Re-Write: Socialization in MMOG's

T.L. Taylor’s chapter out of the book Play Between Worlds: Exploring Online Game Culture we were assigned to read this week is about socialization within MMOG’s. Taylor educates us on various different levels of socialization in different games. MMOG’s such as Everquest or LOTRO uses socialization in forming for example guilds to help each other successfully and quickly progress in game play. Taylor means that these social interactions and relationships are very important in MMOG’s. In the game Second Life the social aspects of the game are what drive it and make it what it is. An even better example of a game which requires the use of socialization in order to run is probably LambdaMOO. A completely text based MMOG where the social aspect of the game, is the game. Without the social aspect and the ability to interact with other avatars/users in games like Second Life, LambdaMOO, Everquest, and LOTRO it is safe to say the games would not reach their current popularity. Also the games would become much more difficult considering you would have to play all on your own.  

Taylor goes on to add though, that the social aspects of these games are not just important for in game purposes but also for the players outside the game. “One of the most notable things about games like EQ are the ways they are deeply social. While much of what we hear about gaming in the popular press evokes images of alienation and isolation, it is often grave misunderstanding of (or sometimes a willful bias against) the nature of these games” (30). What Taylor is saying is the relationships players gain in these various MMOG’s are very important to many of them and continue to be important to them in real life not just in-game. Where society has judged “gamers” of being outcasts and “socially inadequate” in real world social settings, these games end up being very important to the users in developing and maintaining a normal social life.

When it comes to my level of experience in game social interactions, specifically in LOTRO, they are slim. Considering the low level I am at though it would make more sense to comment further as I move along and gain higher levels. On the other hand the game Habbo Hotel, in which I have spent a lot of time and gained a lot of experience in, the social aspect, is what drives this game. This is a real life MMOG and just like in real life the use of social interactions is huge. You can order stuff at a restaurant, buy stuff from other users, have a party in your room, or just sit at a café and socialize. These are all things that in real life require social interactions, just like in-game. Just as Taylor describes, socialization in games are very important to the users, I one hundred percent agree from personal experiences. Without the social aspect of these games and relationships that are formed from the games, they would not exist. There are plenty of other games out there that many people enjoy that are not MMOG’s, but are not nearly as popular as some above mentioned MMOG’s. This clearly states the point that socialization in MMOG’s is very important for their existence and for their users.