Monday 14 June 2004

Pic of the day: Non-player character. This picture is probably only funny to people from the same part of Norway as I, where her name would be pronounced like a vulgar name for the backside of people and horses, especially people of some quantity. (Screenshot from City of Heroes.)

Us player characters

I see my subconscious still likes to play the "year ago" game with me. (It likes to demonstrate that even though I cannot remember exactly what happened one year ago to the day, it still remembers. Well, my subconscious may have a glue brain; but I am sure there are still reasons why I am the conscious and it is the sub!)

I was taking a walk, and in my head I composed an entry about player characters and non-player characters in online role-playing games. Even though they may look alike, it is important to know which is which. Some players seem to act as if they are the only playing characters and everyone else exists for them. Of course, some people seem to act like that in real life too!

Then I came home and read my year-ago entry about socializing in online games. Hmm. Well, a few things have changed since then. I now play City of Heroes instead of Dark Age of Camelot, but I still play a tough-hided magic fighter in the service of good. And I have yet again skipped attack powers to become a better protector instead. But so far this time, I don't team up with other people much. Is it because of the game, or is it I who have changed? I do not know for sure.

***

Actually I guess I wasn't teaming up all that much at this level with my paladin either. Lowbie players can be either stupid or smart, either selfish or considerate. It doesn't make much difference to their chance of being level 5, or 10, or 15. But later in the game, the dropouts tend to drop out. If you don't play well, the game becomes harder and harder. And if you make an unsavory impression on your fellow players, you will find it hard to make fast progress. Oh, you can solo all the way to 50. But it is slow going and most people will probably find it boring as well. There are places you are not ever likely to go without a good team. There are things you simply cannot do: In CoH for instance the "task force" type missions are only available to teams (although you can solo them if your team is logged off, as I did.)

So my chance of teaming up with stupid people should gradually decrease over time. I seem to remember that this is what happened in DAoC. I expect it to happen in CoH. I don't expect it to happen in real life, though. Most people are VERY reluctant to quit / start over in real life, and I agree with them.

***

But do I really think of others as "player characters" even in real life? Do I consider them equally real, equally valuable as myself? Or do I think that they – or some of them – exist only for my benefit and don't have any value in themselves?

I am working on it, I think that is the best answer. When I see a good-looking woman, I remind myself that she has a mind like my own, not just a body. When someone acts angry or otherwise stupid, I remind myself that from their point of view it must seem like the right thing to do, even though I see it differently.

And perhaps, people quitting may not be the only way for things to improve. Perhaps we, at least us player characters, can actually learn as we gain experience. If I reach 50 in CoH, I expect to be a really good protective fighter. But should I reach 50 in real life, what do I hope to be? Will I be really good at being human?