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 ____________________________________________
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 < I wouldn't say I myself am addicted to mmorpgs, but I definitely know people who are (becoming unemployed, risking marriage, things like that)
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.
definitely. I wouldn't say I value them 'more' than people I didn't get to know through gaming, but I've met people before that I got to know through gaming. I do value them as 'real friends', because if you get to know them it goes into much deeper things than just gaming. I met people in games that I still talk with daily, even though we no longer play together.
I also think it doesn't really matter WHERE you met your friends, what matters is the friendship itself.
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.
maybe not right now, but it used to be a huge thing for me at a time in my life where I was feeling really, really bad. I might even go that far and say that realising people DO like my personality helped me be more outgoing in 'real life'.
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?
absolutely. the biggest example for this would probably from when I played lotro. as you all know, there is the book and the films. while the game of course tells the original story, it gets told from a different point of view. even though you meet the real heros (frodo and the likes) you, meaning the average hobbit , are part of the mission to help middle earth. you are part of the big crowds you see in the huge fighting scenes.
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
f) Other _______________________________
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?
in general, yes. I usually go for the small kind of chubby characters, and they sooner or later resemble myself. BUT I also like creating characters that are the opposite of myself, including gender and statue
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?
I know for me they do. when I'm bored I turn on the computer and play. or sometimes it's already enough to have the game running and chat with others. stress might be a different thing, though. when I'm already stressed from paper works or family terror turning on a game is usually a bad idea... for me, at least.
17) What do you believe is the future of MMORPGs? Please elaborate.
the future of mmos, that's really hard to say. I see more and more games poping up, even more than what is already going on. people take it more 'serious' now and gamer are no longer seen as freaks or nerds. the big firms want their piece of the cake aswell (best example would be warner buying turbine)
