The Orc Assassin

My eyelids, seemingly stuck together from being in such a deep sleep, begin to peel apart from one another.  The bright light of a foreign land begins to contract my pupils.  The air has a dry, yet musty scent that I am not familiar with.  Where am I?  Where is my family?  How did I get here?  Still disoriented, I manage to sit up on the cool, dirt floor.  I am not sure where I am, but I know this is not Draenor.  It smells different.  It feels different. 

I begin to stand up.  My legs are weak.  My body is unstable.  My dry, calloused skin now has a bright green tint to it.  As I look around, the lush green swamps of my home had now been replaced with dry, compacted dirt that created a dusty haze with each step.  As my vision becomes more focused, I see a figure moving just ahead on the slope of the hill.  I move in that direction, uncertain if I am dealing with friend or foe.  I rattle off the three questions I wanted to know the most.  “Where am I?  What is this place?  How did I get here?”  The bright green beast stands up, the sun gleaming off of the chain armor draped across his shoulders.  “Greetings, Hogrik.  You have just awoken from a spell that was cast over our entire race.  Please, have a seat and I will explain the rest.”

We sit down beside the campsite at the top of the hill.  For the first time, I can feel the waves of heat and hear the crackling embers from the fire.  I anxiously await the explanation of my past as my senses are slowly coming back.  “My name is Gorek, chieftain of Razor Hill.  The Orc race was once a proud one, in complete harmony with nature.  The Burning Legion of Azeroth has destroyed our planet, and our race was put under a spell to aid them in their conquests.  The spell has been broken, and now we must fight to keep our freedom.”  I knew that I must act quickly.  Thoughts of my past began to race through my head; blurs of battles and combat blended with slavery and suppression.  I immediately proclaimed to Gorek, “I am ready to fight.  Show me the way.”  “You must get your strength and instincts back before you leave Razor Hill,” Gorek responded.  He gave me several tasks to complete to aid me with this, so I grabbed my axe and headed for the edge of the village.

My first task was to slaughter the mottled boars in the valley.  As I come down the hill, the boars are in my sight.  My senses became heightened as I gripped the cracked leather stitched down my axe’s handle.  The first boar began to run towards me.  I wind up, the rotation of the axe in perfect sync as the boar approached me.  With one swift swing the axe digs into the back of the boar, nearly splitting it in two identical pieces.  I immediately turned to face my next victim as blood poured from the first one.  Each swing contained more velocity and accuracy than the first.  I would stop at nothing to have my revenge for the Orc race.  I climbed back up the hill, dragging the carcasses of 12 boars behind me.  I did not speak to Gorek, and Gorek did not speak to me.  He knew I was ready to begin my quest for justice.

After days of trekking across the dismal terrain, I came upon a village of Taurens.  They welcomed me with open arms, appreciative of my desire to restore order to the land and make those pay who abused it.  As I looked around at the mammoth Taurens, I noticed the advanced weaponry and equipment they had.  Racks of swords hung along the walls of the Inn.  Armor covered nearly every one of them.  I too would need this.  I decided right then that I would prepare myself for battle in Bloodhoof Village.  There were many Taurens needing help, and I could gain experience and weaponry by helping them.  I first met Grimtrak, the village butcher.  I delivered meat to Orgimmar for him for a small fee.  It was a very simple task, and I moved along the village in pursuit of more opportunities.  I soon met Ahmo Thunderhorn, a seasoned warrior that had become disgusted with the way the land was being treated.  Ahmo requested that I aid him in calming the earth spirits north of Bloodhoof.  They were angry at the way the humanoids disrespect the land, burning and polluting everything around them.  I headed north, and suddenly saw figures scattering across the horizon.  I began to hug the sides of the cavern to the east, using the small tree line running down it as cover.  The shadowy figures became clear, and I realized that they were watchmen, carelessly expanding their territory without regard for others.  No wonder the spirits had grown restless.  From what I could see, there were five of them.  I was unsure of their combat skill, and still unsure of my own as well.  As they began to spread apart, I leapt from the tree line, charging toward the first one with my axe in hand.  The first swing was not the best as it glanced off of his chest plate, sending sparks in the air.  As I wound up for another blow, the watchman struck me just above the waist cutting me along my ribcage.  This was the first blow, and it was also the last.  The strike did nothing but heighten my senses, sending a wave of rage through my body.  Every swing of my axe had the rage of thousands of orcs behind it.  The blade tore through their armor and limbs simultaneously.  After killing the last one, I piled their bodies up and took the money that I could find, which would go to a fund for killing more of them.  I then headed to my original destination, and calmly soothed the spirits before heading back to Bloodhoof.

My reputation preceded me as I headed back into the village.  Several of the warrior Taurens showered me with booze and offered up lady orcs that had traveled for miles to show me just how much they appreciated my accomplishments.  I had no time for this.  Killing five watchmen was the tip of the iceberg.  The rest of the humans still needed to pay for the damage they have caused the Horde and this planet.  I took the money I had made and went to Mahnott Roughwound, the village weaponsmith.  Back against the wall stood an enormous, two handed mallet that had been taken from the Lich King’s army.  I immediately imagined the irony of killing him with his own weapon.  To complement the new weapon, I had enough silver left to buy a loose chainmail vest and leggings.  Before leaving Bloodhoof, I knew that I would need more.  I had heard that Maur Raincaller was looking to hire someone, so I headed to the west side of the village to see what he needed.  “Hogrik, I do not have my strength right now.  I was bitten by a Mazzranche and haven’t been the same since.  Can you please help me by getting the femur from a flatland cougar?  That is all I need to finish the serum to heal my wounds.”  I gladly obliged, mainly because he was paying 12 silver for it.  I also agreed to clear out the rest of the swoop up north for him since I was headed in that direction anyway. 

After returning from the quest, I was able to purchase more armor and a shield.  I was very happy with the armor.  The gloves, leggings, and vest were all brushed steel, providing me with protection but it would not draw the attention of enemies in the sun.  I was now ready to continue my conquest to avenge the Orc race.  I approached the village warrior trainer, Ruul Eagletalon, for his blessing to move forward.  “You have done great things for us, Hogrik.  We feel honored that you have trained with us, and may you restore order to this planet.  For the Horde!” 

I headed to Durotar to the Dranosh ‘ar Blockade.  Ruul had mentioned the Alliance’s desire to press their territory in this direction, and I was determined to stop them.  The first Orc I spoke with was Gor the Enforcer.  As I approached him, I could see the deep scars embedded in his chest from years of combat.  His hair and beard were stringy and blew with the faint breeze coming from the nearby lake.  He wore a mask to cover his face, concealing the pain he had endured fighting for his survival.  I knew that I must help him.  He informed me of a goblin that had been the head of some of the Burning Blade camps in Durotar.  A flood in the southwest wiped out most of the camps, but he was still down there, lurking and feeding off of unsuspecting travelers.  Once a proud leader for the Horde, he was now a nuisance that needed to be eliminated.  He had sold many of the good from the camps to the Alliance, turning his back on the very group that allowed him to survive.  With each following statement I became more and more enraged.  He still had an orb that the warlocks in Orgrimmar could use developing new spells and healing potions.  As I headed southwest to find him, I came across another Orc named Shin Stonepillar.  He had heard about my past conquests, and wanted to speak with me to ensure that my mind had developed as quickly as my combat skills had.  He began with a story about an ambitious wolf.  “You are transformed into the wolf, which is hungry and seeks prey to the east and finally eyes two battling Kodos.  He decides to wait until one defeats the other, to then feast on the loser.  When that happens, the wolf approaches the fallen Kodo, but before he can take a bite, he is slain by the other Kodo.  The moral of the story; hasty, lazy actions have ruinous results.  We mustn't take shortcuts... we must work for our rewards.”  I appreciated this message.  While I was intent on slaying every human left, I must do it carefully.  I knew that I would be approaching creatures with powers much greater than my own, and I must go about this strategically.  With this in mind, I continued on my quest to find Fizzle Darkclaw, the goblin traitor that must pay for betraying the Horde. 

Dark storm clouds began to circle around the valley.  There was no cover in sight as slight, rolling thunder quickly became booming echoes against the canyon walls.  Lightning cracked in the background and sheets of rain rushed in from the north.  The packed clay roads began to flood, hardened from years of drought.  As the rain came, I ran into a cave in just before the canyon ridgeline ended to take cover.  I gathered some of the dry, dead wood scattered across the floor.  I made a small fire and began to take my armor off to dry.  I had been carrying the chain armor for days, and needed to take it off to rest before my battle tomorrow.  As I looked into the fire, I hear the same crackling sounds and waves of heat that I did with Gorek as I anxiously awaited for my senses to return.  It was a bittersweet feeling as I thought about Razor Hill with reserved optimism.  The Alliance was moving unpredictably, and there was no way to know if the village was still safe.  Unable to sleep because of these racing thoughts of past villages, I sat by the fire until the embers faded.  As the fire died, the rain began to subside.  The sun began to rise over the ridge, reflecting on the bright red mud puddles scattered across the uneven roads.  I continued southwest, feeling a wave of excitement come over me as I approached Thunder Ridge.  I knew that I was ready, and I knew that I was different than Orcs that preceded me.  I was quicker, faster, stronger, and pissed off.  I ran into the ridge in a full sprint, pinpointing Fizzle immediately.  I pulled the mallet from behind my back, clenching the handle at the top to generate the most handle speed possible.  I was approaching so rapidly that I could have killed him before he managed to turn around, but that wasn’t what I wanted.  I wanted him to see me.  I wanted him to know why I was killing him.  And I wanted to see the fear in his eyes and in his soul as with each strike I dealt.  25 yards out, I gave a thunderous roar that shook the entire ridge.  Fizzle turned, simultaneously drawing a blade out of a sheath on his hip.  As he raised the knife, my mallet cast a shadow over his entire body as it came down.  The face of the mallet came crushing down just between his head and his right shoulder, immediately snapping his collarbone.  Through the weapon I could feel each bone crack against another.  I delivered the second blow from behind, internally separating his skull from his spine.  I sat him up against his campsite so he could watch as I took the orb, his money, and all of his food.  As I headed back to the village, I drug Fizzle behind me just outside of the ridge.  By nightfall, the animals of the region would clean up anything that was left.

Fireworks erupted from the Horde posts and children were lining the streets as I came into town.  Women offered up baked goods and casseroles.  Men offered their daughters.  I was grateful of all of these gestures, but I mission was still in progress.  I gave to orb to the warlocks, and headed further North, seeking new and better ways of helping the Horde establish its rightful place on this planet.

I came into the Crossroads, the largest town in the Barrens.  I met with Thork, who was in charge of the movement to drive the Centaurs out of Horde territory.  I knew of the conflicts between the Centaurs and Taurens, and knew this was the quest I was born to undertake.  The love I had developed for the Taurens made me want to do everything in my power to help them.  The disrespect for the land that the Centaurs show is unacceptable.    As Thork explained their location, another Orc overheard the conversation and became interested.  Mogre, a fellow warrior, was also after the Centaurs.  He too had made the journey to Crossroads in hopes of killing all of the Centaur camps.  With Thorks blessing, he and I headed to the outskirts of the Northern Barrens.  As we approached the Lushwater Oasis, scattered camps of Kolkar Marauders covered the terrain.  I knew we would not be able to overtake the camps by ambushing them, so we used the underbrush to navigate the treeline to the west of the water.  The first Centaur I could see was gathering fruit along the shoreline.  Leaning just to the right of the tree, I carefully pulled out a throwing knife from my bag.  Holding the point of the blade, I slung the knife through the air, watching it rotate end over end as the sunlight beamed off of it.  Just as the Centaur rose from the bush, the knife dug into his back.  The serrated edges of the blade gripped his flesh as he writhed in pain.  It was too far in for him to pull it out.  I watched him fall to the ground, and I slowly rolled him into the water to hide the body.  I crawled up just to the edge of their first tent before I saw the next one.  Mogre and I both stormed into the camp, immediately killing the two guards.  By the end of the attack, 16 Centaurs laid in front of the camp they once considered theirs.  Mogre and I continued into the Southern Barrens for the next two days, clearing out all Centaurs that we could find.  We returned to the village with dozens of bracers to give the Blacksmiths, and gold for the village vault.  I bid Mogre farewell, as he was off to seek further quests in Orgrimmar.  The weaponsmith had developed a new staff for me that had the brute force of the mallet with the razor sharp edge of a sword.  I exchanged the loose steel armor for custom fitted, indestructible chain armor. 

I knew there were more enemies to the north, so I headed toward Ashenvale in search of them.  I do not know what will become of all of the Horde villages, but as long as I am there, we will hold our ground.  This war is far from over, but I will only continue to get stronger.  My weapons will become harder.  I will not stop until every Orc can roam free.

My Life as a Night Elf Priest - Chapters Six through Nine

Chapter six was of particular interest to me because it deals with addiction.  I have always been a very extreme person, and I can't think of a single game that I have ever played casually.  That paired with my limited access to games growing up created the hesitancy that I have had towards gaming in general.  I remember playing Mario Kart religiously, staying up all night playing Goldeneye, and spending all of my summer savings for a steering wheel and pedal set to play Daytona USA.  All of these were solo games, so I can certainly understand how someone could become addicted to WoW.

I liked how Nardi addressed the actual term addiction.  As much as I have thrown it around all semester, I didn't really understand how strong of a word it actually is.  Referring it to a term used by medical professionals puts it in perspective, and the supporting evidence from the AMA shows that we should not apply this term to video games.  Similarly to Turkle, she relates the term addiction to things that always carry negative connotations, such as drugs or alcohol.  As demonstrated by both of them, online gaming has postive aspects, so addiction should have never been a term attached to them.  Quotes from players mentioned in the book were all supportive of each others responsibilities in RL (Real Life).

The game is harder than it looks.

Theorycraft and modding made me instantly think of the Sega Saturn that I had in middle school.  I asked for a Gamepro subscription for Christmas just so I could read up on how to beat all of the Mega Man games.  At the time, magazines like Gampro and EGM were the "forums" where information like this could be accessed.  The modding in WoW is very interesting and I was surprised to read that many people began doing it as a supplement to the game.  To me the game is till very overwhelming, so it's hard to imagine wanting to add more to it.  I would like to add some of the features that are mentioned in the text, and Cosmos has a lot of nice features.  Being able to track my statistics would be nice, and would help me stay motivated through some of the drawn out quests.

The issue of gender in WoW seems to be a combination of how are society operates paired with the freedom people feel when communicating electronically.  I appreciate that Nardi points out that she did not mind the banter because she understood they were only joking, and merely testing her.  I think that is a solid attitude to have when going into something that is dominated by men.  Females playing this game is just like females that work in restaurants.  Both are dominated by males, and many of them will often test the women to see what they can get away with.  I have seen that my entire career, and it was interesting to see how closely it translates into another form of communication.

Reading about the study Nardi did in China makes me wish that internet cafes existed here.  Internet cafes could serve as a great merging point to dispel the negative image that gaming has in general.  Though the Chinese use these somewhat as a product of circumstance, I would much rather play in a cafe with other people that I can celebrate with than in my room alone.  I enjoy interacting with people in the game, but playing with them in person would be a lot of fun.  Just like playing NCAA football at a party with your friends, the competition would become that much more intense when the people you are competing with are directly beside you.

Questions for Nardi:

1.  As you moved through the levels, did it become increasingly harder to focus on conducting research as the game increased in difficulty?
2.  After spending the time in China and seeing the cafes that they play in, which environment would you prefer?  Do you think it has an impact on the gaming experience itself?

My Life as a Night Elf Priest - Chapters Four, Five, and Six

Chapter Four begins with Nardi discussing WoW as new digital medium.  I completely agree with her and really liked some of the comparisons that she makes.  It is very much like a sport, and uses baseball as an example.  The desire players have to develop their skills to move further along in the game is very similar to players advancing through the minor league ranks of sports in hopes of one day "mastering the game."  The visual performance part of it reminds me of the types of activities that take place during sporting events.  WoW is like playing in the game, but being a spectator as well.  The player is involved directly in the competition, but is also exposed to the theatrical events, much like the halftime show of a football game.

Another interesting section in this chapter discussed the release of the first expansion, "The Burning Crusade."  This too, can be related to sports.  This new expansion divided many existing teams as players progressed through the levels more quickly than others that they normally played with.  The raids became smaller, similar to the playoff rosters for sporting teams.  NFL teams go from 84 players in the preseason, to 52 in the regular season, to 46 in the playoffs.  This created a divide that split many guilds because people that were normally involved in raids were no longer a part of them.  It was interesting to read about the sharp divide this expansion created through the subtle changes that it made.  Players and guilds had adjusted to the existing rules in the game, and the new expansion made the drastically alter the way they approached their own progression.

I found the study of Second Life to be an example of why WoW remains so successful today.  As fast as technology changes, we as a society have not had a chance to adapt to it.  I tend to agree with Turkle in that regard, and Second Life opens the door and exposes shortcomings that we have as a society.  The turn to shopping and sex does not surprise me since creating an avatar allows people to live out many desires that wouldn't otherwise be able to.  WoW provides a great deal of personal customization and social interaction, but keeps the game centered around competition.  To me, this is the foundation of gaming.  Allowing the game itself to be shaped by its players is like having a country with no government.  It will almost always shift to one extreme.  WoW has created such a rich environment that the players stay focused on the actual game-play rather than living out their suppressed social desires.

An interesting aspect of WoW is the concept of "working."  I remember being exposed to this game the first day in class and Dr. Haynes referred to the "mundane" activities as relaxing.  This is an interesting characteristic of the game, as many of the people Nardi documented did not feel the same way.  I think this is somewhat parallel to life in general.  Many people actually prefer to work and if given the choice would stay employed even if they were financially stable.  When a game is so vast and requires the involvement of so many people, I can certainly see how it would feel like work.  WoW blends the idea of work and competition which makes players feel pressured to become involved when they are not currently playing.  The idea of others making progress without them and that other players are waiting for them can be stressful.

With the combination of all these factors, games can get addictive quickly.  I remember when Nintendo 64 came out, and I played Mario Kart 64 for 24 hours without even eating a meal.  Combining the addictive traits of gaming with social media can lead to unfortunate scenarios, many of them mentioned by Nardi.  The quote mentioning the social qualities that WoW provides without the "faults" of real life really stood out to me. I think this temptation is the sole drawback of social media in general.  It is easy to feel involved in a game like this and lose sense of reality because you are still interacting with other people, but without the pressures of life.

My Life as a Night Elf Priest - Chapters One and Two

I could definitely beat Mr. T.

The first thing that I noticed about Bonnie Nardi’s My Life as a Night Elf Priest was the structure of how the game is actually explained to the reader.  Throughout the first two chapters, I enjoyed being exposed to some of the terminology and then having it explained.  It was never to the point where I felt lost, but she used terms intertwined with the definitions tied to them just enough to keep me interested.  I also enjoyed the different sides of the game that she explored and the methods that she used to do it.  When I began reading I wasn’t sure that I would be able to follow the text since I have never played, but she structured it in such a way that I feel acquainted with the game even thought I have not yet created a character.

She began the first chapter relating WoW to a blend between a movie and playing a sport, which I found interesting.  The game definitely has the cinematic appeal of a movie, along with the competition of a sport.  I really enjoyed reading about the process players go through to form guilds and must work together to accomplish things.  Before this class, I assumed the game was more like Halo, in that it is basically the same whether you are playing alone or with others.  After reading this, I would have actually incorporated WoW or something similar into our company training program.  Many companies hire most of their salaried employees at set times during the year.  Bringing all of the trainees together from different areas to play a game like this could help develop a strong bond to the company.

I thought the rest of the chapter did a nice job explaining the culture of the game.  Many general myths can be dispelled by taking into account all of the different aspects the game has.  Not only does the game expand into different age groups and social classes, but it has a lot of social appeal.  BlizzCon, as well as guild parties and forums, connect the players to each other past the game.  BlizzCon itself is an interesting event because it is a social gathering attended by people with an “anti-social” stereotype. 

I also liked the limitations of her study that she noted.  The amount of languages and how widespread the players are make it difficult to discern the factual information, but Nardi does a great job of pointing out the areas that are probably accurate.  Certain areas of information can be related from other studies that have established relationships between social classes.  The amount you can be absorbed into the game is interesting as well.  I have always related the game to being extreme; either you are completely involved or you just don’t play it.  Different guilds have different expectations and social norms that can allow anyone to play regardless of what they have going on personally.

Establishing the guidelines of her anthropological approach is very important in a study like this.  It doesn’t have the usual limitations that participatory research has, and she was also a part of the culture without having to be labeled as the one conducting the research.  She played in nearly each extreme of the game as well.  Overall, the first two chapters made me feel more comfortable about playing the game as a beginner.  It dispelled several stereotypes that I had associated with this game and ones similar to it.   

Alone Together - Part Two

In the second part of Alone Together, Turkle shifts the focus from robots to the dependency that can be developed on machines and the relationships that they can provide for people.  She begins with the idea that virtual and social networking sites such as Second Life can allow people to develop into different characters.  I agree with the points that she makes in the following paragraphs.  Social networking sites and other messaging systems have a sense of disconnect that allow people to feel more comfortable communicating things that they probably wouldn’t in person.  Turkle says, “People come together but do not speak to each other.” 

This is best illustrated by the example she provides of Pete.  Pete has a wife and two children, but feels closer to his real self when he is engaged in Second Life.  There, he is able to talk about and discuss his problems with Jade, his virtual wife.  Although he has no desire to meet the actual person behind Jade, he attributes this relationship to saving his actual marriage because he is able to discuss the issues he has without the pressure of being judged in person.  The comfort provided through these sites makes people want to feel continuously connected.  Turkle spoke to a group of seniors from a high school and they all expressed the need to feel connected to others.  Obviously not everyone has the same opinion, and some of the people she mentions make it a point to show they do not feel tied to their devices of communication. 

Another interesting point in this part of the book is the Example of Brad.  He says that he couldn’t be “A little bit on Facebook.”  This is very much how I feel about social media and the movement of technology in general.  I consider myself to be a very extreme person, and I often find myself engrossed in something soon after I just casually started.  I think this has been a large part of my apprehension to use Twitter, buy a new gaming console, or join any type of common interest forums.  I have so many other things going on in my life that starting something new may bump something else out in my “real” life.

I certainly agree with the section relating the advancement of technology leading to anxiety.  Obviously I am not an “early adapter,” and I tend to not respond immediately to text messages or to messages sent to me on Facebook.  I normally get them as soon as they are sent, and I do feel the pressure to respond.  It is easy to explain not being able to return a phone call, but rarely are people in a position where they do not receive a text quickly. 

Turkle makes a lot of excellent points throughout this book, especially in the conclusion.  I looked at technology, mainly the people using it, with a very skeptical point of view the first few class periods.  I did not understand why people would ever spend so much time on blogs, forums, social media sites, or playing interactive video games.  I have always been one to prefer face to face communication.  I still do prefer communicating in the most personal way possible for the moment, but I now certainly see why people could turn to other methods.  As I have looked at some of the sites and communities, I now know how much more there are to them.  Not only are they a means of communicating with people that share the same interests, but they also allow users to communicate openly without the anxiety that can come with in person communication. 

I also agree with what Turkle says in the first ten pages of Chapter 8.  Americans work more than ever before, and research shows that they feel more alone than they ever have, so it is natural so turn to the best available communication to feel connected to something.  Technology is developing so fast that it is highlighting the flaws of our society.  Feeling alone, paired with the natural tendency to be self-conscious, gives social media sites an appeal that can be easy to be consumed in.  Turkle does a great job of presenting these points, and has some startling research to back it up.  I think this is one of the more interesting books that I have read, and hopefully other people see the significance of it as well.