Assignment 1 – Presentation
Why do we like games anyway?
I am sure we all have our own reasons for enjoying the games we play.
Whether it be the characters we meet, the visuals, the landscapes that we can
explore, or even the roles we play. These are all Just Cause(‘s)… for enjoying a
game, but what really makes a game addictive or so enjoyable that we find
ourselves losing hours or even days by playing it? Well there are actually three
primary psychological reasons as to why video games appeal to us.
The first is competency – We all enjoy being good at something. With games
being good is often easily achieved, especially given enough time and
dedication.
The second is autonomy - In life, there are very few things we can actually
control. Games appeal to the player by allowing them to make their way
through the game in any way they see fit and giving them control over the
world in which they play.
The third is relatedness – In most games, the fictional character they play
makes a difference to the world in which they inhabit, and is often famous for
it, and who doesn’t want to be famous for being a hero? The fictional character
may also be relatable in some way to the player and find themselves living
through this character in a fictional world, more than the real one.
MMORPG
What is a MMORPG? – An MMORPG is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-
Playing Game, and what this means is that you play a character in a fantasy
world, and follow a storyline (normally to save the world from some great evil),
while also being able to interact with a large number of players within the
same fantasy world.
Examples –World of Warcraft 12 million players (a Blizzard Production), Guild-
Wars 2 11 million players (an Arena Net Production), and Dungeons and
Dragons: Neverwinter 18 million players (a Cryptic Studios production).
Positive Impacts
I believe MMORPGS are important because they offer the ability to create and
play a character that you will enjoy playing and perhaps relate to in some way
Why do we like games anyway?
I am sure we all have our own reasons for enjoying the games we play.
Whether it be the characters we meet, the visuals, the landscapes that we can
explore, or even the roles we play. These are all Just Cause(‘s)… for enjoying a
game, but what really makes a game addictive or so enjoyable that we find
ourselves losing hours or even days by playing it? Well there are actually three
primary psychological reasons as to why video games appeal to us.
The first is competency – We all enjoy being good at something. With games
being good is often easily achieved, especially given enough time and
dedication.
The second is autonomy - In life, there are very few things we can actually
control. Games appeal to the player by allowing them to make their way
through the game in any way they see fit and giving them control over the
world in which they play.
The third is relatedness – In most games, the fictional character they play
makes a difference to the world in which they inhabit, and is often famous for
it, and who doesn’t want to be famous for being a hero? The fictional character
may also be relatable in some way to the player and find themselves living
through this character in a fictional world, more than the real one.
MMORPG
What is a MMORPG? – An MMORPG is a Massively Multiplayer Online Role-
Playing Game, and what this means is that you play a character in a fantasy
world, and follow a storyline (normally to save the world from some great evil),
while also being able to interact with a large number of players within the
same fantasy world.
Examples –World of Warcraft 12 million players (a Blizzard Production), Guild-
Wars 2 11 million players (an Arena Net Production), and Dungeons and
Dragons: Neverwinter 18 million players (a Cryptic Studios production).
Positive Impacts
I believe MMORPGS are important because they offer the ability to create and
play a character that you will enjoy playing and perhaps relate to in some way
