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Jeff "Ethec" Woleslagle sitting in again on Loading... On behalf of the Hoskins, I'd like to thank those of you who sent in your well-wishes; he's now home from the hospital and resting comfortably.
I have a weakness for simulators, my latest addiction being Microsoft Flight Simulator X. It's interesting to me that the urge to play these more realistic types of games runs opposite to why I play MMORPGs. As sure as I am that I'll never go after an orc with a 45 lb. broadsword, I know there's at least a scintilla of a chance that I might have to take the controls of a disintegrating aircraft on approach at a major urban airport, trailing a deuce of F-15s ready to bring about the passengers' untimely end if I stray too close to the city center. It's every airplane action movie that you've ever seen, but it's not acutely outside the realm of possibility.
That scenario aside, I'll never take a Boeing 747 by the yoke, so both MMORPGs and simulators offer an entertaining and immersive escape from reality. Yet both can feel like work if you're not careful. Unless you're willing to invest yourself in the game beyond what's minimally necessary, the game essentially becomes a chore. If a checkout flight from Rodrigues to Mauritius International ever became simply how to get to FIMP as quickly as possible, I might as well not fly. Instead, the ~45 minute flight becomes a great opportunity to learn more about the cockpit instruments and specs of the airplane I'm piloting, practice good air traffic control protocol and radio navigation, or maybe even practice an engine-out procedure.
In like manner, if the MMORPG ever became about getting to level cap as quickly as possible, I might as well not play. This, in a way, is my main gripe against paid powerlevelling, RMT / goldselling, and cheat codes for that matter - such practices devalue the journey and undeservedly puts the destination on a pedestal. The joy is in the journey.
The last thing I'll mention about MMORPGs and simulators is that both will reward your attention with a little insight into the real world around you. MMORPGs have attracted academics from sociologists to psychologists to moralists, but you only need to play about an hour to learn about positive and intermittent reinforcement, what people are capable of when behind the veil of anonymity, the virtue of patience, and some important lessons about leadership (namely that people accomplish more when someone takes charge coordinates their actions- even if taking charge means nothing more than staying on point and getting everyone to hit the same mob). FSX's lessons are a little less lofty; I had one of those lightbulb moments when I realized that, during air travel, when the engines seem to suddenly idle about 45 minutes before landing, the pilot is just maintaining a constant speed while the aircraft descends.
What have you learned about MMORPGs from playing other games? What have you learned about life? Don't forget to post in our forums or at the bottom of this blog. If you are shy (or female and sending in naughty pictures) you can e-mail me.
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As always, thanks for visiting TenTonHammer.com,
-- Jeff "Ethec" Woleslagle
