My wife finally gets why we play

[Syrus08]

My wife has always wondered what it was that kept me playing this game for so long. All she sees is an avatar just killing things. I've explained XP, rares, weapons, etc. But she never really saw a point in doing the same runs over and over again. I guess she focussed on the fact that you already know you can kill that monster, so what's the point?

Well now I've noticed something whenever I walk by her laptop screen. It's a little farm. Every now and then I see a little tractor moving around. So I asked her what she was doing. She replied I'm earning XP by harvesting my crops. I thought I would never stop laughing. My wife saying XP! If you haven't guessed, it's Farmville and she is hooked. I told her if you think you're hooked now wait until there is some type of event where you can earn I don't know a special tractor or something. She said they have those on holidays and then she showed me her Easter basket.

I said nice rare. ;-)

[unicorn]

....but PSU > Farmville XD

But yeah, online games make people feel like they're completing a goal. And in some cases, you grow an attachment to your character/avatar/toon.

I deal with too many a$$warts irl, I just wanna go blow up some cows/frogs/aliens every now and then.

[Tomeeboy]

Just make your wife doesn't rack up a $1,400 micro-transaction bill like that farmville-addicted kid in the UK, or your victory (and marriage) will be short-lived ;)

[milranduil]

Just make your wife doesn't rack up a $1,400 micro-transaction bill like that farmville-addicted kid in the UK, or your victory (and marriage) will be short-lived ;)

Sounds like GC lol.

[Max B]

Sounds like GC lol.

lol so true:-P

[Dragwind]

Hahaha! Sometimes it just takes a little mainstream influence to help someone understand :wacko:

[chibipocky15]

lmfao duuuuuude thats hilarious!!1

[Syrus08]

Hahaha! Sometimes it just takes a little mainstream influence to help someone understand :wacko:

That is so true.

[NiceOnes]

Fantastic!

I think this will be known as the "Farmville Analogy". I have many friends that are haters of PSU and RPG's in general. These same peeps all play games like Farmville and Mafia Wars..

Good Post dear Sir!

[BanF]

Before FB games, the best way to teach most people (particularly guys) about the joys of RPGs was Fantasy Football; I do know one person tho, who quit playing Fantasy Football when he realized how close to RPGs it was XD

[Gibdozer]

I know where your coming from OP for the 1st two years I played this game, my wife(a casual gamer) just did not understand the fascination. She has now been playing PSU for over a year (on her own account I might add) developed some impressive characters and a fortune in meseta.

[Syrus08]

I know where your coming from OP for the 1st two years I played this game, my wife(a casual gamer) just did not understand the fascination. She has now been playing PSU for over a year (on her own account I might add) developed some impressive characters and a fortune in meseta.

That's awesome! Do you two have individual 360s?

[Delete]

Fantastic!

I think this will be known as the "Farmville Analogy". I have many friends that are haters of PSU and RPG's in general. These same peeps all play games like Farmville and Mafia Wars..

Good Post dear Sir!

O no's, not mafia wars. Hate that I actually played it and wasted a good few hours (when my 360 was RROD btw).

[Splash]

I wonder how FB games get a lot of appeal.

In any case, awesomeness for the OP. =P

[Sinue_v2]

It's a little farm. Every now and then I see a little tractor moving around. So I asked her what she was doing. She replied I'm earning XP by harvesting my crops. I thought I would never stop laughing. My wife saying XP! If you haven't guessed, it's Farmville and she is hooked.

Alot of my family and friends (mostly female) who never gamed seriously before, and had no concept of RPGs or understood their addictiveness, have also fallen into the Farmville Trap. They've started even pressuring me to get a facebook account and sign up so I can join them. But really, I don't think they correlate or see the connection yet even though they use the terms and follow similar motions.

When my sister Rhonda proudly showed off her farm to me, I had a somewhat similar response. I told her I understood what she's was experiencing, and though a real connection point had been made.... yet once I switched gears to Harvest Moon and then to similarities to games I played (PSO/PSU/FFXI/etc), her eyes glazed over, became unfocused, and she quickly turned her attention back to showing off how cool the farm she built was - and why I should join such a unique and addictive little game. Not a chance in hell, but thanks for the thought.

*Shrug*


But yeah, online games make people feel like they're completing a goal. And in some cases, you grow an attachment to your character/avatar/toon.


I watched a video on Netflix the other night called "Second Skin", about the effect online games and virtual environments have had on society and the "dangers" of gaming addiction. It was made in 07, I think, about the time Burning Crusade released - and it resembles a fucking 1980's AIDS PLAGUE HYSTERIA film where Luddites bludgeon what they don't have the vision or experience to understand. It's presented as a "both sides" film, except that the gamer side seems to be just a veiled cavalcade of negative stereotypes and insinuations while the "exgamer" and "MMO Rehabilitation entrepreneurs" paint online gaming in the same light as alcohol, meth, cocaine, heroin, etc.

In reality, virtual worlds and online games have opened up a gallery of new windows on the human psyche and are starting to overthrow long held assumptions about human social behaviors and economic strategies now that physical barriers are being removed - both natural and unintended artifacts of society. Philip Rosedale gave a speech to the Singularity University on Second Life and what we're actually starting to see emerge from virtual world incorporation into all strata of social hierarchy - from unemployed player to corporate human resource management - which is really interesting.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J3LFqX6YNY0

[Gibdozer]

That's awesome! Do you two have individual 360s?

yeah, she started out with one of my character slots but quickly picked up a 360 of her own, now she has 4 characters. On the bright side(for me) she couldn't take her PAs, Spheres, badges, ect.. with her so I got a huge influx of pre-leveled skills and techs.

[Mike]

Philip Rosedale gave a speech to the Singularity University on Second Life and what we're actually starting to see emerge from virtual world incorporation into all strata of social hierarchy - from unemployed player to corporate human resource management - which is really interesting.

I hear SL is turned in to a ghost town after they seperated all the adult elements from the other grids. That Second Skin thing sounds amusing though.

[Syrus08]

yeah, she started out with one of my character slots but quickly picked up a 360 of her own, now she has 4 characters. On the bright side(for me) she couldn't take her PAs, Spheres, badges, ect.. with her so I got a huge influx of pre-leveled skills and techs.

You my friend are a lucky man.

[BondFancy]

Thats epic, people make fun of me all the time in real life because they see this game only by the demo which if anyones ever played i think they know (4th floor):dead:

[Sinue_v2]

I hear SL is turned in to a ghost town after they seperated all the adult elements from the other grids.

I heard something along those lines as well, but haven't really look into it. Seemed like typical online community over-reaction to menial updates and tweaks at the time, but since many people use SL to generate/supplement RL income, the reaction to policy changes could (and has) generated controversy with real world consequences. It wouldn't surprise me if quite a few users closed up shop and moved on if their business violated a new regulation or if continuing their business in violation of it were too risky. Still, even seeing the negative effects of policy/game changes in reducing the software's subscribers can be enlightening. After all, you can quit SL and move to a new venue (or start your own) rather easily. This freedom to traverse operational frameworks of regulation within virtual spaces is unprecedented. IRL, mobility in residence and/or business infrastructure often requires substantial resources... and quitting the game typically involves dying. As in wiped from the server of existence. No respawns... unless if you're Buddhist.

And I think he was talking on a bit broader scale about virtual environments as a whole while using SL as a point of reference.



That Second Skin thing sounds amusing though.

I wasn't very amused, but then... I thought it would be something insightful. The Gamer Rehabilitation lady even trotted out the silly old "Games rewire your brain" canard.... as if your brain wasn't already constantly and continually rewiring itself anyhow. That's how we adapt to new environments... it's called the learning process; of which she seemed profoundly unfamiliar.

[Gibdozer]

You my friend are a lucky man.

thx sometimes things just workout other times they don't, I just try to relish the times they do. Have fun see you on PSU!