I decided this week to do a comparison of two games that have made significant impacts on the MMO world, World of Warcraft and EVE Online, by building upon their own community they have developed their own culture. Although there are many differences, both virtual communities still maintain their own similarities. I spent a great deal of time in both games this past week and I thought that I would only be appropriate to do a compare and contrast of their cultures.
Communication and interaction of players and people are what actualizes the virtual culture. Both Eve Online and World of Warcraft have incorporated text and voice chat. This has caused players to develop their own terminology and slang, which has become universal among many MMOs. Although each game has abbreviations and terms used specifically for each individual game, both EVE and World of Warcraft share a common lexicon. Both MMO lexicons work with the common lexicon for the internet and other multi-player games. For example, terms like "BRB" meaning “be right back” and “away from keyboard” is abbreviated to "AFK", this is what most of us that use any form of chatting client would use. But players that play MMO games will also use the previously stated terms but alongside they will use Alt, meaning alternative character, and that means the character that the player is not focusing on at the time. As well as the term "noob", a starting player that one does not understand the game mechanics yet.
When venturing out into both worlds I found players to be friendly and willing to help. Obviously not everyone in both games wanted to take time out from their game play to help me, as a "newbie", understand the game. I found that both games were competitive in nature, and took some time before you actually found someone to interact with. Initially you are playing with several players to that like yourself are still trying to understand the game mechanics. Because of the general economic systems of the game, the monthly subscription fee, you find players are very invested in the game. This goes without saying that both games do have casual gamers. Players also do not limit their interaction with one another to the game. Each game has player-developed websites and forums outside of the game, for players to discuss missions, rules, introduce new players to the game history and partially the mechanics.
With the openness of the Internet architecture, players of both games are able to somewhat build their surroundings. By having players either level up or expand their skills, players are able to purchase better items in World of Warcraft or ships to use in the EVE. With players looking to build their character both sets of games understand the commodity that comes with working in teams, called guilds or corporations. Guilds and corporations act as small subcultures/businesses within larger ones. Players in the same guilds, for the most part, have the same objectives and the same goals. The rare times that players do have ulterior motives are when they are working against the guild/corporation. I found that most guilds and corporations do not accept trial memberships, because they are looking for commitment, reliability and security. Trial members do not provide the security of them staying with the game longer than the 10 day trial, let alone stay with their group.
Although we find that both MMO have general similarities, the differences far exceed the similarities. I found it surprising that two MMOs could have a plethora of difference with each similarity. Some of the differences between the games are the game servers, griefing, piracy, individualism and collectivism, along with countless more. For example, players may use similar terminology and slang but a great deal of the lexicon used by players is specific to the individual game. In World of Warcraft players will use AotC being a hunter class skill, Aspect of the Cheetah. While EVE Online players will use terms like NRDS standing for Not Red Don't Shoot. Both terms are specific for their game and cannot be used in games either game interchangeably.
In every multi-player game, it’s practically unavoidable to come across griefing. Eve and WoW deal with griefing completely differently. While WoW essentially does everything in its power to have griefing as limited as possible, Eve Online in some ways encourages it. Many Eve players will befriend players to either have them in their corporation or to use them to later strip the players of their assets including their ships, territories and money. Similarly piracy, protection racketeering, theft and ransom are incorporated into the game. One example of this was a corporation, infiltrated a prestigious corporation and proceeded to steal corporate property and finally assassinated the target's CEO. The target corporation lost approximately seventeen thousand US dollars. The developers do not deal with events like this, because the dangers are a part of Eve Online's economy. Players are expected to make financial decisions based on the possibility of other players' financial benefits, and this is similar to real-world economics. Whereas in WoW players are incapable of stealing another player’s possessions at any given point, developers of WoW will necessitate solutions where they see fit.
Players in WoW enter different realms, being faced with slightly different cultures in every server. One of the main advertising slogans that EVE uses is “one server one universe.” Players in EVE are constantly effect by what is going on around them. While World of Warcraft players have the option of entering PvE realms in which interaction with other factions will not directly affect their livelihood in the game. This strategy allows players to level up with greater ease and enforce an individualistic mentality. But for players to buy more powerful gear they must enter PvP zones, otherwise they will not have access to honor points, which allow you to buy the gear. Although beginner players start in non-PvP areas, inevitably they will reach a point where they will no longer have any areas that are not PvP. The entire game circles around the concept of PvP, because of this players feel the need to join guilds.
Both World of Warcraft and Eve Online have made a significant impact on the MMO world while maintaining and building their own community and distinct culture. The open format of these games allow players to develop a culture to their liking by communicating with other players using a lexicon distinct to their game as well as other MMOs. Joining groups with similar goals in guilds and corporations also helps create this open system. With the WoW being a multiserver game and EVE being a one server one world game, the players experiences with culture vary. Players of WoW are faced with the option of being individualistic, while EVE players are encouraged to be collective in nature. Also griefing in Eve often rewarded with profit, where as in WoW developers stifle griefing. At the end of the day both games build an environment for players to be a part of a community that is an escape from the real world.
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