Birth of the Community

I found this reading quite helpful, in that, it contained issues that pertained to my chosen topic of study. The authors wrote that in order for there to be oral order within a community, there had to be culture and locality present. This relates to virtual communities as they follow a gaming culture and although the environment that members dwell in is diasporic (they aren’t associated with real time or time), they still inhabit a space albeit of a virtual locality.

In this community, the members carry bonds of obligation according Miller and Rose.  In the virtual community, the obligation of the members is to consistently play the game and complete tasks and quests that will benefit the whole community (the guild, or group that the members belong to). By conducting activities together, members of this online community are able to identify themselves by being in a community of like minded individuals. These networks that they dwell in are networks of allegiance.

I think Miller and Rose are right in saying that the formation of a ‘community is the answer to society’s problems’. In an online virtual world where there exist problems such as griefing and negative gaming behaviour, these problems dissipate when members play the game in bigger groups as opposed to playing solo.

Decision made?

I’ve decided to conduct my documentary on online virtual communities. I know this was previously a suggestion made by Jenny and I turned it down because I was initially planning on doing my Research Project on CMC in virtual worlds, but now that plan has fallen through it is now in the clear to be the topic for the documentary.

I just have to think of an angle and a way of presenting my findings.

I can think of so many difficulties that I’d experience while collecting information, especially since I dont know a lot of my online acquaintances personally. One issue that I could raise is that the online virtual community is a community of interest that doesnt rely on geographic proximity (seeing as people who play are from all over the world).

I suppose now, making a video with live interviews is pretty much out of the question because I really wouldnt know where to start. It’s still possible to make a slide show but I’d need to find a software that will allow me to record my in-game experiences. In my previous works with online games, I managed to ‘print screen’ (capture still images) and use the images in my produced work. I could do that again but what if I need to capture events in motion ? I’ll just have to do more research on in-game recording. If anything, I’m open to suggestions on angles in which I can conduct this documentary.