Fix 5-6

Social Connectivity

1. Describe your own experiences so far with social connectivity while playing the game.

I asked my questions some of players through Whisper tab and I got almost same responds because their levels were close each other. They accepted to answer my questions very willingly. After answering all of them they said “Anytime I can help again, just ask”. All of my respondents’ common challenge is the slow population growth. They said it makes difficult to clear sectors, and the fact they always need to buff things to make real progress. For the question “Why do you like playing this game?”  I got different answers. One of them was “I like this particular game because there is no player vs player combat, but I still get to build and interact with other players”. I found this answer interesting. To the question “Why do you choose this game over some of the other online games?” One of them answer like that: “I like builders and it reminds me of a game I used to play growing up”

Generally, I can say that when I contact with other players through mails, instant message platform, Whisper tab, trading, and buffering, I feel so comfortable and happy. These connection tools and opportunities make me feel like I am not alone while playing it. It is also another good feeling that I have the same goals with others in a same engaging location. We are trying to help each other to level up in any way. This is really positive social connectivity to me.

2. What is the name of your guild. Remember, in a previous week it was a requirement to find a guild to join.

I do not have a guild yet. (level 21)

3. Have you had any specific moments or conversations with other players that have made you feel more connected?

While asking my unofficial interview questions, all of them were so kind. They accepted to answer my questions very willingly. After answering all of them they said “Anytime I can help again, just ask”. To give another connectivity experience, there was something in my quest paper saying “claim at least 4 new sectors”. Therefore, I went to 4 battles and I got 4 new sectors. However, the quest was not completed. Then, I went to another battle and got a new sector, 5^th one, too. This also did not work. I type my situation on the instant message help platform in the Settlers. Many people were so willing to help me. In that time, I felt like not alone while playing it. They said to be able to claim new sector, I had to build store building, warehouse, in the new sectors I had just gotten. Then, they asked me like” oylumoz, did you do it?” It was so special to me.

4. How do you feel about this kind of online connectivity?

Doing something with others is really stronger than doing something alone. This drives me to feel good emotions. McGonigal (2011) claims that “Games build stronger social bonds and lead to more active social networks” (McGonigal, 2011,pg. 82, para. 2). As the writer says, after my first contact with other players, I began to be more willing to contact with them more than before. I am buffing other player’s buildings, trading for some missing resource, accepting others as my friends, and trying to help for their questions.

Epic Scale

1. While you might not be far enough along in the game to experience collective epic scale, what has been your most memorable, gratifying game experience yet?

Actually, because we are trying to build a settlement which is in the past, our all experiences are already epic. It is impossible that I can build a settlement which is located in the past. In her book McGonigal (2011) states “They immerse us in epic environments: vast, interactive spaces that provoke feelings of curiosity and wonder.” (McGonigal, 2011, pg. 98, para. 7). I totally agree with her. All things I do in the game makes me curious because they are realized in an epic environment. For instance, concerning with increasing population for having more fighters in battles was the first experience that makes me feel in an epic event. Second was sending an explorer for mapping and going to battle with the fighters I trained in Barracks. The author says “They create epic contexts for action: collective stories that help us connect our individual gameplay to much bigger mission.” (McGonigal, 2011, pg. 98, para. 6). Since I was level 15, I began to feel like I am a part of something bigger than me just as the writer says. However, I am not sure if I have been really experienced “collective epic scale” yet.

 

References

McGonigal, J. (2011). Reality is broken. New York, NY: The Penguin Press.