I recently saw the movie Catfish off my Netflix queue. I'll try not to completely give away the plot, but the movie asks the question of what is real on the internet. What is really real on Facebook profiles? We don't even have to go as far as saying what is real... but in a way doesn't everyone try to portray themselves in a certain light, a positive light on Facebook? How is the reality different from what you portray?
The movie made me think about how we come across in-game to our friends and guildies. I'm sure there are some folks who completely make up an alternate reality, though hopefully they are rare. But for the rest of us more normal folks... have you thought about how you portray yourself in game? Probably not even consciously? Maybe its not really different from how you really are, maybe there are just certain parts of yourself that you highlight or that come out more?
It's an interesting question for me to think about how current and past guildies come across in game because I've met a decent number of them at our past two clawcons. Hmmm lets see, specifically I've met 11 past and present guildies. I would say that for the most part, people are exactly as they are in game. Some people, scarily so. But for some folks I'd say that they are a bit more outgoing or outspoken in game than they are in real life.
If I think about myself, I would probably put myself in this category. Within the guild I have this reputation for being a bit bossy and pretty outspoken. While that side of me definitely comes from a real life bent, in real life I'm just not as in your face about it as I can be in game. In real life I tend to keep more opinions to myself:
If there ever was an opportunity for me to exercise my outspoken side, it'd be through pugs. Last week I did a couple of pugs on my lock with Jess' resto druid healer. Jess noted that he only seems to get in bad pugs with assholes when I go with him. I noted it's probably because the universe knows that I will not be able to keep my mouth shut and thus saves the really nice pugs for when he goes by himself.
We had one pug with an asshole tank who refused to run back after wipes and would pull before we could explain the fight to a dps who had never done it before. We were doing ZG, which we all know isn't a short instance. I started pushing back to the tank early on in the run, but then eventually kicked him right before the last boss. Mean, I know. But if you're an asshole, I find it hard to let it go.
Jess and I had another pug where we wiped on the first boss. The warrior dps proceeded to call us noobs. And did I let that go? Nope. I told him he was free to leave the group, that he wasn't being held hostage. After we ran back and got the first boss down, this warrior posted the dps meters, which had him on top. I then commented, "And you're leading the asshole meters as well, how's that going for you?" I proceeded to explain "Look, not everyone overgears these new heroics and sometimes people make mistakes. No need to call people noobs". And get this, the warrior laughed at my asshole comment then actually apologized!
Maybe this could be my new years resolution? To confront and turn the assholes in game, one asshole at a time? Nah... I'll pass on that. What am I, a saint? But in preparation for future assholes, I did end up resurrecting my old caring macro back from the TOC days. It's funny because I had to multiply the dps numbers by 10 to make it relevant. Funny how doing 2k was a big deal back then, huh?
Anyways, back to my original point. So yeah, while this is how my guildies often see me, I'm not as confrontational in real life. I think its because through the game you only see what that other person presents, and the only connection you have to what they present is what they say in chat or on vent. You don't see when they're not speaking or just listening, like you would in real life. And I think when someone chooses not to say something and just listen also is a part of someone's complete picture. Jess has noted that in real life I tend to often sit back and observe more and don't really talk unless I need to.
Perhaps being more outgoing or outspoken in game is a pretty common trait? Anyone different in game vs in real life in any other ways?
I love the attitude, and that caring macro! :D I'm sorely tempted to steal it, haha.
ReplyDelete@Rades: Feel free to use that caring macro! I originally adapted that macro from something similar years ago.
ReplyDeleteThere are some times where only the use of that macro can get your snarky point across. And while I don't use raid finder, I'm sure it can come in handy in there.
I am pretty confident I am one of the "scary" ones who is almost exactly the same in game and IRL...of course, you would be the best judge of that from our time together. Granted, I also believe that even though we are playing cartoons on screen, our interaction is still IRL, regardless of the medium we are interacting through.
ReplyDeleteIntriguingly, for me anyway, without the benefit of being able to watch body language, I have found myself looking to other behaviors within the game to provide insight - how someone handles rolls, wipes, other in-game stress, the needs of a guildy - those moments stick in my head and get added to the mental file I have on people I game with...
By the way, for anyone reading this OTHER than K - when she goes off in bgs and groups it is E-to-the-PIC! I LIVE for those moments in-game!
This post was insightful, I know I crack jokes when puggers start being mean. With everyone chuckling the meanness either leaves group or laughs right along with everyone.
ReplyDelete@Nikolai: Very true... perhaps the equivalent of reading body language could be noting how someone reacts to wipes, rolls, such.
ReplyDeleteThough having met and spent some time with me, seeing how I am... would you expect me to go off like I can in some bgs or groups? Aren't I nicer IRL? :p
@Niki: Very true... perhaps a strategy to deal with idiots in groups is to use humor. Humor with a distinctly snarky and "I don't put up with crap" undertone.