MOP reader Slava has another good scenario for us to ponder this morning.
“I just made a big change in my Albion Online life by switching guilds. I really thought about the entire process over dinner, from pros and cons of making the change to how I’d feel afterwards to whom I’d let down in my previous guild. I came to a very stark realization that the reason I play MMOs is to enjoy myself and escape from the social and societal norms that often plague my real life. For example, in EVE Online one of my favorite alts to play was a sociopathic highsec ganker, literally the dregs of the game. But I’m a completely upstanding citizen in the real world who understands the consequences of real-world actions. So as I thought more about my decision to switch guilds, I realized very quickly that none of those real-life concerns are concerning to me in-game, and I just acted on what would allow me to enjoy the game more, and I was right: It did allow me to better enjoy the game because I was now with likeminded players who wanted to do the content I most enjoyed doing.”
So here’s the question: Do you you any real-life concerns to carry over into your MMO experience, and if so, how do you manage them? Do you ignore them like Slava does so you can do whatever you want in an online world? Or does your real-life moral and philosophical compass guide your in-game activities in MMOs and other games?
Every morning, the Massively Overpowered writers team up with mascot Mo to ask MMORPG players pointed questions about the massively multiplayer online roleplaying genre. Grab a mug of your preferred beverage and take a stab at answering the question posed in today’s Daily Grind!
