Help Me Out w/A HW Assignment About Gaming :)

[PMS F1ux]

I'm supposed to keep a blog for my Interpersonal Media class and this week we're talking about online gaming. I wanted to hear as many opinions as possible about whether or not you think people you game with can be considered a "community" and if so, why? Does it matter if they're not in the same geographical location as you? Why or why not? What are the negative and positive sides to interacting online via games in comparison to offline communities/relationships?

I realize I'm asking a pretty biased group of gamers here, but I care about you guys and I would love to spice up my next entry with some good quotes

[PMS Goosechecka]

A community is merely a group of people who share similar thoughts, ideas, and interests and have an interest in supporting one another. Absolutely online communities are communities. The darkside of online community is that people are not generally behaviorally restrained like they are IRL because the same social norms, pressures, and consequences generally do not apply. On the other side, online communities grant the opportunity to create a community with those you would probably never meet IRL and are not bound by things like geography. You can live in the smallest town in the middle of nowhere, but so long as you have an internet connection, you can connect with others who are like you.

[PMS Mikotyzini]

Online gaming is definitely a type of community. It's a group of people sharing a common interest (video games), and a group that is seen as a distinct segment of society ("gamers"). Geographical location isn't necessary to form a community, especially as the world gets "smaller."

Goosechecka pointed out really good pros and cons of an online community. You can connect with people across the globe who share a common interest with you. It can also be a platform where shyness can be much less of a factor.

However, you aren't as constrained by social norms that stress good behavior. While there may still be repercussions for "bad" behavior (getting banned, suspended, etc), there can be a lack of accountability due to the lack of geographic proximity.