Loosely… very, very loosely… actually not even really close but somewhat based upon the tune of Silent Night and inspired by the recon kit in Battlefield: Bad Company 2:

Silent frag, perfect shot,
Mortar strike, lights the sky,
‘Round yon M-COM our enemies gather,
Where each headshot creates radio chatter,
Shit, the medic still lives,
Shit, the medic still lives.

Silent frag, perfect shot,
Lowly grunts fear my sights,
An engineer aims his rocket too,
But my sights are far more true,
Damnit, that medic still lives,
Damnit, that medic still lives.

Silent frag, perfect shot,
Knifed that noob who got too close,
There’s that medic, hiding so near,
I’ll knife him yet for being a pain,
No! Another medic still lives,
No! Another medic still lives…

Well, I at least get a laugh out of it, though that may be because I can see that exact scenario unfolding in my head so easily

“There are times when writers feel a desire to rant, to ponder, to laugh, and to become less anonymous in the eyes of the public. What better way exists to establish a rapport unless, of course, one wishes only to appear concerned?” — Unattributed

Prelude

When I stumbled across the above quote I was reminded of another (quoted below), and decided there truly was not a better way to describe some recent thoughts of my own. I have long maintained separate blogs in various stages, aimed at various audiences, and (more or less) consistently providing targeted content. Honestly, I feel as though this has only served to make it more difficult for me to provide what I consider quality content on a regular basis on each blog. As of today, Diabolical Minds will be home to all of my posts, regardless of subject matter. I will, however, keep the RSS feeds targeted (and categories/tags have been cleaned up to be used more efficiently) to aid people in reading only the content they are interested in, and any suggestions/feedback is strongly encouraged and quite welcome.

As an aside, you may have noticed a couple of new posts appear in your feed reader. Those were imported from my most recent personal blog (the newest one…). My other personal blog has been taken offline, and I won’t subject you all to importing all of the posts from that one.

“Better to write for yourself and have no public than to write for the public and have no self.” — writer Cyril Connolly

Looking Behind the Scenes

People often overlook how much work a blogger can, and generally does, put into a site. Sometimes people even forget that the sites they read are run by “just another guy/gal like them” when it comes to things such as work, school, maintaining a social life, etc. On the other side, bloggers often forget what attracted readers to a site in the first place, or get so wrapped up in trying to grow (i.e. being noticed) that they lose sight of what their readers want (or, even worse, they try to generate content that is geared toward a specific crowd instead of what they would normally write).

I’ll be the first to admit that the content I have provided has changed over time, sort of like the ebb and flow of the tide. This modified direction is no different, and I will be surprised if readership here does not drop some as a result. After all, Casual WoW was focused on World of Warcraft exclusively, which is going to be what attracted a large number of readers to my writings initially, and Diabolical Minds is not. In addition, there simply is not a lot of information left that I feel compelled to write about World of Warcraft at the moment. That much has, I’m certain, been evident in the lower number of posts here even if you didn’t read the post that I explained it in.

The Personal Touch

I hope you all will stick around, however. My goal has always been to foster more community interaction, not to specifically provide information about one topic. It’s time for me to follow my own advice and not wait to write something that I think people will be interested in, but to write what I am interested in and hope people enjoy reading (and hopefully commenting more on) the material as well. Further, not juggling multiple sites should allow me to move back to more scheduled posting, though with classes that’s always “hit or miss.”

Note, this post was originally designed to go on my personal weblog, but after thinking through many of the concepts I realized it could provide some interesting discussion as the topics relate to MMOs also, not to mention allowing me to start bringing in some other concepts here (as the rebranding/move intended). The original post was also approximately twice as long, and for the sake of keeping things simple to follow I removed a large amount of the background explanations regarding the assumptions and theories presented.

Part One, Assumptions

Nature versus Nurture Corresponding to Identity

1. We are a product of our genetic composition (also expressed as biology).
2. We cannot control our genetic composition.
3. We are a product of our environment (also expressed as our social identity).
4. We can control our environment in varying degrees.
5. Our environment influences who we are, and therefore who we become, more than our genetic composition.
6. The more exercise we control over our environment the more we control who we are.
7. Therefore, we can control who we are, and by extension what we do, to varying degrees.

Identity as a Product of Choice versus Social Influences

1. To the extent that we can control our social identity we control our choices.
2. There are constraints upon our ability to control our environment.
3. We have the ability to make rational and irrational choices that shape our identity (referred to as persona hereafter).
4. To the extent that our social identity and persona are constructed and controlled is the amount of free will we have in shaping both who we are and who we become.

Part Two, TLDR Summary

Part one simply provides the basics in a fairly concise form. The overall theory is, plainly put, that we exercise varying degrees of free will in shaping our identity, based on a combination of genetic predisposition, social influences, and individual choices. Generally speaking, we contribute to shaping our environment and exercise control over creating our identity through such actions.

For the sake of keeping this discussion relatively easy to follow I’ll leave the overall theory summarized as above. For those interested in more debate or detail on the issue, or simply just talking about the thought more, feel free to leave a comment, email, use the forums, hop on twitter… you all know the drill.

Part Three, Creating Our Identity in a Massively Multiplayer Online Environment

The virtual worlds we zoom around in are no different than the physical world we reside in when looking at the concepts above. In both there are external forces beyond our control, individual choices we make that affect the world at large, and the creation of an identity based on each of those factors.

Something we often overlook is how our actions can have a much larger impact than anticipated or imagined. As an example, consider the recent abuse and misuse of the concept of a gear score throughout the realms. Although attempting to trace the origin of such misuse would be futile, realizing that it had to begin with a handful of people and quickly spread (and subsequently became misunderstood by the vast majority of the population from what I have seen) shows us just how large an impact a seemingly small choice could have in constructing a portion of our social identity. Although many of us have no desire to have such a concept attached to us, the simple fact is that in Azeroth, as it stands now, gear score is just as large a part of our identity as our character name when dealing with the general server population.

This illustrates one of the key principles above: we have no control over gear score being applied to our character by the server population, but to the extent that we control our gear we can control our environment indirectly. That is to say, we have the power to change our gear score, and so we have the ability to shape our “gear score identity” even though we do not have the power to stop the server population from misunderstanding and misusing the gear score concept.

Part Four, Responsibility

Classical theories hold two opposing arguments: the first is that we are responsible for our actions, and the second is that social factors shape our actions. Technically, this is the classic psychology versus sociology standpoint. What many people do not realize, however, is that more and more people in both fields are acknowledging that neither extreme can be completely accurate even though there are theories and explanations that attempt to address both extremes (and, honestly, that make sense in a majority of cases). This idea of social problems (wherein society creates the circumstances that determine a person’s actions) versus social responsibility (wherein an individual is responsible for their actions) has long been a debate throughout the behavioral sciences.

As you can see from the outlined concepts above, I side firmly with the concept of individual choice within the constraints of social order (in other words, we exercise a limited amount of free will). This principle is easier to understand when applied to something like World of Warcraft where there are very specific things that can and cannot be done regardless of how hard one might try to do otherwise. The reason this is important is because responsibility then becomes a combination of degrees of individual and social responsibility. Let’s look at the gear score example again to illustrate:

Using the concept of gear score appropriately is certainly individual choice, yet that same choice is not always present when dealing with other people who use the concept incorrectly. Obviously this means that using the concept correctly at all times is not possible if choosing to be a part of the general server population. The responsibility for using gear score correctly is both individually constructed and socially constructed as a result, meaning that both individual choice and socially constructed perceptions must change if the concept is to be accepted and used correctly in all situations.

Part Five, Bringing It All Together

Although I ended up using gear score as the example, this was not originally intended to address that concept directly. With its prevalence in discussions as of late, however, it provides the perfect example to follow these concepts through and apply such a thought exercise to World of Warcraft, especially given the strong feelings and opinions on the subject. With that in mind, this is a general summary of how each portion of the above discussion relates:

The gear score concept is socially constructed and is controlled by a combination of social factors and individual choice. To the extent that an individual can control their gear score they can control their environment. An individual can only control the exercise of their own will (in this case the appropriate use of gear score) to the extent that their social environment allows. Finally, effectively changing misunderstood and misused concepts, such as the current gear score issue, is the responsibility of both the individual and the society (server population).

Over the past month or so I have seen more and more keyword searches land here (specifically this post), and it astounds me that people actually seem to believe that gear score indicates a level of proficiency, or that there is even a number to aim for to partake in specific avenues of content. Since the thought continues to be so prevalent I want to try to provide a comparison that will help others understand why gear score is not indicative of skill:

The Number And Relevance Argument

1. Gear score provides a number that corresponds to the item level of the gear a player has.
2. High item level gear is available to everyone with varying degrees of ease.
3. Therefore high gear score is available to everyone with varying degrees of ease.
4. If high gear score is available to everyone then gear score cannot be indicative of skill or ability.
5. Gear score is not indicative of skill or ability.

What exactly does this mean? Quite simply, the ability for any player to pursue the acquisition of gear will automatically provide said player with a high gear score. How the player managed the gain their gear is not taken into account, nor is any indicator of whether the player actually actively participated in any of the encounters or activities in which they received the benefits of gear or emblems.

Let’s take this a step further, though, and examine another aspect of the gear score argument:

The Correlation Argument

1. Gear score only calculates its number based on gear.
2. Player performance is based on many factors unrelated to gear (such as latency, personal ability to respond to situations and adapt quickly, etc.).
3. If gear score does not include all factors that affect player performance then it cannot be used to judge player performance.
4. Gear score does not include all factors that affect player performance, and therefore cannot be used to judge player performance.

This one is pretty straightforward. Gear score does not reflect anything but the item level of the gear a player has. Not only can players perform beyond the level of gear that they possess (not mathematically, obviously, but in relative performance to others) but players can also, and often do, perform below the level of gear that they possess.

Quite frankly, seeing a tool used to exclude players simply due to a numerical statistic that has no true bearing on performance irks me. When did we reach a point where the concept of working together to clear content became all about individual performance? Obviously I’m not suggesting that a fresh level eighty with nothing but quest rewards for gear head on into Icecrown Citadel, but using gear score to claim they reach a level of proficiency just doesn’t hold much weight.

Some notes:

• The video is not embedded so that load times do not go too high for my preferences (and, to be honest, I’m not sure of the best way to embed them without causing issues in different browsers). I also do not generally sacrifice quality, so the file sizes are larger than what I would dare embed.
• I use Final Cut Studio, so the best resolution video (and smaller) file is in Quicktime format because it is my preference to use H.264 encoding. The second file is encoded as a standard AVI file for compatibility, and should play fine in any other player.
• I wanted to put together a video that was more than just action shots strung together, so this is a roughly five minute clip that attempts to resemble something story-like.
• The footage is the property of Electronic Arts and DICE since they own the Battlefield franchise. The music is Bon Jovi’s Wanted Dead or Alive.
• Fraps definitely makes my system run noticeably more sluggish, and trying to play a first person shooter with it running is not recommended

I hope you enjoy!

• Link 01 – Quicktime, H.264 Video – Approximately 425 MB – BC2_Recon_Day.mov
• Link 02 – AVI File, Cinepak Codec Video – Approximately 435 MB – BC2_Recon_Day.avi
• UPDATED: Link 03 – YouTube Link

This is the first topic in response to my call for assistance, and was suggested by Soph of The View through the Branches: (paraphrased) One of the game series I have most played, aside from WoW, is the Zelda series. It would be interesting to hear your thoughts on the storyline, progression, and life cycle of the franchise.

It was 1987, and the world would soon change in a way that no one could have predicted. The Legend of Zelda was released in the United States, bringing with it new concepts in gameplay, such as the ability to wander the world and play nonlinearly and logic puzzles not previously seen before. Fast forward to today and the strength of the franchise and its ability to capture the hearts and minds of gamers is readily apparent. There have been sixteen (16) different games in the franchise, assuming the inclusion of the direct sequel to the original game, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link (more on the sarcasm there in a moment, I promise), and the series has garnered quite a diverse and large following matched only by a handful of other titles. It could even be said that the Zelda franchise was the first series to generate such a following (the Final Fantasy series comes to mind as its closest rival, though I’m also biased toward the two franchises and may, as a result, not be looking at it quite as objectively as I should).

Now, back to the one statement that will, probably, have many die-hard fans trying to track me down and find creative ways to make me see the error of my ways:

… assuming the inclusion of the direct sequel to the original game, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link…

Yes, the second game in the series should forever be forgotten and any remaining copies, except for the pristine original release I have in a plastic case, should be destroyed. Now, let’s back up a moment and see if this helps paint the perspective better: Zelda II was probably a decent game in its own right, but it was not anything similar to the wonderfully crafted, elegant, flat-out awe-inspiring original game. This is something that is difficult to explain to those unfamiliar with the “feel” of a series and whether a game fits well or not, and the best comparison I can provide again draws upon a comparison to the Final Fantasy series: Final Fantasy VII was a spectacular game, and while I have been told that Final Fantasy VIII was a decent game I could never bring myself to play beyond the first twenty minutes of the game. Never. It is another game that should be obliterated from the franchise of which it is a part. It simply does not “fit” with the series and, although this is based on perception and opinion, in this case we can safely acknowledge that I am correct and move on (I kid… sort of…).

Now, the purpose of that little history lesson is partially to see who is still reading from this point on versus those who have chosen to ignore the post and go about their way, and partially to give you an idea of just how captivating the Zelda series truly is. So, let’s get on with Soph’s question.

Storyline

I have a confession that must be made here, I have not played all of the games in the series. My order of play went as follows: The Legend of Zelda, Zelda II: The Adventure of Link, Ocarina of Time, Majora’s Mask, and finally Twilight Princess. While I do own a Gamecube, I never found The Wind Waker to be a title that caught my interest, partially due to the difference in look that the cel-shaded techniques generated and partially due to simply being engrossed in other games at the time. For that reason, as well as the sheer amount of time it would take to go through the storyline of each game individually, I want to look at the concepts brought forth by the series in a slightly different fashion:

It is easy to overlook the depth of the Zelda franchise from a story perspective for a number of reasons. In general, however, the story is actually quite dark, quite detailed, and potentially quite disturbing. Consider the story from this approach: Link is (as portrayed in the later games) an innocent youth on a journey to gain knowledge, power, and courage (portrayed by the triforce) in an effort to both save himself and others from harm (which correlates with the thought of growing up and living life) while battling the corruption and pains that such a journey holds.

In short, the story centers on the the themes of battling fear, corruption, and evil throughout life. This can be taken a step further in stating that the exploration of children as innately good and that man is the root of all evil are present, but that goes beyond the scope of what I want to touch on here.

(Interjection: For those interested in reading about the specific story lines of each game I recommend visiting the Zelda Wiki.)

Progression and Life Cycle

Limiting the scope of progression and life cycle discussion to only the games I have played in the franchise (for the sake of the discussion), the series has certainly grown both in maturity and in the depth of story tackled. We have certainly seen a move toward a darker, more pained Link who must battle through an almost nightmarish reality in order to “grow up” and become the hero that Hyrule needs. It will certainly be interesting to see if the speculation surrounding the next iteration in the franchise holds true and that the game is indeed even darker and more complex than what we have already seen.

The Legend of Zelda is one of few franchises to hold such a loyal and devout following that the life cycle discussion is almost moot. Certainly any franchise can kill itself with a bad product, but the story of youthful innocence versus the corrupt certainly enthralls many gamers. It is difficult to imagine a world without Link, just as it would be tough to imagine Nintendo without Mario. Link is a character that many can relate to for various reasons ranging from the simple “classic hero” attachment to the myriad of psychological and emotional reasons to love the character.

Closing Remarks

Now, I’m not sure how well I really addressed the original questions, but I noticed post length growing quite long and decided I needed to try to keep the points short and simple. I’ll certainly expand on thoughts with an ensuing discussion in the comments if anyone would like, though

In a previous post I mentioned being in a “writing funk.” As a result I solicited feedback on what you, my readers, wanted to see/read more about, and as a result I received absolutely no feedback. None. Not an email, not a comment, not a tweet, nothing.

So this is a repeat request to hear from you all on what you want to know more about. I’ll even make it simple, here are the links to find me easily:

• Email Link
• Facebook Link
• Twitter Link

And a repost of the basics:

Let me clarify this further. No topic is off-limits. Part of the reason I made the transition from Casual WoW to Diabolical Minds was not only to open up further topics of interest as potential posts, but to also try to bring in other contributors who had something they wanted to say but either did not want to take on the responsibility of their own weblog or wanted to help contribute a different type of topic somewhere other than their current weblog (and many, many thanks to those who have helped thus far).

I realize that is a broad request, so I’ll help by adding some things about my interests and activities in case those spark some interest: I enjoy writing (duh) fiction and nonfiction (though nonfiction comes with the caveat that I have to have some knowledge of the subject, I play a handful of PC games as well as the occasional X360 game, movies and television can be entertaining to write about, I’m an amateur photographer (I’ll probably never consider myself a professional), and I have returned to school after much too long a hiatus to finally complete a BA in Psychology with plans to go through a graduate program immediately after completion. I am also an avid Apple enthusiast and have worked in IT (specifically networking and security) for quite some time, just in case a related topic there could be of interest. However, those are not the limits of topics I would be interested in writing about, merely some of the most prominent activities in my life at this time and the areas which I would probably have the easiest time addressing topics.

A quick post inspired by this one by Lady Jess, I thought I would share my gear setup as well. The above picture is not really a good shot at all (when I have some more time I’ll take a better one if anyone is interested), but it does provide an overview of what I use (which is also listed below):

• Canon EOS Rebel XSi
• Canon EOS Rebel XT
• Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6
• Canon EF 28-90mm f/4-5.6 III
• Canon EF 50mm f/1.8 II
• Canon EF 75-300mm f/4-5.6 III
• Canon Speedlite 580EX II
• Canon Speedlite 220EX
• Apple Aperture
• Crumpler Whickey and Cox Camera Pack