I am no warrior (and other role playing observations)

When my friend Riekie (from Clouded Marbles) visited in January, she brought along her notebook (laptop) so she could play her favourite online role-playing game during any downtime. Riekie plays one of the MMORP games online (you can read her post about them here). Looking over her shoulder one evening, I asked her to show me how the game worked. She looked mildly shocked. She says she can still remember me telling her years ago, that as a computer programmer, the last thing I wanted to do in  my spare time was play computer games (most of the computer programmers I’ve met don’t play computer games). Riekie was quite happy to show me around, and again surprised when I said I wanted to load the game on my computer and give it a try. She thinks that I was drawn in by the characters in the game, but it was really the amazing world that the designers had created which had me fascinated and wanting to find out more.

Maybe I hadn’t ever played computer games because in real life I have co-ordination problems? Initially I made my character run into the nearest wall or tree with alarming frequency, necessitating a visit to the nearest “armour and weapon repair person”. This was before I even left the city (a peaceful place where you can wander around without getting attacked) or fought my first battle! Eventually I began to get a handle on the controls – the computer mouse and some key-strokes – and could venture out of the city and take on the world outside.

So in the three weeks that I’ve been logging into the game I’ve made a few observations:

1) The characters must have been created for and/or by young males. Female characters are tall and lithe with big chests (which they display unprotected even in battle), long legs and skimpy costumes. “Combat boots” have alarmingly high heels. This of course has been done before in film. Think of Keira Knightley’s costume in King Arthur – see photo here. Although some of the non-playing female characters (supporting characters) are more demure, the lady banker dresses like a hooker! Maybe the game designers’ comment on the current banking crisis? 🙂

Male warriors are handsome, well-built and fierce. And have proper armour!

My character in her nifty little fighting costume. The armour definitely has to have magical powers to keep me safe during battle! The only really serious part of this get-up is my sword.

Check out those high-heeled winged boots! The cut-outs in the costume sure make it easy for anyone to stab my vital organs. Doesn't this remind you of Keira Knightley's costume in the film King Arthur?

2. The world that has been created in this game is amazing and multi-dimensional. There are a host of different regions and environments – farmlands, swamps, deserts, forests, caves, dungeons and cities – which are very realistic. Another world for me to dream about – and I already have. Wind causes ripples in water, reeds and grasses sway in the breeze and sunbeams penetrate the forest canopy. Running (these characters don’t go for gentle strolls) through this world feels like you are really there. As an ecologist in a former career, this all fascinates me in its realism. Although there are some obvious mistakes – like seaweed in a freshwater lake.

3. The graphics are really awesome. The character movements are complex and respond to their environment. They kick up dust running over sand, and splash water running through the swamps. Once the Mobs (monsters) become aware of your presence, they attack and other Mobs are sure to notice and join in the fight. So the interactive nature of the game isn’t restricted to the players, but extends to your environment and to the Mobs.

4. There is this interesting mix between ancient scenery and ancient architecture, and more futuristic aspects. My character is from the Paladin class – warriors dating back to the Middle Ages in the real world. Although from paintings I’ve seen, the paladins were male and definitely not as sexy! The city is of a mixture of architecture, some of it distinctly Roman looking. The functions that the non-playing characters fill are very Medieval in nature – there are blacksmiths, alchemists, armorers and other craftsmen. All the functions you would expect to see in a Medieval city. And there are mystical characters that remind one of Middle Earth (from Lord of the Rings). Then on the opposite end, the teleporters which allow the characters to travel with lightening speed between the various regions.

5. All the characters fight – even the wizards and the clerics/healers – with varying degrees of brute force, fighting skills and magical powers. There are no peaceful jobs like “explorer” or “ecological researcher” to apply for! Which lead me to my biggest revelation . . .

6. I am no warrior. No huge surprise there. In real life I shy away from conflict and confrontation. Initially I kept getting “killed”. So my “strategy” was to take along a more experienced player who essentially fought my battles for me, while I concentrated on not being attacked from behind and on just staying alive. Thanks to Riekie and her mother (yes, she plays too and is an awesome warrior who takes no prisoners!), for their patience and help. My fighting skills have improved somewhat but rather than being a gung-ho warrior, I use subversive tactics to undermine the opposition, and am not above running away when things get too hot for me to handle! There is no way I’m going to heed a call to battle in one of the “Relic Wars” where thousands of players from different nations (in the game) clash on the battlefield.

So am I going to become addicted to role-playing games? Probably not. I don’t have the concentration levels required to become a serious gamer, and can only play for short periods at a time. Also, I’m not fond of all the fighting. Although I have to say that Riekie chose a game which doesn’t show all the blood and gore. For example, if my character kills something it literally “sees stars” and just keels over. When a player from the warlock/wizard class kills something, it changes into a bunny which hops away.

Riekie says she finds playing takes her mind off things and she relaxes. I just get tense every time something attacks me . . . I do however enjoy going on quests with Riekie, and it’s something that we as friends can do together.