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The three stages of the mmorpg.com gamer.
crysent
Member UncommonPosts: 841
Hello,
You can call me Dr. Freud II, having conducted extensive research on the mmorpg community I've notcied a pattern in the stages of MMO hype among forum posters. The first stage begins at the inception of an mmo, long before it's released and ends 1-2 months after mmo release.
Stage
1. Hype - This is the stage where mmorpg.com posters fall in love with nearly any mmo in development. They talk of it's greatness, of their belief in the studio developing it, how finally they have found an mmo they will someday call home. This stage can last for a very long time, from the inception of the MMO building all the way until release.
Common symptoms: Posting excessively positive posts about an MMO which has not yet been released. Pre-ordering the super-uber collectors edition that comes with a full sized golden statue of some random creature. Doing all you can to convince your RL friends and guildies to pre-order the game, convincing others it will be the biggest mmo to hit the market.
2. Addiction - This is the stage immediately following release, sometimes runs in conjunction with the hype stage. This is when the mmorpg poster gets the chance to finally play the game they have been hypeing. It's a wetdream. Can lasts anywhere from 1 week to 3 months. The mmo has lived up to their hype, it's everything they could have imagined and more. Life is good, they don't hype the mmo as much because they are too busy enjoying it.
Common symptoms: Taking vacation days to play the mmo. Calling in sick to work or other obligations to play mmo. Unhealthy eating and hygene habits due to playing the mmo in excessive amounts, 10+ hours per day. Personal relationship problems (wife, parents, kids) due to excessive MMO playing. Daydreaming about what you will do when you log into the MMO next. NOTE: this stage can be detrimental and have long lasting effects on the gamer, loss of work, significant other, child neglect (In severe cases death; See South Korea).
3. Doom and gloom - This is the final stage, this happens when the gamer having traded real life for addiction to their mmo has finally burned out. They have played through what was intended to be months of content in a month. They have lost contact with real life friends and family. Gamer tends to live in a complete state of denial in which all problems associated with the game are a result of mechanics/develpment rather than gamers excessive playing. Excessive game addiction and lack of hygene/sunlight has put gamer in a deep depression. Gamer becomes cynical of the game, what was once the greatest thing known to mankind has become an evil, terrible monster.
Common symptoms: Most common symptom is excessive doom and gloom post about the MMO "Game will be shut down in a month" type post. This stage can last upwards of a year, gamer believes impending doom is right around the corner (even when it obviously isn't). Gamer does all he can to convince others said game is the creation of the devil. Gamer secretly still logs in and plays game, but has started once again communicating with other human beings in real life.
Hype: This stage starts up again as soon as gamer becomes interested in another game, the cycle repeats itself.
Case studies: See Guild Wars 2, Archage, TESO.
Comments
so are these developmental stages or are you describing the pathology of a disorder?
Survivor of the great MMORPG Famine of 2011
Developmental, but certainly some of the pathology is detailed.
The 3 stage for me is...
1) go on mmorpg forum and watch the hype train, being skeptical myself, and question those who never even play the game why they are so hyped.
2) actual play the game. Thinking wow, this game is actually pretty good, it is just another "previous game or wow clone" with some added effect.
3) Come to the forum and listening to all the haters, and pondering to myself maybe their expectation is too high. I never expect any new mmorpg to be anything revolutionary, just similar to my previous with some added effect. You know how so many people say things like "oh wow those old games are the best, all the new games sucks"... Well you know, if those old games are that good and you quit all of them, those new games arn't going to help.
Lastly, if GW2 is bad, is anything good? consider it is probably one of the highest western mmorpg being played right now.
It's quite clever actually, I have to tip my hat to you. If these are stages, then I would venture there is a crisis that might be overcome at each stage if the behavior/Sx become maladaptive. The criteria is usually that it causes some impairment to the individual, or has a negative impact upon others.
Does negative/positive posting do that? (serious question, not baiting)
Survivor of the great MMORPG Famine of 2011
well you know, at that stage all those posts in the upcoming games forum will be positive. Even post contradict to each other will be positive.
Take for example, GW2. The fanboy will say things like GW2 is awson, no raid, no gear tredemill. Best game for casual. And when you see another post with people complaining about no raiding... There's another group of fanboy saying no no, those dragon boss(dynamic event) are raiding. And their argue all day to people that those are raids when someone disagree. So any negative post will turn into a positive post.
My stages: (a bit out of the norm)
1. I don't buy into the hype. I prefer a skeptical approach. Let me see good reviews and I'll consider it.
2. Keep waiting for a good game that fits my preference of playstyle. Dabble in the forums learning about what makes MMO player tick, as well as engaging a few insignificant topical discussions for entertainment.
3. Profit !
I still haven't made it to #3 yet. Can't say that I'm optimistic that I ever will.
1, Remind hype=ers what happened the last six times.
2. Remind hate-ers what happened the last six times.
3. Calmly note that there is no substantial qualitative difference between these two sub-groups. Retire to another game's forum once the inevitable personal attacks commence (again). Wait for the next cycle to begin.
Self-pity imprisons us in the walls of our own self-absorption. The whole world shrinks down to the size of our problem, and the more we dwell on it, the smaller we are and the larger the problem seems to grow.
This may be applicable to a new mmorpg player. But for us who have played many mmos over the years I would disagree.
At this time in my life I play for the FUN of playing.Sometimes I prefer to watch kids play. Its very exciting for them. I play now for immersion, reality escape. But its limited. I prefer playing my games over T.V, Movies and most other forms of entertainment. Unless of course its a trip to Dave and Busters or Mammoth Caves :-D
And of course my bi-yearly trip to either the Bahamas or Alaska :-P
2 views from the same spectrum friend:
I see it as this.
1.This game isn't a SANDBOX must post vitriolic hate at every opportunity.
2. Creating the same hype fans of themeparks use while speaking of Sandbox games. Go read any sub forum of a sandbox game and you will se the exact same infatuation and infuriating hype there. That's a fact!
3. Denial and refusal to believe in reality. Those same people hyping sandbox's and raging at themeparks are oblivious to the fallcies of the human emotion and human desires as evident by continuing sales and corporate financing of long time IP's and not a single triple A title ever sees the corporate money pockets to succesfully create a good sandbox game.
Sandbox means open world, non-linear gaming PERIOD!
Subscription Gaming, especially MMO gaming is a Cash grab bigger then the most P2W cash shop!
Bring Back Exploration and lengthy progression times. RPG's have always been about the Journey not the destination!!!
stage 4: inflated self importance. the gamer runs to the forums to write some long diatribe about all of the other gamers and how they are all lemmings and can all be lumped nicely into a simple stereotype.
LFD tools are great for cramming people into content, but quality > quantity.
I am, usually on the sandbox .. more "hardcore" side of things, but I also do just want to have fun. So lighten up already