Online gaming has reached a point of no return. Its popularity has been on a steady incline since the early 2000’s, when personal computers began appearing in households across the country. The result has meant the addition of online gaming communities.
The Good
Online gaming communities are just as they sound – a collection
of people, young and old, that gather to discuss, play, and manage games. They
are a social networking congregation where players of similar interest can
compete and play games together, through an online networking platform. Many of
these communities employ technologies such as online forums,
voice-communication software, and interactive video communication software.
It is truly a glorious event and something that many gamers
hold dear to their lives, investing hours and hours in these communities,
building reputations, and forming their own personality around clans, groups,
and friends. It is but one of many ways in which social media has developed in
the post 90’s era where such communities were unheard of!
The Bad
However, with the good comes the bad. As one would have
guessed, this diverse array of personalities can clash despite the greater fact
that they enjoy the same games. Clan and group division can lead to conflict,
and conflict can ultimately lead to the separation of a community. The
lunch-room effect comes into play and sooner or later, a lack of trust and
disagreement floods the community.
The Ugly
With no-where to turn and no resolve to such division, bad
become ugly, and a gaming community can crumble and burn becoming nothing but a
distant memory of times well had.
The integrity of a gaming community can be restored, through
effective leadership and a clear, calm conscious. Bad times can be compensated
with the reminder of a time when there was no division, no disagreement, and no
hatred. It should be a leader’s role in reminding the player of that time. All
that is needed are a few examples of why the player is there.
A Resolution
A once
flourishing community can be recovered. You have to be willing to accept others whom you disagree
with, for who they are. At the end of the day, they are still your brother or sister
in a community of people who share the same feelings for a game as you do.
Sounds like a good old-fashioned family with a Mom and Dad and kids...I think I am going to stick to the scratch off tickets. Then I only have myself to blame and the voice inside my head calling me gullible.
ReplyDeleteGranted, I am not a gamer. But it is a game, right? It's too bad when people can't separate what is important... it would bum me out if a passionate leisure activity became a hassle- I mean, why stay if you are no longer having fun? Isn't that the point?
ReplyDeleteWhat does the "+1 count" mean in the blog post listing? This is the only post I see with that notation... it's next to Views and Comments icons on the right. ??
ReplyDeleteThe +1 is a recommended rating from someone. I just so happened to promote my own posting, because that's just how I roll.
ReplyDelete