Shabnam Hassan

UWP 1

Gaming Discourse Community

8 December 2017

Cover Memo

I tried my best to think of a discourse community that I could relate to and I was familiar

with for my research project. Therefore, I chose the gaming community and homed in on what I

wanted to argue in regard to the gaming community. I wanted to argue how gamers interact and

communicate with each other greatly differ from the ways the interact and communicate with

people in real life. I found it easy to describe all the terms and get all my thoughts and ideas out

on the first draft. On the other hand, I struggled with the genre aspect of my research paper

because I went into detail about the three types of ways gamers communicate, but I had a

difficult time relating it back to my overall argument. My audience is my peers, Sophia, and FPS

or MMO video gamers in general. My main goal was to illustrate my argument through the

primary sources and analysis it thoroughly. I also wanted my genre paragraph to tie into the

whole paper and I think I achieved this goal by relating anonymity to all the different

communication genres. Ive revised it for the last time based off of the feedback I got from my

peers and the instructor. Sophia pointed out how I didnt really build up my own argument and

somewhat used secondary information to explain my primary information. I revised by moving

my secondary sources to the background, so my audience can have a general understand of what

other people have discovered regarding the gaming community. I also added details regarding

how I gathered my primary information as a peer suggested. I tried my best to expand and

analysis my own primary sources in order to prove my argument. In the conclusion, I tried to add
something new to the conversation by suggesting that perhaps people portray their true selves in

games rather than in real life.

Gaming Discourse Community

Introduction

First-person shooter (FPS) and Massive Multiplayer online (MMO) games are quite

popular among gamers, especially on personal computers (PC) and consoles like the PlayStation

and Xbox. A First-person shooter game can be described as player shooting and killing enemies

or targets through the eyes of their character on a virtual battlefield in the video game. First-

person shooter games are a popular gaming genre ranging from some of the most well-known

games like Call of Duty to Overwatch. Mostly all of such games have an online multiplayer

option in which pairs millions of players worldwide to compete against one another and interact

through different forms of communication. Massive Multiplayer online games consist of open

worlds in which players interact with hundreds to thousands of people online. Popular MMO

games range from World of Warcraft to Final Fantasy XIV with different or similar goals in each

game. People are not aware that there is a difference in the way gamers interact online and in

person. In First-person shooter and Massive Multiplayer online games, the way gamers interact

and communicate online greatly differs from the way the interact and communicate with people

outside of gaming and in their everyday lives.

Background

Gamers have constructed their own discourse community that has several components

within it. Gamers have several common goals depending on the mode theyre playing, which is

either to beat the game one hundred percent, master the game, discover all the easter eggs, and

dominate while playing online multiplayer mode. Theres also usually a sense of competition
among first-person shooter and massive multiplayer online games. The overall goal is mostly

having fun and enjoying the game. Gamers have their own specialized vocabulary ranging from

terms like AFK and DPS to DC and Lag. The acronym AFK stands for away from keyboard and

refers to when someone is playing online and leaves their computer for a little while to do

something. Terms like DPS refer to characters damaged per second. Lag refers to when a person

sees a noticeable delay in action between their player and the game. DC refers to when a person

disconnects from the game usually due to slow internet or their computer not being able to

handle the game. Such terms are common among FPS and MMO gamers and you can be

criticized online if youre not familiar with such specialized vocabulary. All these words are so

common for gamers among all platforms that its like a second language to them.

Online gamers can choose to be anonymous and never have to disclose any personal

information. Some people may not feel as comfortable because of their gender, age, personality,

or appearance (Xu, 203). Gamers online are able to feel more comfortable due to this sense of

anonymity and can portray themselves in any way they want other gamers to perceive them. This

also can have a down side since one cant be held accountable for negative words or actions. In

the Social interactions in massively multiplayer online role-playing gamers, Cole explained

how, One of the advantages of online friendships is anonymity, and while online, some people

self-disclose or act out more frequently or intensely than they would in person (582). People

online can be as negative and mean as they want and not get in trouble or be held accountable.

Another gamer is, suggesting that online relationships provide an outlet to safely discuss serious

matters that may be difficult to talk about with real life family and friends (Cole, 582). Other

players find online to be a safe place where they can discuss sensitive topics they wouldnt

otherwise disclose with people in their everyday lives.

Forms of communication

Video gamers have various communication methods and tools in which each can be

classified as its very own genre. Gaming is entertainment that utilizes online communication to

develop a community, history, and popularity among gamers (Kelly, 2). Theres all sorts of

platforms that gamers can communicate on ranging from talking to one another on microphones

to simple chatting like sending text messages through phones. Some of the popular forms of

communications among FPS and MMO gamers are Discord, Party Chat, and Headsets. Through

such communication platforms gamers can talk and interact with players all across the world.

Discord is voice and text chat platform that is accessible to all gamers that have personal

computers or phones. Its specifically made for computer gamers in which you can create servers

dedicated to a specific game where there is no limit on how many players can join. You can also

chat, voice call, or video chat people individually within this platform. Gamers on discord

usually have more of an identity that can be traceable because you usually join servers with

friends you keep in touch with, but there are a few expectations. This differs from having a

microphone online where you interact with people for just a couple of games and end up never

seeing them again. In party chats, usually you invite friends to play with online or random people

you meet who seemed interesting or good at the game. When chatting on a headset usually the

game provides a channel where player can communicate to one another as long as theyre in the

game or match. You can also mute certain people you dont want to hear on all these platforms.

Some party chats are limited to the amount of people able to join. Each platform has its own

constraints like having to send a message with only a maximum of 58 characters (Steinkuehler,

43). Some genres are specifically tailored for PC gamers and console (gaming box or device that

connects to a TV) gamers. Each genre of communication has its pro and cons for each type of
gamer and the platform they play video games on. Each platforms anonymity varies and the way

gamers interact on communicate on these such platforms depends on this sense of anonymity.

Primary Research

Online First-person shooter and Massive Multiplayer Online games have such a large fan

bases and millions of players interact online daily across a variety of platforms. Gaming online

allows you to take on any identity you want and you dont have to provide any personal

information to play online. Gamers get to pick out their own unique gamer tag, which is basically

the username they go by that will visible to other players in the game. No one knows who you

are and theres this sense of anonymity online. People are not held accountable for their words

and actions online while playing video games like they can be in real life. Some gamers wouldnt

use the same language and attitude they use towards people online as they would towards people

in their everyday lives. I survey around 30 gamers FPS and MMO using google form asking

specific questions about how they interact and communicate online versus in everyday life. In a

survey, Sam stated that, Online you can be more unrestrained in your speechyou can say a lot

of rude things without having to worry about the consequences of offending others online versus

face to face. Such behavior can result in hostile exchanges between players where often hurtful

and offensive comments can be made. Players mentioned how they have said mean things online

they would never dare say to someone in real life since they could get in a physical or verbal

altercation. Humor and attitudes differs online between players than people in real life and this

can be due to different social norms. Some games its more socially accepted to joke around or

talk in a certain manner and it often varies. Other players mentioned how their more shy and

awkward in real life and online allows them to come out of their shell. In my survey, Zophie

explained how, I am more shy in person and more awkward. Online, I can take my time to
speak rather than give an immediate answer. Some gamers are more social online than in person

due to a certain sense of security and safety. Online you have time to think about your response

and also how you want others to perceive you. In real life, people often only get one chance to

make a first impression and ones appearance can often play a role. Online, gamers dont have to

worry about their appearance when making first impressions and overall have more control over

what they choose to disclose to others.

Online gamers also express how they feel more comfortable talking to other players

about certain things since their identity is protected. Online gamers are able to express their

thoughts in feels to others unlike in real life where they wouldnt be as comfortable doing the

same. Some people are too scared to talk about certain topics because they dont want to be

judged as well as some topics are simply to taboo to discuss. Some gamers also feel freer to talk

about certain subject matters they wouldnt discuss with people in their real life. In a survey,

Bella stated how she, Rather talk about serious issues with people online who arent really a

part of my life versus friends and family member who might spread the conversation we had.

People online dont really know where you live and who your family and friends are so if players

talk about sensitive subjects they dont have to worry about their private thoughts or feeling

being spread among those closest to them. People can get opinions and advice on sensitive topics

they otherwise wouldnt feel comfortable talking about or dont have anyone in their real life to

talk to. Gamers online are also able to get a wide variety of different opinions on various subject

matters since FPS and MMO games consist of players from all around the world.

Conclusion

The way FPS and MMO gamers interact with people online and people in their everyday

lives is quite different. The anonymity of ones identity can be linked to the apparent differences
in communication and interaction. Other gamers might feel too awkward or shy to interact the

same way they do online with people in real life. Society also might play a role in how some

people feel more free and safe to communicate about certain things in particular manners online.

A persons true personality can either be reflected by how they interact with people online or

rather how they interact with people in their everyday lives. Perhaps gamers are able to act like

more themselves when their playing online compared to real life.

 Citations

Cole, Helena, and Mark D. Griffiths. "Social interactions in massively multiplayer online role-
playing gamers." CyberPsychology & Behavior 10.4 (2007): 575-583.

Kelly, Shawna Kathleen. Running with newbies: Understanding online communities through the
eyes of second-generation gamers. University of Southern California, 2012.

Steinkuehler, Constance A. "Massively multiplayer online video gaming as participation in a

discourse." Mind, culture, and activity 13.1 (2006): 38-52.

Xu, Yan, et al. "Sociable killers: understanding social relationships in an online first-person
shooter game." Proceedings of the ACM 2011 conference on Computer supported cooperative
work. ACM, 2011.