World of Warcraft opening video sequence
August, 2009:
Girl Gamers In World Of Warcraft
To the dismay of much of the population of World of Warcraft, and the online community, girls do play video games. What makes a girl play a game online? Are they looking to pick up boys? Are they so socially inept that they can’t talk to anyone in the real world? Are they just plain ugly? Or are they really just a guy pretending to be a girl? None of these things are true. They play the game for the same reason everyone plays. They play for entertainment. Though women in the real life are striving for equality in a male dominated world, and arguably making progress, the ladies playing online games have a much harder task in front of them.
The exact ratio of female players to male players in WOW is not known, but it is a far lower number than in the real world. Roderick, of the Mal’Ganis Server estimates, “I’d guess I know maybe ten girl players on this server.” Roderick ran a guild of over 200 people, that’s a staggeringly low percentage. With that sort of male saturation, girl gamers can have a tough time breaking into the “boys club” that exists beneath the surface.
The male population of the any online community, WOW included, is highly competitive, and the general feeling in an aggressive activity is that girls cannot perform on the same level as boys. On the virtual battlefield its far from true, but girl gamers are still considered underdogs and have to prove themselves worthy. They may come under harder scrutiny simply because they are female.
Because of the disposition some of the guys have on women gamers; some girls actively try to hide their gender. This isn’t hard, since according to Cezzani of Mal’Ganis, “Ninety percent of female characters are played by ten percent of the guys.” Whether or not those figures are close to accurate, the point remains the same. There are enough girl characters running around WOW that a real female can hide her gender simply by not admitting to it.
Those that hide their gender do it for a reason, to avoid the stereotypes and sexual harassment. It may be due to the age or maturity of the individual talking to the girl gamer, or perhaps because there are seemingly no repercussions in an online community where you can log off and not have to deal with the consequences. WOW has a strict policy against any sort of threatening or hurtful communications that removes the anonymity from it. In severe cases Blizzard will revoke the players account, taking away their character and possessions. But the same problems that exist in the real world exist in the virtual world. Many of the women who go through the torture of this abuse will never report it.
The male gamers must learn respect for the female gamers. They are not there simply to pick up guys nor as part of the entertainment for male players. They don’t want to be hit on, or asked what they look like in real life. They will accept kindness, and will often times be friendly, but that is no indication that they are less of a gamer than anyone else who plays in a virtual world like WOW.
About the Author
Hunter Crowell is a researcher, avid online gamer, and creator of Cheap WOW Gold Price List, helping players find the cheapest place to buy their gold.
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Girl Gamers In World Of Warcraft
A Newcomer’s Guide To World Of Warcraft
World of Warcraft has been massively successful and has exceeded the normal popularity of a role-playing title. The main reason for this is that it is very accessible and straightforward, and it is not difficult to play it. Even if you are completely new to gaming you shouldn’t have any problems getting started.
World of Warcraft is an easy game to set up. It comes on 4 discs that you install on your computer. You then have to create a game account. Your access to the game’s world involves paying a monthly subscription via credit card or an equivalent. The typical subscription rate is $14.95 per month. The first month is usually free as part of your purchase. The subscription can be paid every month, or every three months or six months if you prefer.
World of Warcraft operates through a series of servers that differ depending on where you are in the world. The servers are positioned globally and you simply connect to whichever one is local to you. The servers allow you to access the game. They are a reliable system and well maintained. There are different types of servers for each type of action that you play, whether it is role-playing or player versus player, for example. The servers are named as realms in order to increase the feel of the game.
World of Warcraft takes place in the world of Azeroth, a fictional land that has been the setting for all of the Warcraft games. This world has its own history and myths.
It was created by ancient gods, who gave rise to the earliest races on the planet. Azeroth resembles our own world and has recognisable landmarks like cities, forests, caverns, towers, dungeons and other structures. Azeroth has seen much trouble in its time, and its past has included great wars and conflict.
The universe in World of Warcraft is imaginative and is the home to many races.
The world of Azeroth is structured as three continents – the Eastern Kingdoms, Kalimdor, and Northrend. They all have their own inhabitants and climate. The Eastern Kingdoms are the home of humans, dwarves and gnomes, who are known collectively as The Alliance. Kalimdor is the home of tauren, orcs and trolls, who are known collectively as The Horde. Northrend is the home of the wicked Lich King.
Although World of Warcraft is rich and detailed, it is an easy game to understand.
All characters tend to belong to one of two groups, the Alliance and the Horde. The Alliance seems good in nature while the Horde is generally more evil. The Alliance characters are attractive to look at and are considered pretty, while the Horde characters are ugly and less appealing. You can play as characters from either group, and they each possess their own personalities and strengths.
World of Warcraft allows you to design your own character and customise them as you see fit. The character that you create can be one of nine possible classes. The classes include choices like druids, hunters, mages, rogues, shamans and warriors. Every class has its own skills and professions. You will use these talents to help you in the game. The process of creating a character is simple, and it allows you to express your own identity, as your character is a reflection of yourself.
The gameplay in World of Warcraft concentrates on exploration. The main game contains sixty levels, all of which feature much territory to explore. There are many items in the game that you can either take for yourself or trade. The main currency in Azeroth is gold, and you will need to collect a lot of it to buy armour and weapons and other useful goods. There is also a great deal of combat and you must defeat many monsters and creatures in order to progress.
World of Warcraft is designed beautifully, and you will find it a pleasure to learn how everything functions and works. The control system is sensible and makes good use of the keyboard and mouse. The game includes a camera that allows you to look around and have a full view of your environment. In general, it is a clear and comprehensible experience.
World of Warcraft is a very entertaining game and is easy to play. Its strength is that you don’t need to have detailed knowledge or experience of the role-playing genre to enjoy it. Even though the game contains a large and detailed world you will not have a problem understanding it. This is a perfect game for any kind of player.
About the Author
Hunter Crowell is a researcher, marketer, and an avid online gamer, including World of Warcraft and also the creator of Cheap World of Warcraft Gold Price List Guide, a web site setup to help players find the cheapest place to buy their gold.
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A Newcomer’s Guide To World Of Warcraft
