Fix 5-6

KingSala = Level 42

For this first part of the assignment this week, I reached out to a fellow Settlers player who goes by the name, KingSala.  KingSala was kind enough to reply and answer several of the questions.  Sala has been playing for 6 to 7 months.  He generally logs on and plays casually between 1pm and 7pm Pakistan Standard Time.  He plays it mostly for the social aspect, and does socialize a bit. He finds the difficulty of the game to mostly contribute to the challenges he faces. He likes the fact that it is not very easy. His most successful tasks include trading, socializing, and adventures, He however does not play standard video games.  Overall, he choose this game because of the interesting story and goals. 

Fix 5-6

Social Connectivity

To begin the portion of my assignment on fixes 5 & 6, I must take a moment to reflect upon my personal opinion of the readings in a general sense. I personally do not agree with McGonigal’s entire section on social connectivity.  As I don’t think she is wrong, I just believe that as a general statement, not everyone who plays games online is about social interaction.  I personally do not like interacting on this level. On page 81, McGonigal (2010) discusses the nudge that is given by fellow gamers to help one out by supplying gifts and buffs.  This is incredibly annoying for those who do not find an interest in the game.  From personal experience, I can say that many of my close friends are frustrated with game requests on Facebook.  I myself have unfriended individuals who sent me various requests daily.  I did not join a social network to be bothered with game requests, I joined to stay in contact with friends.  I believe that the nudge McGonigal speaks about is somewhat dated, and that the viral obsession with game requests has not done justice for the true benefits of gaming.

With that said, the level of social interaction in Settlers is reasonable.  As buffing and trading are vital components to survive, it is not overwhelming.  Some issues that I have come across include denied trades and other gamers who back out of adventures. As a denied trade could mean that the individual does not have the goods to trade, there is no direct feedback or reason why the trade was denied.  Maybe a future game feature?  Also, the requirement of gamer participants on certain adventures has its limit.  I would prefer to play solo, however many adventures force me to interact.  Now this is not always a problem, but adventures require players to have the same gaming philosophy and strategy, and this is not always possible.  

I currently am part of SirGoffy’s Guild.  I have occasionally reached out to members for assistance, but am reluctant for several reasons.  As far as connecting – I have had several buffs from certain members, and I have returned the favor. As we did not physically chat, the understanding of teamwork is mutual.  As McGonigal states, “Every gift or favor someone bestows upon you helps achieve your goals in the game” (2011, p.81) There is a good feeling about gifting others with buffs and trades in Settlers, and when they return the favor, it knows we are working toward the same goal.

Epic Scale

 I am an avid fan of the “Epic Scale” concept of gaming.  I look at the concept from several perspectives. I choose gaming as a way to physically enter a fictional place and make a difference.  As reading can allow one to create their own vision, video games provide a consistent view of the authors (game designers) vision.  From a former professor of digital animation, I can appreciate the time spent on the planning, creation, and distribution of games with epic scale environments. As I have played all games in the series of God of War, I find the environments to be immense.  As the character Kratos is the main focus of the adventure, the grand scale of the various levels shows one character can cause havoc in the world of Greek Mythology. 

The epic scale of Settlers has not impressed me compared to that of the God of War series.  Two different genres and two different gaming platforms.  However, the ability to expand into other regions for adventures and expeditions is very interesting and adds to the grand scheme of things.  Now to contradict the social aspect of working together to be part of a “Something Bigger Than Ourselves”, Settlers promotes both working together to achieve goals (adventures) but also provides an aspect of completion through expeditions.  This level of competition can be somewhat uncomfortable for certain gamers.  I do not prefer to work against live people.  It is uncomfortable for me.  Beating the computer and winning the game provides enough fiero for me.  The term “completion” was not really discussed in McGonigal’s text.  As it can be implied from many of the examples, competition to be the better player was not explored to its fullest.  In this game, one may consider the reaching of Level 40 to be somewhat of a competition.  As it builds motivation, it may also provide added frustration.  If you are unable to keep up with the team, you may start to feel isolated.  I believe it is an aspect that is not clearly defined, and could be misinterpreted by others.  

McGonigal, J. (2011), Reality is broken, Broadview Press.