The online aspect of it ruined the whole series for him as things "never change". It totally dislodged the "reality" of WoW from the "living environment" of Warcraft. Things you do "in game" don't affect anything" wether you do them or not, someone else definitely will and this makes whatever actions you chose to take; non transcending.
So we sat down an chatted about it, and I figured out the series of issues presented:
- WoW and other MMORPGS take the decision making process out of the world, and you ARE on tracks wether you like it or not, you need to follow a line of actions.
- Being on rails means NOTHING you do will be of importance, as it is predisposed.
Being who I am... I actually couldn't leave that just there...
And while I will not juxtapose this with human nature (fate vs free will), I will take it into what gaming aspects there are and how they affect us.
Some of us like to just "unplug and enjoy":
- This is the type of "gaming on rails" that people find amusing. You get up, you have a set of missions, you traverse those missions or adventures and they give you "rewards" through the way.
- While you find solace in the "continuity" you are stranded in someone's "reality" and can't really break away from their path
- Games like final fantasy fill this category
Some of us enjoy the "sandbox"
- We've created a world, while you will find pre-scripted adventures you can just go nuts and try and break it, it will still work out in the end.
- This type of gaming yields pleasure to those that find chaotic natures to be more appealing. Your life is not totally pre-determined, you can chose not to take pre-disposed actions and they will still be "fun" you just won't progress where we believed you would, but "life is like that, no?"
And others, well some of us like to TELL the story
- You gave me a set of "rules". I cannot escape these rules, but the world does not confine me, these rules while they cannot be broken they can be used to my advantage.
- "You had a story to tell? that's nice kid, write a book, I'm here to see where my actions take me." This kind of mentality works very well to those of us who truly and deeply believe in free will.
Out of all of this I found that at different times, I am anywhere along the lines there, but mostly, I like telling stories. I like being able to forget about where someone wishes to take me and making my own path.
Life therefore to me, is not limited by the whims of a "higher being" but by the ethical nature of my actions and the continuity I can give them.
My friend? He draws his own path. A predisposed story, is not where he wants to be. Change, for him, comes from within. And if his actions have NO sway in the nature of a game, he believes that it's not for him, the "meta" nature of this in his life, and how "FATE" holds no sway over him, does escape me though...
