MMO Survey
Please answer the following questions. If there is any question you are unsure of, or do not want to answer, feel free to leave it blank. Thank you for your time.
1) Over the past 10 years, how many MMORPGs have you played?
a) One
b) Two
c) Three <-
d) Four
e) Five or more
2) How many hours do you spend online gaming per week?
a) 1-3 hours
b) 4-6 hours
c) 7-9 hours <-
d) 10-12 hours
e) 13+ hours
3) In an MMORPG, do you interact with individuals you know outside the game? (i.e. in real life)
a) Yes <-
b) No
4) What is most important in keeping your interest in an MMORPG? Select all that apply. If you choose Other, please specify.
a) Story <-
b) Graphics
c) Environment/World <-
d) Fun Factor <-
e) Continual Game Evolution (content patches, updates, expansions, etc) <-
f) Community <-
g) Other: Music <-
5) Do you believe it is possible for MMORPGs to be addictive?
a) Yes <-
b) No
c) Not sure
6) If you answered yes to question 5, have you or anyone you known been addicted to an MMORPG?
a) Yes <-
b) No
c) Not sure
7) How important is communication with others in an MMORPG?
a) Very important <-
b) Important
c) Unimportant
d) Very Unimportant
e) Not sure
8) Do you feel you have made valuable relationships in any MMORPGs? How would you characterize these relationships in contrast to those in real-life? Are there any differences? Similarities? Please elaborate.
I've managed to make a number of friends over the years in gaming. Mostly in my own area though as we tend to play together. But apart from that, so far relationships with people overseas have been only during the timespan of the game I played/they played, but I enjoyed them as well all played something we enjoyed in the time we had.
9) Do MMORPGs offer modes of communication or support you are unable to find in your geographic location, life situation, or circumstances right now? Please elaborate.
No. Nothing really special. I speak to the people I know in game as well as on MSN and sometimes phone.
10) What methods do you use to communicate with others in MMORPGs? Please select all that apply. If you select Other, please specify.
a) Friend List <-
b) Chat Channel <-
c) Voice Communication <-
d) Guild/Linkshell/Corporation/Clan <-
e) Forum <-
f) RL Interaction (i.e. physical get togethers, internet cafes, etc) <-
g) Other _________________________________________
11) Do you view MMORPGs as a potential mode of story-telling, an alternative to book, film, or television? Why or why not?
MMORPGs to me lack the capacity for engaging storytelling due to the constraints of games being a form of active entertainment. If you aren't pressing buttons you aren't seeing the 'story' of you slaying mighty dragons just like the thousands of other players like yourself. It's a game, and they want you to have fun, thusly on top of that in gaming there is rarely a sense of any emotional journey that you get from reading a book. As they always want you to be happy.
But, I admit sometimes a story does appear in certain games and the game becomes fun and emotionally engaging because of it. So they DO have the potential to shape a story regardless of the current trend.
12) What environments do you enjoy experiencing in MMORPGs? Why do you enjoy those particular kinds?
a) Fantasy worlds
b) Science fiction worlds
c) Contemporary realistic worlds
d) Historical worlds
e) Frightening/ horrific worlds
Any and all worlds. Though I admit my tastes tend to lie within the Fantasy and Science Fiction due to the fiction some worlds create in an effort to explain the workings behind fantastic technologies, magic and whatever else exists. I do enjoy fictional reasoning behind these things :p
13) Do you role-play in game?
a) Yes <-
b) No
c) Sometimes
14) Does your in-game avatar represent you in real life, either in physical appearance, personality, conversation, or other actions? Why or why not?
Nope, I'd be too hard to play.
15) Do you play MMORPGs to avoid/cope with problems in real life (i.e. school procrastination, illness, marital problems, etc)?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Sometimes <-
d) Not sure
16) Do you believe that MMORPGs can serve an escapist function, that is, a coping mechanism for real life stress, boredom, etc? Why or why not?
Of course! The trend of being 'immersed' within a game serves just such a function. It's meant to be a method of coping with real life issues that you may want to forget while being absorbed in an activity. But all recreational hobbies tend to be like that.
17) What do you believe is the future of MMORPGs? Please elaborate.
I believe that eventually systems will be in place that allow players to shape their 'game' world in any setting. That there will be no rules and no boundaries. The most memorable times I remember is when things happened within a game that were never intended. Like the 'plague' that gripped WoW a few years back. It was never intended and impacted the gameworld greatly. Forcing players to react in their own fashions. Individuals tried to help, others ran and hid alone or with friends out in the wilderness to escape being infected. While some players enjoyed spreading it. Because of one glitch, and one action the entire world was turned on its head.
The future of MMORPGs to me, is that players will eventually have the power to do things like that...and that they will be an INTENDED feature.
Please answer the following questions. If there is any question you are unsure of, or do not want to answer, feel free to leave it blank. Thank you for your time.
1) Over the past 10 years, how many MMORPGs have you played?
a) One
b) Two
c) Three <-
d) Four
e) Five or more
2) How many hours do you spend online gaming per week?
a) 1-3 hours
b) 4-6 hours
c) 7-9 hours <-
d) 10-12 hours
e) 13+ hours
3) In an MMORPG, do you interact with individuals you know outside the game? (i.e. in real life)
a) Yes <-
b) No
4) What is most important in keeping your interest in an MMORPG? Select all that apply. If you choose Other, please specify.
a) Story <-
b) Graphics
c) Environment/World <-
d) Fun Factor <-
e) Continual Game Evolution (content patches, updates, expansions, etc) <-
f) Community <-
g) Other: Music <-
5) Do you believe it is possible for MMORPGs to be addictive?
a) Yes <-
b) No
c) Not sure
6) If you answered yes to question 5, have you or anyone you known been addicted to an MMORPG?
a) Yes <-
b) No
c) Not sure
7) How important is communication with others in an MMORPG?
a) Very important <-
b) Important
c) Unimportant
d) Very Unimportant
e) Not sure
8) Do you feel you have made valuable relationships in any MMORPGs? How would you characterize these relationships in contrast to those in real-life? Are there any differences? Similarities? Please elaborate.
I've managed to make a number of friends over the years in gaming. Mostly in my own area though as we tend to play together. But apart from that, so far relationships with people overseas have been only during the timespan of the game I played/they played, but I enjoyed them as well all played something we enjoyed in the time we had.
9) Do MMORPGs offer modes of communication or support you are unable to find in your geographic location, life situation, or circumstances right now? Please elaborate.
No. Nothing really special. I speak to the people I know in game as well as on MSN and sometimes phone.
10) What methods do you use to communicate with others in MMORPGs? Please select all that apply. If you select Other, please specify.
a) Friend List <-
b) Chat Channel <-
c) Voice Communication <-
d) Guild/Linkshell/Corporation/Clan <-
e) Forum <-
f) RL Interaction (i.e. physical get togethers, internet cafes, etc) <-
g) Other _________________________________________
11) Do you view MMORPGs as a potential mode of story-telling, an alternative to book, film, or television? Why or why not?
MMORPGs to me lack the capacity for engaging storytelling due to the constraints of games being a form of active entertainment. If you aren't pressing buttons you aren't seeing the 'story' of you slaying mighty dragons just like the thousands of other players like yourself. It's a game, and they want you to have fun, thusly on top of that in gaming there is rarely a sense of any emotional journey that you get from reading a book. As they always want you to be happy.
But, I admit sometimes a story does appear in certain games and the game becomes fun and emotionally engaging because of it. So they DO have the potential to shape a story regardless of the current trend.
12) What environments do you enjoy experiencing in MMORPGs? Why do you enjoy those particular kinds?
a) Fantasy worlds
b) Science fiction worlds
c) Contemporary realistic worlds
d) Historical worlds
e) Frightening/ horrific worlds
Any and all worlds. Though I admit my tastes tend to lie within the Fantasy and Science Fiction due to the fiction some worlds create in an effort to explain the workings behind fantastic technologies, magic and whatever else exists. I do enjoy fictional reasoning behind these things :p
13) Do you role-play in game?
a) Yes <-
b) No
c) Sometimes
14) Does your in-game avatar represent you in real life, either in physical appearance, personality, conversation, or other actions? Why or why not?
Nope, I'd be too hard to play.
15) Do you play MMORPGs to avoid/cope with problems in real life (i.e. school procrastination, illness, marital problems, etc)?
a) Yes
b) No
c) Sometimes <-
d) Not sure
16) Do you believe that MMORPGs can serve an escapist function, that is, a coping mechanism for real life stress, boredom, etc? Why or why not?
Of course! The trend of being 'immersed' within a game serves just such a function. It's meant to be a method of coping with real life issues that you may want to forget while being absorbed in an activity. But all recreational hobbies tend to be like that.
17) What do you believe is the future of MMORPGs? Please elaborate.
I believe that eventually systems will be in place that allow players to shape their 'game' world in any setting. That there will be no rules and no boundaries. The most memorable times I remember is when things happened within a game that were never intended. Like the 'plague' that gripped WoW a few years back. It was never intended and impacted the gameworld greatly. Forcing players to react in their own fashions. Individuals tried to help, others ran and hid alone or with friends out in the wilderness to escape being infected. While some players enjoyed spreading it. Because of one glitch, and one action the entire world was turned on its head.
The future of MMORPGs to me, is that players will eventually have the power to do things like that...and that they will be an INTENDED feature.