no lasting consequences for this style of interaction, but there are tremendous rewards to be had by engaging in the brutal free for all fights. In most games, a hard coded form of prejudice and segregation exists between differing player groups or races. In World of Warcraft this division exists between the Alliance faction, consisting of such familiar faces as Humans, Dwarves and Elves, among others, as well as the Horde, whose counts Orcs, Trolls, and Undead among its citizenry. No method of contact exists between these two groups, and conflict is 9 2
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2008 - Communication Across the Curriculum (CAC)

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