What’s Happening

I’ve been writing a lot recently, but not here… I’m halfway through the conclusion to my dissertation, and hoping to finish the full diss draft in the next couple of days.

But that’s only half the story. I got Wookiee armor. Just rolled out today to the live Star Wars Galaxies servers.

Kyy in wookiee armor

Hell yeah. I’m well past those early stages of spatial, simulative and social orientation within the persistent world now, and experiencing what tends to feel, in these worlds, like “game adolescence”: newly guilded, developing viable skill levels, assuming a social identity, and, yes, picking up the cool guns and togs.

This is a identity moment for me: in James Gee’s phrasing, a moment of motion from I as Kyy, with the cognitive distance that emphasis on avatar implies. The virtual identity as Gee describes it emphasizes the capabilities and operations of the avatar, what Kyy can and cannot do within the simulation of the game. At early stages, I’m most keenly aware of this aspect, as my own desires for the game must adapt to what is and is not possible. As I grow accustomed to the space, I move toward the more liminal I as Kyy: Gee’s projective identity. I’ve played Kyy enough now that I’m good at it, “it” being more than quantifiable actions or strategies: “it” is being in context. I’m now naturalized (or virtualized) to the space, and I can begin investing a little more, focusing on my own desires as well as that of the avatar, and thinking about a performance in the space that satisfies and advances us both. See, I knew I could make this entry passably academic.

Some quick reflections about this: 1.) to me (if it’s not obvious), this is the moment when persistent worlds get really fun. 2.) getting to this moment as quickly, and yet organically, as possible is key to player engagement. 3.) this is the point when I begin thinking about really developing a player persona, and this is where I think the flexible professions system of SWG is so rewarding; I started this character out as an entertainer, but now I realize that dancing in cantinas isn’t really my thing. If I were stuck with entertainer as my core profession, I’d be a little annoyed, but I was able to switch gears and try new roles — with the same character — as soon as cantina dancing lost its sheen for me.

Anyway, I promise I’ll write cogent and substantive things fairly soon. In the meantime here’s another screenshot of my Wookiee in Wookiee armor.