BLAST: The World Beyond Warcraft

The World Beyond Warcraft

BLAST

PRESS START

Standards

8.1(D)

8.1(A)

8.5(B)

8.5(E)

8.5(F)

8.5(C)

8.5(I)

8.5(H)

8.5(G)

8.6(C)

8.8(F)

8.6(B)

What will our learning look like today?

Language Objective

Learning Intention

I will explore 'The World Beyond Warcraft' to better understand the impact of virtual worlds on individuals and society.

I will express my opinions and ideas using appropriate language conventions, such as accurate grammar and punctuation, during the class discussion.

Do Now:

What do you think the benefits and drawbacks of spending a lot of time in virtual worlds like Warcraft might be?

Quick poll:

What kind of character would you be in a MMORPG? A. A guardian, because I’m welcoming and I like to look out for others. B. A role model, because I’m dedicated to games and I always make sure everyone is being fair. C. A fighter, because I like to be the first to go on a mission. The strong silent type, because D. I like to sit back and chat less than others.

You are an orc charging towards the Alliance, your greatest rival. Then you are joined by a member of the undead. In reality he is an 18-year-old in India. This is just a small glimpse into the everyday experience of gamers who play World of Warcraft (WoW). WoW is one of the many massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) available today. MMORPGs are a cross between role-playing games and global online game environments. They typically involve their own immersive game universe. They have characters, missions and never-ending storylines. One of the most popular MMORPGs of all time, WoW, was released in 2004. It is still extremely popular. You may know MMORPGs as an online activity, but they actually have their roots far outside of the online world. Tabletop role-playing games like Dungeons and Dragons were first released in the 1970s. Later, in the 1990s, single-player computer games introduced people to virtual worlds for the first time. Then the internet and MMORPGs opened those worlds up to gamers all over the globe. Today, MMORPGS are more than games. They are communities that affect players beyond the computer. Gaming used to be a solo experience — if you wanted to play with friends, you had to invite them over — but the internet changed that. Now, gamers meet players all over the world without leaving their homes.The internet allows

gamers to feel a sense of kinship with people across the world. It makes the world a little smaller and everyone a little closer. Players can get through some parts of the game alone, but plenty of missions are completed in groups. According to Syracuse University psychology professor Joshua Smyth, many gamers report having fun and making friends in MMORPGs. Nick Yee, the co-founder and analytics lead of Quantic Foundry, a game analytics company, reports that 80 percent of MMORPG players play with people they know in real life. These include partners, friends and family members. Yee says these games are “highly social environments where new relationships are forged and existing relationships are reinforced.” MMORPGs have also created their own economies. The games have their own money, which players win and spend on things they need. People learn to set and achieve goals in order to move forward in the game. Some studies show the negative side of MMORPGs. Syracuse University psychologist Joshua Smyth found that players who play MMORPGs have a lower quality of health than other gamers. Their overall health, real-world socialization and academic work all suffered. Complicated games can be addicting and cause people to forget real-life responsibilities.

Despite controversy, the popularity of MMORPGs has been influential enough that gaming is now a spectator sport. Some gamers have even made careers out of livestreaming their gameplay so that others can watch. People pay for it. Some eSports gamers make $100,000 every year. Twitch.tv is one of the most popular websites that livestreams video of gamers. Matthew Beardsley, a player on Twitch, says that streaming games is a worthy pastime. He says, "streaming video games for a living is no less of a real job than that of someone who broadcasts sporting events, WWE wrestling matches or even reports on news.” Do you play any MMORPGs? How has gaming impacted your life? How are massively multiplayer online role-playing games changing society?

Blast response

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