Warcraft is a special world, and it will be fun to see where this game goes. As a millennial growing up, for a long time this was THE game. Personally, I believe this game should have a metal/reward for the fact how long it was the world’s most popular game. Then looking towards the future, how will Blizzard maybe revamp the game so it is compatible with later platforms that we may see ourselves playing on one day. Or a more simple question, will Blizzard continue to grow the World of Warcraft to make it something even more progressive than we all once thought.

Looking back on this experience, this was the best game so far in the class (cant leave Pokemon GO out yet). It was interesting using this game as a point for personal identity as well. The idea of identity too, is highly contrasted from the switch from Zork to WoW. The readings in which covered projecting a gamers personal identity, or what they dream of onto the character, I thought were the most intriguing. My mind was reminded too, that many of the general physical traits that can be found in video game are also something I identity with not ever making it more or less hard to relate with the story ultimately. WoW offers it all, and I believe it is the reason why some more modern games are doing so well. League of Legends, and Blizzard’s newest game, Overwatch, give equal abilities for the respective characters who identify as male or female, and as well an equal number of options. Never would I have ever thought that I would use World of Warcraft for this discourse, and sure glad I did. Best part too, as I write this last post my roommate turned on the WoW episode of South Park!

Finishing up after hour five of playing this game, I started to feel the monotonous  actions of the game. Resulting in me realizing why I really have not played this game for almost ten years, and thats because I find myself getting bored way to easily. Maybe it is because I need to keep working deeper into the game, or I need to change how I play it so I can have a better overall experience. Just maybe, I am playing it wrong, I thought, and I could go about it differently. One of my initial critiques about myself was, maybe I am too lonely in this game, and I should start to make friends who are at a similar level as I, and maybe even the same class. A few issues a rose quickly: at first it was an issue of wait you are taking my kills, which means I can not complete the quest…. So this is going to take me an extra five minutes while we wait on both of us to reach that mandated number.

Secondly, its not a personal experience. You might be thinking, “wait Nils you’re earlier posts talked about all your different options when you are first starting to make the avatar a reflection of the players creativity”. Yes this is true, but personally I HATE playing video games with random people online, that I will never meet. Back in the day when I could afford the time to play video games, I would in a heart beat, play with anyone I actually knew before playing with a random. Likewise, I have never been a fan of the concept where you send random friend requests to people in the game. Yes they may be helping you get through it all, and solve things; but at the end of the day I reason that actually knowing the individual dictates their friend status. I know its something weird, or simply goes to show my own personal investment into video games like this.

When I first started to play World of Warcraft back in my late elementary, and middle school days there, there were not as many races as there is now. An edition to this being the Worgen race. At this point in time into the assignment I figured it would be fun to go ahead, and try a new character (Worgens being this). A couple initial thoughts:

-Who is suppose to be represented by the Worgen, and with this is there a classic folklore book with a very similar premise, but its about a doctor? <—- Sorry, random thoughts

-Secondly, how they start to build the back round story to this race is a lot different in comparison to many of the other races. Analyzing this from a cinema perspective, there are cut away scenes to help tell exact information within the story line. This helps game developers to ensure a more common experience amongst the gamers. And generally speaking, World of Warcraft does not do this. A player may start with a race that has very talkative computer operated players, but at the same moment time a player can leave. This too, goes in a couple different directions.

Like stated earlier, cut away scenes help to enforce a more exact experience. Doing so in a reenactment, simply lets the premise be dramatized more which creates an overall greater experience. The trade off though in comparison to some of the older races, one can not break away as easily. It is more easy as a troll to say you are done with the initial quests, and can leave to a distant land when you want. With the Worgen, you must learn about how you came to be, then you are aloud to move on into the real world to develop that personal gaming experience. I never see one way better than the other, it just comes down to how a play embraces the experience, and act within.

In the first two sessions of play I spent the time exploring the space and world that World of Warcraft has created, and seeing what is new. I explored the initial area in which trolls start in, Durator. I partially did this, because it was fun exploring how the game reflected Jamaican culture through dialect, and setting. And then going from there, how the Tauren race reflects Native American culture in the same ways, but even more so through cultural artifacts too. With this, much respect should be given to Blizzard for their ability to recreate human culture(s) in a metaphorical world.

With this aside, I returned to “playing the game”, that being completing quests to earn EXP and as well some change to get some cools things! I love games that hold many quests that an individual can go and explore, which in return reflect the development of the gamer’s avatar. This is due to the fact that along the journey one acquires specific skills that help further the players growth. In the trolls case (which is probably true for many of the races), the quests help to provide a back round story about the specific race that is chosen. One also learns, about the environment which he/she originates from, and how it helped to shape the race. For example, the Tauren race reflects Native American culture, and in initial missions one explores the country side, and the creatures who roam there. One can find: wolves, boars, an assortment of different birds, and even poachers. A specific mission too that coincides with this all is one that asks the player to go out and eliminate the poachers from the country side to recreate balance in nature. Little quests like these helps the player create an experience of meaning that reflects their own personal morals. Ultimately, making the game that much more of a personal experience during game play.

Granted WoW no longer holds the credentials it used to have, in regards to the popularity of the game. The reason I say this is to give World of Warcraft the benefit of the doubt before going into this argument. After thinking about the fact that the game allows a large array of players (due to the choices in race, sex, and class) it is still a lot of the same. Diversity in sex in my few hours of playing (since being back on the grind) has only brought me across only a few other female players. Honestly, it feels like that 80-90% of the other players are male characters.

At first I was wondering if it could be a thing based on ones race. I thought just maybe, one race attracted a particular sex, or simply with people playing one race more than another. That in the larger would have the greatest chance for equality.

As for gender rolls from a critical stand point, they are only traditional in certain instances. As for the computer operated units, the characters are represented in a near 50/50 ratio. Both sides of the spectrum share same roles. I.E. a man and a woman both are smiths, traders, and or trainers. All in all, the beauty of it all is there is no one sex that is more predominant in resembling power, but both are equal halves. The only times one may see traditional rolls is in a few instances. If men are to have a stronger representation in the game than their counter parts is in the military. Most characters are male generals, commanders, captains, ext.. While on the contrary, females in the game embrace the teaching mother mentality. Going up to these “bots” one can ask where to find certain things in the city, like a bank, or even help point one in the right direction for their respective quest.

I wish I could remember what my old account information was so I could pull up my middle school successes in WoW. Though this is a new start, and a new identity. In the past, (I believe) I used races like the Gnome, Human, and Tauren. Though for this go around I started with the troll. Opening this game for the first time in awhile, I was shocked by the different options on who you can be, what gender you are, and the different classes. Literally giving an endless amount of options for a person to choose from. The fun within it all though is the freedom expression.

It was interesting talking about representation in video games during class, and how important it can be in regards towards the overall success of the game. With this one could see why WoW was once the worlds most popular video game. Within its’ setup allowed for the greatest spectrum of possibilities in regards to what people can be in the game, resulting in a greater fan base. I will admit, (if it can not be slightly sensed) that I fell slightly victim to not thinking about what issues do occur when a game or even series of games does not accommodate multiple genders or races.

Though back to my experience in World of Warcraft: I did try a new race Troll, but the gender stayed the same. (A question that is food for thought when do video games go even beyond the standard genders, and possibly have more than two). It was cool to be back in the game, due to the fact that endless things can occur. Unlimited quests to embark on, and a vast terrain that can be explored.

This was one very interesting game to say the least. In comparison I am unsure which of the two games I like more. For Civs, my joy stemmed from the fact it was fun to see where one of my favorite games had come from. What concepts that were in both, and have they been reshaped to enhance the playing experience. As for Zork, this game is a beast of its’ own. I mean this in the most positive way possible, because never had I played a game like this.

Lets take an adventure through a virtual world, that has no images, and is controlled through text. Well, right off the bat this reminds me of one of my favorite book series as a kid, Choose Your Own Adventure. 10 million ways to get to the end, with an end result that reflects the decisions chosen to get there. Another way to look at Zork 1, is as a puzzle game. Stages in the game, like the maze, reflect the game as a whole. Blindly wandering, because one has a hard trouble placing their physical location in a defined space that has no simple way in defining how to get to the end/exit.

Moreover, the readings paired up perfectly with this game, setting the floor for great discussion. As it is alone hard at times to draw the distinctions between what is narrative vs a game (representation  vs simulation), it was hard to label this game. Using the arguments from the readings, and class discussion it can be safely conclude this is a game, but that embraces qualities of a narrative to help better the structure of the simulation. It helps to provide further interest, and reason for the game.

To play off of story, and a personal experience is how you achieve gold. When people invest their time, they want something to be gained. If it be simply feeling better, to gaining a knowledge that is yearned. Entertainment can do all from the former to later example. Depending how you look at it, Zork it largely a fixed experience that a person navigates through. Though learned is how to play video games without images. Good joke I know right? Hahaha but more seriously…. It teaches you to be very specific in one’s virtual decisions… Haha alright I am done. But the game does give a thrilling experience if one lets their mind paint the adventure mentally.

In defense the game is not like that of Mario, where one travels from left to right to only jump or duck to avoid obstacles. For Zork, you wander blindly-if you do not use a map or create one- and one can be quickly lost while merely going in circles. If it be the space outside of the house, and like the maze which is found below, you come to stops by roadblocks. Some points these roadblocks can be surpassed, but more times then not one should simply turn around. And don’t get me going on the maze!

Haha I really believe the hero when lost in the maze is the thief  when he kills you. He ends this extremely frustrating experience, and lets you start over outside of this “rabbit hole”. I apologize for the small tangent, but I hope to go to show more of the traits of this game. It embodies both narrative, and one’s own whit. When this is done in the right combination, it allows for maximum potential to be successful with the creation.

To me a representation or story is: something that is a train like experience; a series of events driven, and pushed through concepts and themes that build to produce some kind of point/elaborate on a specific experience. Furthermore, its crucial to acknowledge the fact this is all FIXED, because attempted, by an author is conveying an EXACT experience.

As for defining simulation: it is an experience based on experimentation to produce certain results, at times the gamer/user doesn’t know their input will produce. An example could then be me playing this game! Or any game for that matter that I truly do not understand. As I try to learn, I attempt different things to see how close they get to me the ultimate goal (at the time or through the longevity of the game). This too leaves the possibility of having many different fates, the one I only “know” is the one I created. For a narrative/story, the event only really changes based on my personal beliefs or life experiences. In conclusion, simulating is a more of an educating practice in comparison to its’ counterpart.

In Zork, I see it as both ways. For it being a representation, one is lead into this game through a manual that sets the scene. The structure of the game is almost as if it is an electronic version of choose your own adventure, or any other interactive text. The game has parameters that force events, because other options are limited due to impassible mountains.

On the contrary there isn’t one exact way to go through this game. One learns to get through this rabbit hole of a game at times, one must remember the actions and events that help the story to progress. It is a goal of the gamer though to do so in the most minimal amount of turns possible.

I KNOW THIS IS A GAME, BUT GOODNESS THE MAZE IS A PERFECT REPRESENTATION OF HOW I FEEL.

For this post I wanted to talk about two things that have been really interesting so far by the end of this first week. The first of these is interacting within the game. As there is many things that can be done, there is too so much one can not do in this game. This comes down to what the game simply knows. One can climb trees, but only certain ones. A way to tell people such things are possible is done through peculiar details, to leave one to wonder what if. What if I do climb this tree what will I find? Gems, tools, other valuable items for my quest? A person can tie a rope too to a railing, and scale down to a space below to recover important thing. To exit one must “pray” to get out, because after praying the game teleports the player to the forest.

DISCLAIMER: I would not have known this, if I had not googled how to. The thief kept appearing, and I was wasting turns.

The game also lets one hydrate with water to recover, and help recharge. When you do this- like, when first entering the kitchen in the house- the game goes to express how drinking the water helped, and thanks you.

This is quite interesting, because generally game characters are associated to the gamer, and not some completely separated entity whose only relation is via where the gamer’s decides to move the character. Generally games try to make the gamer feel attached or as if they are the character, in this game I feel detached from this commentary, and unattached. It goes back to the concept of narrative vs game, and with this it pushes Zork to seem more like a narrative rather than a game. A representation of what the later events that occurred after the end of the manual’s story, instead of a personal simulation of exploring a new world, with text and imagination.