[MUD-Dev] It's just a game (?) [was: Information sharing]

[Greg Munt]

-----Original Message-----
From: Dave Rickey <daver at mythicentertainment.com>
To: mud-dev at kanga.nu <mud-dev at kanga.nu>
Date: 07 May 2001 10:15 PM
Subject: Re: [MUD-Dev] Information sharing (was: Re: Where are we now?)

> emotions can get a little high and egos a little bruised.  There's a
> lot of stuff I don't talk about any more because I got the
> impression.people thought I was heading off into left field.  When I
> start drawing parallels between suicide as a sociological phenomenon
> and account cancellation, and the response is either a blank look or
> a heated denunciation for "trivializing" suicide, one way or the
> other I have to figure that line of reasoning isn't worth sounding
> out in public.

There are a lot of people who do not like to think of online games in
any kind of sociological context. They do not like to think of online
games provoking an emotional reaction - such as depression, anxiety,
mental anguish. By something which I can only describe as hypocrisy,
they demand happiness, a sense of fun, a sense of
community. Constantly, I am bombarded with comments such as "It's just
a game" - these comments are usually presented as excuses for grossly
negative conduct.

I am of the opinion that cancelling your account has a number of
parallels to suicide. Those that deny this are "trivializing" the
online experience. A recent example (authorisation to post here has
been granted by the original author), posted to an in-game newsgroup:

  --------------------------------- Article 3 ---------------------------
  Subject: Reality in a Virtual world.
  Posted by <IC name>  on 20:59:01 GMT - Mon, 07 May 2001.
  Article has been read seventy seven times.
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  
  Well I feel it is time for a small piece of reality to hit this
  virtual world.
  
  It seems most people on here would prefer it if I disappeared
  totally.  Most of you dislike me for what I was or what you think I
  am without taking to time to see who I really am.
  
  I can't excuse the way I have acted in the past and nor would I
  attempt to do so, I can only apologies for things I have done and
  said, but anyone who has taken the time to talk to me of late knows
  that is not who I am any more. There have been some big changes in
  my life recently which have changed who I am.
  
  I am not saying I am a saint, but I am a reasonable human being, and
  all I have tried to do since my return is show that, and try to be
  friends with people, and repair some of the bridge I burnt a long
  time ago. As part of this demonstration I shall do what the masses
  want me to do and go, I will return from time to time to check mail
  and talk with friends, but only of rare occascions.
  
  Again I am apologies to all the people I have hurt or upset in the
  past, and those who want to talk to me know where to find me and
  those who dont know where I am are free to email <player's email
  address> and I will tell them.
  
  Thank You
  
  <OOC/real name> 
  -----------------------------------------------------------------------
  
This illustrates how social exclusion can have devastating effects on
a player, even if they are being excluded by people they've never met
- nor are likely to. I think that a lot of players ignore these harsh
realities, so that their conscience is never brought to bear on their
unjustifiable actions. I think that scenarios such as this are
infinitely more damaging to children than offering them humanised bad
guys to kill. Does this mean we should stop our players communicating
with each other? That'd sure cut down on the game's immersion wouldn't
it?
  
  
  
  
  !_______________________________________________
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