Video games can cause a plethora of emotions in the player. Emotional deaths in a game’s story have reduced the manliest of men to mere blubbering babies. Wining a well fought battle or completing an arduous task causes a swell of pride and happiness in the player. But these emotions play second fiddle to the most common in video games: rage. Every gamer has experienced the burning desire to throw controllers, scream at the screen, or send hate mail to an opponent who was obviously better than them. With more and more multiplayer modes being the prominent aspect of a video game, sending hate mail is becoming the more popular option. Also, controllers are much more expensive than what they used to be so throwing and breaking one would possibly break the bank.
I get hate mail at least once whenever I play XBox and sometimes even more than that. No matter if I do well or if I don’t perform that well, hate mail will be sent around. If I perform well, hate mail tends to be sent from the other team. If I perform terribly, hate mail can either be sent from the other team or even my own teammates. Also, the frequency of hate mail primarily depends on the game I play. More intense games with competitive rankings in their multiplayer modes like Rainbow Six Siege and Overwatch give rise to more negative communication between team members and opponents. Casual games less focused on rankings like Rocket League and Halo have less of an opportunity and less frequent hate messaging. The gameplay aspects of these games can lead to the creation the personality of the game’s surrounding communities. Certain communities are known for being more toxic while others are more relaxed. The different mechanics in the gameplay lead to how aggressive or casual their surrounding communities can be.
What’s up Austin! Honestly I think that the subject you picked was really awesome. In my understanding of you thesis a lot of it is based on how controlled characters become a sensitive to the player. The problem I feel like comes when you give players options. Do you want them to be hero or a villain? Do you want them to be passive or active? Out of just these two options, I would assume you want them to be a character that has straight morals and actions, however the most complex character is neither right or wrong and honestly, I find that the most complex character
Hey Austin,
Really enjoyed the introduction to the topic, super relatable. Anyone who’s played these games has been there, either on the giving or receiving end. It seems like you are headed in this direction already, but I would love to see a further investigation into the culture these games create, and how, no matter how toxic, it adds to the experience of the game. Games like CS:GO make trash talk a professional skill.
I cant remember if it was Huzinga of Bogost (some early reading), but using their theories on player relations in games like the cheater and the spoilsport would help in framing your analysis.
Investigating psychological studies into anger in gaming might lead to some interesting discoveries as well. I look forward to reading the final product!
Nick