Calling all techies and gamers
Saturday, March 05, 2005
I really want feedback on this particular subject, so PLEASE write a comment if you are either a gamer, blogger, a reader of blogs, or affected by games (i.e. your loved one is an die-hard gamer).
I’m doing a little documentary for my Instructional Television 2 class where my partner and I are trying to find an angle about technology and its affordances as it relates to the construction of community. We really want to get to the idea of how technology helps create affiliation, what do these communities look like, and what the overall affect might actually be (more “true-to-self” relationships than in-person interaction? Freaky “virtual” friends?). This is such a big area that I thought i’d toss it out to you guys: What do YOU think about technology and affiliation or community? How does it affect your life? (Especially blogs and games)
We have been thinking about several points:
1. Tribalization - no matter what interest you have, you can find a group the likes/does the same thing. These very specific interests form communities form with no relation to distance.
2. Extreme Individuation - The idea that since you are no longer unique (because you can always find people who do/like the same thing as you), you seek to be more extreme than the next person to find some kind of uniqueness or notoriety. If you liked gourd painting before, now you fanatically pelt people’s cars with flaming painted gourds to make a political statement. (obviously an overstatement. I do not mean to offend any gourd painters who might be reading!)
3. People are creating more content than ever. EVERYONE can create and publish easily now. How do we filter this mass of often redundant information? How do we choose what is a reliable resource or who is a valid representative or authority to say that something is definitively this way or that way?
4. Creation of One’s Own Reality - with so many points of view and people who create content to align to that point of view, one can really choose to create one’s own version of reality. This may not even be a conscious decision but rather a result of seeking after similar view points until other view points do not exist.
Anyway, this is just the beginning of it all. What do you think? I actually have a list of questions about gaming/blogging that you can download here. Please write comments!
k thnx. bye.
Morning Kat,
sounds like a cool idea. Halo 2 Limited has an extra DVD bonus disk. On that disk is a 5-10 minute segment exploring the Halo 2 online community. Its crazy.
Serveral times a year one of the top Halo 2 mucky-mucks will host a party at his house for people he usually plays against online. The people at the party describe how strange, but good, it is to finally put faces and real names to online handles.
You should find someone who has this disk so you can watch it. It would be well worth your time.
Oh, and Laura and I will answer them questions. Yeah, I married a gamer! God is good
Les out.
Posted by les on 03/06 at 05:19 AMHi Kat,
I clicked on the questions and it opened up the document in my browser, and after I answered a little, it asked if I wanted to save changes. I wasn’t sure how that whole set-up works (where to answer), so I’ll just paste my answers in here. The gaming section doesn’t apply to me.
Interview Questions—BLOGS
Reader of Blogs
1. Because I want to keep up with my friends.
2. Not really, for me they help sustain it while friends and family have miles (or oceans) between them.
3. Not really, unless I’m *very* bored. Blogs can be amusing at times, but it wears thin to read ones that have no connection to anyone I know. Things can endlessly be debated and even humor can get old. It needs a relevant context to your own life to be interesting.
4. In the comments sections, yes and yes, and if I feel it’s better to send an email, I’ll do that. But the blogs I write on are friends’, so it’s not so unusual. Occasionally I leave a comment on someone’s blog who I don’t know, but that relationship rarely lasts longer than one or two emails.Writer of Blogs
1. To let family & friends know what’s going on in my life here, and shoot, ‘cause it’s kind of cool to have your own blog! (^_^)
2. (a) Goal? Probably, but I’m not sure what it is. Probably to do justice to whatever I’m writing about and let my friends & family get an honest good taste of it. (b) The form of communication does differ, I’ve begun to realize, although I’ve long thought my emails, writing & comments were just like I casually speak. In truth, though, I’m less embarrassed when I write and also have time to think more before saying something. So it’s more refined, targeted, and maybe soggy or overcooked a little.
(c) Despite this, I think I’m the same online and offline.Posted by Ramone on 03/06 at 05:34 PM